Note: This article first appeared on Jim Hill Media on July 5th, 2006.

As much as we all want to enjoy Disneyland again, I though it might be fun to look back at one of my park favorite restaurants as it reopened to guests on Sunday, June 25th, 2006 following the Disneyland premiere showing of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” the night before. Boy do I look forward to a great meal here soon!

The new Café Orleans logo

If you ask an average Disneyland guest which area of the park may be their favorite, there is a strong possibility that New Orleans Square may be the choice. Reasons why could include that this “land” is home to the Park’s most popular attractions – Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. Perhaps a favorite shop such as Cristal d’ Orleans was where a treasured souvenir was located. Maybe the touch of jazz brought to life by the likes of the Royal Street Bachelors or the Side Street Strutters tempts you to relax and sit a spell? Or it could be that some of the best dining experiences in the Park are found along its streets – The Blue Bayou, The French Market and Café Orleans.Even the mysterious Club 33 is found here.

Call it the flavor of the Big Easy if you will. All of the above ingredients make for a tasty experience. And with the talents of a master chef in Walt Disney to oversee the creation of this concoction, is it any wonder that it tends to be one of the busiest areas of Disneyland all year round?

Dining in New Orleans Square has offered a trio of options for meals over the years. While the Blue Bayou handled the more formal sit-down meal service, the French Market and Café Orleans tended to the more casual approach with what was termed buffeteria meal service. Here guests would make choices along the service tables with their selections placed on trays for presentation to a cashier and then head off in search of a table of their own choosing. Not an unpleasant way to dine, but perhaps slow at times. Certainly it is not uncommon to find fairly long lines of guests queuing for meals during peak periods.

But as things change, it became apparent that Café Orleans faced more than its fair share of challenges. Over the years there may have been duplications in some of the menu items offered at both Café Orleans and the French Market. And Café Orleans did have a smaller seating capacity to contend with. Smaller capacity means fewer meals are served as fewer people can dine during a period of time. Add to that a shared kitchen and perhaps things didn’t work out quite as well as they could have. So for the last few years, Café Orleans tended to be just open table space for guest seating rather than a dining location. It was rare for it to be open for meals except for the highest periods of guest attendance, and even then with an extremely limited menu. Kevin Yee (columnist for MiceAge) was one of the Cast Members who worked here during some of those days and his stories (from MousePlanet) paint an interesting picture of those times.

Disneyland Panavue Slide from the collection of Roger Colton.

So, faced with an opportunity, Disneyland rose to the occasion and performed a makeover of this dining location. It seems that guests had indicated that they were looking for more formal dining options inside the Park. Taking a cue from that, Café Orleans was set to fill a role that had somewhat been handled by the Blue Bayou. And considering how often guests would find reservations completely booked early each day, adding another option for them was a great idea.

The revised facility was set to reopen in the summer of 2006. Keeping most of the décor intact, the facility was changed to reflect its new role. The buffeteria line has given way to tables and chairs to expand the seating capacity, and ultimately serve more guests each day. 

The new menu is a real team effort with a definite New Orleans flavor. It was developed by Chef Christopher Maggeti, Chef Jean-Marc Viallet and Operations Manager Robert Clunie. With the exception of the New Orleans Gumbo, all of the menu items are found only at Café Orleans – right down to the desserts. But more about that later on…

With a bit of preview and adjustment, the date for reopening was set for Sunday, June 25^th – the day after the Pirates premiere event. With Disneyland Ambassadors Rebecca Phelps and Andrae Rivas on hand to welcome everyone, the ceremony to reopen Café Orleans began promptly at 11:30 a.m. with a bounty of guests and Cast Members in attendance. 

Disneyland Ambassadors Rebecca Phelps (left) & Andrae Rivas (right) begin the festivities at Café Orleans.

The Cast Members of Café Orleans dressed for the day and got the crowd into a Mardi Gras spirit with plenty of beads for everyone to enjoy

Even the scissors for the ribbon cutting came properly attired for the festivities

Gary Maggetti, the West Coast Director of Food and Beverage for Disney, welcomed everyone to the reopening of Café Orleans.

He then led the crowd assembled in a brief French language lesson, inviting us all to say, “Laissez bontemps rouler!” which translates to “Let The Good Times Roll!” *

With that the ceremonial ribbon was cut and Café Orleans was opened for lunch

The official first party of guests to dine at the reopened Café Orleans, the Stapleton Family of Carlsbad, California

As we had other plans that day, we made a Priority Seating (714-781-DINE) request for lunch the following afternoon at 1:10 p.m. for a party of two. Arriving a few minutes ahead of schedule, we were quickly escorted by our hostess to a table in the shade next to the walkway between Café Orleans and the Fantasmic viewing terraces. Our waitress quickly came and took our requests for a beverage while we looked over the menu.

Today’s menu.

So where to start? Pomme Frites! Hands and menus down, this is the way to start a meal here. We shared an order between the two of us, but I saw many tables where there were two or more orders being served and immediately enjoyed by diners of all ages. “Traditional French-fried potatoes tossed with Parmesan cheese, garlic and parsley, served with a Cajun spiced aioli.” These are addictive and I see them becoming a guest favorite very quickly once the word gets out.

Our choices for an entrée were the Mardi Gras Crab-Salad Sandwich and “The Big Easy” Shrimp Salad. Beverages come with all of the usual suspects to choose from including the Disneyland Mint Julep — with plenty of refills while enjoying your meal.

The Mardi Gras Crab-Salad Sandwich

“The Big Easy” Shrimp Salad

Both were excellent! The light citrus vinaigrette was a perfect match for the Cajun spices on the grilled shrimp. And the zesty citrus aioli was just the right touch for the crab salad. However, we still managed to save room for dessert. Our choice? Why, of course! An order of the “Mickey”-shaped Beignets.

All that for one person? Not this time

The Crème Anglaise and the Raspberry Coulis were great accompaniments to the beignets. Fresh and hot with plenty of powdered sugar… If you have enjoyed some of these at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen on a previous visit to Downtown Disney, then you have to try these at Café Orleans. 

Admittedly, we were testing the waters on only the second day of operation. Giving credit where due, the Cast Members serving us were outstanding. Glasses never went empty for more than a few seconds and the team who came to our table was attentive and efficient, even letting us know who was taking over as our server after a break had been completed. 

If there was anything to note, it was that there were a number of tables set, where guests had yet to be seated after making their Priority Seating requests. And I didn’t see a large number of guests waiting for tables, so I have to assume that someone must have forgotten about their times. All the more the pity as they truly missed a wonderful dining experience in New Orleans Square. Here’s hoping that you can enjoy the same in the near future!

* Laissez bontemps rouler! (lay-zay bone-tonh rule-ay) – Let the good times roll!

A visit to Disneyland will never be like it was Pre-COVID 19.

That’s a hard statement to admit, isn’t it? After all, who didn’t enjoy at day at Disneyland before the closure in March 2020 of the Disneyland Resort. I know I have over the years. That Saturday before it began, I was in Anaheim; just a few blocks away on Katella Avenue. Having heard of the closure, I thought maybe I might stop by for a while to take it all in, as the parks would probably be shut down for a few weeks, or maybe a couple of months. 

Unfortunately, my visit to Southern California was more of a business trip and things were focused elsewhere. As it turned out, even the prospect of any afternoon with friends became a socially distant “Meet and Greet”, complete with virtual hugs, as they started taking all of this talk of a “pandemic” as serious in nature.

At that time, the hope was that by socially distancing, sheltering in place and making use of some good personal protective equipment and precautions (a.k.a. face masks, rubber gloves and plenty of hand washing and sanitizer), that this thing would be like the usual flu season and over before the start of the summer travel season.

In short, boy, were we wrong…

Perception started to hit home as more and more we heard about hospitalizations, with people admitted to intensive care units (ICU), and more often than not, ending up on ventilation to help with breathing. As much as many of us hated to admit it, this was a serious situation.

State governments started to step in and were ordering stronger guidelines and restrictions on communities. What before had been an easy thing to travel across the county, now became a challenge just to get to the corner supermarket and get home safely with the groceries, let alone travel hundreds of miles for a day ay a theme park.

I have seen first hand how quickly this virus shut down tourism. Part of my reason for being in Southern California that weekend in March involved a small group trip aboard a private railroad car from Los Angeles to Kansas City with a side visit to Marceline and the Walt Disney Hometown Museum. That Saturday morning, I had done a quick inspection of the railcar to get ready for departure on our trip in three weeks. But as the afternoon progressed, I began to get phone calls and e-mails from folks who just were not sure that travel was something they needed to do right then, so they had to cancel their plans. Some were traveling to Los Angeles from a far distance and the uncertainty ahead just called for erring on the side of caution. So I had to make the same decision and get in touch with the rest of the group to let them know that we would not be going to Kansas City as planned.

Since then, I pretty much have stayed at home, sheltering in place. Even when I have ventured out, my social circle has tended to be quite small. Most often my visits have been to assist my mother with one task or another. But nothing like things I would have done before. No baseball games, no museums, no trains, no streetcars, few restaurants and no bars, either.

Safety first, yes indeed.

Thinking about mundane activities, even something as simple as a grocery store shopping visit or a stop at the local bank, offers a glimpse of what has become the reality of daily life. In Alameda County, here where I live in Northern California, face coverings or masks have been required for entry into any business, with no exceptions. No mask, no business. And you must observe that six-foot distance between yourself and others, especially waiting in line. (Although I will admit that I felt as if I were a bad behaving kindergartner for not standing on my designated space, as I was severely chastised by an overzealous employee at one business.)

A visit to a local fast food location has been reduced to standing at the door outside the business, behind a plexiglass shield, properly distanced and masked to place my food order on a to go only basis. And if I can make my transaction cashless and touches, so much the better.

So, I can hear you asking… what does all this have to do with Disneyland?

Just look at the image at the top of this column. Take in the details.

Go ahead.

Can you imagine how the precautions noted would apply in that crowd? If memory serves, that was a mid-week afternoon, sometime in late June. Not even the peak of guest numbers at the Park.

You can’t expect that Disney will allow a full capacity crowd inside the gate. There is simply no way that the company can take chances in managing the risks to guests. While we haven’t heard of any major cases of COVID-19 be traced to the parks in Florida, can you imagine the impact of publicity if there was? How many guests would be quick to blame Disney and how many lawsuits would be working their way through the courts, baseless or not, claiming that Disney was responsible for their infections. Way too many…

Disneyland has been through this before. Various outbreaks of everything from swine flu to measles and more have been blamed as being transmitted thanks to coughing and wheezing guests all gathered together at the Park. Although the likelihood was that many of those outbreaks were present in communities well before the affected people got to Anaheim. I can’t tell you how many childhood maladies have been shared among school aged children, their families and the businesses Mom and Dad work at. I know my family went through a few as well as some of the places I have worked over the years.

Yes, Disney does take this all seriously. They have no choice. Just look over their web pages and you see how they are responding: https://disneyland.disney.go.com

Important Information about the Disneyland Resort

• The Downtown Disney District, including Buena Vista Street, is open with select retail and dining locations. Ongoing updates on additional restaurant and food and beverage location openings will be forthcoming.  View Open Dining Locations.
• The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort remain closed and will reopen at a later date.
• Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park remain closed and will reopen at a later date, pending state and local government approvals.
• Upon reopening, certain parks, hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings will be modified or unavailable, will have limited capacity and will be subject to limited availability or even closure, and park admission and offerings are not guaranteed.  View important details.

COVID-19 Warning

We have taken enhanced health and safety measures. An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. View important details.

Take note of the fourth point listed. “…will have limited capacity and will be subject to limited availability or even closure…”. You won’t see a crowd anywhere even close to that one seen above in New Orleans Square. 

Fewer guests means fewer dollars incoming. Which means that Disney will have to look for ways to cover/adjust the costs/expenses related to operations. Which in turn, means fewer cast members from top to bottom, making that day at the Parks magical. Along with increased prices for everything from admissions to t-shirts to churro’s, and bottled water. Stockholders can expect no less as the Company will try to reverse the red ink of 2020.

The days of unlimited access are likely gone for the foreseeable future. Some have suggested that when Annual Passes return, that they be adjusted to offer high versus low season with a set number of days admissions, and the reservation system be adjusted to some version of it, as it had been previously in use.

Yes, Disney likes the AP Program. They like having all that income, every month. And while it has some issues, especially now, they are not likely to permanently walk away from that kind of revenue stream. Disney has always reserved the right to modify or cancel the Annual Pass program. With such a loyal customer base, they will need to find someway to respond to that demand, no matter what lies ahead.

That last point is especially important. It is that “inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19”. This kind of language isn’t something that one often hears or reads from Disney. You may see a disclaimer on a sporting event ticket or a ski resort lift pass. Something along the lines of “you voluntarily assume all risks”. In plain language, the location of the event you are attending is not accepting the responsibility for COVID-19 exposure. You are. And if you choose to enter a Disney theme park in this era, “you will voluntarily assume all risks”.

But why stop inside the Disneyland Resort? As much as this closure has affected every small business around Anaheim, changes in how those businesses operate will likely play into how and when Disneyland reopens. While Disney can and is formulating plans, Orange County and the cities around the area need to work with the small business community and get their plans ready to go. For as important as guest safety will be on property, it needs to be as great off- property. For that is where the kind of exposure that most worries medical professionals may see an increase in transmission rates.

The reality is that no one truly knows how this COVID-19 will play out. The hope is that a vaccine will help prevent against it, much as that annual flu shot is supposed to be effective during the annual cold and flu seasons. But until such a time, if Disneyland reopens soon, things will indeed be different than before.

And a day at Disneyland will come with challenges, the greatest of which may be met with patience and a bit of magic. It may sound naive, but it is a day a Disneyland. And even with COVID-19 changes, I suspect it will still be magical and worth the wait.

See you waiting in line…

This story originally appeared here on The Blue Parrot on Tuesday, February 14th, 2007.

Seven little words.

Keen memories will recall from whence they came.

Perhaps you recall them on the screen as the last line of a film noir classic? Or you should…

Spoken by Humphrey Bogart as “Sam Spade” to Ward Bond as “Detective Tom Polhaus” in 1941’s “The Maltese Falcon”. Recently shown by Turner Classic Movies as part of their now annual 31 Days of Oscar film festival.

And now ironically, it seems that life imitates art once again.

Check out this little item from today’s SF Gate web pages:

“(02-12) 16:46 PST — It’s been nearly 80 years since Sam Spade wandered the streets of San Francisco in search of the Maltese Falcon. Now, the statue is missing again.

John Konstin, the owner of San Francisco’s John’s Grill on Ellis Street, said someone broke into a locked cabinet on the second floor of his establishment and took a signed reproduction of the Maltese Falcon — one used for publicity stills for the movie — along with several vintage and signed books by and about Maltese Falcon author Dashiell Hammett.

Konstin said the theft was noticed Saturday afternoon. He guesses the theft took place sometime late Friday night or in the early morning hours of Saturday.

The black statue was signed by actor Elisha Cook Jr., a San Franciscan who played the role of Wilmer the Gunsel in the movie. He presented it to the restaurant after Konstin and San Francisco private investigator Jack Immendorf failed in their attempt to buy the original bird that was used in the movie.

Police have been summoned to the scene of the broken cabinet on the second floor of the restaurant, and Konstin has offered a $25,000 reward for return of the statue and books.” Reported by John Koopman

Oddly enough about five weeks ago, after a day at Macworld Expo along with my old buddy Nicholas Lancaster, I had a great dinner of the peppercorn steak at John’s Grill. A fine San Francisco establishment, actually mentioned as a place Sam Spade ate a meal by Hammett in his book “The Maltese Falcon.”  And after dinner? Well, how can one resist? We wandered upstairs to check out the dingus, on display. And now it’s been stolen…

Where’s Sam Spade, now that we need him again?

And for even more trivia on the Falcon, be sure to check out the Wikipedia entry.

Well, that goes back a bit. Yes, many a great meal and cocktails to match at John’s Grill. And Macworld Expo, too. At one time, the gathering for all things Apple in San Francisco’s Moscone Center. From open to close, seeing the latest and greatest, collecting all the swag offered and goodies given away in drawings to gather information on prospective clients to make the sale department happy. But, no more…

A replica Falcon was created and still call’s John’s Grill home; even if it isn’t accepting callers at the moment, due to the pandemic.

Ah, the joys of technology… The modern world, communication and the information superhighway.

Still, just like the interstate highway system, things don’t always go according to plan, do they? But thanks to 24-hour tech support, things are back to the way they should be. We’re all updated, reset, and pointed where we should be.

Now, where were we?

Well, I can’t speak for you, but I am still doing my best to stay safe from the pandemic. And like many of you, I am hopeful of getting a dose of whatever vaccine comes available as soon as it is offered.

With luck, we may see Disney reopen the California theme parks in some fashion soon. Social distancing, temperature checks, mandatory masks, et al will likely be with us for some time to come.

Personally, all I want is a nice cup of Joffrey’s Coffee and a seat somewhere along Main Street to take in the view of a day at Disneyland.

This weekend, I intend on a visit to Trader Vic’s in Emeryville for some dining and beverages on the outdoor patio. Still need to give thought as to what options to choose.

Meanwhile… over at Private Car Service, we are looking forward to a private railcar excursion from New York City to Orlando and back for the 50th anniversary festivities at Walt Disney World. Includes overnight travel on a pair of vintage Pullman cars, meals and beverages aboard, motor coach transfers, 4-nights at the Cabins at the Fort Wilderness Resort, and theme park tickets, too! Leave NYC on Tuesday, September 28 and return on Monday, October 4. Promises to be a very memorable adventure!

That’s a brief bit to get us back among the living, so to speak.

More to come!

So, it finally came.

The end of the Disneyland Annual Passport program.

It took a pandemic and the closure of theme parks in California for almost 10 months to accomplish what some folks have been saying was in the wind for most of the last five years and more. While I will admit to having mixed feelings as to this decision, I see it as the right thing to do.

Let’s be honest. When the AP program began at Disneyland, it was not something for the general public. You had to be a member of the Magic Kingdom Club. That wasn’t hard as it was something of an employer or group affinity program that offered discounts for Disneyland tickets as well as hotels and even vacation packages. Disney began offering AP’s to MKC members in 1984. There was no difference between an Adult or Child pass in price. And it wasn’t the first time Disney had done good by the MKC. One-day passports were first offered to members too, starting in 1977. Regular guests still bought ticket books back then.

Look back to the summer of 1984. Attendance was down. Markedly down. Because the Summer Olympic Games were in Southern California. The word had gotten out that things in the area were going to be really crowded because of the Olympics. So people didn’t plan trips because of those rumors. They stayed home. And Disney turned to a new demographic to fill the hole. Southern California residents. Locals. And at $69 each, the Disneyland Annual pass was a bargain too good to overlook. It brought those attendance numbers back to where the Accountanteers liked. Going public, the AP program was a good way to help maintain increasing attendance at the Park. Guests paid the whole amount of their annual pass all at once. in 1989, $199 got you entry into Disneyland each one of the 365 days of your pass. But if you didn’t mind being blacked out for some of the year, your could get an AP for all of $99.

The 80’s and 90’s when AP’s at Disneyland took off were an interesting time. Corporate troubles had brought Michael Eisner and Frank Wells aboard. The cost of a 1-day park admission went up from $14 in 1984 to $39 in 1999. But the cost of the Premium AP? Still $199. Starting in 2002, the price went up to $225 and kept going up every year after that, right up to 2020. The biggest jump came in in 2015 when the price for a no-black out days pass went from $699 in 2014 to $1.049 in 2015. That same year the cost of a one-day theme park admission went to $99 for an Adult. At last count in 2020, that same AP? $1449. Disney also encouraged growth in the numbers of AP’s when it offered monthly payment plans; first to Southern California residents and then to all Californians. And keeping the Southern California discounted pass with blackout days helped ensure that offseason days would be busy ones, too.

Something to consider? Disney kept raising the price of an AP and guests kept paying those new increased prices. That’s simple supply and demand. You can’t fault Burbank for that decision every year.

Disney had encouraged a class system among guests through the AP program. The Park went from something special, maybe the once a year or once in a lifetime experience to almost an everyday event. And it wasn’t long before Disneyland became another shopping mall where parents dropped off the kids for the day to reclaim them later.

Disney has for years looked at guests in terms of how much they spend per person per visit. Say you are one of that mythical family of four making the trip of the lifetime from Peoria to make memories during your stay. Disney knows that you will look for the best ways to get the bang for your bucks on the vacation. They offer vacation packages through the Walt Disney Travel Company that include airfares, transfers, hotel room, and theme park passes, too. They also know that you plan to buy souvenirs, food, beverage, and more while on property. So they make it as attractive as possible to spend that disposable income with Disney.

Looking at the Annual Passholders, they spend less per person per visit. Even though they may visit more often, in the end, they spend less. Maybe they settle for the Chicken Nuggets and a Coke instead of a full meal inside the Parks or a Disney hotel? That is if they don’t cross Harbor Blvd to get those Chicken Nuggets and Coke at McDonald’s instead. And while they may occasionally buy a t-shirt or a pin, some AP’s offer a discount if they meet the price point. But with that discount, they often spend less than the more desired mythical family on a visit.

It doesn’t take Sheldon Cooper to add up the math here.

AP’s don’t provide the revenue that non-AP guests do.

Disney has never provided actual numbers of how many Annual Passholders they had. It’s safe to say, they numbered in the millions. So why has Disney kept the program for so long? I suspect a couple of reasons.

Disney grew accustomed to the revenue it got each year from AP’s. While many visited the Parks on a regular weekly or monthly basis, many did not; instead they may visit 5 or 6 days a year. Perhaps on a couple of multi-day visits. Some stayed at hotels, many at local motels or with family and friends. Some made the hours plus trip there and back in the same day. When Disney went to the monthly payment plans, that income grew to be something of a floating revenue stream. And they liked how that income looked; especially to shareholders who were promised double digit growth.

Disneyland was never meant to be somewhere guests would visit all the time. Yes, it was meant from the start to be a shared experience among families and friends.And even though Disney staff encouraged locals to visit for Date Nights or other year round special events, it was always an extra; not the main source of guests.

Disney was among the last to adopt the one-price admission philosophy. Ticket books served purpose in that guests had to plan their visits to make the best use of the various tickets for attractions. Yes, you could always buy more around the Park, but many families planned a visit by what was offered in those books. (Much like today and the Max Pass offering advanced planning of what attractions you can get a pass for.)

Looking over my photos, I believe I haven’t actually visited Disneyland since the summer of 2018. For many years, visits in June and December were something of an annual ritual. A variety of reasons why had prevented me from doing so in 2019. And oddly, 2020 saw me nearby, having lunch on Katella Avenue in Anaheim, on the Saturday before the Parks closed due to COVID-19. I briefly gave thought to a visit that day, but was occupied with other matters. And like many, I hoped that the closure of the Parks would be short and we would be back to normal soon. 10 months and counting later, we all know how naive that belief was. Much to the regret of 390,000 deaths and climbing.

Out of the masses of AP’s (when I had one), I was one of those who didn’t visit every month. I always had a pass that was not blacked out and included parking. My last pass expired in 2018. I think that year I visited the park three or four times for a day or three off and on. As a seasoned traveler, I usually stayed nearby at a good rate for a room. Flew occasionally from the San Francisco Bay Area (Long Beach and Jet Blue were the preferred choice) but drove down the Five as well. All my meals were not on property, but most were. And over the years, a good chunk of disposable income went to Disney items. I have a good collection of Hawaiian shirts from Disney resorts and more. So, it is indeed fair to say that I got value for my money with an Annual Pass.

You don’t need a crystal ball to see that when Disney is given the green light to open the theme parks in California, things will be different. To begin with, there will be limited numbers of guests allowed inside. And there will certainly be social distancing restrictions in place. Masks are a given, as is temperature screening and dining restrictions. The resort hotels won’t be open to full capacity and may even be restricted to guests only. So, continuing the AP program? Yes, it’s probably for the best to let it sunset now. Ensure that all guests can share an equal experience. Let things start small and build as we experience recovery from the pandemic. The more vaccines administered, the less susceptible we all will be.

In short, a day at Disneyland will probably never be like it was pre-COVID. Safety first. It simply has to be that way.

Now… do I think that the AP program won’t return to Disneyland? Well, that’s the big question. Disney may have a better understanding of the concept of brand loyalty than any other company on the face of the planet. Even with all of the challenges that the pandemic has brought, people still want the products Disney has to offer. Disney+ has revolutionized the streaming of content to the home. And once things normalize somewhat, an economic upswing is likely. With disposable income once again, Disney is a place that people will look to for value. The theme parks are a favorite and will continue to be.

Based on keeping quality up. when an AP program returns, I suspect it will offer limited visits for passholders. The era of unlimited visits is likely done. Planning ahead seems to be the way of things for Disney guests. AP’s may offer a certain number of days per year, requiring booking days of entry in advance. Offering the ability to park hop may be a perk as well as discounts as offered before on food and merchandise around the resorts. Parking? As always, an issue but I could see a parking add on being available. Hopefully, when the AP does return, it will offer a balance of guest rewards and corporate benefit. And at a price more reasonable.

I don’t think we have seen the last of the Disneyland Annual Pass. Or the last of Disneyland, for that matter. Yet, I do think we can all expect a phased and safe reopening of the Parks in 2021. Until then, wear those masks, practice social distancing and get the COVID vaccine, when available.

Frankly, I want to see you all when Disneyland celebrates the 75th anniversary in 2030.