modern family - TouringPlans.com Blog

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).

Welcome to the first 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 will be 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 3 (Predicted 1 out of 10, Actual 2).
• Busiest Days: Resort attendance was highest on April 29 (Predicted 6 out of 10, Actual 5).

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

Special Events

• Disneyland celebrated Cinco de Mayo on May 5 with a special menu at Tortilla Joe’s in Downtown Disney.
• 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!
• A sweepstakes was announced for Annual Passholders to win a preview visit to Cars Land and Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure on June 11.
• ABC Television announced that the episode of Modern Family that was shot at Disneyland on Leap Day will be broadcast on May 9.
• New membership spots in the ultra-exclusive Club 33 are available, in case you have a stack of spare $10,000 bills lying around. New members will be able to visit 1901, the new private lounge being built inside the Carthay Circle Theatre at DCA.

Opening, Closures, and Refurbishments

Disneyland

• The candy store, Penny Arcade, and Gibson Girl ice cream parlor on Main Street, USA, reopened on May 2 following a major refurbishment. The makeover is getting high marks from early visitors, excepting the removal of the glass elephant and several vintage arcade machines. 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.
• Frontierland Festival Arena stage is now home to the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree, with characters and crafts Friday-Sunday. This is also where school musical groups perform now that Plaza Gardens is gone.
• Matterhorn Bobsleds remained closed for a major overhaul until June 15.
• Indiana Jones Adventure was closed for a quick refurb on May 1-2.
• Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition is closed now through 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 was closed April 30 to May 4 to install new hair on the “Under the Sea” Ariel animatronic and replace CGI projections with new hand-drawn animation. The changes will also appear in the WDW version of the ride, opening this winter.
• Soarin’ Over California closed unexpectedly on May 3 after guests at Epcot’s version of the ride managed to slip out of their restraints. The ride reopened on May 4, and safety procedures are being reevaluated.
• Buena Vista Street and Cars Land remain under construction until June 15, though some soft-openings are possible later in the month.
• Preparations are underway for the Mad T Party, this summer’s replacement for the ElecTRONica weekend dance parties. The new Alice in Wonderland-inspired event will feature themed midway arcade games.

Downtown Disney

• The large LEGO Imagination store reopened on May 1 after a major refurbishment. The temporary LEGO store in the former home of Island Charter is now transforming into the WonderGround art gallery which will open on June 9.