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View Full Version : FYI - Disneyland to close at 6 PM on Mon, Tues and Thur first week of December



Darkbeer
09-05-2002, 04:34 PM
For private parties (at least two of these dates will be CM parties), the park is closing early.... wanted to let those folks planning a heads up!!!!

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneylandresort/ResortInfo/HoursAndShows/index?StartMonth=12&StartDay=01&StartYear=2002&Stay=10&DCA=DCA&DLP=DLP&DTD=DTD&DRH=DRH&submit.x=42&submit.y=10

Not Afraid
09-05-2002, 04:39 PM
I like how they are again closing early (6pm) on Walt's BD.:rolleyes:

Sheila
09-05-2002, 04:42 PM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
I like how they are again closing early (6pm) on Walt's BD.:rolleyes:

Yeah, and during his 100 Years of Magic celebration to boot, too. :( (Although, technically, this would be his 101st birthday.)

Sheila

mousey_girl
09-05-2002, 05:32 PM
Thank you for the heads up!!

TP2000
09-05-2002, 07:06 PM
I assume these early closures for "CM Parties" are for the Disneyland Employee Christmas Parties for CM's and their families to share some Holiday time in the Park with each other. I've read articles on Mouseplanet (Kevin Yee's CM columns I think)and other sites that describe Michael Eisner and Paul Pressler and Cynthia Harriss and other executives scooping ice cream and selling churro's and other type jobs during these parties, while the CM's and their families play in the Park at Christmastime.

I think Walt would probably approve of that type of thing. And something tells me that the company sponsored Disneyland Employee Christmas Party concept was started by Walt in the 50's or 60's.

What day is Walt's birthday this year? When he was alive, Disneyland was closed completely on Monday's and Tuesday's during the off-season.

Something tells me that Walt will probably be smiling down on those employee Christmas Party nights, even though his Park closed to day visitors at 6:00pm.

I think it's nice Disneyland still does that sort of thing for it's employees.

cemeinke
09-05-2002, 07:18 PM
Originally posted by TP2000
I assume these early closures for "CM Parties" are for the Disneyland Employee Christmas Parties for CM's and their families to share some Holiday time in the Park with each other.

That may well be for one of the nights, but I remember last year at Walt's 100th leaving the park and seeing some Corporate Logo projected onto Main Street (was it Vons?).

Truely I don't mind the park being rented out from time to time, but on Walt's 100th? It was just another slap in the face. "You wanna celebrate Walt - then get the heck outta here and go to Florida." Feh

Sorry, just dredged up repressed memories.

MammaSilva
09-05-2002, 07:26 PM
it was Vons! Nothing against them having an employee evening in the park, but it did sort of chap my bisquits on that day!

TP2000
09-05-2002, 08:46 PM
Hmm... so Vons rented out Disneyland for a night-time private party on Walt's birthday? And that's a problem?

What if it hadn't been Vons? What if it had been Bank of America, which sponsored It's A Small World when Walt dedicated it in 1966? (That's the president of Bank of America standing next to Walt and the children of the world in the pictures, pouring water in to the flume to dedicate the attraction on opening day.)

What if Frito-Lay had rented the Park for the evening? The same Frito-Lay that sponsored Casa De Fritos restaurant in Frontierland in the 1950's?

Or what if it was Aunt Jemima pancake syrup, since they sponsored the pancake house on the banks of the Rivers of America in Walt's era? (They even had a black woman dressed up like Aunt Jemima greeting guests at the door and passing out menu's!)

Or what if it was General Electric? Or Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola or Monsanto Chemicals or Bell Telephone or American Motors or General Dynamics or McDonnel-Douglas or Crane Plumbing or Richfield Oil or Goodyear Tire and Rubber or Stouffers or United Airlines or Wonder Bread or Sunkist or any number of the many other private companies that Walt courted himself to sponsor attractions and locations inside his Park in the 1950's and 60's?

Should we drape black duvatine over all of the corporate logo's inside Disneyland on Walt's birthday, and hide them from view and pretend they don't have a place inside Disneyland?

Somehow I don't think Walt would approve of such a thing, since he was a staunch Republican and firm believer in the great American Free Enterprise system. I would think that on his birthday, after his untimely passing, that he would want his little Park to carry on exactly as it had when he was alive. Regardless of if it was his birthday or not.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

MammaSilva
09-05-2002, 08:50 PM
It wouldn't have matter which company it was short of it being a Disney Company employee celebration ......that I could have actually understood and supported... but there were a LOT of people at the park last December 5th to celebrate the 100th birthday of the man who started it all and between the um Limited activities, the lack of merchandise being available 'on time' and other issues, it just felt like a big slap when they closed at 6 on what was a landmark date for the Disney family/company...and that's MY take on the situation...

TP2000
09-05-2002, 08:57 PM
Maybe they should have put black armbands on all of the Cast Members and had the Disneyland Band play sad dirges down Main Street? Perhaps hold a post-humous wake in the Town Square?

I say Walt would have wanted them to go "On with the Show!" and allow Disneyland to be Disneyland.

They rent out Disneyland for private parties all the time. Why would Walt's birthday be any different? I doubt any of the checkers or bag boys from Vons that evening even knew it was Walt's birthday, 35 years after his death.

I think Disneyland did the right thing by operating like any other day. I'm quite a fan of Walt, and I didn't even know his birthday was the 5th. I knew it was in December, but I've at least learned something from this thread by reading that the exact day is the 5th.

The Walt's 100th thing was a purely marketing based celebration anyway, focused on WDW since they haven't had a new ride in a few years. Let's not pretend Florida was "celebrating" Walt out of some great respect. They just needed a marketing ploy since their next E Ticket doesn't open until '03.

But I can't imagine Walt wanting his Park to change their operating policies in any way to celebrate his birthday several decades after he had died. Again, I think Walt would have said "On with the Show!".

When Walt was alive, did Disneyland hold special birthday parties for him in front of the Castle or something? Or did Walt just have a nice dinner and cake with his family and close friends in his Holmby Hills home? I have never heard of Disneyland holding a Walt birthday party ever, before or after he passed away.

TP2000
09-05-2002, 09:09 PM
And here's a thought. When Walt was alive, Disneyland was only open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays in early December. The Park would have been closed entirely if it had been a Monday or a Tuesday.

Disneyland went to a 7 day a week operation in February, 1985; 19 years after Walt's passing.

And Disneyland went to an 8:00pm off-season weekday closing time in the Fall of 1997; 31 years after Walt's passing.

So if it had been Walt's era, Disneyland would have closed at 6:00pm anyway. And if his birthday had fallen on a Monday or Tuesday in early December, the Park would have been closed completely.

So maybe we should just think of the "early" 6:00pm closing of Disneyland last December 5th as a tribute to the Disneyland daily operation of the 1950's and 60's. We are quite lucky that we now consider an 8:00pm closing time on a winter weekday to be "standard" and expected.

cemeinke
09-05-2002, 09:10 PM
Apparently they've been having a year long birthday celebration for Walt in Florida including new Parades, Walts office, and a hideous MIckey Hat.

We got a window display.

Yup, I would have been bitter if just about anyone rented out the Park on Walt's 100th.

I think they could have generated enough enthusiam to generate the extra $50K they got from the event. Then again no one cares about the man anymore. He's dead, can't generate anymore income. who cares, go to Florida.

Feh

Sheila
09-05-2002, 09:20 PM
TP, I understand your POV about how Walt didn't like that kind of fuss being made about him while he was alive, but....

The 100th birthday of a man who's given us so much is something that many Disneyland fans wanted to celebrate. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Notwithstanding the fact that the whole 100 Years of Magic thing was strictly a tourist advertisement (of which you are pretty much accurate), there are many here who resented the fact that WDW received four new parades, info kiosks on the history of Disneyland (note the irony here), the fantastic Disneyana exhibit at D-MGM plus the final insult of taking Walt's office from DL and sending it to WDW!

Millions of dollars were spent at WDW, and for Disneyland? A window display. Big whoop.

Wouldn't it have been nice if some of that Disneyana and such got shipped back to California before the end of the 18-month celebration so that Walt's park could've participated a bit in the party? It's my opinion that most folks here are a bit put out because we only got the One Man's Dream film at DCA *after* the Disney company got some bad press about ignoring DL.

In any event, I would just like to pay my respects to a visionary and entrepeneur who's given me a lot of enjoyment and entertainment in my life.

YMMV,
Sheila

Not Afraid
09-05-2002, 09:20 PM
By closing for a private party on Walt's 100th DL Management just showed the public the lack of respect and reverence for the man who started it all. Walt is not around any longer, at least we can take a day out of the year to show our love and respect for a man who changed the face of the world. His birthday seems like an obvious time to do that.

Laffite
09-05-2002, 09:29 PM
Originally posted by cemeinke
Apparently they've been having a year long birthday celebration for Walt in Florida including new Parades, Walts office, and a hideous MIckey Hat.

We got a window display.



Don't be bitter. That lil' "window display" means A LOT to me, and I'm sure the same for some others. That's Walt's very original office. I love how CM tell stories of how Walt would be in the office watching people audition by the piano, with the pictures of his family and characters. I'm going to stop before I cry. Such a sweet man :crying: :)

Along with that. We have Walt's original vision (more or less now, with Eisner and all :rolleyes: ). The original HM, Columbia, Walt's favorite project POTC, THE ORIGINAL park. Sooo many!

Don't be sad if DL doesn't hold special event for his birthday. Walt is already everywhere in the park (more or less now, with Eisner and all :rolleyes: ). You can celebrate it by just spending a day there and "be with him" in a way.

I personally don't care what WDW has over there or what they do. I'm glad that I live near and experience Walt's original vision. The one that he drives his red fire truck down the Main st. DL has essence. WDW is a tourist paradise.

But, back to topic. While I don't and won't make a big deal that there's no special events at DL on his birthday, I wouldn't mind for a little tribute in the park either. Like a special gallery for the week. I agree that closing at 6pm is a celebration (even though nobody realize it) because DL will be operating in the hours similar to the early days.

Whew, I'm done :) and I'm going to cry now :)

Techie7
09-05-2002, 10:39 PM
Laffite: I think you misunderstood Cemeinke's post. The little window display that he was refering to was the 1ft by 2ft "display box" that was placed on mainstreet. I think you are refering to the office that is "behind the window" in the Opera House. Looking at what we got it is interesting to see how cheap Disney played this event at Disneyland. From the "window display" on mainstreet that has scotch tape holding pieces of it together, to the other "photos" in the windows which are actually bad inkjet prints, Disney neglected an important event in the companies history. On the birthday the Partners statue was rededicated but the plaque was never seen after that event (I wonder if it was even real). I ask that you take a look at the pictures of Walt that were placed in the photoshop windows. They are BAD prints that were glued on top of mat board and now are peeling, crooked, and water damaged. I have seen better work from middle school students then what the company put together to celebrate the life of Walt. Loosing the other office was a final nail in the coffin. I understand that the company is ever changing but paying tribute to the man who started it all is common sense. I hope the management decides to celebrate the parks 50th more then they did the 100th anniversary of the founders birth.

Laffite
09-05-2002, 11:22 PM
Techie--call me what you will. I'm proud to see his original office, regardless. We were just refering to different things.

I -think- I may have saw the display in question, maybe I saw another. Perhaps it looks as bad as you put it. But I guess that's what I wanted in the first place in my previous post, a tribute gallery, something better than what you discribed.

edit Oh yea, sorry for the confusion between the "displayed window" and "Walt's office display behind the window". Now back the original window, I never notice the tapes and the print quality you mention of. In fact, I noticed quite a few pictures and a good number of large prints of the original DL, ie the concept maps and renderings. I was just standing there in the heat, sweat running, but somehow I just couldn't tear myself away from the window. There I was standing, looking at the man with a smile of a mile, living his dream, and there I was in it (more or less now, with Eisner :( ).

I was looking pass the mere print quality. The stories behind the pictures just drew me in. I had goosebumps and wanted to have teary eyes looking at them (and I still have goosebumps and teary eyes watching Fantasmic still to this day). It's impossible to explain. I just love it.

TP2000
09-06-2002, 10:04 AM
I too wish that Disneyland had done something bigger and better and more from the heart for Walt's centennial year. But they didn't. They hadn't planned on needing a big marketing campaign for Disneyland that year because DCA was supposed to be packing them in and Disneyland would handle the overflow. Remember that concept we all expected for 2001?

WDW got the Walt stuff they did because they needed a marketing campaign since they had no new attractions to open or hype. So lucky for them Walt's centennial came along and they latched on to that.

It's just the way the Company works now days.

I'm just cautious of people who point to a Vons sign or a company logo hanging somewhere in the Park and use it as a reason why the DisCo is going down the tubes. Walt loved that stuff, there were corporate logo's everywhere in his Park during the 11 years he was alive to see it.

And I still think that if Walt were alive he would not have wanted his Park to celebrate some mournful and introspective centennial birthday celebration after he had passed. He was a Showman in every respect, and he would have wanted the Disneyland Show to go on.

Personally, I think Walt would probably like us hardcore fans to celebrate his birthday by going to a nice bar somewhere and having a Scotch or two in his honor.

Laffite
09-06-2002, 02:02 PM
okay, so what is everybody's plan on Walt's day? I think I might go to DL and just sit on the bench, or Columbia if it's running, just hang out and look around.

stinkerbell
09-07-2002, 12:30 PM
It's too bad that the park will close early three days in a row. That's the week I went last year and there was only one early closure, for a CM event. I always advise people we know to go that week--get to enjoy all the holiday events, with no crowds. Guess I've got some people to talk to, as I know two families were planning trips that week........ :rolleyes: Oops.

I'm all for DL closing for events, but not at the expense of their out of town visitors (three days in a row--esp. on Walt's bday!), or those AP's who want to visit after work. It's very limiting on folks' vacations. But they need to make the money, honey, so I can enjoy my DL when it is open. :)

Laffite
09-07-2002, 12:52 PM
>>or those AP's who want to visit after work.

I think the APers are the last of people that should complain, because they can go anytime.

stinkerbell
09-07-2002, 12:59 PM
Originally posted by Laffite
>>or those AP's who want to visit after work.

I think the APers are the last of people that should complain, because they can go anytime.

Well, now they'll have to take the day off work to spend time in the park on Walt's bday. (again) I think that's a day that should be "off limits" to special events that close the park early.

Laffite
09-07-2002, 01:17 PM
Originally posted by stinkerbell
Well, now they'll have to take the day off work to spend time in the park on Walt's bday. (again) I think that's a day that should be "off limits" to special events that close the park early.

Well, now. It seems this discussion will never come to a stop. I guess they'll always be 2 sides to this one; with people that believes that Walt would not want to stop the park and let it operate, and people who wants a big party at DL.

As for me, I'm okay with them doing what they're doing now. But I want some sort of tribute/memorial, like Walt's gallery or something.