Update for September 12-19, 2005

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News and Views

MousePlanet Events

Just a reminder that registration is now open for the autumn edition of our MouseAdventure game. Details and registration can be found on our MouseAdventure page (link).

Also, MousePlanet has organized a group trip to Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland in Spring 2006. If you might be interested, see the details here.

Increasingly Interactive

In recent weeks, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Online (WDPRO, the division of the Disney parks that brought us Buzz Lightyear Online and Virtual Magic Kingdom) has been conducting focus group testing of a new program that, if funded, will bring interactive elements to an increasing number of Disneyland (and eventually other park) attractions.

For the proof of concept phase, they wired both Haunted Mansion and Tom Sawyer Island for two completely different experiences that can be delivered through the same technology. Having conducted focus group testing and culminating over the weekend with internal Disney demonstrations, things now head off to management for final decisions on funding and scope. If all goes well for them, this is technology that could be in the park in the next year or two.

Using modified Pocket PC PDAs—although the final technology could be very different by the time this actually goes live—the first interactive experience demonstrated was at Haunted Mansion. The goal of the game is to "capture" the ghosts as you move through the ride. RF (radio frequency) transmitters are planted throughout the ride so that the game can keep track of where you are. On the screen will appear an image of an upcoming ghost and the player must find the ghost and point their machine at that ghost to "capture" it. In reality the player is pointing the infrared (IR) receiver in the PDA at an IR transmitter on or near the ghost in question. Once that connection is held long enough, the PDA registers it, tells the player that the ghost is ready to be captured and the player captures the ghost by tapping the screen. In the version tested this last week, there were three levels of difficulty (in the hardest, up to 24 ghosts could be captured during the five-minute ride). It is likely, though, that the game would be modified and expanded before a real roll-out.

On Tom Sawyer Island a completely different experience was offered. Instead of focusing on action, the game focused on storytelling. The goal is to find "Injun Joe's Treasure" and to do so the player has to visit various sections of the island as well as play mini-games on the machine in order to win clues. Unlike the Haunted Mansion game, Tom Sawyer Island makes extensive use of audio, which is experienced through headphones attached to the players machine. RF transmitters are again used to track your location throughout the island and to trigger the appropriate audio and mini-games. Up to about an hour of game play and storytelling has been created for the island.

There isn't much testing to do at this point, but if you happen to notice people on Tom Sawyer Island with large fanny packs and staring at some kind of boxy toy you'll know what's going on.

There are still a lot of hurdles to jump before this project actually ends up in the park for real, and it is unknown at this point how it would actually be implemented and offered to guests. Or even exactly which rides would be involved; the hope would be fore many more than just Tom Sawyer Island and Haunted Mansion.

Christmas plans

First, we want to remind everybody that earlier plans to move the holiday parade from Disneyland to Disney's California Adventure have been scrapped and the parade will be staying at Disneyland. Disney's California Adventure will instead call back the Disney's Electrical Parade from its hiatus beginning Friday, December 16, and through the end of the year.

Other plans at Disneyland for Christmas include the eviction of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus from Main Street's Town Square into the cottage at Little Patch of Heaven in Frontierland behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. In addition to Santa and his wife, the whole area will be made over for the holidays including a display of live reindeer (any rumors that they will just glue horns onto the goats already living there are completely unfounded). The picnic tables at the Big Thunder BBQ area next door may also be opened up as a holiday crafts location for children; an alternate plan for the area, though, is to use it as an overflow dining area as has been done during other recent peak attendance periods.

Other off-season changes

In last week's review of the entertainment changes wrought by the end of summer were a few missed that we missed. The biggest was that Labor Day was the final day of performances for "D.U.H.," a comedy improv show performed at the stage in DCA's Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Block Party Bash, though it is scoring very well in guest surveys has also been trimmed back. The third show stop, in the area surrounding Paradise Pier's Route 66 store has been cut. The parade still travels the entire parade route, but now only stops for the performances at Sunshine Plaza and in front of "a bug's land." If park attendance is particularly low on a given day, a decision may be made to do just the first show stop.

Kinkade painting release

The weekend's release of the essentially unlimited limited editions of Thomas Kinkade's Sleeping Beauty Castle painting went pretty well according to accounts posted to our message board. Kinkade presented the painting at a breakfast hosted at Grand Californian Hotel and then moved over to the Disney Gallery at Disneyland for signings.

Artist Thomas Kinkade discussing his painting with breakfast attendees. Photo by DeAnna Sanderson.

An unobstructed view of the Thomas Kinkade painting. Photo by DeAnna Sanderson.

Buyers who did not attend the breakfast had to wait in line at the Disney Gallery for their chance to buy and schmooze with the artist. Photo by Alex Stroup

Halloween Treat details

When tickets go on sale for Mickey's Halloween Treat later this week (Thursday, September 15), you may want to make buying them a priority. While tickets were still available on all dates as of last Friday, online purchases had been stopped, apparently to prevent overselling—and at least some dates were down to just several hundred remaining tickets.

We do not know the total number of tickets being sold, or if any block of tickets have been withheld for the general public, but it would probably be best to assume that your preferred day will sell out quickly. The number to call for ordering is (714) 781-4400 or at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths.

As for what exactly will be going on that night? Details still remain a bit sketchy (in fact, they're not all yet final) but this is what we think is solid:

• Most, if not all attractions will be open including Tower of Terror and Soarin' (and California Screamin' should it be reopened by then).
• The park will be decorated for Halloween but not anything so extravagant as what is done at Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris or even at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom for its Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP).
• The events will not have a unique parade as is done for MNSSHP but there may be a special performance of Block Party Bash, with it being enhanced in some way (though this may just be Halloween costumes for the characters).
• Trick or Treating will be for candy and not the simple throwaway items provided for the cast member trick or treating event (where children receive a ticket book and end up with things like an ABC antenna ball or a plastic spider ring). There is not yet any word on a sponsor or sponsors for the candy. If there is one Nestle, which sponsors the candy at MNSSHP, would be the obvious candidate.
• Food options will either be limited to just ODV carts, or to a combination of ODV carts and the smallest of the counter service locations (such as Award Wieners and Corn Dog Castle). Presumably alcohol sales will continue, though the bar at Ariel's Cove will not be open.

Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of this event is institutional. In what is a seismic shift in getting these events approved, Mickey's Halloween Treat is being put on as an experiment and an exploration with little expectation that the event actually turn a profit (though nobody will complain if it does).

Minor closures

With summer over, smaller maintenance and construction projects projects have begun to pop up around Disneyland. New Century Timepieces is closed for about a month while the interior of that store is given a full cleanup. While the custom artisan watches sold at that location are not available during the closure, other watches and timepieces are available at other locations around the resort.

New Century Timepieces is being repainted on the outside, but the extensive work is being done behind the closed curtains. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Kodak Photo Supply is also closed for about a month while getting a complete refurbishment and likely using the opportunity to install new equipment and reorganize a space designed for a different era of camera and photography needs. There is a rumor that Kodak is actually hoping to eventually get moved into the empty space inside Plaza Pavilion, which is much larger. Most recently that space was used for annual pass processing and currently the porch hosts the Nestle cookie making experience, one of the pianos for Refreshment Corner and the courtyard is filled with pin carts. While the Kodak Photo Supply store is closed, the pickup location for official park photos has been moved to a tent outside the Disneyland entry gates.

The pick-up location for official in-park photogrsphs is temporarily located in the Esplanade between the Disneyland gates and Guest Services. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Snow White's Grotto, to the right of Sleeping Beauty Castle and home of the wishing well, is blocked off for an unknown duration while the area is resurfaced. Interestingly, the music in the area has not been turned off, so you can still stand outside the construction wall and listen to Snow White sing.

The temporary location, as with the normal location, is much busier at the end of the day. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Finally, as of today Haunted Mansion is closed for 17 days to install the Nightmare Before Christmas holiday overlay.

Over at Disney's California Adventure, they are starting the process of closing down the back half of Hollywood Pictures Backlot. With "D.U.H." having performed the last show at the stage, there really was no reason for anybody to go back there other than to look at the pictures on the Monsters, Inc., construction wall. As of late last week Rizzo's Prop and Pawn Shop, the Muppets-related store, is closed and will be rethemed, either to something combining Muppets and Monsters, Inc., or just Monsters, Inc. Expectations are that their will soon be construction walls up blocking everything beyond Schnoozies, and MuppetVision on one end and beyond the restrooms at the other end. If the information about a The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe meet-and-greet in the Millionaire show building is true, presumably the wall would come down or be shifted by early December. If the area does open up then, the "D.U.H." show may return then as well.

The area around the wishing well in Snow White's Grotto has been completely dug up for work that may be more extensive than just repaving. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Aggressive photographers

[Warning: No actual news in this item: pure opinion]

It isn't just Reese Witherspoon (link) having problems with aggressive photographers at Disneyland. Perhaps it is simply an attempt to theme the official photographers at Disney's California Adventure into a real Hollywood adventure, but recently they have become increasingly aggressive in their efforts to get guests to pause for photos (hoping you'll later spend the money on a print). On a recent walk from the DCA entry gates to the Grand California Hotel exit, this writer was asked no fewer than five times to pause for a photograph, including one cast member who physically stood in the way requiring a detour around him.

Other visits to DCA this last weekend showed the same behavior when trying to traverse the mob of photographers waiting at the Golden Gate Bridge, and they approach you both coming and going. Meanwhile, the photographers performing the same duties over at Disneyland continue to take a relatively low-key approach and quickly move on at the first negative from the guest. One DCA photographer managed to ask three times before he was passed.

Have you experienced the same thing, or was this just a bad weekend for it? If you want to vent, or explain, please drop us a line (link).

New rafts

The sharp-eyed Disneyland visitor may have noticed something about the river raft parked, during the day, along the lower patio at Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country. It is a completely new raft and is about four feet longer than the existing rafts used during the day shuttling guests to and from Tom Sawyer Island. Kinks are still being worked out with the new raft, which is only used at night to transport employees to Tom Sawyer Island. One questioned cast member reported that the new raft handles clumsily (in addition to being longer, it also rides high in the water), among other issues. Once approved for public use, all of the rafts will be replaced with new ones.

The old beat up rafts are still in use transporting guests to Tom Sawyer Island. Photo by Alex Stroup.

The new, slightly larger, raft is parked at Hungry Bear Restaurant during the day and only used at night until the kinks are worked out. Photo by Alex Stroup.

Ears to the ground...

…It seems that when the Spaghetti Station restaurant across from the Anaheim Sheraton was demolished a couple months ago, it took with it a couple cell phone towers. Rumor has it that at least one major cell phone provider is negotiating to install a new cell tower in the west side of Disneyland somewhere (it would probably end up masked in a new fake tree). This would help considerably with spotty cell coverage inside of Disneyland. Whether this is a good thing is left to individual preferences.

…After park closing last Thursday, new pyrotechnic effects for the Remember…Dreams Come True fireworks show were tested. The new effects are launched from the area of "it's a small world" and are intended to further enhanced the viewing experience from that location. Though viewing from there has been much improved with projections on to the ride's facade, there still remains a couple dead spots in the show when all the action is happening behind viewers at that area. As of last Friday's performance, the new effects had not been added to the live performance.

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Don't keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips, rumors, and comments. E–mail us here.

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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

• Snow White, An Enchanted Musical closed. On hiatus during off season; expected to return for final season in summer 2006.
• Haunted Mansion closed September 12–29 to install Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay; closed Jan. 9–25, 2006 to remove overlay.
• Kodak Photo Supply closed for refurbishment until approximately October 1. While closed official photo pickup has been relocated to a tent in the Esplanade.
• New Century Timepieces closed for refurbishment until approximately October 1. While closed the customized artisan watches are not available.
• it's a small world closed October 24–November 10 to install holiday overlay; closed January 9-25, 2006, to remove overlay
• Pirates of the Caribbean closed March 6–June 16, 2006 for major refurbishment and possible show updates.
• Disneyland Monorail closure beginning sometime in January 2006. Not yet announced, though expected involve almost a complete rebuilding of Tomorrowland Station to accommodate Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, a complete refurbishment (though not reconstruction) of the track, and hopefully new monorails to replace the existing vehicles.
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is currently under construction and will open sometime in 2007.

Disney's California Adventure

• California Screamin' is still closed following an accident on July 29, 2005. Reopen date has not yet been announced.
• Department of Untapped Hilarity (D.U.H.) on hiatus. May return.
• Disney's Electrical Parade on hiatus for the off season, except for a two week run starting December 16.
• Drawn to Animation closed to be replaced with Animation Academy September 17, 2005.
• Monsters, Inc.: Mike and Sully to the Rescue is under construction and will open in early 2006.
• Rizzo's Props and Pawn Shop closed and is being rethemed, most likely into something Monsters, Inc., related.

Downtown Disney

• Disney's Pin Traders. A new pin-trading and sales booth to be opened in October in the old ticket booth next to the monorail station.
• Anne Geddes. New flagship store for baby stuff designer. Taking up part of former location of MainSpring. Opening in October.
• Sunglass Icon. A new sunglasses store owned by Oakley. Signage indicates a summer opening, no word of actual date.

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.

Events

September

• Degree All-In Poker Experience. September 13. Poker tutorial and contest at ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney. Limited free seating on first-come first-serve basis.
• Robert Olszewski merchandise release. Postponed to September 17 at Disneyland Park. Several new pieces in his “Disneyland in Miniature” collection: Disney Showcase/Magic Shop/20th Century Music and Jungle Cruise as well as a pin trading cart and a marching band character pack.
• Gay Days. September 30-October 2. Unofficial event at Disneyland Park (information).

October

• CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park. October 2. Fundraising charity event for the Children's Hospital of Orange County (link).
• MousePlanet's MouseAdventure. October 15 and 16. MousePlanet's in-park game will be held on this weekend. Registration is open (link).
• Mickey's Halloween Treat. October 21, 22, 28, and 29 at Disney's California Adventure. A separately ticketed trick-or-treating event at DCA from 7:30-10:30 each night. Tickets are $20, and until September 15, Annual Pass holders may pre-purchase tickets for $15 at 714-781-4400. Online ticket purchases are available through the Disneyland Annual Pass Web site. Tickets can also be pre-purchased on site at the Disneyland Guest Services window (link).
• "To the Head of the Team, Zero!" October 22 at Disneyana. A new Nightmare Before Christmas sculpture release in the Walt Disney Classics Collection. Artist Dave Pacheco will be on hand for the release and signing (link).

November

• SHAG Park Map release. November 12. Details not currently available (link).

Current Discounts & Promotions

Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For convenience sake, 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 which works best for you. And keep those tips coming – let us know if you find a better / different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

Fourth Night Free

Get a fourth night free if you stay at any of the three Disneyland Resort hotels for three or more consecutive nights. Visits must happen through December 18, 2005 (link).

2005 Resort Magic Package

This package (link) for couples includes two nights' lodging and a park hopper tickets. Travel must occur “value seasons” from August 28–November 21, 2005; and November 27–December 23, 2005.

• 50th Anniversary commemorative certificate (one per package)
• Park Hopper bonus ticket, which includes one early entry into Fantasyland and a $10 ESPN Zone game card. (Park hopper tickets can be upgraded to an annual pass for an extra fee)
• Preferred seating to select shows at Disney's California Adventure
• Entry into Mickey's Toontown Madness
• Walt Disney Travel Co. lanyard and pin (one per person)
• Walt Disney Travel Co. luggage tag
• Walt Disney Travel Co. fun book (one per package)

Two versions of the package are available. For $349 per person (double occupancy) you can stay at one of the on–property Disney hotels. For $229 per person (double occupancy) you can get the same package while staying at the Jolly Roger Hotel or Red Roof Inn Maingate.

50th Anniversary Package

The Happiest Homecomings on Earth package has been revised for the new year. The previous promotion was good only for three–night stays at the Disneyland Resort hotels; the new offer is valid on longer stays and includes Good Neighbor Hotels as well.

Instead of the 50th anniversary commemorative clock and Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour, the new packages include all the following:

• “Enchanting” commemorative certificate (one per package)
• Park Hopper bonus ticket, which includes one early entry into Fantasyland and a $10 ESPN Zone game card. (Park hopper tickets can be upgraded to an annual pass for an extra fee)
• Preferred seating to select shows at Disney's California Adventure
• Entry into Mickey's Toontown Madness
• Walt Disney Travel Co. lanyard and pin (one per person)
• Walt Disney Travel Co. luggage tag
• Walt Disney Travel Co. fun book (one per package)

The “Happiest Homecoming on Earth” package is available for arrival dates through December 31, 2005. The package must be booked online through the Disneyland Web site (link) by December 28, 2005.

Free Child's Member pass

While supplies last if you make a $75 purchase at Downtown Disney's LEGO Imagination Center you will get one free child's Membership Pass to Legoland in San Diego, CA. The pass is good for children ages 3-12 and comes with unlimited park admission, special discounts, and a subscription to the Legoland Newsletter.

Free Stroller Rental

Holders of a Disney Visa card can get up to two free stroller rentals per day at the Disneyland Resort. This offer is valid through September 30, 2006 and you must present a valid Disney Visa card at time of rental.

ESPN Zone MVP Club

If you sign up online for ESPN Zone's MVP Club (link), you can receive a 40–point game card (about $10 worth), and an ESPN Zone mini–cooler. ESPN Club in Orlando is excluded from this offer. You must pick up these items in person, although they do not have to be used as the same store from which you get them. There are some fairly strict requirements for registering and getting your rewards, so make sure you read the details carefully (link).

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

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates 2005 page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland.

Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule for this week at Disneyland.com here.

Don't keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips, rumors, and comments. E–mail us here.

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!

PREVIOUS UPDATES

2005

• January: 3, 10, 17, 24
• February: 1, 7, 14, 21, 28
• March: 7, 14, 21, 28
• April: 4, 11, 18, 25
• May: 2, 9, 16, 23
• June: 1, 6, 13, 20, 27
• July: 5, 11, 19, 25
• August: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• September: 6, 12, 19, 26
• October: 3, 10, 24, 31
• November: 7

2004

• January: 5, 12, 19, 26
• Febuary: 2, 9, 16, 24
• March: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• April: 5, 12, 19, 26
• May: 3, 10, 18, 24
• June: 1, 7, 14, 21, 28
• July: 6, 12, 19, 26
• August: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• September: 7, 13, 20, 27
• October: 4, 11, 18, 25
• November: 1, 9, 15, 23, 29
• December: 7, 13, 20, 27

2003

• Jan: 6, 13, 20, 27
• Feb: 3, 10, 17, 24
• March: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
• April: 7, 14, 21, 28
• May: 5, 12, 19, 27
• June: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• July: 7, 14, 21, 28
• August: 4, 11, 18, 25
• September: 2, 8, 15, 22, 29
• October: 6, 14, 20, 27
• November: 3, 11, 17, 24
• December: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

2002

• Dec: 16, 23, 27

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