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Show Notes for Episode 249
You can get Jim's latest book The Vault of Walt Christmas Edition
Plus the latest in the Disneyland Resort Current Events. Merry Christmas! and Happy Holidays
Mickey The True Original Exhibition (New York)
Disneyland Resort Current Event
Disneyland is quietly revoking annual passes of guests who buy and resell souvenirs
"Disneyland has been quietly revoking the annual passes of so-called 'personal shoppers' and others who buy collectible merchandise inside the parks and then resell it, either to individuals or online, according to observers and people who say it happened to them.
...
Even items that seem mundane to the uninitiated — like plastic popcorn buckets made in China — can be feverishly sought-after by Disney collectors, when they’re carefully released in limited quantities for a short time only."
"Typically, a personal shopper or so-called 'flipper' — someone who buys items on spec and then resells on auction sites — would use his or her annual pass at the store to get the discount, then mark up the item for sale.
Everyone interviewed for this story agrees that this violates the annual passholder agreement, which states that 'benefits and discounts are for personal use only and may not be used for any commercial purpose including, without limitation, to obtain or purchase items or services with the intent to resell such items or services.'"
...
"In its annual passholders contract, Disney 'reserves the right to cancel, suspend or revoke any Passport or deny Theme Park admission to any Passholder at any time for any reason.'"
Orange County Register
There’s a hidden bar with a secret entrance at Disney California Adventure that almost nobody knows about — until now
"Disney California Adventure has quietly opened a hidden outdoor patio cocktail bar with a secret back entrance at the Carthay Circle restaurant that’s available to those who know to ask.
Located on the second floor of the fine dining restaurant, the Terrace Lounge is accessible to visitors who are escorted by a restaurant host through a locked rear entrance along an out-of-the-way colonnade breezeway.
A rear staircase takes visitors up to a covered patio overlooking the central hub of the Anaheim theme park, with views of Grizzly Mountain and Buena Vista Street."
Orange County Register
Sat, November 17, 2018
Exciting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge news from Destination D
Disney Parks Blog
Disneyland announces Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge details and new Mickey Mouse events
By Marla Jo Fisher
November 17, 2018
Orange County Register
Sat, November 17, 2018
New Mickey Mouse Experiences Will Delight Guests at Disney Parks & Beyond
"Enjoy New Mickey Mouse Offerings at Disneyland park – The festivities will continue at the Disneyland Resort with Get Your Ears On — A Mickey and Minnie Celebration, which will feature new entertainment, food and merchandise. On January 18, “Mickey’s Mix Magic” will light up the night at Disneyland park with all-new music, projections and lasers that set the scene for an epic dance party that takes over almost the entire park. The party will get even bigger when the fan-favorite Mickey’s Soundsational Parade returns to the resort in January 2019 featuring a new float with Mickey himself, who will lead the celebration down Main Street, U.S.A."
Disney Parks Blog
Mickey Mouse nighttime show coming to Disneyland
By Marla Jo Fisher
November 18, 2018
Orange County Register
Thu, December 6, 2018
Disneyland Resort Launches 2019 with the Return of Lunar New Year and Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
"To help jump-start your vacation planning, take advantage of the limited-time ticket offer, available to book now! For a limited time in 2019, guests can visit a Disneyland Resort theme park for $70 per day with the purchase of a three-day, one-park per day ticket.* The ticket offer is available for purchase online today, and may be used for visits Jan. 7 through May 23, 2019 (blockout dates of April 14-22 apply). Four- and five-day ticket options, as well as Park Hopper tickets are also available. Book through May 18, 2019."
Disney Parks Blog
Wed, December 5, 2018
Napolini is Now Open! Build-Your-Own Pizza in Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort
Disney Parks Blog
The second Starbucks in Downtown Disney is reopening
By Marla Jo Fisher
November 30, 2018
Orange County Register
Disneyland cooling tower was likely source of 2017 Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, health official testifies
By City News Service
December 06, 2018
Orange County Register
Disneyland cooling tower likely source of Legionnaires' disease
Doctor testifies two towers that spray mist on park visitors showed high levels of Legionella bacteria
The Associated Press
Updated Dec 05, 2018
"A cooling tower that provides mist to make Disneyland visitors comfortable was the likely source for 22 cases in a Legionnaires' disease outbreak last year near the theme park, a health official testified this week.
Most of those who got sick visited the park in the fall of 2017. Disneyland has denied it was the source, pointing to three infected people who had been in the city of Anaheim where Disneyland is located, but not at the park itself. One of them died."
Woman Suing Disneyland Hotel Claiming She Was Bitten by Bedbugs
Nov 16, 2018
A woman is suing the Disneyland Resort claiming that she was bitten by bedbugs during her stay at the Disneyland Hotel this past April.
The regular fireworks (which sometimes include projections) will become projections which sometimes include fireworks. But why? Because Star Wars land is located next to the fireworks launchers. And that means that in order to launch fireworks, Disney would need to close the new land for a period of time every night, as they currently do for ToonTown. That’s just not going to be an option in the early months of the new land when interest is at its highest. So Disney wants to get you accustomed to a different sort of nighttime show. One that doesn’t involve shutting down their billion dollar investment.
Laughing Place
Disneyland Update – Mickey at 90, Less Fireworks, World of Color Testing, and Matterhorn Returns
November 19, 2018
Happy 90th to Mickey Mouse
Bye Bye Fireworks
Matterhorn Relaunched
"The bobsled runs return as this iconic Matterhorn returns with a few changes. The area in front of the mountain now serves as a switchback queue. A new marquee arch separates standby, Fastpass, single rider, and special assistance. With lines now bunched in front of the mountain, it is no longer necessary to wrap the line around the mountain, which will free up the space between the mountain and the side of the Tomorrowland Terrace."
Tropical Hideaway Updates
Tangaroa Terrace Remodel
Star Wars Ride Names Announced
"I’m not sure what the deal is with Disney adding colons to all of their new attractions and lands. While it works fine for the odd attraction, they’ve now announced a land and two rides which all have colons, which makes talking and writing about them difficult. In this social media sharing world, how many Millennials are going to take the time to type out that they are enjoying a visit to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’s new Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance? So, let’s just agree to call the land Star Wars Land and the two rides the Millennium Falcon and Rise of the Resistance."
Starbucks Downtown Disney & Return of Theaters
Spider-Man ride Concept Art
World of Color Testing
Ralph Breaks VR in Downtown Disney
November 24, 2018
"Welcome back to the VOID, the hyper-reality game spot in Downtown Disney Anaheim. Since it opened in January of this year, the VOID has been offering “Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire.” Thanksgiving weekend brought a new experience to the establishment, “Ralph Breaks VR,” which coincides with the opening of the Wreck-it Ralph film sequel.
The experience is very similar to Star Wars. This time you get to choose your in-game avatar by picking one of the cards you see in the image below. Your partner will see you as the character card you pick. It’s a little more streamlined than picking your character on a screen, as you do in the Star Wars version."
MiceChat
Disneyland Update – Ralph Wrecks Christmas
November 26, 2018
Wreck-It Ralph VR
Disneyland After Dark 2019 events
"Two new “After Dark” events have been announced. The after hours parties will be themed to Valentines on February 7th and to the 90s on March 7th."
Bing Bong
Inside Out Attraction
World of Color
Carthay Lounge upstairs patio
Tropical Hideaway
Evacuation Drills In The Parks
Parking Structure Construction
Star Wars Construction
MiceChat
Disneyland Update – Merry Chris-mas
Guardian of the Candlelight
Rainy Days are Golden
Play Disney Parks Enhancements
Pathway Expansion Project
"The effort to expand walkways and remove obstructions continues. Walls are now up across from the Haunted Mansion to carve away a fenced garden so an ODV cart can be moved out of a walkway and into the former garden space."
Tropical Hideaway nearing completion
World of Color Ready to Return
Star Wars Jumps to Lightspeed
Parking Structure Place Your Bets
You can listen to show 249 on iTunes or go to Libsyn service here.
Updated: 12/8/2018
Christmas History at Disneyland with Jim Korkis