Disneyland Park Update

Update for January 15-21, 2007

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

News and Views

Disney Cruise Line to return to California in 2008

If your “Year of a Million Dreams” wish is to see the Disney Cruise Line return to California, your dreams may be coming true next summer. An agenda published in advance of the January 4, 2007 meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners included an item of interest for local Disney fans. Agenda item #12 was a proposal to issue a permit to the Disney Cruise Line to operate out of the Port of Los Angeles in the spring and summer of 2008. The full text of the proposal is available as a PDF file at this link, and includes a complete schedule of fees (which include a discounted passenger tariff) and other minutia.

The agreement is for May 1, 2008 through September 15, 2008, identical to the lease signed when the ship first visited California in 2005. Disney has not made any announcement about potential itineraries, but the lease dates suggest that the West Coast operation will be similar to the 2005 schedule: one west-bound Panama Canal repositioning cruise, likely departing Port Canaveral on May 17 and arriving in Los Angeles the morning of May 31; 12 7-day cruises departing each Saturday between May 31 and August 17; and then a east-bound Panama Canal transit to return the ship to Port Canaveral, likely departing on August 23.

Disney is expected to release the 2008 itinerary on January 17, but reservations will not open until January 31. That gives Disney time to make a major announcement during the Year of a Million Dreams press events on January 24. We’ve heard rumors that Disney may announce the much-anticipated third ship at that event, though this may just be wishful thinking on the part of cruise fans.

Travel agents have not yet been officially notified of the pending itineraries or reservation policies, but it is a good idea to contact your favorite travel agent if you are interested in one of the West Coast cruises, or especially one of the two repositioning cruises.

It’s also important to note that the preceding four paragraphs are speculation based on a pre-meeting agenda. During the actual January 4 meeting, agenda item #12 was skipped, and the vote to approve the proposal postponed. The actual 2008 itinerary—whenever it is announced—may look completely different. But one of the favorite post-cruise activities of Disney Cruise Line fans is to plan their next cruise, so this information should give you more than a little to muse about during this Year of a Million Dreams.

More Dreams come true for Disneyland

The January 24 press event is also expected to provide a backdrop for park executives to unveil new additions to the Disneyland Resort. Expect formal announcements of the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction scheduled to open in Disney’s California Adventure; confirmation of the rumored pirate overlay for Tom Sawyer Island and a rehash of the Finding Nemo Submarine Lagoon attraction.

Disney Vacation Club members will have a dream fulfilled as Disney announces the first DVC property in California. A new wing of the Grand California Hotel will be constructed on a wide grassy area adjacent to the hotel, and will include traditional hotel-style rooms as well as the distinctive studio units, one- and two-bedroom “vacation homes” and three-bedroom Grand Villas that DVC members expect. Disney has already confirmed plans for a similar expansion of the Animal Kingdom Lodge in Walt Disney World to add DVC accommodations to that resort.

A 2Fer Clarification

In presenting the information about the current discount promotions, we glossed over a major change to the offer. As before, the tickets expire 30 days from the first visit, but now customers who make their first visit during the final weeks of the promotion will still have a full 30 days to make that second visit. Tickets must be purchased and the first visit made by April 26, but customers who wait until the final day will have until May 26th to use the second day of their ticket—in the past, everyone who first used their tickets during the final 30 days had to use their second entry by the same final day.

The new expiration policy for 2Fer tickets will help prevent crowds like this from clogging the walkways of Disney’s California Adventure. File photo by Alex Stroup.

This “soft expiration” will do a lot to reduce the crowding that has been the hallmark of the final days of past 2Fer promotions. Most visitors go to Disneyland during their first visit, leaving thousands of people holding tickets to Disney’s California Adventure for their second trip. As this photo above shows, the crush of people trying to redeem those DCA tickets can easily overwhelm the smaller park. The final Saturday of the 2006 2Fer promotion saw over 45,000 people crowd into DCA, creating lines for everything from the new Monsters Inc attraction to popcorn carts.

Refurbishment update

The reburishment calendar at Disneyland Resort has been slipping and sliding over the last week and a half as it comes time to actually start some of the project. Tom Sawyer Island won’t close to begin its pirate upgrade until February 5 and that won’t work force Fantasmic to go dark until February 12 according to the current schedule.

The Dumbo downtime has been extended almost an extra two weeks and it is now scheduled to return on January 29. We have incorrectly had Splash Mountain listed as beginning its long rehab on January 23 but it is actually next Monday, January 22.

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is still officially to open on June 11, but as the lagoon was filled, some plumbing problems have been found. It isn’t yet known if this could impact the opening of the attraction.

Over at DCA, the Golden Zephyr refurbishment has gone a little long and it will now end after this Thursday rather than reopening today as original scheduled. The Orange Stinger closure has been trimmed by a couple weeks and won’t start until January 21 and should be done after March 8. Another short closure of California Screamin’ has also appeared on the calendar for February 5-9, this likely another closure to make room for heavy equipment working on construction of the new Midway Mania attraction.

This and That

… Disney has postponed the “Camp Pin-E-Ha-Ha” pin trading event until June 16 – 17, 2007. More details about the event can be found at this link.

… Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, appears safe for now from reports that it would be put up for sale as Six Flags, Inc. looks to even out it financial situation. Instead, the company announced last week that it would be selling seven of its 30 parks for about $312 million. The parks are Darien Lake (Buffalo, New York), Elitch Gardens (Denver, Colorado), Frontier City and White Water Bay (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), SplashTown (Houston, Texas), Wild Waves and Enchanted Village (Seattle, Washington), and Waterworld USA (Concord, California). The seven parks will be entering into a new arrangement that will keep them operating for now, but with uncertain futures. Six Flags, Inc., is selling them to PARC 7F-Operations, Inc., of Jacksonville, Florida. That company is then going to immediately transfer them to Orlando’s CNL Income Properties and then lease the parks. Six Flags has said that for now it does not expect to sell any additional parks.

… Last year’s return of the annual Walt Disney Company shareholder’s meeting to Anaheim turns out to have been a limited experience. After going on the road for several years, many say to avoid large confrontational crowds of shareholders, it was big news again when new CEO Bob Iger faced the home crowds last March. Not this year, though. Hitching itself to the wagon of helping with the revitalization of New Orleans, shareholders last week received their notices that this year’s meeting will be on Thursday, March 8, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

…If you’re goin to the park later this week, be prepared for some big crowds. Not only at the parks but in the surrounding areas. This weekend (January 18-21) is the annual convention of the National Association of Music Merchants, expected to bring more than 75,000 to the Anaheim Convention Center over those four days. Who knows how many will take time to visit Disneyland, but Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue will both likely see periods of extremely crowded conditions.

…One of the last vestiges of the 50th Anniversary Celebration went away last week. Though the decorations were removed, the lampposts along Main Street remained in their gold paint, but have now all been repainted to their former green color.

Don’t keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips, rumors, and comments. E-mail us here.

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant closed January 8 – January 29 for refurbishment.
• Haunted Mansion closed January 8 – January 18 for removal of Christmas Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
• Mark Twain Riverboat closed January 15 – January 19 for general maintenance and painting.
• it’s a small world closed January 22 – February 1 for removal of Christmas overlay.
• Gadget’s Go Coaster closed January 22 – February 2 for refurbishment. This was on the calendar but seems to have disappeared, may not be happening.
• Splash Mountain closed January 22 – early May for major refurbishment. No major changes are expected but lift mechanics are being replaced.
• Professor Barnaby Owl’s Photographic Art Studio closed January 23 – early May due to closure of Splash Mountain (store is primarily for sale of Splash Mountain ride photos).
• Disneyland Railroad closed February 5 – March 29 for track work and to allow heavy equipment access to Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
• Tom Sawyer Island dark February 5 – late May due to add new pirate themed elements to the island.
• Fantasmic! dark February 12 – late May due to work on Tom Sawyer Island.
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride closed February 19 – March 29 for an extensive refurbishment.
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is currently under construction and will open sometime around June 11, 2007.

Disney’s California Adventure

• Golden Zephyr closed January 8 – January 18 for maintenance.
• Orange Stinger closed January 21 – March 8 for full refurbishment.
• Grizzly River Run closed January 22 – January 25 for maintenance.
• California Screamin’ closed February 5 – February 9 due to construction of Midway Mania.
• Midway Mania under construction. Opens 2008.

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.

January

• Mary Poppins at El Capitan Theater. January 11-January 31. (link).
• Press Event. January 24. A press event where several already known but not yet official attractions will be officially announced, most likely including a new DVC expansion of the Grand Californian Hotel.

February

• Peter Pan at El Capitan Theater. February 1-February 15. (link).
• Bridge to Terabithia at El Capitan Theater. February 16-March 22. (link).

March

• Walt Disney Company Annual Shareholders Meeting. March 8 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Meet the Robinsons at El Capitan Theater. March 30-May 20. (link).

June

• Camp Pin-E-Ha-Ha. June 16-17. A pin collecting event. Registration opens March 21, 2007 (link).

Summer 2008

• Disney Magic returns to Pacific Ocean itineraries. May 1-September 15, 2008. Still not officially announced.

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!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are still rarely see 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.

This information is pulled from many sources but much thanks must go to MousePlanet sponsor MouseSavers.com for providing the bulk of the information. If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line (link).

Travel Packages

2007 Resort Dream Vacation Package – This official Disney travel package (link) start at $389/per person for two adults per two-nights. The $389 price is for the Paradise Pier Hotel and goes up for Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian Hotel. In addition to the hotel room, the package includes appropriate park hopper tickets, one early admission (early admission days are currently Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays), a virtual prize for the Virtual Magic Kingdom online game, admission to Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness (currently available Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays), a collectible Dream Coin, and Walt Disney Travel Company collectible pin and lanyard, luggage tag, and California Fun Book. Travel using this package must be booked by March 10, 2007, and completed by March 15, 2007.

2007 Good Neighbor Dream Vacation Package – This official Disney travel package (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 2-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.

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

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates 2006 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.

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