Disneyland Park Update

Update for January 23-30, 2006

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News and Views

Making Monsters official

It was a pretty dead week at Disneyland; the most exciting events were celebrities at the park. Last Friday, Teri Hatcher showed up to film a commercial with Mickey and Minnie at Sleeping Beauty Castle. She didn’t stick around for Sunday’s low-wattage celebrity party to officially kick off DCA’s new Monsters, Inc.: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!

For about an hour on Sunday, park guests and media lined up to watch mostly ABC and Disney Channel celebrities walk down the “blue spotted carpet” for their ride on Monsters and then into an off-limits party inside the gutted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! building. The biggest names down the carpet were Lisa Kudrow (Friends), who barely paused and Jon Voight, who spent more than half an hour speaking with fans and media. Others included George Lopez, Patrick Warburton, Larry Joe Campbell (According to Jim) and Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy). Conspicuous in their absence were any of the major players from Pixar as well as anybody from the voice cast of Monsters, Inc. (not even Mike Wazowski or any of the characters other than Sulley appeared).

Later in the evening, media were allowed back into the area for some up close photography (and a chance to use a flash without annoying regular guests).

The official ceremony opening the ride to the public will be today (Monday, January 23) at 10:00 a.m. There has been some joking (by both media and staffers) that it would be a great time to announce the purchase of Pixar by Disney but that seems unlikely.

We apologize for the short Park Update this week, but it really was one of those boring basic weeks at Disneyland. Presented here are some of the photos from the Monsters, Inc. celebrity event.

The Hollywood Studios area was temporarily renamed. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Shortly before celebrities starting walking down the carpet the wind blew off part of the sign and maintenance was quick to get the rest off before someone could be hurt. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Though he didn’t walk the carpet himself, Disneyland President Matt Ouimet did check on the final preparations and even took time picking up leaves that had fallen onto the carpet. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Cole and Dylan Sprouse (no, we’re not sure which is which); stars of Disney Channel’s “Suite Life of Zack and Cody.” Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Patrick Warburton; star of, among many other things, the Soarin’ Over California pre-show video. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Larry Joe Campbell; co-star of “According to Jim.” Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Robert David Hall (in ear) and Jon Voight working the press line. Both proved to be among the more sociable carpet walkers. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Robert David Hall (“C.S.I.”) revealed that he was a Disneyland cast member from 1965-1968. While he worked most of the major attractions at Disneyland he said that at heart he is still a Jungle Cruise guy. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Jon Voight (most recently in Disney’s Glory Road) spent the most time on the carpet, equally splitting his time between media and entertaining fans. When in our section he did something practically impossible and made everybody interested in watching Anaconda again. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Once the stars had all passed by, it was time to get one with the real point of the event. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Imagineer Tony Baxter prepares to depart on a ride. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Mike Wazowski and Celia’s date is about to be interrupted. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

A quiet street in Monstropolis is about to be thrown into disarray. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

The sushi chef at Harryhausen’s is thrown into panic when he realizes a human is around. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Sulley is forced to hide Boo and try to get her back through her door. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Boo assists in her own escape from the evil Randall Boggs. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

After the ride it was on to the party and Sulley was there to welcome everybody. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

The food stations at the party are mostly matched to the Harryhausen’s scene from the movie. Of interest to others will be the fact that this photo is from inside the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! soundstage. As you can see, it has been completely emptied and is just a single large room now. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Even the desserts were sushi themed. Though they were all pretty, some had more merit in their form than their flavor. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

This and that…

…Robert Olszewski release of Mark Twain Riverboat and Astro Orbitor will be released on Saturday, February 18, at Disneyland’s Disneyana shop. Olszewski will be present for signing (link).

© Disney.

© Disney.

…We forgot to mention it last week but Parade of Dreams has been called off until this Friday due to some resurfacing work being done in the hub.

…Apparently someone has decided to do something about the high speeds seen from cars exiting the Mickey & Friends parking garage. Radar signs that display your speed have recently appeared. If you go too fast (more than 20 miles per hour, it seems) it’ll also flash some lights.

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.

• Goofy’s Bounce House. Closed permanently as of January 8, 2005. Will be replaced with outdoor toddler playground.

• Parade of Dreams. Dark until at least January 27 due to construction-related obstruction on parade route.
• Haunted Mansion closes January 18 – March 9 for removal of the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay and more extensive refurbishments.

• Pirates of the Caribbean closed March 6 – June 16, 2006 for major refurbishment and show updates. Must reopen in time for Pirates of the Caribben: Dead Man’s Chest in late June (movies opens nationally July 7).

• Blue Bayou Restaurant closed March 6 – June 16, 2006 for the duration of the Pirates of the Caribbean closure.
• Cafe Orleans Restaurant rumored to close March 6 – June 16, 2006, for redesign into full service restaurant.
• Disneyland Monorail goes into shuttle mode (one way trips only) January 2006. Complete closure for station redesign will not happen until later in 2006.

• River Belle Terrace unofficially to close in September or October 2006 for complete redesign into larger two-story restaurant.
• Bengal BBQ rumored to close permanently in September or October 2006 to provide room for expansion of River Belle Terrace.
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is currently under construction and will open sometime in 2007.

Disney’s California Adventure

• Department of Untapped Hilarity (D.U.H.) on hiatus. Might return for the 2006 summer season.

• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail closed January 3 – February 28, 2006, for major refurbishment.
• Grizzly River Rapids closed January 30 – February 2, 2006 for minor refurbishment.

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

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

Febuary

• Lady and the Tramp at the El Capitan. From February 2 – 14. On opening night (February 2) the 7:00 p.m. show will include a panel discussion about the movie though no list has been released of panel members. Tickets can be ordered here.

July

• Robert Olzewski release of Astro Orbitor and Mark Twain Riverboat figures. February 18 at Disneyana (link).

July

• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest premiere: Details unknown but the world premiere is again expected to be held in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square. The movie opens July 7 and the premiere will be up to two weeks prior to that.

September

• Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. September 15-17. For more information and registration see the official Web site (link, warning: horribly annoying embedded music)