Disney News

Whether you’ve been traveling to Walt Disney World® Resort since you were a child or you are exploring your first trip to the most magical place on earth there is always something new to explore and experience!

We just wanted to give you a taste of some of the new attractions and experiences that you will find at Walt Disney World® Resort this summer!

Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train

Last week, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train official opened at Magic Kingdom® Park! The completion of this family-friendly coaster marks the end of a multi-year expansion known as New Fantasyland®.

There’s no denying that the popularity of runDisney events has exploded over the past several years. Last year, more than 163,900 runners participated in runDisney events at the Walt Disney World® and Disneyland® Resorts – a 40% increase over the previous year. And just this past March, registration for the new Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon that will take place this November sold out in less than two hours!

At a runDisney event, you are surrounded by inspiration. Each race consists of thousands of participants grouped together running for their own cause – whether just for fun, raising funds for a charitable group, or even celebrating their own personal victory! The energy of these events is something that just can’t be described.

To celebrate National Running Day, we wanted to share with you one of our favorite “Why I runDisney” stories. Take a few minutes to hear why Allison Foley of Orange County, CA, runs for a cure.

Here’s the lineup of upcoming runDisney events, but remember that many are sold out due to their popularity:

• Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend
  8/28-8/31/2014 (Disneyland® Resort) – SOLD OUT
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 10-Miler Weekend
  10/2-10/4/2014 (Walt Disney World® Resort) – Availability exists in Kids Races
• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
  11/7-11/8/2014 (Walt Disney World® Resort) – Availability exists in Kids Races
• Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend
  11/14-11/16/2014 (Disneyland® Resort ) – SOLD OUT
• Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend
  1/7-1/11/2015 (Walt Disney World® Resort) – Availability exists in Kids Races
• Star Wars™ Half Marathon Weekend
  1/15-1/18/2015 (Disneyland® Resort) – Registration opens June 10th at Noon EDT
• Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
  2/19-2/22/2015 (Walt Disney World® Resort) – Registration opens July 15th at Noon EDT
• Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend
  5/7-5/10/2015 (Disneyland® Resort) – Registration opens Aug. 12th at Noon EDT

Contact your Magic Maker® today for additional details on runDisney events!

Yesterday, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train official opened at Magic Kingdom® Park! The completion of this family-friendly coaster marks the end of a multi-year expansion known as New Fantasyland®. Early Wednesday morning, Magic Kingdom® Park VP Phil Holmes, players from the Orlando Magic, and Littles and Bigs from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida helped Snow White and all Seven Dwarfs open the attraction with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

To celebrate the opening of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, we thought it would be fun to share a few fun facts about the attraction.

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is almost completely “on stage” which provides you some pretty amazing views of New Fantasyland® while riding the attraction.
• The Dwarfs cottage is a meticulously detailed representation of the cozy home seen in the classic film, down to the wisteria vine and birdhouse at the front door.
• While waiting in the queue, look for the key to the vault hanging on a peg next to the door – right where Dopey hangs it in the movie!
• Keen eyes may recognize some familiar pieces in this new attraction. The figures of Grumpy, Doc, Bashful, Sleepy, and Happy seen in the Dwarfs Cottage and the two vultures on the crane near the mine entrance all appeared in the former Snow White’s Scary Adventure attraction at Magic Kingdom® Park.
• The newly patented ride system for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train provides a one-of-a-kind ride experience – featuring five mine cars that swing side to side during the trip.
• Inside the mine “where a million diamonds shine,” you’ll find jewels in four different sizes and six different colors: red, green, amber, purple, blue and clear.
• In the original tale by the Brothers Grimm, the Dwarfs were unnamed. Walt Disney decided it was important to have his animators give them names to correspond with their character, but some of their names were rejected including: Wheezy, Jumpy, Baldy, Hickey, Sniffy, Stuffy, Burpy, Tubby, Shorty, Deafy and Dizzy.

Here’s a look at the new Walt Disney World® Resort commercial advertising the opening of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! “Heigh-Ho!”

By Magic Maker® Brenda Wenk

Whether you are planning your first trip to Walt Disney World® Resort or have visited this magical place numerous times, there are exciting changes to the guest experience taking place! MyMagic+ is the latest move to enhance your experience at Walt Disney World® Resort. This initiative has been in the works for several years at a very high cost and has been rolled out in stages during the last year. Let’s take a look at what is involved in MyMagic+!

My Disney Experience (MDE) is step one. Your Magic Maker@ will take care of this for you.   We will set up an online account that will keep track of your resort reservation, the members of your travel party, your dining reservations, your FastPass+ bookings, credit card information and other vacation details. You are welcome to ask for your user name and password at any time. We do ask that you not set up your own account as this may muddy the water and cause a mix up in reservations. (Please inform your Magic Maker® if you have set up a My Disney Experience account previously.)

Step Two is to select MagicBand colors from red, blue, green, orange, pink, yellow or grey and the name you wish printed on the inside of the band. Once again, we will order these for you and they will ship directly to your home.   This band is truly magical! It serves as your park ticket, room key, charge card, FastPass+ return ticket, Disney PhotoPass® and stores all your dining and other reservation information! No more digging for your ticket after going through security or fumbling for your Key to the World card to enter your resort room! Grabbing a bottle of water – just scan your band, enter your pin code and you are on your way to the next event! There are numerous safety features in place that prevent the use of your band by someone else if it is lost. It is actually more secure than using your credit card.

You may be wondering just what is FastPass+? This replaces the need to rush from ride to ride with tickets in hand to grab paper FastPasses for particular attractions. Your Magic Maker® will be able to book three FastPass+ selections for each guest in your party in one park per day of your stay! After using your three selections for the day, you may get another FastPass+ selection in the park you are currently visiting or you may Park Hop and get a FastPass+ selection in another.   After using that pass, you may get another and then another. This new opportunity will be available at designated kiosks in each park and is subject to availability for each ride and attraction.

With most of us carrying a smart phone, a mobile app called MDE is available for download to your mobile device. You will be able to check your reservations at a glance and change your FastPass+ selections on the go! Off to Neverland Travel® continues to use our own Itinerary Planner that we will invite you to download prior to your travel. Guest feedback indicates that our app is much more user friendly than MDE. Feel free to use both.

Confused by MyMagic+? No worries – you have your Off to Neverland Travel® Magic Maker® available to answer any and all questions! Strap on your Magic Band, touch and go!

Earlier today, runDisney announced the expansion of their lineup of popular race weekends by adding a new Star Wars™ Half Marathon Weekend at the Disneyland® Resort in California January 15-18, 2015!

Included in the four-day race weekend will be a 5K, 10K, half marathon, kids races, and a Health & Fitness Expo. The Star Wars™ Half Marathon Weekend will be the fourth runDisney weekend to take place at the Disneyland® Resort – joining the popular Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, the Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend, and the new Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend.

The popularity of this new event is expected to be no different than the other runDisney race weekends held annually! 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 Star Wars™ Half Marathon Weekend opens at Noon ET on Tuesday, June 10th!

Contact your Magic Maker® today for additional details!

Adventures by Disney® has announced the addition of three new itineraries to its already extensive portfolio of group-guided vacations for 2015! Now available for booking is a 11-night adventure to Ecuador: Amazon and Galapagos Islands and 3-night “long weekend” trips to both New York City and San Francisco.

These adventures are always limited, so contact your Magic Maker® today for pricing and availability!

Star Wars™ Weekends are in full swing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. With just one week behind us, four more weekends of Star Wars™ fun is still to come!

One of our guest’s favorite treats during Star Wars™ Weekends is the Darth Vader cupcake. Disney’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group recently released this fun video depicting what would happen if our favorite Star Wars™ Weekends sweet was consumed by the dark side! Then, take a look behind-the-scenes at the making of the video.

Headed to Star Wars™ Weekends? Make sure you stop by Rosie’s All American Café, Fairfax Fare, Starring Rolls Cafe, ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, Pizza Planet, Studio Catering Co. or Darth’s Mall and pick up a Darth Vader Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake while they last for $5.19 or (1) snack credit on the Disney Dining Plans.

Disney Cruise Line will be revisiting popular destinations and home ports for limited-time in Fall of 2015. Special Hawaii cruises, sailings on the West Coast from San Diego, and a brief homecoming in Galveston, Texas will make for a magical season of sailings!

Hawaii Sailings

Explore the Hawaiian Islands on one of two special 10-night cruises in September. Experience the famous beaches of Waikiki on Oahu, see the views from high atop the summit of Haleakala Crater on Maui, take in the lush tropical gardens and waterfalls of Kauai and, on Hawaii Island — the Big Island, explore the natural wonders of the world’s most active volcano. These amazing itineraries on the Disney Wonder are sure to be a hit and will likely sell out early!

• 10-night Hawaii with two days in Honolulu – Vancouver to Honolulu
  Ports: Vancouver; Hilo (Hawaii Island); Nawiliwili (Kauai); Kahului (Maui) and Honolulu (Oahu)
  Sailing: Sep. 7, 2015
• 10-night Hawaii with two days in Kahului – Honolulu to Vancouver
  Ports: Honolulu (Oahu); Kahului (Maui); Hilo (Hawaii Island); Nawiliwili (Kauai) and Vancouver
  Sailing: Sep. 17, 2015

Galveston Sailings

Disney Cruise Line will return to Galveston for November and December 2015 offering several different itineraries over the holiday season aboard the Disney Wonder.

• 7-Night Bahamian
  Ports: Galveston; Key West; Nassau, Bahamas; and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay
  Sailings: Nov. 13, 20, 27, Dec. 4, 11, and 28 (New Year’s cruise), 2015
• 7-Night Western Caribbean
  Ports: Galveston; Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Falmouth, Jamaica
  Sailing: Nov. 6, 2015
• 6-night Bahamian
  Ports: Galveston; Key West; and Castaway Cay
  Sailing: Dec. 18, 2015
• 4-night Christmas Sailing
  Ports: Galveston; Cozumel
  Sailing: Dec. 24, 2015

San Diego Sailings

Disney Cruise Line will make a return to the West Coast by offering six sailings from San Diego aboard the Disney Wonder.

• 5-Night Baja sailings
  Ports: San Diego; Cabo San Lucas; and Ensenada, Mexico
  Sailings: Oct. 4, 11 and 18, 2015
• 3-Night Cruise
  Ports: San Diego; Ensenada
  Sailing: Oct. 1, 2015
• 2-night Weekend Getaway
  Sailings:  Oct. 9, 16, 2015

Port Canaveral and Miami to the Bahamas and Caribbean

And of course, Disney Cruise Line will continue to sail from Port Canaveral and Miami to the Bahamas and Caribbean in Fall 2015 with a variety of itineraries on the Disney Fantasy, Disney Dream, and Disney Magic.

Since pricing tends to increase as availability becomes more limited, we always suggest clients book early! Bookings open to the public on May 21, 2014 so contact your Magic Maker® today and prepare to set sail!