Disneyland Resort Update

Update for July 26 – August 1, 2010

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News and Views

Alice in Safetyland | Last flight to Endor | For some, the Halloween screams have already begun | Final farewells at the Disneyland Hotel | Updated special event schedules | Tony Hawk injured at Action Sports Weekend | Resort Construction Update | This and That…

Alice in Safetyland

On Monday, David Koenig posted on his MousePlanet Blog about an unscheduled closure of Disneyland’s Alice in Wonderland attraction.

By Sunday afternoon the scaffolding completely conceals the Alice in Wonderland construction site. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Two days later, David updated the story, and wrote about conflicting claims for the ride’s closure:

Disneyland’s Alice in Wonderland ride remains closed for the foreseeable future, as Imagineers scramble to come up with a safety railing design that coordinates with the 52-year-old attraction’s unique exterior.

One cast member overheard one Imagineer saying that “The Vine will be redesigned to avoid further issues. In order for that to happen, it will be torn out and rebuilt with the safety railing as part of The Vine design.”

Yet the plan is not finalized. There are several other options on the table, but in all plans short of a full-scale rebuild the needed railings are not nearly as inconspicuous.

Cal/OSHA, however, is adamant that it had nothing to do with the shutdown. “We did not order the ride to be shut down,” said Cal/OSHA spokesperson Krisann Chasarik. “Disney engineers believed there was an issue and shut the ride down on their own.”

Chasarik said she and Cal/OSHA were first made aware of the closure by a call from this reporter on Monday morning. They confirmed with Disney that the ride was indeed closed, but not for any reason related to an action by Cal/OSHA.

The Alice in Wonderland attraction is closed for several weeks as Imagineers devise new safety rails. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

When contacted by MousePlanet, Suzi Brown, director, media relations & external communications for the Disneyland Resort issued this statement:

“During an unrelated visit to the park, a Cal/OSHA representative observed a maintenance cast member on the track of the Alice in Wonderland attraction and made us aware of a potential safety issue. We agreed with the opportunity to enhance safety and voluntarily took down the attraction until modifications can be made.”

Brown told MousePlanet that an interim solution, which she described as being scaffolding or other acceptable barrier, should be in place in the next few weeks. A Disneyland employee publication shows the ride closed through January 1, 2011, but this is likely just a placeholder reopening date.

Maybe the Mad Hatter shop will start offering Alice in Wonderland-themed hard hats. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Scaffolding and tarp are already in place around the exterior of the Alice in Wonderland attraction, including the “leaf” and the loading area, but in such a way as to give workers access to the leaf while the safety modifications can be installed. MousePlanet readers talking about the situation on our MousePad discussion board are hoping that Disney will devise either a hidden barrier, with safety rails that deploy only when needed, or something vine-like that matches the whimsical nature of the attraction.

Disney voluntarily closed the Alice in Wonderland attraction after safety concerns were raised about the “leaf” section of track. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

In 2000, a 15-year-old boy from Arizona was injured on the Alice in Wonderland attraction when his foot got caught between his Caterpillar ride vehicle and a guard rail. The boy suffered a broken foot and leg, and later sued Disney. Following that incident, the Los Angeles Times reported Anaheim police had determined that the boy was dangling his leg outside of the ride vehicle. Disney added new safety signage to the ride vehicle following the accident, advising riders to keep their “hands, arms, feet and legs inside the vehicle.”

Last flight to Endor

Star Tours fans gather for a final “first ride” to Endor, as the attraction closes for refurbishment and addition of elements for Star Tours 2.0. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Disneyland’s Star Tours attraction closes tonight for a 10-month refurbishment and transformation into “Star Tours 2.0.” Crowds of Star Tours fans turned out this weekend to board a final flight to Endor, many snapping photos as they made their last trip through the attraction queue. 160 members of Disney’s D23 club will take the final official ride on Star Tours as part of a special after-hours event after Disneyland closes Monday night, but some MousePlanet readers have expressed their desire to be on the last Starspeeder open to regular guests. Twitter member Peter Finnen announced that he’ll spend 16 hours riding Star Tours Monday, starting when Disneyland opens at 8am. If you’d like updates from Star Tours’ final day of operation, follow @PeteFinnen on Twitter. Star Tours is expected to reopen at Disneyland May 20, 2011.

For some, the Halloween screams have already begun

Updated 7/26/10; 8:15 pm

Some visitors trying to decide if they want to attend the new Halloween event at Disneyland are reporting conflicting information and unhelpful official answers that would put Knott’s Berry Farm’s famously haunted mazes to shame. Largely due to the construction in Disney California Adventure—not to mention the new World of Color show—Disney has decided to move Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party to Disneyland this year. The event has a new name—Mickey’s Halloween Party—and a price tag that’s $17-18 higher than last year’s offering. Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club members and Disney Visa cardholders have been eligible to buy tickets for the event since early June, but tickets sales just opened to the general public on July 16. Unfortunately, event details such as events hours, costume policy and entertainment offerings vary depending on which of three sections of the official Disneyland Web site you view, leaving MousePlanet readers to try to decipher the confusing contradictions in this information.

MousePlanet finally asked Disney for an official clarification of several elements of the event, and although Disney has not yet provided that statement, the Disneyland Web site was heavily edited to remove much of the conflicting information in the days immediately following our request. Until we hear an official response from Disney, here’s what we can tell you from other sources:

When can I enter the park? When this event was held at DCA, the issue of event admission was very straightforward. DCA closed at a certain time, the park was cleared of all day guests, and then Trick or Treat party ticket holders were admitted at the designated time. This year, Disneyland is implementing a Walt Disney World-style early entry system, where guests who have purchased a Halloween Party ticket can enter Disneyland before the official start of the party. On Tuesdays when the party starts at 6:00pm, guests with valid party tickets can enter Disneyland starting at 3:00pm. On Fridays and Halloween, when the party starts at 7:00pm, guests with valid party tickets can enter Disneyland starting at 4:00pm. MousePad members dlfansx4 and Goofy4Goofy said that the electronic tickets they purchased are missing the information about early admission to Disneyland, but other readers said that their paper tickets were printed with the early entry hours. If this is a widespread problem, let’s hope Disneyland makes a point of contacting guests who received electronic tickets to make sure they know about the early entry option.

Early entry offers several benefits for Disney and park guests alike. Day guests won’t be required to leave Disneyland quite as early on event days, which may help to reduce complaints from vacationers who discover that Disneyland is now closing at 7:00 every Friday night in October, instead of the usual midnight close. Event guests get a few hours in the park before dark, which helps Disney justify the jump in event ticket prices. Offering early admission will also help stagger the arrival of the thousands of guests driving to Disneyland on event nights, which should spread the demand on the parking, tram and bag check services. At the same time, Disneyland has little experience with separating day guests from event guests once the park officially closes for the night, and it’s still unknown exactly how Disneyland plans to pull this off. Walt Disney World uses wristbands to identify event guests, and checks for the wristband when guests enter a ride queue or go up to a trick-or-treat station, but the method is not entirely foolproof. Some people have announced their intention to put Disney’s system to the test, including reader Lilo143stitch , who said, “I am going to do my darndest to evade sweeps and stay for the fireworks.” This issue has sparked a heated debate on our MousePad discussion boards; come tell us what you think.

When can I put on my costume? Another topic of discussion is exactly when adults can don their Halloween costumes for the event. Children under 9 can always wear costumes to Disneyland, but adults are only allowed to do so during special events. For Mickey’s Halloween Party, adults with valid event tickets may enter Disneyland in costume at 3:00 pm on Tuesdays, or at 4:00 pm on Fridays and Halloween. If you’re spending the day at Disneyland and also hold a valid ticket to that night’s event, you’ll have to wait until 3:00 or 4:00 to don your costume.

What about the fireworks? The biggest error on the Disneyland Web site had to do with the popular Halloween Screams fireworks show. Introduced in 2009, the show was featured prominently in Disneyland’s HalloweenTime advertising campaign last year. For 2010, Disney decided to make the Halloween Screams fireworks “exclusive” to Mickey’s Halloween Party, and will only present the show on event nights. Unfortunately when Disney posted the Halloween information on its Seasonal Events Web site this year, it appears that someone simply recycled the text from 2009, and listed Halloween Screams as one of the attractions of HalloweenTime. This error has since been corrected, and Halloween Screams remains an event exclusive. As we wrote in the May 31 Update, a scaled-down pyrotechnic display will likely be offered on non-event nights, though Disney has not yet confirmed this show or schedule.

Update: Disneyland Resort spokesperson Betsy Sanchez confirmed today that the information we posted above regarding admission, costumes and fireworks is correct. She also restated that Disneyland will not allow guests without a ticket to the Halloween Party event to remain in the park after it officially closes to the public. Regarding the fireworks show that will be presented on non-event nights, Sanchez said that the Remember… Dreams Come True fireworks show will be presented on Saturday and Sunday nights (excepting Halloween, when there is a Halloween Party event). 

Final farewells at the Disneyland Hotel

The Disneyland Hotel renovation is about to enter a new phase, and most of the locations in the central courtyard will close in the next 10 days to prepare for the groundbreaking. On Sunday, Hook’s Pointe restaurant and the Wine Cellar served their final customers. Plans released by Disney call for the existing dining complex to be replaced with a new “smart casual” dining area, with a restaurant that “will take its architectural cue from the original Tahitian Terrace restaurant in Disneyland Park,” and a new fully enclosed bar that “will feature specialty drinks and surprises for guests.”

It’s last call at the Lost Bar, as the Disneyland Hotel expansion enters a new phase. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

The Euro Gifts store has already moved out, and the neighboring Game Arcade is scheduled to close on July 30. The Jungle Cruise radio control boats will make their final trips on July 31, and The Lost Bar and Croc’s Bits ‘n’ Bites are scheduled to close on August 1. This entire complex will be demolished as part of the renovation plan, and will become part of the newly expanded pool area. The operator of the Jungle Cruise boats says that the props and decorations around the artificial lake, including a model of the Jungle Cruise attraction building, were licensed specifically for that location and cannot be used in another installation.

The final cruise of the radio-controlled Jungle Cruise boats is July 31. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Once the Lost Bar closes, the Lounge at Steakhouse 55—the only remaining Disneyland hotel bar—extends its operating hours, and will be closing at 1:30 a.m. (from its current 11:00 p.m.).

Updated special event schedules

For those making vacation plans, we have some updated seasonal event dates for you. The Disneyland Web site has not been updated with this information, but as it comes from official Disney sources we feel it’s reliable.

Reader 3Princesses1Prince shared that she received an e-mail from Disney Destinations that gives Disneyland’s holiday season as between November 12, 2010 to January 3, 2011. Based on past years, you can expect performances of A Christmas Fantasy Parade and Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks to begin on Friday, November 12.

Last week, Disneyland announced that its sixth annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival is scheduled for April 29 to June 12, 2011 at Disney California Adventure park and select locations throughout Disneyland Resort. It will be interesting to see if Disney launches its 2011 version of the Summer Nightastic promotion on June 11, keeping with the typical start date of the summer season, or pushes it back a week to avoid overlapping with the Food & Wine Festival.

Tony Hawk injured at Action Sports Weekend in Downtown Disney

With just a few days notice, Downtown Disney hosted the Action Sports Weekend festival this past weekend. Events included skateboard and BMX exhibitions, plus demonstrations presented by sponsors like Street Surfing, Tavik and Downtown Disney merchant the Board Factory. Quiksilver, DC Shoes, and Coppertone all had booths lining Downtown Disney, and Disney even brought in a temporary hot dog cart to serve the expected crowds.

A small skate park was build in Downtown Disney for Action Sports Weekend. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Promoted as the highlight of the weekend was Saturday’s performance by professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, who was scheduled to perform on a large half-pipe ramp constructed in Downtown Disney. Early on during his performance, however, Hawk suffered a fall and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation. MousePlanet reader disneylandkitty was at the demonstration, and shared:

“Tony did fall pretty hard after only skating for 8 minutes. He was still getting warmed up. They said the team just got back from Europe and were very jet lagged; some having little or no sleep. Tony got the [microphone] after his fall thanked everyone for coming, and said he couldn’t skate any more today cause he had to get his back checked out. His team continued skating for about another 40 minutes, but a lot of people left once they heard Tony was done for the day. My fiancee and I were a little disappointed but happy when people started leaving; we worked our way up from almost the very back to the front row. We stayed for the whole thing. All and all it was a good show. Towards the end, the announcer said he got a call from Tony’s managers he was going to be OK.”

After the accident, the skater periodically posted updates on Twitter (@tonyhawk) about his condition. On Sunday, the skater’s official Web site thanked those who expressed concern. It also reported that Hawk had suffered a pelvic fracture, and that they are determining the extent of his injury.

Resort Construction Update

Cast members tell us that the construction walls around the Little Mermaid attraction will be extended shortly to allow work to begin on the building’s new facade. This will make the “performance corridor” quite narrow again, and Disney is looking at their options. The entertainment department conducted a one-day test this past Friday, staging the High School Musical show on the new Palisades Stage in Paradise Park.

Be sure to check the Refurbishments and Attraction Closures list below for updates to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey’s House and Minnie’s House.

Disney tests out a new location for the High School Musical stage show. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The construction walls around the Little Mermaid attraction will expand to allow work on the building facade. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The construction walls around the Little Mermaid attraction will expand to allow work on the building facade. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Work continues on the berm surrounding Cars Land. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

MouseAdventure Holiday: Trick or Treat

Registration for MouseAdventure Holiday: Trick or Treat opens tomorrow, Tuesday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. PDT. Scare up a few friends and join us for a swinging wake as you try to solve chilling challenges throughout Disneyland park.

• Date: Sunday, October 17
• Time: TBA
• Park: Disneyland
• Divisions: Basic and Family
• Cost: $70 per team of 2 to 4 people
• Registration: Opens Tuesday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. PDT (link).

MouseAdventure Holiday: Trick or Treat will be a similar format to last year’s Reindeer Games event. Teams start in the Paradise Pier ballroom as usual, and have until late afternoon to solve our dastardly collection of quests. There is no post-event award ceremony; results are announced a few days after the event, with winning teams receiving a prize package of terrific treats shipped directly to the team captain.

Note: MouseAdventure Holiday: Trick or Treat begin after CHOC Walk has ended so that Team MousePlanet walkers can participate in both events. If you have yet to register for CHOC Walk, consider warming up for MouseAdventure with a casual 5K stroll through the Disneyland Resort, and help support a very worthy charity. This is also the same weekend as the MousePlanet Night at Mickey’s Halloween Party on Friday, October 15.

For the latest information about upcoming MouseAdventure events, be sure to register for our MouseAdventure Newsletter (link), follow @MouseAdventure on Twitter, or become a fan at Facebook (link).

This and That…

The Barcelona on the Go truck has joined Glow Fest, serving dishes like patatas bravas (left), Catalan sausage sandwich (center) and chicken empanadas (right). Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…The Barcelona on the Go food truck joined Glow Fest this weekend, serving Spanish tapas-inspired dishes like chicken empanadas and Catalan sausage sandwiches to DCA visitors. Prices range from $7-$10. You can follow the truck on Twitter @BrcelonaOntheGo to see when they’ll be back at DCA. The Louks truck @LouksToGo is still serving nightly at DCA through August 22nd.

Downtown Disney has a new crepe cart. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

…A new crepe cart opened in Downtown Disney outside the World of Disney store. Cafe’ Renee offers sweet and savory crepes starting at $5.50, with the BBQ pulled pork crepe topping out at $9.50. The Disney Parks Blog posted the full menu. The prices are quite high compared to similar offerings outside of Disney, but this is a nice option for those sick of standard theme park fare.

This Downtown Disney cart actually serves gelato, not the sorbet advertised on the sign. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

…Downtown Disney also now features a cart advertising “Italian Sorbets” in a variety of flavors. On closer inspection, it turns out the product is actually gelato. Sorbet is a non-dairy product made from fruit puree, while gelato is similar to ice cream, but contains less air. Vegans and customers with dairy allergies should be aware of the issue.

…Disneyland regulars know that the annual ticket price increase is usually announced the first weekend of August, which means now might be a good time to purchase tickets for any upcoming trips, or to purchase or renew your Annual Passport if you’re in the market. We haven’t heard any specific details about the new rate structure, but we’ll post them as soon as we receive the information.

…Visitors planning trips to the Disneyland Resort should make a point to check the Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures section each week for the most recent updates. The Disneyland Resort Web site currently only publishes refurbishment information about six weeks in advance. Be sure to check the most recent Park Update (link) for the latest changes, as MousePlanet does not edit past Park Updates to reflect changes.

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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

• Star Tours – closes July 26 for refurbishment and addition of elements for Star Tours 2.0. Expected to open in May 20, 2011.
• Alice in Wonderland – closed July 22 for an unscheduled refurbishment. While Disneyland says the ride should reopen in a “few weeks,” an employee publication shows the ride closed through January 1, 2011.
• Haunted Mansion – closed August 30 to September 16 to install the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
• Village Haus Restaurant – closed August 30 to December 19 for refurbishment.
• Minnie’s House – closed September 7–23 for refurbishment.
• Horse Drawn Streetcars – closed September 7–30 for refurbishment.
• Main Street Vehicles [Horseless Carriage, Omnibus, Fire Engine] – closed September 7–30 for refurbishment.
• Newsstand – closed September 7–30 for refurbishment.
• Space Mountain – closed September 12–16 to install the Ghost Galaxy overlay.
• French Market – closed September 13–17 for refurbishment.
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin – closed September 20 to December 16 for refurbishment.
• Indiana Jones Adventure – closed September 22 (one day)
• Mark Twain Riverboat – closed September 27–30 for deck oiling.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – closed September 27–30.
• Mickey’s House – closed September 27– October 14.

Disney California Adventure

Seasonal refurbishments:

• Toy Story Midway Mania!– closed August 30 to October 10 for refurbishment.
• Catch-a-Flave – closed September 7–16 for refurbishment.

Construction-related closures:

• Golden Dreams – closed. The building that once house this film-based attraction has been demolished, and will eventually be replaced with the new Little Mermaid ride.
• Burger Invasion – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this former McDonald’s location, but an employee publication lists May 24, 2011 as the return date.
• Corn Dog Castle – closed due to construction in the area. An employee publication lists March 24, 2011 as its return date. During the renovation, corn dogs are available at Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market.
• Souvenir 66 – closed due to construction in the area. An employee publication lists March 24, 2011 as its return date, and “Seaside Souvenirs” as the new name of the store.
• Tower of Terror Fastpass – not offered through August 15 due to construction of the connector between Bug’s Land and Tower of Terror.
• Bug’s Land/Tower of Terror connector – the temporary connector path is closed through August 15 to allow construction of a more permanent route between the two lands.
• Pizza Oom Mow Mow – closed September 7, 2010 – May 24, 2011 for conversion to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta.

Downtown Disney

• None at this time.

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.

Resort Events

Check here to see if a large convention, competition or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

Summer

• Summer Nightastic! at the Disneyland Resort – Daily, June 11 to Aug. 29. The summer promotion includes Fantasmic and the “Magical” fireworks show in Disneyland, plus the new World of Color show. DCA has extended park hours to 11:00 p.m. and added a third World of Color show on most nights since the show opened.
• Vinylmation Signings at D Street – August 7 (trunk show), 14 & 21; September 11 (link).
• 3rd annual Taste of Downtown Disney benefiting CHOC Children’s – August 12, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. (link).

Fall

• 5th Annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 3–5. Registration is now closed.
• 4th Annual Not Back to School Days Rally and Conference (unofficial event) – September 8–11. Event includes education and social opportunities for home educators (link).
• Vinylmation Signing at D Street – September 11 (link).
• HalloweenTime at the Disneyland Resort – September 17-October 31
• Destination D – September 24 & 25 at the Disneyland Resort. Open only to D23 members, tickets are now available (link).
• 13th annual Gays Days at the Disneyland Resort (unofficial event) – October 1–3. Event attendance will be higher at Disneyland on Saturday, DCA on Sunday (link).
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 14–15. (Link). Expect unusually large attendance levels October 14-17 as Utah students and families take advantage of a 4-day weekend created by their school’s participation in a state education convention. Not all Utah schools or teachers close for or attend UEA, but the impact on the Resort is usually noticeable enough to mention.
• Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland – October 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29, 31. Advance-purchase tickets are on sale now for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders via the AP section of Disneyland.com; Disney Visa Card holders and Disney Vacation Club members can also purchase tickets by phone by calling 714-781-4000. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 16 via Disneyland.com.
• MousePlanet Night at Mickey’s Halloween Party (unofficial event) – Friday, October 15. Come meet your fellow MousePlanet readers and start your trick-or-treating off right with some MousePlanet goodies. Be sure to stop by our MousePad discussion board to let us know if you plan to attend so we can have enough treats for everyone!
• 2010 CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 17. Mark your calendars and come join Team MousePlanet as we help raise funds for Children’s Hospital Orange County in its annual charity walk through the Disneyland Resort. Registration is now open. If you’d like more information, visit the Team MousePlanet discussion to chat with other participants.
• MouseAdventure Holiday: Trick or Treat – Sunday, October 17. Registration opens Tuesday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. PDT (link).

Winter

• Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort – November 12, 2010 – January 3, 2011.

2011

• West Coast 2-night “Cruise to Nowhere” on the Disney Wonder – January 21-23. Nearly 60 MousePlanet readers and staff members have booked this weekend getaway, the first West Coast Disney Cruise for 2011. For more information about this cruise, visit our MousePad discussion boards or contact your favorite travel agent. If you’ve already booked, please add your name to the roll call!
• Sixth annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival – April 29-June 12, 2011. No additional details are available at this time.
• Spring 2011 MouseAdventure – no details yet. Visit MouseAdventure.com to sign up for our newsletter.
• D23 Expo – August 19-21, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center (link). Tickets for the D23 Expo 2011 go on sale August 19, 2010.

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.

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 Ticket – Regularly $72/$62 One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $97/$87	No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.
Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $151/$131	AOCVCB 2-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($149/$129) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $2 off the box-office price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $1 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths (link). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $204/$174	3-Day Summer Fun Pass ($108) and 3-Day Summer Fun PLUS Pass ($129) – The 2010 3-Day Summer Fun Pass is $108, $9 more expensive than the 2009 version, and offers Southern California residents (ZIP Codes 90000–93599) and Northern Baja California residents (ZIP Codes 21000–22999) three one-day admissions to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure within a 45 day period. The ticket is the same price for adults and children. Unlike the 2009 offer, this base ticket is NOT a park hopper, and allows admission to only one park per day. For an additional $21 per person, you can upgrade the Summer Fun Pass to a Summer Fun PLUS Pass, a 3-day Park Hopper ticket that allows admission to both parks each day. Both tickets have a 45-day “fuse,” (instead of the usual 13- or 30-day limit), giving you more time to plan your return visits, but have more block out dates than last year: July 2-4 and August 22-23. The first use of the pass must be between June 11 and August 29, 2010. The Summer Pass can be purchased at www.disneyland.com, the Disneyland Resort box office, Disney Stores, Disneyland Resort Hotels, and a variety of southern California supermarkets and retail chains, including Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros., Food 4 Less, Gelson’s and Deardens. Disney states that “resident ID is required,” but MousePlanet readers who purchased these tickets from off-property retailers last year consistently reported that they were not required to provide proof of residency at the time of purchase. However, be aware that Disneyland Resort Main Gate cast members can—and may—require proof of residency when you first use the tickets. Whether this will happen to you is an oft-debated topic on our MousePad discussion boards, but we feel it would be irresponsible for us to not at least make our readers aware of the “official” policy, regardless of what the park’s actual practice may be. Advance Purchase 3-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($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) AOCVCB 3-Day Bonus Ticket ($179/$149) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $229/$199	Costco 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($199) – A special offer for Costco members who are also residents of Southern California, this ticket is currently not sold online but must be purchased in Costco stores. Unlike most other park hopper tickets, this ticket has no “fuse” – you can use the first admission today, and have until May 31, 2011 to use the remaining admission days before the ticket expires. The ticket is blocked out August 22-23 and the entire period between Dec 15, 2010 – Jan 1, 2011, and has an “upgrade value” of $151. The ticket states that visitors “Must reside within ZIP codes 90000-93599” and that “Proof of residency required upon redemption.” The ticket you purchase at Costco is a valid admission ticket, and you can take it directly to a main entrance gate to use it. We’ve been told that, to prevent the unauthorized “transfer” of tickets between visitors (i.e., you use the first two days of the ticket and give it to a friend to use the second two days), visitors will be required to write their name on the ticket when it is first used for admission, and to show ID with that same name upon subsequent admissions. Obviously minor children will be exempt from the ID requirement, but will also be required to write their name on the ticket when it is first used. Adults should plan to have ID with them to use the ticket. Advance Purchase 4-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($199/$169) – 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 (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011. AOCVCB 4-Day Bonus Ticket ($194/$164) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link).
Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $249/$219	5-Day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket for the Price of 3 Days ($184/$154) Disneyland’s Summer Park Hopper Bonus ticket offer includes two days free and one Magic Morning admission. These tickets are valid for use from May 1, 2010 thru September 30, 2010. The tickets are NOT available at the Resort ticket booths, you must pre-purchase from the Disneyland Web site. Advance Purchase 5-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($209/$179) – 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 (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). AOCVCB 5-Day Bonus Ticket ($204/$174) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
Six Day Park Hopper – Regularly $254/$224	6-Day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket for the Price of 3 Days ( $199/$169) Disneyland’s Summer Park Hopper Bonus ticket offer includes two days free and one Magic Morning admission. These tickets are valid for use from May 1, 2010 thru September 30, 2010. The tickets are NOT available at the Resort ticket booths, you must pre-purchase from the Disneyland Web site. Advance Purchase 6-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($214/$184) – 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 (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (a $14/day value).
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports	No discounts currently available for new purchases. Southern California residents can take advantage of the monthly-payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport. Premier Annual Passport: $700 [Valid at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort] Premium Annual Passport: $439 Deluxe Annual Passport: $299 Southern California Annual Passport: $219 SoCal Select Annual Passport: $169
2010 Southern California CityPass $269/$229	2010 Southern California CityPass ($269/$229)– This pass includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Wild Animal Park, as well as one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by January 3, 2011. Purchase CityPass through the Disneyland Web site (link) or on-site 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 $239.99/$204.99 (link), which includes free UPS shipping. A 5% surcharge for non-members, and shipping fees to members in Alaska and Hawaii may also apply to your purchase. 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 Costco, you will initially purchase a large plastic container that you must trade for ticket books prior to leaving Costco!

Hotel/Travel Packages

Disneyland Resort Two More Days & Nights Free offer –This latest deal offers a five-night, five-day Disneyland Resort vacation package for the price of a three-night, three-day package, giving you two “free” hotel nights and two additional days of theme park admission. The offer is valid for arrivals May 1 and Sept. 26, 2010, and you must book by September 1, 2010 to receive this discount. You can choose to stay either at a Disneyland Resort Hotel or at one of the Good Neighbor Hotels. To book, call your favorite travel agent, book online at Disneyland.com, or call the Walt Disney Travel Company at 800-854-3104.

Disneyland Resort Summer hotel discounts–If you are a Disneyland Resort annual passholder or already have valid admission for your next visit, you can take advantage of a second promotion that offers discounts at the three Disneyland Resort hotels with a minimum 2-night stay. The discounts are 40% at the Grand Californian Hotel, 35% at the Disneyland Hotel and 30% at the Paradise Pier Hotel. The offer is valid for arrivals May 1 and Sept. 26, 2010, and you must book by September 1, 2010 to receive this discount. To book, call your favorite travel agent, book online at Disneyland.com, or call the Walt Disney Travel Company at 800-854-3104.

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

Disney’s Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – Package includes accommodations 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.

Other Discounts

Character Dining Vouchers – Discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Travel (link).

Disney Visa Discounted Stroller Rental – If you have a Disney Visa card you can rent up to two strollers at a discount of 50% at either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure. This offer is valid only at the Main Gate rental location between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

Rainforest Cafe Safari Club – Members of the Rainforest Cafe get priority seating when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days), and a 10% discount on entrees for up to four people. 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).

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

DL: Disneyland

DCA: Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockout dates:

• SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
• SC – Southern California Annual Pass
• DX – Deluxe Annual Pass

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• MM – Magic Morning at Disneyland
• TT – Toontown Morning Madness at Disneyland
• Grad Nite
• MTT – Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party at DCA
  

MousePlanet Special Events:

• MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)

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.

Visit the Park Hours section of our Disneyland Park guide for additional details about Magic Morning and Toontown Morning Madness, including available attractions.

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