Disney News

runDisney has just announced they will be expanding their lineup of popular race weekends by adding a new Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend at the Disneyland® Resort in California November 14-16, 2014!

Included in the three-day race weekend will be a 5K, half marathon, kids races, a Health & Fitness Expo and a Pasta in the Park Party. The Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend will be the third runDisney weekend to take place at the Disneyland® Resort – joining the popular Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend and the Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend.

The popularity of this new event is expected to be no different than the other seven runDisney race weekends held annually. In 2013, runDisney race weekends attracted more than 163,900 runners – a 40% increase over 2012! Because many of the runDisney events have sold out in record time in the past couple years, we suggest you be ready to sign up when registration for the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend opens on March 25th!

Contact your Magic Maker® today for additional details on the race and to check on room availability!

The Force will be with you one extra weekend this year! The Walt Disney World® Resort has announced that a fifth week of Star Wars™ Weekends will be added this year. The event now runs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from May 16 – Jun. 15, 2014!

Themed as “Join the Rebellion,” this year’s event will be hosted by James Arnold Taylor and will feature a new evening experience – a special Star Wars™ themed fireworks display high above Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Although full details are still being finalized for event, you can expect additional special activities like:

• Meet-and-Greet opportunities with many Star Wars™ characters
• Autograph sessions with Star Wars™ actors and creative talent
• Special shows and presentations
• One-of-a-kind Star Wars™ memorabilia

Star Wars™ Weekends is included with regular theme park admission. Great discounts are still available for these dates, so contact your Magic Maker® today to start planning your Star Wars™ Weekends trip to a galaxy far, far away!

You won’t believe Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina. It’s Hawai‘i – with a touch of Disney magic! Designed for families by the people who know families best, Aulani has something for everyone.

The recently completed expansion of Aulani brought a new pool, splash zone, and dining opportunities for its guests. Check out the “Whole New World” waiting for you.

Contact your Magic Maker® today for details on special pricing available at Aulani!

On March 9, 2014 , Magic Kingdom® Park will debut a brand new daytime parade, Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade. Inspired by the New Fantasyland® area of the park, the parade brings several magical stories to life right in the streets of the park.

Seven unique units comprised of nine innovative floats will take to the streets of Magic Kingdom® Park as part of this new parade. Those seven units include:

• The Princess Garden – Cinderella, Tiana, and Belle will be joined by their princes on this float celebrating Disney royalty. There will also be a special appearance by Anna and Elsa from Disney Frozen!
• Tangled – A long ship featuring Flynn Rider and Rapunzel
• Little Mermaid – A seashell music box featuring Ariel and friends
• Peter Pan – This pirate ship features Peter Pan, Wendy, and Captain Hook with some high-energy dancing by the Lost Boys
• Brave – Merida, from Disney-Pixar film Brave, sits high above her fans on a larger-than-life bagpipe float
• Sleeping Beauty – Heroic Prince Phillip battles a Steampunk-inspired Dragon on a float that stretches 53 feet in length and stands 26 feet tall!
• Mickey’s Airship / Finale – A magical 90-foot-long float features an assortment of beloved Disney characters! Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse rounds out the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade from their giant hot air balloon float.

Click here for a look back at the building of these floats.

These eye-popping floats are just one “piece of the puzzle” for this new daytime parade. Designers have been hard at work creating vibrant and extravagant costumes for Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade. Take a look behind the scenes at the production process that has taken almost a year to complete.

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Young or old, a visit to the Walt Disney World® Resort will provide you with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities you’ll never forget! Whether conquering the Mountains of Magic Kingdom® Park or finally meeting your favorite Disney character, these memories are ones to hang on to!

For a limited time, you’ll receive a FREE Memory Maker digital download product with the purchase of select Walt Disney Travel Company package reservations on select nights Aug. 15 – Sep. 30, 2014. Memory Maker allows your whole family to be in the picture by utilizing Disney’s PhotoPass® photographers at select locations throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort. Plus, you’ll also get photos from select attraction and dining locations!

Travel Dates:
Valid for most stays 8/15/14 – 9/30/14

Booking Dates:
Book now through 4/20/14

Be sure to ask your Magic Maker® about other great rates for stays most night 4/27/14 – 6/15/14

The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Base tickets are valid for one theme park per day unless upgraded and must be used within 14 days of first use. No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required. Offer excludes campsites, 3-bedroom villas and is not valid at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter and The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Memory Maker includes photos taken during the Memory Maker window and linked to the Memory Maker Guest’s Disney account. Photos will expire pursuant to the expiration policy at https://mydisneyphotopass.disney.go.com/help-and-support. Separate valid Theme Park admission required. Family and Friends media sharing is subject to the MyMagic+ Terms and Conditions. Not responsible for missing, lost or damaged photos. Subject to Memory Maker Terms and Conditions

For five decades, Four Seasons Resorts has established themselves as a global luxury brand, pampering families at different destinations world-wide. This summer, Four Seasons Resorts is expanding upon their destination portfolio with the opening of Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort!

Four Seasons Resort Orlando, located just southeast of Magic Kingdom® Park has already started accepting reservations for summer arrivals as early as August 3, 2014. At Four Seasons Resort Orlando families can immerse themselves in the magic of a Disney vacation while experience the ultimate pampering of a Four Seasons Resort stay!

In addition to Four Seasons Resort Orlando‘s world class golf, full service spa, adult pool and elegant dining, at Four Seasons Resort Orlando  families can enjoy an island built for them to experience together – complete with a lazy river, family pool, water slides, splash pad, rock wall and many other special features! Four Seasons Resort even offers All Seasons Program for children ages 5-12, which delves them into a world of activities and entertainment when you are not visiting a Disney Theme Park during your visit!

In celebration of the opening in August, you can save up to 30% on a Walt Disney Travel Company package which includes 3-night accommodations at Four Seasons Resort Orlando Golden Oak View room and 2-Day Magic Your Way Tickets for a family of four (2 Adults/2 Children ages 3-9) for stays most nights 8/3/2014 – 11/20/14 and 12/1/14 – 12/18/2014.

Booking Dates: Now – July 31, 2014

Be sure to ask about savings for packages for other lengths of stay.

Now is the time to experience Walt Disney World® Resort in a whole new way, paired with the luxury of Four Seasons Resort Orlando

*The number of rooms allocated for this package may be limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same package. Advance reservations required. No group rates or other discounts apply. Everyone in the room must be on the same package and ticket options. Package and package components are non-transferable. Theme park tickets must be used within fourteen days of first use.　

The U.S. News & World Report recently released their annual listing of ‘Best Hotels’ and eight Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Hotels were named Silver Badge Winners. These hotels are honored as being in the top 30% of all luxury hotels in their respective operating markets. Rankings were calculated based off of the location’s awards and recognition, hotel class, and guest ratings.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Hotels earning Silver Badge Awards in 2014 include:

Best Hotels in Honolulu – Oahu

• Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

Best Hotels in Anaheim

• Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa

Best Hotels in Orlando

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

 All of these award winning hotels are currently offering discounts! Contact your Magic Maker® today for more details!

The results are in, and the Condé Nast Traveler readers have spoken!

Condé Nast Traveler recently released results from their 2014 Reader’s Poll of Top 100 Cruise Ships in the World. It should come as no surprise that Disney Cruise Line® made the list – with all 4 of their ships securing a spot in the top 5 of the Large Cruise Ships category! The newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line® fleet, Disney Fantasy®, took first place followed by Disney Wonder® at #2, Disney Dream® at #3, and Disney Magic® at #5.

Condé Nast Traveler asked their readers to rate the ships on seven categories: Itineraries/ Schedule, Crew/ Service, Activities/ Facilities, Cabins, Design/Layout, Food/Dining, and Shore Excursions.

Disney Cruise Line® is no stranger to such prestigious awards. Since first setting sail in 1998, they have received more than 100 awards and recognition from the travel industry! Examples of recent recognition includes being named the #1 Mega-Ship Cruise Line in Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards for Families in 2013 and receiving a Cruise Critics Cruiser’s Choice Award for Best in Families and several other categories.

Contact your Magic Maker® today to start planning your next Award-Winning Disney Cruise Line® Vacation!

This year, spend the holidays on a vacation that is both nautical and nice! Disney Cruise Line® has announced their 2014 Holiday sailings for both Halloween and Christmas.

These sailings are filled stem-to-stern with holiday decorations, themed parties, and other special events. Whether celebrating in costume at Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party or showing your yuletide cheer at the Deck the Deck Holiday Party, these holiday sailings include fun for all ages!

2014 Holiday sailings will take place:

Halloween on the High Seas Cruises

• Disney Magic®: Sep. 24-Oct. 26, 2014
• Disney Wonder®: Sep. 26-Oct. 31, 2014
• Disney Dream®: Sep. 21-Oct. 31, 2014
• Disney Fantasy®: Sep. 20-Oct. 25, 2014

Planned events during the Halloween on the High Seas Cruises include:

• Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party – Be sure to pack your costume for this party! There will be games, dancing, lots of candy, and some of your favorite Disney characters in their Halloween costumes.
• A Nightmare Before Christmas—Sing and Scream – This interactive movie experience places you right in the middle of the action. After, you’ll have an opportunity to meet-and-greet Jack Skellington and Sally.
• Haunted Stories of the Sea – The bravest cruisers are invited to gather under the stars to hear some true—or not so true—tales of the sea told by a mysterious sea captain storyteller.
• Creepy Cabaret – Ghostly musicians will perform favorite Halloween-themed music live in the atrium.
• Adult Costume Party – Don’t think that Halloween is just for kids. The nighttime entertainment district on the ship will host a costume contest and a Villainous Takeover on the dance floor.
• Spooky Movies – There’s never a shortage of movies on any Disney Cruise Line® sailing. Halloween-themed movies will be shown in Buena Vista Theatre, on the Funnel Vision by the family pool and in guest staterooms.
• Seasonal Treats – Disney Cruise Line® chefs will be making some spooky yet delicious treats for you to enjoy throughout your sailing.
• and much, much more!

Very Merrytime Cruises

• Disney Magic®: Nov. 23-Dec. 28, 2014
• Disney Wonder®: Nov. 23-Dec. 30, 2014
• Disney Dream®: Nov. 24-Dec. 29, 2014
• Disney Fantasy®: Nov. 22-Dec. 27, 2014

Planned events during the Very Merrytime Cruises include:

• King Triton’s Tree Lighting Ceremony – On the first night of your cruise, a special ceremony will take place to light the three-deck-tall tree in the atrium lobby.
• Family and Youth Holiday Activities – Your Personal Navigator will be packed with special holiday activities. Examples include: building gingerbread houses, decorating stockings and gingerbread men, creating holiday animation cells, making holiday cards and meeting Santa Claus.
• Holiday Storytellers –  Special Holiday Storytellers will be on hand telling the tales of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the magical feeling of the holidays on a ship.
• Deck the Deck Holiday Party –  This poolside tropical celebration with Disney friends will provide yuletide fun for the whole family!
• An Island Christmas -Stops at Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, will include “snow flurries,” Disney character meet-and-greets, and holiday island music and decorations.
• Til We Meet Again – A part of every Disney Cruise Line® sailing, this special holiday Til We Meet Again farewell on the final night will include Disney characters and the ship’s crew in a musical finale led by Mickey Mouse.
• Special Sailing Specific Activities – Specific sailings will include additional activites:
  • Thanksgiving Day – Enjoy Thanksgiving Feasts, NFL games on the Funnel Vision, visits from Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in special Thanksgiving attire, and a special towel animal at turndown.
  • Christmas Morning – On Christmas Morning, Santa and his elves will have a surprise for all the kids in the atrium. A traditional Christmas Dinner will be served in all main dining rooms that evening. Midnight mass will be held Christmas Eve with Christmas Services held Christmas morning.
  • Hanukkah – Hanukkah services will be held daily Dec. 16-24
  • New Years Eve – Ring in 2015 by celebrating at a New Years Eve party complete with music, sparkling wine in commemorative flutes and a midnight countdown!

All events are subject to change

With the popularity of these special themed cruises, availability is limited!  Reserve your spot through your Magic Maker® today!

Guests visiting Disneyland® Park over the next couple of months are in for a real surprise when they swing by Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree.

Each weekend, characters from some of your favorite classic Disney movies are visiting guests as part of The Frontierland Troupe. During the character roundup, characters from movies like Robin Hood, Cinderella, and Pinocchio make appearances for meet and greet opportunities on a rotational basis. Additional entertainment includes trick ropers, live music, and your opportunity to meet some of the Disneyland® Resort horses.

The Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree Character Roundup takes place weekends (Fri.-Sun.) and is included in standard park admission. It’s a rootin’ tootin’ good time – just take a look at the fun that’s waiting for you!