Disneyland Park Update

February 25, 2008 by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Update for February 25 – March 3, 2008

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

News and Views

Julie Andrews book release and signing event | ESPN Zone’s Anthem Idol competition | Crowd and attendance projections | This and That

Julie Andrews book release and signing event

The Disneyland Resort has released additional details about the upcoming book release and signing event with actress Julie Andrews. Copies of her biography Home: A Memoir of My Early Years will be available for sale at the Disneyana shop on Main Street starting at park opening on Tuesday, April 8. (scheduled for 9 a.m., though Main Street and the Disneyana shop may open as early as 8:30) Customers will need a wristband to purchase the book prior to 1:00 p.m. Wristbands will be distributed near the information booth near the West (Downtown Disney side) tram stop from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., after which wristbands will be available outside the Disneyana shop until noon. Customers without wristbands can purchase any remaining copies starting at 1 p.m.

Julie Andrews will be on hand at the Main Street Opera House to sign copies purchased from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Customers may not bring any personal items to be signed. Customers who can not attend the event in person can purchase pre-signed books through the Disneyland Web site starting April 1, 2008. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years is offered at $26.95, plus tax (and shipping, if applicable) Additional details are available at the Disney Gallery Web site (link).

ESPN Zone’s Anthem Idol competition

ESPN Zone is hosting an “Anthem Idol” competition on March 6, 2008 at the Downtown Disney location. Registration opened this weekend, and contestants must register in person at the restaurant’s SportsCenter Studio Store to reserve their spot. Registration is open through March 5 or when 100 eligible entries are received, whichever comes first.

On March 6, each contestant will sing 30 seconds of a song of their choice (but not the national anthem), and five finalists will be selected by a panel of judges. Each finalist will then perform the national anthem, and be judged by both the panel of official judges and the live audience. The winner will have the opportunity to sing the national anthem live before an upcoming Anaheim Ducks hockey game. Additional details about the competition are available from the ESPN Zone Web site (link). If you register for the competition, be sure to let your fellow MousePlanet readers know by posting to the MousePad discussion board thread so we can cheer you on (link).

Crowd and attendance projections

Be sure to check the Park Events calendar below for the latest updates on events that may mean additional crowds at the Disneyland Resort. We have updated the calendar to include Grad Nights, Spring Break, Utah Education Association convention and Nevada Day. If you know of an event that should be added, don’t hesitate to drop us a note.

This and That

…Several sources and Web sites have reported a problem with Disneyland’s new Mark VII monorails. According to various reports, the Monorail is unable to navigate the full track and may need to be sent back to Canada for additional refurbishment. Once the Monorail is repaired, it will still need to pass DOSH certification before it can be put into passenger service.

…Brady MacDonald of The Los Angeles Times travel blog has posted profiles of many of the 20 finalists of the Disney Dream CEO competition (link). The newspaper is also hosting an online poll to determine reader’s favorite candidates.

…MousePlanet reader miss bianca reports that the “AP6” Annual Passholder discount at the Disneyland Resort Hotels is extended through May 31, 2008. Another reader reports that the rate is not valid at the Grand Californian Hotel.

…Several MousePlanet readers have already received notice that they were selected for an opportunity to tour the new Disney Dream Suite at Disneyland. If you are a Disneyland Resort Annual Passholder, you still have until February 28, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. PST to enter to win your own tour of the suite. To enter, visit the Disneyland Annual Passholder Web site at this link and verify or update your e-mail address and the bar code on your pass. The bar code changes each time you upgrade or renew your pass, so you will need to provide your most recent bar code number. The tours will be offered March 3-6, and each winning passholder may bring up to five additional passholder guests.

…Time is running out for first-time teams to register for the inaugural MouseAdventure 101 division, designed exclusively for new teams and players. Registration for the 101 division closes this Friday, February 29, 2008 or when the division sells out, whichever comes first. [Note: Registration for the Basic and Advanced divisions of the Spring 2008 MouseAdventure filled up in only 38 hours.] The Spring event will be held on Sunday, April 13 at the Disneyland Resort. Additional details about this event are available on our MouseAdventure information page (link).

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

“it’s a small world” – closes January 22 for a nine-month refurbishment, and should re-open in late November 2008.
Jungle Cruise – closed January 28 to March 7 for refurbishment.
King Arthur Carrousel– closed through April 4 for an unscheduled refurbishment.
Matterhorn Bobsleds – closed Feb 25 – 27 for refurbishment.
Carnation Cafe – closed February 25 to 29 for refurbishment
Mr. Toad’s Wild ride – closed April 21 to 24 for refurbishment.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed April 28 – May 1 for refurbishment.
Gadget’s Go Coaster – closed April 28 – May 22 for refurbishment.

Disney’s California Adventure

Pizza Oom
Mow Mow – closed February 7 to March 13 for refurbishment.
Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! – closed February 12 to March 13 for refurbishment.
It’s Tough to be a Bug – closed May 12 to 23 for refurbishment.
The Midway Games on Paradise Pier are closed, with the new Toy Story Mania attraction still under construction and expected to open summer 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.

March 2008

101 Dalmatians 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD Release – Tuesday, March 4. (link) The DVD will be offered at $19.99.
Disneyland Resort Pin Trading Night – Sunday, March 9 at the Paradise Pier hotel ballroom. (Link)
Pixar Play Parade debut at Disney’s California Adventure – Friday, March 14 at 5:15 p.m. A “special preview” for Annual Passholders is scheduled for March 13 at 5:15 p.m.
Spring Break –Though area schools observe their spring breaks during different weeks throughout March and April, expect the largest crowds during ths two-week period March 15 – 30 when the Disneyland Resort will be operating at maximum hours.
Robert Olszewski Product Release & Signing – Saturday, March 29 (link)

April 2008

Julie Andrews appearance and book signing – Tuesday, April 8 (link)
Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival – April 11 through May 5, 2008 (link)
MouseAdventure – Sunday, April 13 (link)

May 2008

Grad Night events: – Thursday, May 15; Thursday, June 11; Thursday, June 12; Thursday, June 19.

June 2008

Grad Night events: – Thursday, June 5; Wednesday, May 22; Thursday, May 29.

Spring-Summer 2008

The Disney Magic cruise ship returns to Pacific Ocean itineraries – May 25 to August 17.

August 2008

Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – Friday, August 29 to Sunday, August 31 (link)
2008 Disneyland Half Marathon – Sunday, August 31 (link)

October 2008

2008 UEA convention –October 16 & 17 (in Utah). Many Utah public schools close so teachers can attend the Utah Education Association convention, which creates a four-day weekend for the students. Expect the resort to be busy that weekend—some claim ‘UEA’ stands for ‘Utah Escapes to Anaheim.’

November 2008

Nevada Day (observed)– Friday, October 31 (in Nevada). This state holiday creates a three-day weekend, and many families head to the Disneyland Resort.

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.

This information is pulled from many sources but much thanks go to 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).

One Day, One Park Regularly $66/$56 One Day Park Hopper Regularly $91/$81	Southern California 1-Day Park Hopper – Disney is not currently offering a discounted Southern California 1-Day Park Hopper at the Web site. Southern California AAA offices and 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 $132/$112 Southern California 2Fer Ticket $66 / $56	2008 “Southern California 2Fer Ticket” ($66 / $56) – Offers admission to Disneyland on one day and Disney’s California Adventure on a second day for the price of a one-day, one-park ticket. The tickets are available for sale at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths, as well as Disneyland Resort Hotels, Vons stores, The Disney Stores, South Coast Plaza Disney Desk and Disneyland.com, and the following restrictions apply: 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. Admission 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. Tickets expire 30 days from first visit. First visit must occur between January 7 and April 24, 2008. 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. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. AOCVCB 2-Day Bonus Ticket ($119/$100) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $3 (adult) and $2 (child) and shipping on all orders is at least $10 (link). So if you are ordering more than 10 days in advance and your discount would be less than $10, you’ll still come out ahead by ordering at the Disneyland Web site.
Three Day Park Hopper Regularly $189/$159	Advance Purchase 3-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($169/$139) – 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 ($169/$139) 2008 “2 Days Free” offer – Buy a 3-day Parkhopper ticket and receive a 5-day Parkhopper Bonus ticket which includes one Early Entry admission. The Spring promotion is available starting January 7, and you must purchase tickets in advance, as this offer is not valid at the Disneyland Resort ticket booth. You must use your ticket for the first time on or before April 24 and its expires 13 days after first use or on May 7, 2008, whichever occurs first. Southern California CityPass ($235/$189) – 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 $209.99/$169.99 (adults/child), 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 a Costco, you will initially purchase a large plastic container that you must trade for ticket books prior to leaving Costco! AOCVCB 3-Day Bonus Ticket ($155/$126) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $4 (adult) and $3 (child) and shipping on all orders is at least $10. So if you are ordering more than 10 days in advance and your discount would be less than $10, you’ll still come out ahead by ordering at the Disneyland Web site. Tickets include one early admission day (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link).
Four Day Park Hopper Regularly $214/$184	Advance Purchase 4–Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($184/$154) – 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 4-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($184/$154) 2008 “2 Days Free” offer – Buy a 4-day Parkhopper ticket and receive a 6-day Parkhopper Bonus ticket which includes one Early Entry admission. The Spring promotion is available starting January 7, and tickets must be purchased in advance – this offer is not valid at the Disneyland Resort ticket booth. The ticket must be used for the first time on or before April 24 and expires 13 days after first use or on May 7, 2008, whichever occurs first. AOCVCB 4-Day Bonus Ticket ($174/$145) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 (adult) and $4 (child) and shipping on all orders is at least $10 Tickets include one early admission day (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link).
Five Day Park Hopper Regularly $234/$204	Advance Purchase 5–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 (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 5-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($194/$164) 2008 “2 Days Free” offer – Buy a 5-day Parkhopper ticket and receive a 7-day Parkhopper Bonus ticket which includes one Early Entry admission. The Spring promotion is available starting January 7, and tickets must be purchased in advance – this offer is not valid at the Disneyland Resort ticket booth. The ticket must be used for the first time on or before April 24 and expires 13 days after first use or on May 7, 2008, whichever occurs first. AOCVCB 5-Day Bonus Ticket ($183/$154) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $6 (adult) and $5 (child) and shipping on all orders is $10.

Hotel / Travel Packages

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 per person, a $20 Disneyland Resort gift card, a collectible pin and lanyard, and a Costco luggage tag.

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.

2008 “2 Days Free” offer – When you buy a 3-, 4- or 5-day Parkhopper ticket, Disney will add two free days. In other words, you’ll pay the 3-day rate ($189) and receive a Parkhopper Bonus ticket good for five days. You can maximize your savings by taking advantage of the advance purchase discount, and pay just $169. The Parkhopper Bonus ticket includes one Early Entry admission. The ticket must be used for the first time on or before April 24 and expires 13 days after first use or on May 7, 2008, whichever occurs first.

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.

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

	2/25	2/26	2/27	2/28	2/29	3/1
	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 9a–12a DCA: 10a–10p	DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC
3/2	3/3	3/4	3/5	3/6	3/7	3/8
DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 10a–8a DCA: 10a–6p	DL: 9a–12a DCA: 10a–10p	DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC/DX
3/9	3/10	3/11	3/12	3/13	3/14	3/15
DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL	DL: 9a–11a DCA: 10a–9p	DL: 9a–11a DCA: 10a–9p	DL: 9a–11a DCA: 10a–9p	DL: 9a–11a DCA: 10a–9p	DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p	DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC/DX
3/16	3/17	3/18	3/19	3/20	3/21	3/22
DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC	DL: DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC	DL: DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC	DL: DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC	DL: DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC	DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC/DX	DL: 8a–12a DCA: 10a–10p SL/SC/DX

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.

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

Author

Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

View all posts