A look at the TEA/ERA 2008 Attendance Numbers, upcoming events and lots of photos
Updated at 7:45 AM to add the information regarding the "2 days free" offer that is good through September 30th for Disneyland Resort ParkHoppers
Well, Spring Break is almost over. Disneyland still treats next week (April 20th) with extended hours, but much of the crowds should be gone.
Lots of stuff to get to this week, so lets get started.
Regional Parks doing better than Destination Parks in 2008.
The TEA/ERA 2008 Attraction Attendance Report was released on Thursday. You can find a copy of the report at the following link.
http://www.parkworld-online.com/news...008_1.1_PW.pdf
The Southern California Parks didn't have the best year, lets look at the change in attendance from 2007.
Disneyland -loss of 1.0%
Knott's Berry Farm - loss of 1.8%
Disney's California Adventure - loss of 2%
Universal Studios Hollywood - loss of 2.5%
SeaWorld California - loss of 2.7%
And let's compare it to some of the largest increases
Canada's Wonderland - Up 4.0%
Cedar Point - Up 2.5%
Kings Island - Up 2.5%
Six Flags Great Adventure - Up 1.5%
Six Flags Great America - Up 1.5%
While not the best news for Disney Parks in General, it is good news for Disneyland, since it was originally designed to be in the center of the Southern California, as determined by the Stanford Research Institute.
With the current economic climate, families are opting to not take a large vacation, but stay close to home, as some folks call it, a "staycation"
Disneyland is currently marketing heavily to the Southern California Market. First off, the "Free admission on your Birthday" offer is a lot easier for locals to claim, since it is only a short drive away, not a plane trip.
Second is the current "Pay for Disneyland, get DCA for FREE!" 2fer offer. In 2009, the offer has been extended, and doesn't expire until July 2nd (First day of use and purchase must be made by June 3rd).
Plus upcoming promotions, such as the Annual Passholder Appreciation Days and the Food and Wine Festival.
So while Florida is having problems with attendance, Southern California is doing well, especially Disneyland. That is mainly due to the Birthday Offer, as most folks are claiming a one day/one park free ticket to Disneyland. Of course, Disney will upgrade that ticket to a 2fer at no additional cost until June 3rd, if the Birthday Person can show proof of Southern California residency.
But what happens this summer? DCA will still have a lot of refurb walls up, and as locals find out about the new "World of Color" lagoon show, will hold off on visiting until the new attraction is open in Spring of 2010.
Of course, the non-Disney Southern California Parks will have discounted offers in the summer, to try and help drive the "locals" to their parks.
So it will be interesting to see what Disney decides to do in regards to local promotions for the Summer Season.
Disneyland has brought back the "2 days Free" offer for 3 and 4 day ParkHoppers purchased in advance at Disneyland.com for the summer. They are on sale now and valid through September 30th, 2009. So that is the "out of town" offer for summer.
But looking at the Attendance numbers across the world, it does show that Theme/Amusement parks and Water Parks are a major source of entertainment for many folks, and while Parks will need to make adjustments due to the current financial climate, the industry is here to stay for many decades to come.
Disneyland Annual Passport Appreciation Days start Sunday.
From Sunday April 19th through Saturday, April 25th, Disney is promoting a special event in Downtown Disney, offering extra discounts and special offers with a valid AP.
Full details can be found at this link.
http://adisneyland.disney.go.com/med..._Days_2009.pdf
CHOC Food and Wine Festival fundraiser at Downtown Disney on May 7th
While not part of the official "Disney's California Food and Wine Festival", which starts Friday, April 24th and goes through Sunday, June 7th, CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County) is hosting a special Downtown Disney event on Thursday, May 7th. Cost is $100 per person.
CHOC Event - CHOC Food and Wine Festival at Downtown Disney
And while we are mentioning Food and Wine events, Disney has placed the daily schedule up at their website.
Disney's California Food & Wine Festival | Overview
A couple of things caught my eye. First, due to the Lucky Fortune Cookery being converted to a new restaurant, there will be no special "tasting" location this year. Instead, selected restaurants will offer special food items during the event.
And that the special "celebrity" for opening weekend is Chef Robert Irvine, from the Food Network Channel's Dinner: Impossible. He made the news last year, when the St. Petersburg Times reported that he "inflated" his biography, and was released by the Food Network. After correcting his resume, the Food Network did decide to rehire him, and just started a new season of Dinner:Impossible with Chef Irvine as host.
He will be appearing Friday the 24th through Sunday the 26th, both in cooking demonstrations, and in autograph sessions.
Also, The Taste of Anaheim will be held on Thursday, May 14th at the new Anaheim GardenWalk. More info can be found at this link.
14th Annual Taste of Anaheim | May 14th, 2009
A Free fun event at Disneyland on Sunday, April 26th
MiceChat is hosting a "practice" Gumball Rally on Sunday, April 26th. The event starts at 7 AM, and will last until about 1 PM. While the event is totally free, you do need to have a valid admission to Disneyland Park that day. More info can be found at this link.
http://micechat.com/forums/meets-eve...fo-thread.html
Also note, the Full Gumball Rally 3 event is on Saturday May 30th (the weekend after Memorial Day). If you want to get entered at the discounted price of just $14.99 per person, you have until this Sunday, April 19th to register and pay.
All American Melodrama in Long Beach to host classic Melodramas from Knott's Berry Farm
Page 1
From May 6th through July 2nd, the All American Melodrama will perform several classic melodramas that used to be performed at the Bird Cage Theater at Knott's. Knott's has authorised these shows, and is providing many of the original props and costumes for the special event.
Red Lion Hotel Anaheim has its Grand Opening
Last night, the Red Lion Anaheim had its official Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting.
This hotel, located just south of Katella on Harbor Blvd has been totally remodeled, and is an nice 3 star full service Hotel that is Pet Friendly. Here is a recent Press Release discussing the chain's Pet Policy.
It's a Dog's Life at Red Lion Hotels.
Pets stay free and earn loyalty points
SPOKANE, Wash., April 14 -- Red Lion Hotels Corporation, announced an innovative stimulus program to make vacations more affordable for pets and their owners. Effective immediately, pets stay free at all Red Lion hotels and earn points in the company's loyalty program, the Red Lion R&R Club.
"This is very welcome news. I've stayed at a lot of hotels and it seems that Red Lion just gets me," said Zeke, a German Shepherd from Seattle. "While I feel welcome at some hotels, most make me feel self-conscious. And the fees, deposits, and mandatory cleaning charges really irk my people Bill and Jennie," Zeke added. Tigger, a cat who travels with Zeke, piped up, "I could tell they really liked me at Red Lion. I don't know, maybe it's a lion thing."
Domestic pets will receive a warm welcome at all of Red Lion's newly renovated hotels this summer - for free. So whether visiting downtown Seattle, Denver, Anaheim or other cities throughout the west, not only do pets stay free, they can enroll in the Red Lion R&R Club where they'll be able to earn 500 hundred points per stay. The program will be adding a host of desirable gift redemption options just for pets that will have pets all over the country begging their owners to stay at a Red Lion hotel. In addition to earning Red Lion R&R Club points, every pet that stays at a Red Lion hotel through September 30, 2009, will be entered into a drawing to receive a year's worth of pet food for free. Just one more way Red Lion is ensuring that pets "Stay Comfortable" this summer.
"With gas prices low this summer and airfares higher due to capacity cuts, we anticipate more vacationers will be traveling by car, including those who want to bring their pets along," said George Schweitzer, SVP Hotel Operations, at Red Lion Hotels. "While hotel room rates may be lower this summer, the pet fees charged by many other hotels can add up to more than the cost of the room. In these difficult times, this initiative makes vacations more affordable. And by earning points in Red Lion's R&R Club loyalty program both for the owner and the pet, vacationers can further stretch their travel dollars by redeeming points for travel awards or retail gift cards," added Schweitzer.
To qualify for the Pet Stay Free Program, the pet owner must be a member of the Red Lion R&R Club. Pet enrollment in the program is free and optional and allows the pet to earn bonus points for their stay. There is no upfront deposit but the pet owner is responsible for any damage caused to the room by their pet. For more details and information visit www.redlion.com/pets.
About Red Lion Hotels Corporation:
Red Lion Hotels Corporation is a hospitality and leisure company primarily engaged in the ownership, operation and franchising of upscale and midscale hotels under its Red Lion(R) brand. As of December 31, 2008, the RLH hotel network was comprised of 47 hotels located in nine states and one Canadian province, with 8,910 rooms and 437,626 square feet of meeting space. The company also owns and operates an entertainment and event ticket distribution business. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.redlion.com.
Good bye to Yamibuki's
The main sign Saturday Night
And the front entrance on Thursday
Last Saturday night, I had the chance to be one of the last diners at a favorite Sushi place of mine, located at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.
The best way to do this is through pictures, but I do want to which everyone in the staff the best of luck in the future.
Thanks again to the entire staff!
The only sign left of Yamibuki is the front door mat on Thursday
Alas, the Hotel Parking Lot Toll Booths need some serious upgrades. Let alone remove Yamibuki's, but how many years has it been since they offered the "Practically Perfect Tea" and Granville's Name Change to Stakehouse 55.
Selected Photos from Darkbeer.Smugmug.com
Well, we have some progress on the DtD Monorail stairs
The new Simba Tram loading area is ready for trams, but there is no way currently for them to reach the new loading area
A look at the new Grand Californian facade
A peek at the new Mickey's Fun Wheeel Gondala's
Lights are being installed on both sides of the Fun Wheel
Note, the lights look old fashioned, but actually are multi colored LED's covered with a "classic" cover
Pixie Hollow is open, but the Main Queue is closed to allow for work on the Lagoon. Guests access the Pixie's by using the Wheelchair entrance.
Well, that should do it for this week, hope everyone has a great weekend.
Well, Spring Break is almost over. Disneyland still treats next week (April 20th) with extended hours, but much of the crowds should be gone.
Lots of stuff to get to this week, so lets get started.
Regional Parks doing better than Destination Parks in 2008.
The TEA/ERA 2008 Attraction Attendance Report was released on Thursday. You can find a copy of the report at the following link.
http://www.parkworld-online.com/news...008_1.1_PW.pdf
The Southern California Parks didn't have the best year, lets look at the change in attendance from 2007.
Disneyland -loss of 1.0%
Knott's Berry Farm - loss of 1.8%
Disney's California Adventure - loss of 2%
Universal Studios Hollywood - loss of 2.5%
SeaWorld California - loss of 2.7%
And let's compare it to some of the largest increases
Canada's Wonderland - Up 4.0%
Cedar Point - Up 2.5%
Kings Island - Up 2.5%
Six Flags Great Adventure - Up 1.5%
Six Flags Great America - Up 1.5%
While not the best news for Disney Parks in General, it is good news for Disneyland, since it was originally designed to be in the center of the Southern California, as determined by the Stanford Research Institute.
With the current economic climate, families are opting to not take a large vacation, but stay close to home, as some folks call it, a "staycation"
Disneyland is currently marketing heavily to the Southern California Market. First off, the "Free admission on your Birthday" offer is a lot easier for locals to claim, since it is only a short drive away, not a plane trip.
Second is the current "Pay for Disneyland, get DCA for FREE!" 2fer offer. In 2009, the offer has been extended, and doesn't expire until July 2nd (First day of use and purchase must be made by June 3rd).
Plus upcoming promotions, such as the Annual Passholder Appreciation Days and the Food and Wine Festival.
So while Florida is having problems with attendance, Southern California is doing well, especially Disneyland. That is mainly due to the Birthday Offer, as most folks are claiming a one day/one park free ticket to Disneyland. Of course, Disney will upgrade that ticket to a 2fer at no additional cost until June 3rd, if the Birthday Person can show proof of Southern California residency.
But what happens this summer? DCA will still have a lot of refurb walls up, and as locals find out about the new "World of Color" lagoon show, will hold off on visiting until the new attraction is open in Spring of 2010.
Of course, the non-Disney Southern California Parks will have discounted offers in the summer, to try and help drive the "locals" to their parks.
So it will be interesting to see what Disney decides to do in regards to local promotions for the Summer Season.
Disneyland has brought back the "2 days Free" offer for 3 and 4 day ParkHoppers purchased in advance at Disneyland.com for the summer. They are on sale now and valid through September 30th, 2009. So that is the "out of town" offer for summer.
But looking at the Attendance numbers across the world, it does show that Theme/Amusement parks and Water Parks are a major source of entertainment for many folks, and while Parks will need to make adjustments due to the current financial climate, the industry is here to stay for many decades to come.
Disneyland Annual Passport Appreciation Days start Sunday.
From Sunday April 19th through Saturday, April 25th, Disney is promoting a special event in Downtown Disney, offering extra discounts and special offers with a valid AP.
Full details can be found at this link.
http://adisneyland.disney.go.com/med..._Days_2009.pdf
CHOC Food and Wine Festival fundraiser at Downtown Disney on May 7th
While not part of the official "Disney's California Food and Wine Festival", which starts Friday, April 24th and goes through Sunday, June 7th, CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County) is hosting a special Downtown Disney event on Thursday, May 7th. Cost is $100 per person.
CHOC Event - CHOC Food and Wine Festival at Downtown Disney
And while we are mentioning Food and Wine events, Disney has placed the daily schedule up at their website.
Disney's California Food & Wine Festival | Overview
A couple of things caught my eye. First, due to the Lucky Fortune Cookery being converted to a new restaurant, there will be no special "tasting" location this year. Instead, selected restaurants will offer special food items during the event.
And that the special "celebrity" for opening weekend is Chef Robert Irvine, from the Food Network Channel's Dinner: Impossible. He made the news last year, when the St. Petersburg Times reported that he "inflated" his biography, and was released by the Food Network. After correcting his resume, the Food Network did decide to rehire him, and just started a new season of Dinner:Impossible with Chef Irvine as host.
He will be appearing Friday the 24th through Sunday the 26th, both in cooking demonstrations, and in autograph sessions.
Also, The Taste of Anaheim will be held on Thursday, May 14th at the new Anaheim GardenWalk. More info can be found at this link.
14th Annual Taste of Anaheim | May 14th, 2009
A Free fun event at Disneyland on Sunday, April 26th
MiceChat is hosting a "practice" Gumball Rally on Sunday, April 26th. The event starts at 7 AM, and will last until about 1 PM. While the event is totally free, you do need to have a valid admission to Disneyland Park that day. More info can be found at this link.
http://micechat.com/forums/meets-eve...fo-thread.html
Also note, the Full Gumball Rally 3 event is on Saturday May 30th (the weekend after Memorial Day). If you want to get entered at the discounted price of just $14.99 per person, you have until this Sunday, April 19th to register and pay.
All American Melodrama in Long Beach to host classic Melodramas from Knott's Berry Farm
Page 1
From May 6th through July 2nd, the All American Melodrama will perform several classic melodramas that used to be performed at the Bird Cage Theater at Knott's. Knott's has authorised these shows, and is providing many of the original props and costumes for the special event.
Red Lion Hotel Anaheim has its Grand Opening
Last night, the Red Lion Anaheim had its official Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting.
This hotel, located just south of Katella on Harbor Blvd has been totally remodeled, and is an nice 3 star full service Hotel that is Pet Friendly. Here is a recent Press Release discussing the chain's Pet Policy.
Quote:
It's a Dog's Life at Red Lion Hotels.
Pets stay free and earn loyalty points
SPOKANE, Wash., April 14 -- Red Lion Hotels Corporation, announced an innovative stimulus program to make vacations more affordable for pets and their owners. Effective immediately, pets stay free at all Red Lion hotels and earn points in the company's loyalty program, the Red Lion R&R Club.
"This is very welcome news. I've stayed at a lot of hotels and it seems that Red Lion just gets me," said Zeke, a German Shepherd from Seattle. "While I feel welcome at some hotels, most make me feel self-conscious. And the fees, deposits, and mandatory cleaning charges really irk my people Bill and Jennie," Zeke added. Tigger, a cat who travels with Zeke, piped up, "I could tell they really liked me at Red Lion. I don't know, maybe it's a lion thing."
Domestic pets will receive a warm welcome at all of Red Lion's newly renovated hotels this summer - for free. So whether visiting downtown Seattle, Denver, Anaheim or other cities throughout the west, not only do pets stay free, they can enroll in the Red Lion R&R Club where they'll be able to earn 500 hundred points per stay. The program will be adding a host of desirable gift redemption options just for pets that will have pets all over the country begging their owners to stay at a Red Lion hotel. In addition to earning Red Lion R&R Club points, every pet that stays at a Red Lion hotel through September 30, 2009, will be entered into a drawing to receive a year's worth of pet food for free. Just one more way Red Lion is ensuring that pets "Stay Comfortable" this summer.
"With gas prices low this summer and airfares higher due to capacity cuts, we anticipate more vacationers will be traveling by car, including those who want to bring their pets along," said George Schweitzer, SVP Hotel Operations, at Red Lion Hotels. "While hotel room rates may be lower this summer, the pet fees charged by many other hotels can add up to more than the cost of the room. In these difficult times, this initiative makes vacations more affordable. And by earning points in Red Lion's R&R Club loyalty program both for the owner and the pet, vacationers can further stretch their travel dollars by redeeming points for travel awards or retail gift cards," added Schweitzer.
To qualify for the Pet Stay Free Program, the pet owner must be a member of the Red Lion R&R Club. Pet enrollment in the program is free and optional and allows the pet to earn bonus points for their stay. There is no upfront deposit but the pet owner is responsible for any damage caused to the room by their pet. For more details and information visit www.redlion.com/pets.
About Red Lion Hotels Corporation:
Red Lion Hotels Corporation is a hospitality and leisure company primarily engaged in the ownership, operation and franchising of upscale and midscale hotels under its Red Lion(R) brand. As of December 31, 2008, the RLH hotel network was comprised of 47 hotels located in nine states and one Canadian province, with 8,910 rooms and 437,626 square feet of meeting space. The company also owns and operates an entertainment and event ticket distribution business. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.redlion.com.
The main sign Saturday Night
And the front entrance on Thursday
Last Saturday night, I had the chance to be one of the last diners at a favorite Sushi place of mine, located at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.
The best way to do this is through pictures, but I do want to which everyone in the staff the best of luck in the future.
Thanks again to the entire staff!
The only sign left of Yamibuki is the front door mat on Thursday
Alas, the Hotel Parking Lot Toll Booths need some serious upgrades. Let alone remove Yamibuki's, but how many years has it been since they offered the "Practically Perfect Tea" and Granville's Name Change to Stakehouse 55.
Selected Photos from Darkbeer.Smugmug.com
Well, we have some progress on the DtD Monorail stairs
The new Simba Tram loading area is ready for trams, but there is no way currently for them to reach the new loading area
A look at the new Grand Californian facade
A peek at the new Mickey's Fun Wheeel Gondala's
Lights are being installed on both sides of the Fun Wheel
Note, the lights look old fashioned, but actually are multi colored LED's covered with a "classic" cover
Pixie Hollow is open, but the Main Queue is closed to allow for work on the Lagoon. Guests access the Pixie's by using the Wheelchair entrance.
Well, that should do it for this week, hope everyone has a great weekend.
Total Comments 34
Comments
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Great update! How exciting; the Mickey face is up!Posted 04-17-2009 at 06:21 AM by xalesa
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The Mickey Face is amazing! Great postPosted 04-17-2009 at 06:31 AM by Fantasmic4 -
I'm not sure about the Mickey face. I liked how the previous sun face was dimensional, but Mickey is just flat. The same for the Paradise Pier logo...I sure hope the sun that gets installed in there is not painted. So far the sunburst is flat too...not liking that.Posted 04-17-2009 at 07:16 AM by gurgi -
Note, the "flat" is needed, as both areas will be used for projections during the new "World of Color" show premiering next year. In fact, the main reason for the Mikey face on the Sun Wheel is for World of Color.Posted 04-17-2009 at 07:20 AM by Darkbeer -
Wonderful update; thanks for making the pictures not used in the article available on smugmug.com
(Duck fans: more pics at Darkbeer : photos : Disneyland Resort - 4/16/09- powered by SmugMug)Posted 04-17-2009 at 07:23 AM by RLS Legacy - So from what it seems, the lights on the Mickey Fun Wheel will actually change colors since the LED's are mutli-color? That will look great at night.Posted 04-17-2009 at 07:25 AM by RabidAlienz
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Great Pictures and update as always!Posted 04-17-2009 at 07:31 AM by ni_teach -
Another wonderful update. Love the Giant Mickey and sad about Yamabuki.Posted 04-17-2009 at 07:53 AM by Dustysage -
Great update!!!
Posted 04-17-2009 at 08:04 AM by SouthHrbrBlvd -
Great update! I am a big fan of the Pie-Eye theme that will be running thru the Pier! Can't wait for the major overhauls to be complete!
P.S. I've totally seen that cat while eating at Whitewater! Good to see the friendly face!
Posted 04-17-2009 at 08:21 AM by DubiousEndeavors -
I saw the Mickey facwe yesterday and even with all the scaffolding it was spectacular. I can't wait to see it with the gondolas uncovered.
Great update, you guys always give me a good "Disney fix" to start my day. Thank you.Posted 04-17-2009 at 08:24 AM by gawama -
Great update where in the world did you find that lobster at? Was it still alive? lolPosted 04-17-2009 at 09:08 AM by cakvalasc -
I give this two
great reportPosted 04-17-2009 at 09:15 AM by cositaluvsmickey -
Great update!Posted 04-17-2009 at 09:29 AM by WheresMickey -
It's a crawfish and the Rivers of America are infested with them.Quote:Great update where in the world did you find that lobster at? Was it still alive? lolPosted 04-17-2009 at 10:36 AM by BassBone -
I really love the new Mickey on his Fun Wheel... And the gondolas look awesome! (I had no idea they were being changed like that! :-)Posted 04-17-2009 at 10:41 AM by WonderingAlice -
About the note under the picture about trams going to the "new" loading area in the Simba parking lot, I actually saw a tram crossing Disneyland Drive last week. There were no guests, just the CMs. So they were doing some kind of testing with trams then.Posted 04-17-2009 at 10:51 AM by AaronInCal -
Great update as always.
For the poster who saw a tram crossing Disneyland Drive last week.... They were not testing with the trams, just simply getting gas for the tram. On the East side that is where the feuling station is.Posted 04-17-2009 at 12:18 PM by Scurvy Pirate - Ok, now you confused me. The fueling station is on the East side?? Simba lot is on the west side of Disneyland Drive, south of the Paradise Pier Hotel.Posted 04-17-2009 at 12:39 PM by AaronInCal
- Thanks for the great update. I didn't know about the "flat" surfaces needing to be used for the World of Color. I hope to get out there to see the show soon after it begins - it sounds like it will be very cool!Posted 04-17-2009 at 12:52 PM by DizneeSmurf
