Weeknight ‘Family’ Promotion at Disneyland Concerns Parents

Disneyland rolled out a new discount promotion this week that offers passes to parents and children, letting them into the theme park “again and again” through the end of June--but only on school nights.

The promotion raised the hackles of some parents and educators who fear the reusable pass would interfere with children’s homework and their needed sleep, especially during the current statewide testing at schools.

For $45, an adult and a child get a pass letting them into the Anaheim amusement park from 4 p.m. until closing time, typically 9 p.m., Sundays through Thursdays. The pass is good through June 29, but isn’t valid on busy Friday and Saturday nights. A parking pass only for school nights costs an additional $12.

A flier distributed to park patrons encourages users of the evening pass to stay to enjoy the nightly fireworks show, calling it “the biggest fireworks spectacular in Disneyland history.” The show begins at 8:30 p.m.

The offer comes just as many schools are giving students the standardized Stanford 9 exams. The scores are the sole component in ranking schools.

“What a terrible idea,” said Janeal Crawford, a Garden Grove substitute teacher who lives less than a mile from Disneyland and has twin 5-year-olds and a 7-year-old. “There’s no way I would keep them up that late. I try to get them in bed by 8 every night.”

Crawford said the Disney program reminds her of the Knott’s Berry Farm Cinco de Mayo promotion last year that had a 5-cent admission price. That promotion caused a near-riot, forcing the park to close for the day and requiring 200 riot-equipped officers to control the melee.

Kim Nichols of Orange doubted that the five-hour window is long enough to make a trip to the amusement park worthwhile. Regardless, she says her children, ages 5, 10 and 12, are too busy after school--and they go to bed by 8:30 p.m. “But we wouldn’t go even if we were at home and had the time. It’s unrealistic to think I’d take them to Disneyland on school nights,” she said.

Orange Unified School District spokeswoman Judith Frutig was surprised at the promotion.

“It’s kind of ironic that the Disney people characterize themselves as education-oriented, but they have a promotion that says, ‘Don’t worry about studying, kids, come on out to the park,’ ” Frutig said.

Disneyland spokesman Ray Gomez said most pass holders “don’t come back night after night.” He said the discount was intended to allow local residents to come and enjoy the 45th anniversary parade and fireworks.

“Most students are out of school by 4, and the park stays open until 9,” Gomez said. He declined further comment.

Disneyland prices children’s admission for those 3 through 9 years old. The latest discount offer, however, is available for children of any age. Regular admission is $41 for adults and $31 for children.

Some educators defended the park, saying decisions on whether to go should be left to the parents. Bill Habermehl, associate superintendent of the Orange County Department of Education, saw the promotion as a chance for parent-child bonding.

“Quality time with a child is hard to find for a lot of parents, especially working parents,” Habermehl said. “And if that $45 provides quality time with a child, that’s worth the time and worth the money.

“Families would probably never use [the pass] more than once or twice, so it wouldn’t cut into homework too significantly.”

Each school system decides when to give the Stanford 9 tests to its students before a cut-off date two weeks from now, said Doug Smith, a spokesman for California public schools Supt. Delaine Easton.

“Off the cuff, I would say they’re probably unaware this is a testing window,” Smith said.

The Anaheim park has been a big supporter of education. Last week, it hosted 3,000 educators at an event honoring recipients of the California distinguished schools recognition program.

Smith said the decision whether to buy the new pass is “obviously an individual choice for parents.”

The promotion is part of a common pattern of sending mixed messages to children--such as telling them nutrition is important but having them sell candy for school fund-raisers, said Bruce Matsui of Claremont Graduate University’s School of Education.

“We say sleep is important but we have society in general trying to make money through television programs and things like this Disneyland promotion that are aimed at children and keep them up at night,” Matsui said.

There is abundant scientific evidence, he said, that lack of sleep affects children’s school performance. Children also could become overly excited by a night at Disneyland, making it likely their sleep would be disrupted when they returned home, he said.

Randy Wiethorn, principal of Anaheim’s Palm Lane Elementary School, about a mile from the theme park, agreed that the promotion is “a nice gesture on Disney’s part,” but worried about problems that could crop up. “We definitely don’t like to see things that encourage our students to be out on school nights,” he said. “School nights are usually sort of sacred.”

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Times staff writer Ann L. Kim contributed to this story.