Disneyland Park Update

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Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Park Events
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Schedule/Blockout Dates

News and Views

Disneyland’s new picnic area

The former Big Thunder Ranch BBQ location officially reopens as a food
service area this weekend. The new “Big Thunder Ranch Country Picnic”
opens during peak lunch hours from July 4 through Monday, September 6.
The location offers a “picnic style” menu of lunches, side dishes
and desserts.

The Big Thunder Ranch Country Picnic opened this past weekend. Photo by
Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Country Fried Chicken Basket – Three savory pieces of chilled
“Picnic-Style” fried chicken (breast with wing and thigh), plus
potato salad with dill and a corn muffin with butter. 9.99 plus tax

Cast members tell us that the fried chicken comes from the Plaza Inn,
where it is chilled and then sent to the Village Haus in Fantasyland to
be packed into the picnic lunches.

Grilled & Chilled Vegetable Platter – A balsamic glazed
grilled medley of Portobello mushrooms, caramelized carrots, whole scallions,
sweet & hot roasted peppers, zucchini and sweet cherry tomatoes served
chilled atop sweet lemon-basil rice. Includes corn muffin with butter.
9.99 plus tax

Country Fried Chicken Drumstick (child’s meal) – Served “Picnic-Style”
chilled in a Cook’d Up Comics Box with baby carrots or “Ants on a
Log” (cream-cheese-stuffed celery sticks with raisins). Comes with
juicy watermelon slice, plus milk or juice and color-changing fun straw.
5.99 plus tax

PB&J (child’s meal) – Served in a “Cook’d Up”
Comics Box with baby carrots or “Ants on a Log” (cream-cheese-stuffed
celery sticks with raisins). Comes with juicy watermelon slice, plus milk
or juice and color-changing fun straw. 5.99 plus tax

Favorite Picnic Fixin’s

• Country Caramel Apple Pie 4.59 plus tax


• Granny’s Pound Cake with Strawberries/Cream 5.49 plus tax


• Walloping Watermelon Wedge 3.49 plus tax


• Ugly Bug Krispie 3.29 plus tax


• Assorted Bottled Soft Drinks 2.59 plus tax

The area is decorated in true country picnic style—red checked cloths
cover the tables±and giant plastic bugs make themselves at home
all around. The location offers modified table service: place your order
at the wagon near the entrance, and your meal is brought to your table.

Space Mountain’s new look

Colored lights now higlight Space Mountain after dark, taking advantage
of the fresh white paint job to reflect shades ranging from gold to purple.

Space Mountain sports a new evening look. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

New Disney’s PhotoPass

On June 23, Disney Enterprises in Burbank filed three trademark applications
with the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office for “Disney’s PhotoPass.”
According to the paperwork filed, this new system is described as:

• Sales of photographs offered for sale through the Internet, stand-alone
  kiosks and through retail shops.


• Encoded cards used to store photographs.


• On-demand printing services for photographs.

There is some speculation as to what the new system is, but one theory
we are offering to our readers is that this may be a new way for the Disney
parks to handle photos taken of visitors throughout the park. Depending
on the extent of the program, these could include guest photos taken by
roaming photographers (for example, in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle
in Disneyland), official character meet-and-greet photos, as well as souvenir
ride photos. Guests could be given a physical ticket (or pass) with a
code number that lets them retrieve their photos online after their trip,
or they might be able to purchase a pass that they can keep during their
trip, which allows them to store digital photos as they are taken of them
through the park.

If we hear more about this new trademark application, we will be sure
to pass it on to you.

Ears to the ground

…Francis’s Lady Bug Boogie has reopened at Disney’s California Adventure
(DCA), after a lengthy refurbisment.

…An entertainment cast member wrote to say that their department was
told the ABC Primetime and Super Soap Weekends would not be held at DCA
this year, to avoid detracting from the parks’ No. 1 marketing focus,
the new Tower of Terror attraction. This conflicts with a story published
last week in Amusement Business, reporting that the ABC Primetime
Preview weekend will return to Disney’s California Adventure this fall.

Disneyland’s publicity office confirms that the event will be held the
weekend of September 10 to 12, 2004. The event will be presented by Aloha
Airlines.

Got any interesting news or rumors? Contact us here.

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

Note: Disneyland will progressively begin closing more and more attractions
as the park readies for its 50th anniversary celebration in 2005.

• Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through closed indefinitely. (No
  longer listed on park maps or the Disneyland Web site)
  
• Space Mountain closed through 2005.
  

Disney’s California Adventure

• Superstar Limo closed indefinitely. (No longer listed on park
  maps or the Disneyland Web site)
  

Future Closures

• Sleeping Beauty Castle closed mid-July – September 18.
  
• Aladdin’s Oasis closed July 30 – March 12, 2005.
  
• Plaza Pavilion closed July 30 – March 12, 2005.
  
• Enchanted Tiki Room closed July 30 – March 12, 2005.
  
• Snow White’s Scary Adventures closed August 23 – September
  11.
  
• Star Tours reduced capacity, as each of the four cabins rotate
  through refurbishment September 7–22.
  
• Haunted Mansion closed September 7 – October 1 for installation
  of Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay. Closed January 10–25, 2005
  for removal of Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
  
• Maliboomer reduced capacity (2 of 3 towers operating) November
  1–25, January 3–22, 31, 2005 – March 12, 2005.
  
• Matterhorn Bobsleds closed September 13 – November 24.
  
• Jumpin’ Jellyfish reduced capacity January 21, 2005 –
  March 5, 2005.
  

Disneyland Resort Hotels

• Disneyland Hotel Grand Ballroom closed July 2–16.
  
• Disneyland Hotel Convention Center lobby, upper level &
  lower level closed July 16 – September 1.
  

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

September

• 2004 Haunted Mansion Holiday Event Thursday, September 30.
  

October

• CHOC Walk – this fun-walk through Disneyland park is a
  fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (link).
  Sunday, October 3. [Note: MousePlanet staff invites all readers to walk
  this event as a group. Keep your eye here for details.]
  
• MousePlanet’s MouseAdventure quest-and-adventure event –
  a Sunday in October. [Read more about MouseAdventure here,
  and be reminded of it by sending e-mail here.]
  

May 2005

• Disneyland closed on May 4, 2005 to “put the finishing
  touches” on the 50th Anniversary celebration. DCA open on May 4.
  
• Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary celebration begins May 5.
  

Current Discounts & Promotions

Discounted park hopper tickets for Annual Passholders

Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders can purchase 2-Day Disneyland Resort
Park Hopper tickets for a reduced rate of $79 ($59 for ages 3 to 9). The
tickets are available for purchase through Thursday, September 30, 2004.

Please note that the tickets expire on October 13, 2004, or
13 days after first use, whichever comes first. The first use must occur
on the date of purchase.

Some Annual Passholders have received a postcard about this special offer
in the mail. Passholders can hand the postcard to friends and family,
who can then use it to purchase up to 5 of the discounted tickets without
the Passholder even being there.

McDonald’s Tower of Terror early admission voucher

The Disneyland Resort and McDonald’s have a cross-promotion based on
the new Tower of Terror ride. McDonald’s customers who order a Big Mac
Extra Value Meal by July 18 receive a voucher for early admission to Disney’s
California Adventure (DCA) to ride the Tower of Terror one hour before
the park opens.

Each voucher is good for one person, and valid DCA admission is required:
you can’t just pop in for the extra hour without buying a DCA ticket.

Vouchers are designated for July, or August, and distributed chronologically
at participating McDonald’s while supplies last. Each voucher may be redeemed
only during the month appearing on the voucher.

Call (714) 781-7290 or Disneyland’s promotion Web page (link)
for more information.

Thanks to MousePlanet reader Forbin for alerting us to the promotion,
and to reader Opus1guy for obtaining the information on this promotion
from McDonalds.

50th Anniversary Package

If you book a three-night resort stay at any of the Disneyland Resort
hotels during the 50th anniversary promotion, your package includes a
four-day Park Hopper ticket, a special 50th anniversary commemorative
clock and a Walk in Walt’s Footsteps tour.

The “50th Celebration Package” is available only for
three-night stays, with arrival dates through December 31, 2005. The package
can be booked through the Disneyland Web site (link),
or by calling (714) 520-5060.

The Disney Treasures offer for APs

Annual Passholders can receive a copy of The Disney Treasures
book, worth $60, when they apply for a Disney Visa card. The book will
be mailed after the cardholder uses the new account. Apply by phone at
1-800-640-5306, and mention card code 26FF.

Car rental discounts

Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders save up to 20 percent on car rentals
from Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental. Restrictions apply—get
full details and the necessary discount codes on the Annual Passholder
Web site (link).

Anaheim Angels tickets

Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders can save 50 percent off the regular
price of tickets for the following home games of the Anaheim Angels baseball
team, which plays at nearby Angel Stadium of Anaheim (formerly Edison
Field):

• Boston Red Sox: Thursday, July 15, 7:05 p.m.
  
• Seattle Mariners: Sunday, August 1, 1:05 p.m.
  

Prices are: Terrace Box, $12.50 (reg. $25); Lower View Box, $7.50 (reg.
$15); and Upper View, $6 (reg. $12).

Although there is no limit to how many tickets a passholder can purchase,
you must use mail or fax in the order form provided at the Annual Passholder
Web site, and you cannot purchase these tickets online or obtain them
at the ticket window on the day of the game. See the passholder Web site
for details (link).

AAA-Disney’s Resort Magic Packages

If you are a AAA member, you can take advantage of these packages that
include hotel nights and theme park tickets, along with extra ammenities:

• 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)
  
• Collect Fastpass tickets for multiple attractions at one time.
  
• Preferred seating at a choice of select shows in DCA
  
• An exclusive Walt Disney Travel Company collectible pin and lanyard
  (one per person)
  
• An exclusive Walt Disney Travel Company California Fun Book (one per
  package)
  
• An exclusive Disneyland Resort Magical Pocket Guide (one per package)
  

Sample prices include:

AAA Disney’s Resort Magic: Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel for
two nights from $269/adult, $127/ages 10-17, $97/ages 3-9

AAA Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor Magic: Jolly Roger Hotel
for two nights from $193/adult, $127/ages 10-17, $97/ages 3-9

These packages require a minimum two-night hotel stay, and are good for
travel from August 29 to November 21 and November 28 to December 23, 2004.
You can book this package through your local AAA affiliate travel agent.

Disney’s AAA Passport Plus Package 2004

If you don’t need a hotel room, the Passport Plus Package offers AAA
members a discount on Park Hopper tickets, and comes with extra benefits:

• Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket
  
• $10 ESPN Zone Arena Game Card
  
• Preferred Seating at select shows in Disney’s California Adventure
  Park
  
• California Diamond Fun Book (one per package)
  
• Free parking at Disneyland Resort Theme Parks
  

Prices:

• 5-day: $129 (children: $99)
  
• 6-day: $159 (children: $129)
  
• 7-day: $184 (children: $149)
  

An additional handling fee of $10 is charged per mailing address. These
tickets are available to AAA members only when purchased through AAA offices.

AAA ticket offers

For shorter stays, AAA offers 2- and 5-day tickets for the Disneyland
Resort:

• 2-day adult Flex Passport $98 (children: $78)
  
• 5-day adult Flex Passport $129 (children: $99)
  

These tickets include free parking (the back of the passports note the
free parking, so you will need the passport with you when you park your
car).

CityPass

The Southern California CityPass booklet includes admission to five separate
entertainment options:

• 3-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket
  
• 1-day ticket to Sea World Adventure park
  
• 1-day ticket to either the world-famous San Diego Zoo or San Diego
  Wild Animal Park
  
• 1-day ticket to Knott’s Theme Park (includes a free Knott’s Berry
  Farm T-shirt with each child’s City Pass)
  

The CityPass is $172 ($129 for children).

You can purchase the Southern California CityPass with Walt Disney Travel
Company packages. 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 for an additional
charge of $47 per pass ($32 per pass for children 3 through 9).

Note: The Southern California CityPass 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.

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

DL: Disneyland

DCA: Disney’s California Adventure

Annual Pass blockout dates:

• SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass.
  Completely blocked.
  
• SC – Southern California Annual Pass.
  Completely blocked.
  
• DX – Deluxe Annual Pass.
  

Visit our Annual
Passholders Blockout Dates 2004 page to see more dates.

Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule
for June 7 to 16 at Disneyland.com here
(printer-friendly version here).