Disneyland Resort Update

Update for January 12 – 18, 2015

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News and Views

Spring 2015 ticket discount for Southern California residents | 19 cases of measles traced to Disneyland visits in late December | Get ready for the inaugural Star Wars half marathon weekend | This and that… | Crowd Forecast

Spring 2015 ticket discount for Southern California residents

Southern California residents can visit the Disneyland Resort theme parks multiple days before May 21 for as little as $139 using a new discounted ticket that went on sale last week. There are four different tickets available, offering two or three days of admission, with or without park-hopping privileges.

The 2-Day So Cal Resident 1-Park Per Day ticket 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 May 21.

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 $139 for ages 3 and up, a $10 jump from the 2014 offer. You can also upgrade the ticket to a park-hopper for an additional $39, which allows entry to both parks on both days, a savings of up to $39 compared to the box office price of a two-day park-hopper ticket.

For 2015, there is also a 3-Day 1-Park per Day option ($169) and a 3-Day Park Hopper ticket ($208) in the promotion. If you can use all three admissions and don't care about park hopping, the 3-day, 1-park per day ticket is the best deal, and represents a savings of up to $57 per person.

You can purchase tickets either online at Disneyland.com and print them at home, or at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. You can also purchase them at participating Disney Stores and authorized third party ticket outlets, including many local grocery stores.

If purchased in advance of arrival, the three-day tickets include one Magic Morning admission. This benefit does not come with tickets purchased at the theme park ticket booths, so make sure to order online and print at home before you arrive. If you purchase at a participating third party ticket outlet, double-check that their 3-day tickets come with this feature.

There is no “fuse” on this ticket, which means you can use the first admission today and wait until May 21 to use the second (or third) admission.

All four versions of this discounted ticket are blocked out March 20 through April 4, and expire May 21.

While Disney states that proof of residency is required for purchase and admission, MousePlanet readers who have purchased similar tickets from off-property retailers during past resident discount promotions consistently reported that they were not required to provide proof of residency at the time of purchase. However, be aware that Disneyland Resort Main Gate cast members can—and may—require proof of residency when you first use the tickets. Whether such residency checks occur is an oft-debated topic on our MousePad discussion boards, but it is your responsibility to know the official policy, regardless of what the park's actual practice may be.

Now for the official fine print:

• Valid only for Southern California residents within ZIP codes 90000-93599 and Northern Baja California residents within ZIP codes 21000-22999; proof of residency is required for purchase and admission.
• Tickets expire May 21, 2015.
• 2-Day, 1-Park Per Day ticket is valid for admission for two (2) days to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure park, but not to both parks on the same day.
• 3-Day, 1-Park Per Day ticket with Magic Morning is valid for admission for three (3) days to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure park, but not to both parks on the same day.
• 2-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket is valid for admission for two (2) days to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventurepark on the same day.
• 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket with Magic Morning is valid for admission for three (3) days to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park on the same day.
• Each day of use constitutes one full day of use.
• Last day of use is May 21, 2015.
• Blockout days of March 20, 2015 through April 4, 2015 apply.
• May purchase up to 5 tickets per person per day with valid ID.
• Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use.
• Offer may not be combined with other ticket discounts or promotions.
• Tickets not valid before January 7, 2015.
• Subject to capacity, restrictions and change without notice.

Magic Morning Early Admission:

• Magic Morning admission allows admission into selected attractions at Disneyland Park before the park opens to the general public on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday.
• Each Guest must have valid, eligible theme park admission.
• Disneyland Resort Hotel guest Extra Magic Hour currently allows registered Disneyland Resort hotel guess admission into select attractions at Disneyland Park on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and Disney California Adventure Park on Sunday, Monday Wednesday and Friday before the applicable park opens to the general public.
• Upon hotel check-in, guests will receive a schedule or be informed of when each park offers Extra Magic Hour. Each registered hotel guest (ages3 and older) must have a valid theme park ticket and active hotel room key card.
• To enhance the Magic Morning or Extra Magic Hour experience, it is strongly recommended that Guests arrive at least one hour and 15 minutes prior to regular park opening.
• Magic Morning and Extra Magic Hour admissions are based on availability and capacity.
• Applicable theme park, days and times of operation and all other elements including, but not limited to, operation of attractions, entertainment, stores and restaurants and appearances of characters may vary and are subject to change without notice.
• Subject to restrictions and cancellation.

19 cases of measles traced to Disneyland visits in late December

Public health officials last week issued health alerts after seven cases of measles were diagnosed among California residents who had visited Disneyland between December 15 and 20, 2014. Two additional Utah residents were also diagnosed after returning from trips to Disneyland. A report issued by San Diego County officials said they had not identified an “index case” (the person considered to be the source of the measles).

By the weekend, the count of measles cases linked to Disneyland visits was up to 19, and officials noted that additional cases could continue to be identified through January 21 based on the standard incubation period of the disease.

Among the 19 cases, 16 people live in California, two in Utah, and one in Colorado. Of the 16 cases in California, ABCNews.com reports that “two were fully vaccinated against the disease. Some were partially vaccinated, and at least two were too young to be vaccinated.”

While the Centers for Disease Control states that measles were declared eliminated in the United States as of 2000, it warns that “measles can be brought into the United States from any country where the disease still occurs or where outbreaks are occurring including Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. In 2014, the majority of cases brought into the United States have come from the Philippines, which has experienced a large outbreak.”

Get ready for the inaugural Star Wars half marathon weekend

The inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend events begin this Thursday, January 15, and continue through Sunday, January 18. The event is expected to draw tens of thousands of runners, walkers, friends, and family to the Disneyland Resort, and includes road closures and operational changes that could impact those visiting during this weekend. Here's what runners, tourists and spectators should know as we head into this busy weekend:

Non-runners

The Disneyland Resort is going to be very busy this weekend, which you may already know if you had a hard time finding a reasonably priced hotel room in the immediate area. The good news is that runners tend not to stay up late the night before races, so you should see lighter evening crowds than you might expect.

Staying at the Disneyland Hotel? The race expo takes place in that hotel's convention center, so expect extra crowds at the shops and restaurants starting Thursday.

If you are staying at any of the three Disneyland Resort hotels, expect race-related noise on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings, beginning in the predawn hours, especially if your hotel room faces Disneyland Drive. If you are staying in a Grand Californian Hotel room that overlooks Downtown Disney, expect to hear spectator cheering starting around 5:45 a.m. on all three days.

While all of the races take place before park opening or outside the parks, you may still experience traffic delays and extra crowds. Give yourself plenty of time if you are driving to the resort in the morning; race-related road closures are scheduled from 12:01 to 8:00 a.m. on Friday; 12:01 to 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, and from 12:01 to to 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. For detailed road closure information, see pages 11-13 of the event guidebook.

Park hours, annual passport blockouts, Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning schedules for the race weekend are as follows:

Spectators

Disney does not allow you to view the half-marathon race course from inside either Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure unless you purchased a silver ($45), gold ($65), or platinum ($99) ChEAR Squad package. Online registration is still available, and you can also purchase packages at the Expo. There is no theme park viewing for the 5K or 10K events.

If you want to come cheer on the runners without purchasing a spectator package, or plan to cheer at the 5K event, Disney recommends specific viewing areas on property. All of these viewing areas are accessible only by foot; so walk from either the Mickey and Friends parking structure, or from your hotel if staying nearby.

View the race courses on pages 30–34 of the Star Wars Half Marathon guidebook.

Detailed information for runners

All of the 5K runners must check in on Thursday (the day before the race), and the Rebel Challenge participants (those running in both Saturday's 10K and Sunday's half-marathon) must check in Thursday or Friday.

However due to the interest in merchandise released for this inaugural race, expect a very busy expo experience, especially Thursday morning. If you want first pick of the race merchandise, plan to arrive well before the official 10:00 a.m. opening on Thursday. Based on past events, you would be well-advised to bring water and snacks, along with appropriate protection from the elements to protect you during the wait, be that sunscreen and a hat or a sweatshirt and scarf.

Because the expo remains open until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, Friday afternoon may be the best time to attend the expo if all you want to do is get your race packet and get out. If you're running the half marathon, you can visit the expo between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday to get your race gear.

New Rebel Challenge process

Lorree Tachell shares information about a new registration process for runners participating in the Rebel Challenge. This new process was tested this past weekend at the Walt Disney World Marathon with runners participating in the Goofy and Dopey challenges.

For those of you signed up for the upcoming runDisney race Challenges (Star Wars Rebel and Princess Glass Slipper), be aware that you now must have your picture taken before you leave the expo with your bib.

Here's the process:

• At bib pickup, once you have your bib, you are requested to head over to a bank of photographers.
• At that point, you are required to get your picture taken with your bib. There are no longer any wristbands involved with a Challenge.
• On day 1 of the Challenge [after the 10K], you will be herded through a special Challenge tent. For what purpose is a mystery as they verified nothing.
• On day 2 of the Challenge [after the Half Marathon], you are compared to your picture for verification before you are given the Challenge medal.
• If you did not take your picture with your bib, you will not be given your Challenge medal.

Event merchandise

We recommend keeping an eye on the Disney Parks blog this week for advance photos of the event merchandise. Disney has only previewed a small portion of the merchandise to be sold in the official race merchandise section of the Expo. Remember, you need not collect your race packet before you enter the expo to shop, so if you want the best selection Thursday morning, your best bet is to get in line to shop first, then get your race packet.

Runner tracking

You can register to receive runner tracking updates via text message, Twitter, or Facebook. Sign up via the runDisney webform.

MarathonFoto discount

MarathonFoto, the official photography company for the runDisney event, occasionally offers pre-purchase specials for registered runners. For the Star Wars events, runners can purchase a $100 coupon code (basically a gift certificate) for $65. Visit the MarathonFoto website for details. You will need your bib number to log in to the website and view the discounts.

New Balance shoe sales

New Balance has tested a virtual queue at recent runDisney events, to save shoppers from having to stand in hours-long lines to get a chance at one of its exclusive Disney shoes. The system has worked well at some events, and failed miserably at others. We have not been able to confirm if New Balance will again offer the virtual queue for the Star Wars Half Marathon weekend, but it seems likely since the company has just released two new Disney styles.

If the virtual queue is offered, you must visit the special New Balance website the morning you plan to attend the expo to sign up. Supply your bib number, and select one size and style to try on.

Once you've registered, you'll be assigned a group and return time. You'll receive a text message or email reminder when it's time to come try on your shoe, and must return within an hour of your assigned time. During your fitting, you can try on other styles and sizes as available. Runners can purchase up to six pairs during the expo.

This and that…

…Disney announced last week that Olaf's Snow Fest, the indoor snow play area in Disney California Adventure, will close on April 30, 2015. There was no closing date listed for Freeze the Night or other Frozen Fun elements.

…It turns out the refurbishment of Disneyland's La Mascarade d'Orleans shop in New Orleans Square is to convert the store into a Pandora jewelry store. I haven't been able to confirm if this will be a Disney-operated venue or a leased operation. This change comes just six months after the store officially reopened as part of the New Orleans Square renovation. Some of the merchandise previously offered in this store has been moved to Le Bat en Rouge in New Orleans Square, and Fortuosity on Main Street.

…Fixed on Disneyland.com was an error in the Annual Passport Blockout day calendars, in which the Southern California pass was incorrectly identified as being blocked out every Sunday starting in February. The correct schedule is now posted.

…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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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

• Matterhorn Bobsleds – closes January 7 for refurbishment; expected to reopen May 16.
• Captain EO – closed through January 15 for refurbishment.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – closes January 12 for refurbishment; reopening date unknown.
• Splash Mountain – closes January 12 for refurbishment; expected to reopen April 3.
• Pooh Corner and all Critter Country stores – closes January 12 for refurbishment; reopening dates unknown.
• Hungry Bear Restaurant – closes January 12 for refurbishment; reopening date unknown.
• Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes – closes January 12 for refurbishment; expected to reopen April 3.
• Haunted Mansion – closed January 12–22 for refurbishment.
• Disneyland Railroad – closes January 26 for refurbishment; expected to reopen February 13.
• “it's a small world” – closed January 26 to February 5 to remove the holiday overlay.
• The Enchanted Chamber – closes January 26 for refurbishment; reopening date unknown.
• Le Bat en Rouge – closes February 2 for conversion into a Pandora jewelry store; reopening date unknown.
• Peter Pan's Flight – closes February 2 for renovation; reopening date unknown.

Disney California Adventure

• Soarin' Over California – closes January 6 for refurbishment; expected to reopen May 15.
• Taste Pilots' Grill – closes January 7 for refurbishment; expected to reopen March 13.
• World of Color – dark starting January 7 for refurbishment; expected to return March 13.
• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – closes January 20 for refurbishment; expected to reopen March 13.
• Grizzly River Run – closes January 20 for refurbishment; expected to reopen March 20.
• The Bakery Tour – closed through January 26 for refurbishment.
• Boardwalk Bazaar; Sideshow Shirts; Point Magu Tattoo – closes January 26 for refurbishment; reopening date unknown.
• Ariel's Grotto – closes February 2 for refurbishment; reopening date unknown.
• Luigi's Flying Tires – closes February 3 for renovation; reopening date unknown.
• Pacific Wharf Cafe – closed through February 5 for refurbishment.
• Blue Sky Cellar – closed through October 2.
• Muppet*Vision 3D – closed indefinitely due to the Frozen Fun overlay.

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).

2015

• Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 15–18. This inaugural 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.
• 2015 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 7–10 (Mother's Day weekend). All events are sold out. Details at the runDisney website.
• 2015 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 3–6. Registration opens February 10. Details at the runDisney website.
• 2015 Avengers Half Marathon Weekend – November 12–15. Registration opens April 7.

2016

• 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 14–17. Registration opens June 16, 2015.
• 2016 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 5–8. Registration opens August 11, 2015.

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

Current Discounts & Promotions

Disneyland prices as of May 2014.

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Disneyland Resort Update. Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket-only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts. If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.

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

Other Discounts

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

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

• DL – Disneyland
• DCA – Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockouts:

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

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

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

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

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

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland. As always, specifics are subject to change without notice (or occasionally, without us noticing) so when information conflicts between what is presented here and that presented by Disney, it is best to assume Disney's information is correct. Visit the Park Hours section of our Disneyland Park guide for additional details about Magic Morning and Toontown Morning Madness, including available attractions. Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule for this week at Disneyland.com here.