Disneyland Park Update

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| Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Park
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News and Views

Disneyland security watches over Downtown
Disney crowds.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Security Matters II – Of 624 potential terrorism targets
in California identified by the state attorney general’s office, Disneyland
ranks near the top of the list at number five. The list was distributed
to law enforcement agencies during the past two weeks. Only Los Angeles
International Airport (at the top spot), followed by the Oakland and Long
Beach ports, and the Golden Gate Bridge top the Anaheim park.

Splash Mountain was closed for several hours on the evening of Sunday,
February 16 while Disneyland security inspected the ride. The Disneyland
Railroad, which travels through a portion of the Splash Mountain show
building, was also briefly closed. A Disneyland cast member said that
the ride was closed to investigate a bomb threat. Nothing was found, and
the ride reopened later that evening.

A MousePad reader posted
about an incident he witnessed at Disneyland earlier the same day. Town
Square was closed to guests while a Disneyland security canine unit examined
a stroller that was chained to a fence. Once the stroller was deemed to
not be a threat, security cut the chain and took the stroller backstage.

A very tired crowd fills the Fantasyland Theater before the Pirates of
the Caribbean special event.
Photo by Karl Buiter.

The legend of the Pirates event – As David Koenig mentioned
in his February
18 column, Walt Disney Pictures is planning to host a Pirates
of the Caribbean movie premiere at Disneyland in late June. We hear
that Disney’s special events team wants to host a merchandise special
event, similar to the Haunted Mansion Holiday event, the next day.

Unfortunately, most attendees still remember the Pirates of the Caribbean
Celebration at Disneyland as the worst merchandise event ever. In case
you did not attend the disastrous May 2000 event, (previewed
by Sue Kruse and Lani Teshima, and later skewered
by Sue), all you missed were hour-long lines and repeated screw-ups that
kept some poor guests at the park until 4:00 in the morning. The event
was such a disaster that Disney refunded the admission price to anyone
who asked.

After three years, is it safe for Disneyland to put the Pirates name
on another event? And even more importantly, has three years been enough
time to learn the lesson of the prior attempt?

The Aladdin line snakes through the Hollywood Pictures Backlot
in Disney’s California Adventure.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Much ado about Aladdin – Perhaps the Disney marketing
machine has been too effective. Months after Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical
Spectacular began daily performances at the Hyperion Theater, tickets
to the show are still the hottest thing at Disney’s California Adventure
park.

It doesn’t help that there are a myriad of tickets for the show, and
at least three different lines to get into the theater. Visitors who purchase
certain vacation packages through AAA, Disney Travel, and Disney Club
receive priority seating vouchers for the show. Although it is not always
the case, these theatergoers, along with those with Special Assistance
passes, often enter the theater before other patrons.

Annual Passholders get a block of reserved seats at each weekday performance,
and the park issues Fastpass tickets for every performance at park opening
to the general public. Visitors with one of these tickets wait in one
main queue, which often loops around the Hollywood Pictures Backlot.

Visitors without any sort of pass or voucher who wait in the standby
line are not guaranteed admission to the theater. While this is not a
problem on slower days, guests are usually turned away on weekends when
the theater reaches its 1800-person capacity.

While this sounds quite simple on paper, the reality is anything but.
Guest control is apparently constantly experimenting with new ways to
deal with the crowds. On some days, each category of patron has its own
— albeit really long — line. On other days, it looks like a
mob scene around the theater with no discernible crowd control measures
in place. And even when there are orderly lines, there are rarely any
cast members around to guide people into the correct line — or to
guide where the lines go. Uncontrolled lines have wormed through the Goofy’s
Beach Party Bash seating area, blocked off the entrance to the Animation
Building, and bisected performances of Chance to Shine.

Tourists, unaccustomed to being turned away from theme park shows, are
unaware of the availability of tickets, and are utterly stymied by the
mass confusion surrounding the theater at show time. To help address the
first part of the challenge, the Guide to the Magic park map now
explains that Fastpass tickets for Aladdin are distributed at park
opening — something that confuses guests since the Hollywood area
doesn’t open until 90 minutes after the park opens on weekdays. In addition,
A-frame signs are now stationed under the Golden Gate Bridge to explain
the process to visitors who may have missed the notice in the map.

Once visitors learn how to get the tickets, Disney needs to figure out
a better way to get them into the theater. The situation is only guaranteed
to worsen once Tower of Terror opens next spring, when the area currently
used for the standby line becomes the only walkway to that much-anticipated
ride.

Current Refurbishments and Attraction
Closures

Disneyland

• Disney Gallery – January 26 through March 1
• Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes – through March 27
• Rivers of America – through March 27
• Mark Twain Riverboat – through March 27
• Sailing Ship Columbia – through March 27
• Splash Mountain – February 24 – March 13
• Critter Country – February 24 – March 13
• Snow White’s Scary Adventures – February 25
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey – February 26
• Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough – indefinite

Disney’s California Adventure

• Superstar Limo – through May 21

Future Attraction Closures:

• Mad Tea Party – April 28 – May 15
• Pirates of the Caribbean – April 28 – May 30
• Blue Bayou Restaurant – April 28 – May 30


• Indiana Jones Adventure – September 2 – October 24


• Space Mountain – September 2003 – August 2004

Please note that refurbishment schedules
are estimates only, and that all information is subject to change without
notice. You can get the most recent updates by calling Disneyland at (714)
781-7290 before you visit.

Park Events

Pirates of the Caribbean exhibit opens – Noon, March 1, 2003
at the Disney
Gallery in Disneyland’s New Orlean’s Square.

MousePlanet presents MouseAdventure:
Mad Scramble – April 6, 2003, at Disneyland.

Haunted Mansion Holiday Exclusive Dinner – October 1, 2003.

Haunted Mansion Holiday Event – October 2, 2003

Tickets for the Haunted Mansion Holiday events will go on sale in late
August or early September — check this page for updates.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Kids Fly Free, again – United is now offering a Kids Fly
Free promotion, similar to the popular Alaska Airlines offer. The United
package includes:

• Round-trip Airfare on United Airlines
• 4-night hotel accommodations (fourth night is free at select hotels)
• 5-Day Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Ticket (for the price
  of a three-day park-hopper ticket)
• $10 ESPN Zone® Game Card
• And now one child (ages 2-11) flies FREE per paying adult, from select
  origin cities!

Tickets must be purchased by by March 7, 2003 for travel by April 7,
2003. Get complete details at the United
Vacations Web site.

50% off character nylon jackets – Disneyland Annual Passholders
can receive 50% off on the purchase of selected Adult (reg. $78/$95),
Child (reg. $46) or Toddler (reg. $38) Character Nylon Jacket (excludes
Tinker Bell), February 4 through March 15.

You can purchase character nylon jackets at the Emporium, Disney Clothiers
or Star Trader in Disneyland park, at World of Disney, Downtown Disney
District, or at Greetings From California in Disney’s California Adventure
park.

To receive this discount, print the coupon found on the Disneyland
Annual Passholder Web site, and present it to the Cast Member
at time of purchase. Limit 5 jackets per annual passholder, annual passholder
must present valid annual pass to receive discount, and discount does
not apply to phone / mail orders.

SoCal Salute – The Southern California resident discount
ticket program runs January 6 through May 16, 2003. Instead of a discounted
ticket, residents of Southern California get two one-day admissions for
their $47/$37 – one for Disneyland, and one for Disney’s California
Adventure.

This ticket is good for only one admission to each park (meaning you
cannot go to Disneyland twice on separate days). The two admissions do
not have to be used on consecutive days, but the first admission must
be on the same day as the ticket purchase, and the second must be used
by May 16, 2003. And while the ticket is not intended to be a park-hopper,
which would allow you to visit both Disneyland and DCA on the same day,
some readers have reported that they were allowed to use the ticket as
a one-day park hopper.

These tickets are nontransferable. You must provide proof of residency
at the time of purchase, and you will be asked to print your full name
on the tickets. When you return for your second admission, you need to
show ID matching the ticket. This offer is limited to 5 tickets per qualifying
person.

Alaska Airlines airfare and hotel specials –
Alaska Airlines is offering two specials for travel to the Disneyland
Resort. A MousePad member alerted
us that the airline is again offering the popular Kids Fly Free
special, which includes airfare, hotel, park-hopper tickets, and more.
This special offer can only be booked by calling Alaska Airlines at 1-800-468-2248.
Adults traveling without kids can take advantage of other special hotel
and air packages by booking at the Alaska
Airlines Web site.

Free coffee on Main Street –
Receive a free small coffee when you buy a mug at the Market House
on Main Street, USA. This offer is only valid at the Market House, and
is for a limited time only.

The “Get a 5-Day Park Hopper ticket for the price of a 3-Day
ticket” promotion has been extended through January 5, 2004 –
These tickets are available when you order online from Disneyland.com.
Restrictions apply – see
site for details.

AAA Passport Plus Package – For $122.75, you can get a 5-day
park hopper and the following extras:

• Multiple attraction FastPass (The “Unlimited” option)
• Breakfast in the park (one per person)
• Free ESPN Zone arena game card ($10 value)
• AAA Free parking at the Disneyland Resort Theme Parks

A $13.75 FedEx fee applies to each reservation, (not per person). This
package is available without an air or hotel purchase, and must be purchased
at your local AAA affiliate office at least 5 days before you plan to
use the tickets.

Many readers have experienced difficulties when trying to purchase this
package from their local AAA affiliate. Be sure to read the
thread on our MousePad discussion boards, for more information
about the package and tips on how to help your AAA travel agent book your
package.

AAA / Disney’s Resort Magic Package – this package requires
a minimum 2-night hotel stay, and includes:

• Accommodations at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel,
  or Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel
• Disneyland Resort Hotel self-parking and Fitness Center access
• Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket – valid for entry into Disneyland
  park and Disney’s California Adventure park with full park-hopping privileges
• Free ESPN Zone Arena Game Card – $10 value (one per person)
• NEW! Collect FASTPASS tickets for multiple attractions at one time.
  Preferred Seating at a choice of select shows in Disney’s California
  Adventure
• Exclusive Walt Disney Travel Company collectible pin and lanyard (one
  per person)
• Exclusive Walt Disney Travel Company California Fun Book (one per
  package)
• Exclusive Disneyland Resort Magical Pocket Guide (one per package)

You can book this package through your local AAA affiliate travel agent.

Park Hours

Entertainment Schedule