Disney News

Recently Adventures by Disney® was recognized by World Travel Awards™ . Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards™ acknowledge and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Recognized globally, the winners of these awards possess the ultimate hallmark of quality.

Adventures by Disney® took first place in two separate categories in the World Travel Awards™. First, they were recognized as the World’s Leading Luxury Tour Operator. Also for the fourth year in a row, they were named North America’s Leading Tour Operator. But Adventures by Disney® is no stranger to awards like this. Since its launch in 2005, they have been recognized by numerous travel organizations for their excellence in family tourism. Travel + Leisure Magazine ranked Adventures by Disney® #1 among Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters for Families in their World’s Best awards 2011 readers’ survey.

As a leader in the group guided-tour industry, Adventures by Disney® provides immersive and hassle-free vacations to destinations in Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Enjoy this quick video that gives you just a “taste” of Adventures by Disney®. 

As part of their “Limited Time Magic” offerings, Disney Parks has announced “True Love Week” just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Love will be in the air as “True Love Week” hits the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida and the Disneyland® Resort in California. Taking place Feb. 11-17, 2013, romance will be the theme of the special “Limited Time Magic” events happening around the Resorts. Whether it be a romantic dinner for two or a photo opportunity with one of Disney’s “sweethearts,” these events are something you won’t want to miss!

Walt Disney World® Resort

• Magic Kingdom® Park will be adorned with special Valentine’s Day decor and signage while Cinderella Castle is bathed in hues of pink, red, lavender and blue.
• Special “Dinners for Two” with prix fixe menus will be available at Artist Point, The Wave…of American Flavors, Hollywood Brown Derby, and Yachtsman Steakhouse. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact your Magic Maker®.
• Limited Edition merchandise like pins, plush, apparel, and Vinylmation will be available at select merchandise locations.
• Enjoy several Royal Gatherings where Disney Princes and their Princesses will greet guests. You may run into other Disney “Sweethearts” like Mickey & Minnie and Mary Poppins & Bert around the Magic Kingdom® Park as well!
• Pose with those you love in several Romantic Photo Locations throughout Magic Kingdom® Park. Cinderella’s Glass Coach, Cinderella’s Wishing Well, and The Rose Garden in Central Plaza will all serve as enchanting backdrops for a cherished photo.

Disneyland® Resort

• Disneyland® Park turns into the ideal place to celebrate Valentine’s week with heart-shaped signage and sweetheart-themed décor. Hues of red and pink will be cast upon Sleeping Beauty Castle along with projections of flowers and hearts.
• Photo opportunities will be plentiful at Disneyland® Park. Pose in front of a giant floral heart on Main Street, U.S.A.® or in front of Snow White Wishing Well near the castle. Disneyland®  “Sweethearts” Mickey & Minnie and Donald & Daisy will greet guests inside Town Square. Disney’s Royal Princes will be meeting guests with their Princesses at The Royal Walk in Fantasyland and over in New Orleans Square.
• Enjoy a romantic “Dinner for Two” with prix fixe menus at Blue Bayou, Café Orleans, Carthay Circle Restaurant, Steakhouse 55, or Napa Rose. Contact your Magic Maker® for more details or reservation information.
• Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café, Pacific Wharf Café, and Disneyland Hotel Coffee House will feature a special Valentine’s dessert – a chocolate cupcake with raspberry mousse filling and dark chocolate mousse frosting!
• Purchase limited-edition pins, plush, apparel, Vinylmation, and a glitz Disneyland® ear hat.

Off to Neverland Travel® will continue to bring you details on future ”Limited Time Magic” events as they become available!

In general, traveling can be stressful! With all the booking, planning, and packing involved, you often wonder when the relaxation of vacation comes into play. For guests with disabilities, there is added stress of accommodations and accessibility during your stay.

All Disney Destinations do a great job in ensuring each and every guest has a magical vacation regardless of any special needs they may have.  As part of our continuing “Breaking the Myths” series, today we are going to focus on traveling with disabilities.

1. Myth: Someone in my traveling party has a food allergy, so eating at Disney is next to impossible.
   Whether you have a food allergy, food intolerance, or even a medically restricted diet, the chefs at most table service and select quick service locations can often accommodate your needs. It is important that you work closely with your Magic Maker® so that your reservations are properly notated and the restaurants and chefs are aware of your needs. Upon entering a restaurant, be sure to tell your waiter/waitress or cashier that you have a dietary restriction and they will get a member of the culinary team for you to discuss your options.
2. Myth: Because of my family member’s disability, they just wouldn’t enjoy the parks.
   Because each person’s disability is different, Disney Parks has created a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) Program for those in need of extra assistance. The program allows for your family to meet with a Guest Services Cast Member upon entering a Theme Park on your first day. The Cast Member will discuss what needs you will have over your vacation and issue you a GAC which notes specific accommodations. When visiting attractions, you simply show your GAC to the Attractions Host/Hostess and they will guide you from there. However, having a GAC does not give you front of the line access to all attractions like many think. In fact, use of the GAC at some attractions may result in a longer wait then utilizing the standby line. We suggest you discuss with your  Magic Maker® any special needs you may have prior to travel so we can help you make the most of your vacation!
3. Myth: Special assistance is only available for those with physical limitations.
   Disney Destinations seeks to provide assistance to all guests regardless of their type of disability. Guests with mobility disabilities may choose to utilize a wheelchair or ECV throughout property and will have reserved seating for most shows and parades. Guests with visual disabilities can utilize braille maps and audiotape guides. Assisted Listening and other captioning devices are available for guests with hearing disabilities in addition to interpreters at select shows. Accommodations for guests with developmental disabilities are also provided as necessary via the Guest Assistance Card. Trained service animals on a leash or in a harness are welcome in most locations throughout all of the Disney Destinations, but may not be able to participate in select attractions or experiences. And as mentioned above, chefs at Disney Destinations will accommodate guests with dietary restrictions to the best of their ability.

Don’t allow any disability to stand in the way of a Magical vacation experience for your family. Our Magic Makers® will use their personal experience and expertise to ensure that any special needs that a member of your family may have are met.

Miss some of our past “Breaking the Myth” articles? Click here to access them.

Looking for a fun way to start off your Sunday morning at the Walt Disney World® Resort? Well, the new Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch at the spirited Raglan Road™ Irish Pub and Restaurant in the Downtown Disney® Area just may be your ticket!

The popular high-energy restaurant now pairs delicious authentic Irish breakfast with Irish dancers and live music every Sunday morning. Take your tastes “across the pond” and delight in the classic Full Irish Breakfast complete with sausage, black and white pudding, bacon, roasted tomato, mushrooms, fried eggs and potato roasties. Or try a Ham Schnitzel, Eggs Benedict, or a stack of pancakes with mixed berry compote. Popular drink options include a Bloody Mary topped with Guinness and a bubbly Elderflower Fizz with St. Germain and prosecco.

The Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch is available every Sunday from 11am – 4pm. Entertainment from the Raglan Road™ house band and Dancers runs from noon – 4pm. For reservation information, please contact your Magic Maker®.

Whether you realize it or not, chances are that you’ve seen some of DJ Steve Porter’s work. As one of the top DJs in the country, Porter recently expanded into video mixing in which he makes videos by combining sound bites and musical scores to create new songs. Some of his prior work includes a Tim Tebow-themed remix called “All He Does Is Win” that he created for ESPN and a Muhammad Ali mix that was shown in London.

Enjoy this amazing video created for the Walt Disney World® Resort called “It’s Magical.” After the first few beats, you’ll realize why he was named one of “The 100 Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company magazine.

Last Summer, Disney California Adventure® Park completed a five-year expansion with the opening of Cars Land.

Cars Land takes you right into the cutest little town in Carburetor County, Radiator Springs. You will fall in love with the three new family attractions, Luigi’s Flying Tires, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and Radiator Springs Racers. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Themed food and merchandise options await at Flo’s V8 Café, Cozy Cone Motel and Ramone’s House of Body Art. And you never know what “stars” you will find around town, like Lightning McQueen and Mater!

Can’t make it out to the Disneyland® Resort in sunny Southern California just yet to experience the Radiator Springs? Here’s your change to bring the fun of Disney•Pixar’s Cars to you. One lucky winner will receive a copy of Disney•Pixar’s Cars and Cars 2 on DVD. You’ve got to play to win, so register today!