Update for January 7 – 13, 2013
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News and Views
Annual Passholder Golden Horseshoe Revue event | Mickey and the Magical Map coming to the Fantasyland Theater | DisneyTime vacation giveaway | Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closes for most of 2013 | Three Kings Day celebration | This and that…
Annual Passholder Golden Horseshoe Revue event
Disneyland has added special Annual Passholder viewing and dining packages to the performances of Limited Time Magic, A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue. In last week's Disneyland Resort update, we detailed the first line of events for the Limited Time Magic promotion, including the limited return of the classic variety show, the Golden Horseshoe Revue. Days after the initial announcement and speculation on just how Disney would handle the expected demand for the show, Disney announced special Annual Passholder-only performances.
Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders have the opportunity to purchase tickets to the 6:30 p.m. Thursdays through Monday performances, which run from January 10 through February 4. The cost to attend is $35 (ages 3 and older) and includes a meal with a special menu inspired by the original show. Menu items include black forest ham and roast beef sandwiches, golden raisin and carrot salad, Yukon golden potato salad, and very berry fruit salad. Annual Passholders in attendance also receive corn chips in a souvenir Golden Horseshoe boot mug and Walt and Lilly's 30th Anniversary Celebration Cake.
There is a limit of eight Annual Passholders per dining package reservation. Annual Passholders who plan on attending with children under the age of three can do so without making them a reservation, however dinner will not be provided for them, so parents should make separate dinner arrangements for their children. Space is also limited, and with only 17 Annual Passholder performances, we fully expect the events to sell out. Reservations can be made by calling (714) 781-PASS (714-781-7277) and selecting option 0.
Guests who want to view a performance must obtain a ticket from a cast member at the entrance to the Golden Horseshoe on the day of their visit. Photo by Bryan Pugh.
Disneyland is also setting up a ticket system for the remaining, daily performances. Similar to how admission to the Golden Horseshoe Revue was handled during its original run, guests are required to visit the cast member located at a podium in front of the Golden Horseshoe to receive a show ticket for a performance later in the day. You can select a preferred performance time, based upon availability.
A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue runs from Thursday through Monday, January 10 to February 4.
Mickey and the Magical Map coming to the Fantasyland Theater
In August last year, Disneyland announced the return of the Fantasyland Theater and the development of a stage show. The venue had been used as a princess meet-and-greet since 2006 when Snow White: An Enchanting Musical ended its run. This past week, Disneyland announced details for the new show, Mickey and the Magical Map. The show tells the story of Mickey Mouse, a young apprentice under the wise sorcerer Yen Sid, as he stumbles upon the power of a “magical map” and into a “fantastic adventure through worlds of music, color and beloved characters.” The show's concept art portrays a workshop and features Disney characters King Louie, Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, and Mulan.
A new stage show, Mickey and the Magic Map, debuts in the Fantasyland Theater later this summer. Art by Disney.
Mickey and the Magical Map is expected to debut in this summer.
DisneyTime vacation giveaway
Disney is giving away 31 vacation packages in the month of January. DisneyTime, a sweepstakes announced on New Year's Eve, awards winners with vacation packages that are tailored to your family's specific interests. Those entering the contest are asked to select from five vacation categories that interest them: Happy Happenings, Magical Discoveries, Amazing Fun, Big Thrills, or Sweet Romance.
To enter the contest, visit DisneyTimeSweeps.com and choose the type of Disney vacation you and your family are interested in. The DisneyTime contest runs through midnight (EST) on January 31, 2013.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closes for most of 2013
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed today for most of 2013. The classic Disneyland attraction, themed to a runaway train through Utah's Bryce Canyon, is set to undergo a nine-month, multimillion-dollar refurbishment. The renovation includes a complete track replacement, repainting of the attraction mountain range, and replacement of the ride vehicles. Disney has assured fans that the new ride vehicles will retain the same appearance and track layout as before. In 2012, Disneyland closed the Matterhorn Bobsleds for a similar multi-month refurbishment that included redesigned ride vehicles and an updated paint scheme.
The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad range will receive a fresh coat of paint during the extended refurbishment. Photo by Bryan Pugh.
The original fleet of ride vehicles will be retired and replaced with a new set of trains. Photo by Bryan Pugh.
Crowds filled the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad line queue over this past week to experience the attraction one last time before the lengthily closure took effect, with wait times in excess of 60 minutes common over the weekend. The Orange County Register reports that Big Thunder Trail, a pathway that connects Frontierland to Fantasyland, will be closed “most weekdays, except holidays, through early April.”
Three Kings Day celebration
The Three Kings Day celebration, a traditional Hispanic Christmas event, was held this past weekend. The celebration took place in the Big Thunder Festival Area and included special foods, live performances, and music. The Three Kings Day celebration was a three-day, Limited Time Magic event, which meant that those who didn't plan to visit the celebration specifically probably missed it, unless they happened to stumble across it. The Three Kings Day celebration is a prime demonstration of how quickly the Limited Time Magic events can appear and then disappear throughout 2013. Disney is making its Limited Time Magic announcements in various ways. To keep up on the latest announcements for upcoming events, make sure to read our Disneyland Resort Updates every Monday.
This and that…
…Upon completion of a yearlong goal to visit the Disneyland Resort every day in 2012, Jeff Reitz and Tonya Mickesh, were presented with a stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite by Walt Disney Parks and Resort Chairman Tom Staggs. Tom congratulated Reitz and Mickesh after they entered Disneyland for the 366th time on New Year's Eve. The Disneyland Dream Suite is a luxury suite built above the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Disneyland's New Orleans Square. The space was originally constructed as a private residence for Walt Disney, and was open to the public as the Disney Gallery from 1987 through 2006.
Jeff Reitz and Tonya Mickesh, were named honorary citizens and presented with a stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite by Walt Disney Parks and Resort Chairman Tom Staggs. Photo by Disney.
…Annual Passholder early entry began this past weekend at the Disneyland Resort. Annual Passholders can take advantage of early entry most weekends from January 5 through April 14, 2013. More specific details and dates are available in the December 17, 2012 Disneyland Resort Update.
…Walt Disney World recently decreased the merchandise discount for its Annual Passholders by half, from 20 percent to 10 percent. This led some to wonder if Disneyland was planning to follow suit. This topic was discussed on Mousepad and our own Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix was able to get this official response from Disney: “While we regularly evaluate discount and offers for our Disneyland Resort annual passholders, we don't currently anticipate any changes to the Disneyland Resort Annual Passholder merchandise discount in 2013.
Crowd Forecast
Advertisement Crowd information and forecasts are provided by TouringPlans.com, the website of the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, to help you better plan your trip to the Disneyland Resort. TouringPlans.com gathers wait time data from a team of in-park researchers and users of their Lines mobile phone application, and then predicts crowd levels for the next 365 days. Using a scale from 1 to 10, TouringPlans.com has a 90 percent accuracy of predicting the crowds to within 1 point, helping visitors prepare for their trips so they can “Do more. Wait less.”
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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures
Note: Not all of these have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit.
Disneyland
- Haunted Mansion – closed January 7–17 for removal of Haunted Mansion Holiday.
- Primeval World – closed January 7–23 for refurbishment, will not effect the operation of the Disneyland Railroad.
- Fantasmic! – dark January 7 to February 14 for refurbishment
- Mark Twain Riverboat – closed January 7 to March 28 for refurbishment
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed January 7 to October 30 for a major refurbishment.
- Princess Fantasy Faire/Fantasyland Theater – closed until Summer 2013 for refurbishment of the Fantasyland Theater. The Princess meet-and-greet is relocated to the terrace near “it's a small world” until the new Fantasy Faire opens.
- Troubadour Treats – closed until Summer 2013 for refurbishment of the Fantasyland Theater. An internal document lists May 23 as the reopening date, but this may just be a placeholder.
- Plaza Gardens – closed until January 2014 for the construction of the new Fantasy Faire.
Disney California Adventure
- Silly Symphony Swings – closed for refurbishment January 7 to February 17.
- Grizzly River Run – closed for refurbishment January 7 to February 28.
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 in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).
2013
- A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue – Limited Time Magic event. Thursdays through Mondays, January 10 through February 4, 2013.
- 2013 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend (sold out) – January 18–20.
- Grad Nite events – this party for high school seniors graduating in 2013 will be held on 22 dates in 2013: May 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31; June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21. The 2013 event includes admission to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure during regular operating hours, and a private party in Disneyland after the park closes to the public for the night.
- D23 Expo – August 9–11. Tickets for the three-day convention are now on sale.
- Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – August 30 through September 1, 2013 at the Disneyland Resort. Registration opens on January 22, 2013 and those wishing to participate should register quickly; last year's half-marathon sold out in just five weeks.
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 20, 2012.
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.
One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $87/$81 One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $125/$119 | 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, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $170/$158 Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $200/$188 | Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells two-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 2-day Park Hoppers are $197 for adults ($185 for children); 2-day 1/park/day tickets are $168 for adults ($156 for children). Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. | |
Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $220/$205 Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $250/$235 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells three-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 3-day Park Hoppers are $245 for adults ($230 for children); 3-day 1/park/day tickets are $217 for adults ($202 for children). 2012-2013 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket ($125) – a discounted price offered to Eligible Service Members or their spouses. Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets may be purchased through September 26, 2013, and are valid through September 28, 2013. Disney defines “Eligible Service Members” as active or retired members of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Reservists, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Valid military identification will be required for purchase. This discount is available at MWR/ITT offices at your military base or other at participating U.S. military sales outlets. The tickets are not available for sale at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. The price is the same for adults and children, and total of six tickets may be purchased per military member, regardless of who purchases the tickets (the member or their spouse). Tickets are blocked out through January 2; February 15–17; March 25 to April 5; and July 4. As far as we can tell, there is no “fuse” on this ticket, so you may have more than the standard 13 days from first use to use the remaining two admissions, but we highly recommend you contact your base MWR/ITT office for more details before making travel plans. Please note that this ticket is not a “bonus” ticket, and so does not include an early admission day. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. |
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Four Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $245/$225 Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $275/$255 |
Costco 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket plus $50 Costco Cash card ($259.99) – the Fall 2012 version of this discount offer is a bit different than past deals, with several important changes:
At face value, the ticket is only $15 less than the rack rate for a Disneyland Resort 4-Day Parkhopper ticket purchased at the Main Entrance booths, and is more expensive than the child's ticket. The real “savings” comes in the form of the $50 Costco Cash Card. If you were already in the market for a 4-day Parkhopper and plan to spend $50 at Costco, this deal will save you $65.00, but it may not be a real value if you aren't an avid Costco shopper. Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells four-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 4-day Park Hoppers are $270 for adults ($250 for children); 4-day 1/park/day tickets are $240 for adults ($220 for children). Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
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Five Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $260/$240 Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $290/$270 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells five-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 5-day Park Hoppers are $285 for adults ($265 for children); 5-day 1/park/day tickets are $255 for adults ($235 for children). Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
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Six Day, One Park per Day Ticket Six Day Park Hopper | No longer offered by Disneyland – some travel providers may offer tickets for 6 days or longer as part of a package to international customers; residents of Canada, Australia, or the U.K. should check with local travel agencies to see what options may be available. | |
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports |
No discounts currently available for new purchases. California residents can take advantage of the monthly payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport.
Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. |
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Southern California CityPASS $306/$269 Southern California CityPASS PLUS $339/$294 |
2013 Southern California CityPASS ($306/$269) – includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPASS expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by January 2, 2014. Purchase CityPASS through the Disneyland website 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 website, though a shipping charge may apply depending on how quickly you need the ticket. 2013 Southern California CityPASS PLUS ($339/$294) – includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood, plus one-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Safari Park. The CityPASS expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by January 2, 2014. This upgraded pass is only available for purchase directly from the CityPASS website. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. Prices listed above are valid from January 1 to December 31, 2013. |
Hotel/Travel Packages
Costco Travel Packages – many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.
Disney's Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – package includes accommodations in 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 three DCA attractions (Disney's Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Muppet*Vision 3D, It's Tough to be a Bug!); 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.
Contact a MousePlanet sponsor travel agency for assistance in booking your next trip
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Other Discounts
Military 3-Day Park Hopper Discount – active and retired U.S. military can now purchase up to six 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hoppers at the discounted price of $125 each, a 50 percent savings off the regular adult price. The tickets may be used through September 28, 2013 with block-out days from now through January 2, February 15–17, March 25 through April 5, and July 4.
Valid only for active duty or retired U.S. Military, including the National Guard, Reservists, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Valid and active U.S. Military (or Military spouse) ID required for purchase and admission. Limited to one (1) purchase of up to six (6) tickets per valid ID and Military member (or spouse) must accompany the persons using these tickets for Theme Park admission.
Annual Passholder offers – Disneyland has once again extended the 20% merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders. The discount is now valid through December 31, 2012.
Purchase with Purchase offers – Disneyland Resort shops frequently offer a reduced–price souvenir (often a tote bag, watch, or blanket) with a qualifying minimum purchase. These are offered at Disney-operated stores only, and generally can not be combined—you must choose one of the eligible offers. If you're a passholder, the minimum purchase is calculated after your discount, and your discount does not apply to the promotional item.
Character Dining Vouchers – discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through Get Away Travel.
Disney Visa – dardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free 5×7 photograph per visit. Cardholders also receive 10% off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney-operated retail stores, 10% off at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants, (Big Thunder Ranch, River Belle Terrace, French Market, Cocina Cucamonga, Steakhouse 55, PCH Grill and Storyteller's Café), and 20% off the “Welcome to Disneyland,” “A Walk in Walt's Footsteps,” and “Discover the Magic” guided tours. See the Disney Visa website for terms and conditions.
Landry's Select Club – members of the Landry's Select Club get priority seating at the Rainforest Cafe when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days), and a 10% discount on retail purchases. This club replaces the former Rainforest Cafe Safari Club as of March 31, 2012. If you are already a Safari Club member, you can migrate your membership to the new Landry's Select Club at no charge, and start to earn points in the new program. The new Select Club eliminated the entree discount and free appetizer offer that was included with the Safari Club, replacing them with a point-based system that gives you a $25 gift certificate after you spend $250. If you are not yet a member of either the Safari Club or the Landry's Select Club, you can pre-purchase your membership before your trip. Membership now costs $25, but comes with a $25 reward.
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 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
- AP – Annual Passholders Early Entry on most weekends
- TT – Toontown Morning Madness at Disneyland. Ends December 31, 2102.
Disneyland Resort Special Events:
- Grad Nite
- MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)
- GHR – A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue (Limited Time Magic)
1/6 | 1/7 | 1/8 | 1/9 | 1/10 | 1/11 | 1/12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DL: 8a-11p EMH/MM/AP DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p None DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p None DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 9a-10p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
1/13 | 1/14 | 1/15 | 1/16 | 1/17 | 1/18 | 1/19 |
DL: 8a-11p EMH/MM/AP DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 10a-8p None DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p None DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 9a-10p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
1/20 | 1/21 | 1/22 | 1/23 | 1/24 | 1/25 | 1/26 |
DL: 9a-10p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 8a-11p None DCA: 8a-9p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p None DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 9a-10p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
1/27 | 1/28 | 1/29 | 1/30 | 1/31 | 2/1 | 2/2 |
DL: 8a-11p None DCA: 8a-9p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 10a-8p None DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p None DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 9a-11p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
DL: 8a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GHR |
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.