Disneyland Resort Update for September 6-11, 2016

by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix, staff writer
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Disneyland Resort Update for September 6–11, 2016

Go directly to: News & Views | Join our Networks | Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Resort Events | Merchandise Events | Discounts and Promotions | Park Schedule/Blockout Dates


News and Views

Familiar faces top podium at Disneyland Half Marathon | "Frightfully Fun" Parade added to Mickey's Halloween Party | Mickey's Halloween Party Dinner Package at the Blue Bayou | Disney California Adventure Park Fun Pass debuts at Disneyland | Tower of Terror to check out January 2, 2017 | Disneyland names new Ambassador duo | Endless Summer Celebrations benefit Anaheim residents | MouseAdventure Villains at Disney California Adventure | This and that... | Crowd forecast

Familiar faces top podium at Disneyland Half Marathon

Two returning champions claimed the top honors at the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon this weekend. 2012 and 2013 winner Jimmy Grabow (31) of Running Springs, CA took first place again this weekend, finishing in 1:06:13, the second-fastest course time in the event's 11-year history. Grabow set the course record for the Disneyland Half Marathon in 2012 with a time of 1:05:29. Brandon Wolfe (24) from Fullerton, CA., came in second with a time of 1:08:04. Patrick Fernandez (29) from La Verne, CA finished third with a time of 1:11:10.

MousePlanet friend Teresa Whitmore drew every one of the personalized inspirational signs requested by MousePlanet readers to be displayed along the Disneyland Half Marathon route. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Many runners tell us that they look forward to getting Free Candy from Strangers at the Team MousePlanet station during all of their runDisney events. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Returning women's champion Momoko Tanaka (30) from Urayasu City, Japan sucessfully defended her title this year, finishing the 13.1-mile course in 1:19:31. Jenny Kadavy (33), of Clayton, CA took second place with a time of 1:20:40, and Lindsey Carter (35) finished in 1:26:04 to earn third place.

Results for all races and divisions are available on the runDisney website.

Runner Adam Britten's Disneyland half marathon costume was inspired by the impending closure of the Tower of Terror ride at DCA. Photo by Alex Stroup.

The 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend events drew over 32,000 runners to the Disneyland Resort for a series of events that included a 3.1-mile 5K family fun run, 6.2-mile 10K run, 13.1-mile half-marathon, runDisney kids races, and the Dumbo Double Dare challenge. According to Disney:

  • The oldest competitor was 89-year-old Anaheim resident Ellen Lem, who completed Friday's 5K event with her daughters.
  • Over 6,000 runners registered to complete the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge by running Saturday's 10K and Sunday's half marathon events.
  • Approximately 371 of the nearly 15,000 half marathon participants are "legacy" runners, and have finished all 10 previous Disneyland Half Marathons.
  • Women make up nearly 65 percent of the field.
  • Nearly half of the race weekend participants live outside California, including runners from 31 countries.

We offer our congratulations to all who completed this weekend's events. We also extend a special thanks to the volunteers who helped to prepare and staff the Team MousePlanet cheer stations along the Disneyland Half Marathon course. The cheer station would not have been possible without the efforts of Teresa Whitmore, who hand-printed all of the personalized inspirational signs requested by our readers, and her husband, Ken, who set up and staffed the station.

MousePlanet reader Dan also stepped in to help us hand out over over 100 pounds of Red Vines candy. Special thanks to the two Anaheim Police Department Explorers who pitched in and helped distribute nearly 3,000 ice-cold sponges to the runners.

MousePlanet readers Dan and Ken help hand out over 100 pounds of Red Vines candy to runners during the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Two members of the Anaheim Police Department Explorer program kept our self-serve sponge station stocked along the Disneyland Half Marathon course. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The next runDisney weekend in Anaheim is the Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend, November 10 to 13. That event includes the Captain America 5K, Doctor Strange 10K, runDisney Kids Races, the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon, and the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge. The 5K and Kids Races are sold out, but registration is still open forthe 10K, half marathon, and Challenge through the runDisney website.

Team MousePlanet will also be back with a cheer station along the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon course. If you'd like to volunteer to cheer with us, please sign up on our MousePad discussion forum.

"Frightfully Fun" Parade added to Mickey's Halloween Party

Last week, Disney announced a brand new addition to Mickey's Halloween Party: a new villains-based "Frightfully Fun" Parade. The parade begins with the ride of the Headless Horseman down Main Street, U.S.A., and includes scenes with Jack Skellington, the Haunted Mansion, and a cast of Disney Villains—but not Mickey and Pals. The Disney Parks Blog confirms that the Fab 5 will not participate in this parade, but will make other appearances during the event.

The "Frightfully Fun" parade will be performed only during Mickey's Halloween Party, an after-hours event that requires separate admission. There are 17 dates scheduled in 2016. The special event includes trick-or-treat stations, themed entertainment, a performance of the event-exclusive Halloween Screams fireworks, and now, this brand new parade.

The Disneyland website shows that the Frightfully Fun parade will run twice each night at Mickey's Halloween Party, with the Ride of the Headless Horseman taking place approximately 10 minutes before each parade. The Headless Horseman is a crowd favorite at Walt Disney World, and West Coast fans are sure to be equally excited. I also think this is Jack Skellington's first appearance in a Disney parade.

Prices jumped quite a bit for the 2016 event, with Halloween night tickets now $99, up from $84 in 2015 and from $77 in 2014. The least expensive advance-purchase ticket available with an annual passholder discount now $72, up from $63 in 2015 and $56 in 2014.

We noted that there were no discounts for the first event of the year, and this latest announcement may help explain the reasoning for that decision. Those who want to be first to see the Headless Horseman and the new parade will pay full fare this year.

There's also a "hidden" price increase this year, in that parking is no longer included with the purchase of the Halloween Party ticket. This won't matter to some annual passholders, but the policy change represents an additional expense of $18 per car for everyone else.

Tickets are available via Disneyland.com and at Disneyland ticket booths.

Possibly spurred by this announcement, as of this writing, tickets are sold out for four of the event nights. We expect the remaining events to sell out before the end of September, and recommend that you buy your tickets as soon as possible if you plan to attend this year:

  • Sold out – October 7, 14, 21, 29
  • Available – September 23, 26, 28, 30; October 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31

Before you turn to Craigslist, StubHub or eBay (all of which bring with them the very high risk of being defrauded), here are official ways you may still be able to buy legitimate party tickets directly from Disney:

  • Call Disneyland and order tickets by phone – A limited number of tickets may be available by phone for events that are sold out online. Call (714) 781-4636 to purchase by phone. Expect to wait on hold for at least 10 minutes.
  • Visit Disneyland and purchase tickets in person – A limited number of tickets may be available at the Disneyland ticket booths for events that are sold out online. However, if you tried to purchase tickets by phone and the night you wanted was sold out, they will not be available at the ticket booths.
  • Disneyland Resort Hotels – If you are a guest staying at one of the three Disney-owned hotels (Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel, Grand Californian Hotel), check with your hotel desk the morning of the event to see if they have tickets available for purchase. In past years Disney has reserved a small number of tickets for concierge-level guests to purchase starting at 5:30 a.m. the morning of each party. However, some readers have reported that they were booked into a standard rooms and were allowed to buy the tickets as well. If you're already staying on property, it does not hurt to ask.
  • Friends or family – If friends/family already have tickets, they may be able to purchase additional tickets the day of the party. Again, a small number of tickets is reserved for same-day sales to help accommodate ticket holders who may have miscounted how many they need, or who had friends/family unexpectedly join them. As with the tickets reserved for hotel guests, these are very limited, and go on sale as soon as the ticket booths open in the morning. If at all possible, get there first thing in the morning to increase your chance of getting tickets. You must have the other event tickets with you—the cast member needs to see them, and cannot just trust your word that "so-and-so already has tickets."

Mickey's Halloween Party Dinner Package at the Blue Bayou

If you'd like a chance to view the new "Frightfully Fun" Parade from a reserved viewing area on Main Street, U.S.A. during Mickey's Halloween Party, a new dinner package offered at the Blue Bayou Restaurant may be the ticket.

Mickey's Halloween Party Dinner Package includes a three-course meal at the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square, and access to a reserved preferred-viewing area. Tickets are $65 per adult ($25 per child), plus tax and tip. Tickets to Mickey's Halloween Party are not included, and are required to attend the party and use the parade tickets.

The package is available during all of the Mickey's Halloween Party events. You can make reservations for your preferred meal time, and will receive an event "crediential" and what are being called Fastpass tickets to the viewing area. This raises an interesting question about whether Disneyland will use the Fastpass system for other viewing areas along the parade route, possibly in an effort to spread out crowds across the two performances.

As with other parade-viewing packages, the viewing area is standing-room only, though patrons using wheelchairs will be accommodated.

You can make reservations online through the Disneyland website, or call 714-781-3463 to book by phone.

Disney California Adventure Park Fun Pass debuts at Disneyland

Costco stores last week debuted the Disney California Adventure Park Fun Pass, a new type of annual passport that is valid only at Disney California Adventure. The pass costs $329.99, the same price as the existing Disney Southern California Select Passport that also includes admission to Disneyland.

The new Costco pass comes with 19 blockout dates during the remainder of 2016, and 41 blockout dates through December 1, 2017. Those 60 combined blockout dates most closely resemble those of the existing Deluxe Annual Passport, and cover the peak Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year travel periods, plus most holiday weekends and every Saturday between March 13 and August 19.

By comparison, the Southern California Select Passport has just over 200 blockout dates during the same period, including all Saturdays and Sundays, and 10 solid weeks over the summer.

The Disney California Adventure Park Fun Pass also includes the same 10 percent merchandise and food discount as offered with the Southern California Select Passport. Like that pass, the new DCA pass does not include parking, nor is there an option to add a parking pass onto this ticket. The new Fun Pass also includes a Disney collector pin featuring Ariel and the DCA logo.

For prospective passholders, this new pass offers an intersting choice. Buyers willing to forgo admission to Disneyland can have almost twice as many valid dates to visit Disney California Adventure. Those who really want access to Disneyland can opt for the more restrictive SoCal passport, or pay almost twice as much for the Disney Deluxe Passport with far fewer blockout dates.

If you're looking to buy this as a holiday gift, note that the pass expires one year after the first use, and the first use must be by December 1, 2016. That doesn't necessarily rule it out as a stocking stuffer, but Christmas will have to come very early so your recipient can activate the pass before the deadline.

The Disneyland passholder website does not list the blockout dates for the Costco-exclusive Disney California Adventure Park Fun Pass, which are:

  • 2016 – September 3, 4; November 11, 24, 25, 26; December 19–31
  • 2017 – January 1, 2; February 18, 19; March 18, 25; April 1, 8, 9, 14, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13, 20, 26, 27, 28; June 3, 10, 17, 24; July 1–4, 8, 15, 22, 29; August 5, 12, 19; September 2, l3; November 10, 11, 23, 24, 25.

The pass is available only at Costco stores and from Costco.com. This is not a member-exclusive item, and in our test, the Costco website did not add a surcharge when the pass was purchased by a non-member. The pass is mailed in five to seven business days, though a two-day shipping option is available at an added charge.

Tower of Terror to check out January 2, 2017

In July, Disney announced that the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction will close in January 2017, with the building coverted into a Guardians of the Galaxy-themed attraction. Last week, Disney gave more details about the looming closure, announcing that the ride's final drop will take place on January 2, 2017.

Before the Tower of Terror becomes part of the Twilight Zone forever, Disney California Adventure will hold a "Late Check Out" promotion to commemorate the ride's final months. Starting Friday, September 9, the ride will operate in "complete darkness" after sunset each evening. In a follow-up comment, Editorial Content Director Erin Glover said the ride's doors will still open at the top of the ride.

The Late Check Out promotion will also feature new commemorative merchandise and a specially themed photo backdrop area. During the Halloween Time promotion, the Silver Lake Sisters (the fictitious musical trio for whom the Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe is supposedly named), will perform each day outside the hotel.

Disneyland names new Ambassador duo

Disneyland named the 2017–2018 Disneyland Resort Ambassador Team in a ceremony on Main Street, U.S.A. last week. Mikey Trujillo and Alexa Garcia were chosen from a pool of Disneyland Resort cast members who applied and completed a lengthy selection process. The due will represent the Resort at charity events, community functions, and cast member activities for the next two years.

Alexa Garcia has worked for Disney since 2009, most recently with the Walt Disney Travel Company. Mikey Trujilo started working with Disney in 2012, and his most recent role was in Guest Relations and VIP tours.

Disneyland's Amabassador program dates back to 1965, when Walt Disney selected Julie Reihm to represent him at community events. The program marked its 50th anniversary in 2015, and has now expanded to the Disney Theme Park resorts around the world, and to Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii.

Endless Summer Celebrations benefit Anaheim residents

The Disneyland Resort is sponsoring a series of "Endless Summer" celebrations at local Anaheim-area parks. The events are hosted on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and include Disney entertainment, activities for children and families, and food trucks. The first event took place in August; the remaining schedule is:

  • Sept. 10 – Pearson Park
  • Sept. 17 – Stoddard Park
  • Sept. 24 – Twila Reid Park
  • Oct. 1 – John Marshall Park

MouseAdventure Villains at Disney California Adventure

While Disneyland works on Star Wars Land's "hive of scum and villainy," MouseAdventure moves across the esplanade to mingle with some of Disney's other nefarious characters for MouseAdventure Villains at Disney California Adventure on Sunday, October 16. Get ready for some wicked good fun from Third Gate Games and media sponsor MousePlanet just in time for the Halloween season.

Teams are made up of two to four people for one of two divisions, Basic and Advanced; Advanced teams receive more puzzles and challenges than Basic teams. Basic registration is $135 per team and Advanced is $150 per team. Park admission is not included.

Registration opens Tuesday, September 13 at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific time) on mouseadventure.com and is very limited, so don't delay if you want to join us. Are you game?

Join Team MousePlanet for the 2016 CHOC Walk in the Park

Registration is now open for the 2016 CHOC Walk in the Park, to be held Sunday, October 30 at the Disneyland Resort. This year the walk moves to the last weekend in October, promising a first-ever Halloween theme. Team MousePlanet will return for our ninth year supporting Children's Hospital Orange County. Thanks to the efforts and generosity of our readers, Team MousePlanet has raised over $50,000 for CHOC since 2008. We invite MousePlanet readers, friends, and family members to join our team for the event.

Why Join Team MousePlanet?

COMMUNITY! Walking with Team MousePlanet is a great way to spend a morning with MousePlanet staff and readers, all while raising money for a great cause. Stay after the walk and enjoy Disneyland with your fellow Disney fans.

CONVENIENCE! If you register as a Fundraising Bear, Team MousePlanet will handle check-in for you. No need to drive to Orange the week before the walk to collect your wristband and T-shirt. You only have to meet us in Downtown Disney the morning of the walk to collect your goodies, and then head right into Disneyland to start the walk. If you prefer to have your shirt and wristband before the walk (some people like to personalize them), register as a Busy Bear and CHOC will ship those items to you directly.

The deadline to join Team MousePlanet and meet the fundraising requirement is Friday, October 14. We still welcome those who register after this date, but they must handle their own check-in.

Are you ready to CHOC Walk with Team MousePlanet?
It's easy to sign up—just visit our team page.

This and that...

The Haunted Mansion is closed through September 9 for installation of the holiday overlay. Photo by Alex Stroup.

...The fall refurbishments really get underway this week with the following closures:

  • Hyperpace Mountain – closed through September 8 to install the Ghost Galaxy overlay.
  • Main Street Mad Hatter – closed through September 9 for refurbishment.
  • Stromboli's Wagon – closed through September 10 for refurbishment.
  • The Little Mermaid – Ariel's Undersea Adventure – closed through September 28 for refurbishment.
  • Hot Dog Hut – closed through September 29 for refurbishment.

...Two new Disneyland refurbishments have hit the calendar, so be sure to make note if you're planning a visit in the first weeks of October.

  • Splash Mountain – closes October 3 for refurbishment. Reopening date not known, but after October 17.
  • Stage Door Cafe – closes October 3 for refurbishment. Reopening date not known, but after October 17.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

Join the MousePlanet Newsletter
E-mail:

Crowd Forecast

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Below are the predicted resort-wide crowd numbers for select days generated by the TouringPlans professional statisticians as measured for the upcoming week. For the access to the full year and per-park crowd level predictions, visit our Crowd Calendar.

 
Date Overall
Tuesday, September 6, 2016 3 / 10
Wednesday, September 7, 2016 4 / 10
Thursday, September 8, 2016 3 / 10
Friday, September 9, 2016 4 / 10
Saturday, September 10, 2016 7 / 10

Disneyland crowds for the next 365 days.
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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit Disneyland.com—this information is no longer available from the automated phone service.

Disneyland

  • Haunted Mansion – closed through September 8 to install the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
  • The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln – closed through September 29 for refurbishment.
  • Hyperpace Mountain – closed through September 8 to install the Ghost Galaxy overlay.
  • Main Street Mad Hatter – closed through September 9 for refurbishment.
  • Stromboli's Wagon – closed through September 10 for refurbishment.
  • Indiana Jones Adventure – closed September 12–14 for refurbishment.
  • Donald's Boat – closed September 12–18 for refurbishment.
  • Gadget's Go Coaster – closed September 19–21 for refurbishment.
  • Splash Mountain – closes October 3 for refurbishment. Reopening date not known, but after October 17.
  • Stage Door Cafe – closes October 3 for refurbishment. Reopening date not known, but after October 17.

The following attractions are all closed for Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America, and are expected to reopen in spring 2017 or later:

  • Disneyland Railroad
  • Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
  • Fantasmic!
  • Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
  • Sailing Ship Columbia
  • Mark Twain Riverboat

Disney California Adventure

  • The Little Mermaid – Ariel's Undersea Adventure – closed through September 28 for refurbishment.
  • Hot Dog Hut – closed through September 29 for refurbishment.
  • Goofy's Sky School – closed for refurbishment September 26 & 27.
  • Muppet*Vision 3D – closed indefinitely. The theater has been renamed the Sunset Showcase Theater, and will likely be used for movie previews until a permanent replacement is found.
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – closes January 3, 2017 for transformation into a new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction.

Disneyland Resort

  • House of Blues Anaheim – closed as of May 31. Disney has not said not yet announced plans for the 23,000-square-foot restaurant and concert venue.
  • Sprinkles Cupcakes – under construction in Downtown Disney. No opening date announced.

Resort Events

Check here to see if a large convention, competition, or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

2016

  • Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort – September 9 to October 31.
  • Mickey's Halloween Party – September 23, 26, 28, 30; October 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 29, 31. Tickets on sale now.
  • Gay Days Anaheim (unofficial event) – September 30 to October 2. More information at the event website.
  • MouseAdventure – Sunday, October 16. Registration opens soon.
  • 2016 CHOC Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 30 at the Disneyland Resort. MousePlanet readers, friends, and family are invited to register with Team MousePlanet and walk with our group. Registration is now open at www.chocwalk.org
  • Dapper Day Fall Soiree (unofficial event) – Sunday, November 6. More information at the event website. This popular event grows larger each year, so it's worth making note of the date if you plan to visit the park during this weekend.
  • 2016 Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend – November 10–13. Formerly called the Avengers Half Marathon. Registration is open for all events except the Captain America 5K and the runDisney Kids Races. Register via the runDisney website.
  • Season of the Force – no end date announced.

2017

  • 2017 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 12–15, 2017. Registration is still open for the Half Marathon event. All other race distances are sold out through runDisney, but charities like Team Muscle Makers have space available.
  • "Use it or lose it" weekend – January 28–29, 2017. Our designation for the final weekend of January, which marks the deadline for cast members, community groups, and Club 33 members to use their remaining complementary admission tickets from the 2016 allocation.
  • 2017 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 11–14, 2017. Registration opens September 20, 2016.
  • D23 Expo – July 14–16, 2017. Tickets are now on sale through the official D23 website.

We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website. When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it's best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.

Non-Disney Resort Events

Notable events at parks and attractions around Southern California. If you know of an event that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

Knott's Berry Farm

Legoland California

Sea World San Diego

Universal Studios Hollywood

Six Flags Magic Mountain

School Holidays

Notable school holidays that may impact park attendance. If you know of any other holidays that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

2016

  • Columbus Day – Monday, October 10. Many locals schools are closed.
  • Nevada Day (observed) – Friday, October 28. A school holiday for our neighbors to the northeast creates a 3-day weekend and usually adds to the Halloween weekend crowds. Some Nevada schools take the entire week off as a Fall Break.
  • Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. "Utah Escapes to Anaheim") – October 20–21. Expect holiday-level crowds October 19–24 as Utah students and families take advantage of a Fall Break scheduled around an annual state education convention. Not all Utah schools close for UEA, but the impact on the resort is significant enough to mention.
  • Thanksgiving Break – November 21–25. Many local schools close for the entire week of Thanksgiving.
  • Winter Break – December 19, 2016 – January 6, 2017. Most schools close only two of these three weeks, but some districts close all three weeks due to the Saturday Christmas.

2017

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, January 16.
  • Cesar Chavez Day – Friday, March 31. Many locals schools are closed.
  • Spring Break – March 13 to April 14. The four-week period during which most local schools will observe a one-week spring holiday.

Merchandise Events

Date Event
August 26

WonderGround Gallery

August 27

WonderGround Gallery

August 28

WonderGround Gallery


Current Discounts & Promotions

Disneyland prices as of February 28, 2016.

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Disneyland Resort Update. Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket-only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts. If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.

Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside the gates stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Disneyland admission, and may result in denial of entry. It is also common for criminals to shoplift inactivated Disney theme park tickets from supermarkets to resell them. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or travel agency.

Ticket Prices and Promotions

One Day Tickets
Ticket & Season
Adult one-park
Adult Park Hopper
Child one-park
Child Park Hopper
One Day – Value
$95
$155
$89
$149
One Day – Regular
$105
$160
$99
$154
One Day – Peak
$119
$169
$113
$163

Check the Disneyland website to see what type of ticket you need for the day you plan to visit. Seasonal pricing applies only to one-day tickets.


Disneyland Resort 2016 CHOC-Ttober ticket discount

  • 1-Day, 1-Park ticket – $55 (reg. $89–$119)

  • 1-Day Park Hopper ticket – $83 (reg. $149–$169).

In addition to helping support an outstanding local charity, Walkers who participate in the 2016 CHOC Walk on October 30 have the exclusive opportunity to purchase discounted Disneyland tickets during the CHOC-tober promotion. Walkers who meet the $85 fundraising minimum can purchase a 1-Day 1-Park Disneyland Resort ticket for $55 (reg. $89–$119), or a Disneyland Resort 1-Day Park Hopper ticket for $83 (reg. $149–$169).

The tickets can only be purchased by registered walkers in person at the Disneyland Resort on the day of the walk. You must present your CHOC Walk in the Park wristband to a Disneyland Resort Ticket Booth to purchase the discounted tickets. A maximum of five tickets may be purchased per wristband, which represents a savings of up to $430.

The tickets are valid starting October 30, 2016, and must be used by November 30, 2016. The tickets are not valid November 19–23, 2016 (Thanksgiving week).

All MousePlanet readers, friends and family are invited and encouraged to sign up and walk with our team. It's easy to sign up—just visit our team page.


No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Two Day Tickets
  • Two Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $195/$183
  • Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $235/$223

No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Three Day Tickets

  • Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $255/$243
  • Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $295/$283

No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Military

2016 Disney Military Promotional 3 – Day Park Hopper Ticket ($143)

Through December 16, 2016, active and retired U.S. military personnel (including active and retired members of the United States Coast Guard, National Guard and Reservists) or their spouses can purchase the Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $143 each [an increase of $11 from the 2014-2015 offer].

Disneyland tickets may be used through December 19, 2016.

Active and retired U.S. military personnel can purchase Disney Military Promotional Tickets for themselves and up to five additional family members or friends. No more than six Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased by any eligible member of the U.S. military (or spouse) pursuant to this offer. All tickets and options are non-transferable and must be used by December 19, 2016.

For complete information regarding Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets and discounted resort rates, military personnel may visit the Disneyland Resort website, or participating U.S. military base ticket offices.

Four Day Tickets

  • Four Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $280/$265
  • Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $320/$305

No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Five Day Tickets

  • Five Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $295/$280
  • Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $335/$320

No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.

Six Day or longer tickets No longer offered by Disneyland; some travel providers may offer tickets for 6 days or longer as part of a package to international customers; residents of Canada, Australia, or the U.K. should check with local travel agencies to see what options may be available.
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports

California residents can take advantage of the monthly payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport.

  • Premier Annual Passport ($1,439) – valid at both Disneyland Resort and Florida's Walt Disney World Resort; includes parking and digital PhotoPass downloads. No blockout dates.
  • Disney Signature Plus Pass ($1,049) – includes discounts, parking, and digital PhotoPass downloads. No blockout dates.
  • Disney Signature Pass ($849) – includes discounts, parking, and digital PhotoPass downloads. Some blockout dates, including December holidays and other peak days.
  • Disney Deluxe Pass ($599) – includes some discounts. Some blockout dates, including December holidays and other peak days.
  • Southern California Annual Passport ($439) – renewal only, unavailable for new purchase
  • Southern California Select Annual Passport ($329) – includes some discounts. Some blockout dates.
  • Parking Add On ($199) – add-on to Deluxe, SoCal and SoCal Select passes. Renewal only, not currently available for new purchase

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them.

Southern California CityPASS

2016 Southern California CityPASS ($329/$294) – includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to Sea World San Diego, and a one-day admission to LEGOLAND California. The CityPASS expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by December 31, 2016. Purchase CityPASS through the Disneyland website or on-site at the ticket booths of Disneyland Resort or the other theme parks included in the pass. You can also purchase directly from the CityPASS website, though a shipping charge may apply depending on how quickly you need the ticket.

When you purchase the CityPASS, you have the option of adding a one-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Safari Park for an extra $38/$30. This upgraded pass is only available for purchase directly from the CityPASS website.

You can also upgrade your CityPASS to add more days at participating locations:

  • Add a 2nd day at LEGOLAND for $20. Purchase this upgrade at LEGOLAND on the day you use your CityPASS.
  • Add LEGOLAND Water Park for $30 for ages 3+ and $5 for ages 2 and under. Purchase this upgrade at LEGOLAND on the day you use your CityPASS.
  • Upgrade your Disneyland ticket to another ticket or annual passport of equal or greater value. For 2016 Southern California CityPASS, a credit of $275 for ages 10+ and $264 for ages 3-9 will be applied toward another ticket of equal or greater value. Purchase the upgrade at Disneyland before the end of your third visit.

Prices listed above are valid until December 31, 2016


Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them.

Disneyland Resort & Universal Studios Combo Pass
  • 2-day Disneyland Resort + 2-Day Universal Studios Combo Pass – $300/$281
  • 3-day Disneyland Resort + 2-Day Universal Studios Combo Pass – $342/$335

A special combo ticket available exclusively through MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Travel. The bundle includes either a 2-day or 3-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket, plus a 2nd Day Free Universal Studios Hollywood Ticket.

Additional Discounts

Did we miss an offer? If you know of an authorized discount on Disneyland Resort tickets, standing offers for Annual Passholders from non-Disney vendors, or other promotions which might interest our readers, please drop us a note!

Discounts for:

Everyone

Purchase with Purchase offers – Disneyland Resort shops frequently offer a reduced–price souvenir (often a tote bag, watch, or blanket) with a qualifying minimum purchase. These are offered at Disney-operated stores only, and selection may vary by location.

Recently, Disney has begun allowing customers to purchase more than one of the offers in a qualifying transaction, so if you spend $40 or more you can buy both items currently available if you wish. If you're a passholder, the minimum purchase is calculated after your discount, and your discount does not apply to the promotional item. Current offers:

  • Disneyland Cooler Tote for $19.95 with a purchase of $25 or more.
  • Disneyland Throw Blanket for $19.95 with a purchase of $40 or more.

Landry's Select Club – members of the Landry's Select Club get priority seating at the Rainforest Cafe when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days). This club replaces the former Rainforest Cafe Safari Club, and runs on a point-based system that gives you a $25 gift certificate after you spend $250. Membership now costs $25, but comes with a $25 birthday reward. We recommend that you prepurchase your membership before your visit so you can take advantage of the priority seating benefit.


ESPNZone MVP Club – membership in the MVP Club does not offer any discounts on food. However, once a member you can make an online reservation for your party up to three days in advance and will get a 25 percent increase in points purchased when playing games in the Sports Arena (and 40 bonus points at activation). You must register online and your membership card will then be mailed to you within two weeks. The card must then be activated at any ESPNZone by the person who signed up for the card and ID will be required (link).


Character Dining Vouchers – discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through Get Away Travel.

Annual Passholders

Disneyland Resort merchandise – Disneyland extended the 20 percent merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders through December 31, 2016. All other passholders receive a 10 percent merchandise discount. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Guided Tours – 15 percent off the regular price of six guided tours – Walt in Walt's Footsteps; Cultivating the Magic; Discover the Magic; Happiest Haunts; Welcome to Disneyland; and Holiday Time at Disneyland. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Dining – 10 to 15 percent off at a variety of Disneyland Resort locations, including Disney-owned and independent restaurants. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Disney Visa cardholders

Character Meet-and-Greet at Disney California Adventure – cardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free image download per visit.

Star Wars Imperial Meet-and-Greet at Disneyland – cardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity in the Star Tours Launch Bay in Tomorrowland. Offered daily from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. As of January 23, 2016, Kylo Ren replaced Darth Vader at this location.


Disneyland Resort merchandise – Cardholders also receive 10 percent off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney-operated retail stores.


Disneyland Resort dining – 10 percent off at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants, (Big Thunder Ranch, River Belle Terrace, French Market, Cocina Cucamonga, Wine Country Trattoria (lunch), Paradise Garden Grill, The Lounge at Steakhouse 55 (breakfast), Steakhouse 55 (breakfast), PCH Grill (breakfast and dinner), and Storyteller's Café (lunch).


Downtown Disney District dining and merchandise – 10 percent off at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen (maximum discount of $40, excludes alcohol), Wetzel's Pretzels, Ridemakerz, Alamo Rent a Car, and ESPN Zone. 15 percent off littlemissmatched purchases.


Disneyland Resort Guided Tours – 15 percent off the "Welcome to Disneyland," "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps," "Discover the Magic," and "Cultivating the Magic" guided tours.


See the Disney Visa website for terms and conditions for all of these promotions.

U.S. military

See "2015–2016 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket" above.

Southern California residents No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.
Hotel and travel package offers

Costco Travel Packages – many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.


Disney's Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – These package includes accommodations in one of the three resort hotels or at one of 40 Good Neighbor hotels, along with theme park admission. The packages also come with a variety of extra inclusions and bonuses, usually a souvenir pin and lanyard, and discount coupons for various Downtown Disney merchants.

Contact Disney Travel at (714) 520-5050, book online through the Disneyland website, or call your favorite travel agent to inquire about these packages.

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

  • DL – Disneyland
  • DCA – Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockouts:

  • SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
  • SC – Southern California Annual Pass
  • DX – Deluxe Annual Pass
  • SG – Signature Annual Pass

The Disneyland website does not list the blockout dates for the Costco-exclusive Disney California Adventure Park Fun Pass. The blockout dates are as follows:

  • 2016 – September 3, 4; November 11, 24, 25, 26; December 19–31
  • 2017 – January 1, 2; February 18, 19; March 18, 25; April 1, 8, 9, 14, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13, 20, 26, 27, 28; June 3, 10, 17, 24; July 1-4, 8, 15, 22, 29; August 5, 12, 19; September 2,l 3; November 10, 11, 23, 24, 25.

Early Admission – full description available on the Disneyland website):

  • MM – Magic Mornings for 3-plus day ticket holders, promotional "bonus" tickets, and Southern California CityPASS
  • EMH – Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests
  • EA – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

9/4 9/5 9/6 9/7 9/8 9/9 9/10

Ticket Season:
Peak

DL: 9a-12a
None

DCA: 9a-9p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC/DX

Events:
Disneyland Half Marathon

Ticket Season:
Peak

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Diamond Celebration
Ends

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-8p
EMH/MM

DCA: 10a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-8p
None

DCA: 10a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-8p
EMH/MM

DCA: 10a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 9a-12a
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Halloween Time
begins

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 9a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-9p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

9/11 9/12 9/13 9/14 9/15 9/16 9/17

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 9a-11p
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-9p
None

DCA: 10a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-9p
EMH/MM

DCA: 10a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-9p
None

DCA: 10a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 9a-8p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-5p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-12a
None

DCA: 8a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-9p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

9/18 9/19 9/20 9/21 9/22 9/23 9/24

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 9a-11p
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-9p
None

DCA: 10a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-9p
EMH/MM

DCA: 10a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-9p
None

DCA: 10a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 9a-9p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-7p
None

DCA: 8a-12a
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-10p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

9/25 9/26 9/27 9/28 9/29 9/30 10/1

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 9a-11p
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-6p
None

DCA: 8a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 10a-9p
EMH/MM

DCA: 10a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-6p
None

DCA: 8a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 9a-9p
EMH/MM

DCA: 9a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-7p
None

DCA: 8a-12a
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-10p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

10/2 10/3 10/4 10/5 10/6 10/7 10/8

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-11p
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-6p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-11p
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-6p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-11p
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-7p
None

DCA: 9a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-10p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

10/9 10/10 10/11 10/12 10/13 10/14 10/15

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-11p
None

DCA: 9a-10p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
SL

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-6p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-11p
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-6p
None

DCA: 9a-8p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Value

DL: 8a-11p
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-8p
None

AP Blockouts:
None

Events: None

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-7p
None

DCA: 9a-11p
EMH

AP Blockouts:
None

Events:
Mickey's
Halloween Party

Ticket Season:
Regular

DL: 8a-12a
EMH/MM

DCA: 8a-10p
None

AP Blockouts:
SL/SC

Events: None

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland. As always, specifics are subject to change without notice (or occasionally, without us noticing) so when information conflicts between what is presented here and that presented by Disney, it is best to assume Disney's information is correct.

Visit the Park Hours section of our Disneyland Park guide for additional details about Magic Morning and Toontown Morning Madness, including available attractions. Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule for this week at Disneyland.com here.

The Seasons calendar is published on the Disneyland website for the next 8-11 months.

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Comments

  1. By amyuilani

    I think the DCA Annual Pass would be better if they did two things:

    1. Release the Saturday blackout dates in the summer.
    2. Offer a deal for those who are purchasing the pass this year to make it good through the end of 2017 instead of just one year from purchase. It's only good for passes purchased this year. It's an incentive to get people to buy the pass now.

    Otherwise unless Disneyland doesn't matter or unless you don't care which park you go to, I don't know if this pass is worth the purchase. There really aren't any better incentives with it. I'd rather pony up the extra money for the 2-park pass.

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