refurbishment - 4/4 - TouringPlans.com Blog

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The world's attention turned to London this week, but that didn't stop heavy crowds from continuing to head to Disneyland Resort.

Crowd Calendar

Quietest Day: Friday 7/27 was a 9 out of 10 at the resort, with DCA crowds at 8.6 and Disneyland Park at 9.2.

Busiest Day: Tuesday 7/24 and Thursday 7/26 were both a 10 out of 10 at the resort, with DCA crowds at 9.8 and Disneyland Park at 9.7.

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

Read the rest of this entry »

All photos copyright Disney

The Disneyland Resort celebrated a special date last week. Did you bake a cake?

Crowd Calendar

Quietest Day: Friday 7/20 was a 9 out of 10 at the resort, with DCA crowds at only 6.3.

Busiest Day: Tuesday 7/17 was a 10 out of 10 at the resort, with DCA crowds at 9.7.

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

Read the rest of this entry »

All photos copyright Disney

A fan-favorite unheralded Disneyland attraction marked a quarter-century, while heavy rains visited the Anaheim resort last week. It didn’t keep the crowds away, but it did play havoc with Disney California Adventure’s hottest new ride.

Crowd Calendar

Quietest Day: Friday, July 13, was only a 5.1 out of 10 at Disneyland, and a 10.0 at DCA. Thursday, July 12, was the slowest day at DCA, at 8.2 out of 10.

Busiest Day: Tuesday, July 10, was a 7.5 out of 10 at Disneyland, and a 9.9 at DCA.

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

Read the rest of this entry »

The Australian Today Show broadcasted from Disneyland last week.

Disneyland Resort began settling into summer operations last week, with slightly smaller (but still substantial) crowds following mid-June’s well-publicized festivities.

Crowd Calendar

Quietest Day: Friday 6/29 was a 7 out of 10 at the resort overall, with Disneyland Park at only 3.3 and DCA at 9.0.

Busiest Day: Saturday 6/30 was a 9 out of 10 at the resort overall, with Disneyland Park at 6.8 and DCA at 9.3.

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

Read the rest of this entry »

4th of July Fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle

As the excitement over June’s grand openings fades into memory, we are entering the first full month of regular operation at the new and improved Disneyland Resort, which is expected to continue to set new attendance records all summer long. The celebrities have gone home, but the crowds are still strong, so strap in for our monthly Anaheim update.

All photos copyright Disney.

Crowd Calendar

The Touring Plans crowd calendar pegs every single day in June as a “10 out of 10″ on our historical scale, so if you are visiting we advise arriving extra-early with your ticket and touring plan in hand.

Quietest Day: There will be no “quiet” days until after the summer, with peak crowds daily at DCA, but Disneyland Park will be “only” a 7.3 on July 7. Look for Saturdays to be slightly slower due to Annual Pass blackouts.

Busiest Day: Every day this month will be mobbed, but July 27 should be the busiest with a 10 in DCA and a 9.6 at Disneyland.

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

Read the rest of this entry »

It was a relatively quiet week at the Disneyland Resort. But there is still plenty of news coming out about June’s anticipated expansions, as we wait out these last few days of “calm before the storm.”

Crowd Calendar

The slow spring season is swiftly slipping away as Disneyland gears up for record crowds all summer.

Quietest Day: Thursday, May 30 (Predicted 5 out of 10, actual 5)

Busiest Day: Monday, May 28 (Predicted 8 out of 10, actual 9)

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

Special Events

• Grad Nights were held at both parks on 5/30, 5/31, and 6/1, and will continue on 6/6-8.
• 66 lucky readers of the Disney Parks Blog were allowed “behind the wall” in Cars Land on May 29 for a walking tour with Imagineers.
• Disneyland donated the large “CALIFORNIA” letters that formerly stood outside of Disney California Adventure to the California State Fair for permanent display.
• On May 27, Disneyland’s Space Mountain turned 35 years old.

Openings, Closings, and Refurbishments

Disneyland

• The Carnation Cafe will reopen on June 13.
• The Matterhorn Bobsleds will reopen on June 15.
• More details were released about the new Disney Castle exhibit coming to the Disney Gallery on Main Street U.S.A. On June 30.
• The Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree is being held Friday-Sunday in Frontierland, and will expand on June 18 to 7 days, featuring performances by Billy Hill and the Hillbillies through the summer.

Disney California Adventure

• Construction walls came down around the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, which is now in soft-opening, and officially opens on June 7.
• Menu details were released for food at the Crazy Cone Motel in Cars Land, opening June 15.
• The Pixar Play Parade began soft-opening runs in preparation for its official return to the park on June 15, after a year and a half hiatus.
• The Cove Bar reopened after refurbishment with some new vintage theming and some additional specialty drinks on the menu.

Downtown Disney

• Disney announced that the WonderGround art gallery will open on June 9.
• The La Brea Bakery Cafe reopened on June 1 with expanded seating and a new menu.
• A multimedia-equipped truck will appear June 3-7 to promote the premiere of “TRON: Uprising” on the Disney XD channel.
• The Sunglass Icon store reopened after a brief remodeling.

All photos copyright Disney

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!

Welcome to the final May 2012 installment of “Last Week at Disneyland Resort,” as we race towards the Disney California Adventure relaunch next month. Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Here’s what just happened at the Happiest Place on Earth:

Crowd Calendar

Last week was the final “slow” week before the big buildup to the June 15 grand openings. Don’t expect to see lines that short again until long after summer.

Quietest Day: Tuesday May 22 (3 out of 10)

Busiest Day: Saturday May 26 (predicted 8 out of 10, actual 9)

Subscribe to the TouringPlans.com Disneyland Crowd Calendar for full details on projected wait times for the next 30 days.

Special Events

• The final after-hours Passholder parties for Fantasmic! were held on May 21 and 22.
• Grad Nights were held on May 23-25.
• New television commercials, depicting Buzz Lightyear detecting “high levels of happiness” at Disneyland Resort, were released.
• Disneyland Resort announced it would offer Extra Magic Hours early theme park entry to on-site hotel guests beginning June 18. The program is similar to the current Magic Morning early entry, which will still be offered to purchasers of “bonus” parkhopper tickets. Extra Magic Hours will allow guests at Disneyland’s 3 hotels to enter Disneyland Park on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and Disney California Adventure on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, one hour before the official opening time.

Openings, Closings, and Refurbishments

Disneyland Park

• Matterhorn Bobsleds remain closed until June 15.
• Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition reopened after a month-long refurbishment. The game is essentially unchanged.
• The special summer edition of The Magic, The Memories, and You! debuted May 25 on the it’s a small world facade. Images of sandcastles and surfing Sport Goofy are now integrated into the nightly video projection show.

Disney California Adventure

• Construction walls came down around the Carthay Circle theatre and fountain in preparation for DCA’s June 15 relaunch.
• More photos were released depicting life-sized Mater and Lightning McQueen characters amid the neon lights along Route 66 inside the under-construction Cars Land.
• New entertainment offerings featuring Chip and Dale, Goofy, and Cars characters were announced.
• Soft opening was held for the Mad T Party, a “hip” dance party inspired by Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, featuring costumed performers, a live band, specialty drinks, and custom games and merchandise.
• The Cove Bar reopened at Ariel’s Grotto.

Downtown Disney and Hotels

• Construction continues on WonderGround art gallery and Earl of Sandwich.
• The newly refurbished LEGO store held a Master Builder Event to celebrate their grand reopening. Guests could help assemble a model of “Brickley the Sea Serpent.”
• New souvenir cocktail glasses are available at Trader Sam’s at the Disneyland Hotel.

Elsewhere

• Transformers: The Ride officially opened at Universal Studios Hollywood. The 3-D dark ride/simulator hybrid has received rave reviews.

All photos copyright Disney

Greetings, and welcome to the latest edition of Last Week at Disneyland Resort. The resort is rapidly gearing up for the debut of Buena Vista Street and Carsland in less than a month, so there is plenty of activity all around!

Crowd Calendar

Look for the light May attendance to give way to Memorial Day crowds, which will then stick around most of the summer.

• Quietest Day: Resort attendance was lowest on May 15 (predicted 3 out of 10, actual 2)
• Busiest Day: Resort attendance was highest on May 13 (predicted 6 out of 10, actual 8 )

Subscribe to the TouringPlans.com Disneyland Crowd Calendar for full details on projected attendance for the next 30 days.

Special Events

• After-hours parties were held on May 14 & 15 for annual passholders to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Fantasmic. Two more parties will be held on May 21 & 22.
• The sweepstakes for annual passholders to win a preview of Cars Land continues through May 24.
• Grad Nights were held for high school seniors on the 16-18, and will continue on 23-25 and 30&31.
• In anticipation of Cars Land’s opening, “faces” have been applied to the monorails at Disneyland Resort. Look for Mandy, Mona, and Manny Monorail circling the beam all summer.
• A Cars Land walking tour “meet up” was announced on May 16 for readers of the Disney Parks blog. All 33 slots On the May 39 tour were quickly claimed.
• Annual Passholders, D23, and Club 33 members were also invited to purchase admission to special preview events on June 8 & 9, including VIP World of Color viewing and dinner at the new Carthay Circle.
• On May 18, Disney gave two days notice of a major price increase for Disneyland Resort admission tickets, effective May 20. Among the notable changes: 6-day park hoppers have been discontinued, and Premiere Passes have jumped an astronomical $100 to $850. Read all the details here.
• It was announced that Annual Passholders will have the opportunity to attend “early entry” events at both parks this summer (June 18 though September 13). Availability will be limited and advance registration is required.

Openings, Closings, and Refurbishments

Disneyland Park

• Disney announced that the Carnation Cafe will return to operation on June 13 with expanded seating and an updated menu.
• The Matterhorn Bobsleds reopen on June 15; check out this new time-lapse video of the massive scaffolding needed to complete its restoration.
• The Frontierland Shooting’ Exposition is closed through May 25.
• A new Brave-themed interactive meet & greet opened near it’s a small world.

Disney California Adventure

• Goofy’s Sky School had a brief refurbishment May 7-17.
• Construction on Buena Vista Street and Cars Land continues though June 15. Details of new Red Trolley Car-themed merchandise were announced.
• Pixar’s upcoming film Brave will join the World of Color show in a new segment starting June 15.
• More details were released about the Mad T Party evening street festival that begins in June.
• The Cove Bar at Ariel’s Grotto was closed for refurbishment, and is scheduled to reopen this weekend.

Downtown Disney

• The former home of Island Charter is being converted into the WonderGround Art gallery, to reopen on June 9.
• The former Compass Books is being turned into an Earl of Sandwich, opening date TBA.
• The UVA Bar is being renovated and will return in early June.

All photos copyright Disney.

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.