Disneyland Resort Update

Update for October 5 – 11, 2009

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

News and Views

DLR president Ed Grier announces retirement | The Year to Volunteer | Volunteer with MousePlanet | Disney Gallery reopens | Parking for Mickey’s party more trick than treat| Free CHOC Walk registration this Wednesday| This and That

Disneyland Resort president Ed Grier announces retirement

After we went to press on Monday, Disneyland Resort president Ed Grier announced his retirement in an email message to cast members, effective this Friday. A replacement was not named. Disneyland Resort Media Relations forwarded copies of the email messages from Grier and from Al Weiss, president of worldwide operations, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts; we’ve posted them in the MousePad discussion thread for this topic (link), and we’ll have more on this story as it develops.

David Koenig also reported on Grier’s impending departure in his MousePlanet blog:

There’s something about a three-year anniversary that must have Disneyland presidents beginning to box up the trinkets around their offices, as they are suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to “spend more time with their families.”Sure enough, Disneyland’s elusive leader “Senator” Ed Grier has now walked the plank, 72 days after celebrating the magical “3.” My prediction on how long he’d last was made, yup, just under three years ago (link).
If you’ve got a scorecard, Jack Lindquist was president 3 years 1 month, Paul Pressler 3 years 1 month, Cynthia Harriss 3 years 10 months, Matt Ouimet 2 years 9 months, and Ed Grier 3 years 2 months. Disneyland’s five presidents spent a combined 119 years working for Disney—and, except for Pressler, that “dream job” turned out to be the last stop for every one of them. My suggestion to the next Disneyland president: postmark your resume to Fall 2012.

The Year to Volunteer

The Walt Disney Company announced their 2010 Disney Parks marketing promotion last week during day of events that began with an spot on Good Morning America, crossed to California for a press event featuring Disney CEO Bob Iger with celebrity guests Desperate Housewives stars Teri Hatcher and James Denton, and the Muppets, and continued with a series of volunteer events with Disney cast members across the country.

The new promotion has a noble premise: “Give a Day of Volunteer Service in 2010, Get a Day of Disney Theme Park Fun—Free.” Unfortunately the official name of the campaign, “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day,” is a little clunky, and the abbreviation “GaD, GaDD” probably won’t appear on any souvenir merchandise. (We polled MousePlanet readers who follow our Twitter account to come up with an alternative title, and have decided to go with “The Year to Volunteer,” though “The Year of Marking Time Until Walt Disney World Turns 40” was a very close runner-up).

Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy help construct a Habitat for Humanity development in Southern California. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

All joking aside, this campaign—officially a continuation of the “What Will You Celebrate?” promotion—has the potential to generate a great deal of support for community organizations across the US and Canada. The idea is simple: Volunteer a day of service with a Disney-approved organization, and receive a one-day, one-park admission ticket valid for Disneyland or Walt Disney World. To coordinate the one million volunteer days Disney hopes to generate through this offer, the company has teamed up with the HandsOn Network to connect volunteers with nonprofit organizations across the country. Disney has established a three-step process for interested participants to register, volunteer and redeem their free ticket:

Search and Sign Up. Starting January 1, 2010, visit the Disney Parks Web site to sign up for the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day promotion. You must pre-register with the site to participate in this promotion, even if you are a regular volunteer with a participating organization. Once you’ve registered, visit the HandsOn Network site to search and sign up for a volunteer opportunity. The HandsOn Network has more than 250 Action Centers and coordinates with over 70,000 nonprofit groups around the country. Volunteer opportunities will include everything from helping build homes for low-income families to participating in a beach or park cleanup day. Some opportunities will be geared to adults (baby-sitting homeless children while their parents attend job training classes); others will be ideal for families (assembling care packages for military members overseas). Some organizations need just one person to help out on a specific task, others can use whole groups to complete a project.

Volunteer. Disney has set no minimum time requirement for your project, they simply require you to complete your service for the volunteer opportunity you selected. Depending on the activity you choose, you may spend a few hours weeding a playground, or a whole day helping to paint a house.

Redeem. Once your service has been verified by the HandsOn Network, you will receive instructions via e-mail to print out a certificate that you can exchange at a Disney theme park for a one-day, one-park admission ticket.

Miss Piggy and Taye Diggs star in this commercial promoting the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day campaign. YouTube video.

The full Program Terms and Conditions are posted on the Disney Web site (link), but there are a few important highlights:

• The offer gives you a one-day, one-park ticket once you complete a day of volunteer service with a participating organization. This ticket can be upgraded to a park-hopper ticket and/or a multi-day ticket, or to an annual passport.
• Tickets will be issued to the first one million participants who complete and verify their service, and the theme park ticket must be used by December 15, 2010.
• The one-day, one-park admission ticket is nontransferable, and has blockout days, depending on which Resort you plan to visit:
  • For Walt Disney World Resort: March 29 – April 8 and July 4, 2010
  • For Disneyland Resort: February 13-14, March 21, June 21-22, July 4, November 21, and December 11-12, 2010.
• Volunteers must be 6 years or older; volunteers under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult while volunteering.
• Volunteer service performed outside the promotion does not qualify. You must register through the Disney Web site and volunteer with a participating organization to receive the free admission.
• All volunteer opportunities are managed through the HandsOn Network (link). You can search their Web site to get a list of the organizations that are included in their network, though specific opportunities will not necessarily be available until after January 1, 2010.
• As with the Free on your Birthday promotion, visitors who already hold a valid Disney Annual Pass or a multi-day ticket, you can choose from three alternative offers instead of the free admission ticket:
  • Disney’s Special Fastpass cards for certain attractions for you and up to 5 additional members of your party.
  • A collectible Ear Hat figurine with exclusive trading pins
  • Donate your free ticket to a nonprofit organization designated by Disney Parks.
• Volunteers must have a residence in the United States, Puerto Rico or Canada. Visitors who live outside this area but own a vacation home in the United States (including Disney Vacation Club) can register through the Disney Web site and volunteer in the US to participate in the promotion.

Disney chief Bob Iger and Desperate Housewives stars Teri Hatcher and James Denton join Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy and dozens of volunteers at a Habitat for Humanity construction site in Lynwood, California to formally announce the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” promotion on September 29, 2009. MousePlanet video by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Disney VoluntEARS and volunteers from Southwest Airlines will help kick off the promotion with a “tour” of HandsOn Network volunteer projects across the country. Southwest Airlines is providing transportation for the tour, which will travel across North America this fall and winter.

Of course, no national marketing campaign is complete without a contest, and the Disney Parks “Cheers to Volunteers” Sweepstakes gives you the opportunity to win a five day/ four night vacation package for yourself and up to three guests to your choice of either Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort. You can enter once each day during the contest period (September 29, 2009 through March 31, 2010) – visit the contest Web site for official rules and to submit your entry (link). The contest also offers you a “bonus” entry if you post to your Twitter account each time you submit an entry, something that is certain to make you really popular with your followers.

This is a great way for Disney to encourage volunteerism (or VoluntEARism) while keeping their costs down. While the incremental cost of used free tickets will be just as small as in the 2009 campaign, by eliminating the opportunity to get a gift card with a value equal to that of the free park pass, Disney is shutting off a valuable-to-guests, costly-to-Disney option. Guests who will be visiting for more than one day (the vast majority, especially at Walt Disney World) will now either use their pass as an additional day to extend a multiday pass (net incremental cost to Disney $2) or opt for one of the alternative choices, two of which cost Disney nothing. The special Fastpass just costs Disney the printing cost for the pass, and donating the ticket to a charity of Disney’s choice also carries no cost to Disney. It’s only the ear-hat figure that will cost them any money at all.

Volunteering is a wonderful thing and is rewarding in its own right. If this promotion increases the number of individuals volunteering to help with good causes, it will have accomplished an amazing goal. Just don’t expect a large dollar-cost savings to you unless you were only planning on going to one park for one day.

Volunteer with MousePlanet

To assist MousePlanet readers who want to participate in The Year to Volunteer, we’re looking for readers to act as MousePlanet hosts at qualifying volunteer opportunities across the country. While details of specific opportunities won’t be available until after the promotion begins in January, we already have MousePlanet readers and staff in upstate New York; Ventura County, CA; Orange County, CA and the San Francisco Bay area who have expressed interest in coordinating a local volunteer event.

If you would like to coordinate and host a group volunteer event in your area, please e-mail us at volunteers@mouseplanet.com, and we’ll keep you in the loop as more information becomes available. Hosts will be responsible for selecting a volunteer opportunity from the HandsOn Network site (which means you get to choose a program or organization that’s important to you!), and coordinating with local MousePlanet readers who want to volunteer for your activity. To give readers the most time to use their tickets, we encourage hosts to schedule their activities early in the year.

Disney Gallery reopens

MousePlanet’s Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix wrote about the reopening of the Disney Gallery in her MousePlanet blog this weekend

A little more than two years after closing to make way for the Disneyland Dream Suite, the Disney Gallery reopened last Friday in the the space recently vacated by the former Bank of Main Street. The banner outside the new Gallery announces the current exhibit, “Enchanting the Classics.” Stepping inside the Gallery, I was immediately drawn to the former bank vault, now standing open and housing original artwork on wooden easels. At the new cash register area to the right, cast members were still unpacking merchandise for display.

The Disney Gallery has reopened in the former Bank of Main Street space. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The original bank vault was preserved, and is now used to display original artwork. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

I was admiring the intricate woodwork in the gift shop area when my husband Tony tore me from my examination with one quiet comment: “They knocked out Walt’s offices.” Unbelieving, my eyes darted to the exhibit space beyond the gift shop, and I realized he was right. Although Walt’s formal office display was “temporarily loaned” to Walt Disney World in 2001 for the 100 Years of Magic celebration—and never returned—I’ve always hoped that the office would eventually be sent back to Disneyland and put back on display in the lobby of the Main Street Opera House. Instead, those two rooms have been converted into sales and exhibit space for the new Gallery. I guess this is Imagineering’s way of saying “Get over it, the offices aren’t coming back.”

The former bank lobby has been turned into retail space for the new Gallery. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The Gallery offers a familiar collection of books, music and collectibles. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Construction workers were still painting the Gallery an hour after it opened to the public, and CMs were still busily stocking the store the next day. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Feeling as if I’d been punched in the gut, I wandered through the new space to see what had replaced such a vital piece of Disney history. I once had the pleasure of being allowed to walk through Walt’s offices before the formal office was packed off to Walt Disney World, and I remember how it felt to step into that room, the sense of reverence and history that filled the air. Now, entering the new exhibit rooms years later, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I was trespassing.

The first display room of the new Gallery houses a selection of artwork for sale, and connects directly to the lobby of the Main Street Opera House. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The Gallery has a new work space for visiting artists. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The first room, which now connects via a new doorway directly into the entrance lobby of the Main Street Opera House, houses an exhibit of art for sale. (Most of the pieces will be featured during the Gallery’s first artist signing event on October 10th.) A small room, currently shut off from the rest of the Gallery with folding glass windows, will be used at some point in the future as a work space for visiting Disney artists. The widows can be opened to let the artists chat with guests as they work.

The second room houses the Gallery’s current exhibit, with original concept art displayed on the walls and two glass cases filled with sculptures and models. Wooden benches provide a place for visitors to sit and contemplate the exhibit… or the current whereabouts of Walt’s office. The room is gorgeous, with lovely paneling and a stunning ceiling treatment.

The second room houses the Gallery’s current exhibit, and offers seating for visitors. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

If you can get past the fact that this used to be where Walt’s office was displayed, this new room has beautiful light fixtures and ceiling details. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The theme of “Enchanting the Classics” is illustrated with a wide variety of artwork, starting with Walt Disney’s first renovations of Tomorrowland and the Jungle Cruise, through to the recent addition of Disney characters to “it’s a small world” and the current Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy overlay. Walt Disney’s oft-repeated quote that “Disneyland will never be finished,” is displayed on a sign at the entrance to this Gallery. I guess this is Imagineering’s way of saying “See, Walt added gorillas to the Jungle Cruise, so we’re totally justified in adding ghosts to Space Mountain.”

Display cases hold models from some of the enhancements Walt Disney oversaw, including an expansion of the Jungle Cruise. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Concept art from current enhancements, including last year’s makeover of “it’s a small world,” are also on display. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Clearly I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to fully appreciate the exhibit, so I stepped into the lobby of the Main Street Opera House. One corner of the lobby contains a small seating area, and the 50th Anniversary film starring Steve Martin plays in a loop on a small screen. The opposite wall contains a large scale model of Disneyland, displayed behind glass like a classic Disneyland wall map. A display case in the center of the room holds a collection of Disneyland admission tickets, on loan from the personal collection of Imagineer Tony Baxter. Nearby, two more display cases hold a scale model of Sleeping Beauty Castle, and a scale model of Splash Mountain.

The 50th anniversary film staring Steve Martin is still playing at the Main Street Opera House, if in a much smaller venue. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Imagineer Tony Baxter loaned his personal collection of Disneyland admission tickets to the new exhibit. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

As I was taking pictures, a very friendly cast member offered to answer any questions we might have. She must have overheard my complaints about Walt’s office, and she asked if I’d seen the front entrance yet. I told her we’d come in from the Gallery, and she said, “You have to see this.”

A model of Disneyland is displayed like a wall map. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The model re-creates Disneyland as it was on opening day. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Tucked against the wall in the front entrance of the Main Street Opera House, underneath the classic photo of Walt Disney walking through Sleeping Beauty Castle, sits a green wooden park bench. A plaque on the bench reads “The actual park bench from the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round in Los Angeles, where Walt Disney first dreamed of Disneyland.” According to the cast member, the bench is also on loan from Tony Baxter’s personal collection. I guess this is Imagineering’s way of saying “See, we’re not the heartless jerks you think we are.”

The bench said to be the very spot that Walt Disney dreamed of Disneyland is now on display inside the Main Street Opera House. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The lobby of the Main Street Opera House contains a large display of Disneyland art and models. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Though the Disney Gallery is open, construction is ongoing. The remainder of the Main Street Opera House lobby is still closed for renovation to return Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln to the theater. Once that show reopens in December, the wall between the exit hallway and the lobby will be removed, allowing people to return to the lobby and Gallery without leaving the building.

A model of Sleeping Beauty Castle is on display in the Main Street Opera House. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The new space offers the merchandising department a great deal of flexibility in hosting Gallery events, and two such events are scheduled over the next two weekends. On Saturday, October 10, a wide variety of Disney artists and Imagineers will be on hand for the Gallery’s first product release and artist signing. Scheduled to appear are Jim Crouch, Jody Daily, Jeremy Fulton, Kevin Kidney, Larry Nikolai, Maggie Parr, George Scribner, SHAG and Yakovetic. Merchandise offerings range from $8,000 oil paintings to $45 prints Tiki mugs. My favorite item is the replica of the Enchanted Tiki Room shirts worn by Disneyland cast members. I’ve always coveted the Tiki Room shirt owned by an acquaintance, and I’m eager to finally add one to my own collection. On Saturday, October 17, artists Dave Avanzino, Brian Sandah and Tim Wollweber along with Show Development and Production Senior Writer Carolyn Gardner will be on hand for a Haunted Mansion Holiday merchandise release and signing event. Details and photos of the available merchandise for both events are posted to the Disney Gallery Web site (link).

A colorful scale model of Splash Mountain is on display for visitors to admire. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

There is a lot of history and nostalgia tied up in this new Disney Gallery. For fans of the Gallery, who were upset when Disneyland pulled it from its home of 20 years to make way for a hotel suite, this reopening is long overdue. The trade-off is that the Bank of Main Street and the space where Walt’s offices were once displayed were gutted to make room for the expanded Gallery. For me, it’s hard to accept that this was the only solution, that there was only room for one or the other. The very friendly cast member told us that a current rumor calls for Walt’s offices to be returned to the Disneyland Resort, this time to be displayed at the Carthay Circle Theater to be built inside Disney’s California Adventure. The cynical part of me says “it’s been nearly 10 years, we’re never getting that office back.” My optimistic self looks at that simple park bench, preserved all these years, and still holds a glimmer of hope.

For more about the history of the original Disney Gallery, read Wade Sampson’s article “Farewell to the Disney Gallery” (link).

Parking for Mickey’s party more trick than treat

Mickey’s Trick or Treat party, now in its fourth year at the Disneyland Resort, is known for its Halloween decor, candy-filled Treat Trails, plentiful opportunities to meet and greet the Disney characters—and some of the worst traffic and parking congestion the Resort sees all year, as thousands of guests descend upon the Mickey and Friends parking structure to use the free parking that is included in their event ticket.

In an effort to create a better parking experience for event guests, Disneyland decided to try something new this year. Last Friday morning, guests who had purchased tickets to that evening’s event online received an e-mail directing them to park in Buzz Lightyear parking lot near the southeast corner of Harbor and Katella. The e-mail included a map of the parking areas in the Resort—Buzz Lightyear is lot K on the map (link).

If all had gone as designed, guests would have been able to bypass the traffic jam around the Mickey and Friends structure and slip right in to the Buzz Lightyear lot, then board a bus to take them directly to the Disneyland Resort’s East esplanade. One of the bag check tents was reserved for Mickey’s Trick or Treat party guests, to speed them through bag check and right into the event.

At first glance, it sounded like a great plan. The actual execution was far different, and MousePlanet reader bluuth related her parking woes on our MousePad discussion board (link). “We followed the parking email directions to go to Pongo for the party (where everything fell apart). We came in costume and ready for a great time! We arrived in the parking lot at 7:15pm—we didn’t board the buses until 8:45 and didn’t walk into the park until almost 9pm.” “We debated walking—but we asked the CM at Pongo how long and they assured us that the buses were coming, it should only take 20 mins.” She added, “We also had on costumes which, while not uncomfortable, where not planned with the idea of hiking to the park and back!”

We have not heard if Disney plans to repeat this experiment for next week’s Trick or Treat party, nor what changes they might be making to improve the experience. bluuth said her boyfriend suggested that having characters in the parking lot might have helped make the wait seem shorter—we think a few more busses might have accomplished the same goal.

Did you attend last Friday’s event? If so, where did you park, and how long did you wait? Do you have any tips or advice for our readers who are attending next week’s events? Join the conversation on our MousePad discussion board (link).

Free CHOC Walk registration this Wednesday

Come join CHOC Walk with Team MousePlanet, and help us raise money for Children’s Hospital Orange County at the 2009 CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park. To help encourage more participants to sign up and start raising funds, CHOC is holding a “Free Registration” day this Wednesday, October 7. Register for Team MousePlanet on Wednesday and you can create your account and start fundraising without having to pay the normal $50 registration fee up front. Walkers will still need to raise a of minimum of $50 to participate in the CHOC Walk on October 18, but you’ll have until Saturday, October 17 to raise the funds.

This and That

…MousePlanet readers Madabbagator and TIMBO have been keeping us up to date with the latest information about the taping of the annual Disneyland holiday special, currently scheduled for the first weekend of November. As we related last week, some of the youth dance groups that perform in the parade were notified that some of the taping might take place on Sunday, November 8 instead of Saturday, November 7 because of a possible change in ABC-TV’s production schedule to accommodate the celebrity performers scheduled to participate in the filming. Madabbagator posted that an update sent out this weekend informed the dancers that a final decision will be made this Wednesday, October 7th. We’ll update you here next week if there is any new information, but we recommend that you keep an eye on the 2009 Holiday Parade Filming thread (link) on our MousePad discussion board for the latest news.

…The Disneyland Resort raised fees for stroller rental and parking this week. The new fee schedules are as follows:

Stroller & Wheelchair Rental

One Stroller: $15.00
Two Strollers: $25.00 (Disneyland does not offer double strollers)
Wheelchairs: $12.00 + $20 refundable deposit
ECV (Electric Convenience Vehicles): $50 rental + $20 refundable deposit + tax

Parking

$14.00 for cars and motorcycles.
$20.00 for oversized vehicles (including motor homes and personal vehicles with trailers) and tractors without trailers.
$25.00 for buses and tractors with extended trailers.

The Annual Passport parking add-on is now $79.00. Parking is already included in the price of a Premium Annual Passport.

…The Walt Disney Family Museum opened to the public last week. Though cameras are off-limits inside the museum, MousePlanet’s Frank Anzalone was invited to tour the collections, and shared his photos with MousePlanet readers in a fascinating photo tour (link).

Diane Disney Miller (center) and Walter Elias Disney Miller (right) open the Walt Disney Family Museum. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

…In response to the large crowds turning out for Disneyland’s HalloweenTime promotion, Disney added five new cast member block-out dates for October: Friday, October 9, Friday, October 16, Friday, October 23, Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31. Disneyland Resort cast members cannot use their Cast ID for entry to the Parks on these new block out dates, and Main Entrance and Silver Pass holders will not be able to sign themselves or their guests in on these dates. Cast members who still want to visit on these blockout dates can still use comp tickets (each CM receives a set number of comp tickets each year), or will have to purchase admission for themselves and/or their guests.

…The Disneyland Resort has two new purchase-with-purchase offers available to guests who make a qualifying purchase at a participating location. With a purchase of $30 or more, you can purchase a Mickey Mouse watch for $15.95. Spend $50 or more, and you can purchase a Mickey and Minnie throw blanket for $16.95. As always, certain restrictions apply, but you can get the full details and a list of participating locations on the Disneyland merchandise Web site (link).

This woven throw blanket is one of two purchase-with-purchase items available at the Disneyland Resort. Photo © Disney.

…The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the city of Anaheim are holding a public scoping meeting to seek feedback on the planned Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) on Wednesday, October 14. The meeting will be held from 5-7 pm at the OCTA Headquarters, 600 S. Main St. in Orange. If you’d like more information about the project without attending the meeting, you can view related materials on the OCTA Web site (link).

…Enter the Disney Movie Rewards “Tink My Ride” Sweepstakes for your chance to win a 2010 Honda INSiGHT EX Hybrid. To enter, just text TINK to 347639. Full rules are available on the promotion Web site (link).

Enter the “Tink My Ride” contest, and you can win a 2010 Honda Insight EX Hybrid—though the prize vehicle doesn’t come with this spiffy paint job. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…Following the unexpected resignation of Napa Rose Master Sommelier and General Manager Michael A. Jordan (link), some readers have questioned whether Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival will return in 2010. Jordan was one of a small group who spearheaded the initiative to bring the event to the Disneyland Resort, and his relationships with major wineries and chefs were instrumental in growing the event each year. Foods cast members assure us that the 2010 event is very much on schedule, so Food & Wine fans can breathe a sigh of relief—and start saving their pennies for the spring.

…Readers have noticed that Disneyland is closing at 6pm on Tuesday, October 27, and have asked why the park is closing early on a day when DCA is also closing at 6. It turns out Disneyland is closing early for the Solar Power International Party, scheduled from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. that night. The organization has rented Disneyland’s West side, including Adventureland, Critter Country, Frontierland and New Orleans Square, and will have a private performance of Fantasmic! If you happen to know someone attending the Solar Power International 2009 convention, they can purchase guest tickets to the three-hour Disneyland party for a mere $115.

…Disneyland Resort visitors are eligible to receive a free child’s ticket to see The Princess and the Frog when they purchase an adult movie ticket at participating theaters from December 11 through December 31. Guests age 10 just need to present their valid Disneyland admission ticket to a participating merchandise location, and they will receive a card with the promotion details. This offer is open to all Disneyland visitors ages 10 and up (including annual passholders), and there is a limit of one per visitor. Participating Disneyland Resort locations include:

• Disneyland Park: The Emporium, Disney Showcase, Disney Clothiers, Ltd., China Closet
• Disney’s California Adventure Park: Greetings from California, Engine-Ears Toys
• Disneyland Hotel: Fantasia Shop, Donald’s Gifts & Sundries
• Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: Acorn Gifts & Goods
• Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel: Mickey In Paradise
• Downtown Disney District: World of Disney Store

…Your child can enter the Buzz Lightyear Mission Patch Design Challenge and possibly win three day, two night vacation to Walt Disney World Resort and a VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Full contest details are available on our MousePad discussion boards (link).

…Now through October 31, Catal’s Uva Bar is celebrating Oktoberfest with a special menu of German specialties and beer. Menu items include a Mix Grill of Oktoberfest Sausage or traditional dishes like Kasknoedel, Backfisch, Wurstsalat, Schweinefleisch and Apfelstrudel. On October 23 & 24, the Uva Bar will host an Oktoberfest Happy Hour from 3-5pm, with featured Oktoberfest beers for $5, $5 well cocktails and house wines by the glass, and 50% off the special Oktoberfest Menu. Live entertainment will be offered on October 23 and 24 from 6-10 PM Visit the restaurant’s Web site for more information about their Oktoberfest promotion (link).

…Hook’s Pointe restaurant at the Disneyland Hotel has just added a new collection of of seafood dishes to their existing menu. According to Disney , “Guests will create a signature dining experience specific to their individual likes including a choice from the freshest seafood, preparation method and signature sauces.”

…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

Fantasyland’s new treat stand is open for business. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Disneyland

• Sailing Ship Columbia – closed October 5–7 for deck oiling.
• Indiana Jones Adventure – closed October 5–8.
• Sailing Ship Columbia – closed October 12–15.
• Royal Street Veranda – closed through October 16 for refurbishment.
• Gadget’s Go Coaster – closed through October 26 for refurbishment.
• Disneyland Railroad – closed October 13–28.
• The Enchanted Cottage – closed through November 4 for refurbishment.
• “it’s a small world” – closed October 26–November 12 for installation of the holiday overlay.
• Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm – closed November 2–12 for installation of the holiday overlay.
• Casey Jr. Circus Trains – closed through November 19 for refurbishment.
• Storybook Land Canal Boats – closed through November 19 for refurbishment.
• King Arthur Carrousel – closed December 8–10 for refurbishment.
  
• Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years – closed through December 16 to return Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln to the Main Street Opera House.

Disney’s California Adventure

Construction-related closures: 

• The Vineyard Room – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this restaurant.
• 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 24, 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 now scheduled to reopen in Spring, 2010.
• Corn Dog Castle – closed due to construction in the area. An employee publication lists March 24, 2011 as the return date. During the renovation, corn dogs are available at Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market.
• Souvenir 66 – closed due to construction in the area. An employee publication lists March 24, 2011 as the return date.
• Orange Stinger – closed through April 28, 2010 for refurbishment and renovation into the Silly Symphonies Swings.

The new projector towers for the World of Color show have been installed in Disney’s California Adventure. 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).
• 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.
• Artist signing at the Disney Gallery – October 10, 2009 (link). 9 to 11 am at the Disney Gallery in Disneyland.
• 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). All other visitors can purchase tickets through the event Web site (link).
• 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).
• Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Product Release & Signing – October 10, 2009 (link). 9 to 11 am at the Disney Gallery in Disneyland.
• 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 and/or Sunday, November 8. [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 ($149/$129) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $2 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). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
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). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011. 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). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011. 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). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
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.