Big Thunder Ranch Articles
10 Disney Attractions Closing For Rehab
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Indiana Jones Adventure and two Fantasyland rides will close for most of the fall to undergo renovations as summer crowds dissipate at Disneyland. That park and neighboring Disney California Adventure will shut down 10 venues in September for refurbishment, after the record-breaking summer season wraps up with Labor Day. The longest closures, which begin Tuesday, will be Indiana Jones Adventure, ...
4 Reasons To Visit Disneyland At Christmas
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Long before my husband and I had kids, we started a holiday tradition: Christmas at Disneyland and, later, California Adventure. Not every year, of course, but we've found that late fall to early winter is the perfect time to visit. Here are four reasons. * The weather. In our six or so visits over 15 years, cool mornings and sunny, mild afternoons have been the rule. It gets a little chilly ...
5 Best Things I Ate At New Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree
Disneyland fans of pork spareribs, beef brisket, pulled pork and sausage links have reason to celebrate with the return of Southern-style barbecue to the Anaheim theme park for the first time in nearly a decade.
I sampled the menu of the new Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree during a soft opening on Thursday, Oct. 24 ahead of the official grand reopening of the revamped restaurant on Friday, Oct. ...
58 Ways Star Wars Land Is Changing Disneyland
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
The Walt Disney Company recently announced that an entirely new land based on the Star Wars universe would be coming to Disneyland, likely in 2019. The 14-acre mini universe will feature two major new rides and other attractions including a restaurant based on the Mos Eisley cantina in the films. I'm not a big Star Wars aficionado, but I hear that the designers working on it are, and genuine fans can ...
8 More Unanswered Questions About Star Wars Land
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Disney raised even more questions with the recent announcement of plans to temporarily close the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and the Disneyland Railroad to allow for construction of Star Wars Land. Here's what we know so far: The new 14-acre land will feature two attractions set in a remote frontier town on the outer rim of the "Star Wars" galaxy. While no opening date has been set, ...
A Look Back At Disneyland Circle D Ranch
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
While the Millenium Falcon is going to land on the Big Thunder Ranch at Disneyland, some of the backstage areas north of there, including where the Resort takes care of its horses - the Circle D Ranch are going to be home to a large part of the Star Wars Land expansion. The story of the Circle D Ranch Way before Walt Disney bought the property that would become Disneyland, horses and other ...
Abundance Of Fall Fun At Disneyland Resort As New Experiences Enhance Traditional Halloween And Holiday Seasons
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
The giant Mickey Mouse Jack-o'-Lantern and the Town Square Christmas Tree will be the symbols of celebration for their respective holidays at Disneyland this fall. But the traditional fan favorites are only the beginning as Disneyland Resort welcomes new shows and immersive experiences, along with an exciting preview of things to come at Disney's California Adventure park. It's all part of the fun as ...
Behind The Scenes At Disneyland's Corral
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Way before Walt Disney bought the property that would become Disneyland, horses and other animals lived on a ranch north of the orange groves razed for the theme park. In fact, Disney used to saddle up on the ranch's horses to tour the property that he was considering buying. One day, he told a ranch employee that the check was ready. Today, the land is still a working ranch - Circle D Corral ...
Celebrate Halloween Time At Disneyland Resort With Family Fun
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Highlights include Disney's Happiest Haunt Tour, Haunted Mansion Holiday and Mickey's Trick or Treat Party Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort will fill Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure parks with not-so-scary spook-tacular entertainment beginning Friday, Sept. 26 and continuing through Sunday, November 2. The season of tricks and treats will be celebrated at Disneyland Resort with the ...
Chilling Halloween Changes At Space Mountain, Spooky New Fireworks Plus Favorite Halloween Traditions
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Halloween Time Returns Sept. 25 as Mickey and Pals and Disney Villains Transform Parks for the Season Spooky new fireworks and ghoulish screams at Space Mountain add to the fun when Halloween Time returns to Disneyland Resort Sept. 25-Nov. 1. Halloween Time offers families a chance to celebrate the season as they interact with some of Disney's most beloved characters decked out in seasonal costumes ...
Construction On Disney Star Wars Themed Land Begins Next Year
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Plans for "Star Wars" inspired lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World are in hyperdrive. Tom Staggs, Disney's chief operating officer, gave on Thursday the first piece of a timeline for the proposed, and much anticipated, lands. "I'm pleased to announce that we'll start construction on both in 2016," Staggs said at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media, Communications & Entertainment ...
Disney Announces New Marvel Attraction In Anaheim And The Name Of Its Star Wars Land
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
With demand continuing to grow for Disney parks and movies, the entertainment giant announced plans to add new attractions throughout its parks, including a new Marvel superhero expansion in Anaheim. During its fan exposition D23 in Anaheim, Disney officials on Saturday revealed details of planned attractions at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim and at its Florida theme parks Walt Disney World, Epcot ...
Disney History President Sends Turkeys To Disneyland
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Take a look at what happened this week in Disney history: Nov. 24, 1955: Mickey Mouse Club Circus, starring Jimmie Dodd and many of the original Mouseketeers, premieres in Fantasyland (it will become one of the shortest lived attractions at the Park, closing January 8, 1956). Nov. 24, 1955: "Christmas Show Parade" kicks off its first holiday season at the Park on Thanksgiving Day and runs daily ...
Disney Holiday Fireworks Parade Return Friday
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Crowds at the Disneyland Resort are expected to thicken as the popular holiday season, including special fireworks and a parade, return Friday. The resort's season runs through Jan. 2 with special entertainment, attraction makeovers and festive decorations. Disney crews have been installing decorations in the parks since Halloween. Earlier this week, the snow features were on Sleeping Beauty ...
Disney Knotts Frequent Targets Of Lawsuits
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Darth Vader was shooing away a bird at Disneyland when he smacked a woman in the back according to the lawsuit she filed claiming such "severe injuries" as back pain, headaches and trouble sleeping. Scores of other visitors to Orange County's showcase theme parks have gone to court in recent years with accusations of dangerous mistakes, accidents large and small, and lots of slippery floors. A ...
Disney Promises Grins Over Gore
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
The Disneyland Resort on Thursday unveiled specifics of its "HalloweenTime" seasonal event, billed as the "biggest and best Halloween event ever celebrated" at the resort in its 51 years. The event, which starts Sept. 29 and runs through Oct. 31, is part of Disneyland's attempt to bolster attendance in the period between its peak summer and Christmas seasons. It aims to attract Southern California ...
Disneyland And California Adventure Most Festive Place On Earth?
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Many people in Southern California lament that there is no distinct change of seasons and that winter holidays are lacking because there isn't any snow. But area theme parks have everything to get even the "bah, humbug!" types in a festive mood. For starters, there's Disneyland, "The Happiest Place on Earth," from its tall ornament-bedecked tree at the beginning of Main Street U.S.A. to the ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 10
"I know it's here somewhere" I'm not sure if that's exactly what was said upon first sight of where the Rivers of America used to be, but I'm sure it was something similar. Maybe with a little more salt. A lot of the excavation for the layout of the park revolved around removing existing trees and vegetation, digging out what would be the basin for the riverbed that would become the Rivers of America. ...
Disneyland Celebrates Black History Month With Gospel Showcase
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Sixteen choirs from Southern California - three of them from Orange County - are performing Saturday at Disneyland for the theme park's annual Black History Month celebration. Orange County's New Generation Youth Choir, Friendship Baptist Church's Friendship Mass Choir and Spiritual Truth are set to take the stage in Disney's sixth Celebrate Gospel event. The performances, which run from noon to ...
Disneyland Halloween Time: Disneys Pumpkin People Now On Display
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
The pumpkin people have arrived at Disneyland! Disneyland Halloween Time just opened the doors and guests are experiencing the delight of a not so scary Halloween Holiday, including the Pumpkin People. Found at Big Thunder Ranch, just behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Pumpkin People have invaded the Wild Western Ranch for a fun loving showdown that includes all sorts of poses. Leaving ...
Disneyland Moves Entertainment To Frontierland
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Disneyland next month is moving outside performing groups and adding a new entertainment feature to a normally closed area of Frontierland. The Disney Performing Arts program will host community performing groups and run education sessions in the Festival Arena, which is normally closed in the back of Frontierland. The program is moving after the May 1 closure of Carnation Plaza Gardens, where ...
Disneyland Opens Haunted Carnival
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Billy Hill and the Hillbillies channel Charlie Daniels in their Halloween show in Disneyland Park. The bluegrass band takes the stage six times a day during the Halloween Carnival at Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree. The carnival is new this year. it opened Friday and runs through Oct. 31. In the 15-minute set, the band plays cheerful Disney songs such as "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" and, yes, "It's a ...
Disneyland Pumpkin Carver Gets Squashed This Time Of Year
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
He is the Picasso of pumpkins. For the last seven years, Joseph Yakovetic has chiseled intricate pieces of character art -- Yoda, Goofy, Iron Man, Jack Skellington, Alice in Wonderland -- out of squash in front of audiences at Disneyland's Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree. Wielding clay loop tools and a linoleum cutter, Yakovetic tackles simple likenesses, such as Mickey Mouse, whom he can carve in 15 ...
Disneyland Reindeer Staying At North Pole
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
At first blush, it doesn't make much sense to fence in flying reindeer. But when Santa Claus takes his reindeer out of the North Pole, he must comply with the same fence rules that apply to common reindeer. Especially at public places, like Disneyland. For the first time in seven years, Disneyland will stop hosting reindeer-in-training that had been in the petting zoo during the holiday ...
Disneyland Resort Celebrates Halloween Time 2013
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Friday the 13th - Sept. 13, 2013 - will offer extra chills this year at the Disneyland Resort. On that day, The Happiest Place on Earth gets spookier as Halloween Time returns with Disney villains, Mickey Mouse and his friends in Halloween costumes, a Dia de los Muertos celebration and the special after-hours Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland Park. In addition, popular attractions are transformed for ...
Disneyland Resort Holiday Season Begins This Week
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
The snowfall, twinkly castle and holiday-themed parades and fireworks return this week to the Disneyland Resort, well before Thanksgiving. The holiday season begins Friday, Nov. 13 at both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, running through Jan. 3. Most of the features are the same as previous years, said John McClintock, a Disneyland Resort spokesman. However, a few surprises were added to ...
Disneyland Resort Welcomes Anna And Elsa From Frozen To A Christmas Fantasy Parade For The Holidays
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
The Happiest Place on Earth Just Gets Merrier as Anna and Elsa from Walt Disney Pictures' animated hit "Frozen" join the annual holiday celebration at the Disneyland Resort. The Holidays bring themed entertainment, sparkling decorations, delicious treats, festive traditions and holiday shopping to locations throughout the Resort. Among the highlights of the season, Nov. 13 through Jan. 6, 2015, is the ...
Disneyland Set To Show Exclusive Pirates Film Clip
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Disneyland visitors can see an exclusive 3D movie clip of the upcoming "Pirates of the Caribbean" film starting March 25, Disney announced Tuesday. The park plans to host nighttime, preview shows in advance of the release of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," the fourth film in the series based on Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The "Pirates" movie, once again starring Johnny ...
Disneyland Switches Fireworks Shows
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Disneyland is switching up its fireworks shows over the next two weeks. The last night of "Halloween Screams" - a special fireworks show for Halloween Time - was Sunday. That show ran almost every night for about five weeks. This coming weekend, the "Remember Dreams Come True" show will come back for just three nights: Nov. 6, 7 and 8, according to the Disneyland Web site. "Remember" was ...
Disneyland The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Summer Nightastic! The Good The best part of last Friday's media day at the Disneyland Resort had to be the news from a talk show-style presentation put on by the resort's marketing department called What's New, What's Next. Summer Nightastic! is the name of the Disneyland Resort's summer 2009 marketing campaign. It covers everything from dance parties to new lighting effects, enhancements to ...
Disneyland To Close Multiple Attractions In January To Build Star Wars Land
**RESTRICTED CONTENT** Gain Access Here
Disneyland is set to close multiple attractions and eateries next month to make room for the new "Star Wars"-themed land in the Orange County theme park. The 14-acre project would be Disney's largest single themed land expansion, CEO Bob Iger said when he announced the project in August at the D23 Expo. Groundbreaking is scheduled to take place in 2016 at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios ...
