In an annual tradition that dates back to 1965, the Disneyland Resort last week named the 2013–2014 Disneyland Resort Ambassador Team at a ceremony in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Sachiko White and Megan Navarette will fill the role by representing the resort's nearly 23,000 cast members over the next two years.
Megan Navarette and Sachiko White greet the press after being named 2013–2014 Disneyland Resort Ambassadors. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
White and Navarette both hail from Disneyland's entertainment department. The pair were selected from a pool of nearly 80 applicants and were among four finalists, along with Lauren Brown from Disneyland's public affair department, and Allie Kawamato from Main Street foods.White said she was encouraged to apply by fellow cast members, and described having an "a-ha moment" when she learned what the role involved, saying it seemed like a perfect partnering of her past roles and the direction she'd like to take her Disney career.
2011–2012 Ambassador René Torrico (left) presents an emotional Megan Navarette with her Ambassador pin moments after Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis named her one of the two 2013–2014 Disneyland Resort Ambassadors. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Navarette described her reaction to the news as "overwhelmed and excited," saying the whole experience has been surreal. As part of the selection process, the finalists participated in community events like preparing dinner for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Orange, as well as shadowing the current ambassadors René Torrico and Jolie Hales during a recent Halloween Time press event. White said that Torrico advised her to always bring a sense of humility to the role, and keep in mind that they are in the service of the guests and fellow cast members.
Friends, family, and co-workers turn out to show support for all four finalists. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Aside from representing their fellow cast members and attending media interviews and public appearances, the Disneyland Resort Ambassador Team also takes part in community outreach events such as this weekend's CHOC Walk, where the pair greeted walkers at the finish line. Duties for White and Navarette also include hosting various dignitaries and VIPs as they visit the Disneyland Resort, and potentially representing the Resort in trips to other Disney parks. Outgoing Ambassador Hales said her fondest memory of her tenure was dancing in a cast member flash mob during the 20th anniversary celebration at Disneyland Paris.
The incoming and outgoing teams pose in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle during the announcement ceremony. From left: René Torrico, Megan Navarette, Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis, Mickey Mouse, Sachiko White, and Jolie Hales. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
During the ceremony in which Sachiko and Navarette were named for the roles, Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis said, "Sachiko and Megan are well deserving of this prestigious honor, and will do a tremendous job representing the Resort and our 23,000 cast members. After a rigorous training and interview process, the pair have demonstrated the depth of their Disney knowledge and passion for being a Disney cast member, and we look forward to their community outreach efforts over the next two years".
Newly named Disneyland Resort Ambassadors Megan Navarette and Sachiko White make their first public appearance in a procession down Main Street U.S.A. after a ceremony at Disneyland park. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
A capacity crowd of 15,000 walkers turned out for the 2012 CHOC Walk at the Disneyland Resort. The annual fiundraiser for Children's Hospital of Orange County followed a new route this year, starting for the first time in Disney California Adventure and leading walkers through Buena Vista Street and Cars Land. The 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) walk continued through Disneyland park and ended in Downtown Disney.
Team MousePlanet participate in the 2012 CHOC Walk. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Over 50 people joined Team MousePlanet for our fifth annual CHOC Walk team and raised over $6000 for Children's Hospital of Orange County. Special recognition goes to Helga Bergthold, who once again took the title of top fundraiser for our team with an impressive $1100. If you would like to help push Team MousePlanet closer to our goal of $10,000 raised this year, please visit our CHOC Walk page and sponsor an existing walker or make a general team donation.
Shoppers and guests of the Disneyland Resort will soon have the opportunity to ice skate in Downtown Disney. Located near ESPN Zone and the Disneyland Hotel, the outdoor ice skating rink is, in part, a promotion for the upcoming October 23, 2012 release of the new Disney Tinker Bell movie, Secret of the Wings.
Guests have the opportunity to ice skate in Downtown Disney starting October 23, 2012, with soft openings expected as early as this Friday. Starting November 12 following the Secret of the Wings promotional period, Disney plans to transform the area surrounding the ice skating venue into a holiday village. Disney is providing skate rentals and safety equipment. Although we do not yet know how long each skating session lasts, the pricing is:
If you plan to visit Downtown Disney between now and October 23, keep an eye out for possible soft openings, or what Disney is referring to as "limited operation."
The 12-foot CALIFORNIA letters that stood at the entrance to Disney California Adventure from the park's opening in 2001 until their removal in 2010 were loaded on a truck this past week. The iconic letters were removed at the end of 2010 as part of the extensive makeover of the park. The new entrance, which takes inspiration from the Pan-Pacific Auditorium (the famous Los Angeles landmark), opened in 2011. The 12,000-pound letters were loaded on trucks this past week and are being transported to their new home at the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento, California, where they will be set up in a similar fashion on a small hill near the main entrance; the CALIFORNIA letters should be instantly recognizable to anyone who visited Disney's California Adventure during the first nine years of the park's existence.
The original DCA entrance was designed to look like a souvenir photo postcard. Photo (c) Disney.
Costco has released a new deal offering a 4-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket plus a $50 Costco cash card for $259.99. The Fall 2012 version of this discount offer is a bit different than past deals, with several important changes:
At face value, the ticket is only $15 less than the rack rate for a Disneyland Resort 4-Day Parkhopper ticket purchased at the Main Entrance booths, and is more expensive than the child's ticket. The real "savings" comes in the form of the $50 Costco cash card. If you were already in the market for a 4-day Parkhopper and plan to spend $50 at Costco, this deal will save you $65.00, but it may not be a real value if you aren't an avid Costco shopper.
Thanks to reader OlegC for the tip.
The Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm will have a new look—and possibly a new name—this holiday season. Cast members were notified last week that Santa's reindeer will no longer be on exhibit at the petting farm, leading us to wonder if they'll continue to call the area Santa's Reindeer Roundup this year or pick a new name.
The pardoned presidential turkeys from 2008 and 2009 are also leaving the exhibit, and spend the rest of their days at Disneyland's Circle D ranch, out of public view.
Two new residents, a miniature Hereford cow and black lamb, are expected to move in sometime in November.
…According to the Orange County Register, 68 year-old Disneyland machinist was hospitalized in a critical-care unit after being struck by a Space Mountain ride vehicle during after-hours attraction maintenance. The incident occurred on October 3 after the park had closed to guests. Cal-OSHA, the state office that investigates workplace injuries, will be investigating the incident.
…A 10,000-square-foot replica of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion has been placed on the real estate market. Theme Park Connection, the world's largest reseller of Disney items, is selling the ghostly retreat, taking full advantage of the upcoming Halloween holiday. The home is located near Atlanta, Georgia an boasts seven bedrooms and six bathrooms, a two-story library with a gas burning fireplace, an 1,100 square-foot cypress wood roof deck, and authentic iron details manufactured from the same foundry Walt Disney used for the creation of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. The home is listed for $873,000.
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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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Team MousePlanet went on our fifth year at the CHOC Walk in the Park, benefiting Children's Hospital Orange County. Thanks to the efforts and generosity of our readers, Team MousePlanet has raised over $27,000 for CHOC since 2008. The 2012 race was on Sunday, October 14 at the Disneyland Resort. The team is still taking donations—visit the CHOC website or visit our MousePad discussion forum for more information about the walk and our team.
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
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.
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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 |
Costco 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket plus $50 Costco Cash card ($259.99) – The Fall 2012 version of this discount offer is a bit different than past deals, with several important changes:
At face value, the ticket is only $15 less than the rack rate for a Disneyland Resort 4-Day Parkhopper ticket purchased at the Main Entrance booths, and is more expensive than the child's ticket. The real "savings" comes in the form of the $50 Costco Cash Card. If you were already in the market for a 4-day Parkhopper and plan to spend $50 at Costco, this deal will save you $65.00, but it may not be a real value if you aren't an avid Costco shopper. 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. | |
| 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. Premium Annual Passport: $649 – 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 $279/$239 Southern California CityPass PLUS $311/$263 |
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).
| 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 |
|
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: |
DL: 9a-12a EMH / MM / TT DCA: 9a-9p None AP Blockouts: SL/SC Events: None |
| 11/4 | 11/5 | 11/6 |
11/7 |
11/8 | 11/9 | 11/10 |
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DL: 8a-11p None DCA: 8a-9p EMH AP Blockouts: SL Events: None |
DL: 8a-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: 9a-12a AP Blockouts
Events: |
DL: 9a-12a EMH / MM / TT DCA: 9a-10p None AP Blockouts: SL/SC Events: None |
(Send an email to Bryan Pugh)
Born and raised in Southern California, Bryan Pugh is a paramedic, amateur photographer and an avid Angels baseball fan. Bryan writes the DisneylandLive blog, and is a guest contributor to MousePlanet. When he is not writing, roaming the Disneyland Resort with his camera or playing his guitar, he is spending time with his wife and two children. You can write to Bryan at bryan@dlandlive.com or follow @DisneylandLive on Twitter.
