Disneyland Resort Update

Update for September 14 – 20, 2009

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

News and Views

Did you 23? | Disney Wonder comes West | Star Tours 2.0 to incorporate 3D, debut in 2011 | MouseAdventure Holiday – are you game? | This and That

Did you D23?

If you attended the first-ever D23 EXPO, you got to see the Muppets, Robert Zemeckis, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Tim Burton, Jerry Bruckheimer, Nicolas Cage, Guillermo del Toro, Miley Cyrus, and Johnny Depp—in character as Captain Jack Sparrow—and that was just in one presentation. The four-day event drew thousands of Disney fans to the Anaheim Convention Center to explore a representative sampling of the vast (and expanding) Walt Disney Company, and attendees and exhibitors alike seemed pleased by both the turnout and the response.

Eager Captain EO fans attend the keynote speech by Jay Rasulo, hoping to hear that their beloved attraction will return to Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

In between the headline events, attendees could explore three scale models of Cars Land in the Parks and Resorts Pavilion, meet animatronic figures of Wall*E and Lucky the Dinosaur, take a peek at the Treasures of the Disney Archives, attend television and film screenings, meet Disney artists and authors, try out the newest Disney video games, and volunteer some time to write postcards to our troops overseas. Depending on your interests, you could view the newest Disney wedding dresses, have tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter, create a Disney-themed scrapbook page, help construct a huge LEGO mural, sink your toes into new Disney carpeting, get a Disney makeover, sing karaoke with Radio Disney, see the latest princess costumes, explore a Disney-decorated Dream Home, and shop at a staggering array of art and collectibles dealers.

A huge scale model of Cars Land on display in the Parks & Resorts Pavilion at D23 Expo. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

As is expected with any large undertaking of this nature—especially during its inaugural year—there were some glitches in the overall organization and operation of the event. To the organizers’ credit, problem areas identified one day were often corrected by the next, and extra sessions and activities were added to try to relieve some of the crowding in more popular presentations. Disney’s survey team was highly visible on the convention floor; and a flurry of e-mail surveys is sure to follow. We’ll have more photos and coverage from the event later this week, along with some feedback from staff and readers.

Speaking of our readers, we want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who stopped by the MousePlanet Lounge during the Expo. It is always so gratifying to meet the people for whom we publish this site every day, and your comments and support mean the world to us. We also want to thank our MousePad Community Leaders for volunteering to staff the Lounge so we could attend the presentations and press conferences, and bring you coverage throughout the Expo.

Disney Wonder comes West

[Originally reported by Mark Goldhaber in this week’s Walt Disney World Resort Update.]

With the Disney Dream going into service in early 2011, the Disney Cruise Line will be sailing three of the seven seas simultaneously during the summer of 2011, it was announced by Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz at the Disney D23 Expo last Friday.

The Dream will sail Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral for the entire year, while the Disney Magic will sail the Mediterranean during the summer and the Disney Wonder will sail out of Vancouver to Alaska during the summer and out of Los Angeles/San Pedro to the Mexican Riviera for the rest of the year after an January Panama Canal crossing.

The Wonder will reposition itself from Port Canaveral to Los Angeles with a 15-night transcanal cruise January 6-21, then begin 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas starting January 23. After a 10-night Mexican Riviera cruise that adds Manzanillo to the itinerary, the ship will reposition itself to Vancouver via a six-night repositioning cruise April 27-May 3 (stopping in San Francisco and Victoria, B.C.), then spend the summer sailing 18 7-night Alaska cruises with stops at Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. After a five-night repositioning cruise back to Los Angeles September 20-25, with stops in Victoria and Ensenada, Mexico, it will return to its 7-night Mexican Riviera itinerary for the remainder of 2011, wrapping up with 10-night and 11-night holiday cruises sailing December 18 and December 28.

To prepare for the Alaska sailings, its drydock this October the Wonder will get a new venue called the Outlook Cafe, which will feature floor-to-ceiling curved glass windows surrounding the 2,500-square-foot, 65-seat lounge. It will connect to the Cove Cafe below via a spiral staircase.

The Disney Cruise Line will begin sailing to Alaska in 2011. This will be the first time Disney Cruise Line will sail to Alaska and the first time a Disney cruise ship will call the West Coast home for an entire year. During 2011, the ship will depart Vancouver, BC for Alaska and sail seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles. Photo © Disney (Diana Zalucky, photographer).

After a winter and spring sailing the Caribbean (alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries), the Disney Magic will sail a Transatlantic cruise May 14-28, 2011, featuring stops at Castaway Cay; Madeira, Portugal; Cadiz, Spain; Gibraltar, U.K. before arriving in Barcelona. It will spend the summer sailing alternating 11- and 10-night cruises from Barcelona, featuring stops in Malta, Tunis, Naples, Civitavecchia, La Spezia, Ajaccio and Villefranche. The Magic will then head back to Port Canaveral on another 14-night Transatlantic cruise September 10-24, with stops at Gibraltar, UK; Madeira, Portugal; St. Maarten; Tortola; and Castaway Cay. It will then return to sailing 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises, closing the year with an 11-night Southern Caribbean cruise sailing December 17 and a 10-night Eastern Caribbean cruise sailing December 28.

The secret has been revealed, and the Disney Wonder is heading to Alaska. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

“We’re excited to offer this incredible choice of itineraries for 2011, with cruise vacation options for every family—whether that’s outdoor adventure in Alaska, the beauty and culture of Europe, folklore and pageantry of Mexico or tropical fun in the Caribbean,” said Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz. “The unique advantage of Disney Cruise Line is that we offer a customized ship experience that brings families together, while still catering to the personalized vacation needs of every guest who sails with us.”

Booking of 2011 itineraries on the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic open to the general public on Monday, September 28. Castaway Club members who have earned Gold or Platinum status under the new tiered system (link) can book one week earlier, starting on September 21, and can book up to four staterooms for their party. 

Star Tours 2.0 to incorporate 3D, debut in 2011

[Originally reported by Mark Goldhaber in this week’s Walt Disney World Resort Update.]

“I’m sorry to tell you that as of October 2010, Star Tours will be closing,” said Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo at Disney’s D23 Expo on Saturday, as the theater erupted in cheers and the Fighting 501st Legion of Stormtroopers took the stage. Darth Vader appeared on the screen above Rasulo and informed him that the Emperor was “most displeased” with Rasulo’s plan to close Star Tours. “You didn’t let me finish,” said Rasulo, as he explained that they were closing Star Tours so that they could do things with Star Tours that had never been done before. When Rasulo said that it would be ready by 2014, Vader insisted that it be done no later than 2011.

A concept image from the upcoming Star Tours II attraction shows a StarSpeeder in the middle of a podrace. Click the image for a larger view. Image © Disney.

After demanding to see some of the new Star Tours adventure, Vader stated that those in the audience would need 3-D glasses to watch the preview. You can hear audio of the full conversation here. Those in attendance got to see a preview of the new podracing-themed film for the attraction in 3-D. We don’t know when in 2011 the new attraction will be ready, but it is coming to both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It is rumored that there will be multiple destinations available in the upgraded attraction, but that has not yet been confirmed.

Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo presents a 2-D preview of the new 3-D Star Tours II attraction.

MouseAdventure Holiday – are you game?

MousePlanet had our own surprise announcement to make at D23 EXPO, a much-requested holiday edition of our popular MouseAdventure event.

’Twas the month after Epcot, and all through the ’land,
The Padders were stirring, and they had a demand:
“We want an Adventure,” the West-coasters cried;
“All right then, we’ll do one,” the MA staff sighed.

December the 12th it shall be, we declare.
And we hope to see all you Adventurers there.
Holiday-themed? Well of course, ’tis the season;
(quite honestly, we have just wanted a reason).

The name’s “Reindeer Games” and that should be enough
to give you a hint that this won’t be too rough.
A smaller event we are doing this winter;
it’s all we could get to come out of the printer.

We’ll start right at ten at the Paradise Pier
and finish at six at Carnation, or near.
Scoring and prizes will come later on;
we expect rather less than a week ’til they’re done.

At D23 you can register early
(as long as our Internet link isn’t squirrely)
and Monday the 14th September is when
event registration will open again.

Price is per team, it’s just sixty-five bucks;
if you have extra money, buy snacks for the ducks.
You’ll need an admission to Disneyland Park,
so be sure to obtain it before you embark.

And the emcee exclaimed as the teams left their chairs,
“Good luck to all, and be careful out there!”

Registration is now open, and we hope you can join us for this very special holiday treat. Sign up today! (link).
 

This and That

…Master Sommelier and General Manager Michael A. Jordan has left the Napa Rose restaurant at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. Disney issued a statement last week that said in part, “After 9 years of service, Michael Jordan is moving on to pursue his passion for food and wine on his own.” The statement goes on to thank Jordan for his service, and to wish him the best of luck. Cast members seemed surprised by the sudden resignation, and one CM in a support department said that the first they knew of Jordan’s departure was when e-mail sent to Jordan’s Disney.com address was returned as undeliverable.

Jordan leaves behind big shoes to fill for his replacement. Jordan was ranked a Master Sommelier in 2007, and spearheaded the massive Disneyland Resort Sommelier Education program. Under his tutelage, hundreds of Disneyland Resort cast members studied to become certified sommeliers, and five Napa Rose employees achieved the rank of Advanced Level sommelier, the most at any restaurant in the world. Along with his Disneyland Resort duties, Jordan was the Global Manager of Wine and Sales Standards and wine educator for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and was considered one of the driving forces behind Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival.
 

Master Sommelier Michael Jordan demonstrates the proper way to smell wine during a “Taste Wine Like an Expert” session in 2008. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…MousePlanet’s David Koenig reports on cheaper eats in Downtown Disney:

Interested in fine dining at some of Anaheim’s more upscale eateries for a bargain price? Well, this week may be your chance. The twice-yearly Orange County Restaurant Week kicked off yesterday and runs until Saturday September 19. Many of OC’s premier restaurants are participating, including Downtown Disney’s Catal, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, Naples Ristorante, Tortilla Jo’s, and GardenWalk’s Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and McCormick & Schmick’s.

Each offers a three-course, set-menu dinner for $20, $30 or $40 per person, or lunch for $10, $15 or $20. Most offer a choice of about three different starters, three different entrees, and several different desserts. (The two GardenWalk restaurants are $15 for lunch, $30 for dinner; Tortilla JO’s is $10 for lunch, $20 for dinner; Ralph Brennan’s $20 for lunch, $30 for dinner, while to spread out the bargain-hunters, Catal is offering only a discounted dinner ($30), and Naples just lunch ($20).

Reservations are highly recommended. Find full menus and prices at www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com (link). More than 100 other OC restaurants are also participating, including my South County favorite, Opah. For me, the best menu this time around appears to be The Ritz in Newport Beach, with the hands-down best value being offered by the Salt Creek Grille in Dana Point. How many meals can I fit in one week???

…Another union has launched an informational picket at the Disneyland Resort. Representatives from carpenters Local 1506 have set up signs at several entrances to the Disneyland Hotel, including a prominent display at the entrance near Downtown Disney, protesting the use of a non-union subcontractor on the Disneyland Hotel renovation project. Union representatives are distributing flyers blaming Disney for the “desecration of the American way of life,” and demand that Disney CEO Robert Iger do “all he can to change this situation.”

Carpenters Local 1506 takes their dispute to Downtown Disney. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…More news from the D23 Expo: Muppet Whatnot Workshops (where you can build your own Muppet) will be coming to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. In other Muppet news, a new Muppet mobile Electric Mayhem Band is coming to both resorts, as well.

…Once the new Disney Gallery opens inside Disneyland, the World of Disney Store will discontinue its print-on-demand poster offering, and replace it with the same system currently offered at Disneyana and Off the Page. Using the new system, customers will still have access to a wide library of print art, but the finished product will be mailed directly to the customer’s home. The World of Disney has been the last location where you could order a custom print or poster and take it home with you the same day.

…Tickets are now on sale for Disney’s Happiest Haunts tour, the Halloween-themed tour offered at the Disneyland Resort during HalloweenTime. Disney’s Happiest Haunts tour is offered daily at 4:30 and 4:45, and includes stops at the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Haunted Mansion Holiday. The tour concludes with reserved viewing area for the new Halloween Screams fireworks show, and includes a souvenir and a Halloween-theme treat.

Tickets are $64 per person ages 3 and older, and a 20% discount is offered to Deluxe and Premium Annual Passholders, AAA members and Disney Visa cardholders. Call 714-781-4400, or purchase tickets in person at City Hall or the Tour Gardens inside Disneyland, or at the Guest Relations Lobby in DCA.

…Disneyland’s Monorail Red has finally returned to passenger service, and all three of Disneyland’s new Mark VII trains are now operational.

…Visitors planning trips to the Disneyland Resort should make a point to check the Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures section each week for the most recent updates. The Disneyland Resort Web site currently only publishes refurbishment information about six weeks in advance. Be sure to check the most recent Park Update (link) for the latest changes, as MousePlanet does not edit past Park Updates to reflect changes.

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

• Bank of Main Street – closed through October 2 for renovation into the Disney Gallery.
• Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years – closed through December 16 to return Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln to the Main Street Opera House.
• The Enchanted Cottage – closed through November 4 for refurbishment.
• Casey Jr. Circus Trains – closed through November 19 for refurbishment.
• Storybook Land Canal Boats – closed through November 19 for refurbishment.
  
• Space Mountain – closed through September 24 to install the Halloween overlay.
• Haunted Mansion – closed through September 24 to install the Halloween overlay.
• Celebration Ranch – closed through September 24 to install the Halloween overlay.
• Gadget’s Go Coaster – closed through October 26 for refurbishment.
• Pirates of the Caribbean – closed September 28 to October 2 for refurbishment.
• Blue Bayou Restaurant – closed September 28 to October 2 for refurbishment.
• Sailing Ship Columbia – closed October 5–7 for deck oiling.
• Indiana Jones Adventure – closed October 5–8.

The area in front of the CALIFORNIA letters is being repaired to correct a long-standing drainage problem. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The new stroller rental location is under construction outside Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Disney’s California Adventure

Construction-related closures: 

• The Vineyard Room – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this restaurant, but an employee publication lists October 4, 2009 as the return date.
• Golden Dreams – closed. The building that once house this film-based attraction has been demolished, and will eventually be replaced with the new Little Mermaid ride.
• Burger Invasion – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this former McDonald’s location, but an employee publication lists May 12, 2011 as the return date.
• Paradise Pier Lagoon – currently drained while workers complete several construction projects in the area. The Lagoon was scheduled to be refilled after Labor Day, but construction delays have moved the date back to mid-October.
• Golden State Amphitheater – area closed for construction of new viewing area for Disney’s World of Color water show. The area is scheduled to reopen December 18, 2009.
• Corn Dog Castle – closed because of construction in the area. An employee publication lists May 26, 2011 as the return date. During the renovation, corn dogs are available at Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market.
• Souvenir 66 – closed because of construction in the area. An employee publication lists May 26, 2011 as the return date.
• Orange Stinger – closed through April 28, 2010 for refurbishment and renovation into the Silly Symphonies Swings.

Workers are framing a faux rock cover to hide the cable runs under the bridge. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Note: Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, call Disneyland at 714-781-7290.

Park Events

If you know of any events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, let us know.

Fall

• HalloweenTime at the Disneyland Resort – September 25 to November 1, 2009 (link).
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 1–2, 2009. (Link). Expect unusually large attendance levels 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. Some Utah schools will close October 16th, possibly generating a second wave of visitors.
• Sukkot at the Disneyland Resort – early October 2009 (link). To celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, PureTiyulim.com will host a Sukkah on the Dream Lawn of the Disneyland Hotel, and present a concert by Jewish entertainer Lipa in the Festival Arena October 6, 2009. Visit the event Web site for details and tickets.
• 2009 Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party – October 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 & 31. A separate ticket costume party at Disney’s California Adventure. Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders can purchased tickets now through the Passholder Web site (link). Remaining tickets will be available to the general public starting August 1st.
• MousePlanet nights at Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party – Thursday, October 15 and Friday, October 30. Come meet some of the MousePlanet staff, MousePad Community Leaders and your fellow readers at one of two Trick-or-Treat parties. Purchase tickets in advance through the Disneyland Web site, and be sure to let us know which night you’re planning to attend by posting on our MousePad discussion board so we can have enough treats for everyone (link).
• 12th annual Gays Days at the Disneyland Resort (unofficial event) – October 2–4, 2009. Event attendance will be higher at Disneyland on Saturday, DCA on Sunday (link).
• CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 18, 2009. Team MousePlanet will once again participate in this event, and you are invited to register to walk with us (click here to register). Visit our MousePad discussion boards to meet other members of Team MousePlanet and discuss the Walk (link).

Winter

• Holiday Parade Filming – Saturday, November 7. [Subject to change] The annual taping of the Disneyland portions of the Walt Disney World Christmas special usually involves short, live performances by various musical guests and a shortened performance of the holiday parade at or near park opening.
• Candlelight Processional – Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6. The narrator has not yet been announced, and details of the dining package offering has not been released.
• Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort – November 13, 2009 to January 3, 2010

2010

• 5th Annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 3-5, 2010. Registration is now open (link).

Current Discounts & Promotions

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 (link).

One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $72/$62 One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $97/$87	Southern California 1-Day Park Hopper
Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $151/$131	AOCVCB 2-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($141/$121) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $10 off the box-office price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $1 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths (link).
Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $204/$174	Advance Purchase 3-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($179/$149) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value) Advance Purchase 3-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($179/$149) – available through the Disneyland Web site (link). You can print these tickets at home, though the tickets from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (see below) are slightly less expensive. AOCVCB 3-Day Bonus Ticket ($174/$144) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). Disney’s Armed Forces Salute 3-Day Park Hopper Ticket (Free/$94) – [Extended through September 2009] Each active or retired member of the U.S. military can receive one complimentary three-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” Park Hopper ticket valid for admission to both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks. During the offer period, active or retired US military personnel also may make a one-time purchase of an adult or child three-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” Park Hopper ticket for up to five family members (including spouse) or friends for the price of an adult 1-Day Park Hopper ticket. Disneyland Resort hotels are also offering special room rates for active or retired military personnel. For example, at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, active or retired members of the military and their families may find hotel rooms starting at $119 per night during value season, with great savings during other times of the offer period. This offer is extended through September 30, 2009, and the number of rooms available at these special rates is limited. For information regarding “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” at the Disneyland Resort, or to make reservations, military personnel may call 714/956-6424. Full details of the offer, including eligibility guidelines and other restrictions, are posted on our MousePad discussion board (link).
Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $229/$199	Costco 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($159.95) – A special offer for Costco members who are also residents of Southern California (link). Unlike some recent offers, this ticket has no “fuse” – you can use the first admission today, and have almost a full year to use the remaining admission days before the ticket expires on August 23, 2010. The ticket is blocked out the week between Christmas and New Years (inclusive of both holidays), and for the week of March 26 to  April 4, which gives you an idea of what Disneyland expects to be the peak Spring Break period. The ticket is not blocked out on any other holidays – including Labor Day, Thanksgiving or even the 4th of July – and can be upgraded to any Annual Passport except the SoCal Select pass. The Costco Web site states in three different places – including a bold, bright red headline – that visitors “Must reside within ZIP codes 90000-93599” and that “Proof of residency required upon redemption.” The ticket you purchase at Costco is a valid admission ticket, and you can take it directly to a main entrance gate to use it. We’ve been told that, to prevent the unauthorized “transfer” of tickets between visitors (ie, you use the first two days of the ticket and give it to a friend to use the second two days), visitors will be required to write their name on the ticket when it is first used for admission, and to show ID with that same name upon subsequent admissions. Obviously minor children will be exempt from the ID requirement, but will also be required to write their name on the ticket when it is first used. Adults should plan to have ID with them to use the ticket. Advance Purchase 4-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($194/$164) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). Advance Purchase 4-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($194/$164) – available through the Disneyland Web site (link). You can print these tickets at home, though the tickets from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Web site (see below) are slightly less expensive. AOCVCB 4-Day Bonus Ticket ($189/$159) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link).
Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $249/$219	Advance Purchase 5-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($204/$174) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). AOCVCB 5-Day Bonus Ticket ($199/$169) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link).
Six Day Park Hopper – Regularly $254/$224	Advance Purchase 6-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($209/$179) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). Advance Purchase 6-Day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket for the Price of 4 Days ($194/$164) – Disneyland’s new Summer promotion offers two extra days of park admission when you purchase a 3-Day or longer Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket. These tickets must be purchased before your trip, either through the Disneyland Web site or as part of your vacation package. You can NOT purchase this promotional ticket from the Disneyland Resort ticket booths, so plan ahead! The Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus tickets expire 13 days after first day of use or 10/13/09, whichever occurs first, and each day of use constitutes one full day of use.
Deluxe Annual Passport – Regularly $289
2009 Southern California CityPass $259/$219	2009 Southern California CityPass ($259/$219) – This pass includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort park ticket (including one early-entry day), and single-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Wild Animal Park, as well as Sea World San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location. Purchase CityPass through the Disneyland Web site (link) or onsite at the ticket booths of Disneyland Resort or the other theme parks included in the pass. You can also purchase directly from the CityPass Web site (link) though this has a minimum $7.50 shipping charge (no shipping charge from the Disney Web site if purchased more than 10 days in advance). You can also purchase the Southern California City Pass online from Costco at a cost of $227/$192 (link), 5% surcharge if not a Costco member, and shipping fees apply. Booklets may be available for sale in some stores but varies widely. If you want to buy in person it would be best to call ahead and confirm availability. If you do buy at Costco, you will initially purchase a large plastic container that you must trade for ticket books prior to leaving Costco!

Hotel/Travel Packages

Save $400 on a 4-Day/4-Night Disneyland Resort vacation package. The offer is valid for arrivals August 23 through December 20, 2009, and starts at $87 per person, per day with accommodations at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and a four-day park hopper ticket. The offer is not valid November 25–27, 2009. Annual passholders can book the same package—without the ticket requirement—through Costco travel or directly through the Walt Disney Travel Company, though the Costco version of the offer also includes the perks listed below.

Costco Travel Packages – Many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.com. When purchasing a Costco Disneyland travel package, extras that will be included are: Mickey’s Toontown Madness admission (currently available Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays), a character breakfast collectible pin and lanyard, and a Costco luggage tag per person, plus a $20 Disneyland Resort gift card per package.

Disney’s Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – Package includes accomodations 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 four DCA attractions (Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Muppet*Vision 3D, It’s Tough to be a Bug!, Golden Dreams); Preferred Showing of Turtle Talk with Crush (Priority Viewing at the first Turtle Talk with Crush show of the day, on any one day – one voucher per Guest); Disney Dream coin keepsake (one per package), luggage tag and lanyard with pin; a Downtown Disney Fun Card; and a “Character Call” from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy or Crush. Contact Disney Travel or your favorite travel agent.

Other Discounts

Character Dining Vouchers – Discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Travel (link).

Disney Visa Discounted Stroller Rental – If you have a Disney Visa card you can rent up to two strollers at a discount of 50% at either Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure. This offer is valid only at the Main Gate rental locations at each park.

Rainforest Cafe Safari Club – Membership in the Rainforest Cafe gets you a 10% discount on entrees for up to four people. It also gets you priority seating if available, which can make a huge difference on busy days. Additionally, after signing up, your membership card will be mailed to you and be accompanied by a $10 award good for your next visit to a Rainforest Cafe. So if you know you will be eating there while at Disneyland and have a Rainforest Cafe local to you, it may make sense to prejoin the Safari Club so that you can use the award during your trip. See the Rainforest Cafe Web site for details (link).

ESPNZone MVP Club – Membership in the MVP Club does not offer any discounts on food. However, once a member you can make an online reservation for your party up to three days in advance and will get a 25% increase in points purchased when playing games in the Sports Arena (and 40 bonus points at activation). You must register online and your membership card will then be mailed to you within two weeks. The card must then be activated at any ESPNZone by the person who signed up for the card and ID will be required (link).

AAA Restaurant Discounts – AAA (American Automobile Association) members can receive a 10% discount (excluding alcohol) at Plaza Inn, Wine Country Trattoria Ariel’s Grotto, PCH Grill, and Goofy’s Kitchen.

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

DL: Disneyland

DCA: Disney’s California Adventure

Annual Pass blockout dates:

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

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• MM – Magic Morning at Disneyland
• TT – Toontown Morning Madness at Disneyland
• Grad Nite
• MTT – Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party at DCA

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.