Off to Neverland Travel

Last Wednesday, fantasy became reality when the all-new Princess Fairytale Hall opened inside Magic Kingdom® Park. This new location will serve as the place for loyal subjects to visit Cinderella, Rapunzel and some of their visiting princess friends.

After walking through the castle-like entrance, you will be immersed in the world of Disney nobility. This new meet and greet area has taken the experience of visting your favorite Disney Princess to a whole new level! There are so many details packed into this location – from the royal gallery to the chambers that you meet the princesses in.

Enjoy our photo tour of the new Princess Fairytale Hall.

If you ask anyone who has attended a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party about their experience, it’s very likely that they will tell you about the Headless Horseman. Each night, the Headless Horseman takes to the streets of Magic Kingdom® Park to kick off Mickey’s Boo-To-You Parade. 

Enjoy this cute commercial showcasing two of our favorite things about Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – the Headless Horseman and the abundance of candy!

 There’s still time for you to join in on the fun! Remaining 2013 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates include:

• Sep. 17, 20, 24, 27, 29
• Oct. 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
• Nov. 1

The party runs from 7p – midnight. Ticket prices start at $54+tax for kids 3-9 and at $59+tax for ages 10 and up with ticket prices varying by party date and the date of purchase (tickets cost more if you purchase them the same day as the party).  Contact your Magic Maker® for more information on pricing for your requested party date.

For safety, costumes must not be obstructive or offensive.  This is a special event which requires a separately priced event Theme Park ticket.  Pricing subject to change without notice and availability.

Sorry, this offer has expired. Click here to see current offers for the Walt Disney World® Resort.

There’s so much to see and do this upcoming holiday at the Walt Disney World® Resort! From partying with your favorite Disney Characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to enjoying the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, the seasonal fun is endless! And now, you can picture yourself with spectacular savings!

Save up to 30% on rooms at select Walt Disney World® hotels for stays most nights 11/10 – 11/22 and 11/30 – 12/23, 2013.

Booking Dates:

Book now – 11/3/13 for stays most nights  11/10 – 11/22 and 11/30 – 12/23/13

Availability is limited, so contact your Magic Maker® today for a free, no-obligation quote!

The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room. Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required. Offer excludes campsites, 3-Bedroom Villas, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms), and The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. 30% savings for select Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts; lower savings for other Resorts.

We had a great time last night at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® for their “Unleash the Villains” Limited Time Magic event. When the event was advertised, it was described as something that “you won’t want to miss – and won’t soon forget… even if you try!” In true “Disney-fashion,” they lived up to their words!

The event, held from 8pm – 1am (the 13th hour) on Friday the 13th, was hosted by Hades at his Hangout. During the 5-hour event, DJ Igg Nite and the house band, Bernie Briquette & Brimstone, kept the guests entertained with popular music mixed in with a few tunes fitting for the evening. After the opening show, Hades and his co-host Meg sent his invited “13 baddies” over to the Echo Lake area for a meet and greet opportunity. Those Villains in attendance included: The Queen, Sheriff of Nottingham, Jafar, Capt. Hook, the Big Bad Wolf, Cruella, Governor Ratcliffe, Oogie Boogie, Shan Yu, Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, Frollo, and the Bowler Hat Guy. Throughout the evening, Hades and Meg would take the stage with some of the Villains for fun little skits. At 11pm the fun took to the skies over Disney’s Hollywood Studios® as Hades’ presented an exclusive fireworks show called Villainy in the Sky which was amazing!

As expected, the Limited Time Magic event was well received and was worth the wait. In addition to the on-stage entertainment, merchandise as well as food & beverage opportunities were available.

Enjoy our photos from the event:

What may be the most anticipated event in Disney Parks’ “Limited Time Magic” campaign takes place tomorrow, Friday the 13th. Click here for our previous post on details of the event.

You may be wondering what is in store when Hades and 13 Disney baddies take over operations of Disney’s Hollywood Studios®? Take a look at the schedule of events:

• Theme Park Hours: 9a-1a
• Hades’ Hangout Dance Party (at Sorcerer Hat): 8p-1a
• Villain Encounters Meet & Greets (around Echo Lake): 8:30p-10:30p & 11:30p-12:30a
• Villainy in the Sky Fireworks Spectacular (behind Sorcerer Hat): 11:00p

Those are the events announced to happen, but don’t be surprised if the Disney Villains have a surprise or two up their sleeves!

Because of the special fireworks show, select locations will have different operational hours on Friday. Those locations include:

• The Great Movie Ride® – closed 9:30p-11:30p
• Toy Story Midway Mania!® – closed 9:30p-11:30p
• Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream – closed 9:30p-11:30p

Special merchandise and food & beverage opportunities will be available as well at select locations. Fantasmic! will perform its regular show at 8:30p and 10p

We hope you have a spine-tingling time!

Tomorrow evening, happy haunts will once again take over the Magic Kingdom® Park as the first of 23 “spook-tacular” Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties takes place.

Here’s a look at this year’s entertainment schedule:

• 7:45p – Disney Villains’ Dance Mix and Mingle (Cinderella Castle stage)
• 8:15p – Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade (begins in Frontierland®)
  with preparade performance by Phineas and Ferb & the Creepa Crew on Main Street, U.S.A.®
• 8:50p – Disney Villains’ Dance Mix and Mingle (Cinderella Castle stage)
• 9:15p – Celebrate the Magic
• 9:30p – Happy HalloWishes fireworks spectacular
• 10:05p – Disney Villains’ Dance Mix and Mingle (Cinderella Castle stage)
• 10:30p – Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade (begins in Frontierland®)
  with preparade performance by Phineas and Ferb & the Creepa Crew on Main Street, U.S.A.®
• 11:15p – Disney Villains’ Dance Mix and Mingle (Cinderella Castle stage)
• Intermittently – Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball character dance party (Rockettower Plaza Stage – Tomorrowland®)
• Intermittently – Woody’s Happy Harvest Roundup character dance party (Diamond Horseshoe – Liberty Square)
• Intermittently – Disney Character Appearances throughout Magic Kingdom® Park

All times and offerings subject to change

Click the image below to view the complete party guide for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

An opening date for the Princess Fairytale Hall, the next component of the New Fantasyland™ Expansion, has been set. This brand new Disney Princess greeting location will officially open Sep. 18, 2013!

Featuring stone walls and beautiful stained glass windows, the regal Princess Fairytale Hall will function closely to how Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus currently operates. Guest will choose between two paths – one leading to Cinderella and a visiting Princess or Rapunzel and one of her Princess friends.  While the visiting Princesses vary, a sign will be displayed at the entrance announcing who you can expect to see at that time.

Princess Fairytale Hall will participate in both Disney’s FASTPASS®  and FASTPASS+ services allowing you to preselect one of the two hosting princesses to see in advance and return later at a designated time. For Disney’s FASTPASS® Service, machines will be located near the Peter Pan’s Flight® Attraction.

Enjoy as Imagineers Pam Rawlins and Jason Grandt provide you with a sneak peek of this new attraction:

Continuing on her series, ‘A First Timer’s Guide to Walt Disney World® Resort’, Magic Maker® Brenda Wenk is back with Part Three of her series!

As you’ve discovered through Part One and Part Two, there is a lot to seeing and navigating Walt Disney World® Resort. From the magic of Walt Disney World® Resort’s four parks, to the resorts and dining that abound throughout; Walt Disney World® Resort is a total, immersive experience.  Now it’s time to introduce you to some of the unique terms that you’ll hear throughout your planning and stay!

(Audio Animatronics™) Audio Animatronics™ was developed by Walt Disney himself with the help of the Imagineers.  They took animals and people and gave them lifelike sound and movement.  The first example of this technique can be seen in The Tiki Room, Under New Management®, in Magic Kingdom® Park.   Examples of this technology can be seen in Pirates of the Caribbean® Attraction and Hall of Presidents’ in Magic Kingdom® Park; The American Adventure in Epcot®; The Great Movie Ride® Attraction in Disney’s Hollywood Studios®; and Expedition Everest® Attraction’s yeti in Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park.

(Character Meet and Greets) Character Meet and Greets take place in each of the four theme parks.  These provide the opportunity to get autographs and photos with your favorite characters.  Some characters can only be seen in certain parks.  For example, if you want to meet Sofia the First or Little Einsteins, head to Disney’s Hollywood Studios®!  A Times Guide is available at the entrance to each park – pick one up as you enter each park.  You will then be able to check the times and characters that you can interact with that day!

(E Ticket) E Ticket is not an electronic ticket but a term that refers to the top attractions and rides.  When Walt Disney World® Resort opened in 1971, guests purchased a booklet of tickets coded A through E.   A tickets were less popular like Cinderella’s Golden Carousel and Main Street Vehicles; E tickets were the most popular and included Country Bear Jamboree Show, Haunted Mansion® Attraction, Jungle Cruise® Attraction, and It’s A Small World® Attraction.  You will still hear certain experiences referred to as an E Ticket ride.

(Disney Dining Plans) Disney Dining Plans are available with a wide range of choices – from Quick Service Dining that includes two counter service meals daily to Platinum Dining that provides three full service meals per day.  Purchasing a Disney Dining Plan is optional.  You may be fortunate to have scheduled your vacation during one of the free dining promotions.  The quality of food and the number of table service restaurants has increased over the years but the demand for reservations has also increased.   This has resulted in the need to make reservations for the signature dining experiences, character dining and more popular full service restaurants.  Your Magic Maker® will alert you as to when it is 180 days from your arrival date.  That date is very important if you want dining reservations because that is the day your reservations can be made.   Those of us at Off to Neverland® can go over each available plan with you.  If you do not purchase a dining plan, you may still buy a refillable mug at your resort to use during your stay for unlimited beverages.

(Disney’s FASTPASS®) Disney’s FASTPASS® allows guests to avoid waiting in line for the most popular rides and attractions.  Each guest’s ticket is inserted into a FASTPASS® machine near the ride.  A paper ticket will be printed with a one hour return window.  When you come back to the ride, enter the designated line without the wait you would have in the standby line!  Fastpass+ is replacing this paper ticket system and is being tested as part of the new MyMagic+ experience.  Guests will no longer have to trek from ride to ride in order to collect the desired FASTPASS® – your Magic Maker ® will preselect three FASTPASS®’s per day for each guest in your party.  Your Magic Maker® will let you know if your group has been selected to participate in this.

(Disney’s Magical Express) Disney’s Magical Express is a free bus service from the Orlando International Airport to Walt Disney World® Resort.  Provide us with your airline information and we will get you scheduled.  You will have the option of attaching tags to your luggage allowing you to bypass baggage claim and have your luggage delivered to your resort.  Take the shuttle directly to your resort, check in, pick a park to visit and let the magic begin!  You will receive vouchers for your return to the airport the day before your departure.

(PhotoPass®) PhotoPass® gives everyone in your group the opportunity to be in each photo!  Disney photographers are stationed at the most desirable photo spots, character dining, and character meet and greets.   You will be given a PhotoPass® card by the first photographer you encounter.  Present it as each photo is taken so that all your photos are linked.   You may preview your photos at various locations in the parks and resorts and online once you are home.  PhotoPass+®+ must be purchased before you leave home.  By prepaying, you get a cd of all photos taken during your trip at a reduced price.  Ride photos and character dining photos are included in the price of PhotoPass+®.

As you can see, Walt Disney World® Resort has some phrases that are all it’s own! If you need help with any of these topics, or anything else, your Magic Maker® will go over any and all questions!   By contacting us, all you have to do is pack and we’ll handle all the details!

The newest Starbucks® location at the Walt Disney World® Resort held its official opening this morning.

Fountain View, a long-time favorite location inside Future World that most recently served Edy’s ice cream, now offers guests of the park a wide selection of famous Starbucks® products. Some of those offerings include iced and regular coffees and teas, frappuccino, espresso, smoothies, and refreshers – most of which are only (1) snack entitlement for guests on one of the Disney Dining Plans.  And to eat, a selection of Artisan breakfast sandwiches and various sweet treats are available.

This opening follows in the footsteps of the reopening of Main Street Bakery at Magic Kingdom® Park as the first Starbucks® location at the Walt Disney World® Resort earlier this summer. Additional themed locations are planned for Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, and Downtown Disney® but locations and dates have not been announced.