Disneyland Resort Update

Update for March 30 – April 5, 2009

Go directly to: News & Views | Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Park Events | Discounts and Promotions | Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

News and Views

Celebrate: A Street Party debuts at Disneyland | Disneyland announces new Summer promotion: Stay 3, Get 2 Free | Disneyland reels from another round of layoffs and job cuts | Public sales begin for the The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa | Disney’s Construction Adventure | This and That

Celebrate: A Street Party debuts at Disneyland

Celebrate: A Street Party debuted at Disneyland Friday afternoon, and a huge crowd turned out for the premier of Disney’s new not-a-parade. The “street party” has seven units – three rolling stages and four small floats topped with giant character inflatable. Each stage unit has a male singer and a host of characters, including the rarely-seen girl chipmunk Clarice. Dancers, acrobats on high stilts and a dozen cast members pedaling bicycle chariots round out the cast of 99 performers.
 

Each of the balloon units is topped with a giant character inflatable. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The show begins as the floats roll into place, and a quick introduction song asks audience members who are celebrating events like birthdays or anniversaries to participate in a “celebration roll call” by clapping and cheering. The DJs announce that they are going to throw the “biggest dance party ever” to celebrate all of these milestones as the dancers launch into a jazzy swing routine. The performers jump, jive and wail their way through a fast-paced mix of more than a dozen songs, everything from rock (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts) to pop (Miley Cyrus), classics (“The Twist”) to contemporary (“Celebrate You,” written for this year’s “What Will You Celebrate” marketing promotion). Signs perched on top of each of the rolling stages change as each new section begins, and the dancers make several quick costume changes, pulling new accessories from prop drums that double as dance platforms.

Each stage unit has a male singer and a host of characters. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The performers dance through a variety of musical styles. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The show has several opportunities for audience participation, including the “the longest conga line ever.” Just before the confetti-spangled finale, set to “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray, performers pass out a handful of small drum heads to crowd and encourage them to keep the beat. As the dancers rock out with Mickey-shaped guitars and colorful streamer shoot overhead, a dozen bicycle chariots carrying costumed characters drive laps around the floats. The show winds down and the floats move on to the next performance stop, followed by a fleet of the bicycle chariots.

A young girl looks delighted to take a spin around Main Street. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

In summary, Celebrate: A Street Party has characters, music, characters, dancing, characters, confetti, and the opportunity to dance with characters. Kids seem to love it. Parents seem to enjoy watching their children enjoy the show. Park visitors without children may be less impressed, and this show is certainly no replacement for the lavish Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams it replaced.

The street party offers several opportunities for audience participation. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

12 stilt walkers participate in the street party. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Entertainment considerations aside, the show has some serious flaws that impact traffic flow through the park, and the problem is only going to get worse as the Spring Break and summer vacation crowds fill the park. Thought it looks like a parade, the show/street party/cavalcade/streetacular is really designed to play to the audience at each of the three 12-minute performance stops the floats make as they travel down the parade route. As was the case with Disneyland’s Light Magic, or DCA’s Block Party Blast, anyone outside the viewing area can only watch as the floats zip right past them on their way to the next show stop location. Worse, the procession completely bypasses the Town Square loop as it travels to and from the Main Street parade gate, cutting off a large, crowd-absorbing stretch of the usual parade route.

The parade units form a fairly short train, creating a small viewing area, or “Celebration Zone.” When the show stops on Main Street, the effective viewing area stretches only from the Main Street Magic Shop to the China Closet. To maximize the space in the viewing area, cast members require the audience to stand all along the route. The viewing area is not marked on the current park maps, nor is there any visible sign along the route. (Hint: colored tape placed on the street just before the first performance each day marks the spot each unit will stop. If you’re watching the second performance of the day, look for that tape to make sure you’re within the viewing area.)

The dancers change costumes several times during the brief show. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Disney characters lead some audience members in a conga line. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The performers also come unusually close to the audience, and requiring guests to stand during the show also ensures their feet and legs won’t extend over the curb and into the street. During Friday’s performance, cast members had to hustle spectators who stepped into the street during the finale to collect scoop up the Mickey confetti back into place along to curb so they wouldn’t be hit by a passing chariot. A major drawback of a standing-room only viewing area is that it’s much easier for the audience – or impulsive children – to step into the street, possibly into oncoming chariot traffic.

Minnie Mouse takes a spin around down Main Street in a bicycle chariot. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The Street Party ends with burst of Mickey balloon-shaped confetti. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

On days when the procession starts near “it’s a small world,” the parade doesn’t reach the Main Street “celebration zone” for another 30 minutes. People who line up for the “3:30 parade” have a bit of a wait until the show actually gets to their location. Once the parade arrives, the show’s longer show stop (12 minutes, compared to under three minutes for the Parade of Dreams), means that Main Street is closed much longer than would be the case during a normal parade. To try to keep traffic flowing through the area during Friday’s busy premiere, cast members directed visitors through a backstage area behind the Main Street shops. That Disneyland managers have already resorted to a traffic control measure normally used only during peak attendance seasons and holidays like the 4th of July and New Year’s Eve says that the lessons of Light Magic have already been forgotten.

There’s no easy solution. Adding show stops, or even an additional performance each day, would help spread the crowd out quite a bit, but would add to the total amount of time a major artery of the park is closed to foot traffic. As the show is currently presented, your best option is simply to be aware of the parade times, and avoid crossing the parade route during or immediately before and after each performance. If you arrive during the parade and find Main Street packed, or need to exit the park and don’t want to fight the crowds, just hop on the Disneyland Railroad to or from Main Street.

Clarice Chipmunk makes a rare public appearance. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The fleet of chariots follows the Street Party down the street to the next show stop. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
 

Celebrate: A Street Party will be presented daily starting at 3:30pm and 6:30pm through April 19th. Starting April 20th, the show is scheduled once daily (starting at 7:00pm) Monday – Thursday, and twice daily (starting at 3:30pm and 6:30pm) Friday – Sunday, through at least the end of May. Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix posted additional photos from the debut performance in her MousePlanet Blog (link).

Disneyland announces new Summer promotion: Stay 3, Get 2 Free

Disneyland’s new Summer promotion offers 5 nights at a Disneyland Resort or Good Neighbor Hotel and 5 days of theme park admission for the price of three. Kimberly Fidler at MousePlanet Sponsor GetAwayToday.com posted details of the offer in her Blog (link), and calls it “the best summer offer ever at the Disneyland Resort!”

The promotion is valid for arrivals between April 1st – September 26th, 2009, though the discounts are not available at the Good Neighbor Hotels until May 1st. All travel must be booked by August 11, 2009 to receive this offer.

The ticket-only offer gives you 2 extra days of park admission when you purchase a 3-Day or longer Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket. This means your 3-day ticket becomes a 5-day ticket, or your 4-day ticket becomes a 6-day ticket. These tickets must be purchased before your trip, either through the Disneyland Web site or as part of your vacation package. You can NOT purchase this promotional ticket from the Disneyland Resort ticket booths, so plan ahead! The Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus tickets expire 13 days after first day of use or 10/13/09, whichever occurs first, and each day of use constitutes one full day of use.

The Disneyland Resort Hotel offer gives you 2 free nights when you book 3 or more nights between April 1st – September 26th, 2009 at the Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel or the Paradise Pier Hotel. The Good Neighbor Hotel offer gives you 2 free nights when you 3 or more nights between May 1st – September 26th, 2009 at a participating Good Neighbor Hotel.

As with any offer, there’s a lot of fine print and more than a little confusion, especially for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders who don’t need the admission portion of the offer. Each of the agencies we’ve contacted had a different version of the offer available to APs. One agency said they could not book a room-only offer at all; another agency said they could only book a room-only package for APs, but only at the Disneyland Resort Hotels; the last said that APs can only book room-only packages at the Good Neighbor Hotels. If your preferred agency can’t book a room-only package for you and that’s what you really need, call another agency. One MousePlanet reader and Annual Passholder has reported that they were able to book a room-only package at the Grand Californian Hotel through Disney Travel.

Each of the MousePlanet sponsor travel agencies are participating in this promotion, and we encourage you to contact them for assistance in booking your next trip.

Get Away Today
800-523-6116
www.getawaytoday.com

Mouse Ears Vacations
800-886-8601
www.mouseearvacations.com

Small World Vacations
www.smallworldvacations.com

AAA members should also check with their AAA travel agent for special members-only version of this offer that includes free parking. Costco has a members-only package that includes a free character breakfast, pin lanyard, pin and luggage tag per person, plus a $20 Disney gift card per package.
 

Disneyland reels from another round of layoffs and job cuts

MousePlanet columnist David Koening reports:

Last month’s middle-management layoffs at Disneyland and Disney World were in fact just a small foreshadow of the serious blood-letting that began this week. The earlier dismissals were designed to encourage more cast members to take the voluntary separation package while they still had the chance to voluntarily separate.

The massive firings began this Wednesday at both resorts, starting with 11 jobs cut in the Entertainment division, and are continuing, division by division, through today. One West Coast source said Thursday saw the departure of 45 cast members who handled Quiceanera and the Fantasy Wedding planning and the entire WDI document management team. Literally hundreds upon hundreds of employees, mostly salaried, many with decades of experience, are being led out of their offices with a security escort.

The idea is to streamline middle management, reduce duplication of duties between coasts, and keep costs in check during a deepening recession. As a general rule, I’m all for lean management. Yet this is a tremendous loss on a personal level for those involved, as well as for the resorts, as cumulative centuries of park-operating experience evaporate.

I’ve been in on a flurry of cast member emails over the last two days, listing the latest casualties, both confirmed and rumored. To be honest, most of the names are unfamiliar to me, so I’m not sure just how much leadership and “value” each division is really losing. Certainly, WDW lost plenty when on Wednesday Epcot released Jim Korkis, hands down the company’s greatest historical source outside of California. Disneyland let go a lot more names that are familiar to me (including—unconfirmed—the man who has overseen fireworks since they were introduced at the park in the 1950s). Let’s pray these individuals are back on their feet soon, and that Disney hasn’t made too many grave mistakes in whom they’ve chosen to go and, more importantly, in whom they’ve trusted to remain. Our parks are in their hands.

Cast members say that the layoff notifications are expected to continue through March 31, and that the merchandise department has been especially hard hit. Merchandise Project Manager Cathy Jensen and Disney Pin Trading Project Manager Timm Lundeen lost their jobs in this latest round of cuts. Pin collectors are debating whether to boycott or wear black armbands to April’s Pin Trading Night event at the Disneyland Resort to protest Lundeen’s termination, and are curious to see how Disney will handle a scheduled August signing event with Lundeen and his Walt Disney World counterpart Steven Miller.

The day after this latest round of layoffs began, Disney also notified the 39 employees of Yamabuki restaurant at the Paradise Pier Hotel that the restaurant will close on April 11. The Around Disney Blog reports that Disney will try to relocate the displaced cast members to other positions in the Disneyland Resort, and will offer a severance package to those who can not be placed (link).

Public sales begin for the The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

After a pre-sale period for existing members of Disney’s Vacation Club, public sales began last week for DVC’s first West Coast property. The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel are located in a new wing currently under construction next to the existing hotel. The new wing contains over 200 hotel rooms and 50 two-bedroom equivalent DVC Villas, including two two-story Grand Villas that each feature three bedrooms, four bathrooms and can sleep up to 12. The expansion also brings a new Mariposa pool to the Grand Californian complex. Whitewater Snacks will be remodeled to add a small convenience store section offering grocery items currently available at the DVC resorts in Florida.

Sales Director Mike Brunson leads a tour through the Disney Vacation Club model units. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

New members can join DVC by purchasing a minimum of 160 “points,” which represent a real estate interest in a DVC property. Members receive their points as an annual allocation, and book travel using these points. The points needed to book a room depend on the DVC property, the size of the room and the time of year. Rooms at the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel (GCV) start at 15 points per weekday night for a Studio unit in the “Adventure” (lowest demand) season and range all the way up to 280 points for a weekend night in the “Premier” (highest demand) season. GCV rooms require 25-75% more points per night than comparable rooms at the Walt Disney World DVC properties; only the Magic Kingdom-view rooms at Walt Disney World’s new Bay Lake Towers property are more expensive.

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel are scheduled to open by “late Fall,” and most expect the property to be open by Thanksgiving.

Disney’s Construction Adventure

We admit, unless you’re an engineer or a contractor, you may not notice much progress between the weekly collection of construction photos. So we thought to mix things up just a little with twilight photos of the construction scene. We should note that workers were still hard at work when these photos were taken, and that work continued over the weekend.

A new sign on California Screamin’ greets visitors to Paradise Pier. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix..

The new sign looks even better at twilight. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The repainted Sun Wheel cars are back in place. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix..

Sunset falls over Paradise Pier. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Paradise Bay is filled with platforms and scissors lifts. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix..

The top of the retaining wall of the viewing area has been rebuilt. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Heavy equipment at work behind the Paradise Pier construction walls. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix..

This and That

…April 4-18 is expected to be the busiest period of the 2009 Spring Break period, so expect larger than usual crowds starting this weekend. The unofficial Mini Gays Days at the Disneyland Resort event will mean even larger crowds this coming Saturday, April 4 (link).

…DCA Cast members tell us that the Games of the Boardwalk, originally scheduled to reopen on April 23, may reopen as early as April 7.

…If you can’t get to DCA to experience Toy Story Midway Mania in person. Disney Interactive Studios might just have a solution for you. The division announced last week that a new Toy Story Mania game will be available exclusively for the Nintendo Wii this Fall. The game will come with 3-D glasses, and will feature at-home versions of some of the games from Toy Story Midway Mania.

…Main Street’s Mad Hatter shop has been remodeled again to offer the Create-Your-Own-Ear-Hat merchandise. The program lets you customize a pair of mouse ears by mixing and matching a base and two snap-on ears, then decorating the finished product with a variety of adhesive fabric decals. The program launched in Walt Disney World last year, and was introduced at Disneyland’s Gag Factory store last June.
 

Main Street’s Mad Hatter shop is the newest outlet for the Create-Your-Own-Ear-Hat program. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix..

New embroidery and heat press machines make for a crowded work counter. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…Cast members had a final opportunity to bid farewell to the Golden Dreams movie attraction last week during a private screening Thursday evening. The theater will be gutted to make room for the new Little Mermaid ride.

…Work seems to be progressing nicely on Studio Disney 365, the Disney-operated salon and merchandise location being constructed in the Downtown Disney space recently vacated by Club Libby Lu. There is no word of a potential opening date for the store.
 

The former Club Libby Lu store is being made over into the new Studio Disney 365 store. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Some of the Club Libby Lu fixtures, including the heart-framed mirrors, have been kept for the new store. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…Disneyland’s new Monorail Orange was spotted making test runs around the Disneyland Resort this weekend. The new Monorail does not appear to have been outfitted with the slide-down windows currently installed on the new Monorail Red. We have not heard when Monorail Orange may begin carrying passengers. It also seems that Monorail Blue is undergoing some behind-the-scenes work, as the second of Disneyland’s new Monorails has not been spotted in passenger service for a few weeks.

Monorail Orange arrives at the Tomorrowland station. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…Disneyland’s Celebration Round Up and BBQ at Big Thunder Ranch is expected to open this Thursday, April 2. The menu includes barbecue ribs and chicken, corn on the cob, cornbread, barbecue beans and coleslaw, served with a cupcake dessert for $28.99 per adult and $18.99 per child, including tax and tip. You can also order “Celebration Add-Ons” in advance, including goody bags, celebration cakes and even personalized, customized sheet cakes. The restaurant will likely be open to walk-up customers earlier in the week for a brief “taste-and-adjust” period before the official grand opening this weekend.

…Those attending the Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Merchandise Event should note that the special order deadline for the wallpaper tennis shoes is March 31. The special order deadline for the denim jacket is April 30, and the RSP forms for the remainder of the event merchandise must be completed by July 31st.

…A MousePlanet reader who posts on our MousePad discussion boards as “Tinker Bell” posted last week that Disneyland is distributing a Radio Disney-branded map of “it’s a small world” at the attraction. The colorful maps show the location of the Disney characters that were recently added to the attraction (link).

…Visitors planning trips to the Disneyland Resort should make a point to check the Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures section each week for the most recent updates. The Disneyland Resort Web site is currently only publishing refurbishment information about 6 weeks in advance. Be sure to check the most recent Park Update for the latest changes, as MousePlanet does not edit past Park Updates to reflect changes.

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

• Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years – closed to return Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln to the Opera House. No estimated reopen date.
• Goofy’s Playhouse – closed February 23 – April 3, 2009 for refurbishment.
• King Arthur Carrousel – closed March 31, 2009
• Peter Pan’s Flight – closes May 4, 2009 for refurbishment.

The popcorn cart corner is under construction. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Disney’s California Adventure

• Sun Wheel – closed through April 23, 2009 for refurbishment and to install the new Mickey face.
• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – closes April 27, 2009 for refurbishment.
• The Vineyard Room – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this restaurant, but an employee publication lists October 4, 2009 as the return date.
• Golden Dreams – closed. This attraction will eventually be replaced with the new Little Mermaid ride.
• Burger Invasion – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this former McDonald’s location, but an employee publication lists May 12, 2011 as the return date.
• Games of the Boardwalk – closed to install a new facade and new Disney-themed games. No reopening date has been announced, but an employee publication lists April 23, 2009 as the return date. Cast members tell us that the new games may reopen as early as April 7.
• King Triton’s Carousel – closed March 9 – May 21, 2009 for refurbishment.
• Paradise Pier Lagoon – currently drained while workers complete several construction projects in the area. The Lagoon is scheduled to be refilled after Labor Day 2009.
• Golden State Amphitheater – area closed for construction of new viewing area for Disney’s World of Color water show. The area is scheduled to reopen December 18, 2009.
• The Lucky Fortune Cookery – This restaurant area, largely unused for the past several years except during special events, is closed through June 13, 2009 for renovation into a new counter-service restaurant.

Note: Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, call Disneyland at 714-781-7290.

Park Events

If you know of any events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, let us know.

Spring

• Mini Gays Days at the Disneyland Resort (unofficial event) – Saturday, April 4 (link).
• Spring Break – April 4-18, 2009. The Disneyland Resort is expecting the largest Spring Break crowds during this two-week period, though schools observe Spring Break and off-track periods throughout March and April.
• Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival – Daily, April 24 to June 7, 2009. A listing of many of the signature and complimentary events is now available on the event Web site (link). Online registration is now open for these Signature Events.
• MouseAdventure – Sunday, April 26 (competitive event) and Sunday, May 10 (noncompetitive event) at the Disneyland Resort (link). The April 26 MouseAdventure event is filled to capacity, however there are still some space available for the May 10 MouseAdventure: Day at the Park. Be sure to register for the MouseAdventure Newsletter to receive future announcements (link).
• Bats Day in the Fun Park (unofficial event) – Sunday May 3, 2009 (link).
• 2009 Grad Nite events – Thursdays, May 14, May 21, May 28 and June 4; Wednesday, June 10; Thursdays, June 11 and June 18.

Summer

• Summer Pin Festival Kick-Off Event – Saturday, June 20, 2009 (link). The event is now sold out (link).
• Summer Pin Festival – Daily, June 19 to August 9, 2009 (link).
• NFFC 25th Anniversary Disneyana Convention – July 14-18, 2009.
• MousePlanet.com “birthday” party at the Celebration BBQ at Big Thunder Ranch – Saturday, July 18, 2009. Stay posted for additional information as it becomes available.
• NFFC All Disneyana Show and Sale – Sunday July 19, 2009
• Pinbassador Inspirations Pin Release & Signing – Saturday, August 8, 2009 (link).
• SHAG “Spirited” Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Cocktail Reception – Saturday, August 8, 2009. Tickets are now on sale (link).
• SHAG Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Product Release & Signing – Sunday, August 9, 2009 (link).

Fall

• 4th Annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 4-6, 2009. Registration is now open (link).
• Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Merchandise Event – Wednesday, September 9, 2009. (link). All four event packages are now sold out.
• D23 Expo – September 10 – 13, 2009 in Anaheim, California (link).
• UEA / “Utah Escapes to Anaheim” – October 1-2, 2009. (Link). Expect unusually large attendance levels as Utah students and families take advantage of an education convention.
• 12th annual Gays Days at the Disneyland Resort (unofficial event) – October 2-4, 2009. Event attendance will be higher at Disneyland on Saturday, DCA on Sunday (link).
• CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 19, 2009. Registration will open in the summer (link). Team MousePlanet will once again participate in this event, and additional details will be announced as they are available.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket-only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts.

If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line (link).

One Day, One Park Regularly $69/$59 One Day Park Hopper Regularly $94/$84	Southern California 1-Day Park Hopper – Disney is not currently offering a discounted Southern California 1-Day Park Hopper at the Web site. Vons Supermarkets may be selling these tickets, but call ahead to confirm. Proof of residency will be required when redeeming them at Disneyland (Vons will happily sell you the ticket voucher regardless of where you are from but you still need to be an appropriate resident to use it. If you do see these available anywhere, e-mail us to let us know.)
Two Day Park Hopper Regularly $143/$123	2009 “Southern California 2Fer Ticket” ($69 / $59) – Visitors who live in Southern California and Baja California, Mexico can now purchase the 2009 “Southern California 2Fer Ticket.” This special ticket offers admission to either Disneyland or Disney’s California on one day and then to the other park on a second day for the price of a one-day, one-park ticket ($69 for adults and $59 for children ages 3 to 9). The 2009 promotion also features a return of the “Southern California 2-Day Park Hopper Ticket” for $94 for adults / $84 for ages 3-10. This is $25 more than the 2Fer ticket and allows you to visit both Disneyland and DCA on the same day. The offers includes much the same fine print as previous promotions: Tickets valid for Southern California residents within Zip codes 90000-93599 and Northern Baja California residents within Zip codes 21000-22999. Proof of residency required. The 2Fer ticket is valid for one day at Disneyland park and another day at Disney’s California Adventure park , but not for both parks on the same day. The 2-Day Park Hopper Ticket may be used at both parks on the same day. Tickets expire 30 days from first visit. First visit must occur between January 6, 2009 and June 3, 2009. [Note: This is a full two months longer than the 2008 promotion, and does not exclude the Spring Break period as such offers usually do.] Each use constitutes one full day of use. Limit 8 tickets per person, per day with valid ID. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use. Offer may not be combined with other discounts or promotions. [Except for the “What Will You Celebrate?” birthday admission offer as explained below.] Subject to restrictions and change without notice. You can purchase these tickets starting January 6, 2009 at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths, as well as Disneyland Resort Hotels and Disneyland.com. Vons stores, The Disney Stores and the Disney Desks at places like South Coast Plaza and The Grove may also carry the tickets, but we have not been able to confirm this yet. [Note: in past years, it has taken quite some time for non-Disney outlets to receive the tickets, so don’t be surprised if your local Vons store or mall Disney Desk doesn’t have them yet.] The 2009 offer is slightly complicated by the “What Will You Celebrate?” promotion, and special options are available to eligible residents with birthdays between January 6 and June 3. If you live within the residency area and your birthday is on or between January 6 and June 3, you will receive a “2Fer Birthday Ticket” instead of a one-day, one-park ticket. The 2Fer terms and conditions apply to this ticket. You must use the first day of your 2Fer on your birthday. You can upgrade the 2Fer Birthday Ticket to the Southern California 2-Day Park Hopper Ticket by paying $25. The 2Fer ticket is considered valid admission media for the purposes of the “What Will You Celebrate?” offer, so people who already have a 2Fer can receive one of the three Alternate Gifts. AOCVCB 2-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($141/$121) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $2 off the box-office price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $1 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths (link).
Three Day Park Hopper Regularly $199/$169	Advance Purchase 3-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($179/$149) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value) Advance Purchase 3-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($179/$149) – available through the Disneyland Web site (link). You can print these tickets at home, though the tickets from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (see below) are slightly less expensive. AOCVCB 3-Day Bonus Ticket ($174/$144) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). Advance Purchase 2009 Everyone Plays for the Kids’ Price! 3-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($149) – This promotion is valid January 6 through April 30, 2009, and includes one one Magic Morning admission. Currently available for purchase through the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (link). Disney’s Armed Forces Salute 3-Day Park Hopper Ticket (Free/$94) – Through June 12, 2009, each active or retired member of the U.S. military can receive one complimentary three-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” Park Hopper ticket valid for admission to both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks. During the offer period, active or retired US military personnel also may make a one-time purchase of an adult or child three-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” Park Hopper ticket for up to five family members (including spouse) or friends for the price of an adult 1-Day Park Hopper ticket. Disneyland Resort hotels are also offering special room rates for active or retired military personnel. For example, at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, active or retired members of the military and their families may find hotel rooms starting at $119 per night during value season, with great savings during other times of the offer period. This offer is available through June 12, 2009, and the number of rooms available at these special rates is limited. For information regarding “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” at the Disneyland Resort, or to make reservations, military personnel may call 714/956-6424. Full details of the offer, including eligibility guidelines and other restrictions, are posted on our MousePad discussion board (link).
Four Day Park Hopper Regularly $224/$194	Advance Purchase 4-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($194/$164) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). Advance Purchase 4-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($194/$164) – available through the Disneyland Web site (link). You can print these tickets at home, though the tickets from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (see below) are slightly less expensive. AOCVCB 4-Day Bonus Ticket ($189/$159) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). Advance Purchase 2009 Everyone Plays for the Kids’ Price! 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($154) – This promotion is valid January 6 through April 30, 2009, and includes one one Magic Morning admission. Currently available for purchase through the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (link). Costco Disneyland Resort Play 4 Days Exchange Certificate – Available through the Costco Web site (link), this $139 ticket (for ages 3 through adult) is good for four one-day admissions to Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure. The tickets are non-transferable—the same person must use all four admissions. The ticket expires once the four admissions are used, or on July 31, 2009, whichever comes first. This is not a park-hopper pass, although you could probably use one admission per day at each park, in effect using the four admissions as a two-day park-hopper. The tickets are available only to Costco members who are residents of Southern California. Tickets must be purchased at Costco, with a limit of eight tickets per member per day. It is important to note that the item you purchase at Costco is an “Exchange Certificate,” not a valid park passport. Members must exchange the certificate at the Disneyland Resort Ticket booth to receive the Play 4 Days ticket. Proof of California residency in zip codes 90000 through 93599 is required to exchange the certificate for a valid ticket.
Five Day Park Hopper Regularly $244/$214	Advance Purchase 5-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($204/$174) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). AOCVCB 5-Day Bonus Ticket ($199/$169) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). Advance Purchase 2009 Everyone Plays for the Kids’ Price! 5-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($164) – This promotion is valid January 6 through April 30, 2009, and includes one one Magic Morning admission. Currently available for purchase through the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (link). Advance Purchase 5-Day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket for the Price of 3 Days ($179/$149) – Disneyland’s new Summer promotion offers two extra days of park admisison when you purchase a 3-Day or longer Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket. These tickets must be purchased before your trip, either through the Disneyland Web site or as part of your vacation package. You can NOT purchase this promotional ticket from the Disneyland Resort ticket booths, so plan ahead! The Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus tickets expire 13 days after first day of use or 10/13/09, whichever occurs first, and each day of use constitutes one full day of use.
Six Day Park Hopper Regularly $249/$219	Advance Purchase 6-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($209/$179) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). Advance Purchase 2009 Everyone Plays for the Kids’ Price! 6-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($179) – This promotion is valid January 6 through April 30, 2009, and includes one one Magic Morning admission. Currently available for purchase through the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (link). Advance Purchase 6-Day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket for the Price of 4 Days ($194/$164) – Disneyland’s new Summer promotion offers two extra days of park admisison when you purchase a 3-Day or longer Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket. These tickets must be purchased before your trip, either through the Disneyland Web site or as part of your vacation package. You can NOT purchase this promotional ticket from the Disneyland Resort ticket booths, so plan ahead! The Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus tickets expire 13 days after first day of use or 10/13/09, whichever occurs first, and each day of use constitutes one full day of use.
Deluxe Annual Passport Regulary $269	Costco $50 bonus gift card offer – Costco members can receive a $50 Disneyland gift card when they purchase a Deluxe Disneyland Resort annual passport for $269 at a participating Costco location. The offer should be available at all Southern California Costco stores that currently sell Disneyland admission, but the vouchers may not have arrived in all locations yet. [A list of the 37 Costco locations within 50 miles of the Disneyland Resort is available on our MousePad discussion board (link), and we have noted which locations are confirmed to have these tickets available. If you are a Costco member and live near one of the stores that is not confirmed, please check the next time you’re there and then let us know so we can update the list.] There are no residency restrictions on this ticket, and it can be upgraded to a Deluxe with parking or Premium passport. Better still, the $50 gift card can be applied towards the cost of the upgrades, which nearly pays for the $59 parking option or drops the net cost of a Premium Annual Passport to just $339.
2009 Southern California CityPass $259/$219	2009 Southern California CityPass ($259/$219) – This pass includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort park ticket (including one early-entry day), and single-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Wild Animal Park, as well as SeaWorld San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location. Purchase CityPass through the Disneyland Web site (link) or onsite at the ticket booths of Disneyland Resort or the other theme parks included in the pass. You can also purchase directly from the CityPass Web site (link) though this has a minimum $7.50 shipping charge (no shipping charge from the Disney Web site if purchased more than 10 days in advance). You can also purchase the Southern California City Pass online from Costco at a cost of $227/$192 (link), 5% surcharge if not a Costco member, and shipping fees apply. Booklets may be available for sale in some stores but varies widely. If you want to buy in person it would be best to call ahead and confirm availability. If you do buy at Costco, you will initially purchase a large plastic container that you must trade for ticket books prior to leaving Costco!

Hotel / Travel Packages

Stay 3, Get 2 Free – Disneyland’s new Summer promotion offers 5 nights at a Disneyland Resort or Good Neighbor Hotel and 5 days of theme park admission for the price of three. The promotion is valid for arrivals between April 1st – September 26th, 2009, though the discounts are not available at the Good Neighbor Hotels until May 1st. All travel must be booked by August 11, 2009 to receive this offer.

Costco Travel Packages – Many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.com. When purchasing a Costco Disneyland travel package, extras that will be included are: Mickey’s Toontown Madness admission (currently available Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays), a character breakfast collectible pin and lanyard, and a Costco luggage tag per person, plus a $20 Disneyland Resort gift card per package.

Disney’s Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – Package includes accomodations one of the three resort hotels or at one of 40 Good Neighbor hotels; Souvenir Park Hopper ticket with voucher for admission to Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness, plus one Magic Morning (early entry) for three-day or longer Park Hoppers; preferred seating at four DCA attractions (Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Muppet*Vision 3D, It’s Tough to be a Bug!, Golden Dreams); Preferred Showing of Turtle Talk with Crush (Priority Viewing at the first Turtle Talk with Crush show of the day, on any one day – one voucher per Guest); Disney Dream coin keepsake (one per package), luggage tag and lanyard with pin; a Downtown Disney Fun Card; and a “Character Call” from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy or Crush. Contact Disney Travel or your favorite travel agent.

Alaska Airlines “Kids Fly Free to the Disneyland Resort” promotion – Valid for travel between January 7 and June 17, 2009 when you also book your hotel through the airline. Significant restrictions apply to the promotion, including blockout dates. This offer can be a good deal for some families, but make sure that you compare the total quoted package price against the same elements if purchased a la carte. You may be able to take advantage of other published airfare specials and hotel discounts to create a less expensive vacation package. Unfortunately the Alaska Airlines Web site can be sluggish, making comparison shopping time consuming, but you should definitely do your homework before you buy.

Other Discounts

Disney Visa Free-Stroller Rental – If you have a Disney Visa card you can rent up to two strollers for free at either Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure. This offer is valid only at the Main Gate rental locations at each park.

Rainforest Cafe Safari Club – Membership in the Rainforest Cafe gets you a 10% discount on entrees for up to four people. It also gets you priority seating if available, which can make a huge difference on busy days. Additionally, after signing up, your membership card will be mailed to you and be accompanied by a $10 award good for your next visit to a Rainforest Cafe. So if you know you will be eating there while at Disneyland and have a Rainforest Cafe local to you, it may make sense to prejoin the Safari Club so that you can use the award during your trip. See the Rainforest Cafe Web site for details (link).

ESPNZone MVP Club – Membership in the MVP Club does not offer any discounts on food. However, once a member you can make an online reservation for your party up to three days in advance and will get a 25% increase in points purchased when playing games in the Sports Arena (and 40 bonus points at activation). You must register online and your membership card will then be mailed to you within two weeks. The card must then be activated at any ESPNZone by the person who signed up for the card and ID will be required (link).

AAA Restaurant Discounts – AAA (American Automobile Association) members can receive a 10% discount (excluding alcohol) at Plaza Inn, Wine Country Trattoria Ariel’s Grotto, PCH Grill, and Goofy’s Kitchen.

Downtown Disney Patina Restuarant Discounts – Three Downtown Disney restaurants operated by the Patina Group are currently offering lunch and/or dinner specials. Check at the restaurant for menu and price details.

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

DL: Disneyland

DCA: Disney’s California Adventure

Annual Pass blockout dates:

• SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
• SC – Southern California Annual Pass
• DX – Deluxe Annual Pass

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• MM – Magic Morning at Disneyland
• TT – Toontown Morning Madness at Disneyland
• Grad Nite
• MTT – Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party at DCA

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland. As always, specifics are subject to change without notice (or occasionally, without us noticing) so when information conflicts between what is presented here and that presented by Disney, it is best to assume Disney’s information is correct.

Visit the Park Hours section of our Disneyland Park guide for additional details about Magic Morning and Toontown Morning Madness, including available attractions.

Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule for this week at Disneyland.com here.