Photos by Seth Kubersky

Recently, I shared some of my favorite ways to start a morning at Disney California Adventure. Today, let’s look at the flip side of the operating day. While crowds are arriving early every day at DCA’s front gate since Cars Land‘s arrival, some of the park’s highlights can only be experienced after dark. Here are my top five ways to finish off an evening at DCA:

Drinks With a View

One distinct advantage DCA has over its older brother across the Esplanade is the ability to imbibe alcoholic beverages as you tour. You’ll find spots to whet your whistle all around the park, from Carthay Circle’s swanky downstairs lounge to the imported beer kiosk near the Paradise Garden Grill. Nothing beats having a finely crafted cocktail in the night air, enjoying the park’s cleverly Imagineered aesthetics, and DCA has a couple of ideal evening watering holes.

I’ve already extolled the romantic virtues of the Alfresco Lounge at Golden Valley Winery, which has a second-story view down Route 66 to the stunning Cadillac Mountain range. Another great spot for a beverage is the Cove Bar behind Ariel’s Grotto; simply cut through the restaurant lobby to reach this often-overlooked gem. In addition to the standard extensive drink list, the Cove offers a small menu of large appetizers; the lobster nachos are big enough for four or more to share. Best of all, the bar recently rescinded its policy of levying a $10 cover charge during World of Color performances, making it a great place to watch the show, provided you don’t mind an obtuse perspective of the water screens.

Buena Vista Shopping

On your way into the park, you probably were too intent on getting on your first E-ticket ride to pay much attention to the gorgeous theming outside and inside the storefronts of Buena Vista Street, DCA’s charming entrance corridor. Before you depart, be sure to take the time to stroll through DCA’s premier shops, especially the Elias and Co. department store. Much like Disneyland’s famed Emporium, you’ll find a diverse mix of high-dollar haute couture and affordable adorable souvenirs, with a healthy dose of DCA-exclusive merchandise.

Originally, the period-accurate display windows on Buena Vista Street were as lovingly detailed as the rest of the renovated park, but lately they’ve been desecrated with haphazard piles of modern goods. Even so, there are tons of telling thematic touches up and down the street, with inside-joke details that should delight hard-core Disney fans. Be sure to do some shopping — even if it is only the window kind — before waving Buena Vista bye-bye.

Last Race Around Radiator Springs

If you follow our earlier advice, you’ll among the first in the park before the official opening, and secure your Fastpasses for the hit ride Radiator Springs Racers first thing. By the end of the day, you’ll have already used your Fastpass (remember to mind the time window printed on your ticket, as the end time is now strictly enforced) but you’ll surely be itching for a second lap.

Similar to Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers becomes a different ride after dark. Evening illumination does the impossible, making the attraction’s stunning rockwork even more striking. Your eyes, adjusted to the lower light levels, will allow you to better enjoy the dark indoor portions. And the high-speed finale feels even faster and more exhilarating in the cool night air.

Your best bet for a late-day ride on RSR without a ridiculous wait is to jump into the single rider line during a World of Color performance, or just before the park closes. You may still encounter a moderate wait, but probably not the multi-hour queues found at midday.

Watch World of Color

You knew this one was coming, right? Naturally, no night at DCA can be considered complete without a viewing of World of Color, the park’s one-of-a-kind moist musical spectacular. The good news is that Fastpasses for the show’s limited viewing areas are no longer as hard to come by as when the production premiered, thanks to demand for DCA’s other new offerings. Still, you’ll want to pull a Fastpass (found near Grizzly River Run) by mid-morning. Otherwise, you can arrange for a dining package — ranging from cold picnic baskets to lavish multi-course meals — or take your chances watching from around the Paradise Bay lagoon.

If you end up watching WoC from within the tiered viewing park, you’ll have the best experience if you find a spot at the front edge of whichever level you are on. Standing further back provides a better panoramic picture of the performance, and you’ll be less likely to get soaked by spraying water (a frequent occurrence in the front row) or singed by propane flames. And those in the rear also get the best look at the synchronized effects from other guests’ Glow with the Show light-up hats.

A Grand Nightcap

Finally, if after World of Color‘s umpteenth finale finally concludes (don’t move until you’re very, very sure it’s over) you still aren’t ready end your DCA day, divert from the herd heading out the main exit and detour towards Grizzly River Run. The exclusive entrance to the Grand Californian Hotel usually provides a more peaceful exit from the park the overcrowded front gate, and offers a shortcut to the bars and restaurants of Downtown Disney and other on-property hotels. You can even grab a cab at the hotel’s main entrance if your feet can’t handle the walk back to your hotel.

More importantly, the Grand Californian features one of the best spots in all of Disneyland for a nightcap in the Hearthstone Lounge. In addition to a full selection of top-shelf liquor, the friendly bartenders can also whip you up an adult coffee concoction, or a cup soothing tea. Take your selection to one of the comfy chairs in the library-like lounge, or walk around the corner to settle down before the lobby’s super-sized fireplace. If you took my advice about napping during your Disney day, you’re probably already familiar with this spot. Just don’t fall asleep, or you may find a cast member rousing you in the middle of the night!

What is your favorite way of finishing a visit to Disney California Adventure? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

Top Five Ways to End Your Day at Disney California Adventure is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

On behalf of my co-authors Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa, I’m proud to announce that The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2013 is now available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble, a few days before the book’s 9/19 official release date. It can be pre-ordered from iBooks in advance of its digital release later this month.

This has been a year of remarkable change at the Disneyland Resort, and our latest update to the Unofficial Guide reflects all the radical reimagineering the Anaheim attractions have undergone.

Here’s a rundown on all the fresh material you will find in our 2013 Guide:

Introduction

• An all-new humorous “The Importance of Being Goofy” essay.
• Revised overview of the resort, highlighting expansions at Disney California Adventure.
• Updated comparison chart of Disneyland Attractions vs. their equivalents at Magic Kingdom in Florida.

Planning Before You Leave Home

• Updated admission options and ticket prices.
• New automated options like buying tickets your mobile device and the Ask Otto phone line.
• Using the Lines mobile app to enhance your Disneyland visit.
• New statistics on Disneyland theme park attendance.
• New parking information, including valet and overflow options.
• Hints on safely walking into the Disneyland Resort from surrounding lodging in various directions.
• Refreshed hotel reviews and room ratings, featuring the completed renovations at Disneyland Hotel.
• Debating the merits of the “Good Neighbor” hotel program.
• New policies for FASTPASS, rope drop, and Early Entry.
• Additional VIP tour and Adventures By Disney information.

Essentials

• Benefits for the Disney Visa cardholders.
• Nearby grocery and pharmacy options.
• Charging your cell phone inside the parks.
• PhotoPass and PhotoPass+ information.

Disneyland With Kids

• New “minimum height requirement” chart.
• Updated “small child fright potential” chart.
• New reader comments on child swap and taking infants on rides.

Dining and Shopping in and Around Disneyland

• Refreshed reviews of every full-service and counter-service restaurant at the resort.
• Details on dining at Carthay Circle, Flo’s V8 Cafe, and all the new signature eateries in DCA’s Buena Vista Street and Cars Land.
• The arrival of Starbucks inside the Disney parks.
• Fresh reviews of the new menus at Jolly Holiday Bakery, Carnation Cafe, and House of Blues.
• Updated advice on your best snacking options around the resort.
• Changes at Ariel’s Grotto and the Cove Bar.
• World of Color dining options at Wine Country Trattoria and Carthay Circle.
• New dining options at Anaheim Gardenwalk in the surrounding city.

Disneyland Park

• Expanded information on the Disney Gallery and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (seasonally starring the Voices of Liberty).
• Information on construction of the new Princess Fantasy Faire.
• A review of the controversial refurbishment of Matterhorn Bobsleds.
• Changes to Innoventions, and where you can get a free souvenir in Tomorrowland.
• New details on live entertainment around the park, including Billy Hill’s relocation to Big Thunder Ranch.
• Fresh insights and behind-the-scenes dish from Jim Hill.

Disney California Adventure

• Ratings and reviews of all the new attractions and entertainments inside Buena Vista Street and Cars Land, including the blockbuster Radiator Springs Racers ride.
• How to navigate the new early entry procedures at DCA, plus new single rider and FASTPASS advice.
• Updated advice on viewing World of Color, including the new “Glow With The Show” mouse ears.
• New entertainment around the park, from Minnie’s Fly Girls to the Mad T Party.

Universal Studios Hollywood

• In-depth review of Universal’s smash new Transformers 3-D attraction.
• The announcement of a West Coast Harry Potter attraction, with hints on the future of the Waterworld and Terminator shows.
• Information on VIP upgraded admission.

Of course our world-famous Touring Plans — completely overhauled for the new attractions, and optimized with the aid for our custom computer database — are all included in a handy clip-out format.

And for those those visitors who aren’t the “theme park commando” type, we’ve added for the first time a “No Rides/No Queues/No Stress Anti-Touring Plan” guaranteed to help the most anti-attraction grouch have a great time.

Remember, readers who purchase the new Guide can get a generous discount off their Disneyland Lines subscription. You’ll also notice that the park and attraction descriptions on TouringPlans.com have been updated to reflect the new content found in print. We hope you enjoy the 2013 edition of the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, and invite you to leave us your comments below.

What’s New In The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2013? is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

All photos copyright Disney

September has arrived, bringing with it cooler temperatures, smaller crowds, and lengthy rehabs for numerous attractions at Disneyland.

Crowd Calendar

Quietest Day: Sunday 9/2 was a 7 out of 10 at the resort, with DCA crowds at 7.9 and Disneyland Park at 5.7.

Busiest Day: Tuesday 9/4 through Thursday 9/6 was a 1 out of 10 at the resort, with DCA crowds at 1.1 and Disneyland Park at 1.1.

Subscribe to the TouringPlans.com Disneyland Crowd Calendar for details on predicted crowds for the next 30 days.

Special Events

• The Disneyland Half-Marathon concluded on 9/2 with runner Jimmy Grabow setting a new record time of 1:05:29.
• Glow With The Show illuminated mouse ears now synchronize with nightly performances of both World of Color and Fantasmic!
• Disney released a unique multi-camera video featuring the Red Car Trolley on Buena Vista Street.

• Two horses from Disneyland's Circle D ranch participated in the Labor Day parade in Norco, California.
• Disney announced that a Halloween Carnival will take over the Big Thunder Ranch beginning 9/14 through 10/31, featuring a villains meet & greet and “haunted” performances by Billy Hill and the Hillbillies.

• Registration was announced on 9/5, and quickly filled to capacity, for a “Get Spookier” meet-up of Disney Blog readers in Disneyland on 9/17.
• Disney announced that there will be no after-hours cast member Christmas Parties this year.

Opening, Closings, and Refurbishments

• The Pirates League makeover boutique has temporarily taken over New Orleans Court of Angels, now through Halloween.
• The Haunted Mansion closed on 8/27, and will reopen on 9/14 as Haunted Mansion Holiday.
• Space Mountain is closed today 9/10 through 9/13 for installation of the Ghost Galaxy effects.
• Several attractions, including Indiana Jones Adventure, Casey Jr Circus Train, and Storybookland Canal Boats, closed this week on 9/4 for extensive refurbishments lasting until the holiday season.
• Last Monday (9/3) was the final performance of the Magic, Memories, and You projection show. A new similar show will be introduced at Walt Disney World, but no replacement is expected in Anaheim.
• Toy Story Midway Mania! was scheduled to be closed on 9/5/12 for a computer software update.
• Construction continues on the new Fantasyland Theatre and Princess Fantasy Faire.
• Construction continues on the Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney.
• The former 15-minute parking zone off Harbor Boulevard has been converted into passenger drop-off and taxi lanes.

Last Week at Disneyland Resort (9/2/2012 – 9/8/2012) is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café (menu)

Tom Bricker says:

“The menu seems very similar to Jolly Holiday in Disneyland Park, with the addition of Starbucks. The breakfast was better here than at the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land.”

• Quality: Good-Excellent
• Value: B
• Portion: Medium

Selections

Starbucks coffee, cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing, hot breakfast sandwiches, sandwiches (including roast beef and Cheddar, turkey reuben, and paneer and roasted vegetable), and soups (such as cream spinach, chicken tortilla, or meat stew)

Comments

This new quick-service eatery — named after both the Three Little Pigs and an imaginary songstress trio whose manufactured mementos hang inside — boasts a large open dining area in the Arts & Crafts style. You can get your morning jolt of Starbucks-brand joe (or a venti half-caff soy latte, if you prefer) and grab-and-go breakfast pastries here. Lunch and dinner selections spotlight soups and sandwiches.

Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (menu)

• Quality: Good
• Value: C+
• Portion: Small-Medium

Selections

Ice cream

Comments

This ice cream parlor adjoining the Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Café and Bakery serves hand-scooped Dreyer’s deserts from an old-fashioned soda fountain counter. Hand-dipped ice cream bars coated in sprinkles, chocolate, nuts, and pop rocks are available, along chocolate-dipped waffle cones. Go ahead and splurge on a second scoop, it’s only 50 cents extra.

Trolley Treats

• Quality: Fair-Good
• Value: C
• Portion: Small

Selections

Candy

Comments

This classic candy shop has an exposed kitchen where you can watch taffy, candy apples, marshmallows, fudge, and other sweets being made. Check out the Big Rock Candy Mountain model in the window, inspired by plans for a never-built Disneyland attraction.

Mortimer’s Market

• Quality: Fair-Good
• Value: C-
• Portion: Small-Medium

Selections

Cold drinks and fresh fruit

Comments

This grab-and-go location is the closest place to the park entrance to get a snack. The market is named after Walt’s original appellation for his animated mouse, until his wife urged him to make it Mickey.

All eyes in the theme park industry turn this week to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, where the grand re-opening of Disney California Adventure is being celebrated in the high style befitting the finish line of a billion-dollar makeover marathon. Before this massive expansion officially opens to the public on June 15, invited media and paying sneak-preview participants will have already had their way with the new attractions of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street, and naturally the TouringPlans.com team is there on the scene. Touring Plans’ official photographer Tom Bricker, Unofficial Guide to Disneyland co-author Seth Kubersky, and new Touring Plans researcher Guy Selga, Jr. will all be on-property this week, documenting every detail to your touring advantage. Over the next few days, please check back on the blog for our hot-off-the-press first reviews direct from DCA, edited versions of which will appear in the 2013 edition of the Unofficial Guide.

All photos by Tom Bricker.

First Review: Buena Vista Street Restaurants is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Red Car Trolleys

Our Rating: 2 1/2 stars

Tom Bricker says:

“The Red Car Trolleys are beautiful!”

• What it is: Scenic in-park transportation.
• Scope and scale: Minor attraction.
• When to go: The first 2 hours the park is open.
• Duration of ride: About 8 minutes.
• Average wait time per 100 people ahead of you: 12 minutes.
• Loading speed: Very Slow

Description And Comments

Much like the vintage vehicles that travel up and down Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland Park, these trolley cars add visual interest to DCA’s entrance area, but not much entertainment value. Modeled after the Pacific Electric Railway that served the Los Angeles area in the 1920s and 1930s (as seen in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) the trolleys boast authentic details like narrating conductors who share historical tidbits during your travels, retro-styled interior advertisements, and realistic overhead power lines — un-electrified, as the new eco-friendly cars are actually battery-powered. More transportation than attraction, the Red Car Trolleys ferry guests between Buena Vista Street near the park entrance and the Tower of Terror, making stops in Cathay Circle and Hollywood Land along the way.

Touring Tips

It is usually faster to walk the route than to wait for the next Red Car Trolley, but if you wish to experience this nostalgic transportation, do so in the morning. Hop on at the station near the Tower of Terror exit; it should be less crowded than the station on Buena Vista Street near the park entrance.

The Red Car briefly stops serving guests several times daily so it can be commandeered as a stage for the Red Car News Boys show (see show schedule for details).

All eyes in the theme park industry turn this week to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, where the grand re-opening of Disney California Adventure is being celebrated in the high style befitting the finish line of a billion-dollar makeover marathon. Before this massive expansion officially opens to the public on June 15, invited media and paying sneak-preview participants will have already had an opportunity to experience the new attractions of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street, and naturally the TouringPlans.com team is there on the scene. Touring Plans’ official photographer Tom Bricker, Unofficial Guide to Disneyland co-author Seth Kubersky, and new Touring Plans researcher Guy Selga, Jr. will all be on-property this week, documenting every detail to your touring advantage. Over the next few days, please check back on the blog for our hot-off-the-press first reviews direct from DCA, edited versions of which will appear in the 2013 edition of the Unofficial Guide.

All photos by Tom Bricker.

First Review: Red Car Trolleys on Buena Vista Street is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Buena Vista Street

From the Esplanade, where huge block letters spelling CALIFORNIA originally stood, you now pass through a new Streamline Modern entrance facade, designed after Los Angeles’s fabled Pan Pacific Auditorium. (If it looks familiar, that’s because it can also be recognized as the entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios park in Florida.)

Once past the turnstiles, you’ll find yourself on Buena Vista Street, a re-creation of 1920s Hollywood as Walt saw it when he first arrived.

Immediately upon entering, to your left you’ll find Oswald’s Filling Station (a souvenir shop with a snazzy antique car parked outside), and the Chamber of Commerce (concealing Guest Services and First Aid). To your right you’ll see lockers, restrooms, an ATM, and phones. The street leading to the central plaza is lined on both sides with a variety of shops and eateries with back stories referring to Disney’s early biography. Among the shops on the east side are Elias & Co. Department Store (the park’s largest shop, named after Walt’s father), Los Feliz Five and Dime (hats and shirts), and Big Top Toys. The west side of the street features an indoor shopping arcade that leads to Kingswell Camera Shop (a PhotoPass printing location), Julius Katz & Sons (kitchen items), Atwater Ink & Paint (collectibles), and the Trolley Treats candy shop (check out the Big Rock Candy Mountain model in the window). Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café and adjoining Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Parlor round out the street’s retail district.

The original hub area, called Sunshine Plaza, was dominated by an arresting metal sculpture of the sun. In its place now stands Carthay Circle, home to the Storytellers statue (depicting a young Walt Disney with an early version of Mickey Mouse) and a replica of the Carthay Circle Theatre, where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered in 1937; in this incarnation, it encloses a restaurant and bar.

Winding past the new shops and facades, the Red Car Trolleys transport guests from the park entrance to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and back again along freshly laid tracks.

Together, Buena Vista Street and Carthay Circle don’t simply serve as a point of departure for the park’s other various themed areas. They bring much-needed charm and atmosphere to DCA’s “first act,” forming a fantastic improvement over the flat cartoon-postcard facades that framed the former entryway.

Tom Bricker says:

“Buena Vista Street is an excellent ‘opening act’ for Disney California Adventure. It looks like a more detail-rich version of Hollywood Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.”

Buena Vista Street Entertainment

A gang of singing Red Car News Boys (and one newsgirl), loosely inspired by the cult film and Tony-winning Broadway musical Newsies, use the Red Car Trolleys as a roving stage for exuberant song-and-dance performances.

Tom Bricker says:

“Red Car News Boys is really well done, and not overly long. There is a little bit of a story, but the real draw is the talking Mickey Mouse (who appears in the show for a good period) and the singing and dancing.”

The Five & Dime musical sextet sing jazz standards of the 1930s in the style of Billie Holiday.

You may also bump into interactive improvisation actors portraying police officers, bicycle messengers, or other eccentric Citizens of Buena Vista, a troupe similar to the popular “Streetmosphere” characters at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando.

All eyes in the theme park industry turn this week to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, where the grand re-opening of Disney California Adventure is being celebrated in the high style befitting the finish line of a billion-dollar makeover marathon. Before this massive expansion officially opens to the public on June 15, invited media and paying sneak-preview participants will have already had an opportunity to experience the new attractions of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street, and naturally the TouringPlans.com team is there on the scene. Touring Plans’ official photographer Tom Bricker, Unofficial Guide to Disneyland co-author Seth Kubersky, and new Touring Plans researcher Guy Selga, Jr. will all be on-property this week, documenting every detail to your touring advantage. Over the next few days, please check back on the blog for our hot-off-the-press first reviews direct from DCA, edited versions of which will appear in the 2013 edition of the Unofficial Guide.

All photos by Tom Bricker.

First Review: Buena Vista Street Overview and Entertainment is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Welcome to the June 2012 edition of “This Month at Disneyland Resort,” your “CliffsNotes” guide to everything imminent at the Anaheim attractions. Better buckle up tight, because we are about to accelerate into the most momentous month at Disneyland since the turn of the millennium.

According to a count by the Orange County Register, 18 new “entertainment offerings” will be open within the next few weeks. So if you haven’t already booked your summer visit to Disneyland, you may want to consider holding off until autumn, since the resort is about to embark on what may be its busiest few months in memory.

All photos copyright Disney.

Crowd Calendar

Kiss that last relatively crowd-free month goodbye. As the June 15 relaunch of Disney California Adventure approaches, attendance is expected to intensify right up to the start of summer break, and stay stratospheric all season.

Quietest Day: Tuesday, June 12, will be the last “slow” day before the Cars Land crowds descend, with the resort at 5 out of 10 overall, and Disneyland Park predicted at only 3.1 (though it is a Grad Night).

Busiest Day: Because DCA will be closed on June 14, Disneyland will be at peak capacity on that day. After June 15, crowds will remain high at DCA and moderate at Disneyland, peaking on June 30.

Subscribe to the Touring Plans Disneyland Crowd Calendar for full details on predicted attendance for the next 30 days.

Special Events

• The entire Disney California Adventure park will be closed to the public all day on June 14 for press events, and to prepare for the grand opening the next day.
• A dedication ceremony will be held at the entrance to DCA on June 15 prior to its 9am opening. Thereafter, a daily “rope drop” ceremony will be held each morning.
• Grad Nights continue at both parks on June 1, 6-8, 12-14 (Disneyland on on 14th), 19, 21, and 22.
• Sneak Preview events at DCA will be held on June 9 and 10 for Passholders, Club 33 members, and D23 members purchasing special tickets.
• Annual Passholders can register now online for two early entries (one for each park) on select days between June 18 and September 13.
• Disneyland Resort introduces Extra Magic Hours on June 18, allowing Disneyland Resort hotel guests early entry into both parks on alternate days. The existing Magic Morning Hours program will continue to operate alongside Extra Magic Hours for purchasers of “bonus” parkhopper tickets.

Openings, Closings and Refurbishments

Disneyland Park

• Main Street U.S.A.’s Carnation Cafe reopens on June 13 with expanded seating and a refreshed menu.
• The Matterhorn Boblseds return to operation on June 15 following a lengthy refurbishment. Alpine climbers ascending the mountain will also return to the entertainment schedule.
• The Voices of Liberty, an Anaheim offshoot of Epcot’s a capella Americana act, begins daily performances in the Main Street Opera House (a.k.a. Mr. Lincoln’s lobby) on June 15.
• The special summer edition of The Magic, The Memories, and You that debuted on May 25th will continue to run on it’s a small world all month long.
• Billy Hill & The Hillbillies will relocate to the Festival stage behind Big Thunder Ranch for the summer season. The Laughing Stock Co. will perform inside the Golden Horseshoe.

Disney California Adventure

• The Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop & Soda Fountain opens inside the former Mission Tortilla Factory on June 7.
• The entire park will be closed to the public on June 14 for private press events and preparations.
• The Buena Vista Street and Cars Land areas, and all their attendant attractions, eateries, and amenities, officially open on June 15. That includes the Red Trolley Car vehicles, Radiator Springs Racers, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, and Luigi’s Flying Tires.
• Along with the new rides, live shows in the new lands include Red Car News Boys, the Five and Dime jazz group, and improvisational Citizens on Buena Vista Street; and a DJ car and squirting fire truck in Cars Land, along with interactive character photo-ops.
• A wealth of other new entertainment options also open on June 15, including daytime fountain shows with Conductor Goofy and Dancin’ with Disney interactive dance party in the seldom-used Stage 17.
• Beginning June 15, Hollywood Pictures Backlot will be rechristened Hollywood Land, and the former “Golden State” land will officially be divided into Grizzly Peak, Pacific Wharf, and Condor Flats on park maps.
• The Mad T Party, already in “soft opening,” officially begins on June 15.
• A Brave-themed segement will be temporarily be added to nightly showings of World of Color beginning June 15, replacing part of the Pirates of the Caribbean portion.
• The Pixar Play Parade returns to daily performances starting June 15 after a lengthy absence with some slightly revamped floats.
• The Carthay Circle Restaurant opens June 15 on Buena Vista Street, including the Carthay Circle Lounge and the members-only 1901 Club.

Downtown Disney

• The UVA Bar and LEGO store have both recently reopened after refurbishment.
• The WonderGround art gallery opens on June 9 in the former Island Charters space.
• Earl of Sandwich will open on a yet-unannounced day in June, replacing Compass Books.

Be sure to visit us daily during the DCA grand relaunch week for on-the-scene reports from the Touring Plans team!

This Month at Disneyland Resort: June 2012 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Welcome to the latest weekly installment of Last Week at Disneyland, TouringPlans.com‘s regular round-up of recent events and operations in and around the Anaheim resort. This column is your weekly refresher of what’s new at the Happiest Place on Earth.

In addition to Disneyland.com and the Official Disney Parks Blog, much of the following news and photography comes courtesy of our friends at MousePlanet and MiceAge. Visit those sites for more images and up-to-the-minute updates.

Crowd Calendar

Attendance was seasonably slow at the resort this week, but look for crowds to build as Memorial Day approaches.

• Quietest Days: Resort attendance was lowest on May 7-10 (Predicted 2 out of 10, Actual 2).
• Busiest Days: Resort attendance was highest on May 6 (Predicted 4 out of 10, Actual 6) and May 12 (Predicted 5 out of 10, Actual 6)

Subscribe to the Touring Plans Disneyland Resort Crowd Calendar for full details on predicted attendance for the next 30 days.

Special Events

• Reservations are now being accepted for special after-hours Annual Passholder parties being held on May 14, 15, 21, and 22 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fantasmic!
• You still have until amay 24 to enter the sweepstakes for Annual Passholders to win a preview visit to Cars Land and Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure on June 11.
• The episode of Modern Family that was shot at Disneyland on Leap Day was broadcast on ABC on May 9. During the show, a new commercial for Cars Land at DCA debuted.
• On May 11, Disney Legend Alice Davis was honored with a window on Main Street (next to her husband Marc’s) in recognition of her costume design work on it’s a small world, Pirates of the Carribbean, and other classic attractions.

Opening, Closures, and Refurbishments

Disneyland

• The Carnation Plaza Gardens closed forever on April 30, to be transformed into the Princess Fantasy Faire in 2013. Saturday swing dancing has been relocated to Downtown Disney in the interim.
• Matterhorn Bobsleds remained closed for a major overhaul until June 15. Disney announced that the mountain climbers will return to the peak when in reopens, and released a video highlighting the new paint and “snow” being applied.
• Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition is closed now through May 25.
• The Enchanted Tiki Room was closed May 7-10.
• Cultivating the Magic, a new 2-hour guided tour of the Disneyland Resort’s horticultural delights, is now being offered on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings.

Disney California Adventure

• The Cove Bar attached to Ariel’s Grotto is closed through June 1.
• Goofy’s Sky School was scheduled for a brief refurbishment May 7-17.
• Buena Vista Street and Cars Land remain under construction until June 15, though some soft-openings may possible late in the month.
• Preparations are underway for the Mad T Party, this summer’s replacement for the ElecTRONica weekend dance parties. New details were released about the live band that will perform pop hits during the event.
• New details were announced about upcoming food offerings at DCA’s Cars Land and Buena Vista Street.
• Reservations are now being accepted for the fine dining restaurant in Carthay Circle Theatre, which includes reserved World of Color viewing.

Downtown Disney

• The former home of Island Charter is now transforming into the WonderGround art gallery which will open on June 9.
• The former Compass Books is now being renovated into an Earl of Sandwich outlet (no opening date announced yet).

Last Week at Disneyland Resort (5/6/2012 – 5/12/2012) is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.