Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

COASTER FREAK 11 · July 13, 2021

Same, I ride for them jokes!

coasterbill · July 13, 2021

I'm not married to anything on the Jungle Cruise. Whatever the catalyst is, if it ends up with them updating the animatronics and modernizing it then I'm 100% on board.

Plus, yeah... the last time we rode it there were some "How is this scene still a thing?" moments. It's not like everyone didn't see this coming.

ytterbiumanalyst · July 13, 2021

Every time you remove the racism from a Disney ride, an angel gets its wings.

And the ride looks great too! Will definitely ride this next time I'm there

coasterlvr · July 14, 2021

I rode the updated Jungle Cruise a couple times the other day. I think the changes are awesome. It's just nice to see some updated scenes and great animatronics. Jokes are great as always.

SharkTums · July 17, 2021

Happy 66th birthday Disneyland!

Masquerade · July 17, 2021

That cobra looks like it's holding a Dragon ball.

Satans Hockey · July 23, 2021

Fyi for anyone interested, there's a new documentary series on Disney+ called Behind the Attraction. There's 5 episodes and each episode covers the history of 1 ride. Jungle Cruise / Haunted Mansion / Star Tours / Tower of Terror / Space Mountain

I only watched the Jungle Cruise so far but it was an entertaining watch and I definitely recommend it for any fans of the rides or parks. There's newer interviews with people and some footage that wasn't in the previous the imaginerring story series on there as well.

robbalvey · July 27, 2021

We had an absolutely AMAZING first day at Disneyland Resort spending most of our day in Avengers Campus! I put together a report on Instagram Stories. Let me know if you can or cannot get this link to work for you:

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17877795437397215/

Satans Hockey · July 27, 2021

7 hours ago, robbalvey said:

Let me know if you can or cannot get this link to work for you:

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17877795437397215/

Could be just my phone but if I copy and paste the link into my browser it worked but directly clicking the link opens my Instagram app to a page called highlights

Report was great as usual, we really can't wait to get back to Disneyland. Avengers Campus was under construction when we were there last and we were waiting for it to open to make another trip. We are split on the tower rides between Orlando and California, I was such a big Twilight Zone fan growing up so I always enjoy it a lot but she loves the Guardians overlay more. Personally I hope they keep both just for an excuse to attend both parks again lol

I saw Kristen had the add on webslinger for the Spider-Man ride, did it add to the ride enough to make a noticeable difference?

Masquerade · July 29, 2021

Visited the resort for the first time Sunday (was originally supposed to go to Magic Mountain, can easily say this change of plan is an upgrade LOL).

However, we were f*cking nuts because we had park hopper passes but only had like 7.5 hours total to make a feeble attempt at the 2 parks as the individual who we were staying with had to be back to feed and walk the dog by 6pm. Good news for us (bad news for the dog) we didn't leave the resort UNTIL 6:00 because we weren't trying to leave without crossing over into DCA for a bit to check out the Marvel Campus.

Final ride count: Indiana Jones/Smugglers Run/Pirates/Space Mountain/GotG Mission Breakout

Random observations:

- The Rock was roaming DL (never caught him personally). So were a bunch of TikTok-ers I had no idea existed as well as a professional camera sex person one of my reprobate friends was trying to follow around.

- DL is surprisingly small. Whereas the Magic Kingdom in WDW feels like you have to walk miles to get place to place, in DL you have all these attractions within two steps of each other (and in some cases are in other parks entirely). How they do it and retain an impossible level of meticulous escapism I will never know. On top of this, something about the involvement within certain lands; the Davy Crockett canoes & Columbia ship, New Orleans Square, Matterhorn, the way the streetcar rides up a Main Street... Minus the tiny ass castle, it all feels a bit more magical than WDW.

- Galaxy's Edge. Wow. Sensory overload. Oga's Cantina especially.

- I've seen people on the internet take a dump on Smugglers Run. Personally I got to pull the lever to launch the Falcon into hyperspace, so that's reason enough to ride it.

- Something that shocked me was how reasonable the prices were for food and drink in comparison to other parks. Bottle of water? $3.25. Cold Brew Black Caf (which is delicious btw)? Same price as a drink at Starbucks. Takodana Quencher (also, dangerously delicious)? Same price as a cocktail made in any large metropolitan area. Terran Pineapple Churro? Doesn't exist in the normal world and for how this thing tastes it's well worth the $5.75. Considering how much the price of entry is I'm guessing the philosophy is to price things (relatively) average to balance out it for guests.

- The Virtual Queue system is savage. I woke up at 6:55 in order to get a spot for Rise of the Resistance. Immediately at 7am I tap the queue page on the Disneyland app... All spots for the morning gone instantaneously. Tried again to reserve at the 12pm window, but what I did not anticipate was the nonexistance of data inside Indy's station. Obviously left unable to experience Rise this time unfortunately.

- Fastpass is down. On one hand, none of the rides we went on had lines longer than 40 minutes (would've done Splash if the wait wasn't 75 mins) and I'm guessing the dearth of Fastpass and single rider options was the cause. That said, we could've squeezed Haunted Mansion (20 min. wait) in there had Pirates not broken down for a little while we were close to boarding.

- Strike 7,452 in realizing the ambitious less than 8 hours to pull the park hopper thing was a horrifyingly bad idea as I didn’t even get to see the submarine lagoon, Fantasyland, and most of Frontierland. Basically right after Space Mountain we were left with an hour and booked it to DCA (where we essentially only experienced the Marvel Campus).

- Speaking of the Marvel Campus, it was a flea in comparison to everything in Galaxy's Edge, but it was still pretty cool for what it was.

All in all I have to get back to experience things properly. Chances are I'll be returning to LA this year, so if that happens I'm definitely making my way back here.

robbalvey · July 30, 2021

We've been posting all week on our Instagram and Facebook "stories" from our current So Cal trip but since I know not all of you have accounts on those platforms, I'll re-post that update here as well. This was our first day at Disneyland Resort and "Avengers Campus." Needless to say... we loved it!

Read on...

mikeykaise · July 30, 2021

Going to have to change Kidtums name to youngladytums... I'm glad you all had a fun time together.

FeelTheFORCE · July 30, 2021

I've been living for those Insta stories the past few days. Love it! Thanks for sharing!

cfc · August 2, 2021

I just watched the Behind the Attraction episode about the Tower of Terror rides, and I'm even more intrigued with Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. Pretty impressive what they could pull off in 11 months.

dreynolds1982 · August 3, 2021

Looks like yall had a blast. My fiancée and I head that way in a couple of weeks as part of our two-week California coast honeymoon!!! She's never been and I haven't been to DL in 10 or so years so can't wait!

A.J. · August 3, 2021

The replacement for annual passes at the Disneyland resort has been announced as the Magic Key program!

Disneyland Resort Introduces Magic Key Program, a New Guest-Centric Offering with Choice, Flexibility and Value

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/08/disneyland-resort-introduces-magic-key-program-a-new-guest-centric-offering-with-choice-flexibility-and-value/

There is so much excitement happening right now at the Disneyland Resort – from exploring the all-new Super Hero-themed land of Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure park, to living out your own Star Wars story in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland park. Plus, fireworks are back with Mickey’s Mix Magic, all three of our Disneyland Resort hotels have reopened, and there’s lots of great dining, shopping and entertainment throughout the Downtown Disney District, too.

We know our fans and Legacy Passholders have been eagerly waiting to hear how to visit our theme parks in new and frequent ways; and visiting in a manner that is designed for today’s guests that also fits their individual needs. Today, we are excited to share the next evolution of the Disneyland Resort Annual Pass program, which was informed and shaped by extensive consumer research and feedback from guests and fans.

We are pleased to introduce the Magic Key program, a new, guest-centric offering that will deliver choice, flexibility and value for park admission, special access to unique experiences, valuable saving opportunities and so much more. There will be four options of Magic Key passes, to provide our guests and their families with choices that fit various needs and lifestyle preferences for how they wish to visit the Disneyland Resort.

--

See more at the above link - the pricing has been announced as follows, each for 12 months:

$1399 or $102 per month for "Dream Key" with free parking and no blockout dates

$949 or $65 per month for "Believe Key" with 50 percent off parking and some blockout dates

$649 or $40 per month for "Enchant Key" with many blockout dates

$399 or $19 per month for "Imagine Key" with many blockout dates for Southern California residents only

And then all of the monthly payment options require a $179 down payment.

Discuss!

bert425 · August 3, 2021

^ that's actually. . . pretty great!

a nice compromise, and I really like the "tiered" approach - similar to the Memberships that Six Flags does.

KBrylczyk · August 4, 2021

Sure would be nice to provide a blackout date calendar, Disney, but noooooooooo. It sounds like a great program, though! I'm extremely curious just how many dates are available for the bottom two tiers, though.

Also, this made me laugh (emphasis mine) -

Quote

For a limited time, we will celebrate the charter members that become Magic Key holders within the first 66 days (as we celebrate 66 years of Disneyland Resort). These guests will receive a special welcome package that will include unique items such as a premium branded pin, celebratory button, magnet, and more! Plus, Magic Key holders who enter Disneyland park will also be celebrated with access to a limited-time experience at Starcade in Tomorrowland (which begins on Sept. 1), where they can enjoy charging stations, a special photo opportunity, and other fun surprises.

coasterlvr · August 4, 2021

1 hour ago, KBrylczyk said:

Sure would be nice to provide a blackout date calendar, Disney, but noooooooooo. It sounds like a great program, though! I'm extremely curious just how many dates are available for the bottom two tiers, though.

bert425 · August 4, 2021

^ so lots of weekends blacked out, but that makes tons of sense. . if the locals are the main target for these (in particular the Imagine key), then they would/could go during the week in the evenings anyways.

if I lived closer to CA, I'd be very very tempted to go for the top tier. But as is, we haven't been to CA in over a decade. . so it's time for a standard visit anyways.
(and if medical issues keep happening, we might be doing a LOT of traveling in the next year).

SoCalJasonland · August 18, 2021

We also have a replacement for Fastpass. I would love to summarize it for you but I don't understand it myself

Disneyland FastPass replacement: Lightning Lane, Genie+ are the new way to skip lines for some rides

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/disneyland-fastpass-replacement-lightning-lane-genie-are-the-new-way-to-skip-lines-at-parks/

by: Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Aug 18, 2021 / 01:41 PM PDT / Updated: Aug 18, 2021 / 03:21 PM PDT

Disney revealed on Wednesday the replacement for its iconic FastPass program at its U.S. theme parks and disclosed details about Disney Genie, a free personalized itinerary tool that will help guests spend less time waiting in line.

Disney said the iconic FastPass and MaxPass programs at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World will be retired and replaced with “Lightning Lane” later this year.

Guests will be able to purchase the newly announced Disney Genie+ for a flat fee to gain access to shortened wait times using a new Lightning Lane on most attractions, including Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

The new service will cost $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort. Guests will be able to choose one attraction at a time and select the next available arrival window for the Lightning Lane entrance. An example arrival window would be 10:00-11:00 a.m. at a specific attraction.

Genie+ also includes exclusive “AR filters” at Walt Disney World and Photopass downloads at Disneyland Resort.

While Genie+ will give guests access to the expedited Lightning Lane and a reduced wait for most attractions, it won’t include every attraction. Other “highly demanded” attractions, including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Walt Disney World and Radiator Springs Racers at Disneyland, will be available exclusively as “individual attraction selections.” Those attractions will be separate Lightning Lane purchases per person per ride, Disney said Wednesday.

A full list of Genie+ attractions and Lightning Lane attractions will be released later this year. Individual attraction selection pricing will be released later this year, Disney said.

Genie+ is similar to MaxPass, a service previously offered at Disneyland Resort where guests could book FastPass times on mobile devices. Using the previous system at Disneyland, guests could obtain paper FastPass at each attraction. MaxPass, which launched in 2017, introduced the ability for guests to reserve FastPass times without going to the ride and obtaining a paper ticket, offering instead the convenience of scheduling attractions in the Disneyland app.

According to Disney, all attractions will continue to offer a traditional standby queue or, in some instances, a virtual queue.

Lightning Lane purchases in the Disney app will be made per person per attraction and are not included in the Genie+ flat-fee purchase. Selecting attractions will happen on the day of your visit instead of weeks in advance as with the previous FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World.

Both Lightning Lane and Genie+ will launch in the fall.

Disney Genie, also revealed on Wednesday, is a free tool available to guests at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort that will help guests build a plan by optimizing their day based on projected wait times and available attractions.

“Disney Genie listens to the preferences that guests share with us to help design their best day and deliver an experience that’s made just for them,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Product, said in a statement “Pairing incredible technology with more than 60 years of expertise about how our guests visit the parks, Disney Genie will personalize their Disney day, allowing guests to spend less time planning and waiting and more time doing the things they love.”

Guests can select their favorite attractions or characters, and Genie will “map out an entire day” while updating “your plan, so you can go with the flow as the day changes,” Disney said in a news release. The tool will launch in the fall.

“It’s going to allow Disney to move people to other attractions in the park,” said Dennis Speigel, president of Ohio-based International Theme Park Services. “It will alert people if there is a low wait at Splash Mountain… and Genie helps Disney understand the flow of guests.”

Speaking about the business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Speigel said Disney and other theme park operators used the time to evaluate business practices for the future.

“It gave Disney, Sea World, Universal…. it gave them the opportunity to eliminate programs and add programs,” Speigel said. “It accelerated the touchless and contactless part of the business, which increased per-capita spending in all of the theme parks.”

At Walt Disney World and Disneyland, all previous versions of FastPass have included a free option. With the exception of private VIP tours, this marks the first time Disney has offered a paid alternative to the traditional standby queues at its domestic parks.

First introduced in 1999 at Walt Disney World, FastPass began as paper tickets that had a return window for attractions. Disney World added FastPass+ and the ability to select attractions and return windows through My Disney Experience in 2013. Paper FASTPASS at Walt Disney World ended in 2014. In 2017, MaxPass was launched at Disneyland.

When the parks closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both FastPass+ and MaxPass were suspended.

Earlier this month, a paid FastPass program was officially launched at Disneyland Paris on Aug. 5 under the Disney Premier Access brand. For $9-$17 per attraction, guests skip the traditional standby line by using this service.

SoCalJasonland · August 19, 2021