Magic Mornings coming to California Adventure?

April 4, 2012, 11:24 AM · Al Lutz reports that Disney will extend Magic Mornings (the west coast equivalent to Disney World's Extra Magic Hours) to Disney California Adventure this summer. Disney's expecting huge crowds at Anaheim's second gate this summer, thanks to the opening of Cars Land and the park's new Buena Vista Street entrance plaza. Lutz is also reporting that DCA will operate on an 8am-11pm everyday this summer, with Magic Mornings starting at 7am three days a week.

Cars Land
A view down Route 66 into the new Cars Land, under construction at Disney California Adventure

Magic Morning admissions at Disneyland traditionally have been available to guests staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels, as well as guests who buy a multi-day ticket with Magic Mornings eligibility. In addition to the new Magic Mornings at California Adventure, Magic Mornings will continue to run at Disneyland the other four mornings each week this summer.

But that's not all. For the first time, Lutz reports, Disney will extend Magic Mornings admission to annual passholders. They won't get in early into Disneyland, or to California Adventure on its three "regular" Magic Mornings days. But APs would be admitted at 7am to California Adventure on the four days a week when the "regular" Magic Morning is at Disneyland.

That means that California Adventure would be open at 7am for selected guests seven days a week. So a "regular" guest - one who's not staying at a Disneyland hotel, doesn't have an annual pass, and doesn't have a Magic Mornings-eligible multi-day ticket - wouldn't have any day when he or she could be first in line at one of the Cars Land attractions, including the new Radiator Springs Racers. More incentive from Disney to stay at its hotels?

It reminds me of the situation at Universal's Islands of Adventure, where Universal Orlando hotel guests get first crack at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter every day. (Of course, this wouldn't be the first similarity between the Disneyland and Universal Orlando resorts.)

Cars Land and Buena Vista Street open on June 15, when California Adventure will celebrate its "Grand Reopening," including renaming of most of the lands throughout the park. Disney California Adventure will be closed to the public on June 14 for a media preview day, but we're planning to be there, so keep following Theme Park Insider on Facebook and Twitter for all the details on the "new" DCA.

Replies (7)

April 4, 2012 at 11:31 AM · I thinks it a great idea!!

Well, I am going this summer and I am a Premiere Passholder, so I may be a tad biased!! ;)

April 4, 2012 at 1:29 PM · Smart move for Disney.... The early entry to IOA at the time we go (late June) is crucial to enjoying WWOHP. It gets crazy by an hour after opening all the way to 6-7 PM. We are done and out of there before the park officially opens, which leaves the rest of IOA pretty open intil at least noon.

Cars Land looks extremely well themed and the attention to detail from the pics I have seen are incredible, I would love to check it out one day.

April 4, 2012 at 8:04 PM · Al Lutz's track record is about 50/50 with rumors and the proof is in the fact that he doesn't leave an archive up of his column.

I'm mixed on the idea of admitting passholders to Magic Mornings at DCA. What's the benefit for Disney? I think it should be pointed out that if this policy is just for the summer months then it will really only benefit Premier, Premium and Deluxe passholders since the Southern California passes are blocked out for the majority of the summer.

Personally, I think it's time for Disney to create more differentiation between the different passes. Universal Orlando rewards their Premier passholders and Disneyland Resort does not. I would like to see them start by eliminating the park hopping privilege on the Southern California passes. If Disney California Adventure is now worthy of being a second gate, then don't give away the gate and starting with the lowest passholders would make a statement to either upgrade or learn to enjoy one park per visit.

I also think the anticipated crowds are a bit overstated. Don't take that the wrong way, there will be a lot of interest and I expect record attendance for DCA, but I think the two parks will handle the increased interest without showing it.

April 5, 2012 at 7:47 AM · "Al Lutz's track record is about 50/50 with rumors and the proof is in the fact that he doesn't leave an archive up of his column."

That's not proof. Its laziness to not verify if your claim is true. You can certainly go back to 11/26/2011 at the front page of Miceage. If you go to the Forum, you can go back much further.

But rumor sites should be taken for what it is. Rumors are not guaranteed. How the heck is 50/50 a poor showing?

April 5, 2012 at 3:46 PM · When did I say it was a poor showing? Why do you take that as a slam?
April 6, 2012 at 10:10 PM · Sorry, Eric, but that seemed like a slam to me, also. Maybe because Al has the rep of being a glass-half-empty type of guy and your comments fit right into that. But moreover, where did you get your "50-50" stats from, especially if you haven't found his archives?

I also think getting into - and onto - Cars Land and its attractions will not be - well, a walk in the park, especially if you want to ride more than Rad Springs Racers. These are both reported to be low capacity rides and this bothers me as I'm not a passholder at present and I fondly remember the Flying Saucers. *sigh*

One of these days...

April 8, 2012 at 3:52 PM · We got APs for the first time this year, and the only downside was losing the early entry we'd get with multi-day tickets. Therefore, I find this to be very good news. I think it's also good that it will be available for the hotel guests the other 3 days, but do wonder if that will include pre-purchased multi-day tickets as is the case at DL.

I would also observe that after reading Lutz for 15 years, he gets it right more than 50%. It is important to understand the nature of a rumour site. It is, perhaps, more important to bear in mind that things are very fluid in the development stage, so even if he reports on something that doesn't happen, that doesn't mean it wasn't discussed and considered. If he'd reported in the 60s that Disney was going to have a walk through haunted house with an attached Museum of the Weird, that would have been true. That WAS the plan at one time. But, plans change.

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