Disneyland Resort Update

Update for December 21 – 27, 2009

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

News and Views

Remembering Roy | New moments with Mr. Lincoln | Captain EO to return to Disneyland | D Street opens| MouseAdventure results| This and That

Remembering Roy

Roy Edward Disney, son of Roy Oliver Disney and nephew of Walt Disney, passed away last Wednesday after a battle with stomach cancer at the age of 79, one day after the 43rd anniversary of the death of his famous uncle and four days before the 38th anniversary of his own father’s death.

Roy E. Disney started at Walt Disney Productions as an assistant film editor on the True-Life Adventure series. He eventually became a director and producer for nature films before Walt’s death in 1966. He eventually became a member of the company’s board of directors and was instrumental in the coup that brought Michael Eisner and Frank Wells in to run Disney, as well as the coup that kicked Eisner out 20 years later.

Roy E. Disney unveils Disneyland’s Partners statue at a ceremony in 1993. Photo by Frank Anzalone.

Roy Disney was also responsible for the saving and reinvigoration of Disney animation, stopping Eisner from disbanding the animation studio and setting the stage for the second Golden Age of Disney animation, starting with The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. He was behind the creation of Fantasia 2000, in some part renewing Walt’s vision of a perennial concert film that would periodically change the concert program, and behind the completion at last, after many decades, of “Destino,” the animated Disney collaboration with Salvador Dali. In recent years, Roy Disney had taken on the role of protector of his family’s legacy and standards at the company.

Disney was an accomplished and highly competitive sailor, winning the TransPacific Yacht Race on multiple occasions.

As Robert Iger said in a statement, “He was much more than a valued 56-year Company veteran—Roy’s true passion and focus were preserving and building upon the amazing legacy of Disney animation that was started by his father and uncle.”

Flags will be flown at half-staff at Disney Parks and Resorts for one week, through December 23, in his memory.

We here at MousePlanet send our deepest condolences to the Disney family and to the friends of Roy Disney. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the California International Sailing Association to benefit youth sailing (link), or to The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California (link). For more information about Roy E. Disney’s life and legacy, please see Wade Sampson’s article “Remembering Roy Disney” from last Thursday (link) and David Koenig’s article “Roy Genius” from last Friday (link).

New moments with Mr. Lincoln

The Disneyland Story featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln reopened to the public last Friday after a nearly 5-year hiatus, and the 16th President of the United States looks better than ever.

The Main Street Opera House features a gorgeous new lobby, designed by Imagineer Kim Irvine and filled with new and familiar exhibits. The scale model of the U.S. Capitol—20-feet-long, hand-crafted from stone and weighing in at over one ton—is back in place, and is now joined by a display of the “Spirits” statues from Walt Disney World’s American Adventure attraction. A bronze replica of the original Blaine Gibson sculpt of Lincoln’s head, originally created for the figure used in the 1964 World’s Fair debut of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, is on display. Imagineer Tony Baxter says the sculpture is placed so that visually impaired guests can feel Lincoln’s facial features, and a braille sign hangs next to the bronze figure. A new video display hanging above a faux fireplace mantle shows a 5-minute video loop, including clips from actor Royal Dano’s portrayal of Lincoln for the Omnibus television show. Dano provided for voice for Disney’s original original Mr. Lincoln figure, and his original studio recordings were used to produce this new show.  

Mr. Lincoln has returned to Disneyland. Photo © Disney.

The redecorated lobby once again features the scale model of the U.S. Capitol. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Models of the “Sprits of America” seen in Walt Disney World’s American Adventure are on display in the Main Street Opera House. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The 2009 version is a slightly revised, slightly shorter presentation of the show that ran before the best-forgotten 2001 update. The presentation begins with narration by Paul Frees, and includes a new line that was not used in previous versions. A new Civil War painting by Disney animator John Pomeroy serves as the backdrop for some of the spoken narration. Fans of the ballad “Two Brothers” will be glad to know that the song has returned to this version, but the real star of the show is the brand-new Mr. Lincoln animatronic. The new figure features a fully electric head—a first for an audio-animatronic figure—and a new facial sculpt. A greater range of facial expression, combined with advances in artificial skin, hair and eyes, make this figure the most realistic of his predecessors. To fully appreciate the President’s expressions, Opera House cast members recommend sitting in the fourth or fifth row of the theater. The vocal track of both Paul Frees and Royal Dano have been remastered for this show, with the original studio recordings digitally restored and enhanced. Listen closely, and you can hear Lincoln “inhale” between sentences.

A new video presentation in the pre-show area shows rarely-seen footage of Royal Dano’s television portrayal of Lincoln. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The new Lincoln figure has a wider range of facial expression, made possible by a fully electric face. Photo © Disney.

At the conclusion of the 15-minute show, the audience exits into a new post-show area featuring tributes to American’s who have personified the “Spirits of America” in Achievement, Celebration, Giving, Imagination, Inspiration, Perseverance, and Tolerance. Honorees include Thomas Edison, Michael Jackson, and Steve Jobs. The wall between the post show area and the Opera House entrance has been removed, making it very easy for fans of the show to get right back in line for a few more Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

Technicians work to program the new Lincoln figure. Photo © Disney.

Getting Mr. Lincoln ready for his return to Disneyland. Photo © Disney.

Captain EO to return to Disneyland

Ending months of speculation, the Disneyland Resort confirmed last Friday via a posting on the Disney Parks Blog (link) that “Captain EO” will return to Tomorrowland for a limited engagement starting in February, 2010. At last September’s D23 Expo, Disney CEO Bob Iger told reporters there were no definite plans to resurrect the 3-D space opera. “We are looking at it,” he said. “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.”

MousePlanet readers are generally thrilled by the news, though many seem to be just as happy that that increasingly dated “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” film is going away—even if only temporarily. “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” will close sometime in January to make room for the return of EO. No start or end dates have been announced, and no additional details were released about the return engagement.

Reader “BlkPearlCptn” posted that, after he heard the news, he cancelled a planned December trip to Disneyland and instead booked a trip for February to see the return of EO. Reader “crazee4mm” wrote, “Looking forward to the Magic Eye Theater again being a clapping, cheering, foot stomping, enjoyable place to see a film again. HISTA should have been gone years ago and it’s “setup” to the shrinking process seems to take longer and longer every time I see it. Thanks to the powers that be at Disney for again, giving us fans the chance to see this classic in it’s proper venue, The Magic Eye Theater. The theater was specially designed and created just for this film and it’s good to see it back where it belongs…even temporarily. Can’t wait to see it again!!!”

Tell us what you think. Are you happy about the return of Captain EO? Do you think Disney should have done this sooner after Michael Jackson’s death? How long do you think the limited engagement will run? Share your thoughts on our MousePad discussion board (link).

D Street opens

The newest Disney-operated retail store has opened in Downtown Disney. According to Disney, D Street is “where Disney product meets urban pop culture.” The store is similar to Vault 28 and offers much of the same merchandise, and some cast members question the wisdom of placing two such similar stores just steps apart. One thing D Street has going for it is size—the space is much larger than the tiny Vault 28, and the open entrance foyer offers more space for hosting artist signings and merchandise events. Four events were held during the store’s opening weekend, including a create-your-own Vinylmation experience with local artist Noah.

D Street is now open in Downtown Disney. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

As promised, D Street has a nice mix of pop culture merchandise featuring Disney and non-Disney themes. An extensive assortment of Vinylmation product fills the entrance. In addition to the 3- and 9-inch collectible figures, the store stocks clothing and accessories with the Vinylmation images. A 5-foot Vinylmation figure was decorated by Noah during this weekend’s event, and will be offered for sale—cast members estimate the figure will be around $15,000.

An expanded collection of Vinylmation, including clothing, is available at the new store. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The store is decorated with exposed brick and graffiti-style accents, and the decor accents (many purchased from eBay, including a monkey that appears to be wearing a Storm Trooper helmet) are well worth a second look—but are unfortunately not for sale. For those who saw the “Art of Disney Princesses” display at D23 EXPO, a collection of merchandise featuring some of those images is now available for sale, with more on the way. Name brand fashions from brands like Harajuku Lovers, Tarina Tarantino and Mighty Fine share display space with TRON T-shirts and Star Wars figurines.

D Street offers clothing, accessories and collectibles featuring a mix of Disney and non-Disney designs. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

TRON, Star Wars and Where the Wild Things Are share shelf space at D Street. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

MouseAdventure results

The wait is over, and MouseAdventure Master of Ceremonies Andrew Rich formally announced the winners of the 2009 MouseAdventure Holiday: Reindeer Games event this weekend:

Ladies and gentlemen, MouseAdventure teams, thank you very much for your patience. As you know, we had to wait a few days for the score sheets to air dry before they could be processed, but we can now announce the winning teams for MouseAdventure: Reindeer Games!

In this event, we had only one division (only one set of quests) but three categories of teams: Family teams (with players under 13), New teams (at least 50.1% new players) and Returning teams. We’re awarding the top three positions in New and Returning and the top two in Family.

Highest possible scores:
Quests: 340
EyeSpy: 165
Trivia: 100
Total possible: 605

Family teams:

• 2nd place: with 324 points, team no. 088 “Cute and Fluffy“
• 1st place: with 334 points, team no. 188 “Team U“

New teams:

• 3rd place: with 315 points, team no. 176 “Snuckles” (23rd place overall)
• 2nd place: with 390 points, team no. 94 [no team name] (7th place overall)
• 1st place: with 466 points, team no. 108 “TMB: Total Mouse Bums” (2nd place overall)

Returning teams:

• 3rd place: with 454 points, team no. 045 “Oswald Returns” (4th place overall)
• 2nd place: with 462 points, team no. 023 “Disney Dears” (3rd place overall)
• 1st place: with 495 points, team no. 006 “Club 31“

Winning teams have been contacted by email; if you are the registering member of a team listed and didn’t receive email from me, please send the mailing address to which you’d like your prize package shipped to andrew@mouseplanet.com.

A full event recap including team photos, scores by team and a breakdown of each quest will be published on Tuesday. Congratulations again to our winners and thanks to everyone who came out to play!

This and That

…Wednesday, December 23 is your last opportunity to purchase one of Disneyland’s fresh-made candy canes this year. Disneyland opens at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, and you’ll want to arrive before park opening so you can be one of the first people through the gates. Head straight to the Candy Palace on Main Street to get your voucher, then enjoy breakfast or do some last-minute Christmas shopping while you wait for the sweet treats to be ready.

…Disneyland park is now testing a new program of selling 1- and 2-day tickets directly at the turnstiles. Under the pilot program that began this weekend, customers pay for the tickets with a credit card (sorry, no cash), then receive the printed tickets and can enter the park immediately. Tickets are currently offered only at four marked turnstiles, and only for a few hours each morning. This effectively creates four more ticket booths during the busiest season, and is aimed at reducing the lines in the Esplanade. Customers who want to purchase multi-day passes or Annual Passports, or those who are paying with cash or travelers checks, will still use the regular ticket booths. If you already have park admission and are just trying to enter the park, be sure to avoid the ticket-selling turnstiles, as those lines are a little slower.

…MousePlanet reader Mike Nash wrote to tell us that the single rider queue on Midway Mania has been permanently discontinued, according to cast members at the attraction.

…A new coin-operated miniature boat attraction opened last week in the water feature outside the Rainforest Cafe. The cost is $2.

Tourists peruse a selection of candles at the holiday shopping festival. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

A temporary tenant offers curling and flat irons from a tent outside the Disneyland entrance. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…Several MousePlanet readers have voiced their opinion of the holiday shopping festival we wrote about last week, calling it a “flea market” or a “swap meet.” Reader “Mickeba” wrote “Saturday, we saw the ‘Holiday Festival environment’ and were frankly grossed out. It’s just another money grab, and by setting up these retail tents, the resort is just ‘grinding out’ more dollars.” He continued, “If they were Disney tents, that’s one thing, but these are products that are not Disney, don’t enhance or accompany the park and in my view are quite inappropriate. Maybe I’m in the minority here, but Disneyland is not some shopping mall, where kiosk vendors set up for the holidays.”

…Imagineers have been doing more after-dark testing of the fountains and lights for the World of Color show scheduled to open at Disney’s California Adventure next spring, and some of those tests have been taking place during park operating hours. Glenn Stephens contributed these photos from Friday night’s testing.

Light and fountain test of the World of Color equipment. Photo by Glenn Stephens.

Light and fountain test of the World of Color equipment. Photo by Glenn Stephens.

Light and fountain test of the World of Color equipment. Photo by Glenn Stephens.

…MousePlanet reader and All-American College Band alumni Randy Tivens wrote to tell us that a reunion of all former All-American College Band members from both Disneyland and Walt Disney World is being planned for the weekend of July 17-18, 2010, commemorating Disneyland’s 55th anniversary. If you or someone you know was a member of the All-American College Band at either Resort, stay posted for additional reunion details as we have them.

…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

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 – work continues on the World of Color installation.
• 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

2010

• 5th Annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 3-5, 2010. Registration is now open (link).
• Grad Night events – Thursdays May 20, 27, June 3 and 10, Wednesday June 16, Thursdays June 17 and 24. Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure will close earlier on these nights to prepare for the after-hours graduation parties.

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
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.

Alaska Airlines Kids Fly Free – Alaska Airlines is repeating the popular “Kids Fly Free” promotion for travel to the Disneyland Resort. If you book an Alaska Airlines Southern California Vacations package for travel between January 5 and April 30, 2010, one child (age 2-11) can fly free with each paid adult (18 and older) ticket. Passengers who book three nights at a Disneyland Resort Hotel are eligible for the Buy-3,Get-2-Free promotion, and can also purchase discounted Park Hopper Bonus Tickets as part of their vacation package. If you book the package through alaskaair.com, you get 1500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Bonus Miles per passenger. For more information, visit the Alaska Airlines Web site (link). You must book packages by April 1, 2010. Blackout dates of Jan. 15-17, Feb. 12-14, and Mar. 28 through Apr. 10, 2010 apply.

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 – 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.