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News and Views

A Candlelight surprise

Disneyland sets the stage for the return of Candlelight to Main Street.

Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Disneyland’s traditional Candlelight Processional and Ceremony made a

welcome return from the Fantasyland Theater to Main Street, U.S.A. this

past weekend. Workers spent a week transforming Town Square into an outdoor

theater for the event, and by Friday morning, had set up and fully decorated

the stage, although the stage was yet to be tested.

The new choir tree rises in front of the train station. Photo by Adrienne

Vincent-Phoenix.

When Disneyland moved the ceremony to the Fantasyland Theater several

years ago, it destroyed the show’s risers and choir tree used on Main

Street. The construction schedule was tight, and although the show producers

did not know how many people could fit on the risers and tree, they had

the carpenters rebuild the set for this performance from scratch—and

must have held their collective breaths as there was no time for a dress

rehearsal.

“We may have too many people, we may not have enough—and we

won’t know until Saturday night,” said one performer.

Visitors who booked the Candlelight dining package got good seats right

in front of the stage. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

However, these concerns took the back burner when celebrity narrator

Louis Gossett, Jr. fell ill on Saturday, and Disneyland had to find another

narrator quickly. Fortunately, entertainer Marie Osmond was at Disneyland

for the release of her new Enchanted Tiki Room doll, and agreed to host

the Saturday night ceremony. Gossett was able to host the Sunday night

performances.

What’s your priority?

When Disneyland regulars go to Walt Disney World for the first time,

many are shocked to learn that the most popular restaurants are booked

months in advance during peak season, leaving walk-up diners to settle

for fast food dinners. After all, meal planning at Disneyland usually

means picking a restaurant when you get hungry—who thinks about these

things three months ahead of time?

Two Disneyland Resort restaurants are testing a new reservation policy,

and locals need to learn the new ropes. In the past, the Blue Bayou in

Disneyland’s New Orleans Square and Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland

Hotel accepted Priority Seating reservations for about half of their total

capacity, leaving the remaining slots for stand-by visitors. Now these

restaurants are opening 100 percent of their table inventoryto Priority

Seating, and those without a reservation may be turned away. Storytellers

Cafe at the Grand Californian Hotel is not currently participating in

this test, as had been rumored elsewhere.

The move is good news for the restaurants, but it means visitors should

plan ahead if they want to dine at these two locations. The days of popping

into Disneyland for a spontaneous Saturday lunch at the Blue Bayou may

be history. But don’t panic. As Walt Disney World regulars know, it is

often possible to make same-day reservations, and walk-ups will be accepted

to fill any open slots or to cover cancellations. “We’re not going

to turn people away if there are open seats,” said a dining hostess.

“That would be silly. We’re just trying to allow more people to finalize

their plans in advance of their trip.”

Priority Seating reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance by

calling the Disney Dine Line at (714) 781-DINE (3463).

Santa’s list

Harry, Hermione and Ron all made it on Santa’s “Nice” list.

Photo by Andrew Rich.

In the tradition of hidden tributes found on Disney rides and attractions,

Santa’s “Naughty and Nice” list on the Santa’s Workshop float

in Disneyland’s Christmas Fantasy Parade includes the names Paul,

Cynthia, Roy, Walt and Mickey. If you look carefully, you can also catch

the names of Harry, Hermione and Ron—characters from the popular

Harry Potter books.

This new ride, sponsored by the City of Anaheim?

A report published last week in the Los Angeles Times has Disneyland

fans dreaming of ways to spend a few million dollars. According to the

article, Orange County overestimated the value of the Disneyland Resort

by $1.2 billion over a four-year period. The error was caused by assessors

who did not understand the distinction between rides that were refurbished,

and those that were torn down. The mistake, which was discovered by Disney’s

auditors, resulted in overpayments of several million dollars to the City

of Anaheim.

Locals wonder how the cash-strapped city can afford to repay this amount

to Disney, and fans wonder how the resort might spend the cash. MousePlanet

reader Lost Boy asked, “Does it line Eisner’s wallet, or go back

(where it came from) to Disneyland to help fix the place up?”

What’s that smell?

A Disneyland fire engine is spotted on Main Street Saturday night. Photo

by Andrew Rich.

There was apparently a minor electrical fire in Main Street’s Penny Arcade

at park closing Saturday night. There were no obvious signs of injury

or damage, but a Disneyland Fire Department truck was driven on-stage

(that is, into the view of park visitors) and parked on Main Street, and

fire personnel were seen carrying equipment in and out of the Penny Arcade.

The arcade itself was not evacuated or even roped off. There was a smell

of burnt electrical insulation in the air but it faded rapidly.

Disneyland fire personnel carry equipment into the Penny Arcade. Photo

by Andrew Rich.

Ever pushed a petal?

If you want to help decorate the 2004 Disneyland Rose Parade float, start

making friends with a cast member. The resort has passed along these details

for those hoping to volunteer to help work on the Disneyland float:

• Cast members and employees of the Walt Disney Company can sign up

  to decorate the floats. There will be a check-in at the site to verify

  Cast member IDs.

• Cast members can sign up non-cast member friends and family to accompany

  them. All volunteers must be age 12 or older.

• Decorating shifts are:
  • Saturday and Sunday, December 27 and 28: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 to

    5 p.m., and 6 to 11 p.m.

  • Tuesday, December 30: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 to 5 p.m., and 6 p.m.

    until completion

• Decorators can sign up for more than one shift, but each shift is

  at least 4 hours.

• Decorators are not guaranteed to work on the Disneyland float.

  The decorating company is working on a total of four floats. While cast

  members may get priority to work on pieces of the Disneyland float,

  volunteers will also be assigned to other floats.

• While most envision decorating to mean putting lovely flowers onto

  a float’s outer surface, the real work is a lot different. Volunteers

  may be asked to sit at a table away from the float and prepare plant

  materials or cut stems off of flowers. Some decorators may never touch

  the actual float. It’s just the nature of the decorating process, and

  everything depends upon what stage of decorating the floats are in at

  different periods of time.

• Information on sign-ups are on the Disneyland Resort Cast Portal under

  the “Disney Difference” tab.

Rascal Flatts visits Disneyland

Rascal Flatts does a sound check before their performance at Disneyland.

Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Fans of the country band Rascal Flatts were thrilled to see the group

perform Friday morning at Disneyland. Rascal Flatts and singer Jessica

Simpson were at Disneyland to tape their segments for the Walt Disney

World Christmas Special, scheduled to air on Christmas Day. Fans waited

near Sleeping Beauty Castle for hours until Rascal Flatts took the stage,

and many stayed between sets to see Simpson perform. As the band bid the

fans farewell, singer Gary Levox said, “We’re going on Space Mountain

now.” Let’s hope that slip doesn’t make the final edit. [Space

Mountain is currently not running due to an extended rehab.]

Radio Days at Disneyland

The following local radio disc jockeys and talk show personalities will

be appearing in person throughout Disneyland on Saturday, December 13:

• Mark & Brian (95.5, KLOS) at Haunted Mansion Holiday, from 9 to

  11 a.m.

• Bill Handel (640AM, KFI) on the Mark Twain Riverboat, from
  noon to 2 p.m.
• Frosty, Heidi and Frank (97.1, KLSX) at the Disney Gallery, from noon
  to 2 p.m.
• Larry Elder (790AM, KABC) on the Main Street Omnibus, from 9 to 11
  a.m.
• Shawn Parr (93.9, KZLA) at the Jungle Cruise, from noon to 2 p.m.
• Carlos Alvarez (107.5 KLVE) at Mickey’s House, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Workers continue to paint their way up and down Main Street. Photo by

Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

There’s still room at the ball

A few more details have been made public about the the upcoming Sleeping

Beauty’s Royal Ball at Disneyland on February 14, 2004. The dinner and

dance will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel. The

only portion of the event to be held inside Disneyland Park will be the

afternoon performance of Snow White – An Enchanting Musical,

at which event guests will have reserved seats. The dinner will be a multi-course,

sit-down meal—not a buffet. A “complete entertainment element”

has been created for the evening, but the details will remain a surprise

until the event. Planners hope to release a preview of the event merchandise

before Christmas.

Ears to the ground

…Several MousePlanet readers reported seeing people riding and testing

the yet-unopen Tower of Terror attraction at Disney’s California Adventure

park last week. The new ride is scheduled to open on May 4, 2004.

…Snow White – An Enchanting Musical is scheduled to premiere

on February 22, 2004 at the Fantasyland Theatre at Disneyland.

A permanent sign has been installed above the new Jamba Juice location

in Downtown Disney. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride closed through December 11
• Mark Twain Riverboat closed indefinitely as of November

  3

• Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through closed indefinitely
• Space Mountain closed through 2005
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed indefinitely

Disney’s California Adventure

• Superstar Limo closed indefinitely
• Francis’ Lady Bug Boogie closed through December 19

Future Attraction Closures

• Haunted Mansion closed January 5 to 16, 2004
• “it’s a small world” closed January 12 to 25, 2004
• Indiana Jones Adventure closed January 20 to April 2, 2004
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey January 26 to February 19, 2004

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.

Park Events

December

• Robert Olszewski “Central Plaza” sculpture release

  at Disneyland. Saturday, December 13.

• Disneyland Resort Pin Trading Night at the Paradise Pier hotel

  – Sunday, December 14, 5:00pm – 9:00pm

January

• Disneyland Resort float in 2004 Tournament of Roses Parade,

  January 1, 2004

• 75 Years with Mickey auction, January 31, 2004.
• Cast Member Create-A-Pin Contest pin release, date not announced

  (moved from November).

February

• Sleeping Beauty’s Royal Ball, details available at the Disney

  Gallery Web site (link).

  February 14.

April

• Tower of Terror event, details to be announced at a later date.

  April 22 & 23, 2004

May

• A Celebration of Walt Disney Art Classics – “A Disney

  Blast to the Past” Registration open to returning participants

  through October 15, open registration begins October 16. May 14 to

  16.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Live an Artful Life with an OC Arts Card

The Disneyland Resort partnering with Arts Orange County sponsor the

OC Arts Card, which provides cardholders with benefits such as savings

on tickets, classes, merchandise and memberships at more than 40 nonprofit

arts venues in the local Orange County community.

Annual passholders can purchase the 2004 card for $37.50, 25 percent

off the regular price. In addition, the first 500 passholders to purchase

a card receive a second card for free.

For more information or to order a card, visit the OCArts card Web site

(link)

or call (888) 556-5160. To receive the annual passholder discount, use

offer code C04DIAP. The first card is mailed immediately; those who are

among the first 500 will have the second card mailed at a later time.

Disney’s Wildfire Heroes Salute

“Disney’s Wildfire Heroes Salute” entitles active California

firefighters, law enforcement and rescue personnel, with proper organization

and photo ID, to one free three-day park hopper ticket. They can also

make a one-time purchase of up to five three-day park hopper companion

tickets for $39 each. Discounted hotel rates are also available at the

three Disneyland Resort hotels.

The promotion is valid through March 31, except for blackout dates of

December 20 to January 3, and February 14 to 16. For more details, visit

Disneyland’s Disney’s Wildfire Heroes Salute Web page (link)

or call (714) 520-5069.

Disneyland Resort Holiday Getaway offer

Disneyland is offering a holiday-themed variation on its recurring “get

5 days and 4 nights for the price of 3” offer. The promotion is available

through January 2, 2004, and includes:

• A 5-day Park Hopper ticket for the price of a 3-day ticket.
• A 4th night free at participating hotels, including the Disneyland

  Resort hotels and selected “Good Neighbor” hotels.

• A collectible pin and lanyard
• Disneyland Resort Magical Pocket Guide
• A Disney holiday ornament (with arrivals between November 10 – December

  31, 2003)

Have a Coke and a pass

Specially marked 12-packs and two-liter bottles of Coca-Cola in Southern

California are currently offering a $20-off coupon towards the purchase

of a new Deluxe or Premium Disneyland Resort Annual Pass. The coupon is

valid through January 31, 2004.

A Nightmare deal at Costco

MousePad member Tiki Junki purchased a copy of The Nightmare Before

Christmas at a local Costco store, and discovered a Disneyland Resort

offer inside. The $13 Special Edition DVD comes with a voucher for up

to four pre–issued Fastpass tickets for the Haunted Mansion, and

a voucher for one free cloisonné pin from the Le Bat en Rouge Shop

in New Orleans Square. The vouchers are good until March 31, 2004, and

are redeemable at Disneyland—there is nothing to mail in, and no

four-to-six-week wait for the passes and pin to arrive.

Annual Passholders nights at the Disneyland Resort hotels

• Annual passholders can also book a room at the Paradise Pier hotel

  for $59. This offer is valid only on Sunday nights, through March 2004.

Get 5 days and 4 nights for the price of 3

Book a package at the Disneyland Resort for a minimum four-nights through

the Walt Disney Travel Company, and the package price includes one night’s

free accommodations at participating hotels. Your package will also include

a five-day Disneyland Resort park hopper ticket for the price of a three-day

Disneyland Resort park hopper ticket. Click

here for a list of participating hotels and dates.

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute

Through Friday, December 19, all active members of the United States

military (including Coast Guard and activated National Guard and Reservists)

qualify for Disney’s Armed Forces Salute and can claim one free

3-day park-hopper tickets. Since the tickets expire on December 19, you

must claim them by December 17 to use all three day’s worth. The passes

can only be claimed at a park gate ticket booth. To claim the passes,

valid military ID must be shown; activated National Guard and Reservists

must also show their active duty orders.

In addition to the one free pass, each qualifying person can also purchase

up to five 3-day companion passes for $39 each. If the qualifying person

cannot visit a park to purchase these companion tickets, a spouse may

do so instead.

ESPN Zone discounts for annual passholders

Disneyland annual passholders can get a Season Ticket Frequent Dining

Card at the Downtown Disney ESPN Zone. The Season Ticket entitles you

to a free soda with your meal purchase of $6.99 or more. Once you have

made four meal purchases, you receive the fifth meal and soda free, and

get a chance to win a pair of tickets to the ESPY Awards in 2004. See

location for more information and details.

City Pass now available with AAA packages

You can now purchase the Southern California City Pass with Walt Disney

Travel Company packages.

A Southern California City Pass booklet includes admission to five separate

entertainment options:

• 3-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket

• 1-day ticket to Sea World

• 1-day ticket to the San Diego Zoo

• 1-day ticket to Knott’s Berry Park

Instead of the Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket currently included

in California packages from the Walt Disney Travel Company, guests can

select a Southern California city’s for an additional charge of $47 per

pass ($32 per pass for guests ages 3 through 9).

Note: The Southern California City’s does not include the $10

ESPN Zone Arena Game Card, or the California package’s feature that allows

guests to collect multiple Fastpass tickets at once for free in advance.

5-Day Park Hopper promotion extended

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 from the Disneyland Web site (link).

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 this

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/Blockout Dates

DL: Disneyland

DCA: Disney’s California Adventure

Annual Pass blockout dates: SoCal

– Southern California Annual Pass. DX

– Deluxe Annual Pass

Visit our Annual

Passholders Blockout Dates 2003-2004 page to see more dates.

Entertainment Schedule