Amusement Parks Southern California

Aggressively promoting a Christmas theme, Disneyland is selling $49 passes good for unlimited admissions after 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, from Monday through Dec. 24. Passes for children cost $39 each, and there's a $12 parking pass. The passes are on sale at park ticket booths, Disneyland said Wednesday. The park breaks out its Christmas finery Sunday, a month earlier than in previous years.

Back in the coonskin-cap days when Davy Crockett ruled the airwaves, families by the station-wagonload traveled to Southern California for a day of clean-cut fun at Disneyland. The modern American family, richer and busier than ever, has a different idea of a vacation. What they want now: convenience, multiple diversions and a bit of adventure, escapism and coddling--all packed into a few intense days.

A full-priced visit to the Magic Kingdom will set you back an additional $2 beginning today: An adult Disneyland ticket was raised to $41 and the price for children 3-11 went to $31. It is the park's eighth annual increase despite three years of declining attendance. Visits to Disneyland fell by 5% last year, to 13.4 million, according to estimates by Amusement Business, a trade publication. Attendance peaked at 15 million in 1996.

A shady river flows through the center of Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, wending past the new water park's dozen or so attractions. To one side, crumbled icons surround a ceremonial wave pool. To the other, a giant pirate skull spouts plumes of water. But all the kids want speed. They find it in a far corner, where three slides descend sharply from the decrepit-looking Taboo Tower. Screams ring through the sunny afternoon as tiny bodies plummet down 300-foot chutes.

Michelle Jenkins, Orange County's assistant to the chief of protocol, went to the aid of 10 students from Northern Ireland who dreamed of visiting Disneyland during their recent trip to California. The teenagers raised the money needed to make the trip, and Jenkins was able to convince Disneyland as well as Knott's Berry Farm, the San Diego Zoo, Sea World and other tourist attractions to donate free tickets for the children.

After a slow start, the summer tourist season in Southern California is winding up with a bang. Business at area hotels, theme parks and other tourist attractions picked up in July and has remained healthier than anticipated. MCA Inc.'s Universal Studios Hollywood set an attendance record for July and is on the way to another record for August. So far this year, the movie-theme park said it has had 4.8 million visitors, up slightly from 4.5 million in the same period in 1992.

A worldwide theme park slump struck Southern California hard in 1998, with attendance off as much as 9% because of El Nino, the Asian financial crisis, heavy construction in Anaheim and changing demographics. Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park was the only Southland amusement park that did not post a decline this year. With help from two new thrill rides, its attendance was flat at 3.

I know a thing or two about what's going on around Southern California. In fact, I generally know what's going on, when and where--whether I want to or not. I know Arcadia from Alhambra from Altadena. I know LACMA is closed on Wednesday; that on Thursdays and Fridays, the Getty requires reservations only until 4 p.m.; and that Fridays are better than Saturdays for public rush tickets. This isn't a boast. This is a job hazard of working in Calendar Weekend.

Amid high hopes of recapturing the magic of the world's most famous family playground--and despite darkening economic skies--Walt Disney Co. officially opened its long-awaited second park in Anaheim on Thursday beneath signature fireworks but with unimpressive crowds. Brisk, sunny weather made for a postcard backdrop as the first guests and VIPs rushed through the polished gates into Disney's California Adventure.

Hoping to lure more families, Knott's Berry Farm is planning to cut the admission price for children by more than 40% later this month. The theme park will reduce the ticket price for children ages 3 to 11 from $17 to $9.95. Children under 3 will continue to be admitted free. In effect, the park is rolling back children's admission to 1985 levels. Knott's officials said the change is not a brief promotion but a long-term pricing commitment.