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News and Views
Disneyland kicks off the summer season with Grad Nite for grownups | Revisiting the price hike | Star Wars Weekends food souvenirs arrive at Disneyland | This and that… | Question of the Week | Crowd Forecast
Disneyland kicks off the summer season with Grad Nite for grownups
The Disneyland Resort kicked off the summer season last Friday with the Rock Your Disney Side party, a 24-hour event at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Disney had the ideal setup for this year's party—both theme parks were open 24 hours to accommodate the crowds, and there was no Grad Nite to incorporate into the event.
Disney seemed to cater to an older crowd when designing this year's event, scheduling many of the special entertainment and food offerings for the evening. In fact, it appeared that Disney deliberately created a Grad Nite for grown-ups. Whether that is a good thing or not depends on your expectations this type of event, but it seems that 24-hour parties may become the Disney's new way of opening the summer season.
The event started much the same as the past two all-night events, with fans camping out overnight to be the first into their prefered theme park, and lots of local and even national media coverage. Disney did a good job of communicating the rules and expectations for the event with a funny video, and the pre-opening festivities featured a surprise appearance by Josh Gad, voice of Olaf from Disney's Frozen.
This Disney video explained the queue and costume rules for the Rock Your Disney Side party.
Josh Gad, right, is interviewed before the start of the Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour party at the Disneyland Resort. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Fans, many in costume, line up outside Disneyland before the Rock Your Disney Side party begins. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Those arriving early had the benefit of sparse crowds for the first few hours of the event, with lines so short that two hours after opening, the Disneyland wait time board had not yet begun updating times, and rides like “it's a small world” were a walk-on. As expected, attendance picked up quite a bit as the day progressed, as people began to arrive after school and work. By 6:00 p.m, Disney California Adventure was notably crowded, with lines at many of the restaurants. The bars were also popular, with lines outside the Carthay Circle Lounge and the Cove Bar.
Cast members welcome guests to the 24-hour party. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
A sand sculpture of Olaf greets visitors to the Rock Your Disney Side event. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Over at Disneyland, viewing areas for fireworks and Fantasmic reached capacity, and lines were very long outside many restaurants as visitors waited to try the special menu items. At one point, the line for the Plaza Inn, which featured a chicken-and-waffle special, stretched into Tomorrowland. Lines were shorter in Fantasyland, but the Village Haus restaurant sold out of its special dessert halfway through the night.
Starting at 10:30 p.m., Disney leveraged some of the existing Grad Nite infrastructure to host dance parties in both parks. The Pacific Wharf Dance Party was fairly unobtrusive and easy to avoid if you wished, but Disneyland's Klub Kingdom right in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle created traffic flow issues through the park's central hub, and the music often drowned out the live band at the nearby Royal Swing Big Band Ball.
Dancers fill the street in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle for the Klub Kingdom dance party during the Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour party. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Disney Villains took over Disneyland's Royal Hall for a meet-and-greet during the Rock Your Disney Side event. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The “Villains Take Over” of the Royal Hall proved (not surprisingly) to be very popular, with a two-hour line already formed by the time the villains arrived. The 12:30 a.m. performance of Mickey's Soundsational Parade was very well-attended, and by 2:00 a.m., a large crowd was waiting in line to enter Disney California Adventure for the 3:00 a.m. performance of World of Color.
Mickey dons pajamas and greets a fan on Main Street as the 24-hour party winds down. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Some readers complained that Disney went too far with the dance parties this year, with scant special entertainment for those not into the club scene. Others complained that the event wasn't well-geared to families. To be sure, I missed the Toontown PJ party from the 2013 event, and very much wished for some special entertainment opportunities in the morning, when the toddlers I was visiting the park with could have enjoyed them. In fact, I believe some of the evening attendance may have shifted to morning or afternoon had there been some special lure during the day, like the “Villains Take Over” of the Royal Hall or a kid-friendly character event.
But for those who complained that there wasn't much for kids to do at 2 a.m., I don't know that I expect Disney to provide child-appropriate entertainment at an hour most kids are in bed. I think there is plenty of room and time for Disney to plan special family-friendly entertainment during daylight hours, and offer “Grad Nite for grownups” after the fireworks.
Disney has previously used the opening of a new ride or show as the hook for its summer marketing campaign, but I suspect we might instead see 24-hour parties become the new summer kick-off event. Each event has proven more popular than the one before, and Disney seems to be getting better at hosting them. If this is the case, Disney needs to get a few things fixed before the next event.
Parking was once again difficult for those arriving after work, and the Resort did not do a great job of signing lot closures and indicating alternate routes. One friend—a Disneyland regular who certainly knows her way around the area—gave up and went home after trying unsucessfully for an hour to find an open lot.
While Disneyland had a vastly superior assortment of special foods for this event when compared to Walt Disney World, the Resort waited too long and relied too much on social media to communicate these offerings, and didn't have enough food on hand to meet demand of some items. The inability to make online reservations for some breakfast offerings was frustrating, and likely cost sales.
Overall though, I felt that this event was better organized than the last two versions, and I maintain hope this becomes an annual event. I'm less interested in staying all 24 hours with each sucessive event, but it's still a day I wouldn't want to miss.
Revisiting the Disneyland price hike
Last week, Disney raised prices on all admission tickets and annual passports by as much as nine percent, sparking the usual round of complaints that the park has gotten too expensive for families. Departing from the practice of the past several years, Disney gave no official warning that the increase was coming, avoiding what has become an annual scramble by vacation planners to purchase tickets or renew passes at the lower prices.
Whether it was the lack of advance notice, the “temporary” suspension of sales of new SoCal annual passports, or the looming $100 price tag, this latest price increase seems to have struck a nerve with Disney fans and the general public alike. I was interviewed three times last week by Los Angeles-area news outlets, and the questions were much the same: “Has Disneyland gotten too expensive for families?” “Are the parks really worth almost $100?” “Is it fair to keep raising prices when there are no new rides?” As is usually the case, these interviews resulted in a 10-second sound bite or a one-line quote from what had been a much longer discussion, so I decided to take a few minutes here to more fully share my thoughts on this price hike.
Annual price hikes should not come as a surprise to Disney fans. With the exception of 1991 and 2001, Disneyland has raised the price of its one-day ticket every year since the unlimited-use passport replaced ticket books in 1982, and has six times raised prices twice in the same year. The question is never whether Disney will raise prices, but when—and some people seem downright angry that Disney provided no warning before this most recent price hike.
In reality, advance notice from Disney of price increases is a relatively new thing. It used to be that visitors would just walk up to the ticket booths and find that the prices had changed overnight. In the early days of MousePlanet, we only learned of pending price hikes because “someone knew someone who had a relative” who worked in Disneyland's sign shop. Even then, we could only spread the word as far as our own readership.
In these days of social media, news spreads instantly, and the past few years have shown that announcing the price increases in advance causes thousands of people to rush to renew their passports, overwhelming Disney's online ticketing servers and creating massive lines at the ticket booths. In what I think was a silly move, Disney decided to revert to its older stealth method with last week's increase. This meant that when news of the price hike leaked out Friday night, as it was bound to do, it came in the form of a nebulous rumor that had the date right but most of the details wrong, rather than an official and accurate announcement from Disney. The days of surprise price hikes are over, and it will be interesting to see how Disney handles the next price increase.
And of course, there will be a next price increase, and the reason will always be, “because they can.” Disney is a business, and its duty to shareholders is to maximize profits from its assets. Pricing decisions are a function of supply and demand, with incentives offered to promote specific behavior. While a one-day ticket increased by $4, the price of a five-day ticket only went up $1. To me, this says that Disney doesn't want to do anything to drive away the folks coming to spend three or more days at the parks. These visitors are more likely to be staying on or near Disney property, to be buying more meals in the parks, and spending more on souvenirs over the course of their vacations than someone visiting for just one day.
This pricing tactic should not be a surprise when you consider how much of Disney's marketing is driven towards encouraging longer stays, with television commercials and even banners at the parking lots and in Downtown Disney inviting visitors to spend an extra day or two.
In this TV commercial for Disneyland Resort's “Keeps Getting Happier” Summer 2014 marketing campaign, Buzz Lightyear is seen in various locations throughout Disney California Adventure, and reports that he will need more time to explore the Disneyland Resort. Video © Disney.
This doesn't mean that Disneyland is trying to push away local residents, but the pricing and incentives are clearly geared towards shifting those visits to under-utilized periods of the year, and getting even the locals to stay extra day or two. Through June 8, Southern California residents can still purchase a two-day ticket for $129, nearly $50 off the new adult price for the same ticket. Summer may have already started, but Disney knows traffic won't really pick up for another week or so, and they're happy to have Southern Californians visit now before the vacation crowds arrive.
I don't expect to see an end to these “SoCal Salute” discount programs, but I do think that locals who feel priced out by the recent increases will start to plan their once-a-year visits around these offers. Our MousePlanet readers and my own relatives eagerly await these offers each season, and they can help families save if they have flexible travel plans.
A lot of anger and confusions centers around the suspension of the SoCal annual pass, and this is an area where Disney's “stealth price increase” tactic really bit them. Rather than getting in front of the price change and clearly explaining what had changed, Disney left it to local media to sort out both what “currently unavailable” meant, and where that left passholders who currently have or are due to renew that pass. By keeping quiet about the change, Disney also fostered the impression that it doesn't really value the SoCal passholder.
Again, pricing decisions are used in part to steer consumer behavior. The Basic—and subsequent SoCal—passes were created to drive traffic into the parks on days that were typically underused: off-season weekdays and Sundays. Those who took advantage of the lower-priced passes (and you can count all of the MousePlanet founders among that number) definitely created new usage patterns at the parks, to where, nearly two decades later, Sundays are often the busiest day of the week.
The explosion of the passholder population in recent years, fueled by the monthly payment option for California residents, has completely changed attendance patterns.
When friends ask me for my suggestions on when to visit, I tell them to look at the Annual Passport blockout calendar and pick a weekend where all passes are blocked, or a Saturday where the SoCal passes are not blocked on Sunday. This past weekend was a great example. Sunday was a blockout day for all but the Premium pass, where Monday was open to all but the SoCal Select passholders. Not surprisingly, the holiday Monday was much busier than Sunday, with parking already scarce by early afternoon.
With Disney trying to get people to book longer visits to the parks (maybe a long weekend), I'm frankly surprised that it took the company this long to react to the clear trend. But what has been overlooked in the hand-wringing—for which Disney managers have only themselves to blame—is the fact that the SoCal pass has not been discontinued. Anyone who currently has the pass can continue to use it, and anyone who wants to renew it can do so. In fact, if you had let your SoCal pass lapse in the last two months, Disney will still allow you to renew it (though you retain your old expiration date, which may not make financial sense when you run the numbers).
What you cannot now buy is a new SoCal pass, or renew one that lapsed more than three months ago. The people most impacted by this change are those SoCal passhoders who have children who are turning 3 and need to buy their first annual pass. Readers have reported that Disney would not make an exception to allow families of such children to purchase the same pass as the rest of the family, forcing them to either forgo a pass entirely or purchase a different and possibly more expensive pass for that child. Reader Scott Wolf wrote about his experience this weekend:
Didn't think much of Disney's recent price increase because I understand why they do it but I became super frustrated when I heard about their plan to suspend SoCal Annual Passes for everyone. Our family has three SoCal annual passes and our youngest turns 3 on Friday, May 23. Disney's answer: “Sorry, no pass for him. You can purchase a Deluxe pass for him.” Really? Absolutely no “grandfathering” for family members turning 3 with birth certificate proof? “Nope!” This is so frustrating and obviously not implemented correctly.
Disney has also hinted that any of the passes may be temporarily suspended at any time. In one way, this may be a move by Disney to increase its passholder renewal numbers. You may think twice about letting your pass lapse when it expires if faced with the possibility of not being able to purchase one when you want to. As one of our readers noted, the only thing worse than paying $500 for an annual pass is not being able to buy one at all.
Also overlooked by many is that the SoCal Select pass went up just $10, and there are currently no sales restrictions on that pass. This pass is blocked out on all weekends, all holidays, and during the peak Spring, Summer, and Winter vacation seasons. Disney doesn't seem to be facing any attendance issues as a result of people who only visit on off-peak weekdays, and is thus leaving that pass alone for now. You can bet that if the resort attendance spikes and there are parking shortages on those days as a result of passholders, Disney is sure to take a hard look at that pass, as well.
I recognize that some are going to accuse me of defending Disney's price increase, but price increases are a fact of life, and Disney is no different. I personally feel that a day at Disneyland is worth $92 or $96, and clearly I'm not alone in this thinking—or our MousePad discussion forums would not be full of discussions about how busy the parks are on any given day. I wouldn't pay that for every visit, and without an annual passport I'd probably find myself making just an annual visit like so many of my friends and family.
Many people feel there should be a link between price increases and new rides, and question how Disney justified its latest price increase despite having no new rides to debut, and with several major rides down for refurbishment this year. While I understand that argument, at the same time, I don't want Disneyland to raise ticket prices by $1 every time a new attraction opens or a much-needed refurbishment happens.
Ultimately, the question is, “What is it worth to you?” Those who feel that they are somehow owed the right to visit the park as much as they want at the price they are willing to pay, will never be made happy by Disney's pricing strategy. This latest price increase didn't change that, and the next one won't, either.
Star Wars Weekends food souvenirs arrive at Disneyland
Star Wars fans have a few new souvenirs to seek out at Disneyland. These items from Walt Disney World's Star Wars Weekends were released at the 24-hour party, but reportedly sold out. We've been assured another shipment is on the way, so keep your eyes peeled during your next visit.
This new Darth Vader popcorn bucket sold out during the 24-hour party, but is expected to be restocked. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Darth Vader popcorn combo comes with Darth Vader popcorn bucket, a popcorn scoop, and a bottled drink for $15.75. Available only at Tomorrowland popcorn cart.
The Stormtrooper mug is available at Tomorrowland Terrace for $9.99 with your choice of soft drink. This mug is also available at the Tomorrowland lemonade cart with various frozen drinks for a slight upcharge.
A Stormtrooper mug is available at two locations in Tomorrowland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Death Star glow sphere is $4, and can be purchased separately or with any drink at the Tomorrowland lemonade cart.
This and that…
…Space Mountain is now closed for refurbishment through July 3.
…A new Maleficent character made her debut during a special meet-and-greet opportunity hosted by the Walt Disney Studios during last week's 24-hour party. 500 fans who responsed to a tweet sent out on Twitter Friday evening were invited to meet Malefient, and received free tickets to see the new Maleficent film in theaters.
Maleficent made her debut in Disney California Adventure during the Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour party. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
…Disney artist Noah created a chalk drawing during last week's Rock Your Disney Side event to kick off a new “Rock Your Disney Sidewalk” promotion. Disney fans are invited to take to their driveways and sidewalks to create art highlighting their favorite Disney rides and characters, then share the images via social media using the hashtag #DisneySidewalk.
Artist Noah created this chalk drawing in just a few hours to kick off the Rock Your Disney Sidewalk promotion. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
…Grad Nite events are scheduled this Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, May 28, 30 and 31. Refer to our May 12 Park Update for information about how Grad Nite events may impact your visit on these days.
…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.
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Question of the Week
Reader MMlover is looking for restaurant recommendations for an upcoming visit.
We are [Walt Disney World] veterans, but [Disneyland] newbies. We will be at DL at the end of June – 2 adults and 2 almost 6 year old boys. We are staying at the [Grand Californian Villas]. Our first night we will be eating at Napa Rose, but we need ideas for our other two nights. We would prefer they be inside the parks because we plan to stay in the parks for the other two full days we are there. Can you provide a table service suggestion and a counter service one? What is your favorite restaurant in each park?
What are your favorite restaurants at the Disneyland resort? Come share your recommendations 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
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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, then select option 1 > option 1 > option 4.
Disneyland
- Space Mountain – closed May 27 through July 3 for refurbishment.
- Club 33 – closed until June 30 for refurbishment and expansion.
- Alice in Wonderland – closed through July 3 for refurbishment.
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – closed August 25 through November 13 for refurbishment.
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – closed for refurbishment. A reopening date of September 26 is listed on a cast member document, but this date is likely just a placeholder.
Workers widen the elevated section of the Alice in Wonderland attraction. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Disney California Adventure
- Blue Sky Cellar – closed indefinitely.
- Grizzly River Run – closed through June 19 for refurbishment.
Disneyland Resort
- Napa Rose – closing for kitchen renovation in early August. The restaurant is expected to be closed for three to four weeks, but an exact schedule is not yet available.
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).
- Grad Nite events – This party for high school seniors graduating in 2014 will be held on these dates: May 28, 30, 31; June 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19. The 2014 event includes admission to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park during regular operating hours, and a private party in Disney California Adventure park from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- President Obama commencement address at Anaheim Stadium – June 14. While not a Disney event. visitors planning to visit Disneyland that day should leave extra travel time to get through Orange County due to expected heavy traffic as a result of this presidential appearance.
- Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – August 29–31 (Labor Day weekend). All events are full.
- Dapper Day Fall Soiree – Friday, September 12. More information at the event website.
- Gay Days at Disneyland – October 3–5. (Unofficial event) More information on the event website.
- 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.
- 2014 CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 12 at the Disneyland Resort. Event details and registration information will be available at a later date.
- Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend – November 14–16, 2014. Registration for all events are full. More information at the runDisney website.
2015
- Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – Mother's Day (May 10) weekend. No additional details available.
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.
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One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $96/$90
One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $150/$144 |
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. | |
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Two Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $178/$165
Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $217/$204 |
2-Day So Cal Resident 1-Park Per Day Ticket ($129) – offers residents of Southern California and Northern Baja California admission to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure on one day, and then a second visit to either park on another day on or before June 6, 2014. You can use both days of this ticket at the same theme park, or visit one park one day and the other park on the second day, but you cannot use it to enter both parks on the same day. The ticket is $129 for ages 3 and up, a $30 jump from the 2012 offer. You can also upgrade the ticket to a park-hopper, which allows entry to both parks each day, for an additional $35, a savings of up to $46 compared to the box office price of a two-day park-hopper ticket. 2-Day So Cal Resident Park Hopper Ticket ($164) – offers residents of Southern California and Northern Baja California admission to Disneyland and/or Disney California Adventure on two separate days on or before June 6, 2014. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them. |
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Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $226/$215 Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $265/$254 |
3-Day So Cal Resident 1-Park Per Day Ticket ($159) – offers residents of Southern California and Northern Baja California admission to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure on one day, and then two more visits to either park on or before June 6, 2014. You can use each day of this ticket at the same theme park, or visit one park one day and the other park on the next day, but you cannot use it to enter both parks on the same day. When purchased in advance, this ticket comes with one Magic Morning entry; tickets sold at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths do not include this benefit. 3-Day So Cal Resident Park Hopper Ticket ($194) – offers residents of Southern California and Northern Baja California admission to Disneyland and/or Disney California Adventure on three separate days on or before June 6, 2014. When purchased in advance, this ticket comes with one Magic Morning entry; tickets sold at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths do not include this benefit. 2013–2014 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket ($129) – a discounted price offered to Eligible Service Members or their spouses. The 2013–2014 U.S. Armed Forces discount is valid through September 25, 2014. Under this program, active and retired U.S. military personnel can purchase Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $129 each. For the purpose of this offer, 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). Disney has also clarified that the “Military member (or spouse) must accompany the persons using these tickets for Theme Park admission,” which means you can not purchase these tickets and give them to someone who will be visiting without you present. Tickets are blocked out April 13, 2014 through April 20, 2014; and July 4, 2014. 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. For complete information regarding Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets and discounted resort rates, military personnel may visit the Disneyland Resort website, or participating U.S. military base ticket offices. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them. |
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Four Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $250/$235 Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $289/$274 |
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. |
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Five Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $266/$250 Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $305/$289 |
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. |
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| Six Day or longer tickets | 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 |
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 any other discounts are available through them. |
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2014 Southern California CityPASS $328/$284 2014 Southern California CityPASS PLUS $362/$309 |
2014 Southern California CityPASS ($328/$284) – 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 December 31, 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. 2014 Southern California CityPASS ($362/$309) – is the same as the CityPASS—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—with the addition of 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 December 31, 2014. This upgraded pass is only available for purchase directly from the CityPASS website Prices listed above are valid until December 31, 2014. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them. |
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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!
| Discounts for everyone |
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 selection may vary by location. Recently, Disney has begun allowing customers to purchase more than one of the offers in a qualifying transaction, so if you spend $40 or more you can buy all three of the items currently available if you wish. If you're a passholder, the minimum purchase is calculated after your discount, and your discount does not apply to the promotional item. Current offers:
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, and now runs on a point-based system that gives you a $25 gift certificate after you spend $250. Membership now costs $25, but comes with a $25 reward. We recommend that you prepurchase your membership before your visit so you can take advantage of the priority seating benefit. 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). Character Dining Vouchers – discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through Get Away Travel. |
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| Discounts for Annual Passholders |
Disneyland Resort merchandise – Disneyland extended the 20 percent merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders through December 31, 2014.
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Discounts for Disney Visa Cardholders |
Character Meet-and-Greet – 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. Disneyland Resort merchandise – Cardholders also receive 10 percent off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney-operated retail stores. Disneyland Resort dining – 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). Disneyland Resort Guided Tours – 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 for all of these promotions. |
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Hotel and travel package offers |
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. |
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Discounts for US Military |
2013–2014 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket ($129) – a discounted price offered to Eligible Service Members or their spouses. The 2013–2014 U.S. Armed Forces discount is valid through September 25, 2014. Under this program, active and retired U.S. military personnel can purchase Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $129 each. For the purpose of this offer, 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). Disney has also clarified that the “Military member (or spouse) must accompany the persons using these tickets for Theme Park admission,” which means you can not purchase these tickets and give them to someone who will be visiting without you present. Tickets are blocked out December 19–31, 2013; April 13–20, 2014; and July 4, 2014. 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. For complete information regarding Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets and discounted resort rates, military personnel may visit the Disneyland Resort website, or participating U.S. military base ticket offices. |
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| Discounts for California residents | None at this time | |
Contact a MousePlanet sponsor travel agency for assistance in booking your next trip
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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. 2014 dates: May 28, 30, 31; June 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19.
- MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)
- MHP – Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland
| 5/25 | 5/26 | 5/27 | 5/28 | 5/29 | 5/30 | 5/31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-11p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-11p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
| 6/1 | 6/2 | 6/3 | 6/4 | 6/5 | 6/6 | 6/7 |
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DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-12a None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
| 6/8 | 6/9 | 6/10 | 6/11 | 6/12 | 6/13 | 6/14 |
|
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-12a None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
| 6/15 | 6/16 | 6/17 | 6/18 | 6/19 | 6/20 | 6/21 |
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DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
| 6/22 | 6/23 | 6/24 | 6/25 | 6/26 | 6/27 | 6/28 |
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DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
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.
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