Disneyland Resort Update

Update for November 30 – December 6, 2009

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

News and Views

Disneyland by Candlelight | EO or not EO? That is the question. | Passholder and DVC appreciation days | This and That

Disneyland by Candlelight

Disneyland’s annual Candlelight Processional is this coming weekend, Saturday and Sunday December 5 and 6. With the decision not to offer the Candlelight dining package this year, Candlelight regulars are now trying to figure out how to secure the best—or any—seats for the performance. Disneyland is notoriously tight-lipped about their crowd control plans for the show, and this year has been no exception. Officially, seats at Saturday’s performances are reserved for invited guests and Club 33 members, while seats at Sunday’s performance are reserved for D23 members. Past experience tells us that not all of those “reserved” seats will be taken by the intended guests, and there is usually a stand-by line of sorts to fill any empty seats shortly before each performance.

When we called for details about this year’s standby process, the cast members we spoke with said there will be no stand-by line for extra seats this year, and any unused seats will be offered to guests chosen “at random” from the crowd in Town Square. Both cast members also recommended that we purchase Candlelight tickets through D23. (The $275-per-person package has yet to sell out).

Candlelight will be performed at 5:30 and 8:00 both nights; rumors that there is only one performance each night this year are wrong. The Processional takes place only before the 5:30 performance, when the combined members of the Disneyland employee choir and the participating community choirs make their way towards Town Square. The parade of choirs singing traditional carols is enough of a “Candlelight fix” for many visitors, and you can usually get a decent spot along Main Street without a day-long wait.

For those planning to camp out in Town Square for Candlelight, our best advice is to get there early (definitely before noon), pick a location where your view of the stage isn’t blocked by speakers or lighting towers, pack a blanket or other ground cover, and bring something to pass the time. It’s always a good idea to talk with the cast members throughout the day to stay informed while you wait, especially in the event that a stand-by line is formed, or that the cast member you’ve been chatting up is one who can “randomly” offer you an available seat.

For those planning to catch Sunday’s performances, be sure to check our MousePad discussion boards for reports and tips from those who attended Saturday;s shows. If you’re planning to attend on Saturday, you can send your reports to us via Twitter, and we can share your advice with others who are hoping to see the show. Click the link to follow MousePlanet on Twitter (link) or add @mouseplanet to your follow list.

EO or not EO? That is the question.

Singer Michael Jackson had not yet been laid to rest when the first rumors that Captain EO would return to Disneyland began to pop up online. Some reported that Disney CEO Bob Iger would announce the film’s comeback at last September’s D23 Expo; instead, Iger told reporters there were “no definite plans” to resurrect the 3-D space opera. “We are looking at it,” he admitted. “It’s the kind of thing that, if we did it, would get a fair amount of attention and we’d want to make sure we do it right.”

The rumor flared up again earlier this month when Roger Friedman at Showbiz411 (link) reported ““Captain EO” is coming back.” Several other entertainment Web sites have repeated essentially the same story, but none of the report have cited any sources. Unofficially, we’ve heard a rumor of a “Spring Thriller” promotion that would feature both the return of Captain EO and the upgrade of the Tower of Terror attraction at Disney’s California Adventure park with the random-drop program currently used in the Florida version of the attraction. The upgrade of Tower of Terror seems a little premature – the World of Color show should be enough to draw huge crowds to DCA this spring and summer, and Disney could keep the “T4” upgrade in reserve for a later date.

Disneyland’s annual holiday media event is later this week, which could provide an opportunity for a formal announcement. For now, Disneyland officials are keeping mum on the subject, saying only “We have nothing to report at this time.”

Passholder and DVC appreciation days

Annual Passholder Appreciation Days are December 5-12 in Downtown Disney. Disneyland Resort APs can save at participating Downtown Disney retailers, and shop extended hours at some of the Disney-operated shops. The event kicks off with a special shopping morning on December 5th at the World of Disney store. The store opens at 6:30 am for APs only, and the first 1,000 customers will receive a free Vinylmation figure. Special offers include 50% select merchandise, 20% off all Vinylmation figures, and special “doorbuster” discounts on selected items. A full list of participating merchants and discounts is available on the Annual Passholder Appreciation Days Web site (link). Disney Vacation Club members can take advantage of similar offers during Members Appreciation Days, also scheduled for December 5-12. DVC members can also attend the special shopping day at the World of Disney store, and receive similar discounts from participating merchants. Details are available on the Members Appreciation Days Web site (link).

Don’t forget that now through January 3, 2010, all So Cal Select, Southern California and Deluxe Passport holders receive 10% off all purchases at select Disneyland Resort stores. Premium Passholders (who usually receive a 10% discount) receive a 20% discount during the promotion. All usual discount restrictions apply.

This and That

…Did you visit the Disneyland Resort during Thanksgiving week? If so, we invite you to share your experiences with traffic, parking, crowding, wait times, shopping and dining at our MousePad discussion boards (link). Every year we field questions from readers who want to know how crowded the Resort is during the holiday weeks, so we’ve created a central place for your reports to make it easier for other readers to learn from your experiences next year.

…If you’re planning to give or use the Costco 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket, be sure to purchase your ticket well in advance. The two Costco stores nearest to Disneyland sold out of the popular tickets last week, and may not have additional supplies until later this week. You can purchase the tickets from the Costco Web site, but allow plenty of time for shipping.

…We reported last week that Disneyland’s Candy Kitchen would be offering fresh-made candy canes each Friday morning, but a candy maker at the location says the schedule is “week to week,” and may change. As of press time, the current plan was to release candy canes on Saturday, December 5th and Friday, December 11th. If fresh Disneyland candy canes are a must-have for you, we highly recommend calling Disneyland the day before your visit to confirm the schedule.

…Registration for MouseAdventure Holiday: Reindeer Games is now closed. Our first-ever, holiday-themed event is Saturday, December 12, 2009 at the Disneyland Resort (link). If you are registered for the event and want to chat with fellow players and MouseAdventure crew, please visit our MousePad discussion boards (link). Don’t forget, submissions for the team T-shirt competition are due Monday, December 7.

…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

2009

• King Arthur Carrousel – closed December 8–10 for refurbishment.
• Main Street Opera House theater – closed through December 16 to return Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. A portion of the lobby has reopened, and Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years is playing on a very small screen in the lobby.

2010

• Haunted Mansion – closed January 4–14 for removal of the holiday overlay.
• Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm – closed January 4–12 for removal of the holiday overlay.
• Main Street Cinema – closed January 4 to February 1 for refurbishment.
• Starcade – closed January 4 to February 1 for refurbishment.
• Le Petit Chalet Gifts – closed January 4 to February 10 for refurbishment.
• Corn Dog Wagon – closed January 4 to May 4 for refurbishment.
• Tomorrowland Terrace – closed January 4 to May 4 for refurbishment.
• Rivers of America – closed January 4 to May 6 for major refurbishment. This also closes all attractions requiring use of the river: Sailing Ship Columbia, Mark Twain Riverboat, Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island (closed until May 14), and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes.
• “it’s a small world“ – closed through January 18–28 for removal of the holiday overlay.

Disney’s California Adventure

Seasonal refurbishments:

• Grizzly River Run – closed January 4–8.
• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – closed January 11 to February 19 for refurbishment.
• It’s Tough to Be a Bug! – closed January 20 & 21.
• Francis’ Lady Bug Boogie – closed January 25 to February 4.

Construction-related closures:

• The Vineyard Room – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this restaurant, though work to expand the venue will reportedly begin shortly.
• 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 partially drained while workers complete several construction projects in the area.
• 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 its 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 its return date.
• Orange Stinger – closed through April 28, 2010 for refurbishment and renovation into the Silly Symphonies Swings.

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.

Winter

• Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort – through January 3, 2010
• Annual Passholder and DVC Members Shopping Day at the World of Disney Store – December 5. The store opens at 6:30 am for APs and DVC members only, and the first 1,000 customers will receive a free Vinylmation figure. Special offers include 50% select merchandise, 20% off all Vinylmation figures, and special “doorbuster” discounts on selected items.
• Annual Passholder Appreciation Days and DVC Members Appreciation Days – December 5-12 in Downtown Disney. Disneyland Resort APs and DVC members can save at participating Downtown Disney retailers, and shop extended hours at some of the Disney-operated shops. A full list of participating merchants and discounts is available on the AP Web site (link), and the DVC Web site (link).
• Candlelight Processional &endash; Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6. The narrator is reportedly actor Jon Voight. No dining packages are offered to the general public this year, beyond the D23 event listed below.
• D23 Candlelight Spectacular event at Disneyland – Sunday, December 6 (link). Private event open to members of the D23 club and their guests. $275 per person. Tickets are still available.
• D23 Disney and Dickens event – Thursday, December 10 (link). Private event open to members of the D23 club and their guests. $95 per person. Tickets are sold out.
• MouseAdventure Holiday: Reindeer Games – Saturday, December 12, 2009 at the Disneyland Resort (link). There is still room for your team to join our first-ever holiday edition of our popular MouseAdventure event. This family-friendly format is a great way to enjoy the holiday season at Disneyland, and is perfect for new teams who want to try their skills at MouseAdventure.

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 ($184/$154) – 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) AOCVCB 3-Day Bonus Ticket ($179/$149) – 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.
Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $229/$199	Costco 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($159.95) &endash; 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 ($199/$169) – 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. AOCVCB 4-Day Bonus Ticket ($194/$164) – 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 ($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). AOCVCB 5-Day Bonus Ticket ($204/$174) – 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 ($214/$184) – 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 (a $14/day value).
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports	No discounts currently available.
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 &endash; 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 – Members of the Rainforest Cafe get priority seating when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days), and a 10% discount on entrees for up to four people. 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.