Disneyland Resort Update for August 15-21, 2016

Disneyland Resort Update for August 15–21, 2016

Go directly to: News & Views | Join our Networks | Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Resort Events | Merchandise Events | Discounts and Promotions | Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

News and Views

Main Street Electrical Parade returns to Disneyland in 2017 | Disney adding seven-story parking structure near Anaheim GardenWalk | Disneyland Resort 2016 CHOC-Tober ticket discount details | This and that... | Crowd Forecast

Main Street Electrical Parade returns to Disneyland in 2017

A bit more than 20 years since its grand "Glowing Away" season, the Main Street Electrical Parade is returning to Disneyland in Spring 2017. That announcement last week, along with word that the Paint the Night parade is returning to Disneyland on "select nights" during the 2016 holiday season, sparked a storm of discussion on social media (I shared my own take on the announced plans last week here on MousePlanet).

The Disneyland announcement provided the additional details: The Main Street Electrical Parade would return to Disneyland park (not Disney California Adventure), for a "limited-time encore engagement" in 2017.

Prior to that, the Paint the Night parade, which Disney had previously announced would end its 60th Anniversary engagement on Monday, September 5, will return on select nights during the holiday season.

In response to a reader question about the rumored relocation of Paint the Night to Florida, Disneyland's Erin Glover said, "Future plans have not yet been determined, but at this time there are no plans to bring 'Paint the Night' to Walt Disney World Resort."

Disney adding seven-story parking structure near Anaheim GardenWalk

Disneyland last week filed plans to begin construction of a new parking structure on the east side of the resort, as well as a pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard to link the new parking structure with the Disneyland Resort entrance.

As we previously reported, the new 6,800-space parking structure and a new transit center will be constructed on land Disney owns along Manchester Avenue, behind the existing Pumba parking lot. Disney purchased two lots, and has already demolished the building on one of them.

Based on plans filed with the city, and obtained by the Orange County Register, the new parking structure will sit on the current Pumba parking lot. The transit center will occupy the northern of the two Manchester lots, with the building on the southern lot left untouched. That building is currently occupied by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service.

A pedestrian pathway along the western edge of the parking structure leads to a "pedestrian connector" and the elevated "Harbor pedestrian bridge." The pathway will be constructed on the site of the Carousel Inn and Suites, a 131-room hotel directly across the street from the Disneyland Resort's Harbor Boulevard pedestrian entrance. Disney bought the land in 2015, though the hotel remained open. As we reported last week, employees of the Carousel Inn received WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act notices saying that the hotel will close in October. The layoff affects 60 employees.

Here's your new walk to @Disneyland... the transportation hub and parking lot is about .5 miles to the park entrance pic.twitter.com/WVAE3vMAnf

— OC Disney (@ocdisney) August 11, 2016

A close look at the plans reveals some interesting details, and raises a number of questions about the project.

How do you get there? As part of the construction of the Mickey and Friends parking structure, Disney worked with Caltrans (the California Department of Transportation) to create a new offramp from the southbound Interstate 5 highway onto Disneyland Drive. Disney also built a flyover bridge to carry traffic over Ball Road to and from the parking structure. It's unclear from the portion of the plans released whether there is a similar route planned to service the new parking lot.

How do you get to Disneyland? The Orange County Register measures the walk from the new parking structure to the Disneyland esplanade as being about a half mile, roughly the same distance as between the Mickey and Friends parking structure and the Disneyland main entrance. Yet the plans give every indication that the only access between the new structure and the theme parks in on foot. By comparison, Disney operates an expensive and elaborate tram service to and from the Mickey and Friends structure.

As it stands, it appears that guests who park in the new lot—mostly those coming from the south of the Disneyland Resort—will enjoy a long walk to and from their cars at night. Those parking in Mickey and Friends—mostly those driving in from the north—will still have the option to take a tram.

Guests with mobility impairments currently have the option of taking a shuttle van from the Mickey and Friends structure, or riding the bus from the Toy Story parking lot. It is unknown whether Disney plans to offer any type of transportation from the new lot.

Update: a Disney spokesperson says, "For our guests with disabilities, there will be special shuttles from the Eastern Gateway that the will take guests directly to a drop off area near the Esplanade."

What is the "security gateway?" Adjacent to the new transportation facility is a large area marked "security gateway," ringed by what appears to be 20 or more pedestrian portals and two mass-exit gates. This appears to be a brand-new bag check/guest screening area, serving those coming from the new parking structure but also those arriving by bus to the transportation facility.

If true, this moves guest screening quite some distance from the Disneyland main entrance. There is no secondary screening visible on the map after guests navigate the pedestrian bridge and arrive on Disney property.

What happens to the Toy Story lot? For now, it appears that Disney will still offer bus transportation from the Toy Story parking lot. An area parallel to Harbor Boulevard and adjacent to Disney California Adventure is marked "Disney shuttle drop off," and appears to be a bus hub.

What happens to the hotels along Harbor? It's impossible to tell from these plans how the new structure and entrance might impact visitors staying at the hotels along Harbor Boulevard. Several Harbor hotels are much closer to the Disneyland main entrance than the three Disney-owned hotels, and they heavily advertise that advantage.

Some have suggested that guests staying at the Harbor hotels will either need to walk to the new "security gateway," or take a hotel shuttle or the Anaheim Resort Transit bus to the transportation facility. From there, they would pass through the security gateway and across the pedestrian connector to reach the Disneyland Resort. That would make the Harbor hotels much less attractive to people looking to avoid Disney transportation.

Update: a Disney spokesperson says "Guests staying in the hotels on Harbor Boulevard will be able to access the Resort without going through the Eastern Gateway."

Is the Monorail beam moving? It appears that the plans show a new route for the Disneyland Monorail, which will change course to make room for the new pedestrian bridge. In this graphic by Twitter user Kolby Ratigan, the current Monorail route is in red, with the new route shown on Disney's plans highlighted in blue.

Then/Now of the reroute for the Disneyland Monorail, makes way for Marvel expansion and new guest bridge. pic.twitter.com/ptfpC8DYMq

— Kolby Ratigan (@kolbykonnection) August 11, 2016

What about that empty space north of Disney California Adventure? Disney's map leaves a curious blank area marked as "Disneyland Resort East Esplanade" with a notation that it's not part of the final site plan. That area currently houses the ground transportation arrivals hub for the resort. In his map, Kolby Ratigan marked that area "Marvel Land," but of course Disney has made no formal announcement of any such plans.

The work is part of Phase III of the Disneyland Resort Specific Plan, created in cooperation with the City of Anaheim in 1993. This phase was originally planned for completion in 2010, and allows for the east parking structure to house over 17,000 cars on a 30-acre site. Had it been built to that scale, the second parking structure would be larger than the Mickey and Friends structure, and would have bested Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for the honor of the largest parking structure in the United States.

Disneyland Resort 2016 CHOC-Ttober ticket discount details

We have the details of the 2016 CHOC-tober discount ticket promotion for those who participate in the 2016 CHOC Walk on October 30.

In addition to helping support an outstanding local charity, one of the benefits of participating in the CHOC Walk is the opportunity to purchase discounted Disneyland tickets during the CHOC-tober promotion. Walkers who meet the $85 fundraising minimum can purchase a 1-Day 1-Park Disneyland Resort ticket for $55 (reg. $89–$119), or a Disneyland Resort 1-Day Park Hopper ticket for $83 (reg. $149–$169).

The tickets can only be purchased by registered walkers in person at the Disneyland Resort on the day of the walk. You must present your CHOC Walk in the Park wristband to a Disneyland Resort Ticket Booth to purchase the discounted tickets. A maximum of five tickets may be purchased per wristband, which represents a savings of up to $430.

The tickets are valid starting October 30, 2016, and must be used by November 30, 2016. The tickets are not valid November 19–23, 2016 (Thanksgiving week).

This and that...

...This weekend is "Back to Disneyland Saturday," our name for the first Saturday that Deluxe annual passholders can use their passes for admission since Saturday blackouts started in March 2016. It is typically a very busy day at Disneyland. Look for large crowds again on Monday, when Southern California and Southern California Select annual passholders return following the summer blockout season.

…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 bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit Disneyland.com—this information is no longer available from the automated phone service.

Disneyland

• Frontierland Shootin' Exposition – closed through August 18 for refurbishment.
• Haunted Mansion – closed August 22 through September 8 to install the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
• Hyperpace Mountain – closed September 6–8 to install the Ghost Galaxy overlay.
• Main Street Mad Hatter – closed September 6–9 for refurbishment.
• The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln – closed August 22 for refurbishment. No reopening date announced, but after September 18.
• Indiana Jones Adventure – closed September 12–14 for refurbishment.
• Donald's Boat – closed September 12 for refurbishment. Reopening date after September 18.

The following attractions are all closed for Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America, and are expected to reopen in spring 2017 or later:

• Disneyland Railroad
• Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
• Fantasmic!
• Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
• Sailing Ship Columbia
• Mark Twain Riverboat

Disney California Adventure

• King Triton's Carousel – closed through August 25 for refurbishment.
• Tower of Terror – closed for refurbishment August 29 through Sept 1.
• The Little Mermaid – Ariel's Undersea Adventure – closes September 6 for refurbishment. Reopening date after September 18.
• Hot Dog Hut – closes September 6 for refurbishment. Reopening date after September 18.
• Muppet*Vision 3D – closed indefinitely. The theater has been renamed the Sunset Showcase Theater, and will likely be used for movie previews until a permanent replacement is found.

Disneyland Resort

• House of Blues Anaheim – closed as of May 31. Disney has not said not yet announced plans for the 23,000-square-foot restaurant and concert venue.

Resort Events

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).

2016

• Back to Disneyland Saturday – Saturday, August 20. This will be the first Saturday that Deluxe annual passholders can use their passes for admission since Saturday blackouts started in March, 2016. It is typically a very busy day at Disneyland.
• Back to Disneyland Monday – Monday, August 22. This will be the first day that Southern California and Southern California Select annual passholders can use their passes for admission following the summer blockout season. It is typically a very busy day at Disneyland.
• 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 1–4. Registration is still open for the Half Marathon event. All other race distances are sold out. Volunteer registration is no longer available. Details on the runDisney website.
• Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration – through September 5
• Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort – September 9 to October 31.
• Mickey's Halloween Party – September 23, 26, 28, 30; October 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 29, 31. Tickets on sale now.
• Gay Days Anaheim (unofficial event) – September 30 to October 2. More information at the event website.
• 2016 CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 30 at the Disneyland Resort. MousePlanet readers, friends, and family are invited to register with Team MousePlanet and walk with our group. Registration is now open at www.chocwalk.org
• Dapper Day Fall Soiree (unofficial event) – Sunday, November 6. More information at the event website. This popular event grows larger each year, so it's worth making note of the date if you plan to visit the park during this weekend.
• 2016 Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend – November 10–13. Formerly called the Avengers Half Marathon. Registration is open for all events except the Captain America 5K and the runDisney Kids Races. Register via the runDisney website.
• Season of the Force – no end date announced.

2017

• 2017 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 12–15, 2017. Registration is still open for the Half Marathon event. All other race distances are sold out through runDisney, but charities like Team Muscle Makers have space available.
• "Use it or lose it" weekend – January 28–29, 2017. Our designation for the final weekend of January, which marks the deadline for cast members, community groups, and Club 33 members to use their remaining complementary admission tickets from the 2016 allocation.
• 2017 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 11–14, 2017. Registration opens September 20, 2016.
• D23 Expo – July 14–16, 2017. Tickets are now on sale through the official D23 website.

We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website. When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it's best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.

Non-Disney Resort Events

Notable events at parks and attractions around Southern California. If you know of an event that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

Knott's Berry Farm

• Ghost Town 75th Anniversary – through September 5
• Knott's Scary Farm – select nights September 22 to October 31.

Legoland California

• Brick-Or-Treat – October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29.
• Kids' New Year's Eve – December 31.

Sea World San Diego

• Summer Nights – May 28 to September 5.
• Sea World's Summer Vibes – June 17 to August 15.
• Halloween Spooktacular – September 24–25; October 1–2; 8–9; 15–16; 22–23; 29–30.
• Wintery Wonderland – November 18, 2016 to January 1, 2017

Universal Studios Hollywood

• Halloween Horror Nights – dates to be announced

Six Flags Magic Mountain

• Fright Fest – September 17, 18, 24, 25, 30, October 1, 2, 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30
• Holiday in the Park – November 19 - January 1

School Holidays

Notable school holidays that may impact park attendance. If you know of any other holidays that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

2016

• Admissions Day/Labor Day Weekend – September 2–5. Most Los Angeles schools have a 4-day weekend.
• Columbus Day – Monday, October 10. Many locals schools are closed.
• Nevada Day (observed) – Friday, October 28. A school holiday for our neighbors to the northeast creates a 3-day weekend and usually adds to the Halloween weekend crowds. Some Nevada schools take the entire week off as a Fall Break.
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. "Utah Escapes to Anaheim") – October 20–21. Expect holiday-level crowds October 19–24 as Utah students and families take advantage of a Fall Break scheduled around an annual state education convention. Not all Utah schools close for UEA, but the impact on the resort is significant enough to mention.
• Thanksgiving Break – November 21–25. Many local schools close for the entire week of Thanksgiving.
• Winter Break – December 19, 2016 – January 6, 2017. Most schools close only two of these three weeks, but some districts close all three weeks due to the Saturday Christmas.

2017

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, January 16.
• Cesar Chavez Day – Friday, March 31. Many locals schools are closed.
• Spring Break – March 13 – April 14. The 4-week period during which most local schools will observe a one-week spring holiday.

Merchandise Events

Current Discounts & Promotions

Disneyland prices as of February 28, 2016.

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.

Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside the gates stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Disneyland admission, and may result in denial of entry. It is also common for criminals to shoplift inactivated Disney theme park tickets from supermarkets to resell them. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or travel agency.

Ticket Prices and Promotions

Additional Discounts

Did we miss an offer? If you know of an authorized discount on Disneyland Resort tickets, standing offers for Annual Passholders from non-Disney vendors, or other promotions which might interest our readers, please drop us a note!

Discounts for:

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

• DL – Disneyland
• DCA – Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockouts:

• SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
• SC – Southern California Annual Pass
• DX – Deluxe Annual Pass
• SG – Signature Annual Pass

Early Admission – full description available on the Disneyland website):

• MM – Magic Mornings for 3-plus day ticket holders, promotional "bonus" tickets, and Southern California CityPASS
• EMH – Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests
• EA – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• FW – Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
• GN – Grad Nite.
• MHP – Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland

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.

The Seasons calendar is published on the Disneyland website for the next 8-11 months.

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