Disneyland Park Update

Update for September 6-13, 2005

Go directly to: News & Views| Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures| Park Events| Discounts/Promotions| Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

News and Views

MouseAdventure registration is open

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).

Ticket prices up, food prices down (for now)

As of last Friday, Disneyland annual passes were given a not-entirely-unexpected price increase. Except for the SoCal Annual Pass, which keeps the same price, all other passes get a $20 increase. The new prices are:

• SoCal Select - $119
• SoCal - $149
• Deluxe - $229
• Premium - $349

The free parking add-on (included with a premium annual pass) remains the same at $49.

Renew-by-mail forms that reflect the old prices will be honored at those prices, which means that including the $20 renewal discount would mean a $40 discount on current prices for most annual passes. Though other ticket prices rose earlier this year, it is the first price increase for annual passes since October 18 last year. The blanket $20 increase makes the Premium Annual Pass cheaper in relation to the Deluxe pass (the premium raises 6 percent while the Deluxe raises 9.5 percent), which is an interesting development for the school of thought that annual passes are too cheap.

The new board at the ticket booths. Photo by David Michael.

Except for the psychological impact of the cheapest pass crossing $100, it doesn't seem likely they will drastically reduce total demand for annual passes.

Offsetting the price increase are new food discount policies for all annual passes. As of last Friday, all annual passes receive at least a 10-percent discount at almost every Disneyland, DCA, and on-property hotel dining location. Premium annual passport holders will receive a 15-percent discount. Excluded locations include Outdoor Vending carts, Club 33, and Napa Rose. The requirement that you spend $10 to qualify for the discount remains in effect (though reports conflict on how strongly this is enforced). Here is the list of all locations offering the new discounts.

Disneyland

Bengal BBQ
Blue Bayou
Blue Ribbon Bakery
Cafe Orleans
Carnation Cafe
Club Buzz
French Market
Golden Horseshoe
Hungry Bear
Plaza Inn
Rancho del Zocalo
Redd Rockett's Pizza Port
Refreshment Corner (Coke Corner)
Riverbelle Terrace
Stage Door Cafe
Toontown Dining
Village Haus

Disney's California Adventure

Ariel's Grotto
Award Wieners
Baker's Field Bakery
Burger Invasion
Cocina Cucamonga
Corn Dog Castle
Cove Bar
Golden Vineyard Bar
Pacific Wharf Cafe
Pizza Oom Mow Mow
Strips, Dips 'n' Chips
Taste Pilots Grill
The Vineyard Room
Wine Country Trattoria

Disneyland On-Property Hotels

Croc's Bits 'n' Bites
PCH Grill
Goofy's Kitchen
Granville's Steakhouse
Hearthstone Lounge
Hook's Pointe
Lobby Bar
Lost Bar
Pool Bars
Storytellers Cafe
Top Brass
White Water Snacks
Wine Cellar
Yamabuki

Unfortunately, if you want to offset the pass price increase with increased food discounts, you will need to hurry. The word from several sources is that in October, food prices will go up almost completely across the board from Outdoor Vending carts to the full-service restaurants. While increases vary, they will mostly be within the 5-10% range.

Pin Trading consolidation

The Bonanza Outfitters store in Frontierland has been turned into the Silver Spur Pin Store. The nearby pin cart is now selling Toy Story plush and other small souvenirs. Silver Spur Pin Stor joins Buzz Lightyear Store Command and the pin trading area in Plaza Gardens as the central location for all your pin needs.

PrimeTime Weekend

Just days before Australian TV and radio stations said it would be happening, we are finally able to confirm, beyond any doubt, that there will be no ABC PrimeTime Weekend at Disney's California Adventure. As we previously reported, a promotion for Desperate Housewives in Australia was giving away trips to Disney's California Adventure on September 10 and 11 to attend the PrimeTime Weekend event and meet the stars of that show. Presumably, the contest winners will be meeting stars at some other location.

The Lion, The Witch, and the Millionaire

A new meet-and-greet will be installed in the former Who Wants to Be a Mllionaire show building later this year after The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe hits theaters on December 9. The current plan will have guests meeting the White Witch in her icy lair. The character will be a "face" character and not a full costume one. The White Witch will interact with guests but probably will not make any physical contact.

Coolest Ride in the Galaxy

Beginning October 1 and running through the end of the month, Honda will be running a promotional giveaway tying its 2006 Honda Civic to the reopening of Space Mountain. Full details have not yet been released, but one new 2006 Civic will be given away each day at a large set up in the Esplanade. Beyond knowing that each park visitor can receive one scratch-off entry each day as they enter the park, no further information about how it will work has been released (or how, other than in the graphic this is being tied to Space Mountain). A display will appear in the Esplanade on September 15 at which time full details wll be available.

© Disney.

Downgrading the soundstage

Work is slowly beginning on a "beautification project" for the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area of Disney's California Adventure in preparation for the opening of Mike and Sully to the Rescue in early 2006. The soundstage then will be minimized as area is turned into something more friendly on the eyes and less austere.

This photo, taken at 2:00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon (of a three-day weekend, no less) demonstrates the attendance problems at Disney's California Adventure. Photo by David Michael.

Executives are proposing all kinds of ideas on how to help with the parks attendance, which continues to lag even lowered expectations, except for a short-lived blip in the afternoons when people cross the Esplanade from Disneyland to take in the highly rated Block Party Bash parade and then return to Disneyland.

New photo mosaics

Two new photo mosaics have been put up recently: One is for The Muppets' Wizard of Oz and the other is for Chicken Little. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you don't approve of them using what is a nostalgic tribute as a promotional tool for upcoming efforts), they've been installed on the wall around Schmoozie's in Disney's California Adventure. These are not the first murals in that park as the Pixar films were already used for mosaics around Sunchine Plaza.

The two new photo mosaics are installed above existing traditional mosaics. Photo by David Michael.

The Chicken Little mosaic features that film's lead. Photo by David Michael.

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz mosaic has Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog. Photo by David Michael.

This photo shows the kind of thing that is normally in these two alcoves. Photo by David Michael.

Mickey's Halloween Treat update

We heard many people express concern that the Mickey's Halloween Treat tickets would sell out while still in the Annual Pass pre-purchase period. As of today, 10-days before the tickets go on sale to the general public on September 15, tickets are still available for all four scheduled dates.

Entertainment reminder

Just a reminder that with Labor Day Weekend in the rear view mirror, many of the entertainment options at Disneyland resort are going into their off-season schedules.

Remember…Dreams Come True fireworks are now on a Friday and Saturday only schedule (still at 9:25 p.m.). The earlier plan to offer them on Sundays as well has apparently been scrapped. The only Sunday shows during the off-season will be on three-day weekends.
Parade of Dreams is now showing just once per day (at 7:00 p.m.) on Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday, both the afternoon and evening performances will be held (3:15 p.m and 7:00 p.m).
Snow White…An Enchanting Musical is now on hiatus and will not be shown at all during the off season. It is still expected to return for another run next summer before being retired for good, but that could always change before then.
Fantasmic is down to shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with only one show on Sundays.
Disney's Electrical Parade is on hiatus for the off-season, though it will return for a short stint during the holidays.
Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular will not be shown on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Ears to the ground...

…There is some rumbling of a Fantasmic Special Edition for the long-running shows 15th season in 2007. The Entertainment Division is said to be bouncing around several interesting ideas. This could coincide with a remodelling of the French Market restaurant we also hear is on the drawing board for 2007.

…Rumors of a Cars-themed attraction continue to crop up. Though the latest one heard moves it from being a DCA E-ticket to being a retheming of Autopia at Disneyland when the Chevron sponsorship of that ride expires in 2008. The rumormill is still consistent in putting an Incredibles-themed flying roller coaster in part of what is now the Timon parking lot.

…Rumors also are also saying there is a Woody (from the Toy Story movies) dark ride on the drawing boards. It would theoretically go in the area behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and help fill the transition between Frontierland and Fantasyland. As all these rumors indicate it would be a good thing if other rumors about improvements in the relationship between Pixar and Disney are true.

…Research and development work is investigating a next generation of articulated character heads that would allow characters such as Mickey Mouse to move their mouths in scripted performances (such as parades).

…It is expected that the El Capitan Theater will be one of the limited number of theaters debuting the new Disney Digital 3-D technology when Chicken Little opens later this year. The new technology teams Disney with Dolby Digital and Industrial Light & Magic and reportedly creates a much better viewing experience and uses more comfortable glasses. The technology requires new digital projectors, which will be installed at 100 theaters in 25 markets for the film's release.

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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Disneyland

• Haunted Mansion closed September 12–29 to install Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay; closed Jan. 9–25, 2006 to remove overlay.
• 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 accident on July 29, 2005. Reopen date has not yet been announced.
• Drawn to Animation closed to be replaced with Animation Academy September 17, 2005.

  
  The new sign for Animation Academy is now in place. Photo by David Michael.

• Monster, Inc.: Mike and Sully to the Rescue is under construction and will open in early 2006.

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

• Thomas Kinkade painting release and breakfast. September 10. Details not yet released (link).
• Degree All-In Poker Experience. September 13. Poker tutorial and contest at ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney. Limited free seating on first-com 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

• 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 scultpure 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.