Disneyland Resort Update for November 9-15, 2015

by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix, staff writer
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Update for November 9–15, 2015

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

Christmas Countdown – candy canes, gingerbread, and Santa | Disneyland returns to the Rose Parade | The Season of the Force is almost upon us | Select passholders invited to "Celebration of the Season" Anniversary Event | Runners assemble for the 2015 Avengers Half Marathon Weekend | This and that... | Crowd Forecast

Christmas Countdown – candy canes, gingerbread, and Santa

The Holidays at the Disneyland Resort officially kick off this Friday, November 13, and runs through January 6, 2016. "it's a small world" holiday opened last week, with the Jingle Cruise scheduled to reopen Friday for the start of the season. As the countdown reaches the final days, we have the official 2015 candy cane dates, and info about two annual holiday events in Downtown Disney.

"it's a small world" holiday has returned for the 2015-2016 season. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Candy canes

Disneyland candy canes were once one of those little Disney gems, known to only a small group of fans. Social media helped spread the word, but it was a Food Network special that really made these scratch-made treats famous. Last year Disney expanded the offering to Trolley Treats, and doubled the number of days they are available.

Whether it's the deceptively simple recipe (the canes made in park contain no preservatives), or just the charm of watching candy makers cook, pull, and shape the canes in front of you, people will eschew the readily available premade canes and wait hours to get one fresh from the kitchen. Candy makers work in a hot, humid room to produce up to three batches a day, guarding against stray grains of sugar that can cause a batch to crystallize and be ruined.

Once cooled, the canes are sheathed in plastic and wrapped in bubble wrap, and sold for $12.99 to a crowd of eager customers. Disney now issues wristbands at the candy location on candy cane days, and you should plan to get there at park opening to snag one. Each color-coded wristband corresponds to a batch. If you don't want to watch the candies being made, managers will tell you when to come back to claim your treat. In all cases, you must return by 4:00 p.m., after which unclaimed candy canes are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.

No discounts apply, and there is a limit of two candy canes per person. Disney says that "All candy canes sold will be made fresh at the Disneyland Resort."

The official dates for 2015 are:

  • Disneyland Candy Palace – November 27; December 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 24
  • Disney California Adventure Trolley Treats – November 28, 30; December 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 25

Sleeping Beauty Castle is lightly decorated for the holidays, with the focus still on the 60th anniversary celebration. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

A wreath and a swag of garland were added to Sleeping Beauty Castle for the holidays. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Breakfast with Santa at Catal

This event is offered nine times for the 2015 season: two seatings each on December 12, 13, 19 and 20, and one seating on December 21. The event includes breakfast at Catal Restaurant in Downtown Disney, live entertainment, a photo opportunity with Santa Claus, and admission to a session of skating at Olaf's Ice Rink in Downtown Disney.

Tickets are $60 per adult, and $27 per child ages 3 to 10. Children 2 and under are free, but must be counted in the party size. Registration is now open—book online via the Patina Group website. Note: All sales are final.

Breakfast with Santa includes ice skating at Olaf's Frozen Ice Rink, currently under construction in Downtown Disney. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Gingerbread Workshop at Jazz Kitchen

This event is hosted three times in 2015: December 12, 19 and 20 at noon. The two-hour event lets you pair up with a family member to create and decorate your own gingerbread house, which you get to take home. The price is $48 for two people, which includes one gingerbread kit, with additional seats available for $12 each.

Tickets go on sale today, November 9, at 10:00 a.m. Book via the event website.

Disneyland returns to the Rose Parade

Disneyland has a history of leveraging the world-wide coverage of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade to help spread big marketing messages, and the tradition will continue this January when the Disneyland Resort enters a Diamond Celebration float in the 2016 parade. The float design shown on the Disney Parks Blog has three units. The central unit is a replica of Sleeping Beauty Castle, decorated for the 60th anniversary. The lead unit is Elsa's ice castle from Frozen. And the tail unit features an introduction to Star Wars Land, with a model tie fighter, X-wing fighter, and Millennium Falcon.

The float will appear in the 127th Rose Parade, which will be televised at 8:00 a.m. (Pacific) on January 1, 2016.

Disneyland's entry into the 2016 Tournament of Roses parades features Elsa's castle, Sleeping Beauty Castle, and Star Wars Land. Image © Disney.

Disneyland presented a float in the 2004 parade to promote the new Tower of Terror ride in Disney California Adventure. A float in the 2005 parade commemorated Disneyland's 50th anniversary celebration, and was followed in 2006 by a float featuring castles from three Disney theme parks—Anaheim, Florida, and Paris. In 2013, a float called Destination Cars Land helped introduce the new DCA expansion to the world.

The Season of the Force is almost upon us

Season of the Force is scheduled to begin November 16, with the debut of the new Tomorrowland Expo Center (the former Innoventions building), featuring the Star Wars Launch Bay and the Super Hero HQ. Additional signs for both offerings appeared on the building this week, and a new sign on the Tomorrowland Theater advertises the venue will present Star Wars: Path of the Jedi.

Hyperspace Mountain officially opens on November 16, though cast previews begin on the 13th. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

With the Avengers Super Hero Half Marathon Weekend happening this weekend, many have asked if there isn't a chance that Disney would throw a bone to all of the Marvel fans in town for the race, and offer a "soft opening" of at least the Super Hero HQ.

On Wednesday, Disneyland cast members were notified that cast previews for Hyperspace Mountain, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue (now with a new ride sequence) and the Tomorrowland Theater would be held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 13, 14 and 15. These previews take place very early in the day or very late at night, and do not include the Star Wars Launch Bay or the Super Hero HQ.

Super Hero HQ has a new sign on the Tomorrowland Expo Center. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

That may be a sign that the general public will be treated to limited soft openings of those three attractions before the official start of the Season of the Force, but it's still unclear if the Tomorrowland Expo Center will have a soft opening. There is a media event scheduled for Thursday, November 13, which implies that the building will be "show ready" by that time, but right now everything is conjecture.

Select passholders invited to "Celebration of the Season" Anniversary Event

If your Disneyland Resort annual passport expires between November 22, 2015 and January 30, 2016, you may have received a postcard with an invitation to a special annual passholder event. Targeted at passholders with soon-to-expire passes, and event is a continuation of a series of events designed to improve passholder renewal and retention rates.

The after-hours, holiday-themed event will be held at Disneyland on Tuesday, November 17. It starts at 10:00 p.m., and runs until 2:00 a.m., which is really inconvenient for passholders who have to go to school or work the next day, or care for children too young to stay up all night.

If your pass expires during the target window, visit the Annual Passholder website to register for the event. Registration officially opened on October 29, but a glitch with the website forced passholders to register by phone for the first few days. If you have trouble registering by phone, call (714) 781-7277 for assistance.

Eligible passholders can invite up to five annual passholder guests regardless of whether the guests' passes expire during the same window. Be prepared with the names and pass numbers of your guests, as you must provide those while registering. Registration closes November 16, 2015.

Runners assemble for the 2015 Avengers half marathon weekend

The second Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend begins this Thursday, November 12, and continues through Sunday, November 15. The event is expected to draw tens of thousands of runners, walkers, friends, and family to the Disneyland Resort, and includes road closures and operational changes that could impact anyone visiting during this weekend. Here's what runners, tourists and spectators should know as we head into this busy weekend.

Non-runners

The Disneyland Resort is going to be very busy this weekend, so much so that cast members are being directed to park at Angel Stadium on Friday and Saturday. The good news is that runners tend not to stay up late the night before races, so you should see lighter evening crowds than you might expect.

Staying at the Disneyland Hotel? The race expo takes place in that hotel's convention center, so expect extra crowds at the shops and restaurants. If you are staying at any of the three Disneyland Resort hotels, expect race-related noise Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings, beginning in the predawn hours, especially if your hotel room faces Disneyland Drive. If you are staying at the Grand Californian Hotel in a room overlooking Downtown Disney, expect to hear spectator cheering starting around 5:45 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

While all of the races take place before park opening or outside the parks, you may still experience traffic delays and extra crowds. Give yourself plenty of time if driving to the resort in the morning; race-related road closures are scheduled from 12:01 to 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, and from 12:01 to to 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. For detailed road closure information, see pages 10 and 11 of the event guidebook.

Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure open at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Early entry for hotel guests and eligible ticket holders is at 8:00 a.m. at Disney California Adventure on Friday, at Disneyland on Saturday, and back at DCA on Sunday.

Spectators

Disney does not allow you to view the half-marathon race course from inside either Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure unless you purchased a $45 silver, $65 gold, or $99 platinum ChEAR Squad package. Online registration has ended, but you may be able to purchase packages at the Expo. There is no theme park viewing for the 5K or 10K events.

If you want to come cheer on the runners without purchasing a spectator package, or plan to cheer at the Friday's 3.1-mile 5K or Saturday's 6.2-mile 10K events, Disney recommends specific viewing areas on property. All of these viewing areas are accessible only by foot; so walk from either the Mickey and Friends parking structure, or from your hotel if staying nearby.

Event Time Recommended viewing areas
5K 5:30 to 6:35 Start line at Disneyland Drive to Katella Avenue
5:35 to 6:15 Mile 1.4 at Esplanade between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure
5:43 to 6:35 Mile 2.7 at Downtown Disney
5:45 to 6:43 Final ¾ mile on road from Paradise Pier Hotel to Disneyland Hotel and behind ESPN Zone
10K 5:30 to 6:51 Start line at Disneyland Drive to Katella Avenue
5:48 to 7:05 Mile 3.8 at Esplanade between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure
5:58 to 7:40 Mile 5.9 at Downtown Disney
6:00 to 10:00 Final ¾ mile at road from Paradise Pier Hotel to Disneyland Hotel and behind ESPN Zone
Half Marathon 5:30 to 6:30 Start line at Disneyland Drive to Disney Way
5:35 to 6:45 Mile 1.2 at Esplanade between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure
6:10 to 8:54 Cheer at Anaheim Stadium as the runners round the bases. The stadium is open for spectators; enter via the Orangewood Avenue entrance.
6:15 to 10:00 Final ¾ mile at road from Paradise Pier Hotel to Disneyland Hotel and behind ESPN Zone

View the race courses on pages 24-28 of the Avengers Half Marathon guidebook.

Detailed information for runners

With the race Expo open only two days, expect a very busy Expo experience. Between all of the 5K runners checking in on Thursday, and what will likely be strong interest in the race merchandise, Thursday and Friday mornings will definitely be the busiest time.

If you want first pick of the race merchandise, plan to arrive well before the official 10:00 a.m. opening on Friday. Based on past events, you would be well-advised to bring water, sunscreen, and a hat to protect you during the wait.

Because the Expo remains open until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, Friday afternoon may be the best time to attend the expo if all you want to do is get your race packet and get out. If you're running the half marathon, you can visit the Expo between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday to get your race gear.

Day Time Event
Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo (Disneyland Hotel)
Friday 5:30 a.m. Avengers Super Heroes 5K (Disneyland Resort)
Noon to 8:00 p.m. Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo (Disneyland Hotel)
7:00 p.m. Pasta in the Park Party (Disneyland; tickets required)
Saturday 5:30 a.m. Captain America 10K (Disneyland Resort)
9:00 a.m. runDisney Kids Races (Downtown Disney)
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo (Disneyland Hotel)
Sunday 5:30 a.m. Disneyland Half Marathon (Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim

Event merchandise

We recommend keeping an eye on the Disney Parks Blog this week for a possible sneak peek at the event merchandise. Disney hasn't yet released any previews of the race merchandise, but whatever is available will be sold in the official race merchandise section of the Expo. Remember, you do not need to collect your race packet before you enter the expo to shop, so if you want the best selection Thursday morning, your best bet is to shop first, then get your race packet.

Runner tracking

You can register to receive runner tracking updates via text message, Twitter, or Facebook. Sign up via the runDisney webform, or text "wdwa [bib number]" to 72147.

New Balance shoe sales

New Balance used a virtual queue at several recent runDisney events to save shoppers from having to stand in hours-long lines to get a chance at one of its exclusive Disney shoes. The company is scheduled to again offer the virtual queue for the Avengers Half Marathon Weekend, but they haven't announced any specifics. Keep an eye on their website for more information.

This and that...

...The Frozen Enchanted Window debuted last week on Main Street, U.S.A. The window has two scenes, one with Anna, Sven and Kristoff, the other with Elsa and Olaf.

Anna hides a bunch of carrots from Sven in the first scene of the new Frozen Enchanted Window. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Kristoff looks on as Anna teases Sven in the newest Enchanted Window at Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Queen Elsa twirls amid snowdrifts in the Frozen Enchanted Window. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Olaf glides out to dance with Elsa in the second scene of the new Frozen window at Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

...Cast members tell us that Disneyland has expanded the list of blockout dates for employees, adding the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 27 and 28. Eligible cast members can still use their main entrance pass to enter Disney California Adventure those two days. Disney adjusts blockout dates based on projected attendance, so this is a good sign that the Thanksgiving weekend will be even more crowded than expected when the blockout calendar was first released.

If you're making plans to visit in January, it's worth noting that cast member main entrance passes are blocked out January 1–4, and 1617 at Disneyland, and January 1, 4, 16, and 17 at Disney California Adventure.

...The audition schedule has been finalized for the 2016 Disneyland All-American College Band. Auditions will take place January 16 through 28 at 7 locations around the country—Boston; New York; Chicago; Fairfax, VA; Tallahassee, FL; Ft. Worth, TX and at Disneyland. Prior to the live auditions, interested musicians are encouraged to submit a video via YouTube for review by the casting team. Disney will review these videos and invite the most promising candidates to one of the seven live audition sites. Those who do not submit a video or do not receive an invitation can still try for a walk-in audition, but space is limited. The deadline for YouTube submissions is December 5, 2015. Full details are available on the Disney auditions websitebe sure to filter for Disneyland Resort auditions to find the relevant listings.

...The Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan will be making at least one stop at Downtown Disney this winter, but the dates have not been released. The caravan has many Southern California stops scheduled between December 4–14, so those are the most likely dates. The caravan will feature a meet-and-greet with Santa. Keep an eye on the caravan website for more information.

...The Orange County Register confirmed with Disney that the New Orleans Square "bridge to nowhere" we mentioned in last week's Update will be used by cast members during the year while the Disneyland Railroad is closed due to Star Wars Land construction.

…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 MouseAdventure 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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Crowd Forecast

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Below are the predicted resort-wide crowd numbers for select days generated by the TouringPlans professional statisticians as measured for the upcoming week. For the access to the full year and per-park crowd level predictions, visit our Crowd Calendar.

 
Date Overall
Tuesday, November 10, 2015 5 / 10
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 2 / 10
Thursday, November 12, 2015 3 / 10
Friday, November 13, 2015 4 / 10

Disneyland crowds for the next 365 days.
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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all of 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.comthis information is no longer available from the automated phone service.

Disneyland

  • Starcade – closed for renovation; reopening date TBD.
  • Jungle Cruise – closed November 2–12 for installation of the Jingle Cruise overlay.
  • Space Mountain – closed November 1–15 to remove the Ghost Galaxy overlay, and install the HyperSpace Mountain overlay.
  • Tomorrowland Theater (Captain EO) – reopens November 16 as part of the Star Wars Season of the Force promotion. The theater will show Star Wars: Path of the Jedi.
  • Innoventions – reopens November 16 as the Tomorrowland Expo Center.
  • Jedi Training Academy – closed through November 19 because of the Tomorrowland Terrace stage construction.

Disney California Adventure

  • Blue Sky Cellar – closed; reopening date now TBD. Permits have been filed to expand the location for use by the Disney Vacation Club.
  • Luigi's Flying Tires – closed. Ride to be removed and replaced; reopening date unknown.
  • A Bug's Land TheaterIt's Tough to be a Bug on hiatus during The Good Dinosaur sneak peek.
  • Muppet*Vision 3D – closed indefinitely due to the Frozen Fun overlay.
  • Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular – closes January 10, 2016. Replaced in Summer 2016 by a new Frozen musical.

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).

2015

  • Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration – through September 5, 2016
  • 2015 Avengers Half Marathon Weekend – November 12–15. Registration is closed. Details on the runDisney website.
  • Holidays at the Disneyland Resort – November 13 through January 6.
  • Season of the Force – begins November 16. No end date yet announced.
  • Candlelight Processional – December 5–6. Performances are at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. each night. Narrator(s) have not yet been announced. If the (reliably sourced) rumors are true, actress Geena Davis will narrate on Saturday, December 5, and Once Upon a Time actress Lana Parrilla will narrate the show on Sunday, December 6.

2016

  • Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration – through September 5, 2016
  • 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 14–17. All running events are sold out, but ChEAR Squad packages are still available. Details on the runDisney website.
  • 2016 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 5–8. The 5K and 10K events are sold out, but the half-marathon and Pixie Dust Challenge are still available. Details on the runDisney website.
  • Dapper Days at the Parks (unofficial event) – Sunday, May 1, 2016. More information at the event website.
  • Grad Nite events – This party for high school seniors graduating in 2016 will be held on these dates: May 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 31; June 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17. The 2016 event includes admission to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park during regular operating hours, and a private party in Disney California Adventure park from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
  • 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 1–4. Registration opens February 2, 2016.
  • 2016 Avengers Half Marathon Weekend – November 10–13. Registration opens April 15, 2016.

2017

  • 2017 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 12–15, 2017. Registration opens June 14, 2016.
  • 2017 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 11–14, 2017. Registration opens September 20, 2016.

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.

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).

2015

  • Thanksgiving Break – November 23–27. Many local schools close for the entire week of Thanksgiving.
  • Winter Break – December 21, 2015 – January 8, 2016. Most local schools are closed.

2016

  • Spring Break(s) – March 14 – April 8. Most local schools are closed one week during this period. Expect the majority of school closures—and crowds—the weeks immediately before and after Easter Sunday, March 27.
  • Local School Holiday – Monday, March 28. Most local schools not already on Spring Break will be closed for Cesar Chavez Day.
  • 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.

Merchandise Events

Date Event
Nov. 13 (F) WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Joey Chou, 6–10 p.m.
Nov. 14 (Sa)

WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Joey Chou, Daniel Davis, Max Grundy and Sydney Hanson, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Steam Crow, 2–5 p.m.

WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Joey Chou, 6–10 p.m.

Nov. 15 (Su)

WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Steam Crow, 2–5 p.m.

Nov. 21 (Sa)

WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Joey Chou and Jerrod Maruyama, 7–9 p.m.

Nov. 28 (Sa)

WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Joey Chou, 6–10 p.m.

Nov. 29 (Su)

WonderGround Gallery – Artist Showcase: Steam Crow, 2–5 p.m.


Current Discounts & Promotions

Disneyland prices as of October 4, 2015.

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

One Day Tickets
  • One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $99/$93
  • One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $155/$149

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 Tickets
  • Two Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $185/$172
  • Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $225/$212

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.

Three Day Tickets

  • Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $235/$224
  • Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $275/$264
  • Adults at Kids' Prices Three Day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket – $264

A discounted ticket available through MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Travel. Offer valid for travel through November 2015.

Bonus Tickets include one Magic Morning early entry which allows access to select areas of Disneyland Park one hour before the park opens to the general public. (subject to change without notice) Ticket expires 13 days after first use. See Get Away Travel website for offer details and restrictions.


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.

Military

2016 Disney Military Promotional 3 – Day Park Hopper Ticket ($143)

Through December 16, 2016, active and retired U.S. military personnel (including active and retired members of the United States Coast Guard, National Guard and Reservists) or their spouses can purchase the Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $143 each [an increase of $11 from the 2014-2015 offer].

Disneyland tickets may be used January 3, 2016, through December 19, 2016, except that the tickets may not be used March 20 through April 1, 2016.

Active and retired U.S. military personnel can purchase Disney Military Promotional Tickets for themselves and up to five additional family members or friends. No more than six Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased by any eligible member of the U.S. military (or spouse) pursuant to this offer. All tickets and options are non-transferable and must be used by December 19, 2016.

For complete information regarding Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets and discounted resort rates, military personnel may visit the Disneyland Resort website, or participating U.S. military base ticket offices.

Four Day Tickets

  • Four Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $260/$245
  • Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $300/$285
  • Adults at Kids' Prices Four Day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket – $285

A discounted ticket available through MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Travel. Offer valid for travel through November 2015.

Bonus Tickets include one Magic Morning early entry which allows access to select areas of Disneyland Park one hour before the park opens to the general public. (subject to change without notice) Ticket expires 13 days after first use. See Get Away Travel website for offer details and restrictions.


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.

Five Day Tickets

  • Five Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $275/$259
  • Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $315/$299
  • Adults at Kids' Prices Five Day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket – $299

A discounted ticket available through MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Travel. Offer valid for travel through November 2015.

Bonus Tickets include one Magic Morning early entry which allows access to select areas of Disneyland Park one hour before the park opens to the general public. (subject to change without notice) Ticket expires 13 days after first use. See Get Away Travel website for offer details and restrictions.

Five Days for the price of Four Park Hopper Bonus Ticket – $300/$285

A discounted ticket available through MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Travel. The first day of use must occur on or before December 31, 2015.

Bonus Tickets include one Magic Morning early entry which allows access to select areas of Disneyland Park one hour before the park opens to the general public. (subject to change without notice) Ticket expires 13 days after first use. See Get Away Travel website for offer details and restrictions.


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.

Six Day or longer tickets No longer offered by Disneyland; some travel providers may offer tickets for 6 days or longer as part of a package to international customers; residents of Canada, Australia, or the U.K. should check with local travel agencies to see what options may be available.
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports

California residents can take advantage of the monthly payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport.

  • Premier Annual Passport ($1,439) – valid at both Disneyland Resort and Florida's Walt Disney World Resort; includes parking and digital PhotoPass downloads. No blockout dates.
  • Disney Signature Plus Pass ($1,049) – includes discounts, parking, and digital PhotoPass downloads. No blockout dates.
  • Disney Signature Pass ($849) – includes discounts, parking, and digital PhotoPass downloads. Some blockout dates, including December holidays and other peak days.
  • Disney Deluxe Pass ($599) – includes discounts, parking, and some discounts. Some blockout dates, including December holidays and other peak days.
  • Southern California Annual Passport ($439) – renewal only, unavailable for new purchase
  • Southern California Select Annual Passport ($329) – includes some discounts. Some blockout dates.
  • Parking Add On ($199) – add-on to Deluxe, SoCal and SoCal Select passes. Renewal only, not currently available for new purchase

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them.

Southern California CityPASS

 

2015 Southern California CityPASS ($334/$291) – 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 LEGOLAND California. The CityPASS expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by December 31, 2015. 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.

2015 Southern California CityPASS through Get Away Today ($324/$281) – Save $10 per ticket when you purchase your City Pass through MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Travel, though a shipping charge may apply depending on how quickly you need the ticket.

When you purchase the CityPASS, you have the option of adding a one-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Safari Park for an extra $48/$38. This upgraded pass is only available for purchase directly from the CityPASS website

Prices listed above are valid until December 31, 2015


Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them.

Disneyland Resort & Universal Studios Combo Pass
  • 2-day Disneyland Resort + 2-Day Universal Studios Combo Pass – $300/$281
  • 2-day Disneyland Resort + 2-Day Universal Studios Combo Pass – $342/$335

A special combo ticket available exclusively through MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Travel. The bundle includes either a 2-day or 3-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket, plus a 2nd Day Free Universal Studios Hollywood Ticket.

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:

Everyone

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 selection may vary by location.

Recently, Disney has begun allowing customers to purchase more than one of the offers in a qualifying transaction, so if you spend $40 or more you can buy both items currently available if you wish. If you're a passholder, the minimum purchase is calculated after your discount, and your discount does not apply to the promotional item. Current offers:

  • Disneyland Mickey Mouse Insulated Tote for $19.95 with a purchase of $25 or more.
  • Disneyland Throw Blanket for $19.95 with a purchase of $40 or more.

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). This club replaces the former Rainforest Cafe Safari Club, and runs on a point-based system that gives you a $25 gift certificate after you spend $250. Membership now costs $25, but comes with a $25 birthday reward. We recommend that you prepurchase your membership before your visit so you can take advantage of the priority seating benefit.


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 percent 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).


Character Dining Vouchers – discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through Get Away Travel.

Annual Passholders

Disneyland Resort merchandise – Disneyland extended the 20 percent merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders through December 31, 2015. All other passholders receive a 10% merchandise discount. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Guided Tours – 15% off the regular price of 6 guided tours – Walt in Walt's Footsteps; Cultivating the Magic; Discover the Magic; Happiest Haunts; Welcome to Disneyland; and Holiday Time at Disneyland. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Dining – 10 to 15% off at a variety of Disneyland Resort locations, including Disney-owned and independent restaurants. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Disney Visa cardholders

Character Meet-and-Greet – cardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free 5"x7" photograph per visit.


Disneyland Resort merchandise – Cardholders also receive 10 percent off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney-operated retail stores.


Disneyland Resort dining – 10 percent off at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants, (Big Thunder Ranch, River Belle Terrace, French Market, Cocina Cucamonga, Wine Country Trattoria (lunch), Paradise Garden Grill, The Lounge at Steakhouse 55 (breakfast), Steakhouse 55 (breakfast), PCH Grill (breakfast and dinner), and Storyteller's Café (lunch).


Downtown Disney District dining and merchandise – 10 percent off at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen (maximum discount of $40, excludes alcohol), Wetzel's Pretzels, Ridemakerz, Alamo Rent a Car, and ESPN Zone. 15 percent off littlemissmatched purchases.


Disneyland Resort Guided Tours – 15 percent off the "Welcome to Disneyland," "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps," "Discover the Magic," and "Cultivating the Magic" guided tours.


See the Disney Visa website for terms and conditions for all of these promotions.

U.S. military

See "2015–2016 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket" above.

Southern California residents 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.
Hotel and travel package offers

Costco Travel Packages – many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.


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.

 

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
  • SP – Signature Plus 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:

11/8 11/9 11/10 11/11 11/12 11/13 11/14

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

DL: 9a-9p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-9p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-10p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

DL: 9a-10p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-12a
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-11p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

11/15 11/16 11/17 11/18 11/19 11/20 11/21

DL: 9a-12a
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

DL: 9a-10p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-10p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-10p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-8p
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

11/22 11/23 11/24 11/25 11/26 11/27 11/28

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC/DX

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC/DX

Events: None

11/29 11/30 12/1 12/2 12/3 12/4 12/5

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

DL: 9a-10p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-10p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-10p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-9p
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

12/6 12/7 12/8 12/9 12/10 12/11 12/12

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

DL: 9a-11p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 9a-11p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-9p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-9p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

12/13 12/14 12/15 12/16 12/17 12/18 12/19

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC/DX/SG

Events: None

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.

 

Comments

  1. By Kare17

    Do you know what's going on Thursday Nov 12? Looks like the Paint the Night parade is at 6pm with fireworks on at the usual 9:30?
    Even on other nights with the 10pm closure, paint the night is at 8:45pm.

  2. By otterhead

    Just a note that during the past week, Great Moments with Mr Lincoln was down all day every day, despite not being officially listed as being closed. CM's said it was down for the foreseeable future.

  3. By AVP

    Quote Originally Posted by Kare17 View Post
    Do you know what's going on Thursday Nov 12? Looks like the Paint the Night parade is at 6pm with fireworks on at the usual 9:30?
    Even on other nights with the 10pm closure, paint the night is at 8:45pm.

    It's probably due to a media event. The official lighting ceremony for "it's a small world" holiday is at 5:15 p.m. that night, followed by the parade at 6:00 p.m.

    AVP

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