Update for September 26 – October 3, 2005
Go directly to: News & Views|
Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures
| Park
Events
| Discounts/Promotions|
Park Schedule/Blockout Dates
News and Views
Brewing conflict
A storm is starting to form around the operations and janitorial union
locals for Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure (DCA) parks. Currently
the two parks are staffed as separate entities but Disneyland would like
to combine the workforces, at least in these departments into a single
group. This would allow them to move employee assignments from one park
to the other as they desired.
The employees at DCA are supportive of this plan, while the Disneyland
group looks like it will strongly oppose any change of this type. The
concern is that employees at Disney’s California Adventure with more seniority
would displace existing Disneyland staffers and force them over to the
park with reduced hours, fewer available shifts, and at least a perception
of reduced opportunity.
50 years of the Mickey Mouse Club
Some details are out about the merchandise
release (LINK)
on Sunday, October 2, for the 50th Anniversary of the Mickey Mouse
Club television show. You can see a list of new merchandise at the
Disney Gallery Web site (link).
Standard wristband guidelines will be in effect for the limited edition
pins that are part of the collection.
There will be a discussion panel with original Mouseketeers at Disneyland’s
Carnation Gardens from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., with access to the panel
limited to guests with wristbands. Distribution of these wristbands begin
at noon at the Central Plaza hub entrance to Carnation Gardens on a first-come,
first-served basis. Seating is extremely limited, so expect the line for
these wristbands to form early. Also joining the Mouseketeers will be
author (The Official Mickey Mouse Club Book) and Disney historian
Lorraine Santoli and Tim O’Day will moderate.
The announced Mouseketeers to attend are Bobby, Cheryl, Cubby, Doreen,
Karen, Lonnie, Mary, Sharon, Sherry, and Tommy. As always, you should
assume this list is subject to change and others may join or not show.
They are scheduled to participate in an autograph session from 2:30 p.m.
to 5:30 p.m. People are asked to limit themselves to two signed items
per guest per Mouseketeer. Keep in mind, though, that this means a family
of four could bring up to 80 items of merchandise for signing.
All in all, if you visit the park planning to participate in this event it is probably best that you approach it with a very good attitude and a lot of patience as it is going to draw two completely different groups of people. The event was originally planned as a hard ticketed merchandise event with all the planning and controls that go along with that. At some point along the line, this plan was dropped and it is now just another merchandise release in the park.
The original plan, however, meant that some very limited edition merchandise was ordered (including a one-of-a-kind piece). This means that the major collectors may be competing in line to try and ensure they have access to certain pieces (this would normally be ameliorated at a full merchandise event thorugh the Reserved Selection Process that randomly distributed merchandise among interested buyers) while others will just be there to buy a t-shirt and see Cubby. Hopefully it will be a well run enjoyable event, but that will be helped along if everybody shows up in an easy going mood.
Discount Disneyland tickets
Blizzard Entertainment, a computer game company most famous for its Starcraft:
Ghost and World of Warcraft products, is holding BlizzCon at the Anaheim
Convention Center on October 27-29. This convention of gaming enthusiasts
bring thousands of people to the Disneyland area. In conjunction, discount
tickets to Disneyland are being offered and there does not appear to be
any requirement that you attend the convention to purchase tickets.
All tickets expire 14 days after first use, and first use must occur
by December 15, 2005. Tickets available are:
- One-Day/One-Park – $43 adult/$33 child (regularly $56/$46)
- One Day Park Hopper – $59 adult/$49 child (regularly $73/$63)
- Two Day Park Hopper – $84 adult/$64 child (regularly $106/$86)
- Three Day Park Hopper – $105 adult/$85 child (regularly $159/$129)
- Four Day Park Hopper – $119 adult/$99 child (regularly $189/$159)
- Five Day Park Hopper – $129 adult/$109 child (regularly $209/$179)
- Twilight Convention – $28
The Twilight Convention ticket is good for one day and just one park,
and you can only enter the park after 4 p.m. (or four hours before the
park closes). Orders must be placed online (link,
last item on the page) by October 17 and will be shipped (FedEx two-day
ground, $9.95) on October 19. Each ticket purchased will also receive
a 20 percent merchandise voucher for purchases over $100 at Disney owned
locations at Downtown Disney, Disneyland, and Disney’s California Adventure.
Maintenance and Construction Update
Smaller projects continue in several areas of the parks. Around the Central
Plaza hub, work continues to ease traffic congestion related to the Remember…Dreams
Come True fireworks show by both opening up walkways and clearing sightlines.Planters
are being removed or minimized around the hub, and some of the larger
trees are being removed.
Earlier last week, the Plaza Pavilion was a maze of construction walls
as quick work was done to modify the area. Most of these walls are gone
completely or reduced to simple temporary barricades. Photo by David Michael.
The shadow of a removed planter is all that remains in front of Plaza
Pavilion. Photo by David Michael.
Meanwhile, a couple of attractions are being brought up to speed on the
current Fastpass picture. Pirates of the Caribbean has kept its electronic
wait time sign over the path as you enter the queue as a remnant of its
Fastpass era. That was quickly removed and it has gone back to a low-tech
sign near the queue entrance. When The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
gave up Fastpass, the Splash Mountain Fastpass distribution was moved
into that location from its spot near Haunted Mansion. The Fastpass sign
near Haunted Mansion was simply covered with burlap cloth. It now appears
it has been removed. Over at Disney’s California Adventure, the machines
for Muppet*Vision 3D and It’s Tough to Be a Bug have also been removed.
[Note: The initial version of this update contained a sentence that should have been removed prior to publication. The Haunted Mansion Fastpass machines have not been removed. In fact, they will be put back into poperation when the attraction reopens at the end of the month.]
Pirates of the Caribbean returns to a low-tech information era. Photo by David Michael.
A look behind a construction wall around the Splash Mountain queue entrance
shows no sign of the Fastpass sign. Photo by David Michael.
Behind the Manion’s fences, Jack Skellington is getting ready for his
reappearance this Friday.
Fall foliage comes early to Haunted Mansion. Photo by David Michael.
Over in the submarine lagoon, signs of work (beyond simply the removal
of the remnants of Submarine Voyage are) are starting to appear as area
reshaped
These lines or seams have recently been scraped into the lagoon floors
surface. Photo by David Michael.
The biggest contruction project other than lagoon that is going right
now is in the back half of the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area of Disney’s
California Adventure. The entire surface of that area has been removed,
and signs of things to come are visible when riding the monorail through
the area.
The Hollywod & Dine end of the Backlot. Photo by David Michael.
The view from the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire end of the Backlot. Photo by David Michael.
Potted trees and bushes intended for the area. Photo by David Michael.
Hopefully one of the other small projects in the works very soon in updating the rotating marquee for the Animation Building (the new Animation Academy show is now expected to open September 30, so may then). Looking at the building, you wouldn’t know anything might be different from your last visit. This next photo shows the four rooms advertised on the outside of the building.
The four are The Art of Animation, Sorcerer’s Workshop, the Animation Screening Room, and Drawn to Animation. Photo by Alex Stroup.
Once inside the building, though, these are the four rooms that present themselves.
The four are Character Close-Up, Sorcerer’s Workshop, Turtle Talk with Crush, and Animation Academy. Photo by Alex Stroup.
Still there
This isn’t really all that big of a deal, but it is just amazing that
at least two weeks later, the hacked message on the Happiest Faces on
Earth Photo Finder terminal is still there.
It is hard to read, but this scroll is not supposed to be there. Photo by David Michael.
Don’t keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips,
rumors, and comments. E–mail us
here.
Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures
Disneyland
- Snow White, An Enchanted Musical closed. On hiatus
during off season; expected to return for final season in summer 2006.
- Haunted Mansion closed September 12–29 to install Haunted
Mansion Holiday overlay; closed Jan. 9–25, 2006 to remove overlay.
- Kodak Photo Supply closed for refurbishment until approximately
October 1. While closed official photo pickup has been relocated to
a tent in the Esplanade.
- New Century Jewelers closed for refurbishment until approximately
October 1.
- it’s a small world closed October 24–November 10 to install
holiday overlay; closed January 9-25, 2006, to remove overlay
- Pirates of the Caribbean closed March 6–June
16, 2006 for major refurbishment and possible show updates.
- Disneyland Monorail closure beginning sometime in January
2006. Not yet announced, though expected involve almost a complete rebuilding
of Tomorrowland Station to accommodate Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage,
a complete refurbishment (though not reconstruction) of the track, and
hopefully new monorails to replace the existing vehicles.
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is currently under construction
and will open sometime in 2007.
Disney’s California Adventure
- California Screamin’ is still closed following an accident
on July 29, 2005. Reopen date has not yet been announced.
- Department of Untapped Hilarity (D.U.H.) on hiatus. May
return.
- Disney’s Electrical Parade on hiatus for the off season,
except for a two week run starting December 16.
- Drawn to Animation closed to be replaced with Animation
Academy September 30, 2005.
- Monsters, Inc.: Mike and Sully to the Rescue is under construction
and will open in early 2006.
- Rizzo’s Props and Pawn Shop closed and is being rethemed, most
likely into something Monsters, Inc., related.
Downtown Disney
- Disney’s Pin Traders. A new pin-trading and sales booth to
be opened in October in the old ticket booth next to the monorail station.
- Anne Geddes. New flagship store for baby stuff designer. Taking
up part of former location of MainSpring. Opening in October.
- Sunglass Icon. A new sunglasses store owned by Oakley. Signage
indicates a summer opening, no word of actual date.
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.
Events
September
- Gay Days. September 30-October 2. Unofficial event at Disneyland
Park (information).
October
- CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park. October
2. Fundraising charity event for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County
(link).
- 50 Years of the Mickey Mouse Club. October
2. Merchandise release for the 50th anniversary of Mickey Mouse Club, also a panel discussion and signing with many original Mouseketeers in attendance.
(link).
- MousePlanet’s MouseAdventure. October 15 and 16. MousePlanet’s
in-park game will be held on this weekend. Registration is open (link).
- Mickey’s Halloween Treat. October 21, 22, 28, and 29 at Disney’s
California Adventure. A separately ticketed trick-or-treating event
at DCA from 7:30-10:30 each night. Tickets are $20, and until September
15, Annual Pass holders may pre-purchase tickets for $15 at 714-781-4400.
Online ticket purchases are available through the Disneyland Annual
Pass Web site. Tickets can also be pre-purchased on site at the Disneyland
Guest Services window (link).
- “To the Head of the Team, Zero!” October 22 at Disneyana.
A new Nightmare Before Christmas sculpture release in the Walt
Disney Classics Collection. Artist Dave Pacheco will be on hand for
the release and signing (link).
November
- SHAG Park Map release. November 12. Details not currently
available (link).
Current Discounts & Promotions
Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland
Resort. For convenience sake, 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 which works best for you. And keep those tips coming –
let us know if you find a better / different offer, so we can share it
with other readers!
| One Day |
Southern California 1–Day Park Hopper ($61/$71) – Residents of Southern California (zip codes 90000–93599) and and northern Baja California, Mexico (zip codes 21000–22999), can buy discounted one–day park hoppers. You can purchase up to eight tickets at a time, one order per day, and two orders in any seven–day period. Valid ID showing zip code will be required with ticket for admission.
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| Two Days |
AAA Flex Passport ($98/$78)– Some AAA offices offer a 2–day Flex Passport at $98 for ages 10 and up, or $78 for ages 3–9. This ticket does not require a hotel or package purchase—check with your local office to see if the ticket is available in your area. A reader let us know that AAA offices in Oregon and Idaho do not offer the 2–day version of this ticket, but instead offer a 3–day pass.
Advance Purchase 2–Day Park Hopper ($105/$85)– Available for online purchase directly from Disney (link) or Northern California, Nevada, and Utah AAA offices (link).
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| Three Days |
AAA Flex Passport ($129/$99)– Some AAA offices offer a 3–day Flex Passport at $129 for ages 10 and up, or $99 for ages 3–9. This ticket does not require a hotel or package purchase – check with your local office to see if the ticket is available in your area.
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City Pass($185/$127)– The cost of a CityPass increases to $185 for ages 10 and up, but decrease to $127 for ages 3–9. The pass includes a 3–Day Disneyland Resort park hopper bonus ticket (includes a $10 ESPN Zone game card and one early admission), one day admission to Knott’s Berry Farm, Sea World San Diego, and either the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Wild Animal Park. The CityPass still expires 14 days after first use. Purchase CityPass through the Disneyland Web site, at the Disneyland Resort, at the other theme parks included in the pass, or directly from the CityPass Web site (link).
The Southern California City Pass can also be purchased online from Costco at a cost of $164.99/$112.99 (link).
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3–Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($109/$109)($139/$109)– The park hopper bonus tickets currently include one early entry admission to Fantasyland, and a $10 ESPN Zone game card. You can take advantage of the Advance Purchased discount as detailed above. These tickets expire 13 days after first use or January 15, 2006, whichever comes first. The first visit must occur before January 2, 2006. Both offers are available at the Disneyland Web site (link) and from AAA. You must buy these tickets in advance; they are not available at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Several readers wrote to tell us that the Safeway stores in Central and Northern California, and Vons stores in Las Vegas, are also offering the 3–Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets. Check with your local Safeway store for details, as the dates and benefits may differ.
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| Four Days |
4–Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets($159/$129) – The park hopper bonus tickets currently include one early entry admission to Fantasyland, and a $10 ESPN Zone game card.
You can take advantage of the Advance Purchased discount as detailed above. These tickets expire 13 days after first use or January 15, 2006, whichever comes first. The first visit must occur before January 2, 2006. These tickets are available through the Disneyland Web site (link) and from AAA. You must buy these tickets in advance; they are not available at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths.
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| Five Days |
Disney’s AAA Passport Plus Package 2005($169/$139)– The 5–day Passport Plus park hopper ticket is $169 for ages 10 and up, and $139 for ages 3–9. This package includes:
An additional handling fee of $10 is charged per mailing address. These tickets are available to AAA members only when purchased through participating AAA offices. Several readers report that their local AAA offices do not offer this ticket, or that the benefits differ. You may remember that this also happened with the 2004 version of this package.
MousePlanet has contacted AAA offices around the country and encountered the same problem. If your local AAA office does not offer the ticket, check with another AAA office in your area. The decision to offer this ticket seems to depend on which regional AAA “club” you belong to, and in some cases rest with the office manager at each location. The Auto Club of Southern California (ACSC) is not participating in this offer, and AAA Oregon/Idaho offers the 5–day tickets. Some readers have also been told that the California Diamond Fun Book is no longer available.
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5–Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets($139/$139) ($169/$139) – The park hopper bonus tickets currently include one early entry admission to Fantasyland, and a $10 ESPN Zone game card.
You can take advantage of the Advance Purchased discount as detailed above. These tickets expire 13 days after first use or January 15, 2006, whichever comes first. The first visit must occur before January 2, 2006. Both of these ticket offers are available through the Disneyland Web site (link), and from AAA. You must buy these tickets in advance; they are not available at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths.
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| Six or Seven Days |
Disney’s AAA Passport Plus Package 2005– The Parkhopper Plus package may be available in 6– or 7– day increments at participating AAA offices. Check with your local AAA office for availability and pricing:
An additional handling fee of $10 is charged per mailing address. These tickets are available to AAA members only when purchased through AAA offices. Several readers report that their local AAA offices do not offer this ticket, or that the benefits differ. You may remember that this also happened with the 2004 version of this package. MousePlanet has contacted AAA offices around the country, and encountered the same problem. If your local AAA office does not offer the ticket, check with another AAA office in your area. The decision to offer this ticket seems to depend on which regional AAA “club” you belong to, and in some cases rests with the office manager at each location. The Auto Club of Southern California (ACSC) is not participating in this offer, and AAA Oregon/Idaho offers the 5–day tickets. Some readers have also been told that the California Diamond Fun Book is no longer available.
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Special thanks to MousePlanet reader David Michael for some ofthis information. | |
Fourth Night Free
Get a fourth night free if you stay at any of the three Disneyland Resort
hotels for three or more consecutive nights. Visits must happen through
December 18, 2005 (link).
2005 Resort Magic Package
This package (link)
for couples includes two nights’ lodging and a park hopper tickets. Travel
must occur “value seasons” from August 28–November 21,
2005; and November 27–December 23, 2005.
- 50th Anniversary commemorative certificate (one per package)
- Park Hopper bonus ticket, which includes one early entry into Fantasyland
and a $10 ESPN Zone game card. (Park hopper tickets can be upgraded
to an annual pass for an extra fee)
- Preferred seating to select shows at Disney’s California Adventure
- Entry into Mickey’s Toontown Madness
- Walt Disney Travel Co. lanyard and pin (one per person)
- Walt Disney Travel Co. luggage tag
- Walt Disney Travel Co. fun book (one per package)
Two versions of the package are available. For $349 per person (double
occupancy) you can stay at one of the on–property Disney hotels.
For $229 per person (double occupancy) you can get the same package while
staying at the Jolly Roger Hotel or Red Roof Inn Maingate.
50th Anniversary Package
The Happiest Homecomings on Earth package has been revised for the new
year. The previous promotion was good only for three–night stays
at the Disneyland Resort hotels; the new offer is valid on longer stays
and includes Good Neighbor Hotels as well.
Instead of the 50th anniversary commemorative clock and Walk in Walt’s
Footsteps tour, the new packages include all the following:
- “Enchanting” commemorative certificate (one per package)
- Park Hopper bonus ticket, which includes one early entry into Fantasyland
and a $10 ESPN Zone game card. (Park hopper tickets can be upgraded
to an annual pass for an extra fee)
- Preferred seating to select shows at Disney’s California Adventure
- Entry into Mickey’s Toontown Madness
- Walt Disney Travel Co. lanyard and pin (one per person)
- Walt Disney Travel Co. luggage tag
- Walt Disney Travel Co. fun book (one per package)
The “Happiest Homecoming on Earth” package is available for
arrival dates through December 31, 2005. The package must be booked online
through the Disneyland Web site (link)
by December 28, 2005.
Free Child’s Member pass
While supplies last if you make a $75 purchase at Downtown Disney’s LEGO
Imagination Center you will get one free child’s Membership Pass to Legoland
in San Diego, CA. The pass is good for children ages 3-12 and comes with
unlimited park admission, special discounts, and a subscription to the
Legoland Newsletter.
Free Stroller Rental
Holders of a Disney Visa card can get up to two free stroller rentals
per day at the Disneyland Resort. This offer is valid through September
30, 2006 and you must present a valid Disney Visa card at time of rental.
ESPN Zone MVP Club
If you sign up online for ESPN Zone’s MVP Club (link),
you can receive a 40–point game card (about $10 worth), and an ESPN
Zone mini–cooler. ESPN Club in Orlando is excluded from this offer.
You must pick up these items in person, although they do not have to be
used as the same store from which you get them. There are some fairly
strict requirements for registering and getting your rewards, so make
sure you read the details carefully (link).
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
Sun | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat |
| 9/26 | 9/27 | 9/28 | 9/29 | 9/30 | 10/1 | |
| DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 9a–10p | DL: 8a–Mid |
| 10/2 | 10/3 | 10/4 | 10/5 | 10/6 | 10/7 | 10/8 |
DL: 10a–11p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 9a–Mid | DL: 8a–Mid |
| 10/9 | 10/10 | 10/11 | 10/12 | 10/13 | 10/14 | 10/15 |
DL: 8a–Mid | DL: 9a-10p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 10a–8p | DL: 9a–Mid | DL: 8a–Mid |
Annual Passholders Blockout Dates 2005 page to see more dates.
You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland.
Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort
schedule for this week at Disneyland.com
here.
