Image copyright Disney

The Lone Ranger, Disney’s latest big-screen collaboration between Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp, rides into American cinemas on July 3, 2013, but the masked hero will be making an early appearance at Disney California Adventure for an exclusive audience. On June 22 the film will have its red carpet premiere inside the second Anaheim theme park in a charity event benefiting the American Indian College Fund.

In past years, premieres for the Pirates of the Caribbean films have been held along Disneyland’s Rivers of America, necessitating the closure of parts of Frontierland and New Orleans Square to regular guests. The Lone Ranger premier will be held inside DCA’s Hyperion Theater and should have minimal impact on guests outside of the Hollywood Land area. A limited number of tickets to the premiere are available online for $1000 each. Regular guests will not be able to attend the private screening, but will be able to see celebrities (including the Lone Ranger’s horse, Silver) parade down Hollywood Boulevard, and a life-sized train engine from the film will be on display.

We’ll bring more details of the event, and any anticipated effect on visitors, as they become available. In the meantime, here is the complete press release about the premiere:

BURBANK, Calif. (May 29, 2013) — Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn, announced today that ticket sales from the highly anticipated World Premiere of Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “The Lone Ranger” will benefit the American Indian College Fund. The event will take place on Saturday, June 22, at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. A giant red carpet down the Park’s iconic Hollywood Boulevard will be lined with thousands of park guests cheering for the film’s stars, filmmakers and the many Hollywood celebrities in attendance. The Lone Ranger’s horse Silver will make an appearance and an actual train engine built for the film will be on display.

“We’ve had a terrific collaboration with the Native American community throughout the production of Disney’s ‘The Lone Ranger,’” said Alan Horn, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. “With the world premiere of this exciting film at hand, we are pleased to commemorate the occasion by supporting the American Indian College Fund.”

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Academy Award® winner Gore Verbinski, “The Lone Ranger” is a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Johnny Depp stars as a newly imagined Tonto and Armie Hammer plays the masked lawman himself—the Lone Ranger.

Tickets for the premiere event have been donated by Disney to the American Indian College Fund, which will offer them for sale to the public; tickets will be available for purchase at https://community.collegefund.org/the-lone-ranger, starting today. Because Disney is also underwriting the entire cost of the premiere, 100% of the revenues received by the American Indian College Fund for the tickets will be used for scholarships and other support for Native American students. Tickets are priced at $1000.

Fund President, Cheryl Crazy Bull, stated: “The Fund is pleased to be the beneficiary of this event because our scholarships are an investment in a healthier, more prosperous future for tribal students and their families. We are poised to serve over 20,000 American Indian and Alaska Native students attending the tribal colleges across this country. Currently our scholarships serve less than 21% of those students so we appreciate any opportunity to bring resources into our scholarship program.”

Disney California Adventure Park will be hosting the premiere and sponsors will be offering opportunities for the guests in conjunction with the event. Commenting on the premiere event, Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said, “All of us at Disney Parks are thrilled to host the world premiere of ‘The Lone Ranger’ at Disney California Adventure. Disney brings unforgettable stories and characters to life in our movies and in our parks and resorts, so there’s no better place than Disney California Adventure to start this trailblazing film on its journey.”

Time Warner Cable, a title sponsor of the world premiere of Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “The Lone Ranger,” will stream the event LIVE from Disney California Adventure Park.

Visa Signature, a premiere sponsor, will have a fan pen on the red carpet for the first 50 Visa Signature cardholders who show their card.

The Utah Office of Tourism and Film, a premiere sponsor, will provide an opportunity for guests of the park to enter to win a trip to Utah and premiere guests will enjoy a photo opportunity provided by the sponsor. Many of the movie’s memorable scenes were filmed in the Monument Valley area of southern Utah.

Christie Digital, a global visual technologies company with expertise in film projection since 1929, is providing all the projection for “The Lone Ranger” premiere.

A one-of-a-kind Lone Ranger Ninja motorcycle from Kawasaki, a sponsor of the premiere, will be displayed at the event and will be available for the stars in attendance to autograph. The bike will be auctioned off at a later date, with all proceeds going to the American Indian College Fund.

Subway is providing sandwiches for the premiere guests.

Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “The Lone Ranger” opens in theaters July 3, 2013.

Red Carpet Premiere for “The Lone Ranger” Scheduled 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.

Photo copyright Disney

As we shared back in March, Disneyland Resort is planning to celebrate Greek culture with an Opa! festival later this month. The event be held at both Disneyland Resort parks over the weekend of May 25 to 27.

This week Disneyland released details on the food and entertainment that will feature at this event. Activities will take place daily from 10am to 6pm in the small world mall area of Disneyland Park and Paradise Gardens at Disney California Adventure. You’ll find line dancing, wine seminars, and food tastings at Disney California Adventure; Hercules will conduct “Olympic training” games at Disneyland Park.

The above events (excluding food and drinks) are included in regular park admission. In addition, Executive Chef Christine Weissman, Greek celebrity Chef Argiro Barbarigou, and Greek winemaker Christina Boutari will present “Celebrate Greece: A Culinary Experience,” a 4-course dinner at DCA’s Golden Valley Winery on May 26 at 8pm. Tickets are $150, including tax, gratuity, and reserved World of Color viewing (park admission separate); click here for reservations and tickets.

Disneyland Reveals Details of Opa! A Celebration of Greek Culture is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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.

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.

Disneyland Alert: Space Mountain Closed by Cal/OSHA is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

photos by Seth Kubersky

As every experienced theme park commando knows, the Unofficial Guide’s number one tip for visiting Disneyland on a busy day (like during 2013′s spring break season) is “arrive early, arrive early, arrive early.” But the flip side is our paradoxical suggestion to stay late during extended operating hours, in order to take advantage of evening entertainment and shorter attraction lines.

Following both recommendations can result in spending a solid 16+ hours inside the park, if you enter at 8am and depart at midnight (a standard peak-season operating schedule). If that sounds more like a death march than a vacation to you, you’re not alone. That leads us to our most frequently overlooked essential epigram of touring intelligence: take a nap! A few minutes (or hours) of shut-eye in the middle of the afternoon will not only re-energize you for the evening, but also offer an escape from the worst wait times of the day. By the way, this advice is just as crucial for adults as it is for children. Even if you never take a nap at home, take the time for a lie-down any day you spend over 8 hours touring. Trust me, you’ll thank us!

Unlike the sprawling Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort is compact and easily accessible from numerous off-site hotels, making it easy for many guests to walk from the park gates to their rooms in less time than it take to retrieve a vehicle from the parking garage. If you are staying on property or within a short stroll of Disneyland, there’s absolutely no excuse not to take a mid-day rest in your room.

However, there are still plenty of visitors who can’t or won’t leave the Disneyland Resort and return again later that day. When you need to recharge, but don’t want to walk off property, where do you go? If you can’t retreat to your room, there are still some quiet corners amid the resort’s chaos where you can catnap. For starters, here are four of my favorite spots to sneak forty winks around the Disneyland Resort.

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln

In the now-extinct “Under New Management” edition of WDW’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Iago used to quip that he was going to “head over to the Hall of Presidents and take a nap.” In Anaheim, the show in the Main Street Opera House fills a similar role. Don’t get me wrong; the patriotic presentation is stirring, and the Abraham Lincoln animatronic stunning. But between the padded seats, dim lighting, and somber subdued tone, its all to easy to slide into the back row and slip into slumberland for twenty minutes. Just be prepared for the mid-show surround sound cannon fire to briefly rouse you.

Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular

Even better for napping than Old Abe’s theatre is Aladdin’s auditorium over in DCA’s Hollywood Land. You’ll have to do a little advance planning to pass out here, since there are only a handful of scheduled daily performance, as opposed to Lincoln’s back-to-back shows. But once inside, you’ll find equally accommodating furniture and — more importantly — a generous 45 minute running time. This show boasts the longest attraction length anywhere in the resort, making the back row of the Hyperion’s top balcony a top pick for serious zzzz’s.

Innoventions

Heading back across the Esplanade, you’ll find another fine hibernation spot in Tomorrowland — at least for the next couple weeks. The large rotating structure between Space Mountain and Autopia, which once housed the legendary nap-facilitators Carousel of Progress and America Sings, is now home to the underwhelming Innoventions exhibits, which have the charm of a neon-lit Best Buy blended with a tech trade show. The good news, for now, is that this is usually one of the least crowded spots in the resort, with many lightly-trafficked corners to crash in, especially on the outer ring of the first floor. You might even be tempted to stretch out in one of the model bedrooms inside the Dream House, though cast members discourage that. However, this venue’s placidity will be shattered on April 13th, when a Stark Industries Expo exhibit will open in conjunction with the big-screen release of Iron Man 3. As the first Disneyland experience associated with the mega-blockbuster Marvel Comics franchise, this interactive advertraction is certain to increase Innovention’s attendance numbers, likely spoiling this as a sleeping spot until it exits after September.

Grand Californian Lobby Fireplace

As nice as some in-park napping places are, it’s really best to escape the overstimulating environment, even if you don’t want to wander far. Many guests don’t realize that anyone can exit Disney California Adventure into the Grand Californian Hotel through the “exclusive” entrance near Grizzly Rver Run, regardless of whether they are renting a room there. Grab a comforting beverage from the Hearthstone Lounge, then pull up a comfy chair to the roaring fireplace in the majestic lobby. If you can keep your eyes open longer than 15 minutes in that situation, you’re a stronger man than I! When you awake, you can show your admission ticket to re-enter the park through the same side door, or perk up with a walk through Downtown Disney back to the front gate.

Those a are a few of my favorites; now I turn it over to you, our readers. Where do you sneak away to when you need to sack out at the Happiest Place on Earth? Please help out your fellow snoozers by suggesting your own siesta spots in the comments below!

Where Do You Nap at the Disneyland Resort? is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

All photos by Seth Kubersky

Right now at Walt Disney World, the 20th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is in full swing, attracting tourists from far and wide to admire the park’s painstakingly pruned foliage. But while this Orlando attraction may get the lion’s share of agricultural attention, Disney’s left coast parks don’t need a special occasion to shine in the shrubbery department.

With the spring season officially started (as of the vernal equinox on March 20), it’s appropriate for us to take a moment to stop smell the roses… along with the irises, violets, sunflowers, and other assorted horticultural spectacles seeded around the Disneyland Resort. For today’s photo gallery, I’ve selected a variety of snaps that I took last month during an Anaheim research expedition, highlighting the vibrant colors and rich textures you can currently find in flowerbeds around the Happiest Place on Earth.

While visiting Disneyland this Easter season, we know it’s tempting to sprint past the crowds on your way to your next E-Ticket adventure. But after you’ve conquered a Mountain or two, try slowing down and paying attending to the natural wonders that Disney’s genius gardeners have crammed into the parks’ nooks and corners. If this gallery whets your appetite, you may want to take the new Cultivating the Magic guided tour of the resort’s gardens next time you visit Disneyland. You’ll be glad you did…just beware of the bees!

Photo Gallery: Disneyland Resort In Spring Bloom is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Unless you visit the Disneyland Resort with toddlers in tow, the Disney Junior — Live On Stage! show in Disney California Adventure’s Hollywood Land probably isn’t one of your top in-park destinations. But if you have pint-sized patrons of the popular Disney Junior series in your household, you know that the network’s cartoon characters are like rock stars to the pre-school set.

After many weeks of refurbishment, DCA’s Disney Junior show reopened on Friday, March 22, with the same refreshed production that previously premiered at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios park. This latest version retains the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse framing segments and Jake and the Neverland Pirates vignette, while replacing the Handy Mandy and Little Einsteins sequences with new scenes inspired by Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins. As before, the show uses a mix of live actors and rod puppets manipulated from beneath the stage.

Squarely aimed at the smallest guests, the Disney Junior show largely disregards Walt’s dictum that Disneyland attractions should appeal to the entire family, but it does have positive aspects. It takes place in an indoor, air-conditioned venue where kids can move around without being forced to sit still in a seat, and the show’s simple object lessons about friendship and kindness are well taken. Plus, a few of benches in the parent seating area at the rear of the theatre are near accessible electrical outlets, making this a fine place to recharge your cellphone while taking a rest.

One final word of warning: with this update, we expect a temporary surge in interest for this already popular show. On busy days you’ll want to get in line at least 15 or more minutes before showtime to secure a spot. If the waiting crowd fills the outdoor queue area, ask a cast member if you’ll make it into the next performance.

DCA’s Disney Junior Show Reopens with New Characters is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

All photos by Seth Kubersky

Recently, I wrote about five of my favorite ways to begin my day at Disneyland Park. Until this past summer, Disneyland’s original park was most visitors’ first destination, with its little brother Disney California Adventure an afterthought on many itineraries.

Now, how the tables have turned: since last June’s grand re-opening of DCA, headlined by Cars Land and the Radiator Springs Racers E-Ticket, the former also-ran is often drawing as many (or even more) “first click” entries as its older sibling. That means more and more visitors are starting their Disney day on Buena Vista Street instead of Main Street, U.S.A.

As a result, we advise you arrive at DCA’s front gate at least 45 minutes before the official opening time; guests are typically allowed into the entry plaza at least 30 minutes early, and Disneyland’s current ID-checking procedures can make for slow lines at the turnstiles. Most importantly, don’t visit DCA on an Extra Magic Hour morning (currently Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) unless you are staying in a Disney resort hotel and can take advantage of the early entry.

Once you are inside the park and awaiting rope drop, what to do? Here are my top five tips for making mornings at DCA more memorable:

Do The RSR Fastpass Conga

Upon entering the park, the vast majority of DCA visitors make a beeline to one of two holding pens: the mob gathered in front of Carthay Circle, awaiting permission to speed-walk toward Cars Land; or the queue stretching towards Hollywood Land. That line leads to a Radiator Springs FASTPASS, the hottest ticket in Anaheim today.

While the line may look daunting, it will move swiftly once the opening hour arrives, thanks to the cast members who assist at the dispensing machines; on a recent visit, I began waiting at the Disney Junior theater and retrieved my Fastpasses less than 15 minutes after rope drop.

In any event, the RSR FASTPASS line will certainly move more quickly that the standby line at the ride itself, which regularly posts a 45 minute wait within moments of opening. Exacerbating the wait is the fact that this high-tech attraction frequently begins cycling guests a few (or many) minutes after the rest of the park, due to pre-opening testing.

The bottom line is that if you have any interest in riding Racers (and if you are in the park, of good health, and above 40″, you should), your best best is to hand all of your party’s admission passes to one sacrificial member and plant that person in the RSR FASTPASS line as soon as possible. Just make sure all the passes have been validated at one of the parks’ front gates first; you can’t use your family’s tickets to secure FASTPASSes while they snooze at the hotel.

Mortgage Your House for a Latte

In my previous installment, I took some pokes at Starbucks for taking over the classic Market House on Main Street, ending a tradition of free coffee refills. But I can’t deny that, refills or no, the Starbucks-serving Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe has been a huge hit on DCA’s Buena Vista Street. And if the free java in your hotel is as awful as it was in the last motel I stayed in, you may be in desperate need of an eye-opener before beginning your day’s adventures.

If that’s the case, you’ll want to be one of the first through the doors in the morning, since the combination of a substantial snack and sandwich menu with Starbucks’ complex caffeinated concoctions causes the line here to move slower than Siberian molasses.

As an alternative, try stopping by Downtown Disney’s La Brea Bakery immediately outside the Esplanade before going through the bag check. Though not as publicized as the outlet inside the park, the Express counter here serves Starbucks-branded beans as well.

Soak Up The Atmosphere on Buena Vista Street

The Imagineers did an amazing job reimagining the flat, tacky Sunshine Plaza as the richly detailed Buena Vista Street, which emotionally and architecturally evokes Los Angeles’s Art Deco era much as Main Street, U.S.A., does for late-19th century middle America. Before rushing off to Pixar’s marvel of mountain-making, make sure to take a look at signage and shop windows surrounding you, filled with Disney in-jokes and vintage memorabilia.

Better yet, strike up a conversation with one of the colorful characters who roam the street each day. Sure, you’ll find the usual chipmunks, dogs, and mice (in natty zoot suits and other period duds) out doing early-morning photo duty. But you should also seek out the Citizens of Buena Vista Street, who are always willing to share advice (sage or otherwise) with visitors. You may run into the local cop, a bike messenger, or a socialite with a playful puppy. Whomever you meet, try to chat for a few moments, and you’ll discover that (much like the Citizens of Hollywood in Orlando’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios) these improvisation actors are much more than walking photo ops.

Read the Morning Paper

All frequent theme park visitors are conditioned to pick up the park map and show times guide as the enter the turnstiles. But at DCA there’s a less familiar free publication that you should also pick up. In baskets positioned around Buena Vista Street, you’ll find complimentary copies of Buena Vista Bugle, a 4-page faux newspaper that is updated every few months.

The idea hearkens back to the early days of Disneyland, when Imagineering legend Marty Sklar was hired by Walt to write a promotional newspaper sold in the park. Today, that newspaper’s descendant is distributed gratis to DCA visitors. Inside, you’ll find puff pieces extolling attractions and seasonal offerings around the park, all amusingly ghostwritten by eccentric imaginary journalists.

Amid the unsubtle advertising, the Bugle contains solid info, especially on finding character encounters around the park, and does it in a more entertaining way than the antiseptic Times Guide. Be sure to pick up a copy on your way in for reference during your visit, and another non-rumpled copy for a souvenir on your way out.

Go Anywhere Except Cars Land

If you follow our recommended Touring Plans for DCA, you’ll head directly to Luigi’s Flying Tires after securing your Radiator Springs Racers FASTPASS. If you are intent on experiencing this unique attraction, that’s certainly the best advice, since this visually attractive but short and slow-loading ride can quickly develop a lengthy queue second only to that of Radiator Springs Racers.

Due to its “cycle loading” nature, you can wait twenty minutes or more for Luigi’s with only a few loads of guests ahead of you, burning valuable early morning touring time. So, unless you are among the first through the FASTPASS distribution and enter Luigi’s queue within fifteen minutes of opening, you may want to consider spending the remainder of your first hour in a more efficient manner.

The upside of Cars Land’s phenomenal popularity is that it draws most guests away from the park’s other headliners until hours after opening. Tower of Terror, California Screamin’, and Toy Story Midway Mania often have minimal waits in the morning while the herd heads down Route 66. If you can stand to skip Luigi’s (try back at the end of the day, when it and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree are sometimes walk-ons), you’ll get a great return on your time investment at these other E-Tickets.

A final tip: remember that your Radiator Springs Racer FASTPASS is “disconnected” and won’t interfere with getting a FASTPASS for another attraction. You could snag a FASTPASS at Soarin’ Over California (if you don’t just use its Single Rider line) on your way to getting a viewing ticket for World of Color (also disconnected), or grab one for Tower of Terror before hopping across to Disneyland to pick up FASTPASSes there. Just be aware of the the ending time on your tickets; return windows are now being strictly enforced, though you may get 15 minutes of grace (i.e., arrive up to 15 minutes after your window has passed) if you ask nicely.

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

Until this past weekend, one of our top insider tips for Disneyland Resort visitors was that the return time windows printed on FASTPASS tickets were rarely if ever enforced. Even though FASTPASS tickets clearly display a one-hour window during which the ticket is valid for expedited admission into an attraction, the end of the time period could previously be safely ignored. This was a great boon to savvy guests, who could get FASTPASS tickets for popular rides in the early hours of the day and stockpile them for use at any time before park closing.

Walt Disney World used to have a similar unwritten policy, until it began enforcing FASTPASS return times last year in preparation for the new MyMagic+ program. Now, Disneyland Resort has joined its Florida counterpart in requiring guests adhere to the designated return times.

As of this morning, Cast Members at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure attractions offering FASTPASS will refuse entry to guests arriving after their printed pass time has expired. Cast Members have been warning guests of the policy change for the past couple weeks, and signs reminding guests to observe their return times have been posted at all FASTPASS dispensing kiosks.

During this transition period, Cast Members may have the discretion to admit latecomers within a 15 minute grace period. Also, if an attraction breaks down during your return window (a not-uncommon occurrence at Radiator Springs Racers) your pass will be accepted later in the day when the ride is operational again. Otherwise, be advised to pay close attention to your return time, or else your FASTPASSes will expire and be nothing more than free souvenirs.

Be aware that our Lines optimizer is aware of this new policy, and will adjust your customized touring plans created with our tools accordingly.

What do you think of this new policy? Will it impact the way you tour the Disneyland Resort? Do you think it means more MyMagic+ features will be making their way to Anaheim from Orlando? Let us know what you think in the comment below.

Disneyland Resort Now Enforcing FASTPASS Return Windows is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Image copyright Disney

In a surprise move, Disneyland Resort has quietly released details of a new limited-time perk for all Disneyland Annual Passholders. On Thursday nights in February 2013, Passholders can stay in Disney California Adventure for an extra 2 hours past the usual closing time. That’s 120 more minutes to enjoy the rides in Cars Land and elsewhere around Anaheim’s hottest attraction.

The program will only be offered on Thursdays, February 7, 14, 21, & 28. Passholders will be allowed to stay until 10pm on the 7th, 14th, and 28th, and until 11pm on the 21st.

In order to participate, you must arrive at DCA between noon and 90 minutes after the regular park closing time, in order to obtain a special wristband near the front turnstiles. A valid annual pass and photo ID are required; regular parking fees still apply.

Note that this temporary “stay late” program is in addition to the ongoing early entry perk, which allows annual Passholders into the parks an hour early on the weekends. That program runs through April 14, but is not available on February 3.

Extended February DCA Park Hours for Disneyland Annual Passholders is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.