Disney News

Anticipation is rising as the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction at Magic Kingdom® Park nears completion! The last phase in the New Fantasyland® expansion, this family coaster will utilize a first-of-its-kind system to take you on a race through the glittering diamond mines.

Similar to other Walt Disney World® attractions like Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid and Haunted Mansion®, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will feature an interactive queue to keep you busy while you wait! Doc has prepared some special mining stations along the way in which you can help the Dwarfs sort and wash the jewels.

While an official opening date has yet to be announced, Walt Disney Imagineering has provided this video showing the amazing Audio‐Animatronics® figures you will see during your adventure!

Contact your Magic Maker® today to start planning your next Walt Disney World® Vacation. Be sure to ask about current offers and promotions!

With Easter just a few days away, you’re running out of time to get your eggs decorated!

Over the past several weeks, some talented Cast Members at Disneyland® Park have been hard at work creating some pretty amazing Disney-themed Easter eggs during Springtime Roundup at Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree. Watch this video to see some of their egg-cellent designs and maybe get some tips and ideas for your own eggs-traordinary works of art!

A stay at the Disneyland® Resort just isn’t complete without a stop at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar!

Located near the pool area of the Disneyland® Hotel, this bewitching tiki bar named after Trader Sam (Disney’s Jungle Cruise “Head” Salesman) serves a list of unique signature cocktails and creative appetizers.

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar features two totally different atmospheres for you to enjoy. Outside, take a seat on the patio and enjoy the beautiful Southern California weather and the sounds of live Hawaiian music on select nights. Inside, things are a little more adventurous as you are surrounded by classic Disney storytelling – memorabilia from Trader Sam’s worldly travels and some surreal interactive special effects.

Some of Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar signature cocktails include:

• Uh Oa! – Light and Dark Rums, Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple, Grapefruit Juices, Falernum, Cinnamon, and fresh Lime Juice
• Krakatoa Punch – Reserve and Spiced Rums, Orgeat (Almond) Syrup, Sam’s Gorilla Grog and Hibiscus Grenadine
• HippopotoMai-Tai  – Light and Dark Rums, Orange Curaçao, Orgeat (Almond) Syrup, Organic Agave Nectar and fresh Lime Juice
• Shrunken Zombie Head – Reserve and Aged Rums, Tropical Juices, Falernum and Cinnamon
• Murky Mojito – Rum, fresh Lime Juice, Mint and Organic Agave Nectar topped with Angostura Bitters
• Mosquito Mojito – Strawberry Rum, Organic Agave Nectar, Falernum, Mint and fresh Lime Juice topped with Soda Water
• Piranha Pool – Strawberry Vodka blended with Pineapple Juice, Cream of Coconut, Strawberry Purée and Blue Curaçao
• Passionate Python – Dark and Aged Rums, Red Passion Fruit and Tropical Juices garnished with an Orange Peel “Python”
• Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum – Reserve Rum, Cream of Coconut and Pineapple and Orange Juices dusted with Cinnamon and Nutmeg
• Lost Safari – Dark and Spiced Rums, Tropical Juices, Falernum and Sam’s Gorilla Grog
• Shipwreck on the Rocks – Bourbon with freshly Muddled Lemon and Mint with Organic Agave Nectar

Take a peek inside the doors of this wondrous watering hole:

On April 22nd, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park will be celebrating Earth Day in grand style with their Party for the Planet.

Coinciding with the release of “Bears” by Disneynature (actually releasing on April 18th), guests will learn about very special wildlife, the brown bears of Alaska. In addition, at Party for the Planet, guests will be able to explore ways to connect with and conserve wildlife and nature; including how to make their own backyards more wildlife-friendly.

The main entrance of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park will feature various wildlife-friendly backyard habitats, as well as a commemorative Party for the Planet postcard.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch® Land will play home to many of the Party with the Planet festivities including face painters and caricature artists who will feature bear themed and other animal designs. In addition, families will be able to play a supermarket game together and learn about the impacts that their purchases have on wildlife and nature. Cast members who work on conservation projects around the world will be available to talk too!

Epcot® will have its own Earth Day celebration at The Seas with Nemo & Friends® Attraction where families can learn more about many of the sea life conservation projects that exist and children can test excluder devices that protect sea turtles. In Innoventions, a groundbreaking green show home exhibit will teach families about sustainable living and the supermarket game will be in place to share the impact of our purchases.

Walt Disney World® Resort is a firm believer of connecting families with nature, and their Earth Day celebrations are just the beginning! Here are a few other planned upcoming activities:

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park:

May 6: International Migratory Bird Day
May 20: World Turtle Day
June 10: Pollinator Day
July 29: Big Cat Day
August 5: Primate Day
September 23: Elephant and Rhino Day

At The Seas with Nemo & Friends® Attraction at Epcot®:

May 20: World Turtle Day
June 4: World Ocean Day

Your Magic Maker® is available to help answer any questions you may have about these upcoming events and more, and help you get on your way to a magical vacation experience!

Summer Break is the perfect opportunity for Florida Residents to get away and enjoy the Vacation Kingdom in your own backyard! From fun in the sun at Disney’s Water Parks to the unexplored adventures awaiting in New Fantasyland® at Magic Kingdom® Park, you’re sure to discover something the entire family will enjoy!

For a limited time, Florida Residents can take advantage of a special offer just for you by saving on a minimum 2-night/2-day Magic Your Way® package at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels. And as an extra bonus, you’ll receive a FREE Memory Maker.

Travel Window:

Available most nights Jun. 3 – Aug. 2, 2014

Booking Window:

Book now through Aug. 2, 2014

Contact your Magic Maker® today to start booking your mini getaway!

Easter is less than 2 weeks away, but things are already hoppin’ at Disneyland® Park!

Mr. Easter Bunny and some of his favorite Disney rabbits are currently greeting guests during Springtime Roundup at Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree. Taking place daily through Easter (April 20th), guests can take part in ‘egg’-citing activities including:

• Meet and greets with furry Disney friends
• Performances by a live band and a group “bunny hop” several times a day
• Egg art demonstrations
• Crafts
• Seasonal treats

Check out the video below of some of the furry fun waiting for you at Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree.

The holiday fun doesn’t stop there! Both Disneyland® and Disney California Adventure® Parks are having a park-wide Easter Egg hunt. From Apr. 10-20, guests will use a special egg-stravaganza map to help you find 12 Disney character themed eggs hidden throughout the park. After locating the eggs, you’ll return your map to a redemption location and receive a special prize for your participation. Maps are $4.95 + tax and can be obtained at the following locations:

• Disney California Adventure® Park – Elias & Co., Oswald’s, Radiator Springs Curios, Rushin’ River Outfitters, Studio Store and Treasures in Paradise
• Disneyland® Park – Disney Showcase, Fairy Tale Treasures, Gag Factory, Pieces of Eight and Pooh Corner

Happy Hunting!

If you ask someone who has seen Magic Kingdom® Park’s new Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade what their favorite part is, the likely response will be “the dragon!” With its Steampunk-flare, the Maleficent dragon stretches 53 feet from snout to tail and reaches 26 feet in the air! After seeing it in person, you’ll realize why it has become the highlight of the parade!

Take a look at the inspiration behind bringing the fire-breathing Maleficent to life.

While still considered in a testing phase, the Walt Disney World® Resort’s new customer initiative called MyMagic+ has reached a new milestone. Earlier this week, the program was expanded to now allow all guests, whether staying on-property at one of the Walt Disney World® Resort hotels or not, to utilize the new service. Using the latest in technology, MyMagic+ enhances guest experience inside the parks. CLICK HERE for more information on MyMagic+.

While MagicBands are complimentary for guests staying at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel, day guests can purchase them for $12.95 at many retail locations throughout the resort. For those not wanting to use a MagicBand, the features of MyMagic+ can be accessed using your RFID ticket.

Two more improvements to MyMagic+ are on the way! These two improvements address common concerns expressed to us from our clients, so we are excited to see them implemented!

• At this time, guests are limited to (3) FastPass+ selections per day. Starting Monday 4/28, guests will be able to select a rolling 4th selection at in-park kiosks. This 4th selection will only be available once your first three selections have been completed and is based on availability. After using the 4th, you can go back to a kiosk and make another selection.
• Also coming soon, guests will have the ability to use the FastPass+ service when you park hop!

MyMagic+ & FastPass+ & My Disney Experience – oh my! You may not understand how these new features work, but your Magic Maker® does! Count on our expert service to help you navigate the changes and make your next Walt Disney World® Resort Vacation one you’ll never forget!

With the busy schedule of raising a family, it’s not very often that you get to enjoy a date night! Some parents would even be hard-pressed to even say when the last time was they “went out.”

Disney Cruise Line makes it easy for you to spend time with your significant other on the open ocean! With an amazing amount of youth activities onboard, leave the pint-sized fun up to the Counselors while you focus on some “we” time!

Have we piqued your interest? Check out this video for more details:

Reservations aboard Disney Cruise Line are currently available for sailings through August 2015! Typically rates increase as the ship fills, so we suggest you book early to save! Contact your Magic Maker® today to get started!

In 2015 Disney Cruise Line is setting sail for several exciting new itineraries as well as revisiting some favorite itineraries from 2014.  New in 2015, for the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line will be exploring the Norwegian fjords, Iceland and the Faroe Islands on a magical new course for northern Europe. In addition, Disney Cruise Line will be returning to the Baltic for all-new itineraries, including sailings from Copenhagen, Denmark to St. Petersburg, Russia.

Alongside these exciting new itineraries, Disney Cruise Line will continue to set sail for Mediterranean, Alaska, Caribbean and Bahamas

Bookings for Disney Cruise Line 2015 itineraries will open to the public on March 27th, 2014; contact your Magic Maker® today to prepare to set sail for magic with your friends and family!

Norwegian Fjords

Embark on one of the new Disney Cruise Line seven and nine-night sailings departing from Copenhagen, where you will be immersed in the splendor and charm of Norway with exciting new ports, steeped in Viking history. An 11-night sailing on the Disney Magic takes guests to Iceland and the Faroe Islands for the very first time. Experience the inspiration and setting for Disney’s blockbuster film, “Frozen”, as you navigate the Norwegian fjords as you take in the breathtaking natural wonders such as magnificent mountain ranges, massive glaciers, steaming geysers and majestic fjords. See the Scandinavian culture of the region come to life through local attractions, stunning architecture, storybook villages and historic city centers.

NEW Seven-night Norwegian Fjords

Ports: Copenhagen, Denmark; Stavanger, Alesund, Geiranger and Bergen, Norway

Departure date: June 6

NEW Nine-night Norwegian Fjords

Ports: Copenhagen, Denmark; Stavanger, Alesund, Geiranger, Molde, Olden and Bergen, Norway

Departure date: June 20

NEW 11-night Norwegian Fjords and Iceland

Ports: Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Kristiansand and Stavanger Norway; Akureyri and Reykjavik (overnight), Iceland; Torshavn, Faroe Islands; Dover, England

Departure date: June 29

Northern Europe

The Disney Magic will sail the Baltic waters on northern European cruises where guests will explore richly diverse cultures and national capitals including Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark and St. Petersburg – Russia’s second largest city known as the country’s cultural capital. These itineraries depart from Copenhagen, Denmark and Dover, England – just a quick jaunt from London.

NEW Seven-night Northern European

Ports: Copenhagen, Denmark; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden

Departure dates: May 30, June 13

12-night Northern European

Ports: Dover, England; Copenhagen, Denmark; Warnemunde, Germany (July 10 cruise only); Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia; Tallinn, Estonia

Departure dates: July 10 and 22

Mediterranean

In 2015 the Disney Magic will return to the Mediterranean, treating guests to popular European destinations departing from Barcelona, Spain. These exciting Mediterranean sailings will take you on an exciting journey of cultures and locales as you sail through the mild climates and the brilliant blue Mediterranean Sea.

Five-night Mediterranean

Ports: Barcelona, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence (La Spezia) and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Departure date: Aug. 10

Seven-night Mediterranean

Ports: Barcelona, Spain; Naples, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Florence (La Spezia), Italy; Nice (Villefranche), France

Departure dates: Aug. 15, 22 and 29

Alaska

The Disney Wonder will sail seven-night cruises from Vancouver to Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska where you will experience the adventure, grandeur and wonder that is Alaska. Disney Cruise Line works closely with Alaskan tour operators to create exclusive-to-Disney family friendly Port Adventures that allow guests to experience Alaska’s natural beauty and rich history.

Seven-night Alaska:

Ports: Vancouver, Tracy Arm (scenic cruising through fjord), Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan

Departure dates: June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; July 6, 13, 20, 27; Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Caribbean and Bahamas

In 2015, Disney Cruise Line will continue to sail to the Bahamas and Caribbean from both Port Canaveral and Miami on a variety of itineraries. These cruises include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Bookings for Disney Cruise Line 2015 itineraries will open to the public on March 27th, 2014; contact your Magic Maker® today to prepare to set sail for magic with your friends and family!