Myrna Litt’s 10/19 Choc Walk Photo Report

Myrna Litt was at the Disneyland Resort today to participate in the annual Choc Walk. Now I’m not really an expert on this event, so before we get to the pictures, here is Myrna’s description of what happened:

I did the Choc Walk at Disneyland this morning. It was an early morning for me with the day starting at 4am and arriving at the Mickey and Friends parking lot at 5:30am.

We walked from the parking structure to the main entrance. The Disney Voluntears had a group picture taken at 6am in front of the train station  and the walk started at 7:15. This was the 18th walk in the park.

It was a fun morning starting on Main Street and through Frontierland. Up past Woody’s Halloween Round, up to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Then we went backstage though the cast member security and fire department area coming out at Main Street again. We then crossed over to DCA and wrapped around the the backside towards the back lot and behind the Tower of Terror for cast members only. Back into the park through Bugs Land and down to Paradise Pier to the Grand Californian Hotel. We entered Downtown Disney though a cast member walkway and ended the walk just past Department 56.

It was a lot of fun and for a great cause. You also have a rare opportunity to see the backside of Disneyland. All the cast members and characters cheering you along the way.

Now on to the pictures:

Cast Members and Disney Voluntears helped out the event along the way.

As Myrna said, the walk started in Town Square.

A security car behind Space Mountain.

Some of the Voluntears posing with security CM’s.

If I’m not mistaken, this shot was taken from backstage.

What do you know… It’s The Incredibles float from the Pixar Play Parade!

The walk ended in Downtown Disney by Department 56.

2fer Ticket is Back… And So Is DCA’s Attendance!

Disneyland is once again offering the 2fer ticket this year & they have released a press release with more information on the tickets:

ANAHEIM, Calif. (January 8, 2009) – Southern California families looking for value and the best way to spend their limited entertainment dollars will find an unbeatable offer at the Disneyland Resort in the new year. With the “Southern California 2fer Ticket,” guests will experience the magic of new attractions and high quality entertainment at Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure on one day, and then come back on another day to play in the other park – for free. 

The “Southern California 2fer Ticket” can be purchased now at Disneyland.com, The Disney Stores, Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros, Toys R Us, Dearden’s, Casa Ley, Korea Daily, Irvine Spectrum and other locations. The 2fer ticket, on sale through June 3, 2009, enables Southern Californians to enjoy all the fun, entertainment, shows and attractions that the two parks showcase.    

Guests who like the thrills of both California Screamin’ and Space Mountain will enjoy the attractions on two different days when they purchase the “2fer ticket” and will experience all the fun that the Disneyland Resort theme parks have to offer for less than $35 per day. The two parks feature a mix of classic attractions and new immersive experiences that will entertain guests of all ages.

At Disney’s California Adventure, popular attractions and entertainment include Soarin’ Over California, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, a Broadway-style production. Now, guests will have more fun than ever with exciting experiences such as Toy Story Mania!, Blue Sky Cellar, Pixar Play Parade and an all-new show, High School Musical 3: Senior Year – Right Here! Right Now!

At Disneyland, guests will enjoy classic attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain along with magical experiences such as Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough, the all-new Pixie Hollow, and – starting in February – “it’s a small world.”

2fer Ticket Details:
2fer tickets are valid for Southern California residents within ZIP Codes 90000-93599 and Northern Baja California residents within ZIP Codes 21000-22999. Proof of residency is required for admission. Admission is valid for one Park each day, but not for both Parks on the same day. Tickets are valid 30 days from first use. First use must occur between 1/6/09-6/3/09. Each day of use constitutes one full day of use. Guests may purchase up to 8 tickets per person per day with valid ID. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use. The offer may not be combined with other discounts or promotions. The offer is not valid before 1/6/09 and is subject to restrictions and change without notice. $35 message is based on the purchase price of an adult 2fer Ticket, which is $69. Tickets are $59 for guests ages 3 through 9. Check for entertainment show times.

DLR Photo Report – 2/13/09 :: Featuring It’s a Small World Ride Video!

It was a dark, rainy day yesterday, but fun still ensues at the Disneyland Resort! Let’s get to my latest photo report:

It was quite an empty day yesterday, probably due to the rain.

New Celebrate Today! decorations on the security tents.

This side of the Emporium has been re-painted and looks as great as ever.

The re-paving of Main Street looks to be pretty much complete.

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Shawn Hutchinson’s 2/24/09 Photo Report

Well, it certainly does look like Shawn Hutchinson is a great addition to our team of photographers, as this will be his 3rd photo report in 6 days! Here’s his report from February 24th:

An old parking tram from the pre-DCA days parked in the Pinocchio parking lot.

The Frying Pan Sun!

Grizzly Peak.

I hope those fish aren’t real…

The Pacific Wharf bridge under refurbishment.

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New & Upcoming Attractions Transfer Into Awesome Pins!

There are a lot of very interesting upcoming pin releases at the Disneyland Resort, showcasing attractions opened in the past year, and attractions yet to open. Let’s take a look at some of these pins:

This pin commemorating the grand opening of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will be released on March 29th and will retail for $12.95.

April’s Piece of Disney History pin looks to be the best Disneyland one yet, commemorating the still around Rainforest scene in It’s a Small World. It will be released on April 5th and will retail for $14.95.

Another It’s a Small World character pin (with an odd facade) will be released on April 10th and will retail for $10.95.

I believe this is the first Pixie Hollow pin (based on the meet ‘n greet itself, not the movie). It will be released on April 24th and will retail for $10.95.

The first pin featuring Mickey’s Fun Wheel, coming out on April 24th. It will retail for $10.95.

Also comes the first pins featuring the new Games of the Boardwalk (Goofy About Fishin’, Casey at the Bat, Bullseye Stallion Stampede, and Dumbo Bucket Brigade). This pin set will be release also on April 24th, and will retail for $22.95.

“Just a Dream Away”, the motto of the Blue Sky Cellar, also featuring a possible new logo for Disney’s California Adventure. It will be released on April 24th and will retail for $8.95.

The final pin I wanted to mention here is the 1 year anniversary pin for Toy Story Midway Mania, being released almost 3 months before the actual anniversary (June 17th) on April 24th. It will retail for $10.95.

To keep up with all the latest Disneyland Resort pin releases, check out the only podcast dedicated to Disney Pin Trading, WDWNT’s The Disney Pincast.

The Rest of The Year at The Disneyland Resort

As Summer Nightastic! lights up the night this summer at Disneyland Resort, more exciting Disney attractions and experiences are on the horizon.

GET A DISNEY STUDIO STAR MAKEOVER AT STUDIO DISNEY 365
Opening Friday, June 26, in Downtown Disney, Studio Disney 365 offers aspiring stars, age 3 and up, makeover transformations and an opportunity to walk the carpet for a grand, show-business-style entrance. Girls and boys can choose from a range of “rock star” hair, makeup and costume options for their own scene-stealing experience, inspired by the characters from “Hannah Montana.”

HOT AND COLD RUNNING CHILLS
The summer-long celebration of a Disneyland landmark, Haunted Mansion, begins in June with the roll-out of new Haunted Mansion-themed additions to the popular Disney pin-trading program. On Sunday, Aug. 9, the 40th anniversary of the Haunted Mansion opening, the popular artist Shag will be in the Disneyana shop on Main Street, U.S.A. signing his new Haunted Mansion artwork. www.artofdisney.com

DISNEY UP CLOSE AND BEHIND THE SCENES AT D23 EXPO
D23, the official community for Disney fans, will present its first-ever D23 Expo Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 10-13, at the Anaheim Convention Center near Disneyland Resort. D23 Expo will offer fans unprecedented access to never-before-seen movies, TV shows, theme park experiences, collectibles and more. Early glimpses of upcoming new Disney movies, a look ahead to new vacation destinations and theme park attractions (including the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure) and an extraordinary exhibition of classic and contemporary Disney artifacts will be among the highlights of D23 Expo. In addition, D23 Expo will be the home for the 2009 Disney Legend Awards, a 22-year tradition that pays tribute to the talented men and women who have made indelible contributions to Disney entertainment. For more information, visit www.D23EXPO.com.

DISNEY VACATION CLUB COMES WEST
Disney Vacation Club’s first accommodations on the West Coast will welcome its first occupants on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The 50 two-bedroom-equivalent vacation villas are part of a Grand Californian expansion that also includes 200 new hotel rooms, a new swimming pool and underground parking. Bookings begin in June for the first Disney Vacation Club on the West Coast.

THE RETURN OF DISNEY GALLERY AND MR. LINCOLN
Long a favorite of Disney fans and collectors of Disney art, the Disney Gallery will reopen this fall in a new home next to the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland in the space originally occupied by the Bank of Main Street. Later in the year, the Opera House next door will reopen with the inspiring and newly refurbished The Disneyland Story featuring Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. Opening dates will be determined later this year.

HOLIDAY FAVORITES
Of course, Disneyland Resort will also celebrate the fall and winter holidays this year. Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort returns beginning Friday, Sept. 25, with Haunted Mansion Holiday, Candy Corn Acres, Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party and some new, scary surprises. Beginning in late November, Holidays at Disneyland Resort will bring back “A Christmas Fantasy” parade,” it’s a small world Holiday” and all the special holiday décor that transforms Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks into a holiday wonderland.

And So It Begins…

Some helpful information for everyone planning to use Disneyland parking lots during their next visit. According to the Disney’s California Adventure Project Tracker, the Timon parking lot will be closing permanently on July 6th to make room for additional backstage work, as well as eventually to begin construction on Cars Land. My advice on parking is to go straight to Mickey and Friends, as that will now be your easiest option. Keep in mind though that Disney may re-direct you to other parking lots, such as Buzz Lightyear, Simba, the Anaheim GardenWalk, the Anaheim Convention Center, etc.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest on the 1 billion dollar refurbishment to Disney’s California Adventure.

July 4th Trip Planner

To prepare everyone visiting the Disneyland Resort during this holiday weekend, I wanted to go over the entertainment schedule for July 4th, as well as the park hours, to make sure everyone can successfully see what they want to see:

  • Disneyland will be open from 8:00am to 12:00am all weekend.
  • “Celebrate! A Street Party” will be performed every day at 3:30pm and 6:30pm.
  • The special fourth of July holiday fireworks show, “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky”, will be performed at 9:25pm starting tonight and running through Sunday night. According to D23, the shows on July 2nd, 3rd, and 5th will be a condensed version, only 8 minutes long, compared to the full show on July 4th which is 13 minutes long and will have much more pyro. The regular fireworks show, Magical, will return on Monday.
  • Fantasmic will have three performances on July 4th, at 9:00pm, 10:30pm, and 11:30pm.
  • Suburban Legends will be performing through-out the night on July 4th at the TLT Dance Club, beginning at 7:00pm.
  • Disney’s California Adventure will be open from 10:00am to 10:00pm on July 4th.
  • The Pixar Play Parade will be performed as usual at 5:15pm.
  • Disney’s Electrical Parade will also be performed at its usual time of 8:45pm.

If you are planning to visit the Disneyland Resort this weekend, be aware crowds will be massive. Disneyland may even be closed in the afternoon due to the park reaching capacity, and you’ll be re-directed to DCA. Parking may also be an isssue, as I explained in this recent post. For the full entertainment schedule on July 4th, which includes smaller entertainment venues around the parks, click HERE.

DLR Photo Report – 7/6/09

I’m back from a wonderful evening trip yesterday to the Disneyland Resort. Even though I visited both parks, this photo report only covers Mickey and Friends and Disney’s California Adventure. So let’s get to this photo report:

Some work going on at the Mickey and Friends Tram Station. The tram only loads on the right side at the moment

As I got into DCA, the Pixar Play Parade started, so here are some photos

The Ratatouile unit has finally returned to the parade

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