Hope your week’s been great and your weekend is relaxing and happy. I’ve been up 40 or so hours with a sick cat. She’s better now, but this is written while groggy, so be gentle.
The first shoe was the announcement of Star Wars Land and the closures – some temporary, some permanent, of a rather large handful of Frontierland and neighboring areas attractions, restaurants, temporary event areas and even a petting zoo with a bunch of adorable animals. The unused portion of Tom Sawyer Island is getting chopped off. PLUS, Annual Passes had a dramatic restructuring in terms of price and blockout dates. Were we going to have a shortage of attractions and such, plus higher prices for everyone, with no relief during this time of heavy construction? There was precedent: Fantasyland was closed before the 1983 reopening and there were no discounts on passes. Maybe the other shoe would drop after the Holiday season ended. Maybe not.
But it did, this week, nice and loud, a big, yellow shoe: Discounts and special packages for locals, limited-time magical ways to experience parts of some of the closed attractions as well. So, yes, Disneyland did address these. I can understand why they didn’t want to say anything until after the Holidays. People would have lost their collective minds, myself especially. Let’s take a look. . .
It’s Limited Time, and It’s Magic.
Here’s the experiences announcement, from Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:
“Have you ever wondered how the Disneyland Railroad steam engines run? Or what Jungle Cruise skippers do when they aren’t in their boats? Beginning this month, Disneyland park guests will have unique, limited-time opportunities to experience some of their favorite attractions in new ways.
While the Disneyland Railroad is temporarily closed this year, guests at the Main Street and New Orleans Square Train Stations will be able to get up-close with the historic steam engines that have circled Disneyland park for decades, learn about these amazing machines firsthand from our own train engineers and even take a picture with an engine! Each engine will be accompanied by knowledgeable train engineers, who will share fun facts, details on how the engines operate, stories from the history of the Disneyland Railroad and more.
I’m pretty sure they’ll have a lot to say about this particular engineer!
While the world-famous Jungle Cruise undergoes refurbishment early this year, the skippers will still share their stories, adventures and humor with Disneyland park guests in front of the attraction. Join them as they recount tales from their travels while the Jungle Navigation Company headquarters readies for reopening later this year.
Keep your ears peeled – there might be something interesting going on with one of these fellas this coming week!
Look for these special opportunities and more – including new, limited-time experiences aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat and Sailing Ship Columbia – throughout the year at Disneyland park!”
If you’ve ever gone to Railroad Days in Fullerton, Disneyland will often send an engine or, one year, the Lilly Belle for people to visit. They can actually go right aboard! I did it! It was the Ernest S. Marsh (thank you Alexander) and it was incredible! All you have to do is show up and stand in line. Railroad Days is the BEST.
The holdup was the trouble people had getting inside; I think that’s why guests will be getting a close look and photos, but not going inside.
Hey, you know what would be cool for the Skippers? Some kind of place where they could tell you stories while serving you delicious food and also some drinks in tin mugs. Like a Canteen of sorts. Just saying.
I heard a rumor that they’ll be doing some sort of a Tea on the Mark Twain. Sign me up. I love teas, and Disneyland needs an in-park Princess Tea. Also, Tiana is just perfect; she’s a restauranteur anyway. Tea and little sandwiches and beignets. Sign me up! Do I think it will mean the permanent docking of the Mark Twain? Oh, hayall no! It probably won’t even happen, such a pain to get the food to and fro. But it’s fun to think about.
I would totally show up to buy some of those man-catchin’ beignets from this princess. If they have Charlotte host the tea, I’ll show up every da– day.
This is the Part Where I Say Thank You!
DVCResaleMarket.com, thank you for sponsoring Fab News! I worked with Nick to purchase my first Disney Vacation Club contract and he helped make it so easy. He was a pleasure to work with and was very professional guiding me through the whole process. I highly recommend him for anyone looking to purchase a resale DVC contract!” ~C.M.
So, What’s the Deal on the Deals?
They are for tickets AND hotel packages: “The Southern California Resident ticket offer* provides flexible options for two or three days of magic and adventure at special prices. Available for a limited time, the offer has four purchase options:
2-day ticket with choice of one park per day for $149
2-day Park Hopper ticket for $189
3-day ticket with choice of one park per day for $179
3-day Park Hopper ticket for $219.
Season of the Force will keep going, for which I’m very glad, as I love it, and I’ll finally be able to visit Super Hero HQ, also in Tomorrowland and see Spider-Man and Thor, in person. And not say “It’s Hammer Time!”
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters will open soon. The weather’s the only thing holding it back right now. It’s an attraction, from what I hear, that does not like the rain very much. This rainy season is a rare exception for California, so it should be fine once El Nino departs.
“On this fun, family attraction, guests will join the exciting festivities created by Luigi, a beloved character from the Disney•Pixar blockbuster “Cars” films. Luigi has invited all his cugini (cousins) from Carsoli, Italy, to visit Cars Land and demonstrate the traditional dances of their village. Park guests will hop aboard miniature Italian roadsters – in the style of micro cars — to enjoy the dance and the upbeat singing of Luigi and his cousins. The dance is precision-choreographed across what appears to be a trackless “dance floor.” Each car has its own routine, so guests will be able to enjoy different ride experiences depending on which car they board.”
This actually started the last day of the Holiday celebrations, January 6, so they wasted no time whatsoever.
The 2-day and 3-day Southern California Resident tickets are Jan. 6 through May 19, 2016. Tickets expire after May 26, 2016, and blockout dates apply. They can be purchased at http://Disneyland.com/flex, The Disney Stores, Vons and other retail locations, as well as any Disneyland Resort ticket booth.
This next part is kind of important:
“Guests who purchase tickets online may print their tickets at home. When purchased in advance, 3-day tickets include one Magic Morning** early entry to Disneyland Park, which provides an extra hour of play on select days before the park opens to the general public. This benefit is not available to tickets purchased at Disneyland Resort ticket booths.” If you buy these tickets, or package, I cannot advise you strongly enough to take advantage of this. Get in early, get on Hyperspace Mountain, ride the Matterhorn (no Fastpass) and the Fantasyland dark rides, or Cars Land and Radiator Springs Racers if it’s DCA that day, and you’ve knocked the worst lines in the park out of the way before most people have parked.
And then get yourself one of these bad boys, stress-free.
“For restrictions, visit http://Disneyland.com/flex. For park hours and entertainment schedules, guests may review the resort’s daily calendar at Disneyland.com.
Hotel Offers: Special hotel offers are available for guests who want to turn their Disneyland Resort visit into a getaway, including a stay in the middle of the Diamond Celebration at any of the three Disneyland Resort hotels. Guests may save up to 20 percent on premium rooms for select nights at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa or the Disneyland Hotel, and up to 10 percent at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel for travel between January 3 and March 31, 2016, if booked by March 10.*** Disneyland Resort hotel guests also may enjoy Extra Magic Hour** morning admission to a Disneyland Resort theme park on applicable days (valid Theme Park ticket and active hotel room key card required for each guest).”
Something I love about the Disneyland Hotel is the themed suites; my favorite is the Adventureland one. We got to tour them before they were opened to the public.
So here’s a picture of the Big Thunder Suite
I wonder, when Star Wars Land opens, if they’ll add a couple of Star Wars suites to the mix. They do have two other towers. Any ideas?
Agent Carter Comes to Hollywood
Well, she kind of has to. Howard Stark is coming out here to open a movie studio or something. Of course, Jarvis is there, too:
I don’t have cable, so I’m going to binge the heck out of it.
Choose Your Adventure at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Parks
Disneyland isn’t the only one providing some financial relief for park guests. Over in Florida, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Parks guests are getting a few great deals as well (the Preschool Pass is brilliant!)
Tourists Visiting Florida
The new “Choose Your Adventure” ticket option allows guests to customize their ideal itinerary and receive savings for each additional park or visit – the more they visit, the more they save. Guests can create their own favorite theme park adventure from these four parks: SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Aquatica Orlando and Adventure Island Tampa Bay. This offer has no end date (Thank you, Brian Fox!) When tickets are purchased in advance, online, special prices are as low as:
One visit to any park – $79
Two visits to any of the parks – $99
Three visits to any of the parks – $109
For the ultimate adventure deal — the new Length-of-Stay ticket provides 14 consecutive days of unlimited adventure to all four of the parks, along with free parkingat each, for one low price of $139.
Florida Residents
Annual Pass: The best value at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the Annual Pass with unlimited admission all year, free parking, no blockout dates and special benefits. New this year: enhanced Instant Rewards – a 12-month calendar of exclusive offerings each month such as discounts, ticket offers and free gifts. With a new reward each month, if you purchase early, you can enjoy the full year of offers. With EZ Pay, Annual Passes start at just $14 per month for one park, and $18 per month for both parks.
SeaWorld Orlando “Preschool Card”: For a limited time, SeaWorld Orlando will offer kids ages five and younger a FREE Preschool Card valid for unlimited admission through December 31, 2016. Cards must be registered online and redeemed in the park by May 27, 2016.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island “BOGO Fun Card”: Now through February 29, guests who buy a Fun Card to Busch Gardens also will receive a FREE Fun Card to Adventure Island.
I’ll be joining the MiceChat crew this Sunday for a full day of activities in celebration of the Disneyland river attractions. Full details HERE. Come join us!
I want to thank my Patreon sponsors, Square donors, Amazon purchasers and DVCResaleMarket.com for sticking with me another month as Fab News’ sponsor. I am eternally grateful for your support!
“Awesome customer service. Nick was very helpful throughout the process. Saved thousands of dollars over buying direct from DVC. Just booked my first reservation today!” ~D.W.
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