Dateline Disneyland

Disneyland played host to its wildly popular annual Candlelight ceremony this weekend. The four showings spread over Saturday and Sunday brought big crowds to the park for the event despite the chilly evening temperatures and gusty winds. Meanwhile, construction continued at Disney California Adventure, with big progress being made throughout various parts of the Cars Land and Buena Vista Street projects. Disney also announced a new tenant for the old Mission Tortilla Factory location — Ghirardelli Chocolate will open a new chocolate shop and soda fountain in the space by summer 2012, with the location bearing great similarity in concept to its sister location in Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney area.

Don't forget that you can always click on any photo featuring a Project Tracker watermark to learn more information on the project or join on-going discussion on the MiceChat forums!

We're running on a slightly abbreviated format this week as we take care of some technical issues with our camera. Thank you for your patience!

Also, thank you to Joe Flowers for his fantastic Candlelight photos in today's update.

And finally, today marks Walt Disney's 110th birthday! So, happy birthday, Walt — thanks for all you did!

Let's go see what's new at Disneyland!

Inside Dateline Disneyland

Welcome to Disneyland! Touring Plans crowd forecast Candlelight 2011 Actor Gary Sinise narrates Disneyland's annual Candlelight ceremony California Construction A look at the on-going construction at Disney California Adventure... Buena Vista Street Cars Land Pacific Wharf Dateline Disneyland Holiday Gift Guide Gift ideas for Disney fans on your list. This & That Downtown Disney work Weekly News and Information Round-Up Weekly theme park hours, closures and refurbishments, New eBook tours Disneyland during the holidays, Harry Potter coming to Universal Hollywood.

Sponsored by TouringPlans.com | Do More. Wait Less.

WELCOME TO DISNEYLAND!
Our friends at Touring Plans have their weekly crowd forecast to help you plan your visit.

Based upon historic trends, this week should be the last light week before holiday crowds become heavy. TouringPlans.com can help you navigate the parks with our per-park Crowd Calendar, Lines - Mobile Wait Times App that gives access to current and estimated wait times for attractions, and Touring Plans detailing the best plan of attack for hitting the attractions. With holiday crowds on the horizon, it's a good time to subscribe to TouringPlans.com to plan your strategy to avoid the crowds!

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.

— Fred Hazelton Statistician, TouringPlans.com

	Crowd Calendar Prediction	Crowd Tips
	DISNEYLAND RESORT
Mon., Dec. 5	4/10	Here are some quick-hit notes that we hope you'll find helpful as you prepare your visits for the week: Partial AP blockouts Saturday and Sunday. Disney California Adventure's low day will be Monday, when it's a 4.2. Disneyland park's lowest day will be Tuesday, when it's a 3.8.
Tue., Dec. 6	5/10
Wed., Dec. 7	5/10
Thu., Dec. 8	6/10
Crowd levels are based on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the least crowded conditions and 10 being most crowded.
See Disneyland crowds for the next 365 days. Get Disneyland wait times on your iPhone, Android, or Smartphone. Do more. Wait less.

Disneyland's popular fresh candy canes are now on sale. The OC Register has a finalized official schedule of the sale dates.

Disneyland sets dates for fresh candy-cane sales
Disneyland has started making and selling fresh candy canes — popular treats that prompt fans to line up early during the holidays.

The park’s Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen sold the holiday candies for the first time of the season on Wednesday, when people formed a queue to get their holiday canes on Main Street U.S.A. See picture, right, courtesy of Julie K. Shepard Warren, or @JulieKWarren

The store has seven more dates for candy-cane making and selling: Friday (Dec. 2), Tuesday (Dec. 6), Dec. 9, Dec. 12, Dec. 16, Dec. 21 and Dec. 24.

This year, Disney hiked the price for the candies to $12.95 each, up $3. Visitors can each buy just one.

Julie K. Shepard Warren of Folsom got to Disneyland 45 minutes before the park opened Wednesday to be one of the first in line to get a candy cane. Her husband rushed ahead, while Warren watched their 4-year-old daughter. About 150 people were in line.

“Our daughter was mesmerized watching the Disney confectioners make the candy canes in front of us and knowing that soon we would have three of the freshly made candy canes,” Warren said in an email.
These are no dinky, ornament-sized treats: The five-ounce canes are the length of a man’s forearm.

Visitors can line up in the morning for vouchers, which can be redeemed when the candies are ready.[ FULL STORY ]

CANDLELIGHT 2011
Disneyland's annual Candlelight ceremony took place over the weekend, bringing big crowds to the park for the popular event.


The Candlelight stage during the day


Crowds claim available benches and curb-side seating in Town Square early and camp out throughout the day.




In the evening, the procession makes its way down Main Street from "it's a small world" Promenade.


Town Square comes alive with a beautifully-produced ceremony that re-tells the story of Christmas.




Actor Gary Sinise was this year's celebrity narrator.


From the OC Register's Around Disney blog:

Gary Sinise hosts Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony
A 600-voice choir holding candles sang its way down a darkened Main Street, U.S.A. as Disneyland held its annual Candlelight Procession and Ceremony.

The annual event started 53 years ago by Walt Disney as a way of thanking organizations around the community.

Seating is nearly always by invitation only for the event in Town Square. The public crowds Main Street to watch the choir solemnly sing their way through the theme park.

The annual ceremony features a reading of the Christmas story by a celebrity interspersed with Christmas carols sung by the choir accompanied by a full orchestra, bell ringers, and Disneyland’s Herald Trumpeters sitting atop the Main Street Railroad Station.

This year’s narrator was Gary Sinise, star of “CSI: New York” and “Forrest Gump.” He read the story during the two Saturday night performances and will read them again during Sunday’s two performances.

Because the event is outdoors, weather is a factor. Saturday’s performance saw cold winds whipping the flags. At one point during the 8 p.m. performance, a shooting star was seen burning in the night sky. [ FULL STORY ]

You can see more photos from Saturday evening's Candlelight ceremony from MiceChat's Joe Flowers in his photo and trip report thread.




CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION
Work continues on the remainder of California Adventure's $1 billion-dollar remodel and expansion...

Contact us at [email protected]!

BUENA VISTA STREET
Work continues on the new facades that will line Buena Vista Street when it opens next year.











Work is ramping up further down the street in the new Carthay Circle plaza area with new progress being made on the shop facades.

















Some new architectural details are emerging at the Carthay Circle Theater.









Elias and Co. Department Store progress:










CARS LAND
Work continues to race along in Cars Land, with more and more of the land coming together every day.


Progress continues at Sarge's Surplus Hut






You can spot some neon now up on the spark plugs at Flo's V8 Cafe




The "HERE IT IS!" billboard is now in place.




Fillmore's windmill






A look through some new trees at the Radiator Springs Racers' gorgeous brick facade





You can see the framework for the Mater's Junkyard Jamboree marquee.




Inside Mater's junkyard, his shack seems to be just about done...


And nearby, Mater's junk jukebox that will play tunes during the ride has been placed.


















A closer look at the Paradise Bluffs rock work on the backside of the Cars Land mountain range









PACIFIC WHARF
Disney finally announced the long-rumored Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop and Soda Fountain for Pacific Wharf. The new dining location will move into the space formerly occupied by the Mission Tortilla Factory.

The official announcement from the Disney Parks Blog:

Ghirardelli is Coming to Disney California Adventure Park

I’m so excited to let you know that there will soon be a new place to satisfy your sweet tooth at the Disneyland Resort. In late spring 2012, a new Ghirardelli location will open at the Pacific Wharf area, inside Disney California Adventure park!

The soda fountain and chocolate shop, similar to the location at Downtown Disney in the Walt Disney World Resort – which has been a must-do for me (and many of you, I’m sure) for 13 years – will feature Ghirardelli’s world-famous hot fudge sundaes and chocolate products. And each guest will be able to receive complimentary samples of their signature Ghirardelli Squares chocolate! [ FULL STORY ]

The Mission Tortilla Factory closed at the start of the 2011 summer season and has sat empty since. The space will be prime real estate come next summer with the main entrance to the brand new Cars Land right next door.

Give some Disney magic this year! The holidays are upon us, and there are a lot of great Disney gifts to give! We've put together a list of some of the best books, Blu-ray and video game releases for every Disney fan on your list! So go ahead and check off some names from your list with the Amazon links below! By giving some of the great Disney items below you'll also be helping support Dateline Disneyland so we can continue bringing Disneyland to you through 2012! Happy Holidays! - Andy

THIS & THAT
Some refurbishment work going on in Downtown Disney has put the ATM next to Haagen Dazs.

Dateline Disneyland is sponsored by our good friends at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel - Anaheim Resort. A short walk from the park, HoJo Anaheim is conveniently located next to Disneyland with nearby dining and freeway access. For more information on HoJo Anaheim, room rates, or to book your stay today, visit HoJoAnaheim.com/MiceChat. Rooms now available for as low as $59 per night! The HoJo Anaheim is now offering deeper discounts for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders! On select nights, Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders can get rooms for as low as $59 per night, plus tax. For more information visit the HoJo Anaheim Innsider Boards which features an up-to-date listing of available nights, or call (714) 776-6120 and ask for In-House Reservations to book. If your date isn't listed, the HoJo Anaheim still offers rooms for 20% off their best available rate if you call (714) 776-6120. See Disneyland from the comfort of home with the HoJo Mattercam! See Disneyland from home via a live rotating video feed of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park from the rooftop of Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel - Anaheim Resort! The HoJo Anaheim's newly upgraded Disneyland webcam now features new views including video feeds of Disneyland's nightly fireworks! Check it out now!

WEEKLY NEWS AND INFORMATION ROUND-UP
Weekly Theme Park Hours December 5—11, 2011
Disneyland Park	Disney California Adventure
Monday-Wednesday: 9 am - 9 pm Thursday: 9 am - 11 pm Friday-Sunday: 8 am - 12 midnight	Monday-Thursday: 10 am - 8 pm Friday-Saturday: 10 am - 9 pm Sunday: 10 am - 10 pm
For a complete listing of theme park hours, visit the Disneyland.com Theme Park Calendar
Expected Crowd Levels presented by TouringPlans.com
Disneyland Park	Disney California Adventure
MEDIUM-HIGH 3.7—8.0 out of 10	MEDIUM 4.2—6.9 out of 10
Crowd levels are based on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the least crowded conditions and 10 being most crowded. For daily crowd predictions for the next 365 days, visit
Closures and Refurbishment Schedule
Disneyland Park
Jungle Cruise: Closed for one day, December 5. Indiana Jones Adventure: Closed for refurbishment December 6 and 7. Big Thunder Ranch: Closed to remove holiday overlay January 9 - 18. Matterhorn Bobsleds: Closed for major refurbishment including the addition of new ride vehicles January 9 - June 14. Sailing Ship Columbia: Closed for refurbishment January 23 - February 17. "it's a small world": Closed to remove holiday overlay January 23 through February 2. Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes: Closed for one day, January 24. Jolly Holiday Bakery Café: Opens January 2012 in location of the former Plaza Pavilion. Blue Ribbon Bakery, Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor and Candy Palace: Food service locations and shops close January 2012 for major restaurant and shopping expansion projects affecting current spaces.
Disney California Adventure
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: Closed for refurbishment January 9 - 27. Grizzly River Run: Closed for refurbishment January 23 - March 2. Soarin' Over California: Closed for refurbishment January 30 - February 3. Ghirardelli Chocolate Company and Soda Fountain: New Ghirardelli chocolate shop and soda fountain will open in the space formerly occupied by the Mission Tortilla Factory. New dining location opens late-spring 2012. Buena Vista Street: Re-themed main entrance including new Red Car Trolley attraction are under construction through summer 2012. Cars Land: New 12-acre land in former Timon Parking Lot opens summer 2012.
Downtown Disney & Hotels of the Disneyland Resort
None.

Great new photo-heavy eBook gives tour of Disneyland during the holidays Our friend Tom Bricker who runs the excellent Disney Tourist Blog with his wife Sarah has released a new eBook extensively covering Disneyland's line-up of holiday offerings. Everything from attractions to shows to decorations and food are covered here. It's a great trip-planning tool for those who are planning a visit to the parks during the holiday season. If you're a pro and don't need tips to plan your holiday visit, the book is still worth the ridiculously cheap price of $3.99 for the excellent full-color photography found inside. Tom has made a name for himself with his excellent Disney photography and this great eBook doesn't disappoint. Also, between now and December 23, half of Tom's proceeds from the book will be donated to Toys for Tots! So, skip your Starbucks gingerbread latte today and check out this book instead!

A Disneyland Christmas A detailed tour of Disneyland Resort at Christmas, featuring over 170 full color photos of decorations, fireworks, the Christmas parade, "it's a small world" holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, and many other seasonal offerings at Disneyland! A Disneyland Christmas also includes descriptions of the decorations around Disneyland Resort during the holidays, including those at Disney California Adventure, Disneyland, Downtown Disney, and the three Disney hotels. Reviews of the many holiday desserts sold in the restaurants during the holiday season will assist you in always picking the most tasty desserts at Disneyland. A great guide to Disneyland at Christmas-time! Half of proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to Toys for Tots.

Get the book!: Amazon.com: A Disneyland Christmas

Harry Potter said to be coming to Universal Studios in California by 2015 News hit the web late last week that Universal Studios Hollywood is gearing up to announce a West Coast version of its incredible popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter to be built in its Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. Universal has yet to make the formal announcement, but the Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times ensure that it is happening. If it does happen, a Potter outpost on the west coast could mean serious competition for Disney.

Harry Potter attraction coming to Universal Studios Hollywood Hogwarts is coming to Hollywood. Universal Studios is planning to build a replica of its successful Florida Harry Potter theme park in Los Angeles, said people familiar with the matter but not authorized to discuss it publicly. A contract between Comcast Corp.-owned Universal and Warner Bros., which made the "Harry Potter" movies and controls licensing rights to author J.K. Rowling's books about the boy wizard, is being finalized and should be done within the next few weeks, the people said. The new attraction is expected to open at Universal Studios Hollywood no earlier than 2015. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando has drawn more than 7 million people and was a primary driver in a 36% boost in attendance at the theme park in the first three months of 2011. Families have flocked to the park to go on Potter-themed rides, like the Flight of the Hippogriff, visit replicas of Potter locations like the Three Broomsticks Inn, and even drink a re-creation of the story's famous butterbeer. Universal was not the only entertainment company seeking to replicate The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Southern California. Walt Disney Co. also held discussions with Warner to secure the rights for Disneyland in Anaheim. Recently, Disney signed a partnership to create attractions based on 20th Century Fox's "Avatar," the first of which will begin construction in Orlando in 2013. A remaining question is where the Potter rides and shops would be placed at the land-strapped Universal Hollywood. In order to make room, the park would likely have to remove or retrofit existing rides. News of the deal was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Full story: Los Angeles Times: Harry Potter attraction coming to Universal Studios Hollywood

Okay, that wraps up this week's edition of Dateline Disneyland! Thanks for reading and please be sure to visit our friends over at TouringPlans for all of your Disneyland vacation planning needs! We've reinstated our Amazon Associates links starting with today's update. If you still need to complete some holiday shopping for folks on your list, consider making your purchase using our Amazon referral code. It doesn't cost you anything, but your purchases will help support Dateline Disneyland so we can keep the updates coming to you every week through the next year! To start shopping on Amazon using our referral code, click any Amazon item in today's update or click here. We're only here because of your continued support. If you've enjoy Dateline Disneyland over the last four years, please consider helping us out by donating a buck or two so we can pay the bills and keep the updates coming! You can donate with a click of a button via PayPal — click here! Don't forget that MiceChat has lots of new content throughout the week! For even more Disneyland news, photos and information check out the In the Parks column on Fridays. And MiceChat's Weekend Update, tours the world of Disney theme parks and other worldly sights and landmarks! See you at Disneyland! - Andy Interested in sponsorship or advertising opportunities with Dateline Disneyland? Contact us!

Please support our sponsors Keep the updates coming! Please support us FTC-Mandated Disclosure: Promotional consideration for the December 5, 2011 edition of Dateline Disneyland was provided by TouringPlans.com | Do More. Wait Less.