DLW 215: End of 2021 with Stephanie

This week, a new ticket offer for locals, a whole month celebrating Magic Key Holders, Magic Keys aren’t magical for everyone, PhotoPass improvement, single rider has relocated at the Matterhorn, we complete our discussion with Stephanie, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order!

News:

Southern California residents have a new ticket discount that they can take advantage of with trips beginning January 3rd, 2022. For as little as $67 per day, guests can purchase a three-day, one-park per day weekday ticket, subject to reservations. The tickets are good through visits through May 26th, 2022 on weekdays only. During this time, the Lunar New Year, DCA Food and Wine Festival, Mickey’s Mix Magic, and the return of the nighttime spectaculars will be back at the parks! Guests can also save up to 25% on Disneyland Resort hotels during some of this period. To take advantage of these deals, you can contact our friends over at ConciEARS to get your trip booked. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/12/disneyland-resort-offers-southern-california-residents-special-3-day-weekday-ticket-prices-for-a-limited-time-with-visits-beginning-jan-3-2022/ Magic Key Holders, mark your calendars! February, 2022 will be Magic Keyholder Celebration Month. Disneyland announced the month long celebration of Key Holders happening in the parks, Downtown Disney, and at home! No specific details have been released on what will be offered in February, but we will keep you posted as news is released. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/12/16/disneyland-magic-key-holders-prepare-to-be-celebrated-for-a-whole-month-next-year/ An unhappy Magic Key Holder has filed a lawsuit against Disney for “deceiving it’s most loyal fan base by artificially limiting theme park capacity and blocking passholders with ‘no blockout’ annual passes from making reservations.” The lawsuit is a $5 million dollar suit filed on behalf of all Disneyland Magic Key holders claiming that Disney “relegated them to ‘second class’ ticket holders by artificially limiting Magic Key reservations and the number of passholders that can visit on any given day.” Disneyland has said that they will “vigorously defend our position as the case proceeds.” – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/12/16/disneyland-passholder-lawsuit-alleges-magic-key-deceptively-advertises-no-blockout-dates/ and https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/12/20/disney-responds-to-5-million-magic-key-and-park-reservation-lawsuit/ and https://disneyland.disney.go.com/magic-key-terms-conditions/ When we were in the parks a couple of weeks ago, there were quite a few PhotoPass photographers who were trying to take amazing photos, and control the crowds at the same time. This week, it appears that they have received some help at Sleeping Beauty Castle with rops to direct guests around the optimal PhotoPass photo area. – https://www.micechat.com/310365-disneyland-update-magic-key-lawsuit-zany-maynard-fun-and-ho-ho-ho/ For guests that have been pre-screened for the Disability Access Service or DAS (pronounced DAAHS) now have a new option available in the Disneyland App. Return times can be reserved through the app after the service has been linked to a ticket, making it unncessary to visit with a guest relations cast member to make a reservation. – https://www.micechat.com/310365-disneyland-update-magic-key-lawsuit-zany-maynard-fun-and-ho-ho-ho/ Single bobsled riders should take note of this next news item. The single rider line has moved at the Matterhorn from the area where the Lightning Lane return area was, to the right side exit of the attraction, towards the teacups. This should help alleviate at least some of the congestion that can happen where the three lines come together at the entrance. – https://www.micechat.com/310365-disneyland-update-magic-key-lawsuit-zany-maynard-fun-and-ho-ho-ho/ With the opening of the Plaza Point Holiday Shoppe on Main Street, the holiday shop in Fantasyland has been re-themed. The location, now called Merlin’s Marvelous Miscellany, received a new sign sporting the new name last week. No information on what will be offered in the shop just yet. – https://www.micechat.com/310365-disneyland-update-magic-key-lawsuit-zany-maynard-fun-and-ho-ho-ho/ The Disney Parks Blog has some festive holiday digital wallpapers available for download. Each design comes in mobile, desktop, and Apple Watch versions for all screen sizes. Designs include Mickey Mouse getting ready to hit the slopes, Mike and Sully playing outside in the snow, Rocket and Groot strung up in lights, and many more. Head on over to the link in our show notes to download the version that best says Happy Holidays for you. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/12/celebrate-the-holiday-season-with-new-disney-digital-wallpapers/ A new, ecological way to get around the Anaheim Resort District is coming soon. Sage Energy Consulting is working with the Anaheim Transportation Network to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce electricity costs, and charge the new vehicles. Some of the charging stations are solar powered, and work with batteries to store power when the sun is out, and charge the busses when it is a cloudy day, or at night. The goal is to have a 100% electric fleet by 2025. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/12/17/how-your-ride-to-disneyland-will-be-different-in-the-future/ Fans of soccer, or football as it is known everywhere else in the world, now have a place to shop in Downtown Disney. Pele, named after the legendary Brazilian soccer player, opened this last week. The store is themed like a stadium, and offers a variety of soccer gear from global sports brands. Official club and national team jerseys from around the world are also for sale which can be customized with a name and number. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/12/more-exciting-new-shops-and-experiences-arrive-in-downtown-disney-district-at-disneyland-resort/ Disney+ subscribers have more Disney Insider episodes to catch on the streaming service. For the Disney Parks fans, topics covering the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, the Disney Park that inspired Mickey Mouse Funhouse, and more. These episodes provide a lot of neat behind the scenes looks into what it takes to create some of the favorite Disney Parks experiences. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/12/a-disney-insider-look-at-a-secret-society-disney-vacation-experiences-mickey-mouse-funhouse-harmonious-nighttime-spectacular-and-more/

Discussion Topic:

Stephanie at Walt Disney World’s 50th