Disneyland News Today

Conner Purzycki’s 2/7/10 DLR Photo Report

February 8, 2010 at 6:59 pm EST

I took a trip to Disneyland on a very busy Superbowl Sunday and took many newsworthy photos so lets get started…

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor’s front facade is behind walls Read the rest of this entry »

Topics: Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland |

Disneyland News Today Turns Two!!!

February 8, 2010 at 5:01 pm EST

Two years ago today…

Let me welcome everyone to DL News Today! DL News Today is the offspring of WDW News Today, dedicated to the place where the magic began, the Disneyland Resort. This daily updated news and information website will be dedicated to covering all the happenings at Disneyland Park, Disney’s California Adventure Park, the Downtown Disney shopping district, and the three resort hotels that make up the Anaheim, California vacation destination. Stay tuned for daily news, rumors, articles, and podcasts as we present “Ideals, Dreams, and Hard Facts”.

Hard to believe it was two years ago that Disneyland News Today launched, on the anniversary of Disney’s California Adventure. February 8th seemed like a fitting day to launch “DLNT”, since the opening came about at the beginning of the huge expansion period for Disney’s California Adventure theme park. The DLNT website has covered many historic openings, debuts, and events from the Disneyland Resort in its short existence. But the website has only been one part of the equation. The Disneyland News Today Podcast has been revolutionary in that it is still the only podcast dedicated to news and current events at the Disneyland Resort, a concept WDW News Today readers and listeners wanted to see fulfilled in a 2007 year-end survey.

I would be remiss to not acknowledge the rolling changes as of late to the Disneyland News Today brand of the WDWNT Network. The website and podcast you enjoy have probably been the greatest learning experience for the WDWNT Network, learning the hard way that what worked for a Walt Disney World fan, probably won’t work for a Disneyland Resort fan. The lessons were valuable, and have led to many changes in the staff and operations of our website and podcast. Just 5 weeks ago, we launched the NEW Disneyland News Today Podcast to rave reviews. The show might be young, but has already proven popular, entering the top ten in the iTunes top travel podcast list regularly over the last month. The Disneyland News Today website also introduced a new lead reporter last week, the first step in returning news updates to a regular flow.

While it has been a rough two years at Disneyland News Today, it has also been a fun and rewarding experience. We would like to thank all of you who stayed with us through the rough times and promise you that 2010 will be a HUGE year for Disneyland News Today and the NEW Disneyland News Today Podcast. In a way, it all begins again for DLNT today, and we’ll be revealing some major changes in the next few weeks that we think you’ll enjoy. So here’s to the future and our continuing effort to bring you “The Ideals, Dreams, and Hard Facts” of the Disneyland Resort.

Tom Corless
Owner of the WDWNT Network

Topics: Website News |

Rain, Rain… Please Go Away

February 5, 2010 at 4:45 pm EST

Disneyland and California Adventure will be closing early again today as the rains have affected normal operation of the park. The parks have been closed early twice in the last month. The forecast does continue into tomorrow so if you plan to go to the resort, be aware that several attractions may be closed and shows canceled.

Disneyland park will close at 8 PM and California Adventure at 6 PM.

Update: Tonight, the 6th, it has been reported that Disneyland Park will close at 9:00 PM and DCA at 6:00 PM.

Topics: Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland |

Disney Hotel Workers to Fast

February 4, 2010 at 5:44 pm EST

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The OC Register reporting on the ongoing dispute between Disney Hotel Workers and Management:

Some Disney hotel workers today said they are willing to risk their own health by joining a hunger strike for the sake of securing free healthcare benefits.

Today, the Disney hotel union, Unite Here Local 11, announced that 10 members plan to start a hunger strike on Tuesday to draw attention to a two-year contract dispute. The participants plan to consume only water for at least seven days.

Disney officials say the union is using the strike to distract from the negotiations stalemate.

“This is just another tactic from Local 11 leadership to distract from the fact that after two years their members are still without a contract,” said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, in a prepared statement Wednesday.

The main contention is over healthcare costs: Disney wants employees to contribute to the company health plan. The union wants to keep providing its own free health care for about 2,150 members, with Disney kicking in more funds.

In the past two years, employees say workloads also have increased, some leading to health problems, said Ada Briceno, the union’s secretary-treasurer. Disney officials say that the workload has remained about the same and injury reports have collectively decreased in the past two years at the three hotels: Grand Californian, Paradise Pier and Disneyland.

“We are offering Local 11 the same reliable and affordable heath care coverage in which members of the other 30 of 31 unions at Disneyland Resort and more than 66,000 Disney employees nationwide participate,” Brown said in a prepared statement.

Basema Sharaf, the widow of a hotel cook, said her husband died on the job of a heart attack, which she attributed to his failure to take breaks and to working extra hours.

“He worked under a lot of pressure and stress at Disneyland,” Sharaf said.

Kristi Richards, a Grand Californian Hotel cashier who worked with Musa Sharaf, tearfully said she is fasting to pay respect to her co-worker and support others.

In the past, Richards said she went to work while sick because she couldn’t afford to lose money, as employees have lost sick days because of the contract dispute. But she has since saved up vacation time to take a week off. See a previous story about the sick-pay issue HERE.

“I’ve done everything I can do,” Richards said. “I’m basically out of ideas.”

The participants plan to camp out in tents on the sidewalk in front of the Grand Californian Hotel starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday and are inviting others to join in.

It is illegal to block the sidewalk and officers have been talking to union organizers about logistics, said Sgt. Rick Martinez, an Anaheim Police Department spokesman. Briceno said participants plan to leave room for pedestrians to pass by, but they are willing to get arrested.

“We’re hoping it doesn’t come to that,” Briceno said.

On Friday, Disney urged union officials to meet with a federal mediator, which union leaders said they would do. But Disney had yet to receive a response from the union as of this morning.

Topics: General News, Resort Hotels |

Passholders to get Food and Wine Tickets Early

February 4, 2010 at 4:50 pm EST

From Disney Parks Blog:

The most voracious fans of Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival know that the fifth annual Festival will celebrate “The Art of Flavor” from April 16 through May 31 this year. But the date they’re really craving is the first day of ticket sales. We’ve got that news for you today.

Tickets for selected Signature events go on sale February 4 for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders only, at the Special Offer Page. General sales of all Festival Signature events will begin on February 16 at 10 a.m., at www.disneyland.com/foodandwine.

Annual Passholders will be able to register from February 4 through February 15 to get special reduced prices for these events: winemaker dinners, a new Brewmaster Dinner, and the Festival finale celebration “Taste Food-Wine-Life.” Annual Passholders must provide proof of membership online.

While you may be familiar with the winemaker dinners, here’s a little more information about “Taste Food-Wine-Life.” It’s a fun, high-energy evening that combines the best elements of the Food & Wine Festival into one grand finale celebration, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. The party has live musical entertainment, an outstanding selection of wines and a variety of food to taste. Not only do you get to see Disney chefs whipping up their specialty food dishes, you can talk to them about their creations as you sample their work.

If you’ve attended Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival in previous years, please share what you enjoyed most at the Festival.

Pricing and Times can be found at The Disneyland Annual Passholder Site

Topics: Disney's California Adventure, General News |

Jamie Nakagiri’s 1/30/10 DLR Photo Report

February 1, 2010 at 2:26 pm EST

Jamie Nakagiri, the first female team member in Disneyland News Today Podcast history, recently took a trip to the Disneyland Resort and has a plethora of photos to share in her first ever photo report: