Pass Holders View Parade Extension Dimly

Disneyland has enough to worry about pulling the plug on its Main Street Electrical Parade.

The 24-year-old legend was supposed to “glow away” next Tuesday. But visitor complaints about overcrowding--not to mention Disneyland’s desire to squeeze every last buck out of those lightbulbs--prompted park officials to approve an extended run Nov. 1 through 25.

That reprieve may please the Anaheim fire marshal as well as Disneyland’s accountants. But it has angered annual pass holders, who have shelled out $25 a piece for what they thought would be the parade’s last hurrah Oct. 17. (Saturn Corp. will get to view the parade at a private party Oct. 18, but that’s a smallish affair that didn’t diminish the prestige of the big pass-holder event.)

The private party for annual pass holders will go on as scheduled, and will include some unique entertainment and a special commemorative passport that Disneyland promoted as a potential collector’s item.

But annual pass holders such as Lori Matsunaga of Garden Grove say it won’t mean much now that Disneyland has added 25 additional performances. “The pass holders’ event was supposed to be the final farewell,” Matsunaga said. “That’s why we paid an extra $25 to see it.”

Disneyland’s Pressler says the park will try to make it up to pass holders by offering them a special gift when they arrive Oct. 17.