Disneyland Resort Update

Update for August 4 – 10, 2014

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

News and Views

Disneyland Resort late summer hotel special | runDisney adds Pixie Dust Challenge to Tinker Bell Weekend | Adventure Trading Company opens | This and that… | Question of the Week | Crowd Forecast

Disneyland Resort late summer hotel special

Sue Pisaturo with MousePlanet sponsor Small World Vacations alerted us to a new hotel offer at the Disneyland Resort:

Save 20 percent most Sunday through Thursday nights on select premium rooms, including:

• Disneyland Hotel – Premium, Deluxe, and Concierge rooms, excluding suites, except Regal suites.
• Grand Californian Hotel – Premium, Deluxe, Woods/Garden/ Courtyard, and Concierge rooms, excluding suites, except for Artisan suites.
• Paradise Pier Hotel – Premium, and Concierge rooms, excluding suites, except for Paradise suites.

Save 15 percent on Standard rooms

The offer is valid for most Sunday through Thursday nights from August 17 through September 27, 2014. Unfortunately, this offer is specifically blocked out August 29–30, so you won't get a last-minute deal for Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend.

You must book by September 4 and complete travel by September 28, 2014. For more information or to book this offer, call Small World Vacations, your travel agent, or Disney at (714) 520-6425.

runDisney adds Pixie Dust Challenge to Tinker Bell Weekend

Disney's decision to move the Tinker Bell Half Marathon events to Mother's Day weekend had drawn criticism from some, who vowed to skip the half-marathon race because of the scheduling conflict. Perhaps looking to boost interest in this event, runDisney last week announced a new “challenge” event for the Tinker Bell races. MousePlanet staff member Stephanie Wien writes:

Continuing the trend of adding challenges to race weekends, Tinker Bell is finally getting her own Pixie Dust Challenge for 2015.

Registration opens Tuesday, August 12 at noon EST (9:00 a.m. PST) at www.rundisney.com for the inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge, which requires participants to complete the Tinker Bell 10K and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon to receive a “specially designed, fairy-themed medal.” Race events take place from May 7–10. The Expo opens on Thursday, the Never Land 5K takes place on Friday, the Tinker Bell 10K is on Saturday, and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon finishes up the weekend on Sunday.

The special pink Coast to Coast medal will be offered again in 2015 for those who complete the Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World in February and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland in May. The medal “features the likeness of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse with a pink overlay and lanyard.”

The Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend is one of four runDisney race weekends scheduled for 2015 at the Disneyland Resort, doubling the number of races held in 2013.

A look at the event details shows the continuing minor inconsistency in runDisney's pacing requirements. For the 2014 Disneyland and January 2015 Star Wars races, Disney notes that the 5K races are not timed, “but in order to receive a finisher medal, participants must maintain a 16-minute-per-mile pace requirement.”

For the 2014 Avengers races, and now the 2015 Tinker Bell events, the runDisney website lists a 16-minute-mile pacing requirement for all events: “Runners unable to maintain the pace may be picked up at any point along the course and transported to the finish line.”

It's a minor difference, but it seems that if you're too slow in the Disneyland or Star Wars 5K, you're allowed to finish; you just don't get a medal when you eventually do. If you fall behind the pace during the Avengers or Tinker Bell 5Ks, however, you'll be swept and transported to the finish line. This may simply be a function of the way the different 5K courses are set up—one course may allow Disney more flexibility to accommodate slower runners, while another course must be cleared on time so roads can reopen—but it's definitely something that potential participants should be aware of if they are at all concerned about being able to meet the pace.

Also, while it's not quite the Active.com race insurance I implored runDisney to offer earlier this year, Disney is making a bigger effort to inform runners about its deferral program. If you cannot run a runDisney 10K or half-marathon for which you have registered and you alert Disney at least two weeks before the scheduled event, you can pay a fee of $45/$70 per race to defer your entry to the following year. While the fee is steep and this still won't cover you in the event of a last-second emergency, at least you won't lose everything in the event a training injury keeps you from racing.

According to the instructions you agree to in the deferment form, it appears that your race registration fee for the deferred race is not a total wash. The instructions state:

“Once a deferral request is complete you will receive a confirmation e-mail with a coupon code to register for the following year’s race, good [for] the original amount of registration fee you paid for the deferred race, less any processing fees and/or discounts…”

We think this means that if you paid $150 to register for a race and you paid a $70 deferment fee, you get a coupon code good for $80 to go towards next year's race registration. In addition, the deferment fee ensures a spot for you, so you can also avoid the craziness of first-day race registration.

Early registration for annual passholders and Disney Vacation Club members for Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend races opens this Wednesday, August 6. Challenge events have proven very popular with runDisney participants, who seem perfectly willing to pay a little extra over a la carte registration prices to receive an additional event shirt and a special challenge medal. If you are eligible for early registration, we strongly recommend you take advantage of that opportunity.

Links to the early registration pages will be posted on the respective group's websites the morning of registration. We suggest logging in to the DVC or passholder sites before registration opens so you don't waste any time when the links are posted, and creating a login at Active.com so you can quickly log in and start the actual registration process. Although early registration is officially open through August 11, you still want to register right away; Disney limits the number of early registration slots available so they don't accidentally sell out before general registration begins (which means the limited slots for early registration fill up rather quickly).

As Stephanie noted, general registration opens Tuesday, August 12. If you aren't eligible for early registration, don't despair. However, we strongly recommend that you skip the runDisney website on registration morning and register directly through Active.com. The runDisney site often crashes on registration days, where the Active.com website is still running.

runDisney usually posts tiered event pricing, which leads to the (usually false) impression that registration is still be available two or more months after registration opens. Given that recent events have sold out in minutes and hours rather than weeks and months, we're only listing the first-tier price for each event. Full details are available at the runDisney website:

• Tinker Bell Half Marathon – $195
• Tinker Bell 10K – $105
• Pixie Dust Challenge – $320
• Never Land 5K – $70
• runDisney Kids Races – $20

ChEAR Squad:

• Bronze – No Charge
• Silver – $39 per package
• Gold – $69 per package
• Platinum Half – $99 per package

Pasta in the Park Party (theme park admission required to enter):

• $135.00 for adults (ages 10 and up); includes theme park admission
• $89.00 for adults (ages 10 and up); park admission not included
• $115.00 for children (ages 3–9); includes theme park admission
• $69.00 for children (ages 3–9); park admission not included

Event schedule

Adventure Trading Company opens

After debuting at the 2013 D23 Expo, the Adventure Trading Company has finally arrived inside Disneyland park (in keeping with the theme, cast members explain that they took a wrong turn leaving the Anaheim Convention Center last summer, and it's taken this long to get to the park). The Adventure Trading Company is an interactive game and collecting experience, where players solve a series of puzzles in and around Adventureland, and receive collectible “Juju” tokens as their reward for completing each challenge.

The Indiana Jones Outpost serves as headquarters for the Adventure Trading Company game in Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Players who successfully track down a lost shipment receive this elephant Juju. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The D23 Expo version offered 10 different quests, with corresponding Juju figurines. There are just nine quests and puzzles for the Disneyland version—the skull Juju is not available. Many of the quests are sold at the Indiana Jones Outpost store for $5 each (tax included, no discounts apply). To play, just visit the store and purchase your activity sheets. The game materials are pretty creative, and a slight departure from those used during the D23 Expo. One puzzle is explained in a series of articles in a newspaper, another is presented as a training manual for Jungle Cruise skippers. One puzzle is a full-color Enchanted Tiki Room booklet, while another is a treasure-seeker's map of Adventureland.

Once Adventure Trading Company players translate a plaque written in the Marabic alphabet, they return to this oracle to “Choose Wisely” and hopefully receive the Eye of Mara Juju. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The quests themselves range from very simple tasks to multiple-step puzzles. Veteran MouseAdventure players won't find these at all challenging, but they are quite a lot of fun, especially when the cast members running the stations are having so much fun in their roles. As you complete each quest, a cast member stamps your activity sheet and give you the corresponding Juju.

Players who serve as talent scouts for the Tiki Room receive the parrot Juju. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

There are a few quests that involve a food purchase. The snake Juju comes with the purchase of a “Venom-ade” drink at the Bengal BBQ in Adventureland. This concoction is made from green apple-flavored lemonade mixed with pomegranate-flavored tapioca balls. The drink, with the Juju, is $7.50 (plus tax, no discounts apply). A tiki mask Juju is available with the purchase of a non-alcoholic specialty drink at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar in the Disneyland Hotel.

The snake Juju comes with the purchase of a “Venom-ade” drink from the Bengal BBQ. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The individual quests that are offered each day varies, so you probably cannot complete all nine tasks in a single visit. Juju trading is encouraged between players and cast members, and normal pin trading rules apply. Disney has not officially said how long the Adventure Trading Company will be in operation, only that this is a “limited time” offering.

This and that…

…The Legends of Frontierland game is slated to end September 1. There is no word what entertainment offerings will be housed at the Golden Horseshoe once the game ends.

… Hearthstone Lounge reopened last week after a three-week refurbishment, and cast members are reportedly surprised by how little changed renovation. The bar top was replaced, and a wall constructed to screen the server's workstation from the public. Otherwise, the lounge seems unchanged. New tables and chairs are reportedly on order, and will be replaced later this fall.

More decor elements were added to the new Club 33 window last week, but the changes do not make the off-center window look more symmetrical. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…Tickets for Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland went on sale last week online and at Disneyland Resort ticket booths. None of the event dates have yet sold out.

Some of the new Haunted Mansion merchandise discussed in last week's Update has arrived at Disneyland's Port Royale shop. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun MouseAdventure bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

Join the MousePlanet Newsletter E-mail:

Question of the Week

Reader lovingdisney wants to know about the bedding at the Candy Cane Inn near Disneyland:

Originally we had a reservation at the Red Lion, but checked the prices for the Candy Cane Inn because of all the people here that say how wonderful it is and it was actually a little bit cheaper for us when you add in the price of breakfast and shuttle and parking every day. I am very excited for our stay there, but was wondering about the beds? Are they really comfy?

I usually bring my own pillow to hotels because without a comfortable pillow I just don't get a good nights sleep so how are their pillows? Have any of you had to use their cribs for your little ones? I have a 7-month-old and was wondering if I should bring our pack-n-play or just use their crib. Thank you!

Have you recently stayed at the Candy Cane Inn? Come share your experience on our MousePad forum.

Do you have questions about an upcoming Disneyland visit, or need help choosing a hotel, restaurant or activity? Post your questions on our Disneyland Resort Trip Planning forum to get advice from our readers and Community Leaders. Your question may even be featured here in an upcoming Update.

Crowd Forecast

Join Our Networks

MousePlanet

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all of attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, call Disneyland at (714) 781–7290, then select option 1 > option 1 > option 4.

Disneyland

• Captain EO – listed as being closed August 16 and 17. This may indicate the dates the Guardians of the Galaxy preview is removed from the Magic Eye Theater.
• Haunted Mansion – closed for installation of the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay August 25 through September 11.
• Sailing Ship Columbia – closed for refurbishment August 26–28.
• Big Thunder Ranch – closed September 1 through 11 for installation of the holiday overlay.
• Jungle Cruise – closed September 2–4.
• Main Street Photo Supply – closed for refurbishment September 2–23.
• Pirate's Lair and Tom Sawyer Island – closed September 3–4.
• Horse-drawn Streetcars – closes September 3. May remain closed through the end of October.
• Mark Twain Riverboat – closes September 5 for refurbishment. Reopening date unknown
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – closed through September 27 for refurbishment.

Disney California Adventure

• Blue Sky Cellar – closed indefinitely. Removed from the refurbishment list as of July 1.
• California Screamin' – closed for refurbishment September 10 & 11.

Disneyland Resort

• Napa Rose – closes for renovation August 2. Expected to be closed through the end of September.
• Studio Disney 365 – closed August 25 through September 12

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 in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

Summer

• 7th Annual Taste of Downtown Disney – Thursday, August 14. This annual fund raiser for Children's Hospital Orange County includes appetizers and wine tasting at several participating Downtown Disney restaurants. Tickets are now on sale via the event website.
• Monday, August 18 – First day that SoCal Select passports are eligible since the summer blockouts began. Expect higher passholder attendance this day.
• Saturday, August 23 – First Saturday Deluxe passports are eligible since the summer blockouts began. Expect higher passholder attendance this day.
• Sunday, August 24 – First Sunday that SoCal passports are eligible since the summer blockouts began. Expect higher passholder attendance this day.
• Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – August 29–31 (Labor Day weekend). All events are full.

Fall

• Halloween Time – September 12 to October 31.
• Dapper Day Fall Soiree – Friday, September 12. Details at the event website.
• Mickey's Halloween Party – September 26, 30; October 3, 6, 8, 10, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31. Tickets go on sale via Disneyland.com July 16 to Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders, Disney Rewards Visa card holders and Disney Vacation Club members, and on July 30 to the general public.
• Gay Days at Disneyland – October 3–5. (Unofficial event) Details on the event website.
• 2014 CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 12 at the Disneyland Resort. Registration is now open via the event website. MousePlanet readers, friends and family are invited to register with Team MousePlanet and walk with our group.
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 16–17. Expect unusually large attendance levels October 17–21 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.
• Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend – November 14–16. All events are full. Details at the runDisney website.

Winter

• Holidays at the Disneyland Resort – mid-November to early January.

2015

• Inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 15–18, 2015. This new event weekend includes 5K, 10K, and half-marathon, along with runDisney kids races, event expo and Wookie Welcome party. All running events sold out within hours of registration. Details at the runDisney website.
• Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 7–10, 2015. (Mother's Day weekend). The weekend includes 5K, 10K and half-marathon, along with runDisney kids races, event expo and Pasta in the Park party. Annual Passholder early registration opens Wednesday, August 6. General registration opens Tuesday, August 12. Details at the runDisney website.

We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website. When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it's best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Disneyland prices as of May 2014.

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Disneyland Resort Update. 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. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.

Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside the gates stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Disneyland admission, and may result in denial of entry. It is also common for criminals to shoplift inactivated Disney theme park tickets from supermarkets to resell them. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or travel agency.

Other Discounts

Did we miss an offer? If you know of an authorized discount on Disneyland Resort tickets, standing offers for Annual Passholders from non-Disney vendors, or other promotions which might interest our readers, please drop us a note!

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

• DL – Disneyland
• DCA – Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockouts:

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

Early Admission – full description available on the Disneyland website):

• MM – Magic Mornings for 3-plus day ticket holders, promotional “bonus” tickets, and Southern California CityPASS
• EMH – Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests
• EMH – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• GN – Grad Nite.
• MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)
• MHP – Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland

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.