Disney News

Construction crews and Imagineers are working hard to meet the May 31st, 2012 opening date for “Finding Nemo” wing of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Take a behind the scenes look at the current progress.

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Located near Disney’s Pop Century Resort, the new resort will offer 1,120 family suites (including a bedroom and living room) themed after “The Lion King,” “Cars” and “Finding Nemo” animated films.  The design of the family suites comfortably accommodate up to six guests.  Each suite includes two separate bathrooms, a master bedroom, and three separate sleeping areas within the living space.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will also host 864 standard guest rooms inspired by “The Little Mermaid.” The current opening timetable for the other phases of the resort is the “Cars” wing in late July, and “The Lion King” wing in late September. The final wing, themed after “The Little Mermaid,” is scheduled to debut in December 2012.

*Some Images are Walt Disney Imagineering Concept Art, actual construction may vary

This offer is no longer valid. Please click here to view all current Disneyland® Resort specials.

Now is your chance to save up to 35%* while staying at one of the Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort – just steps from the magic!

Offer Details:

At Disney’s Paradise Pier® Hotel:

• Save 35%* on most stays Sunday through Thursday.
• Save 30%* on most stays Friday through Saturday.

At the Disneyland® Hotel or Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa:

• Save 25%* on most stays Sunday through Thursday.
• Save 20%* on most stays Friday through Saturday.

Booking & Travel Windows:

This offer is available to book  now – Feb. 29, 2012, for arrivals most nights Jan. 2 – Feb. 29, 2012. Travel on this offer must be completed by March 1, 2012.

*35% savings on Sunday through Thursday night stays based on the non-discounted price for the same room at Disney’s Paradise Pier® Hotel; 25% savings Sunday-Thursday at the Disneyland® Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa. Offer valid for arrivals most nights from Jan. 2, 2012 through Feb. 29, 2012 when booked between Nov. 1, 2011 and Feb. 29, 2012. Travel must be completed by Mar. 1, 2012. Applies only to standard and concierge level rooms and not valid with previously booked rooms. Excludes taxes and fees. Advance reservations required. Subject to availability as the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation and five (5) people maximum per room. Not valid in combination with any other hotel discounts or offers. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

This offer is no longer valid. Please click here to view all current Disneyland® Resort specials.

Now is the perfect time to check out all the renovations at the Disneyland® Hotel! Inside, check out the new decor and furniture including the Sleeping Beauty Castle light-up headboards. Outside, have fun in the Monorail Pool, D-Ticket Pool, and E-Ticket themed pool. Select rooms are also available at  the other Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort – Disney’s Paradise Pier® Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa.

Offer Details:

Save up to $500* when you purchase a 4-day, 4-night vacation package that includes a 4-Day Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket and a 4-night stay at one of the Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort.

Booking & Travel Window:

Book this offer Now – Feb. 26, 2012, for arrivals most nights Jan. 2 – Feb. 26, 2012. Travel on this offer must be completed by March 1, 2012.

*Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same Walt Disney Travel Co. package of a standard room for four (4) nights for a family of four (3 adults and 1 child (age 3-9) at a Disneyland® Resort hotel with 4-Day Disneyland® ResortPark Hopper® souvenir tickets for each person. Offer is valid for most nights with arrivals from 1/2/12 through 2/26/12 when booked from 11/1/11 through 2/26/12 with travel being completed by 3/1/12. Offer applied once per package/reservation; not valid for suites or for previously booked rooms. Check for offers associated with different package lengths of stays. Excludes applicable taxes and fees. The Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Tickets expire 13 days after first use or 6/10/12, whichever occurs first, and each day of use of a ticket constitutes one full day of use. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial purposes. Subject to availability as the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited; advance reservations required. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation and five (5) people per room. Not valid with any other discount or promotion. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

by Magic Maker® Jennifer Lennox

In September, our family had the opportunity to save the World.  World Showcase, that is! This was our first experience with Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot®, and we had been looking forward to it for weeks.  We were excited to be traveling with two other families, and since all ages are invited to fight evil, our whole group answered the call.  We had five little girls, ages 3,4,5,7 and 9.  This activity played right into my nine-year-old daughter’s plans to be a spy when she is grown up!  It was a lot more productive than hiding behind the sofa at home, hoping to hear classified information in her parents’ conversations.

To begin the adventure, we located a kiosk and were given a ticket with a return time, much like a FASTPASS®.  The recruitment center was located near the bridge connecting World Showcase and Future World and there is one in each of the Innoventions buildings.  A Cast Member would be happy to direct you.  If this is a must-do with your family, I suggest picking up your ticket as soon as possible.  It is not related to your other FASTPASS® tickets so it will not disrupt your planning for other attractions.  The first mission each day begins at 11:00, but you can start at any point after your posted assignment time.

When it was time to embark on our adventure, we approached a kiosk located in the Norway Pavilion, near the Mexico Pavilion.  There are two others throughout the World Showcase, one in the Italy Pavilion and another in the United Kingdom Pavilion.  We were given a choice of starting points, and because there were so many in our party, we received more than one “Kimmunicator”.  The Kimmunicator, works much like a cell phone.  The tiniest in our group would have been satisfied with just that!  We were given visual cues as well as verbal instructions.  When we arrived at our destinations, we were treated to surprises and rewarded with hidden displays.   To be controlling happenings within a Walt Disney World® Theme Park?  What power we had!  With cutting edge technology and characteristic imagination, this project was a hit!

There are missions to be completed in seven of the World Showcase Pavilions.  Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Japan, France and United Kingdom are each in need of help, but you can choose to complete one mission, or make a day of it and save them all!  If your dining reservations or another attraction is calling you, you can take a break, and return to your mission at a later time.  In fact, you can stop and re-start as you like!  There are several different missions in each country, so you may find yourself returning to a previously visited pavilion to discover new surprises!  When you are finished, you return your Kimmunicator to one of the kiosks as you pass or drop it in a secret location at the end of one of the missions.

I don’t want to spoil the fun, so I am keeping the secret discoveries to myself.  This attraction would be appreciated by those who have explored the World Showcase in the past, and are interested in discovering new hidden delights there.  If you are new to the World Showcase, you might find it more challenging, but it is a fun way to see more of what Epcot® has to offer.

 Are you up for the challenge?

This offer is no longer valid. Please click here to view all current Walt Disney World® Resort specials.

Disney is celebrating Leap Year by making the most of One More Disney Day! Not only will you have extra time in select Disney Parks, but you can also take advantage of special savings.

One More Disney Day and Night of Disney Magic Free!

Offer Details:

For arrivals most nights Feb. 26 – Mar. 10, 2012:

When purchasing a 3-night / 3-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Co. room and ticket package at select Walt Disney World® Resort or Disneyland® Resort hotels, receive one more day and night for FREE^*

Booking Window:

Now – Jan. 31, 2012