Lighting up the Pier, Big Thunder Ranch, Bye-bye 50th Anniversary, D23, +MORE

WELCOME TO
DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE!
We'll be dropping into California Adventure first this week.

WORLD OF COLOR & VIEWING AREA


Construction on the new World of Color viewing area is still a lot of dirt.











NEW PARADISE PIER SIGN
While construction at DCA continues to chug along, the big news this week was the installation of the new Paradise Pier marquee on the California Screamin' rollercoaster where the Mickey Mouse ears used to be.








The new sign matches the Paradise Pier remodel elevation rendering. Hopefully we'll be seeing the new sunburst icon in the loop soon.


At night, the sign glows red. Unfortunately, the red neon looks more orange in photos, but the deep red glow of the marquee looks great at night, although would it have been more appropriate for the new sign to match the lightbulb style of the other signs on the Pier including the recent Toy Story Midway Mania marquee?







Back to construction...

KING TRITONS CAROUSEL
King Triton's Carousel is closed for a standard refurbishment right now, but will also get a minor re-theming during its refurbishment. New canopies and a new paint scheme will help make the carousel fit in better with the new surrounding Victorian-style midway.






GAMES OF THE BOARDWALK
The new Games of the Boardwalk facades get closer to getting finished before the new games open up later in April.


New lighting fixtures have been added to the facades








And new popcorn lighting has been added along the facades' rooflines.



The windows on the new facades are now decorated much like Main Street USA.


Gustav Tinkerschmidt will apparently be running the new Games of the Boardwalk.



RESTROOM CONSTRUCTION
The new San Francisco Street restrooms being built to handle the big World of Color and Little Mermaid crowds in the next few years are starting to show some visible progress.


An entire wall at the end of the facades has been torn out.





Nearby, the "Gourmet Coffee" outdoor vending location has moved over next to the Palace of Fine Arts rotunda (former entrance of Golden Dreams), displacing the frozen lemonade cart that was previously located here.




The former home of the coffee stand is home to some benches for now...




FRONTIERLAND CONSTRUCTION
Over in Disneyland, repaving along Big Thunder Trail has moved over to the other side of the trail.




The new pavement matches the main area of Frontierland with horse and wagon tracks.


Over by Big Thunder Ranch, new red-stained ground plays off the red rocks that surround Big Thunder Ranch.


The new Celebration Roundup and BBQ dining location is coming together nicely as it approaches its April 2 opening.







FAREWELL 50TH
The final remnant from Disneyland's big 50th Anniversary celebration closed Sunday, almost four years after the 50th Anniversary began in May 2005. Here's a photo tour of the Opera House and some of the highlights from the Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years show and exhibit.








































































A 50th Anniversary logo was still projected on the curtain years after the 50th Anniversary celebration ended.


The exit doors of the Opera House theater...


The headphones rack (left) from the old Mr. Lincoln show still sits in the exit area of the theater.




THIS AND THAT
On Main Street, Disney recently expanded this doorway at the Jewelry Shop to accommodate bigger guest flow when the new Fortuosity Shop opened. But now the entire door has been walled up.



Over in New Orleans Square, some construction walls have gone up at the back entrance of the Harbor Galley.





D23 merchandise and club info is on full display at Disneyana on Main Street.


Disney Masters Artist Dave Pacheco visited Disneyland on Saturday for a D23 merchandise release and signing.


While most of the D23 merchandise is for purchase by club members only, some new art prints and the Disney twenty-three magazine are available for everybody.




The D23 art prints are $40 each (ouch!).









New Disney dollars are out with "Celebrate Today!" designs. A framed set is for sale, too.









And the new ZAGAT guide to the Disneyland Resort is available in Disneyana for $14.99. If you want a deal, get it on Amazon for only $11.21




AROUND THE PARKS
And to finish up the photo portion of this week's update, here are some shots from around the parks (click to be taken to the photo's Flickr page for high-res download)


















DISNEYLAND WEEKLY HOURS AND INFO

THEME PARK HOURS 3/16 - 22
Disneyland Resort theme parks are beginning to increase operating hours as more schools break for spring recess. Operating hours will increase with crowd sizes over the next few weeks. Be sure to plan your trip to the parks accordingly. For a complete listing of theme park hours, please visit the Disneyland.com Theme Park Calendar

Disneyland Park
Monday: 8 am - 11 pm
Tuesday - Thursday: 9 am - 11 pm
Friday - Sunday: 8 am - 12 midnight

Disney's California Adventure Park
Monday - Thursday: 10 am - 7 pm
Friday - Saturday: 10 am - 9 pm
Sunday: 10 am - 10 pm

CURRENT ATTRACTION CLOSURES & REFURBISHMENTS

Disneyland Park

• Remember... Dreams Come True Fireworks Spectacular: Performances nightly through spring break season. Show is expected to end permanently following the 2009 peak spring break season. A new show will replace Remember this summer.
• Goofy's Playhouse: Closed through March 20 for refurbishment.
• Celebrate! A Street Party: Debuts March 27.
• King Arthur's Carousel: Closed March 31.
• Celebration Roundup and Barbeque: Opens at Big Thunder Ranch April 2, 2009
• Bibbity Bobbity Boutique: Opens April 4, 2009
• Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years/Main Street Opera House: Closed. Reopens as The Disneyland Story: Featuring Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln fall 2009.

Disney's California Adventure Park

• Sun Wheel: Closed. Will re-open as Mickey's Fun Wheel April 24, 2009.
• Games of the Boardwalk: Closed. New games will open in April 2009.
• King Triton's Carousel of the Sea: Closed through May 20.
• Paradise Bay: Drained for construction of upcoming Disney's World of Color show.
• Disney's World of Color Nighttime Spectacular: New show under construction. Debuts Spring 2010.
• Golden State Park and Amphitheater: Closed. New, larger amphitheater for Disney's World of Color viewing under construction in same location. The new amphitheater will open December 2009.

DISNEY UNVEILS NEW D23 OFFICIAL FAN COMMUNITY

On Tuesday, Disney officially announced the reason behind the mysterious "Are You 23?" teaser campaign. The new D23 is being touted as "The Official Community for Disney Fans" and membership costs a somewhat steep $75 per year. Despite Disney's claims that the new club isn't designed to be a merchandising tool, a major perk of membership is the ability to purchase exclusive D23 merchandise in the online boutique. The D23 press release talks about all of the perks of membership:

A one-year D23 membership ($74.99) includes:

• Disney twenty-three quarterly publication: A one-year subscription (four issues) to D23’s new collectible magazine filled with stunning photography, dazzling illustrations and the ultimate Disney insider perspective. This advertising-free keepsake is the all-access pass to discovering the magic of Disney’s past, present and future.
• Membership Certificate and Card: The D23 membership card and suitable-for-framing member certificate – both specially created for D23’s Charter Year -- feature many of Disney’s most beloved characters.
• Surprise Collectible Gift and Member Merchandise: Each member who joins D23 will receive an exclusive collectible gift from the new Walt Disney Archives Collection. This merchandise line was created specifically with D23 members in mind, and each piece is authorized by the Walt Disney Archives. D23 members will have exclusive or early access to a wide assortment of Walt Disney Archives Collection pieces.
• D23 Expo and Member Special Events: The D23 Expo – to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center from September 10-13, 2009 -- will be “The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience,” featuring incredible speakers, celebrity appearances, breathtaking exhibitions, interactive experiences, sneak peeks, film screenings, one-of-a-kind merchandise, and much more. All Disney fans are welcome, but D23 members will receive a discount on Expo admissions and early access to the show daily. D23 also offers unique members-only special event opportunities throughout the year.
• Disney.com/D23: All fans can stay connected to Disney every day through D23’s new Web site, featuring up-to-the-minute Disney news, feature stories, event info and more, but only D23 members will receive regular email updates on special event and merchandise opportunities exclusive to them.

For complete info on D23 read the official press release, or visit Disney.com/D23

RESORT RESTAURANTS WIN NUMEROUS AWARDS
Disneyland Resort is celebrating from winning 15 awards at this year's Southern California Restaurant Writers Banquet, including several wins at the Grand Californian Hotel's popular Napa Rose restaurant, including Sous Chef of the Year Award for Napa Rose's Alex Flores and Francisco Origel. So congrats to Mr. Flores and Mr. Origel, and congrats to the rest of the Resort restaurants who were recognized at this year's awards. A Disneyland Resort press release has more information:

Disneyland Resort Restaurants Win 15 Awards At Southern California Restaurant Writers Banquet
ANAHEIM, Calif., March 12, 2009 – Disneyland Resort celebrates 15 new awards for its restaurants and chefs as it prepares to launch the 2009 Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival, a six-week “World Celebration” that features delicious food and wine from Disneyland chefs and celebrity chefs and winemakers.

The 2008-09 awards were presented to Disneyland Resort restaurants and chefs at the recent Southern California Restaurant Writers Awards Banquet at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, California. A highlight for Resort restaurants was the recognition of Alex Flores and Francisco Origel, sous chefs at the perennially popular Napa Rose in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, as co-winners of the “Sous Chef of the Year” award.

Napa Rose was honored further with a Golden Bacchus Wine Award and a Golden Sceptre (Five Star) award, the highest, in the continental category. Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel also received highest honors, with a Golden Bacchus Wine Award and a Golden Sceptre (Five Star) award in the American category. The awards reflect Disneyland Resort’s commitment to guest service, which has been enhanced under the guidance of Master Sommelier Michael Jordan and his wine education program. The Resort has 300 certified sommeliers who assist guests with the pairing of wine and food.

The complete list of Disneyland Resort awards:

Special Award Category

• Sous Chef of the Year: Alex Flores/Francisco Origel (Napa Rose, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel)

Golden Bacchus Wine Award

• Napa Rose (Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel)
• Steakhouse 55 (Disneyland Hotel)

Golden Sceptre (Five Star):

• Napa Rose (Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel)
• Steakhouse 55 (Disneyland Hotel)

Gold (Four Star)

• Ariel’s Grotto (Paradise Pier, Disney’s California Adventure park)
• Blue Bayou (New Orleans Square, Disneyland)
• Café Orleans (New Orleans Square, Disneyland)
• Hook’s Pointe & Wine Cellar (Disneyland Hotel)
• Storyteller’s Café (Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel)
• Yamabuki (Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel)

Sterling (Three Star)

• Goofy’s Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel)
• Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Downtown Disney)
• Tortilla Jo’s (Downtown Disney)

Silver (Two Star)

• PCH Grill (Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel)

For the complete press release, click here.



LISTEN TO DISNEY SHAREHOLDER MEETING ONLINE

If you missed the live broadcast of the 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders you can listen to a re-play of the event online through March 24, 2009 until 4 pm. For the online re-play, click here.

DISNEY PLANS TO ELIMINATE THEME PARK WASTE

The OC Register's Around Disney blog talked about Disney's recently-announced goals to eliminate waste at its theme parks and resorts.

Disney Co. announces goal today to eliminate all waste
The Walt Disney Co. today announced plans to significantly reduce waste, emissions and use of electricity and fuels with a goal of eventually creating zero waste.
The announcement came during the company’s annual report to shareholders. Disney officials set several goals for the next five years and beyond to reduce the company’s impact on the ecosystem.
The goals are part of Disney’s 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report, which addresses topics such as charitable giving, nutrition and workplace diversity.

Among the long-term goals:

• Create zero waste
• Have zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions from fuels
• Reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption
• Minimize water use
• Have a net positive impact on ecosystems

No date was set for achieving those ultimate goals, but several more immediate goals were outlined.
For instance, in 2006, Disney parks and resorts generated 298,000 tons of waste. Some 170,000 was sent to landfills, while the other 128,000 was diverted from landfills and recycled.
Disney wants to reduce that amount by another 50 percent by 2013.
Disney president and CEO Robert Iger said setting such goals are good for the environment and for his company.
“Disney’s enhanced corporate responsibility efforts make our brands and products more attractive, strengthen our bonds with consumers, make the company a more desirable place to work,” he said in a statement.

For the complete article, check out the OC Register's Around Disney blog.

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