The Space Shuttle Endeavour soared above the Disneyland Resort last Thursday as part of its historic final flight around California. Thousands gathered at the resort to see the shuttle as it rode atop a NASA-modified Boeing 747, filling walkways in Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and the Esplanade between the two parks, as well as packing the top floor of the Mickey and Friends parking structure for a glimpse.
Visitors, some equipped with lawn chairs and umbrellas, gathered on the top of the Disneyland Resort's Mickey and Friends parking structure for a glimpse of Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final flight over California. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The shuttle approached the resort from the west, flying above Frontierland and Tomorrowland before turning and making a pass around Disney California Adventure. In preparation for the flight, Disney posted signs outside the theme park entrances about the event, and played two announcements inside the theme parks to alert visitors that the shuttle was on its way. MousePlanet contributing writer Lorree Tachell was among the crowd on the Main Street train station platform and blogged about her experience.
The Esplanade between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure was packed with visitors hoping to see Endeavour fly over the Resort. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Shortly after flying over Disneyland, the shuttle landed at Los Angeles International Airport. From there, the shuttle is being transported to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, where it goes on permanent display starting October 30, 2012.
Photographers lined Main Street, U.S.A. hoping for a shot of Endeavour flying above Sleeping Beauty Castle. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Thousands watch as Space Shuttle Endeavour flies over Disneyland. MousePlanet video by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Disneyland Resort is warning visitors about "Carmageddon II," a 53-hour closure of a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 405 (referred to locally as the 405 freeway) in both directions from Getty Center Drive to U.S. Route 101 (the 101 freeway) due to the second phase of a scheduled demolition project. The closure starts at midnight this coming Friday, September 29, and is scheduled to continue through 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 1.
If this all sounds familiar, the same stretch of freeway was closed for the first phase of the demolition in July 2011, when a section of I-405 was closed as part of the Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project.. There was massive publicity in preparation for the first closure, nicknamed "Carmageddon" by the local media, with everyone from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to Lady Gaga herself warning drivers to stay home or avoid the area to prevent adding to the traffic. Disneyland Resort also posted a warning about the closure on the park hours page of the Disneyland.com website, and has again posted a notice advising visitors to seek alternate routes to Anaheim.
Disney Vacation Club owners visiting Walt Disney World have long been invited to attend Welcome Home Wednesdays, a weekly member appreciation gathering, but there has never been anything similar offered at the Disneyland Resort. Now, DVC has launched the Royal Member Gathering at the Disneyland Hotel every Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. in the Sleeping Beauty Pavilion (second floor, above Goofy's Kitchen).
Members are invited to "relax, enjoy refreshments and test your knowledge of the kingdom." A postcard advertising the new offering promises that there will be "fun and surprises...and even a visit from a 'favorite Disney pal.' "
The Royal Member Gathering is open to all DVC members as well as their friends and family, whether you are staying at the Disneyland Resort or not.
...The 2012 CHOC Walk in the Park is just a month away, and members of Team MousePlanet have raised over $2000 for Childrens Hospital Orange County. There's still plenty of time to join Team MousePlanet—just visit our CHOC Walk page to sign up. In addition to helping raise money for a great local charity, CHOC Walk participants are eligible to purchase tickets to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure for just $45. The CHOC tickets are valid October 14 through November 9, 2012; more information is on our MousePad discussion forum.
...First offered as a highly coveted promotional item at the E3 electronics convention, and then at San Diego Comic-Con, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit ear hats are now available for purchase at Disney California Adventure. MousePad members Janis and Aaron said, "The patch in front is nice and the ears are nice and stiff yet bendy."
...If you are a Disneyland Resort annual passholder but did not yet receive the souvenir A Celebration of a Wish Come True photo book we wrote about last week, keep checking your mailbox. A second mailing of the book, sent in place of a fall issue of the Annual Passholders Backstage Pass magazine, shipped last week.
…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, go to the MousePlanet main page and enter your e-mail address in the top right box labeled "Join the MousePlanet Newsletter." Click Join, then fill out the fields in the registration page, including your first and last name. The Newsletter is free, but you must complete this registration to receive it, even if you may have signed up for one with us in the past.
…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.
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Advertisement Crowd information and forecasts are provided by TouringPlans.com, the website of the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, to help you better plan your trip to the Disneyland Resort. TouringPlans.com gathers wait time data from a team of in-park researchers and users of their Lines mobile phone application, and then predicts crowd levels for the next 365 days. Using a scale from 1 to 10, TouringPlans.com has a 90 percent accuracy of predicting the crowds to within 1 point, helping visitors prepare for their trips so they can "Do more. Wait less."
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Note: Not all of these have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit.
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.
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).
2012
Fall
Winter
2013
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.
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One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $87/$81 One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $125/$119 |
No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
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Two Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $170/$158 Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $200/$188 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells two-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 2-day Park Hoppers are $197 for adults and $185 for children; 2-day 1/park/day tickets are $168 for adults and $156 for children Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
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Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $220/$205 Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $250/$235 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells three-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 3-day Park Hoppers are $245 for adults and $230 for children; 3-day 1/park/day tickets are $217 for adults and $202 for children 2012-2013 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket ($125) – A discounted price offered to Eligible Service Members or their spouses. Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets may be purchased August 17, 2012 through September 26, 2013, and are valid October 1, 2012 through September 28, 2013. Disney defines "Eligible Service Members" as active or retired members of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Reservists and the U.S. Coast Guard. Valid military identification will be required for purchase. This discount is available at MWR/ITT offices at your military base or other at participating U.S. military sales outlets. The tickets are not available for sale at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. The price is the same for adults and children, and total of six tickets may be purchased per military member, regardless of who purchases the tickets (the member or their spouse). Tickets are blocked out December 23, 2012 to January 2, 2013; February 15–17, 2013; March 25 to April 5, 2013; and July 4, 2013. As far as we can tell, there is no "fuse" on this ticket, so you may have more than the standard 13 days from first use to use the remaining two admissions, but we highly recommend you contact your base MWR/ITT office for more details before making travel plans. Please note that this ticket is not a "bonus" ticket, and so does not include an early admission day. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. |
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Four Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $245/$225 Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $275/$255 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells four-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 4-day Park Hoppers are $270 for adults and $250 for children; 4-day 1/park/day tickets are $240 for adults and $220 for children Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
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Five Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $260/$240 Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $290/$270 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells five-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 5-day Park Hoppers are $285 for adults and $265 for children; 5-day 1/park/day tickets are $255 for adults and $235 for children Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
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Six Day, One Park per Day Ticket Six Day Park Hopper |
No longer offered by Disneyland. Some travel providers may offer 6-day or longer tickets to international customers as part of a package; residents of Canada, Australia or the U.K. should check with local travel agencies to see what options may be available to you. |
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| Disneyland Resort Annual Passports |
No discounts currently available for new purchases. California residents can take advantage of the monthly payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport.
Premier Annual Passport: $849 – valid at both Disneyland Resort and Florida's Walt Disney World Resort; includes parking. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. |
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Southern California CityPass
Southern California CityPass PLUS |
2012 Southern California CityPass ($279/$239) – includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by December 31, 2012. Purchase CityPass through the Disneyland Website or on-site at the ticket booths of Disneyland Resort or the other theme parks included in the pass. You can also purchase directly from the CityPass Website, though a shipping charge may apply depending on how quickly you need the ticket. 2012 Southern California CityPass PLUS ($311/$263) – includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood, PLUS one-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Safari Park. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by December 31, 2012. This upgraded pass is only available for purchase directly from the CityPass Website. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. |
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Costco Travel Packages – Many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco. Extras when purchasing a Costco Disneyland travel package include 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 accommodations in 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 three DCA attractions (Disney's Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Muppet*Vision 3D, It's Tough to be a Bug!); 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.
Contact a MousePlanet sponsor travel agency for assistance in booking your next trip
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Annual Passholder offers – Disneyland has once again extended the 20% merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders. The discount is now valid through December 31, 2012.
Purchase with Purchase offers – Disneyland Resort shops frequently offer a reduced–price souvenir (often a tote bag, watch, or blanket) with a qualifying minimum purchase. These are offered at Disney-operated stores only, and generally can not be combined—you must choose one of the eligible offers. If you're a passholder, the minimum purchase is calculated after your discount, and your discount does not apply to the promotional item. The current offers are:
Disneyland shops
Disney California Adventure shops
Downtown Disney / Disneyland Resort Hotel shops
Character Dining Vouchers – Discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through Get Away Travel.
Disney Visa – Cardholders have access to a private Character Meet 'N' Greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free 5x7 photograph per visit. Cardholders also receive 10% off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney–operated retail stores, 10% off at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants, (Big Thunder Ranch, River Belle Terrace, French Market, Cocina Cucamonga, Steakhouse 55, PCH Grill and Storyteller's Café), and 20% off the "Welcome to Disneyland," "A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps," and "Discover the Magic" guided tours. See the Disney Visa website for terms and conditions.
Landry's Select Club – Members of the Landry's Select Club get priority seating at the Rainforest Cafe when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days), and a 10% discount on retail purchases. This club replaces the former Rainforest Cafe Safari Club as of March 31, 2012. If you are already a Safari Club member, you can migrate your membership to the new Landry's Select Club at no charge, and start to earn points in the new program. The new Select Club eliminated the entree discount and free appetizer offer that was included with the Safari Club, replacing them with a point-based system that gives you a $25 gift certificate after you spend $250. If you are not yet a member of either the Safari Club or the Landry's Select Club, you can pre-purchase your membership before your trip. Membership now costs $25, but comes with a $25 reward.
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).
DL: Disneyland
DCA: Disney California Adventure
Annual Pass blockouts:
Early Admission: (full description available on the Disneyland website)
Disneyland Resort Special Events:
| 9/23 | 9/24 | 9/25 |
9/26 |
9/27 | 9/28 | 9/29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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DL: 8a-11p EMH / MM DCA: 8a-10p None AP Blockouts: SL Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p TT DCA: 10a-8p EMH AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p EMH / MM DCA: 10a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 10a-8p EMH / MM DCA: 10a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-7p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 8a-12a EMH / MM / TT DCA: 8a-10p None AP Blockouts: SL/SC Events: None |
| 9/30 | 10/1 | 10/2 |
10/3 |
10/4 | 10/5 | 10/6 |
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DL: 8a-11p None DCA: 8a-10p EMH AP Blockouts: SL Events: MA |
DL: 10a-8p TT DCA: 10a-8p EMH AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-6p EMH / MM DCA: 8a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 9a-9p EMH / MM DCA: 9a-9p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-7p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 8a-12a EMH / MM / TT DCA: 8a-11p None AP Blockouts: SL/SC Events: None |
| 10/7 | 10/8 | 10/9 |
10/10 |
10/11 | 10/12 | 10/13 |
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DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-11p EMH AP Blockouts: SL Events: None |
DL: 8a-11p TT DCA: 8a-10p EMH AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-6p EMH / MM DCA: 8a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: MHP |
DL: 9a-8p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 9a-9p EMH / MM DCA: 9a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-7p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 8a-12a EMH / MM / TT DCA: 8a-11p None AP Blockouts: SL/SC Events: None |
| 10/14 | 10/15 | 10/16 |
10/17 |
10/18 | 10/19 | 10/20 |
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DL: 10a-12a None DCA: 10a-11p EMH AP Blockouts: SL Events: CHOC Walk |
DL: 8a-6p TT DCA: 8a-8p EMH AP Blockouts: Events: MHP |
DL: 9a-8p EMH / MM DCA: 9a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-8p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 9a-8p EMH / MM DCA: 9a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-7p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 8a-12a EMH / MM / TT DCA: 8a-11p None AP Blockouts: SL/SC Events: None |
| 10/21 | 10/22 | 10/23 |
10/24 |
10/25 | 10/26 | 10/27 |
|
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p EMH AP Blockouts: SL Events: None |
DL: 10a-8p TT DCA: 10a-8p EMH AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-6p EMH / MM DCA: 8a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: MHP |
DL: 8a-6p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 9a-8p EMH / MM DCA: 9a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-7p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 8a-12a EMH / MM / TT DCA: 8a-11p None AP Blockouts: SL/SC Events: None |
| 10/28 | 10/29 | 10/30 |
10/31 |
11/1 | 11/2 | 11/3 |
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DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p EMH AP Blockouts: SL Events: None |
DL: 8a-6p TT DCA: 10a-8p EMH AP Blockouts: Events: MHP |
DL: 10a-8p EMH / MM DCA: 10a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-6p AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 10a-8p EMH / MM DCA: 10a-8p None AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-11p AP Blockouts
Events: |
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.
(Send an email to Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix)
Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix (@MousePlanetAVP) is an original MousePlanet staffer and manages to find time for all of this while running two retail stores, MouseShoppe and CharmingShoppe.
