Disneyland Resort Update for July 13 – 19, 2015

Update for July 13 – 19, 2015

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News and Views

Enjoying Disneyland's 60th anniversary | Get the shovels ready – Anaheim City Council extends Disneyland ticket tax exemption | The Disneyana Fan Club hosts two anniversary week events | This and that… | Crowd Forecast

Enjoying Disneyland's 60th anniversary

Over the past several weeks, I've received a number of letters like this one from reader Shannon:

“Do you know of any special events for July 17th specifically? I saw the dress '50s day, however not sure if it will be a special day like 10 years ago. Trying to decide if it's worth a trip from Northern California….”

Disney fans don't want to miss out on a special event, but the official communication from Disney has them wondering if a dress-up day is really all that the company has planned to commemorate the 60th anniversary. My answer to Shannon and all of the other readers who have asked the same question is, “this is probably it.” At this late date, it's unlikely that Disney will announce a can't-miss major addition to the July 17th celebration, so fans need to decide how important it is to be there on the anniversary, rather than waiting for a less-crowded opportunity to visit.

Disneyland celebrates its 60th anniversary this Friday. MousePlanet file photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

To be clear, I'm not sure that Disneyland really needs to do much of anything else for the 60th. There are still three brand-new nighttime shows, which in my opinion are alone worth the trip. In addition to the we-won't-call-it-Dapper-Day discussed in last week's update, the company has promised extra entertainment on Friday, July 17, as well as themed photo opportunities and a selection of new food offerings. But a number of the anniversary events are just an excuse to sell more merchandise, and actually begin this morning—see the event schedule below.

The Friday celebration allows Disney fans to make a three-day weekend out of the anniversary. The three Disneyland Resort hotels are sold out for the weekend, with over half of the Good Neighbor hotels also booked solid. The anniversary is one of just two Fridays that Deluxe annual passholders are blocked out this entire summer—the other being Friday, July 3—indicating that Disney expects very high attendance that day.

If you're coming for the anniversary celebration, I suggest treating it like you would the 4th of July or New Year's Eve. Expect the park to be packed, bring lots of patience, and adjust your expectations so you aren't disappointed when you can't ride every E-ticket ride. If you happen to be visiting on the anniversary but really aren't there for the spectacle, arrive early and use those first precious hours to get in as many rides as you can. If you haven't already booked meal reservations you're probably going to need to rely on counter-service locations, so plan to eat during the off-peak hours (before 11, between 2 and 5, and after 8). Most of all, use Fastpass, especially if you hope to see Fantasmic or World of Color.

Most of all, just enjoy the people-watching, and take loads of photos so you can claim bragging rights when you return to work on Monday. Just leave the selfie sticks at home.

Get the shovels ready – Anaheim City Council extends Disneyland ticket tax exemption

The City of Anaheim last week voted 3 to 2 to extend the current ticket tax exemption on Disney theme park admission, following a nearly seven-hour-long council meeting. Citing the length of the meeting, the record number of speakers who addressed the Council, and that there had been only nine days of public notice, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait moved to continue the vote until the next meeting. His motion failed, as three other council members pushed for a decision that night.

Debate continued into Wednesday morning, with Mayor Tait and Councilman James Vanderbilt ultimately voting against, and council members Lucille Kring, Jordan Brandman, and Kris Murray voting in favor of a 30-year extension.

Although Mayor Tait helped negotiate the current deal in 1996, he told the Orange County Register that he “couldn't sleep” if he voted for this extension. Tait said there are other ways that Anaheim can assist the Disneyland Resort without closing the door on this potential income source. Anaheim has never imposed a ticket tax on theme parks. Councilwoman Kris Murray said that she would even support offering the same exemption from possible future entertainment taxes to other companies willing to make significant investment in Anaheim, perhaps a nod to the ongoing negotiations with Major League Baseball's L.A. Angels of Anaheim baseball team.

The Disney California Adventure expansion completed in 2012 reportedly cost over $1 billion. MousePlanet file photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The current exemption was negotiated as part of the Disneyland Resort expansion that eventually saw the construction of Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, the Mickey and Friends parking lot, and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. The 20-year deal ends in 2016. Mayor Tait noted that the original 1996 proposal called for an indefinite ban on ticket taxes, but that he was able to negotiate instead a 20-year agreement. Tait said that in retrospect, he feels Disney would have gone ahead with the Disneyland Resort expansion even if the city approved the tax. None of the domestic Disney theme parks are subject to a local ticket tax, although Florida state sales tax is added to tickets that are purchased at Walt Disney World.

In exchange for another extension, Disney proposed a $1 billion expansion of the Disneyland Resort, a project Disney says would mean 1,400 new jobs and an additional $15 million in annual tax revenue for the city of Anaheim. While Disney has not disclosed any firm plans, the deal is expected to include a new parking structure, new hotels, and expansions of the Disneyland and/or Disney California Adventure theme parks. A statement released by Disney references a 5,000-space parking garage adjacent to a “potential new Harbor Gateway.” The deal would require Disney to have “shovels in the ground” by the end of 2017, or the agreement is void.

Both Disney and the City of Anaheim commissioned independent studies to forecast the economic impact of the proposed expansion. Mayor Tait challenged a representative of the firm hired by the City of Anaheim, asking how they could reach any conclusion without knowing exactly what Disney planned to build.

Proponents of the tax deal argued that any loss of gate tax to the city would more than be offset by the increase in other tax revenue to the City of Anaheim, including sales, and hotel and indirect property taxes.

Opponents said Disney would build the expansion regardless of the vote, however, and argued that the city should not rule out a future source of tax revenue that might be needed if the city faces tough economic times in the 30 years covered by the deal. Council woman Murray pointed out that the current deal had been tested by the recent economic downturn. and said Anaheim was in better financial health than some countries.

In an editorial published by the Orange County Register, Disneyland Resort President Michael Colglazier said that the outcome of the vote would greatly influence Disney's decisions about where to invest expansion and development dollars. “The Walt Disney Company is currently discussing where and how to develop these (Marvel and Star Wars) creative properties across its six resorts around the globe. Having the assurance of a continued Entertainment Tax Policy is a crucial part of the decision of how much to invest in Anaheim.” Disney proposal also includes an automatic additional 15-year extension, for a total of 45 years, if Disney “invests an incremental $500 million in new attractions and/or entertainment offerings” beyond the $1 billion.

Councilwoman Kring warned that Disney had plenty of options, and might choose to invest in their theme parks in Japan or France instead if Anaheim imposed a new entertainment tax on Disney.

In an editorial, the Orange County Register urged the City Council to continue the tax break, saying “In doing so, the council would also renew a commitment to all Anaheim businesses to maintain a low-tax business climate, which improves private enterprise and the economic vitality of the community.”

In June, a divided city council voted to give a bed tax break to developers building additional four-star hotels in Anaheim. While customers of these new hotels will pay the full bed tax, the hotel would be allowed to keep up to 70 percent of that tax revenue. The vote for the 20-year deal fell along the same lines, with Mayor Tait and Councilman Vanderbilt voting against, and Council members Kring, Brandman and Murray voting in favor.

The Disneyana Fan Club Presents “An Evening to Benefit Ryman Arts” and Disneyana Collectible Show & Sale

The Disneyana Fan Club is hosting “An Evening to Benefit Ryman Arts” this Wednesday, July 15, with proceeds going to the Ryman Arts Program:

The evening will begin with dinner and each table will be hosted by a very special guest. The following guests are scheduled to appear: Terri Hardin, former Imagineer, sculptor, puppeteer and DFC's friend; Garner Holt, creator of various Disney audio-animatronics magic; Disney paper sculptor Dave Avanzino; Mike Paraza, Disney artist and animator; author, speaker, and Tinker Bell herself, Margaret Kerry; gifted photographers Matthew and Michaela Hansen from Tours Departing Daily; Ryman Arts Executive Director Diane Brigham; and many more (depending on their availability, this list may have some last-minute changes).

Of course, a major part of our evening benefitting Ryman Arts is the silent and live auctions. Some of the items donated for this part of the evening include a beautiful leather jacket from Walt Disney Imagineering; framed photographs from David Lee and Tours Departing Daily; a membership package, books and much more from the Walt Disney Family Museum; a bottle of wine from the Lasseter Family Winery signed by John and Nancy Lasseter and also by their wine maker Julia Lantosca; and so much more.

You can read more about the event at the club website. Tickets are $95 per person, and must be purchased by tonight, Monday July 13.

The Disneyana Fan Club also hosts their semi-annual Disneyana Collectible Show and Sale this Sunday, July 19. Columnist David Koenig will be at the show, signing copies of his new book The People V. Disneyland: How Lawsuits & Lawyers Transformed the Magic.

Disneyana Collectible Show and Sale
Wyndham Anaheim – Garden Grove
12021 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, California 92840

General admission price is $6.00 for adults. Save $1.00 by bringing the coupon linked on the event website. Disneyana Fan Club members can start shopping at 9:00 a.m., with the general public admitted at 10:00 a.m.

This and that…

…Coca-Cola Freestyle machines are now in service at the Refreshment Corner in Disney California Adventure. This space. located in the newly refurbished Grizzly Peak Airfield, is tucked to the side of Humphrey's Service & Supplies.

Freestyle machines offer customers a selection of about 100 Coca-Cola drinks, made by combining Coca-Cola bases like Coke, Sprite, and Powerade with a variety of flavorings, including peach, cherry, and vanilla. Drinks are $3.19 (small) and $3.69 (large), with no refills. The location also sells bottled Dasani water ($2.79) and bottled Coca-Cola Life ($2.99), a reduced-calorie Coke sweetened with a mix of cane sugar and stevia.

Coca-Cola Freestyle machines are now available to the public in Disney California Adventure. Photo by Joe Stevano.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun MouseAdventure bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

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Crowd Forecast

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MousePlanet

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all of attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, call Disneyland at (714) 781–7290, then select option 1 > option 1 > option 4.

Disneyland

• Captain EO – closed; reopening date unknown.
• Innoventions – closed; reopening date unknown.
• Starcade – closed for renovation; reopening date now TBD.

Disney California Adventure

• Blue Sky Cellar – reopening date now TBD.
• Luigi's Flying Tires – closed. Ride to be removed and replaced. Reopening date unknown.
• Muppet*Vision 3D – closed indefinitely due to the Frozen Fun overlay.
• “it's tough to be a bug” – closed due to the Ant Man preview. Reopening date unknown.

The Ant Man suit is on display at the Bug's Land Theater while the sneak preview runs. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Resort Events

Check here to see if a large convention, competition, or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

2015

• Disneyland 60th Anniversary – Friday, July 17.
• All-American College Band Reunion – Saturday, August 1. Performance at 3:45 p.m., stepping off from Town Square.
• 2015 Taste of Downtown Disney District – Thursday, August 13 from 5:30–10:00. Tickets information to be announced at the event website.
• D23 Expo – August 14–16 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Tickets available on the event website.
• 2015 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 3–6. All events are sold out. Details at the runDisney website.
• Dapper Day Fall Soiree (Unofficial event) – September 18. Details at the Dapper Day website.
• Gay Days at Disneyland (Unofficial event) – October 2–4. More information on the event website.
• 2015 CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 11 at the Disneyland Resort. Registration is now open via the event website. MousePlanet readers, friends, and family are invited to register with Team MousePlanet and walk with our group.
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 15-16. Expect unusually large attendance levels October 16–20 as Utah students and families take advantage of a 4-day weekend created by their school's participation in a state education convention. Not all Utah schools or teachers close for or attend UEA, but the impact on the Resort is usually noticeable enough to mention.
• 2015 Avengers Half Marathon Weekend – November 12–15. Most events are sold out, but space remains in the half marathon race. Details on the runDisney website.

2016

• 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 14–17. Most events are sold out, but space remains in the half marathon race. Details on the runDisney website.
• 2016 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 5–8. Registration opens August 11, 2015.
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 20–21.

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

Merchandise Events

Current Discounts & Promotions

Disneyland prices as of February 2015.

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

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

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

Other Discounts

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

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

• DL – Disneyland
• DCA – Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockouts:

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

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

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

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

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

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