Disneyland Resort Update

Update for August 5 – 11, 2013

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

News and Views

2013 D23 Expo starts Friday | Disneyland Resort hotel discounts for 8/25/13 – 9/28/13 | Disneyland Resort ticket offer – Everyone Plays for the Kids' Price | New Disneyland Resort Official Album to be released | This and that… | Question of the Week | Crowd Forecast

2013 D23 Expo starts Friday

D23 Expo, Disney's convention for its official D23 fan club, opens this Friday at the Anaheim Convention Center. The three-day event features a full schedule of panel discussions, celebrity appearances, live entertainment, and shopping opportunities to keep most Disney fans entertained.

The final Expo schedule and guidebook are now available on the D23 Expo website, and Disney has again released a application for mobile Web-enabled devices. The app lets you create a personalized Expo schedule, see venue maps and information, and view all of Disney's D23 social media content like Twitter and Facebook postings in one place.

Last week we published our guide to help you make the most of the D23 Expo. If this is your first year attending the event, or you're a repeat visitors who wants to know what has changed this year, we hope our guide will help you plan your day(s) at Disney's largest official brand showcase.

MousePlanet is once again hosting the MousePlanet LOUNGE in booth 421 of the Collectors Forum, on the main level behind the Dream Store. We encourage you to stop by throughout the Expo. With so much to see and do, you need a place to relax and recharge your batteries—both mental and cellular! The MousePlanet LOUNGE is your home base for the Disney D23 Expo, offering a comfortable seating area, a charging station for your electronic devices, and the opportunity to meet MousePlanet columnists, Community Leaders, and fellow readers. We also have a host of special opportunities planned for our readers.

Mouse Tales' David Koenig (left) looks on as a reader tries to open the MousePlanet treasure chest during the 2011 D23 Expo. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Get a free lanyard and enter to win

Stop by the MousePlanet LOUNGE and receive your free MousePlanet lanyard to wear throughout the Expo. Your lanyard is your entry into our weekend-long contest, where you can win fantastic prizes from our sponsors just by showing your MousePlanet style. You never know where and when our Swag Squad will strike next!

Meet the authors

Meet some of the people behind the website, and learn some of their favorite theme parks tricks and tips:

• Mouse Tales' David Koenig – Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. David's books will be available for purchase and signing at the Expo.
• Parenting in the Parks editor Adrienne Krock – throughout the weekend
• Newsletter editor and Team MousePlanet columnist Stephanie Wien – throughout the weekend
• Team MousePlanet columnist Lani Teshima – throughout the weekend
• Park Update editor Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix – throughout the weekend
• MouseAdventure producer Joe Stevano – Saturday and Sunday

Get a free Team MousePlanet running hat

Are you a runDisney junkie, or are you gearing up for your very first runDisney race? Either way, Team MousePlanet has a special gift for you. Stop by the MousePlanet LOUNGE and receive a free Team MousePlanet running hat or visor featuring our brand-new logo!

Be one of the first to check out our new collection of performance gear at the D23 Expo featuring Team MousePlanet's new logo.

To get your free hat, just show us one of the following:

• A medal from any runDisney half- or full-marathon event
• A racing bib from any past runDisney half- or full-marathon with your name printed on it
• Proof of your entry into an upcoming runDisney event (such as your registration confirmation or waiver)

(While supplies last; one per person, please.)

You'll also be able to see and order the new Team MousePlanet performance wear, certain to be a welcome addition to your training or race day gear.

Rocks for CHOC – auctions are now live!

MousePlanet is proud to support Children's Hospital Orange County, and we've partnered with CHOC to kick off a unique FUNdraiser at the Disney D23 Expo.

Just like the rocks in “A Bug's Life,” CHOC Rocks have a deeper meaning. The tradition started with a young woman named Timmaree, who began painting rocks to give to the doctors and nurses while she was being treated at CHOC. She also sold them at fundraisers, signing hundreds of rocks for dedicated collectors. Today, Team Timmaree Rocks is one of the largest teams in the annual CHOC Walk, and her friends and family continue to host rock painting events in her memory.

A collection of rocks hand-painted by well-known local artists and Disney illustrators will be offered in an auction to benefit Children's Hospital Orange County. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Beloved artists, including Shag, Chip Foose, Dave Avanzino, Kevin Kidney, Jody Daily, Joe Yakovetic, Stacia Martin, Jeff Granito and Katie Kelly have each hand-painted a CHOC Rock, and MousePlanet is proud to offer them at auction via eBay's Giving Works program. You can view these rocks and our other auction items at the MousePlanet LOUNGE. One hundred percent of the proceeds from these auctions will go directly to Children's Hospital Orange County.

For details on each rock and to bid on them on eBay, see our auction page now.

Get ready for Adventure

At the MousePlanet LOUNGE, you can sign up for our Fall 2013 Walt Disney World World Explorers event, or take home one of three MouseAdventure Vacation packets developed for you to keep your skills sharp between events.

Check your gear

Cameras and recording devices are not permitted in certain venues, as indicated in the Expo Guide Book and on the D23 Expo app. MousePlanet will again offer free, secure electronics check for our readers on a first-come, first-served basis.

The only constant is change, and you never know when that artist signing or video game demonstration you wanted to see will be moved, rescheduled, or extended due to popular demand. If you have a smartphone, we recommend downloading the official Disney D23 app, but also using Twitter and/or Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news from the Expo.

If you'll be at the Expo or just want to experience it with us online, follow MousePlanet's special D23 Expo Twitter account at MPatD23Expo for live updates throughout the show.

If you won't be at the Expo and don't want all of the chirping, follow MousePlanet on Facebook or Twitter for daily recaps.

We hope to see you there!

Disneyland Resort hotel discounts for 8/25/13 – 9/28/13

Disney has announced a new Disneyland Resort hotel offer. The promotion offers 20 percent off at the three Disneyland Resort hotels on most weekday (Sunday–Thursday) nights August 25 through September 28, 2013.

The Annual Passholder World of Color offer is a better deal if you qualify for it, but this is an option for those who don't have passes and can take advantage during weekdays. Here are the details from the Disneyland website:

Disneyland Resort Hotels Offer

Book a stay at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels:

• Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
• Disneyland Hotel
• Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel

And save up to 20 percent most weekday nights (Sunday-Thursday) August 25 through September 28, 2013.

Booking Dates

• July 30 through September 5, 2013

Offer Valid Most Weekday Nights (Sunday-Thursday)

• August 25 through September 28, 2013

Travel Must Be Completed By

• September 29, 2013

Offer Details

• Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel.
• Limit two (2) rooms per reservation and five (5) people maximum per room.
• Offer not available Friday and Saturday nights.
• Advance reservations are required.

If you are visiting before August 25 and need theme park tickets, be sure to check out the 4 Days, 3 Nights, 2 Parks for One Great Price offer.

Disneyland Resort ticket offers – Everyone Plays for the Kids' Price

This article from KTAR.com in Arizona came across our newsfeed last week, and it includes a link to an “Everyone Plays for the Kids' Price” discount for the Disneyland Resort offered through Expedia. The Expedia website is somewhat wonky, but they do list the following:

Special offer: Book your Disneyland Resort Park 3-Day Hopper Ticket by September 30, 2013 and redeem now – October 31, 2013 to receive an Adult ticket for the Child ticket price (price listed reflects savings).

Their listed price is $243.99 for an adult 3-day Park-Hopper Bonus ticket, one cent less than the child ticket. The regular price of that ticket is $260, so you save $16 if you book through Expedia.

There do not appear to be any additional booking fees, and you receive your voucher immediately, so this seems to be a legit way to save a little on a 3-day Park Hopper ticket. You can read the fine print on our MousePad discussion forums.

MousePlanet reader 3Princesses1Prince shared that Get Away Travel has a similar offer with different dates. Tickets must be purchased by August 10 for travel through December 31, 2013. You must purchase the tickets at least four days in advance. The Get Away Travel offer also includes a $10 ESPN gift card.

New Disneyland Resort Official Album to be released

Disney announced last week that new two-CD sets will be offered at the Disneyland Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort starting August 20, the first new Official Albums since 2008. This is welcome news for music lovers, but we noted that there is little in the way of new music on the new Walt Disney World album. Of the 36 songs in the collection, 27 were also included in the 2008 album.

The Disneyland Resort is a bit better, with 13 new songs among the 36 tracks. The new songs are:

• “Married Life”
• “Pecos Bill”
• “Touch the Sky”
• “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”
• “The Throne Room”
• “Suitcase and a Dream”
• “Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf”
• “The Little Mermaid Medley”
• “Midway Mania”
• “The Cleaner”
• “Welcome to Radiator Springs”
• “Funiculi Funicula”
• “Radiator Springs Racers”

Some of the new songs are direct replacements within a specific land of the park—”Pecos Bill” simply replaces “A Cowboy Needs a Horse” in the Frontierland section—but there are some welcome substitutions. “Married Life,” the sweet theme from UP that was added to the Main Street music loop last year, replaces the “Grand Marshall Pre-Parade.” In another movie tie-in, “Touch the Sky” from Brave replaces “Once Upon a Dream” from King Arthur’s Carrousel.

The renovated Disney California Adventure park is represented with three songs from Cars Land and two Buena Vista Street tunes. While this may not seem like a lot, remember that there have already been two albums of Carthay Circle music released, plus an entire Cars Land album offered when the land opened in 2012.

There is no fireworks soundtrack on this album as there has been in past years, and it's unclear if “Suitcase and a Dream” and Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” are background tracks, or audio from the Red Car Newsboys and Five and Dime shows on Buena Vista Street. We would love to see an additional album of entertainment music, like the track from the Magical fireworks show (featuring vocals by former Disneyland performer-turned-Broadway-star Eden Espinosa), World of Color, the Dapper Dans, and more.

If you can't make it to the Disneyland Resort to purchase the album, you can buy a digital copy at the Disney Music Store.

The 2013 Disneyland Resort Official Album

*Denotes the song was included in the 2008 version.

Disc 1:

1. “All Aboard!”*
2. “Married Life”
3. “The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room”*
4. “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye”*
5. “Tarzan Medley”*
6. “Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me)”*
7. “Grim Grinning Ghosts”*
8. “Splash Mountain Medley”*
9. “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”*
10. “Pecos Bill”
11. “Touch the Sky”
12. “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”
13. “The Fantasyland Dark Ride Suite”*
14. “It's a Small World Clock Parade”*
15. “It's a Small World”*
16. “Steamboat Willie”*
17. “Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin”*

Disc 2:

1. “Submarine Voyage”*
2. “The Throne Room”
3. “Buzz Lightyear's Astro-Blasters”*
4. “Space Mountain”*
5. “Suitcase and a Dream”
6. “Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf”
7. “Mike and Sulley to the Rescue”*
8. “The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Theme”*
9. “Soarin”'*
10. “The Bakery Theme”*
11. “A Bug's Life Suite”*
12. “It's Tough To Be a Bug”*
13. “The Little Mermaid Medley”
14. “Midway Mania”
15. “The Cleaner”
16. “California Screamin'”*
17. “Welcome to Radiator Springs”
18. “Funiculi Funicula”
19. “Radiator Springs Racers”

This and that…

…Long Lost Friends Week is coming back to the Disneyland Resort as part of the Limited Time Magic promotion. Disneyland hasn't said exactly when the event is taking place, but they are asking Disney fans to vote on which characters they'd like to see, from a list of 22 character groupings. Today is the last day to vote via the Disney Parks Blog.

…In what we have to assume is another One Disney change, the Disneyland Resort last week published new hosiery guidelines for costumed female cast members (you may remember that the hosiery requirement was dropped for most business-dress CMs a while ago). There are a still quite a few locations where hosiery is still required because of the specific costume, but it looks like locations where skin-tone pantyhose were previously required have dropped that rule. An overview is posted on our MousePad discussion forum, but cast members should check with their manager for a new Disney Look guideline—don't take this as the final word.

Question of the Week

And now, we introduce a new section of our Disneyland Resort Update. Each week, we'll share a question posted by a member of our MousePad discussion forum, and see if any of our other readers have advice or useful suggestions on that topic.

This week, MousePad member Jim Dear and Darling asked: “Is the Disneyland Express Shuttle as bad as Yelp says it is?”

I'd love some input on the Disneyland Express Shuttle. We booked our package through Alaska Airlines with this shuttle, and when I looked them up today, I saw their page on Yelp and it scared [me]. Lots of the reviews are talking about waiting for an hour on the curb to be picked up, almost missing flights on the way home because they were late and then made so many stops and transfers, etc.

Have you used the Disneyland Express Shuttle? Were you satisfied with your experience, or would you recommend another transportation alternative. Please share your comments on our MousePad discussion forum,. You can also post your own question to be included in a future Update.

Crowd Forecast

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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.

Disneyland

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed through October 30 for a major refurbishment.
• Big Thunder Trail – closed through August 29 due to the Big Thunder Mountain refurbishment. Access to the Big Thunder Ranch area is available through Fantasyland.
• Market House / Disneyana – closed for construction of new Starbucks location. Disneyana has already moved into the Disney Gallery space on Main Street. Official opening date has not been determined.
• Mad Tea Party – closed August 1-9 for refurbishment.
• Matterhorn Bobsleds – closed August 19-22 for refurbishment.
• Mad Tea Party – closed August 19-22 for refurbishment.
• Matterhorn Bobsleds – closed August 26-29 for refurbishment.
• Haunted Mansion – closed August 26 through September 12 for refurbishment.
• Rafts to Tom Sawyer's Island – closed September 3 & 4 for refurbishment.
• Matterhorn Bobsleds – closed September 3-5 for refurbishment.
• Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm – closed September 3–12 for installation of the holiday overlay.
• Mickey's Toontown House– closed September 3–26 for refurbishment.
• King Arthur Carrousel – closed September 3 through October 10 for refurbishment.
• Mark Twain Riverboat – closed September 9–12 for refurbishment.
• Space Mountain – closed September 9–12 for installation of the holiday overlay.
• Sailing Ship Columbia – closed September 17–19 for refurbishment.
• Jungle Cruise – horticulture work taking place September 23–26 and September 30 through October 3; attraction remains open.

Disney California Adventure

• Tower of Terror – reduced capacity now through January 1, 2014. This usually means one of the rides three drop shafts is closed for refurbishment, and that the ride is running at 2/3 capacity.
• Muppet Vision 3D– closed September 9–12 for refurbishment.
• Toy Story Midway Mania – closed September 16–19 for refurbishment.
• Disney Animation Building – partial closures September 30 through October 29 for maintenance.

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

Summer

• D23 Expo – August 9–11. Tickets for the three-day convention are now on sale.
• 6th Annual Taste of Downtown Disney – Thursday, August 15. This annual fundraiser for Children's Hospital Orange County includes appetizers and wine tasting at several participating Downtown Disney restaurants. Tickets are now on sale.
• Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend (sold out) – August 30 through September 1 at the Disneyland Resort.

Fall

• Halloween Time – September 13 to October 31.
• Mickey's Halloween Party – September 27; October 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30 and 31. Tickets go on sale July 8 for Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club members and Disney Visa cardholders. The general public can buy tickets starting July 15.
• MouseAdventure Fall 2013 – Sunday, September 29. Registration opens Tuesday, August 13 at 9 a.m. Pacific online at www.mouseadventure.com.
• 23rd Annual CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 13. The annual fundraiser for Children's Hospital Orange County takes place before park hours in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. The Magic Morning normally scheduled for Sunday at Disneyland will likely be rescheduled to Monday, October 14, and Disneyland will likely open at 9 a.m. to accommodate the event. Team MousePlanet is back for our 6th year, and we welcome new members – visit the CHOC website to join us! You can also visit our MousePad discussion forum for more information about the walk and our team.

Winter

• Holidays at the Disneyland Resort – November 12 through the first week of 2014.
• World of Color Winter Dreams debut – Friday, November 15.
• Candlelight Processional – December 7 and 8 [unconfirmed]

2014

• Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – January 16–19. The half-marathon event is sold out, but registration is still open for the 5K, 10K, and kids races.

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 June 2, 2013.

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.

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.

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 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 percent merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders. The discount is now valid through December 31, 2013.

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 – cardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free 5″x7″ photograph per visit. Cardholders also receive 10 percent off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney-operated retail stores, 10 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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
• EMH – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• GN – Grad Nite
• 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.