Update for September 8 – 14, 2014
Go directly to: News & Views | Join our Networks | Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Resort Events | Discounts and Promotions | Park Schedule/Blockout Dates
News and Views
Happiest Haunts Tour updated for 2014 | Frozen meet-and-greet gets modified FastPass | Allergy-friendly menus testing at Disneyland restaurants | Seasonal Fall menu debuts Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe | Fall refurbishment updates | This and that… | Question of the Week | Crowd Forecast
Happiest Haunts Tour updated for 2014
Disneyland has reworked the Happiest Haunts guided tour for 2014, adding “more spooky storytelling and new eerie experiences” to this Halloween Time offering.
The new version of the tour runs about 2.5 hours long, and takes place entirely inside Disneyland park, skipping the visit to Disney California Adventure and the Tower of Terror attraction from prior years. The tour includes selected rides, including Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, and participants receive a souvenir pin. [Contributing writer Annemarie Moody took an earlier version of the tour in 2010, and shared her experience in her MousePlanet review.]
Main Street's Fortuosity Shop sports spooky decor as Disneyland prepares for the start of Halloween Time on Friday. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Happiest Haunts tour is offered daily between September 12 and October 31, and begins at 5:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are $80 per person for ages 3 and up. Disneyland Resort annual passholders, Disney Vacation Club members, AAA members, and Disney Visa cardholders save 20 percent. Additional discounts are available for cast members on selected dates—check with Cast Activities for details.
Disney has discontinued the Ultimate Experience package this year. The Ultimate Experience included the Disney’s Happiest Haunts Tour and admission to Mickey’s Halloween Party after the tour, plus a private meet-and-greet with a Disney Villain. The tour was reportedly not as popular as expected because participants missed quite a bit of party time while on the tour. If you have room in your travel plans and want to enjoy both the tour and the party, we recommend booking them on different nights.
You can make reservations for Disney's Happiest Haunts 30 days in advance by calling the Guided Tour office at (714) 781-4400, or in person at Disneyland. Foreign language or sign language interpretation is available with advance notice.
Themed pumpkins decorate windows along Main Street, U.S.A. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
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Frozen meet-and-greet gets modified Fastpass
We have an update on the “virtual queue” system David Koenig reported on last week, with additional details about how it works in theory and practice.
The return-time tickets are distributed starting with early entry or park opening, whichever is earlier. To get a return time, you must present your admission media (ticket or annual pass), which will be scanned to ensure it was used for admission that day.
Disneyland is testing a new virtual queue system for the Frozen Royal Reception. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
This means you cannot get a return time ticket for people who aren't in the park—no sending dad for return-time tickets while the rest of the family sleeps, or having mom pick up tickets to use after the kids get out of school. However, we have verified that as long as all of the admission media were used for entry that day, one person can take all of the admission tickets for their family or travel party and get the return time tickets for everyone.
Your return-time ticket has a 20-minute window, and you cannot ask for a specific time—first-come, first-return. When you return, you must show the return time ticket and your admission media. The cast members scans each ticket to ensure that person was actually issued a return-time ticket that day. You cannot give your return-time ticket to someone else the way you can with traditional paper Fastpass tickets.
Cast members scan admission tickets and issue return-time passes for the Frozen Royal Reception at Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Once Disney has issued all of the return-time tickets, that's it for the day. There is no standby queue. The speed at which return-time tickets “sell out” will vary from day to day, depending on park attendance and how quickly visitors learn of the new policy. This past Sunday, tickets were still available until Noon, which was good news for most people who walked up to the attraction expecting just to get in line and wait. Some were annoyed that the only remaining return time available – 6:40 p.m. – was far later than they planned to stay in the park that day, and left empty-handed. Others were happy to get a ticket and come back in 7 hours if it meant they didn't have to wait in the blazing sun of a traditional standby queue.
However, those who arrived after the tickets ran out were surprised and often frustrated at the policy change. Commenting on our MousePad discussion forum, reader houseofmouse said of the new program:
“So now instead of a three hour wait to meet them, there will be a mad rush at the opening of the park to get a FP ticket.”
Reader *Nala* added:
“I also wonder how long the line will be in the mornings just to get this not-a-Fastpass once the word gets out. On the other hand, this means my family might actually experience this attraction this year.”
According to cast members at the meet-and-greet and at Disneyland's Guest Relations office, visitors who have a Disability Access Service card still need to obtain a return-time ticket in order to meet Anna and Elsa. If all tickets have been distributed by the time the guest arrives at Disneyland, they will not be able to participate that day.
Another challenge with the new system is that the return line doesn't always move as quickly as expected. On Sunday, cast members said that the wait to meet Anna and Elsa was running up to an hour, even though visitors returned at their assigned time. One cast member blamed the delay on the heat, saying people were taking longer inside the air conditioned meet-and-greet because it was so hot outside.
Visitors waited up to an hour after their assigned return time to meet Anna and Elsa on Sunday. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Another cast member said that managers are still trying to determine exactly how many tickets to hand out for each 20-minute return window, based on actual return rates. While even an hour wait is better than the 2-3 hours under the purely standby system, it's an unwelcome surprise if you're expecting to go right in and meet the Frozen sisters. With a week of data in hand, managers can hopefully tweak the distribution rate to substantially reduce the wait time visitors can expect when they return to the meet-and-greet.
What do you think of the new meet-and-greet procedure? Join the conversation on our MousePad discussion forum.
Allergy-friendly menus testing at Disneyland restaurants
A handful of Walt Disney World restaurants are testing new allergy-friendly menus starting Tuesday, September 9. The menus will identify dishes that contain common allergens such as milk, wheat, and nuts. MousePlanet reader THpoohbear said that a server at the Carthay Circle Restaurant told her during a recent visit that a similar menu would debut at that location this month, as well. A cast member at the restaurant verified that several Disneyland Resort locations will have the new oleomargarines menus starting Tuesday as well, but did not know exactly which locations are participating in the test.
Seasonal Fall menu debuts Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe
A new seasonal fall menu debuted last week at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Disneyland:
Sandwiches and salads join the current menu
- Pastrami Reuben Sandwich (Warm) – rye bread, pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, house sauce – $10.59
- Roast Beef & Manchego (Cold) – French baguette, roast beef, arugula, pickled red onion, tomato, manchego cheese, whole grain mustard aioli – $10.79
- Chicken Waldorf Sandwich (Cold) – brioche bun, chicken breast, green apple, celery, Craisins, mango chutney – $9.59
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad (Cold) – lettuce mix, grilled chicken, cucumber, calamata olives, tomato, red bell pepper, pepperonis, feta cheese, balsamic vinaigrette – $9.99
A spiced bundt cake and s'mores desert bar join the seasonal menu at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Baked goods and desserts
- Spiced Bundt Cake, topped with a cream cheese glaze and a candied orange rind – $5.19
- Chocolate Brownie – $3.29
- Caramel eclair – a traditional clair filled with caramel pastry cream – $4.99
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pie – peanut butter-filled whoopie pie with peanut butter chocolate drizzle – $3.59
- S'mores Bar – chocolate tart filled with caramel chocolate ganache, topped with graham crackers and toasted marshmallow fluff – $6.49
- Maple Creme Brulee in a tart shell – $5.99
- Pumpkin Cheesecake with a spiced whipped topping – $5.39
- Red Velvet Cupcake with cream cheese frosting and strawberry chocolate shavings – $3.79
- Pumpkin Muffin with cream cheese filling – $2.99
- Chocolate Hazelnut Mickey-Shaped French Macaron filled with chocolate Nutella mousse – $4.99
- Raspberry Rose Mickey-Shaped French Macaron filled with Raspberry Mousse – $5.49
Raspberry-Rose and Chocolate Hazelnut Mickey macarons are available at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Fall refurbishment updates
A few additions to the fall refurbishment schedule at the Disneyland Resort:
The Haunted Mansion is closed until September 12 for installation of the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
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White Water Snacks – the popular quick-service restaurant at the Grand Californian Hotel is now scheduled to be closed September 8–20 for refurbishment. When White Water Snacks closed for remodeling related to the Disney Vacation Club expansion, I believe Disney offered an assortment of grab-and-go breakfast items for sale at the Hearthstone Lounge. If you're staying in a DVC unit during this period and planned to buy groceries from White Water Snacks to cook in your room, you can always order groceries from Passengers board the Mickey Van outside the Mickey and Friends parking structure. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Disney recently completed a project at the Mickey and Friends parking structure, removing a planter at the end of the turn-around to create a new loading area for the Mickey Van used to transport visitors who use wheelchairs. Disney has tried several locations for the the van stop, most recently using the Pinocchio parking lot. This new dedicated van stop allows visitors parked in the parking structure to reach the Mickey Van without crossing the tram route. It appears construction of a similar stop on the Downtown Disney end of the tram loop is under construction.
Save the Date: MouseAdventure Sugar Rush
MouseAdventure Sugar Rush is Sunday, October 26 at the Disneyland Resort.
We are pleased to announce the date for our Fall 2014 MouseAdventure event at the Disneyland Resort. The signature community event for MousePlanet readers, MouseAdventure is part-scavenger hunt, part-road rally and part-trivia challenge. This team-based competition that guarantees you will never look at the Disney theme parks in the same way again.
Mark your calendars and save the date for our fall event:
MouseAdventure Sugar Rush
Fall 2014 Disneyland Resort
Sunday, October 26, 2014Additional details will be revealed in a future MouseAdventure Newsletter, but the contracts are signed and the date is official. Be sure to sign up for the MouseAdventure Newsletter for more information, and visit our MousePad discussion forum to chat with other players.
Start making your plans now to join us as we whip up a batch of sweet challenges. Are you ready for a RUSH?
Come CHOC Walk with Team MousePlanet
The 2014 CHOC Walk in the Park, an annual fund raiser for Children's Hospital Orange County, is Sunday, October 12 at the Disneyland Resort.
Team MousePlanet is back for our seventh consecutive year at the walk, and we invite all MousePlanet readers, friends, and family to join us. Thanks to the efforts and generosity of our readers, Team MousePlanet has raised over $42,000 for CHOC through various events since 2008, including the annual CHOC Walk.
For more information about the event, and the benefits of joining Team MousePlanet, visit our MousePad discussion forum. We look forward to welcoming you to our team.
This and that…
…TouringPlans.com reports that prices have gone up at restaurants around the Disneyland Resort, with items like fountain drinks and turkey legs increasing by 20 cents.
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta eliminated their flatbread pizzas in favor of traditional slices. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
…The site also notes a revision of the menu at Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta. Out are the flatbread pizzas the location has served since it reopened in 2012, replaced with large pizza slices like those offered at Redd Rockett's Pizza Port in Disneyland. Cast members say the move was prompted by customer requests for thick-crust pizzas. The pasta and salad menu remains unchanged.
…If you're already in the Halloween spirit, check out the article Gizmodo ran last week about the technology used in the Haunted Mansion. The article is an excerpt from Jeff Baham's book, The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion. In the first article of the two-part series, Baham, founder of Doombuggies.com, goes behind the scenes of the seance room.
…Registration is still open for the 2015 Tinker Bell Half Marathon, but the race is showing at 94 percent of capacity. Get more details about the races and register for the half marathon at the runDisney website.
…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.
Question of the Week
Reader JCricketismyfav is looking for room suggestions at the Best Western Park Place Inn:
[My husband, daughter and myself] are staying at [Best Western Park Place Inn] for the first time. Any recommendations or warnings of certain rooms?
Do you have a favorite room at this hotel, or an area to steer clear of? Come join the discussion 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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Crowds are low this week but the parks close early. TouringPlans.com can help you navigate the crowds with our per-park Crowd Calendar, Lines App with access to current and estimated wait times, and Touring Plans detailing the best plan of attack for hitting the attractions. Now is a good time to subscribe to TouringPlans.com to plan your strategy to avoid the crowds!
Below are the predicted resort-wide crowd numbers for select days generated by the TouringPlans professional statisticians as measured for the upcoming week. For the access to the full year and per-park crowd level predictions, visit our Crowd Calendar.
Date Overall Tuesday, September 9, 2014 1 / 10 Wednesday, September 10, 2014 1 / 10 Thursday, September 11, 2014 2 / 10 Friday, September 12, 2014 2 / 10 Here are some quick-hit notes that we hope you'll find helpful as you prepare your visits for the week:
- Saturday resort crowd level is a 3 out of 10.
- Tuesday is the best day to visit Disneyland
- Fastpass tickets for Radiator Springs Racers usually “sell out” within the first couple of hours of DCA's regular park hours.
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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
- Haunted Mansion – closed through September 11 for installation of the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
- Big Thunder Ranch – closed through September 11 for installation of the holiday overlay.
- Space Mountain – closed through September 11 for installation of the Ghost Galaxy overlay.
- Spaceport Document Control (Space Mountain photo shop) – closed through September 11.
- Captain EO – closed September 12–25 for refurbishment.
- Mickey's House in Toontown – closed September 15 for refurbishment. The Mickey meet-and-greet is closed this day.
- Indiana Jones Adventure – closed September 16–18 for refurbishment.
- Stage Door Cafe – closed September 16–23 for refurbishment.
- White Water Snacks – closed through September 20 for refurbishment.
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – closed September 22–24 for refurbishment.
- Main Street Photo Supply – closed through September 23 for refurbishment.
- Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin – closed September 23–25 for refurbishment.
- Silhouette Studio – closed September 24–26 for refurbishment.
- China Closet – closed September 24–26 for refurbishment.
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – closed through September 26 for refurbishment.
- Horse-drawn Streetcars – closed through October 15 for refurbishment.
- Mark Twain Riverboat – closed for refurbishment. No reopening date available.
Disney California Adventure
- California Screamin' – closed September 10–11 for refurbishment.
Disneyland Resort
- Napa Rose – closed for renovation. Expected to be closed through the end of September.
- Studio Disney 365 – closed through September 12.
Resort Events
Check here to see if a large convention, competition or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).
Fall
- Halloween Time – September 12 through October 31.
- Dapper Day Fall Soiree – Friday, September 12. Details at the event website.
- Artist Robert Olszewski Haunted Mansion product release and signing event – Saturday, September 13 at the Disneyana store. Details and online ordering (while supplies last) at the Disney Gallery website.
- Mickey's Halloween Party – September 26 (sold out), 30; October 3 (sold out), 6, 8, 10, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31. Tickets are now on sale via Disneyland.com. and at Disneyland ticket booths.
- Gay Days at Disneyland (unofficial event) – October 3–5. Details on the event website.
- 2014 CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 12 at the Disneyland Resort. Registration is now open via the event website. MousePlanet readers, friends and family are invited to register with Team MousePlanet and walk with our group.
- Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 16–17. Expect unusually large attendance levels October 17–21 as Utah students and families take advantage of a 4-day weekend created by their school's participation in a state education convention. Not all Utah schools or teachers close for or attend UEA, but the impact on the Resort is usually noticeable enough to mention.
- MouseAdventure Sugar Rush – Sunday, October 26. Sign up for the MouseAdventure Newsletter for more details when they are available.
- Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend – November 14–16. All events are sold out. Details at the runDisney website.
Winter
- Holidays at the Disneyland Resort – mid-November to early January.
2015
- Inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 15–18, 2015. This new event weekend includes 5K, 10K, and half-marathon, along with runDisney kids races, event expo and Wookie Welcome party. All running events sold out within hours of registration. Details at the runDisney website.
- Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 7–10, 2015. (Mother's Day weekend). The weekend includes 5K, 10K and half-marathon, along with runDisney kids races, event expo and Pasta in the Park party. Space still available in the half marathon; all other events are sold out. Details at the runDisney website.
We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website. When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it's best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.
Current Discounts & Promotions
Disneyland prices as of May 2014.
Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Disneyland Resort Update. Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!
This first section is a list of discounts on ticket-only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts. If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.
Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside the gates stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Disneyland admission, and may result in denial of entry. It is also common for criminals to shoplift inactivated Disney theme park tickets from supermarkets to resell them. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or travel agency.
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. Two Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $178/$165 Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $217/$204
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.
Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $226/$215
Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $265/$254
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.
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.
“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.
2014–2015 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket ($132) – a discounted price offered to Eligible Service Members or their spouses.
The 2013–2014 U.S. Armed Forces discount is valid through October 3, 2014. Under this program, active and retired U.S. military personnel can purchase Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $132 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 November 27, 2014 through November 29, 2014; December 24, 2014 through December 31, 2014; and March 30, 2015 through April 4, 2015 . Unlike past years, this ticket is not blocked out on the 4th of July. 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.
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.
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.
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.
- Premier Annual Passport ($1,029) – valid at both Disneyland Resort and Florida's Walt Disney World Resort; includes parking.
- Premium Annual Passport ($699) – includes parking.
- Deluxe Annual Passport ($519)
- –currently unavailable
- SoCal Select Annual Passport ($289)
- Parking Add On ($159) – add-on to Deluxe, SoCal and SoCal Select passes; blocked out July 4 and December 31.
- Blockout Day Ticket – no longer available.
Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them.
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.
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 both 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:
- Disneyland Mickey Mouse Backpack for $19.95 with a purchase of $40 or more.
- Disneyland Mickey Mouse Watch for $19.95 with a purchase of $25 or more.
- Frozen Lithograph for $14.95 with a purchase of $25 or more.
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.
Discounts for Annual Passholders Disneyland Resort merchandise – Disneyland extended the 20 percent merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders through December 31, 2014.
30% off rooms at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii –Disneyland Resort annual passholders can take 30% off select rooms at Aulani, now through December 19. You can choose between a standard hotel room, which offers traditional hotel amenities, or Disney Vacation Club villas with kitchens and in-room laundry.
Standard rooms start around $300 per night after discount, with upgrades to better views and larger villas available. A 2-bedroom villa with an ocean view can run more than $1000 per night, but includes a full kitchen and sleeps up to 9 people.
The offer is valid most nights August 25 through November 25, and November 30 through December 19. Contact your travel agent, visit the Disneyland annual passholder website, or call (714) 520-7001.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
Discounts for California residents None at this time Contact a MousePlanet sponsor travel agency for assistance in booking your next trip
Mouse Ears Vacations
Small World Vacations
Park Schedule/Blockout Dates
- DL – Disneyland
- DCA – Disney California Adventure
Annual Pass blockouts:
- SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
- SC – Southern California Annual Pass
- DX – Deluxe Annual Pass
Early Admission – full description available on the Disneyland website):
- MM – Magic Mornings for 3-plus day ticket holders, promotional “bonus” tickets, and Southern California CityPASS
- EMH – Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests
- EMH – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)
Disneyland Resort Special Events:
- GN – Grad Nite.
- MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)
- MHP – Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland. September 26, 30; October 3, 6, 8, 10, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31.
9/7 9/8 9/9 9/10 9/11 9/12 9/13 DL: 9a-11p
NoneDCA: 9a-9p
EMHAP Blockouts:
SLEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
NoneDCA: 10a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
EMH/MMDCA: 10a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
NoneDCA: 10a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
EMH/MMDCA: 10a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents:
DL: 9a-12a
NoneDCA: 9a-10p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: Halloween Time begins
DL: 9a-11p
EMH/MMDCA: 9a-9p
NoneAP Blockouts:
SL/SCEvents: None
9/14 9/15 9/16 9/17 9/18 9/19 9/20 DL: 8a-12a
NoneDCA: 8a-10p
EMHAP Blockouts:
SLEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
NoneDCA: 10a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
EMH/MMDCA: 10a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
NoneDCA: 10a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 9a-5p
EMH/MMDCA: 9a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents:
Private Event at DisneylandDL: 9a-12a
NoneDCA: 9a-10p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 9a-12a
EMH/MMDCA: 9a-10p
NoneAP Blockouts:
SL/SCEvents: None
9/21 9/22 9/23 9/24 9/25 9/26 9/27 DL: 8a-12a
NoneDCA: 8a-10p
EMHAP Blockouts:
SLEvents: None
DL: 10a-9p
NoneDCA: 10a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-9p
EMH/MMDCA: 10a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-9p
NoneDCA: 10a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 8a-10p
EMH/MMDCA: 8a-6p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents:
Private Event at DCADL: 8a-7p
NoneDCA: 8a-12a
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MMDCA: 8a-10p
NoneAP Blockouts:
SL/SCEvents: None
9/28 9/29 9/30 10/1 10/2 10/3 10/4 DL: 8a-12a
NoneDCA: 8a-10p
EMHAP Blockouts:
SLEvents: None
DL: 10a-8p
NoneDCA: 10a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 8a-6p
EMH/MMDCA: 8a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 8a-6p
NoneDCA: 8a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 10a-9p
EMH/MMDCA: 10a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 8a-7p
NoneDCA: 8a-12a
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MMDCA: 8a-10p
NoneAP Blockouts:
SL/SCEvents: None
10/5 10/6 10/7 10/8 10/9 10/10 10/11 DL: 8a-12a
NoneDCA: 8a-10p
EMHAP Blockouts:
SLEvents: None
DL: 8a-6p
NoneDCA: 8a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 9a-9p
EMH/MMDCA: 9a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 8a-6p
NoneDCA: 8a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 9a-11p
EMH/MMDCA: 9a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 8a-7p
NoneDCA: 8a-12a
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MMDCA: 8a-10p
NoneAP Blockouts:
SL/SCEvents: None
10/12 10/13 10/14 10/15 10/16 10/17 10/18 DL: 10a-12a
NoneDCA: 10a-10p
EMHAP Blockouts:
SLEvents: None
DL: 9a-11p
NoneDCA: 9a-9p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 8a-6p
EMH/MMDCA: 8a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 9a-9p
NoneDCA: 9a-8p
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 9a-9p
EMH/MMDCA: 9a-8p
NoneAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: None
DL: 8a-7p
NoneDCA: 8a-12a
EMHAP Blockouts:
NoneEvents: MHP at Disneyland
DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MMDCA: 8a-10p
NoneAP Blockouts:
SL/SCEvents: 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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