Mel McGowan, who worked at Imagineering, Tony Bruno, who was VP of Disney Resort Hotels and Downtown Disney, and Disneyland Hotel History author Don Ballard join us to discuss memories of the Disneyland Resort hotels and Downtown Disney. Plus, we discuss current Disneyland Resort events, as always!
Mel McGowan Tony Bruno Don Ballard
***Disney Resort Updates***
Check back daily as information is changing rapidly (Added 3/12/2021):
Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 (Corona) Virus, Many Disney Parks, Cruise Lines, and Disney Vacation Club Resorts will be closed until further notice:
Disney is over whelmed with people attempting to rebook / cancel so please be patient with them. They are modifying their cancelation policy to accommodate guests. Many booking services can be handled online (links above). They are reportedly going to extend AP's by one month.
Please be sure to follow CDC and your State's guidelines during this crisis. We will get through this.
Shanghai Disneyland • Shanghai Disneyland is now open. Be sure to check their reservation system which requires everyone, including infants, to have a reservation. The resort capacity is 50%. You must go to Shanghai's web page for advance reservations. Please visit their site for details.
Walt Disney World • All 4 Walt Disney World theme parks are open.
• Additionally, Disney Vacation Club properties at Walt Disney World and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground have begun to reopen to Members and Guests. Disney Springs has already begun to reopen. Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort Hotels, restaurants and other offerings may be modified, limited in capacity and subject to availability or closure. You must have an advance reservation and valid ticket.
• Park Hopping is allowed within strict rules:
1. You must make a reservation at one of the Parks.
2. You must go to that Park first.
3. Park Hopping does not start until 2PM.
4. Access to Parks is still limited to their maximum occupancy. Check the Park you want to go to before traveling to it to make sure it is accepting Hopping guests.
5. Check the Walt Disney World Park Hopper web page for updates to Park Hopping rules.
Disneyland • UPDATE 3/17/2021: D23 announces Disneyland to reopen 4/30/2021!!!
• UPDATE 3/9/2021: SHARE HOLDERS' MEETING - CEO Bob Chapek Just said he "hopes" to open Disneyland by late April!!!! No commitment but at least its a target for us now.
• The State of California has updated it rules for Theme Parks and Stadiums to reopen. The new rule takes affect April 1, 2021 and will Theme Parks to open at 15% capacity as long as the county is in the Red Tier. Orange County is on track to be in the Red Tier by April (barring new out breaks). Disneyland has already done a lot to prepare for opening and is in a good position to quickly open once they get the green light.
• The Downtown Disney District including Buena Vista Street only of DCA are open. Some table service is available following state and local rules. Buena Vista Street will be closed March 15, 2021 to prepare for the Touch of Disney experience. The experience will debut March 18, 2021.
• The Disneyland Annual Pass (AP) system is being cancel and refunds issued. Special discounts will continue (see Disneyland web page). A new system is in the planning for after the Parks reopen, but no details available at this time.
• Disney's Grand Californian Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is scheduled to open May 2, 2021. The The Grand Californian and other Hotels of the Disneyland Resort remain closed and will reopen at a later date. (This update came out 2/23/2021)
• Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park remain closed and will reopen at a later date, pending state and local government approvals.
• The State of California has announced guidelines for the opening of amusement parks. The biggest part of the announcement is that a county must be in tier 4 before a park can open. Orange county currently estimates it will not be in that tier until at least June 2020.
Hong Kong Disneyland • The Park is officially reopened. Advanced reservations with names and contact numbers are required. The Park will be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays except major holidays. Please visit their web site for current requirements.
Disneyland Paris • UPDATED 3/12/2021: Due to conditions, Disneyland Paris will not be opening on April 2nd as previously announced. No new date planned. Please visit their web site for up to date information on if the Park will reopened and requirements.
Disney Cruise Lines • UPDATE 3/9/2021 SHARE HOLDERS' MEETING - CEO Bob Chapek Just said he has no date for the Cruise lines, but hopefully if trends continue to be positive, maybe next Fall or later.
• Disney Cruise line has suspended cruises.
Aulani Resort • Phased reopening began November 1, 2020. The state of Hawaii has strict travel requirements which include a 10 quarantine or negative test within 72 hours of your arrival. Please visit HERE for the latest details.
Walt Disney Family Museum • The Walt Disney Family Museum closed but anticipates opening sometime in April. They continue to provide virtual content. San Francisco County was recently moved into the Red Tier, so please check their web page for current status. Updated 3/17/2021.
INFORMATION CORRECT AS OF March 17, 2021. Please check individual Resorts web pages for restrictions, requirements, and changes.
Disneyland Resort Current Event
Disneyland, Universal and other California theme parks can reopen April 1
The new California theme park guidelines and opening date are part of a 'refresh' of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: March 5, 2021
“California theme parks can reopen April 1 under updated guidelines from the state’s health department following a year of coronavirus closures that cost the parks billions and forced them to shed tens of thousands of jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The new California theme park guidelines and opening date are part of a “refresh” of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.”
...
“Starting on April 1, California theme parks can reopen at 15% capacity in the red/substantial tier 2, 25% capacity in the orange/moderate tier 3 and 35% capacity in the least-restrictive yellow/minimal tier 4.
“Theme park attendance will be limited to California residents. Updated guidelines will be worked out over the next couple of weeks in partnership with theme parks.”
...
“Under the revised theme park guidelines, indoor rides and attractions must maintain a 15% capacity in the red tier and 25% capacity in the orange and yellow tiers while outdoor rides and attractions can accommodate more riders provided social distancing mandates are followed.”
...
“The extended closure of Disneyland has had a “profound and devastating” impact on Anaheim workers, according to city officials.”
Orange County Register
New Theme Park Reopening Guidelines Allow Major Parks To Reopen To California Residents As Early as April 1
Mar 5, 2021
Laughing Place
Disneyland extends A Touch of Disney food event due to high demand
A Touch of Disney ticket sales have been extended by an additional two weeks due to the popularity of the experience, according to Disneyland officials.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: March 4, 2021
“The new food festival coming to Disney California Adventure has proven so popular that Disneyland has extended the event just a few hours after fans feverishly snapped up tickets as soon as they went on sale.”
...
“A Touch of Disney will start on March 18 at Disney California Adventure and will now run through at least April 19 with additional dates to be added on a rolling basis. The event — which was originally scheduled to run through April 5 — will run five days a week on Thursdays through Mondays from noon to 8 p.m.”
...
“Tickets for A Touch of Disney went on sale around 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 4 and within minutes the website was advising those in the virtual queue of wait times of more than an hour. By 9:30 a.m., the virtual queue had been paused and Disneyland was “temporarily unable to sell more tickets,” according to the website. Shortly after 10 a.m., the wait time returned to more than an hour. By 11:30 a.m., the wait time was still more than an hour for those who had entered the virtual queue at 9 a.m.
“By 1:30 p.m., most of the March dates for A Touch of Disney were sold out — except for a few weekdays. Most dates in April were still available — except a few weekend days.”
Orange County Register
Mon, March 1, 2021
Foodie Guide to A Touch of Disney at Disney California Adventure Park Opening March 18
by Karen McClintock, Food & Beverage Content Relations Manager, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
“This Foodie Guide lists all the bites – sweet and savory – and refreshing sips at the more than 25 locations – including six marketplaces themed for A Touch of Disney. In addition to all the great food and drink, you’ll have a chance to see Disney characters, shop for the latest Disney merchandise, and pose at fun photo locations.”
Disney Parks Blog
What you watch on Disney+ will shape your Disneyland experience — and vice versa
Disney's simple plan: Turn Disney+ subscribers into theme park visitors, convert park fans into streaming bingers and increase the guest satisfaction for the overlap.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: March 3, 2021
“Disney has a simple three-pronged goal in the post-pandemic world of in-home and out-of-home entertainment: Turn Disney+ subscribers into theme park visitors, convert park fans into streaming bingers and increase the guest satisfaction for the overlap.”
...
“Disney hasn’t unveiled the details of the theme park-streaming service synergy plan yet — but the opportunities seem endless. Someday soon Disneyland annual passholders who hop on the new Spider-Man dark ride in Avengers Campus may get early access to the latest Marvel film when they get home and turn on Disney+. Disney Vacation Club members who binge-watch all the “Star Wars” movies might find a surprise virtual queue boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy’s Edge waiting for them the next time they visit Disneyland.”
Orange County Register
Disneyland Legacy Passholders Get Limited-Time Offers at Downtown Disney Through the Month of March
Mar 3, 2021
“The Disneyland Resort has some special limited-time offers for Legacy Passholders for the month of March from food and beverage offers to merchandise discounts.”
Laughing Place
Disneyland to manage crowds with upcoming changes to annual pass program, Disney CEO says
Sunsetting the annual pass program was just the first of several steps Disneyland plans to take to enhance the guest experience, Disney CEO Bob Chapek says.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: March 3, 2021
“Disneyland plans to use changes to a new annual pass program and dynamic ticket pricing to help manage crowd levels when the Anaheim theme park reopens with attendance capacity restrictions following a yearlong coronavirus closure, according to Disney officials.”
Orange County Register
Former Imagineer Joe Rohde Joins Virgin Galactic as an Experience Architect
Feb 22, 2021
“Rohde will work as a strategic advisor helping design and guide the overall experience journey for astronauts and enthusiasts.
“Rohde has spent more than 40 years at Walt Disney Imagineering, starting when he was 25, and has contributed to many different projects around the world, including but not limited to Pleasure Island, Captain EO, EPCOT’s World Showcase, and most notably was the creative head of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, spearheading the entire park’s design.
“He will be joining the CEO, former President and Managing Director of Disney Parks International, Michael Colglazier, at the company. Colglazier had left Disney last year to join Virgin Galactic.
“Colglazier was also President of the Disneyland Resort during the 60th Anniversary celebration and the start of construction on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.”
You can listen to show 304 on iTunes or go to Libsyn service here.
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Show Notes for Episode 304
Disneyland Hotel and Downtown Disney Memories