DP Tool Club 8/CDASC08.ISO/VRAC/CALITRAV.ZIP/DISNEYLD.TRV

Microsoft Windows Help File Content | 1993-09-04 | 17KB | 288 lines

::Title:    Disneyland FAQ
::Author:    Walt Hoffman <[e-mail]>
::Filename:    north_america/usa/california/disneyland
This document, and other travel information, is available by anonymous ftp
from ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca in the directory rec-travel.  For general info
about the rec.travel archive, contact Brian Lucas <[e-mail]>.
For comments, questions, or additions to this document, please contact
the author/editor, whose address is given above.
This is a FAQ for the newsgroup rec.arts.disney, and is available from
rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/disney-faq/disneyland.
The copy here on ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca is refreshed weekly from rtfm.mit.edu.
============================================================================
Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!seismo!tanida
From: [e-mail] (Tom Tanida)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: Disneyland FAQ
Followup-To: rec.arts.disney
Date: 4 Aug 1993 19:11:53 GMT
Organization: FDC Headquarters, ToonTown
Lines: 297
Approved: [e-mail]
Message-ID: <23p1lp$[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
NNTP-Posting-Host: beno.css.gov
Summary: FAQ for Disneyland
Keywords: FAQ, Disneyland, Disney
Originator: [e-mail]
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.arts.disney:20272 rec.answers:1719 news.answers:11009
Archive-name: disney-faq/disneyland
Last-modified: 02 Jun 1993
                 Disneyland Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
                      (Last update June 2, 1993)
This posting is a list of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) about
visiting Disneyland.  All reasonable efforts have been made to make sure this
information is accurate, but I cannot be held responsible for errors or
schedule changes.  This FAQ list is maintained by Walt Hoffman based upon the
original list from [e-mail].  For more general Disney information see
the Disney FAQ, which includes park information, film, movies, television, and
other Disney facts, maintained by Tom Tanida.  The Disneyland FAQ is updated
periodically.  Send suggestions and comments on *this* Disneyland FAQ to
[e-mail].
CHANGES SINCE LAST POSTING:  Updated entertainment, operating hours, prices,
attraction refurbishment schedule and closures, and additional Mickey's
Toontown information.
HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?
--   See the other FAQ posted regularly by [e-mail].
--   Contact Disneyland Guest Relations at [phone] or [phone] or
visit Disneyland's City Hall.  The address for Disneyland is 1313 Harbor
Boulevard, P.O. Box 3232, Anaheim, CA 92803-3232.
HOURS OF OPERATION:   Here is the schedule information from an updated Disney
calendar.  Everything is subject to change.
     @:   8 am to 2 am     Fantasmic!
     A:   8 am to 1 am     Fantasmic!
     B:   8 am to midnight Fantasmic!
     C:   9 am to midnight Fantasmic!
     D:   9 am to 11 pm    Fantasmic!
     E:   9 am to 10 pm    Fantasmic!      + means Main St. Electrical
     F:   9 am to 9 pm     no Fantasmic!      Parade
     G:   9 am to 7 pm     no Fantasmic!
     H:   8 am to 7 pm     no Fantasmic!
     I:  10 am to 6 pm     no Fantasmic!
     J:   9 am to 6 pm     no Fantasmic!    # means MSEP and fireworks
        Sun  Mon  Tue  Wed  Thu  Fri  Sat
Jun '93            1G   2G   3G   4C#  5B#
         6B+  7C+  8C+  9E+ 10E+ 11C# 12B#
        13B+ 14C+ 15E+ 16E+ 17E+ 18A# 19A#
        20A# 21D# 22D# 23D# 24D# 25A# 26A#
        27A# 28D# 29D# 30D#
Jul '93                      1A#  2A#  3@#
         4@#  5A#  6A#  7A#  8A#  9A# 10A#
        11A# 12A# 13A# 14A# 15A# 16A# 17A#
        18A# 19A# 20A# 21A# 22A# 23A# 24A#
        25A# 26A# 27A# 28A# 29A# 30A# 31A#
Aug '93  1A#  2A#  3A#  4A#  5A#  6A#  7A#
         8A#  9A# 10A# 11A# 12A# 13A# 14A#
        15A# 16A# 17A# 18A# 19A# 20A# 21A#
        22A# 23A# 24A# 25A# 26A# 27A# 28A#
        29A# 30D# 31D#
Sep '93                 1D#  2D#  3D#  4C#
         5C#  6C+  7G   8G   9G  10G  11C
        12C  13I  14I  15I  16I  17I  18C
        19C  20I  21I  22I  23I  24I  25C
        26C  27I  28I  29I  30I
CURRENT CONSTRUCTION AND REFURBISHMENT:  (Call [phone] for latest info)
     o Monorail back in service after closure due to track relocation to make
room for a new "Indiana Jones"-themed ride in Adventureland (ride construction
rumored to begin in August 1993)
     o Mission to Mars, Motor Boats, Fantasyland Autopia are closed
permanently.
     o Sleeping Beauty's Castle (walk-through) now open after refurbishment.
     o Tahitian Terrace restaurant (Adventureland) is closed permanently with
and replaced by "Aladdin's Oasis", which will feature entertainment by
performers of magic, music, and dance.
     o Mickey's TOONTOWN is open.  Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin ride is a
future attraction scheduled to open in 1994 (rumor has it maybe even sooner.)
CURRENT PRICES:  (US $)  Current as of June 1, 1993
                    1-day 2-day 3-day seasonal annual guided-tour
Adults              30.00 55.00 75.00 105.00   195.00 42.00
Children (3-11)     24.00 44.00 60.00  85.00   155.00 32.50
Seniors (60+)       24.00
Adults (MKC)        28.00 51.00 69.00  95.00   180.00
Children (MKC)      22.00 40.00 54.00  75.00   140.00
Parking              6.00/car
                     7.00/vans,campers,RV's
Magic Kingdom Club (MKC) cardholders get slightly less than 10+ off.  Seasonal
passes are good Sunday through Friday, September through May, excluding
December 25-31, which are also the least crowded times to visit Disneyland.
Annual passes include parking.  Seasonal pass holders can also get parking for
an additional charge.
For ticket purchases, Disneyland accepts U.S. currency, VISA, American Express,
MasterCard, traveler's checks, and personal checks with proper identification.
A Bank of America ATM is located to the left of the Main Entrance.  Tickets can
also be purchased in advance at any Disney Store location or through the mail
by sending a check or money order in the exact amount to Disneyland Admissions,
1313 Harbor Blvd., P.O. Box 3232, Anaheim, CA  92803-3232.
CURRENT ENTERTAINMENT:
     Aladdin's Royal Caravan parades down Main Street twice daily.
     Beauty & The Beast stage is performed regularly at the Videopolis stage.
     Live entertainment includes Disneyland Big Swing Band, Transtar,
Discovery, and Voyager performing most days.  Tomorrowland Terrace has dancing
on late-nights.  The Magic Kingdom Korps (marching band) also performs around
the park.
     The Main Street Electrical Parade is tentatively scheduled to be
performed on April 2-18, 23-25, 30, May 1, 2, 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-31, and
nightly from June 4 through September 12, 1993.
     Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks display is tentatively scheduled to be
featured April 23, 24, 30, May 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28-30, June 4, 5, 11,
12, and nightly from June 18 to September 5, 1993.
     Fantasmic! Spectacular is scheduled on nights where the park is open
until 10pm or later.  (Not performed during high winds or inclement weather.)
     It's impractical to list all show times and days in this posting.  Call
or write Disneyland or pick up a schedule when you visit the park.
SHOW RESERVATIONS:
Reservations for the Golden Horseshoe Revue have moved to the counter in the
exit lobby for the Walt Disney Story Featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
Reservations are also taken for the Blue Bayou restaurant, and two of the
restaurants at the Disneyland Hotel.  This is probably an effort to reduce the
lines in the vicinity of Fantasmic!
WHERE SHOULD WE STAY?
Being a local, I've never stayed at any of the hotels in this area.  Here is a
summary of the responses received so far.  No guarantees.  For more information
regarding lodging in the Anaheim area, contact the Anaheim Area Visitor and
Convention Bureau at 800 W. Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA  92802, or phone
[phone].
     DISNEYLAND HOTEL:  Official hotel for Disneyland including many shops and
attractions and the only hotel with a monorail station for transportion into
the Magic Kingdom.  Hotel guests can have their park merchandise purchases
delivered to their rooms free of charge.  Call 714-956-MICKEY for room
reservations.
     PAN PACIFIC:  Next to Disneyland Hotel.  Rooms are reportedly larger,
nicer, quieter, and about half the price of the Disneyland Hotel counterparts.
Right next to Disneyland Hotel, you can walk over to see the shops and
attractions there (including the Monorail station).
     ANAHEIM HILTON AND TOWERS:  "Above average Hilton."  Small bathrooms (at
least in non-tower rooms).
     MARRIOTT:  "Typical Marriott."  Nobody said anything particularly good or
     BEST WESTERN STARDUST:  "Very spacious.  Clean comfortable and reasonably
priced.  Walking distance, but Disneyland shuttle is also available.  "No
frills."
     And from a Disney handout:  "The Walt Disney Travel Company:  Offers the
finest in family vacation travel.  A `Disney Vacation' is the ideals way to
visit the Magic Kingdom.  Contact The Walt Disney Travel Company, P.O. Box
3232, Anaheim, CA  92803 for information about travel arrangements and
packages.  Telephone [phone]; Telex 655474.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO SEE FANTASMIC!?
     To appreciate Fantasmic! it's recommended that you get there early and
endure the wait.  All show times are very popular, but later shows are slightly
less congested.  One technique is to be near the Haunted Mansion when one of
the earlier shows ends.  Move toward the water, then join the crowd as they
exit the area.  When you get front and center, sit down and relax.
     Guests near the river are required to sit on the pavement and strollers
are strongly discouraged here.  Guests farther back are required to stand and
may have strollers.  They do occasionally let people stand on the Art Gallery
balcony, but VIPs get priority.  A line for the balcony forms at the snack shop
by the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance.  I'm also told that standing on the
bridge is also good.
     A front view is better, but side views are not bad.  The more important
factor is whether or not you can see over, around, or through the people in
front of you.
     Be prepared to deal with angry people who lose their patience waiting.
I've seen a few lost tempers.  As crazy as it may seem, the cast members
directing you into and out of the area *are* generally pointing you in the best
direction, so cutting under ropes and around the ushers won't help much.
HOW DO I BEAT THE CROWDS?
Unlike WDW, Disneyland does not, in general, open the park early to deal with
incoming crowds.  However, Main Street does open approximately 30 minutes early
to allow for breakfast and shopping.  Some tour packages do offer a "Magic
Morning" deal which allows participants to enter a themed area one hour prior
to opening to the general public.
In general, attendance is highest on Saturday, then Friday, Sunday, and
weekdays.  Monday through Wednesday is probably the best day to visit to avoid
the large crowds.
     Fantasmic! has made nighttime on the west side of the park very
unpredictable.  Tremendous numbers of people show up. During the shows, lines
for attractions are quite short (especially when the Electrical Parade is also
running).  When the show is over, many people avoid the herding affect by
jumping into one of the nearest lines:  Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion,
Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
     Space Mountain is long most of the day and into the night, so first thing
early morning is usually your best bet.  Ditto Rocket Jets.  Star Tours will
shorten significantly in the late evening (when the line is completely inside,
you're in good shape).  Splash Mountain is good when it's raining or right
before the park closes (avoid it when it backs up beyond the Briar Patch shop).
An early-morning dash might also be a good idea (since it's at the back of the
park).  After dinner, the "kiddie" rides in Fantasyland shorten a bit, but not
much.  Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Mr. Toad will remain popular,
but there will be almost no line for Snow White's Scary Adventures or
Pinocchio's Daring Journey.  Skyway line is almost always shorter from
Fantasyland to Tomorrowland than the other way around.  Small World should
usually be a walk-on; if it's not, come back later.  Country Bear Jamboree
almost never takes long.
PARADES
     Crossing the parade route is possible but time consuming.  Plan which
side of the park you want to be on during the parade and get there early.  If
you must cross, consider using the Disneyland RR or the Skyway.  Parade
crossing zones north of the Matterhorn are usually less congested than the one
at the Hub.  Main Street is tough (though not impossible) to negotiate during
popular parades.
     Matterhorn lines seem the shortest during the parades.  Normally there
are two separate lines, one for each bobsled run.  But sometimes during the
parades they combine both lines into one line and route it away from the parade
area.  The line splits up later as you go through the turnstile.  It may look
like a long line but it moves twice as fast since it feeds both sides.  Usually
the bobsled run on the right has the shortest wait since most people turn to
the left as they enter the turnstile area.
WHAT ABOUT SMALL CHILDREN?
Kids age 2 and under are free.  Strollers may be rented, but many people
prefer to bring their own.  Some rides have height and age requirements.
     Big Thunder Mountain Railroad        40+ inches
     Space Mountain                       40+ inches
     Autopia (alone)                      52+ inches
     Autopia (w/ adult)                    1+ years
     Splash Mountain                       3+ years and 40+ inches
     Star Tours (alone)                    7+ years
     Star Tours (w/ adult)                 3+ years
     Matterhorn Bobsleds (alone)           7+ years
     Matterhorn Bobsleds (w/ adult)        3+ years
     Gadget's Go-Coaster                   3+ years
     Goofy Bounce House                    52 inches or under
     Chip 'N Dale's Treehouse/Acorn Crawl  49 inches or under
Children under 7 are supposed to be accompanied on other attractions as well
(Snow White's Scary Adventures, The Haunted Mansion, etc.)
HOW DO I GET A MAGIC KINGDOM CLUB (MKC) CARD AND WHAT DOES IT GET ME?
     Check with your employer or credit union first, especially if you live
near any Disney attractions.  If not, you can purchase a Gold MKC for $49. The
address is Magic Kingdom Club Gold Card, PO Box 3850, Anaheim, CA 92803-3850.
Charge by calling [phone].  Gold card members get a 2-year subscription
to Disney News and other paraphernalia. All MKC cards get you discounts at the
Disney Stores (except in the parks), on admission tickets, and on Disney, Delta
Airlines, and National Rent-a-Car packages.
IF I'VE BEEN TO THE MAGIC KINGDOM IN WDW, WHAT PARTS OF DISNEYLAND CAN I SKIP?
     There are subtle differences in almost every corner of the park.  If
you're a Disney aficionado, you'll want to check out everything.  If you're
pressed for time, you can skip the following:
     o Haunted Mansion
     o People Mover (more primitive)
     o Monorail (unless you want to go to the Disneyland Hotel)
     o Submarine Voyage (nearly identical to WDW's except for order of
       presentation and absence of little Jules Verne nuances)
     o Skyway (useful for getting around, especially during parades)
     o Captain EO
     o Circle Vision 360 (same as at WDW)
     o Autopias
     o Small World (biggest difference is the exterior facade)
     o Country Bear Jamboree (virtually identical but DL has 2 theaters)
     o Golden Horseshoe Revue (same show, different finale)
Tough calls:  (similar, yet different and worth experiencing)
     o Space Mountain
     o Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
     o Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (a trimmed down version of the Hall
       of Presidents)
     o Splash Mountain
Whatever you do, don't miss out on:
     o Fantasmic!
     o Star Tours (unless you've been on the one in Disney/MGM Studios)
     o Matterhorn Bobsleds (2 different tracks, too)
     o Jungle Cruise (my DL experiences have far surpassed the one at WDW)
     o Pirates of the Caribbean (parts are identical, but DL is better)
     o Disney Art Gallery (above Pirates)
     o Disneyland RR between Tomorrowland & Main Street for Grand Canyon
       and Primeval World dioramas (not quite as impressive as EPCOT's
       World of Energy dinosaurs)
     o Mickey's ToonTown (new land)
The parade route is different.  North of Main Street, Disneyland parades
proceed north along the east side of the Castle up to It's a Small World.  WDW
MK parades turn at the Hub, heading through Liberty Square and Frontierland.
END of FAQ