Posts Tagged ‘closures’
Space Mountain Reopens but Disneyland Still Faces OSHA Issues
As we reported late last month, the Disneyland Resort recent shuttered some major E-Ticket attractions following inspections from California’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA). Most of the rides, including Soarin’ Over California and California Screamin’, swiftly returned to service, but the iconic Space Mountain remained off-limits to guests for the past 3 weeks.
Happily, Space Mountian returned to service on Friday night (May 3) and resumed normal operating hours as of Saturday, May 4. To clarify earlier coverage, Disney was fined $234,850 after a contract employee was injured in a fall last November while cleaning the exterior of Space Mountain, but the current closure was a voluntary action (not mandated by Cal/OSHA) intended to ameliorate related safety issues that had previously been “grandfathered” approval. Disneyland has not yet announced whether it will appeal the fines, or if further safety modifications to Disneyland attractions (or similar rides at Walt Disney World) will be made.
Disneyland Alert: Space Mountain Closed by Cal/OSHA
Photo by Seth Kubersky
As you may have heard, the Disneyland Resort has been having serious issues with some of its headlining E-Tickets lately. On April 12, inspectors from California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (following up on an incident from earlier this year in which a Space Mountain maintenance worker fell and was injured) issued a citation to Disneyland for safety violations in the Anaheim parks, with proposed penalties totaling nearly a quarter million dollars.
At one point earlier this week, Space Mountain, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and Soarin’ Over California were all simultaneously shuttered, in addition to Big Thunder Mountain which is closed for an extensive refurb. Then, on Friday (April 19) California Screamin’ was added to the list of forbidden rides, following a review of emergency evacuation procedures. Note that these closures are not related to guest safety, but to fall protection and other safety measures for employees cleaning and servicing the attractions after hours.
At press time, the Matterhorn and Soarin’ Over California have both been reinspected and returned to service. California Screamin’ was also reopened late on Friday, and is expected to operate on Saturday. However, according to reports on MiceAge, Space Mountain may be out of service for the rest of April.
If you are visiting Disneyland in the immediate future and using our Lines app to optimize, your touring plan should automatically adjust to accommodate any closed attractions. Check back on our Refurbishment page for updates on what is operating at the resort on any given day.
Farewell to Main Street Favorites: Disneyland’s Market House and Voices of Liberty Say Goodbye
They say that April showers bring May flowers, but this month a different kind of precipitation may be misting up Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. I’m certain that I’m not the only Disney devotee who is shedding a tear over the loss of two favorite front-of-park attractions. One, a legendary retail outlet that had remained largely untouched for decades; the other, a relatively recent entertainment import from Epcot.
First and foremost, Disneyland’s Market House will close on April 15 for its transformation into a franchised Starbucks Coffee outlet, similar to the Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe that opened in DCA last summer. The rehabbed location, like the one across the Esplanade, is expected to be hugely popular with guests seeking their familiar Starbucks fix. But we would be remiss not to mark the passing of one of Main Street’s best-loved locations.
This Month at Disneyland Resort: May 2012
Welcome to the first monthly installment of This Month at Disneyland, TouringPlans.com‘s regular round-up of upcoming events and operations in and around the Anaheim resort. If you are planning a visit to Disneyland in the next 30 days, this is your one-stop-shop for imminent information that may impact your vacation.
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
May may be your last best chance for crowd-free touring at Disneyland in 2012, since we expect the resort to be packed following California Adventure’s relaunch in mid-June. Weekdays this May should be especially low-key, with growing wait times on the weekends building towards Memorial Day.
- Quietest Days: Resort attendance should be lowest (1 out of 10) on May 3 and 7-9.
- Busiest Days: Resort attendance should be highest (8 out of 10) on May 25-28.
Subscribe to the Touring Pans Disneyland Crowd Calendar for full details on predicted attendance for the next 30 days.
Special Events
- Disneyland celebrates Cinco de Mayo on May 5. Look for decorations around Rancho del Zocalo, and a special menu at Tortilla Joe’s in Downtown Disney.
- AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County holds a charity walk at Disneyland early on the morning of May 6.
- On May 10, Disney Legend Alice Davis will receive a long-deserved tribute window on Main Street USA. The Imagineer was responsible for the costume designs of classic attractions including Pirates of the Caribbean and it’s a small world. Her window will be next to the one honoring her husband, late Imagineer Marc Davis.
- To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fantasmic! on May 13, Disneyland is holding after-hours parties for Annual Passholders on May 14, 15, 21, & 22.
- Grad Nights return on May 10 & 11, 16-18, 23-25, 30 & 31. Expect large platoons of busses delivering hordes of teenagers to the resort for all-night parties on those evenings.
Opening, Closures, and Refurbishments
Disneyland
- The candy store, Penny Arcade, and Gibson Girl ice cream parlor on Main Street USA reopen on May 2 following a major refurbishment. Carnation Cafe remains closed until June 2.
- The Carnation Plaza Gardens closed forever on April 30, to be transformed into the Princess Fantasy Faire in 2013. Saturday swing dancing will be relocated to Downtown Disney in the interim.
- Beginning May 2, the Frontierland Festival Arena stage will become home to the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree, with characters and crafts Friday-Sunday. This will also be where school musical groups perform.
- Matterhon Bobsleds remain closed for a major overhaul until June 15.
- Indiana Jones Adventure is closed for a quick refurb on May 1&2.
- Enchanted Tiki Room is closed May 7-10.
- Frontierland Shooting Exposition is closed now through May 25.
- A new summertime sandcastle sequence featuring “Phineas and Ferb” will be added to the Magic, Memories, and You show starting May 25.
Disney California Adventure
- Ariel’s Grotto restaurant is closed through May 3, and the attached Cove Bar is closed through June 1.
- Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is closed through May 3.
- Goofy’s Sky School is closed May 7-17.
- Buena Vista Street and Cars Land remain under construction until June 15, though some soft-openings are possible later in the month.
Downtown Disney
- The large LEGO Imagination store is under refurbishment, with no exact reopening date announced. The temporary LEGO store in the former home of Island Charter will become the WonderGround art gallery on June 9.
- Compass Books and Coffee is permanently closed, and will be replaced by Earl of Sandwich later this summer.
- The Sunglass Icon store is being remodeled and will reopen later this summer.
Other Area Attractions
- Transformers: The Ride officially opens on May 25th at Universal Studios Hollywood. The new 3-D dark ride is currently running in soft-opening; read the rave reviews on MiceChat here.
