Walt Disney World News

Special Delivery: Resort Package Delivery System

So, here’s the scenario. You finally find the perfect souvenir for your Walt Disney World® vacation, and you’re ready to buy it. The only problem is that it’s 9:30AM and you really don’t want to carry it around all day in the parks, right? You could take a chance on finding it later on, but what if it’s gone by then or what if you can’t remember which store you found it in? But, then you remember that you’re staying onsite, and you can have your item delivered to your resort’s gift shop for FREE!

All you have to do is to let the cast member at the checkout know that you want it shipped back to your resort. You’ll need to know what resort you’re staying at and your room number. When the package arrives (the next day), you’ll receive a message on your room phone from the resort’s gift shop in regards to your package. You then go to the gift shop and give them your receipt, and they give you your perfect souvenir. It’s that easy! It’s a wonderful way to shop without having the worry of carrying your purchases around all day.

Quick Ways to See Disney Characters

Let’s face the facts; no trip to Disney is complete without getting some great photos with the Disney characters. Even for us “older kids”, there’s just something magical when Mickey puts his arm around you, Pluto ruffles your hair, or Stitch tries to pick your nose. The problem is everyone finds that moment special, and pretty soon you might find yourself paying your park entry fee to stand in line to greet the characters. While standing in line can’t be totally avoided when it comes to characters, here are a couple of tips to lessen the time:

  1. Book a character meal. I have had the pleasure of eating a few character breakfasts and am pretty impressed with the amount of time each character spends with you and those with you. You can enjoy your meal, and take pictures with the characters when they come to your table. One extra tip for the character meals is to try to book the earliest possible Priority Seating reservation that you can for the meal. In other words, if a character breakfast begins at 7:30AM at a certain restaurant, try to get that time. You’ll have enough time to get your food before the characters show up, and the crowds usually don’t come for an hour or so after opening, so you’ll practically have the characters to yourself. Chip and Dale can make interesting dining companions when they have nobody else to go talk to!
  2. Go to a party night at the Magic Kingdom (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, or Disney’s Pirate and Princess Party). On specially selected nights, the Magic Kingdom stays open for several hours after closing to those with tickets to the party. Characters are in full force on party nights, and are often dressed in special attire. Don’t go see them as soon as they arrive, but wait until about an hour before the night is over. That way, many people have already left, and you will have the characters all to yourself!

So, until we start seeing FastPass machines at the Meet & Greet areas, follow the above suggestions to be able to see the Disney gang without obligatory wait in line.

By |2017-06-27T10:25:11-05:00November 20th, 2008|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: |0 Comments

Buy 4 nights, get 3 Free at the Walt Disney World Resort – Spring 2009 Special

The new year is right around the corner and your next Disney vacation could be too! With this special offer, you’ll be able to kick-off 2009 with a Walt Disney World® Resort vacation at a rate so incredible, you won’t want to pass it up.

Through Dec. 20, 2008, when you purchase a 4-night, 4-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company Magic Your Way package you’ll get three additional nights (with tickets) free. This offer is valid for stays most nights Jan. 4 – April 4 and April 19 – June 27, 2009.

Plus, if you travel on this package between Jan. 4 and March 29, 2009, you’ll also receive a Disney Gift Card worth $200 that you can choose to spend at the Walt Disney World® Resort during your stay.

What are you waiting for? This can’t-miss opportunity to kick-off 2009 with a Walt Disney World® Resort vacation and get three days free won’t last forever! You must book this offer by Dec. 20, 2008.

This special is no longer applicable, but be sure to out check the
Walt Disney World® Resort page for current offers.

Pixie Hollow and High School Musical 3 at Disney Parks

At Disney Parks, you can live the experience of two new Disney movies this month!

First, “High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now!” is hitting the streets! This new show, featured at Disney’s California Adventure® Park at the Disneyland® Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ at the Walt Disney World® Resort, celebrates the infectious energy of the theatrical motion picture, High School Musical 3: Senior Year!

Featuring a cast of 14 dynamic singers and dancers, the show takes place on a traveling “rock concert” stage with stacks of speakers and rows of lights. Interactive sequences featuring hot new songs from the movie will draw Guests into the streets for an exciting live concert experience.

And just in time to coincide with the DVD release of the animated film, Tinker Bell, those visiting the Magic Kingdom® Park in Florida and Disneyland® Park in California will be immersed in fairy fun – and hear Tinker Bell speak for the first time!

At the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida, you are sure to meet Tinker Bell and one or more of her fairy friends – Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta and Silver Mist – in Mickey’s Toontown® Fair.

And at Disneyland Park in California, you will get the magical feeling that they are shrinking into fairy size as they enter the pathway to Pixie Hollow. You’ll spot evidence of the pixies’ presence and come across statues of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, before they encounter these pixies in person!

Comparing Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdoms

If you have been to either the Disneyland® resort or the Walt Disney World® resort, you may think you know everything there is to know about both of the Magic Kingdoms. You might be surprised to find out there are quite a few differences in the two parks. The most obvious would be the two castles. Cinderella’s castle is located in Florida and Sleeping Beauty’s is in California. The monorail in the Disneyland® park travels inside the park and lets you off inside of Tomorrowland whereas at the Magic Kingdom® Park, the monorail lets you off outside the main gates.

Each park has rides and attractions that the other doesn’t have. In the Disneyland® park, the Matterhorn towers high above the rooftops of Main Street U.S.A. A favorite in each park is the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. In the Disneyland® park, however, the ride is longer with different story elements that aren’t included in the ride in the Magic Kingdom® Park. “it’s a small world” starts outside an elaborate building that is transformed every holiday season into “it’s a small world” holiday only in the Disneyland® park. The Magic Kingdom® Park at the Walt Disney World® Resort hosts Mickey’s PhilHarmagic that is definitely a must see, four dimensional show. Haunted Mansion in each park is inside completely different looking buildings. In the Disneyland® park, it is in New Orleans Square, so the mansion is a southern style plantation home. In the Magic Kingdom® Park, Haunted Mansion is the creepy mansion that is in all of our imaginations.

The Disneyland® park is a smaller park that often gives a more intimate feel but can feel confining during peak crowd times. You have the ease of walking the short distance to Disney’s California Adventure™ park. The firework shows in the respective parks are unique and are magical in their own way. The Magic Kingdom® Park has the nighttime parade, Spectromagic. The Disneyland® park hosts their own version of Fantasmic on Tom Sawyer’s Island for a different feel than what is experienced at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios™. The list could go on and on. Whether you have visited the Disneyland® park or the Magic Kingdom® Park, you will have to see for yourself what the other has to offer. Each has its own character and magic of its own to share with you.

T-Rex Cafe Roars in Downtown Disney

The Orlando Sentinel posts this report:  (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_orlando/2008/10/t-rex-cafe-now.html)

Like dinosaurs? You’re definitely going to be interested in T-Rex Cafe, which opened today at Downtown Disney.

Like Rainforest Cafe? Then you’ve hit the daily double. No surprise since Landry’s Restaurants Inc. is behind both Rainforest and T-Rex. You’ll feel the vibe.

T-Rex is divided into distinct areas with their own decor, and diners can request where they’d like to sit. The idea is that it will be a different experience in Fern Forest than in your next trip in the Geo-Tech Room. Other areas are the Ice Cave, the Shark Bar in the Coral Reef Dining Room and the Sequoia Room.

We were told that you can see the meteor shower presentation from each area, but I’d have to guess that it’s best from the main Geo-Tech Room. On the other hand, it seemed louder in there and the Coral Reef, both in the front of the building. I’ll have to test the hypothesis that it’s quieter in the back (and carpeted) Fern Forest and Sequoia Room.

There are moving dinosaurs everywhere — many of them you can touch.

Disney VISA Free Dining Offer (Oct-Dec, 2008)

For Disney VISA Cardmembers looking for both a magical vacation and a way to save money, this Walt Disney World® Resort vacation package is the perfect opportunity.

This FREE Dining offer is available most nights: 9/28-10/11, 11/9-11/22, 12/14-12/20/08. You must be a Disney VISA cardholder, and you must use your Disney VISA for the deposit and final payment.

This special is no longer available.  Please click here to see current Walt Disney World® Resort specials.

Pixie Hollow Meet and Greet Coming to Walt Disney World

WOFL FOX 35, Orlando reports that soon, kids of all ages will be able to meet the fairies (including Tinkerbell) from the new “Tinkerbell: The Movie” which releases to DVD on October 28.

It’s called “Pixie Hollow”, a meet and greet experience that your littlest one has never experienced before. Tinkerbell and her fairy friends,  complete with pixie dust, will interact with guests at the Magic Kingdom’s “Mickey’s Toontown Fair.

The new area opens on October 24th.  Want to be there when it opens?  Book your Disney Vacation today!

Walt Disney World Extends October-December Magic Your Way Special

This special is no longer applicable, but be sure to out check the
Walt Disney World® Resort page for current offers.

This holiday season is the perfect time for you to visit the Walt Disney World® Resort. That’s because you can stay at a select Walt Disney World® Resort hotel at an unforgettable rate.

You can stay at a select Disney Value Resort, standard room, for just $59* per night, plus tax. That’s a savings of at least $23 per night! This rate is valid for stays most Sunday through Thursday nights Oct. 26-30, Nov. 16-20, Nov. 30 – Dec. 4 and Dec. 14-18, 2008. (Ask about additonal rates from Oct 26 – Dec 23 at other Walt Disney World® Resorts.)

When you take advantage of this great rate, your Walt Disney World® Resort vacation will take place during one of the most unforgettable times of the year and you’ll have the chance to witness some spectacular, can’t-miss seasonal traditions, such as the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party†, The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party† and a whole lot more!

This rate is too good to pass up and must be booked by Oct. 18, 2008, so hurry up and book before it’s too late. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to save!

*The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room.  Additional per adult charges apply if more than two adults per room.  No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required.
†Admission to this event requires a separate ticket.

Win Your Disney Dream – We Won Ours!

During The Year of a Million Dreams, guests of the Disney Parks have the opportunity to win one-of-a-kind dreams and experiences.  Winning is simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time.  While the celebration is winding down, you still have a chance of winning throughout the rest of 2008.  Off to Neverland Travel® owners, Chet and Joni McDoniel, recently spent their vacation at the Walt Disney World® Resort, and they were the recepients of a Disney Dream.  Here is their story:

“While waiting in line for Turtle Talk with Crush, we were greated by three Disney Dream Squad members.  They explained to us that we were simply in the right place at the right time, and we were winners of a Dream FastPass.  The Dream FastPass, unlike normal FastPasses, gives you the opportunity to visit each of FastPass attractions, in the park where you won, once during the day you won, at a time of YOUR choosing.  We felt very special to have won a Disney Dream, and while Dream FastPasses do have great time saving value, our 6 month old found a new value in winning…apparently, those Dream FastPasses sure do taste good as you can see in the picture above!”

Want your chance to win a Disney Dream?  You need to get your trip booked with us as soon as possible!  Click here to start planning your Walt Disney World® Vacation.

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