It was a really hot weekend at the Disneyland resort, but that didn't stop David "Darkbeer" Micheal from gathering together all of the Southern California theme park news for us. Special summer 3-Day park hopper tickets are now available for $99, The French Market in New Orleans Square is getting a new healthy menu, enter online to win a Honda Pilot [1], the new Indiana Jones sage show in Adventureland to be toned down, Happy Birthday Jose and Tiki Room pals, and more Garden Walk and theme park updates and tips. Read the entire Monday in the Parks theme park update HERE. [2] [1] http://disney.go.com/partners/pilotadventuresweeps/ [2] http://micechat.com/forums/blog.php?b=446

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There is a lot of confusion in today's Dateline Disneyland thanks in part to Disneyland's marketing department. The signs for the new Toy Story ride are a mess of conflicting messages and information. Is it Toy Story MIDWAY Mania or is it Toy Story MANIA? Is it located at DISNEYLAND Resort (with the "Resort" in such tiny letters that you are sure to miss it) or Disney's California Adventure? The attraction is creating some confusion of its own with frequent, and often extended, downtime. The signature Mr. Potato Head barker animatronic which leads people to the line is also prone to frequent breakdown. On top of it all, lines for guests can reach up to two and a half hours in length for this fairly slow loading attraction. The good news is that the attraction is worth the wait for most guests. If you don't mind standing for hours in the heat and sun of the uncovered queue, you are rewarded with a fresh, fun, and interactive new ride. Across the esplanade in Disneyland is another small confusion. In spite of opening the new Innoventions Dream Home to the press on Monday and Tuesday of this week and the resulting coverage telling visitors about this new attraction, the actual Dream Home is not yet open to the public. The walls are down and you can see much of the "Home' from the second level of Innoventions, but the main attraction is still undergoing final touches. We doubt that very many guests will notice or care, but it is strange that Disney is heavily promoting the attraction in the park map even though it hasn't opened to the public. Andy Castro finishes up today's update with a fantastic roundup of changes, construction, and new merchandise in the parks, as well as letting you know how you could win a Disney vacation or new Honda Pilot. Don't miss today's great Dateline Disneyland HERE.

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What's new at Disneyland? The Innoventions house of the future at Disneyland prepares to host the media today. They will later be able to ride Toy Story Mania prior to Tomorrow's official opening (However, the ride has been previewing and soft opened for nearly a week). There is also news on Garden Walk, Indiana Jones and the temple of the broken ride, as well as construction updates and photos. David "Darkbeer" Michael has us covered. Read the entire update HERE [1] [1] http://micechat.com/forums/blog.php?b=433

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Andy Castro is back with a super duper Dateline Disneyland [1] today - taking us with him on a preview ride of the new Midway Mania attraction at Disney's California Adventure. He details the exterior of the attraction, queue, ride experience, and then lets us all know exactly what he thinks about the attraction. Spoilers ahead for those who don't want to know anything about the new ride. While the attraction is an innovation in bringing guests into the attraction, it also suffers from a lack of story line, the perhaps inappropriate use of the Toy Story characters, and a lack of set pieces in the attraction. The ride is essentially just a video game. It is inexplicable that at one minute you are on DCA's boardwalk and the next in Andy's bedroom playing games inspired by a carnival. However, we really need to put the theme issues aside, because the attraction scores a sold hit of fun and repeatability. There is no doubt that the games were well designed and loads of fun to play. Midway Mania is sure to be a smash success and will likely draw a mixed family crowd. The general consensus on MiceChat is overwhelmingly positive.  These are the types of attractions which set Disney apart from the competition - rides which are fun for everyone! See all of the photos and Andy's review of Toy Story Midway Mania HERE [2] If you are looking for more information on the attraction, we recommend the following links: LA Times: Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure takes dark ride to next level [3] MiceAge: A "D+" Ride [4] (Review of Walt Disney World's version) MiceChat: TOY STORY MIDWAY MANIA PICTURES (MAJOR SPOILERS - view at your own risk) [5] MiceChat: TSMM - Loved it, Loved it, Loved it!!!! [6] MiceChat: Toy Story Mania Preview 6/9 [7] MiceChat: Mini TSMM AP preview TR w/o pic [8] [1] http://micechat.com/forums/blog.php?b=428 [2] http://micechat.com/forums/blog.php?b=428 [3] http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/toy-story-mania-2045/ [4] http://miceage.micechat.com/kevinyee/ky051308a.htm [5] http://micechat.com../forums/showthread.php/toy_story_midway_mania_pictures-98005.html [6] http://micechat.com../forums/showthread.php/tsmm_loved_loved_loved-98222.html [7] http://micechat.com../forums/showthread.php/toy_story_mania_preview_6-98196.html [8] http://micechat.com../forums/showthread.php/mini_tsmm_ap_preview_tr-98255.html

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Lots to read about today. We have both Disneyland and Disney World news and rumors for you. Kevin Yee brings a sobering column on what could happen at Disney World if oil prices continue to rise and park attendance drops. Disney could enact a rotating park closure schedule. He also updates us on a beautiful new restaurant at the Contemporary Resort, Star Wars weekend, and Toy Story Mania easter eggs and operational updates. Read Kevin Yee's Disney World Update HERE [1] David "Darkbeer" Michael updates us on what is new at the Disneyland resort. The new monorails have been on site for months now. Red has been operating on the beam without guests for what seems like a very long time. It seems that the Monorails were designed without air conditioning and with windows which don't open far enough to allow for adequate air flow. David also fills us in on Six Flags Magic Mountain, Anaheim Garden Walk, and Universal Studios fire fighters promotion. Read David's Southern California theme park update HERE. [2] [3] ? Grab this Headline Animator [4] [1] http://miceage.micechat.com/kevinyee/ky061008a.htm [2] http://micechat.com/forums/blog.php?b=421 [3] http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/micechat/portal/~6/1 [4] http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/headlineanimator/install?id=2025372&w=1

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