Let’s take a look at some various things going on through-out the Disneyland Resort from this week’s Dateline Disneyland on MiceAge:

The latest map covers, promoting the Summer of Hidden Mysteries & Toy Story Midway Mania

The latest attractions at the Resort are promoted in the inside flap

Adventure Roadmaps are given to guests at the parking lot toll booths, as part of the TSMM/Honda Pilot cross promotion

Really easy trivia questions to answer as you make your way around DCA, & then send it in for the sweepstakes

Toy Story Midway Mania now being promoted at the Mickey & Friends Tram Station

As mentioned yesterday, the Green Army Men are in the Esplanade letting guests know that Toy Story Midway Mania is in fact in DCA, & not Disneyland

Guests can climb into this Honda Pilot & check it out, much like with the post-show at Test Track in Epcot… “DCA or Bust!”

Toy Story **cough Midway cough*** Mania ad in the Esplanade

This toy Spring Action Shooters, that a certain Staff Member of DLNT badly wants, are now available in the Midway Mercantile

Even though the Innoventions Dream Home is now proclaimed open, regular guests can not enter it. I presume all guests must still enter through the exit of Innoventions. Be sure to check out this Dateline Disneyland update (linked at the beginning of this post) for many “up above” pictures!

The Tomorrowland/Fantasyland smoking area has finally been moved from by the Tomorrowland Train Station…

… It’s now the back half of Fantasia Gardens

Work is finally going on at the old Seasons of the Vine theater

From the OC Register:

The Walt Disney Co. will begin out-sourcing the manufacturing of Audio Animatronics because of too much demand on staff time, according to an Imagineering memo sent to the Orange County Register and Disney Imagingeering Spokeswoman Marilyn Waters.

Audio-Animatronics figures are basically moving and talking (or singing) robotic figures that were started by Walt Disney’s company. Today, Audio-Animatronics can be seen in several Disneyland attractions, which include: “it’s a small world,” Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! and the upcoming Toy Story Mania!.

The memo is dated June 12, 2008, and was sent to all Walt Disney Imagineering employees from Bruce Vaughn, chief creative executive, Craig Russell, chief development and delivery executive, and Kevin Eld, vice president of Disney Creative Production. The memo was sent to and received by the Orange County Register today. Imagineers is Disney’s a word for designers and engineers.

The memo states that after review manufacturing all Audio-Animatronics figures in-house is not feasible in terms of cost and staffing. Instead, Imagineering’s Manufacturing and Prototype Operations group based in North Hollywood will “build some select, highly complex” figures in-house.

Waters confirmed that the manufacturing of some Audio-Animatronics will be given to outside vendors. She said that over the past years Walt Disney Imagineering has begun to work with outside vendors on the talking and moving figures.

In one example, Waters said Disney employees worked with Chinese vendors to make some of the figures for the “It’s a Small World” attraction at the Hong Kong Disneyland.

“Our industry has generated quite a few heavily-skilled and proficient vendors who can supplement our teams with simple figures with significant oversight by our production team,” Waters said. “This will allow us to focus on creating more sophisticated and advanced figures.”

While Waters said Imagineering’s next step is to focus on the next-generation of Audio-Animatronics, an anniversary is coming for the oldest figures. June 22 is the 45th anniversary of the Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland’s Adventureland.

The Tiki Room includes 225 performers, including birds, flowers and tiki poles that spring to life. The attraction opened in 1963 and was the first attraction to function completely via the wonders of Audio-Animatronics technology.

Just an hour ago, the Summer Issue of the Disneyland AP Newsletter, Backstage Pass, arrived in my mailbox. Here are pictures showing what is in this edition. For bigger versions of the pictures, check out the DLR Image Gallery later today.

Mickey’s Pin Odyssey is to be this summer’s pin event at the Disneyland Resort:

This Summer, let Mickey’s Pin Odyssey be your passport to adventure. With map in hand Mickey and his friends will share in the fun as they explore, discover and experience the Disneyland® Resort, “where adventure comes to life.” Taking place June 20 through August 10, this special promotion will feature a specially designed lanyard starter set, open and limited edition pins and accessories. In addition, as part of the celebration there will be special Pin Trading Board Carts - one in Disneyland® park, one in Disney’s California Adventure® park and one in Downtown Disney® District that will allow you to add to your own Disney pin trading collection.

I’ve added an extensive guide to the event on the WDWNT Community Forums. Be sure to check it out for all of the pins being released as part of Mickey’s Pin Odyssey. The post will be updated with the more releases as they are announced.

According to Monday in the Parks:

Disneyland has designed a special summer Southern Californian (and Baja California, Mexico) offer to be available if purchased in advance at selected locations, basically Southern California Grocery Stores. (Vons, Ralphs, Albertsons, Stater Bros., and Gelson’s). Based on prior promotions, this offer will also be available at other locations and Disneyland.com.

Some key points.

These tickets go on sale June 16th, and not valid until that date.

The first day of use must be between June 16th and August 30th, 2008. The Summer Fun Pass is Blocked out July 4th (cannot use any of your three days on the 4th).

You then have 45 days to use the other two days. These tickets are ParkHoppers, so you can visit both parks on the same day.

The tickets are cleared marked that each person that uses a “Summer Fun Pass” must have proof of living in the Southern California/Baja California area. (Southern California residents within ZIP codes 90000-93599 and Northern Baja California residents within ZIP codes 21000-22999.)

This is one of the better Summer Discounts that Disney has offered to Southern Californians in a while. It is a 3 day ParkHopper with a longer window (45 days instead of the normal 13 days after first use) and you can apply the Summer Fun Pass to any Annual Pass (of course, the Annual Pass will be backdated to the first day of use of the Summer Fun Pass). But since the Southern California and Southern California Select Annual Passes are blocked out most of the summer. Somebody could buy the Summer Fun Pass, get three visits during the summer period, and then upgrade to a Southern California AP for the rest of the year.

Just wanted to point everyone over to SparkyLD’s Flickr page. On there he has tons more pictures & a video from his trip to the Disneyland Resort. Enjoy!

Let’s take a look at some various things going on through-out the Disneyland Resort from the latest Disneyland Resort Update on DisneyGeek:

A new banner up at the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure

One of the counters & some seating at the Bengal Barbecue are behind walls

Apparently this is new wood for the Pacific Wharf Bridge

One of the shop windows in Downtown Disney now displays Disney’s Fairytale Weddings

It’s Tough to be a Bug is closed until May 23rd

And Corn Dog Castle is closed until May 22nd

Finally, it seems the Carnation Cafe restrooms are getting some work done