Disneyland's City Hall finally reopened early last week after a lengthy
rehab. And while the exterior of the building received a much-needed facelift
and paint job, but the most dramatic changes happened inside.
The City Hall lobby and annex are now merged to allow more hosts to help
more guests at a time than before. Photo by Danny Pesses.
The doorway between the former main lobby and the “annex” was
widened, and another door was punched in the wall behind the counter.
The counter was replaced, and now continues on the other side of the dividing
wall. Four workstations can accommodate up to eight Guest Relations hosts
at a time, and a portable workstation in the annex can help handle overflow
crowds.
The repapered walls in the reopened City Hall still display the familiar
photos of Walt Disney, and commemorative documents from Disneyland. Photo
by Danny Pesses.
The new workstations also conceal the computer equipment that had begun
to clutter the countertop before. Now when visitors walk into City Hall,
they now see antique-looking phones and light fixtures, warm wood paneling
and marble floors inset with the Disneyland “D” logo.
A portable workstation, carefully concealed in the corner of the room,
stands ready to provide assistance for visitors inside the annex. Photo
by Danny Pesses
Guest relations cast members seem thrilled with the new City Hall, and
tell us that the new workstations are a great improvement in assisting
visitors without tripping over their fellow hosts.
Greetings from China
The new mini-parade at Disney's California Adventure park premiered last
weekend as the first in a series of new “streetmosphere” shows
planned for the summer season. Billed as “Mulan's Chinese New Year
Greetings,” the procession starts at the parade gate near the Mission
Tortilla Factory and stops outside the Golden Dreams theater for a meet-and-greet.
The colorful Mulan mini-parade makes its way back to the parade gate.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The performers wear costume pieces from the Mulan and Eureka parades,
and the soundtrack is a remix of the “Honor to Us All” theme
that accompanied the Chinese acrobats in the Mulan parade.
One of the performers in Mulan's Chinese New Year Greetings takes a moment
to sign an autograph for a young park visitor in between posing for photos
with a colorful parasol. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
At the meet-and-greet stop, Mulan and Mushu pose for photos and sign
autographs, but the biggest crowds seem to congregate around two female
performers. One has an armful of parasols, and poses for photos after
handing each member of the group a parasol to hold. The resulting photos
are sure to be keepsakes. Young boys don't seem to object too strongly
to posing with the fancy umbrellas.
Another performer teaches the fine art of ribbon dancing. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
The other performer distributes ribbons on sticks, and teaches children
how to twirl them like ribbon dancers. Three other performers, who carry
the Chinese dragon during the procession, mill about the area beating
on drums and gongs, occasionally allowing a child to assist them. After
about 10 minutes, the cavalcade heads back to the parade gate and out
of public view until the next performance.
Tower of Terror previews for Annual Passholders
Disneyland Resort annual passholders can preview the Tower of Terror
attraction before it opens to the public during a free preview event scheduled
for Tuesday, April 26 through Wednesday, April 28. Passholders must preregister
to attend, and registration starts on April 13 at the Disneyland.com Web
site.
Another price hike
Two weeks after raising the price of annual passes, the Disneyland Resort
is now raising the price of the annual pass “blockout” ticket
by $5, to $30. Blockout tickets allows holders of SoCal Select, SoCal
and Deluxe annual passes to visit the park on those days when their passes
do not allow them into the park.
Notes from the Newsletter
The spring issue of the Annual Passholder newsletter has begun arriving
in the mail. Here are some highlights:
…Following up on the success of the Haunted Mansion Holiday collectible
patch offer, DCA is offering Tower of Terror patches with a minimum $20
purchase at six participating restaurants: Pizza Oom Mow Mow, Pacific
Wharf Cafe, Taste Pilot's Grill, Cocina Cucamonga, Award Weiners and Wine
Country Trattoria. The first patch will be available on May 5.
…The “Wonderland Music Experience,” formerly known as
the “CD on Demand” system, has been updated with a few new titles,
including “Date Night Disneyland” and an “Alice in Wonderland”
compilation.
…Commemorative Tower of Terror popcorn boxes and beverage containers
will be offered at DCA once the new ride opens. The popcorn boxes will
come with commemorative “5-D” glasses.
Got any interesting news or rumors? Contact us
here.
Sleeping Beauty Castle closed June 21 – October 2.
Snow White's Scary Adventures closed August 23 – September
11.
Enchanted Tiki Room closes September 8 – October 30.
Haunted Mansion closed September 13 – October 1 for installation
of Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
Matterhorn Bobsleds closed September 13 – November 5.
Disneyland Resort Hotels
Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel Pool closed May 3 – 8.
Disneyland Hotel Grand Ballroom closed July 2 – 16.
Disneyland Hotel Convention Center lobby, upper level &
lower level closed July 16 – September 1.
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.
Annual Passholders can receive a copy of The Disney Treasures book,
worth $60, when they apply for a Disney Visa card. The book will be mailed
after the cardholder uses the new account. Apply by phone at 1-800-640-5306,
and mention card code 26FF.
Car rental discounts
Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders save up to 20 percent on car rentals
from Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental. Restrictions apply—get
full details and the necessary discount codes on the Annual Passholder
Web site (link).
Anaheim Angels tickets
Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders can save 50 percent off the regular
price of tickets for the following home games of the Anaheim Angels baseball
team, which plays at nearby Angel Stadium of Anaheim (formerly Edison
Field):
Although there is no limit to how many tickets a passholder can purchase,
you must use mail or fax in the order form provided at the Annual Passholder
Web site, and you cannot purchase these tickets online or obtain them
at the ticket window on the day of the game. See the passholder Web site
for details (link).
Disney's Passport Plus Package for 2004 includes:
Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket
$10 ESPN Zone Arena Game Card
Preferred Seating at select shows in Disney's California Adventure
Park
California Diamond Fun Book (one per package)
Free parking at Disneyland Resort Theme Parks
Prices are:
5-day: $129 (children: $99)
6-day: $159 (children: $129)
7-day: $184 (children: $149)
An additional handling fee of $10 is charged per mailing address.
SoCal Salute: Two parks, two days at one-day price
Through Friday, April 30, the Disneyland Resort is offering a new version
of the Southern Californian resident salute. Residents may spend a day
at Disneyland and a day at Disney's California Adventure for the price
of a one-day ticket.
Eligible residents can purchase up to five “2fer” tickets per
day with proof of Southern California residency (zip codes 90000 through
93599, or Northern Baja California residents within zip codes 21000 through
22999; valid ID required). “2fer” tickets are priced at the
regular one-day ticket prices for the Disneyland Resort theme parks—$49.75
for ages 10 and up, $39.75 for ages 3 through 9—and are available
at Resort ticket booths as well as at the Disneyland Web site (link).
The first day of use must occur on the date of purchase; the second day
of use must occur within 30 days of purchase or before April 30, whichever
occurs first.
New AAA tickets
AAA announced new ticket plans for the Disneyland Resort:
2-day adult Flex Passport $98 (children: $78)
5-day adult Flex Passport $129 (children: $99)
The new prices took effect December 24, 2003, and all tickets include
free parking (the back of the passports note the free parking, so you
will need the passport with you when you park your car).
CityPass
The Southern California CityPass booklet includes admission to five separate
entertainment options:
3-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket
1-day ticket to Sea World Adventure park
1-day ticket to either the world-famous San Diego Zoo or San Diego
Wild Animal Park
1-day ticket to Knott's Theme Park (includes a free Knott's Berry
Farm T-shirt with each child's City Pass)
Effective April 1, CityPass prices increased to $172 ($129 for children).
You can purchase the Southern California CityPass with Walt Disney Travel
Company packages. Instead of the Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket
currently included in California packages from the Walt Disney Travel
Company, guests can select a Southern California city for an additional
charge of $47 per pass ($32 per pass for children 3 through 9).
Note: The Southern California CityPass does not include the $10
ESPN Zone Arena Game Card, or the California package's feature that allows
guests to collect multiple Fastpass tickets at once for free in advance.
AAA-Disney's Resort Magic Package
This package requires a minimum 2-night hotel stay, and includes:
Accommodations at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel,
or Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disneyland Resort Hotel self-parking and Fitness Center access
Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket – valid for entry into Disneyland
park and Disney's California Adventure park with full park-hopping privileges
Free ESPN Zone Arena Game Card – $10 value (one per person)
New. Collect Fastpass tickets for multiple attractions at one time.
Preferred Seating at a choice of select shows in Disney's California
Adventure
Exclusive – Walt Disney Travel Company collectible pin and lanyard
(one per person)
Exclusive – Walt Disney Travel Company California Fun Book (one
per package)
Exclusive – Disneyland Resort Magical Pocket Guide (one per package)
You can book this package through your local AAA affiliate travel agent.
Disney's Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular
12:30p, 2:15p, 5p
Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! 10:30a,
11:30a, 12:30p, 2:15p, 3:15p, 4:15p
The Ugly Bug Ball 11a, noon, 1p, 2:30p, 3:30p,
4:30p
The Magic of Brother Bear 11:30a, 12:30p,
1:30p, 3p, 4p, 5p
Mulan's Chinese New Year Greetings 10:30a,
11:30a, 12:30p, 1:30p, 3p 4p 5p
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen Rob Kloptenstein
6:30p
PSST!
Did you recently notice something new or different in the park? Are you a CM with something intriguing to share? Heard any good rumors lately, or know of something our readers will wanna know? Send them in so we can follow up on them!
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