Disneyland News | Off to Neverland Travel - Disney Vacations

Important Information for Guests Visiting Disney California Adventure® Park on Friday June 15, 2012

Due to anticipated high crowd levels at Disney California Adventure® Park for its reopening on Friday, June 15th, 2012, we would like to remind you of the following:

An early arrival queue will be available to guests starting at 11p on Thursday June 14th. A select number of wristbands will be distributed to guests who are waiting in line to maintain the order of their arrival. Guests with wristbands will be able to leave the line to use the restroom, retrieve items from their vehicles/rooms, or purchase food/beverages until 6a. Please note that portions of this early arrival queue will be located beyond the guests screening checkpoints, so items typically prohibited from Disneyland® Resort will be permitted.
Parking will be made available in the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure (standard parking rates apply).
Select Downtown Disney® District locations will offer extended operating hours on June 14-15:

La Brea Bakery Express & Cart: Open all night
Café Renee: Open all night
Jamba Juice: Open until 12 a.m., reopening at 4 a.m.
Wetzel’s Pretzels: Open until 1 a.m., reopening at 5 a.m.
Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Express: Open until 2 a.m., reopening at 6 a.m.
Haagen-Dazs: Open until 1 a.m., reopening at 5 a.m.

All plans are subject to change.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2012-06-13T18:14:09-05:00June 13th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News|0 Comments

Enter to Win: Cars Land Checkered Flag Giveaway

Friday, June 15th, Disney California Adventure® Park will open Cars Land, re-creating Radiator Springs with many of the familiar landmarks from the Disney●Pixar’s hit animated film Cars.

To celebrate, we have a special giveaway for you. Register to win one of eight (8) sets of Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater 9″ plush toys. These authentic Disney plush will definitely get the ‘motor running’ of your little Cars fan!

Registering to win is simple. Just follow the directions on the app below. The app will also give you an opportunity to receive extra entries into the contest. The contest ends Monday (June 18, 2012, at Midnight Central time), so don’t miss your change to register!

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:45-05:00June 13th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Off to Neverland News|Tags: Cars Land, Cars Land Giveaway, Enter to Win, Giveaway, Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater Giveaway|12 Comments

Five Years of Expansion at the Disneyland® Resort

A wise man once said:

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” – Walt Disney

This five-year expansion at Disneyland® Resort has shown that Walt’s vision is still alive in the Resort that started the Disney magic our families love. This timeline shows the additions that Disneyland® Resort guests currently enjoy and a few more additions for the future.

2007
On Oct. 17, Disneyland® Resort announces expansion plans for this five-year project.

2008
Toy Story Mania! opened on Paradise Pier at Disney California Adventure® Park.

Also debuting in 2008:

Pixar Play Parade (Disney California Adventure® Park)
New shows at Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage! (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Innoventions Dream Home (Disneyland® Park)
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough (Disneyland® Park)
Mark VII Monorail

2009
The first Disney Vacation Club property opens on the West Coast when Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa completes an expansion with 203 new guest rooms, a new pool and 50 two-bedroom equivalent villas.

Also debuting in 2009:

Magical fireworks spectacular (Disneyland® Park)
Mickey’s Fun Wheel (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Blue Sky Cellar (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Pixie Hollow (Disneyland® Park)
Splash Mountain® Ghost Galaxy transformation during Halloween Time (Disneyland® Park)
RIDEMAKERZ® and D Street open (Downtown Disney® District)

2010
World of Color opens at Disney California Adventure® Park to rave reviews and enthusiastic crowds. The breathtaking, nighttime spectacular weaves water, color, fire and light into a kaleidoscope of fantasy and imagination.

Also Debuting in 2010:

Silly Symphony Swings (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Glow Fest / ElecTRONica (nighttime party for guests of all ages) (Disney California Adventure® Park)

2011
The Little Mermaid ~Ariel’s Undersea Adventure opens giving Disney California Adventure® Park a classic dark-ride attraction. At Disneyland® Park, guests now enjoy more than 50 different adventures at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.

Also Debuting in 2011:

Goofy’s Sky School (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Phineas and Ferb Rockin’ Rollin’ Dance Party (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Paradise Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta (Disney California Adventure® Park)
New character shows at Disney Junior – Live on Stage! (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Mickey’s Soundsational Parade brings the beats to the streets (Disneyland® Park)
Disneyland Hotel Renovation brings themed suites and new pool and water play areas to the Resort.
Innovative Footwear store Sanuk opens (Downtown Disney® District)

2012
Disney California Adventure® Park will hold a grand reopening on June 15th with the addition of two new lands, Cars Land and Buena Vista Street and Carthay Circle Theatre. The town of Radiator Springs from Disney●Pixar’s Cars comes to life in Cars Land while Buena Vista Street offers a nostalgic step back in time to 1920s Los Angeles, with the Red Car Trolley, Carthay Circle Theatre and a tribute to Walt Disney.

Disneyland guests enjoy changes and enhancements along Main Street, U.S.A., including the opening of Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, filled with carefree scenes from the beloved movie, “Mary Poppins.” Other shops along Main Street, U.S.A. are also refreshed and the classic Matterhorn mountain glistens with new paint as riders enjoy new bobsleds. Also in 2012, Downtown Disney adds the WonderGround Gallery and Earl of Sandwich (late summer 2012) to its array of shops and restaurants.

Also Debuting this year

3 attractions in Cars Land – Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi’s Flying Tires, and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Red Car Trolley transporting guests down Buena Vista Street
Mad T Party replaces elecTRONica (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Ghirardelli® Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop (Disney California Adventure® Park)
Meet and Greet with Merida from Disney●Pixar film Brave (Disneyland® Park)
WonderGround Gallery (Downtown Disney® District)
Opening of Earl of Sandwich later this summer (Downtown Disney® District)
La Brea Bakery® and LEGO Store remodel (Downtown Disney)
New segment in World of Color from Disney●Pixar film Brave and daytime fountain show (Disney California Adventure® Park)

With all these new additions to the Disneyland® Resort, now is the perfect time to visit!

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:45-05:00June 12th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News|Tags: Disney California Adventure, Disney California Adventure Cars Land, Disney California Adventure Expansion, Disneyland Refurbs, Disneyland Resort Expansion|0 Comments

La Brea Bakery Café and Express Café Reopens at Disneyland® Resort

The La Brea Bakery® Café and Express Café reopened last week after its recent renovation at the Disneyland® Resort. Part of the Downtown Disney® District, the bakery serves American and eclectic Californian cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The La Brea Bakery® Café will feature many additions to their new menu. Enjoy something new like the Red Pepper Artichoke, Italian Sausage and Sunny Side Up Flatbreads. Or maybe the new California Salad with sun dried tomatoes, apricots, candied walnuts and goat cheese paired with a glass of wine from their new, exciting wine list.

The La Brea Bakery® Express Café, is now offering a larger selection of freshly made panini, sandwiches, salads, breakfasts and a large variety of pastries and sweets all made fresh daily at La Brea Bakery®. The new deep-dish focaccia, meat or cheese lasagna, and turkey chili are all available. La Brea Bakery® also offers a variety of its artisan-style breads packaged to enjoy at home.

Reservations for The La Brea Bakery® Café may be made in advance by contacting your Magic Maker®.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:45-05:00June 11th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News|Tags: La Brea Bakery, La Brea Bakery Cafe, La Brea Bakery Express, La Brea Bakery Express Cafe|0 Comments

Disneyland® Resort: The Happiest Place on Earth Just Got Happier

On Oct. 17, 2007, Disneyland® Resort announced expansion plans for Disney California Adventure® Park that would bring more Disney magic and storytelling into the park. But, the plans didn’t exclude the rest of the Disneyland® Resort. This five-year journey has added magical innovation, new attractions, shows, parades and firework spectaculars at both theme parks. It also included stunning renovations at the three Disneyland® Resort Hotels and exciting experiences and locations in the Downtown Disney® District.

This week is a very special time for the Disneyland® Resort as it marks the completion of the majority of this five-year expansion with the opening of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street. To help celebrate this milestone, we will have agents at the Disneyland® Resort covering many of the additions as well as focusing most of our website updates to the California parks. Please be sure to follow along as we uncover how “The Happiest Place on Earth Just Got Happier.”

Our coverage will include:

Blog posts right here on our website, offtoneverland.com
Posts on our Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/offtoneverlandtravel
Tweets from our Twitter account – @neverlandtravel http://twitter.com/#!/neverlandtravel
Photos on Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/neverlandtravel/

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:45-05:00June 11th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News|Tags: California Adventure, Disney California Adventure, Disney California Adventure Buena Vista Street, Disney California Adventure Cars Land, Disney California Adventure Expansion, Disney's California Adventure, DLR Expansion|3 Comments

Walt Disney Company Continues Focus on Healthy Food Choices for Children

Since 2006, The Walt Disney Company has focused on improving and inspiring healthy eating with children. With their unique storytelling and beloved characters, they are the first major media company to make healthier lifestyles for families more appealing and more fun. While the larger portion of the emphasis has been place on their television/radio stations and their licensed food products, attention has also been given to the dining options at the Theme Parks as well.

The initiative, called Disney Magic of Healthy Living, brought a selection of new well-balanced kids’ meals to its Parks and Resorts. These meals automatically include nutritious sides and beverages such as carrots and low-fat milk unless a parent decides to opt out.

Disney Parks and Resorts proudly reported that of the more than 12 million kids’ meals served last year in the U.S., parents stuck with the healthier options 6 out of 10 times! The next steps will further reduce sodium in kids’ meals and introduce new well-balanced kids’ breakfast meals.

Disney will soon introduced the “Mickey Check” tool, an icon meant to call out nutritious food and menu items. By the end of 2012 the “Mickey Check” will appear on menus and select products at Disney’s Parks and Resorts.

“We’re proud of the impact we’ve had over the last six years,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “We’ve taken steps across our company to support better choices for families, and now we’re taking the next important step forward by setting new food advertising standards for kids. The emotional connection kids have to our characters and stories gives us a unique opportunity to continue to inspire and encourage them to lead healthier lives.”

Parents will soon notice a change in some on-air programming as well. All food and beverage products advertised, sponsored, or promoted on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney, and Disney-owned online destinations oriented to families with younger children will be required by 2015 to meet Disney’s nutrition guidelines. These nutrition guidelines are aligned with federal standards to promote fruit and vegetable consumption and call for limiting calories and reducing saturated fat, sodium, and sugar.

What is your child’s favorite healthy snack or side to get at the parks?

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:46-05:00June 6th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: healthy alternatives, Healthy kids food|0 Comments

Carthay Circle Restaurant Details and Menu Highlights

The Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disney California Adventure® Park will serve its first guest on Friday, June 15th, when the new Buena Vista Street area opens in the park. The restaurant, under direction of Executive Chef Andrew Sutton, will showcase the tastes of contemporary Southern California cuisine.

The interior of the Carthay Circle Restaurant recalls the grandeur of its namesake – the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles – the location where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered in 1937. The menu will feature a wide selection of local craft beer, wine, meat, and seafood.

Just a few of the selections you will find on the menu:

Grilled Jamaican Jerked Kingfish with a Tropical Salsa of Pineapple, Mango, Black Beans and Lime

Crispy Firecracker Duck Wings Finished with Soy, Lime and Sriracha Chili Sauce

Angus Flank Steak Cobb salad with Mine Shaft Blue Cheese, Bacon, Avocado and Arugula with Cabernet Essence

Fried Banana Split Monte Cristo Sundae

Carthay Circle Restaurant will be open for both lunch and dinner and will provide guests with reserved center stage viewing of World of Color*. Advance Reservations may be made by your Magic Maker® 60-days in advance.

*For guests dining between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., each guest purchasing and appetizer and an entrée or an entrée and dessert receives a ticket to center stage viewing area for the FIRST show. Guests dining between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. will receive access to the SECOND show (with same purchase).

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:48-05:00May 22nd, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News|Tags: Carthay Circle Restaurant, Disney California Adventure, Disney California Adventure Dining, Disney California Adventure Expansion|0 Comments

Merida Begins Meeting Guests at Magic Kingdom® Park and Disneyland® Park

Merida, Disney•Pixar’s Princess from the upcoming movie “Brave” has begun her all-new character greeting experience!

At the Magic Kingdom® Park in Florida, Merida and the mischievous three bear cubs from the film will appear in a setting inspired by her home in the Scottish Highlands. While waiting to meet Merida and her Scottish clan inside Fairytale Garden, guests are entertained by an interactive queue with archery and other activities.

At the Disneyland® Park, Merida’s meet & greet takes place in Adventureland® area near the iconic “it’s a small world”® Attraction.

Take a look at our photo gallery of the amazing Fairytale Garden at Magic Kingdom® Park.

Meet Merida intermittently throughout the day

Merida and her cubs at Fairytale Gardens

Merida's new meet-and-greet area in Fairytale Gardens

Fairytale Garden's Cast Members have interactive activities ready for children including archery and coloring

Guests can test their archery skills by shooting into this target

Canopy and lights in Fairytale Gardens

Portrait inside Merida's Fairytale Gardens area

Archery theme throughout the area

Merida's cubs are an interactive part of the meet-and-greet

Merida waits to greet her next guest

Merida autographing for her little guest

New Merida merchandise available

Merida will meet guests at Magic Kingdom® Park and Disneyland® Park intermittently throughout the day. Refer to your times guide for more information. Disney•Pixar’s “Brave” opens in theaters June 22nd.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2012-05-21T09:00:02-05:00May 21st, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Disneyland Meet & Greets, Magic Kingdom Meet & Greets, Merida, Merida Meet & Greet|0 Comments

Tune into AFV for a Sneak Peek at Cars Land

If you are just as excited for the Cars Land opening on June 15th as we are, be sure to tune into Part 2 of the season finale of America’s Funniest Home Videos tonight! The show was taped inside Cars Land at Disney California Adventure® Park and will give a glimpse of what guests will be able to experience when Cars Land opens in less than a month!

Check your local listings for air time of AFV on your ABC station.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:48-05:00May 20th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News|Tags: Cars Land, Disney California Adventure Cars Land|0 Comments

Fantasmic! Marks 20 Years at Disneyland® Park

Fantasmic!, Disneyland® Park’s nighttime spectacular presented on the Rivers of America in New Orleans Square and Frontierland®, marked 20 years of presentations this past weekend. Opening May 13, 1992, Fantasmic! combined Disney characters and live performers with amazing special effects and high-definition digital images from classic Disney movies projected on giant mist screens.

Fantasmic! is an exploration of Mickey’s active imagination as the forces of good and evil battle in his dreams. Whimsical scenes from the film Fantasia and other classic Disney films are displayed around Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island until the Evil Queen calls her her magic mirror. From there, Mickey’s dream takes a dark turn as he tries to triumph over some of Disney’s most dastardly villains!

Several updates have kept Fantasmic! fresh over its 20-year run. Recent enhancements include the climactic transformation of the evil Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty into a fully animated 40-foot-tall dragon. Also added was an appearance by Flotsam and Jetsam, the slithering eels who serve Ursula the Sea Witch in The Little Mermaid and a new look for Captain Hook’s crocodile nemesis.

Because of the continued popularity of Fantasmic! at Disneyland® Park, be sure to ask your Magic Maker® about the availability of advance reservations for premium viewing options. Slightly varied versions of Fantasmic! can also be seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ in Florida and Tokyo DisneySea®.

Enjoy these Fun Facts from Disneyland® Park’s Fantasmic!:

The new dragon is a fully animated 3-D design that replicates the movements of the dragon in Sleeping Beauty.

The Fantasmic! dragon is 32 feet wide and weighs approximately 18,000 pounds.

When “lurking” beneath the Fantasmic! stage prior to appearing, the dragon contracts to just 22 feet tall.

Tri-color LED lighting fixtures put the gleam in the dragon’s eyes.

In her spectacular appearance, Maleficent breathes a plume of fire 35 feet long, lighting the Rivers of America on fire for 25 seconds during the show. She is controlled and monitored by four computer systems.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:22:48-05:00May 16th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News|Tags: Disneyland Park, Fantasmic!|0 Comments