Disney News

When Walt Disney opened Disneyland® Park 58 years ago today, he introduced a new concept in family entertainment and launched the theme park industry. With five themed lands, Disneyland® Park had 18 major attractions on that opening day.

One of those opening day attractions was King Arthur Carrousel. Salvaged from Sunnyside Park in Toronto, Canada, Walt purchased the carrousel for $22,000 and moved it to Anaheim where it has served Disneyland® Park guests since 1955.

Enjoy these fun facts about King Arthur Carrousel:

• Walt only wanted jumping horses on his carrousel, so some of the original animals found on Sunnyside Park’s version were not used. The additional horses were sourced from other old carrousels, including one at Coney Island.
• Each horse is checked every night for chips and cracks and will receive touch ups as needed.
• Almost once per year, each horse will come off the ride for a complete refurbishment – a process that costs Disneyland® Parks far more annually than Walt’s original $22,000 investment! About 40 hours are spent refurbishing each horse.
• King Arthur Carrousel has a 85-steed herd.
• About one-in-five Disneyland® Park visitor takes a spin on King Arthur Carrousel.
• Changes about 10 years ago gave King Arthur Carrousel an all white herd, but still no two horses are the same.

When it comes to the Disneyland® Resort, many have heard of Club 33 – Disneyland® Park’s exclusive membership-only location inside New Orleans Square. But have you heard of Club 55?

Club 55 was started in 1970 and contains members with one chief qualification – they all received a paycheck from Walt Disney back in 1955! Over the years, it has provided a way for some of Disneyland® Park’s earliest Cast Members to stay connected.

With tomorrow’s 58th Anniversary of Disneyland® Park, enjoy this video as three “Club 55ers” reflect on their Disney history.

Earlier this Summer, the Trolley Show on Main Street, U.S.A.® inside Magic Kingdom® Park was revamped to celebrate the season. Available as part of Disney Parks “Limited Time Magic,” the show puts the citizens of Main Street, U.S.A.® in the red, white, and blue spirit – with summertime fun that is likely contagious! Earlier this year, the show received a Spring refresh as well.

Watch as Tara Anderson, show director with Creative Entertainment at the Walt Disney World® Resort, talks about the changes.

Although an end date has not been announced, this version of the show is expected to run throughout the summer. For more information, see your Daily Times Guide.

We’re sorry, this offer has expired.

Say “Aloha” to savings at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa!

Inspired by the wonders of Hawai‘i and built with the perfect touch of Disney magic, Aulani is a beautiful beachfront escape that is designed for families. A Resort like no other, Aulani is perfectly placed just far enough from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, but close enough for families to enjoy O‘ahu’s world-class entertainment. But with so many all-inclusive vacation experiences available with your stay at Aulani, you may find yourself not even wanting to leave the resort!

There’s no better time for your family to experience Aulani! For a limited time, when you book a minimum 4-night stay on select nights, you’ll receive your 5th consecutive night FREE! That means more time for you and your ʻohana in paradise enjoying all the Resort has to offer! Plus, you will receive a $100 Aulani Resort Credit to use during your stay!

Booking Window:

• Book now – Sep. 3, 2013

Travel Window:

• Offer available for most stays Aug. 26, 2013 – Nov. 23, 2013 and Dec. 1, 2013 – Dec. 15, 2013

Rooms allocated for this offer are limited, so contact your Magic Maker® today!

Eligibility for this offer is based on a five consecutive night stay between Aug. 26 – Nov. 23 or Dec. 1-15, 2013. Book by Sep. 3, 2013. The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Offer excludes Resort fees and taxes. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or offers. Offer excludes suites, 3-Bedroom Grand Villas and ocean view rooms. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room. Offer applied once per reservation. Advance reservations required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Limit 2 rooms per reservation. The free night savings is distributed across total room nights and is reflected in a reduced nightly rate, as compared to the non-discounted rate.

With over 21,000 runners participating in this year’s Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, a 10K has been added to the lineup for 2014!

The third Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend will take place Jan. 16-19, 2014, at the Disneyland® Resort. As one of runDisney’s two women-focused events, the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend consists of:

• Tinker Bell Half Marathon – Sun., Jan. 19, 2014 5:00a
• Tinker Bell 10K – Sat., Jan. 18, 2014 6:00a
• Never Land Family Fun Run 5K – Fri., Jan. 17, 2014  5:45a
• runDisney Kids Races – Sat. Jan. 18, 2014 10:00a
• Pasta in the Park Party and Weekend Expos

Registration just opened this past Tue., Jul. 9, but the races are filling quickly. The Tinker Bell Half Marathon is already at capacity and the Tinker Bell 10K is over half full! Act fast if you are interested in participating!

For more information on accommodations and tickets during the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, contact your Magic Maker®.

Updated Wed. July 10, 2013 – 5:00pm EDT:

Tropical Storm Chantal has degenerated into a wave producing heavy rains and gusty winds. As safely is always the number one concern, the remnants of Chantal will continued to be monitored and this article will be updated if travel advisories are issued for Walt Disney World® Resort or Disney Cruise Line®.

You’ve been asking about them for several months now, and the time has finally come! As of today, our Magic Makers® are able to quote and book 2014 vacation packages for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disneyland® Resort, and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa! 

One important thing to note: these vacation packages are valid for travel commencing Jan. 1, 2014 – Dec. 31, 2014. However, due to system limitations, bookings can only be made 499 days into the future. So as of today, we can book through Nov. 21, 2014. Guests wanting to travel over the Christmas Holiday 2014 will be able to book in mid-August.

New for 2014 Walt Disney Travel Company – Walt Disney World® Resort Vacation Packages:

• Magical Extra – Voucher for 10% discount on bowling at Splitsville Luxury Lanes™ Mon.-Fri. 10a-4p
• Magical Extra – Spa discount expanded to now include select Salon services
• Magic Your Way Premium Package now includes Richard Petty Junior Ride Along Experience
• Magic Your Way Platinum Package now includes Richard Petty Junior Ride Along Experience and Characters in Flight experience. Spa treatment options have been expanded to include facials. Reserved seating at Fantasmic! show is no longer available.

New for 2014 Walt Disney Travel Company – Disneyland® Resort Vacation Packages:

• Magical Extra –One ESPN® Zone $10 Game Card plus an additional $10 Game Card for each adult entrée (priced $10.99+) purchased

Today is the day to start planning your next Disney Vacation! Contact your Magic Maker® today!

All offers subject to change without notice.

During the recent Disney Magic® Transatlantic sailing from Galveston to Barcelona, over 300 guests and Disney Cruise Line® crew members participated in “PaintFest at Sea.” The project, coordinated with Foundation for Hospital Art, brought to life a mural measuring 9 feet high by 24 feet long! Over 500 hours were given by guests and crew members to paint the mural featuring characters from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. The completed masterpiece was donated and is now on display in the Hospital General de Catalunya in Barcelona.

In April, Disney Cruise Line® announced a major refurbishment to their original ship, the Disney Magic®, would take place this fall. From stem to stern, the ship will be reimagined for guests to enjoy. Click here for a summary of all the changes.

After its refurbishment, the adult areas on the Disney Magic® will be second-to-none! From the nightclubs to the spa to the adult only restaurant, Palo, new adult experiences are a large component of this refresh.

Beat Street, the current adult entertainment district on Deck 3 of the Disney Magic®, will be renamed as After Hours. Fathoms night club will replace Rockin’ Bar D and will host After Hours’ main events for the evening. Guests will find performances by singers and comedians in the early evening before it turns into a dance club later in the night. Sessions will be replaced by Keys, a refined piano bar and lounge. Lastly, Diversions will be transformed into O’Gills, an Irish pub and sports bar. These changes give the new adult entertainment areas a feel similar to those found on the Disney Dream® and Disney Fantasy®.

Palo, the only adult-exclusive dining location on the Disney Magic®, will receive an makeover as well. Guests will find new fixtures, glass work, stone floors and lighting but will be pleased to experience the same Northern Italian cuisine they have fallen in love with.

Last but not least, Vista Spa & Salon on Deck 9 will be expanded by 725 square feet and renamed as Senses Spa & Salon. The additional space will allow new services to be added to their already extensive lineup – including a Smile Spa, men’s barbershop services, and additional manicure/pedicure stations. Check out this video for a closer look at the upcoming changes to the spa.

Contact your Magic Maker today to experience the reimagined Disney Magic®!

You may be familiar with this “thing” called a Dole® Whip at Walt Disney World® and Disneyland® Resorts. If you’re not familiar we can guarantee you that you’re missing out!

Ranking high on the list of “favorite Disney Treats,” the Dole® Whip is a fat-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free soft serve pineapple ice cream. With only around 100 calories per serving, it is a great sweet treat to those watching their diet. Available at the Tiki Juice Bar in Disneyland® Park and at Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom® Park, the Dole® Whip is also served as a float with pineapple juice. Disney’s Polynesian Resort serves as a secondary location selling Dole® Whips at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida.

In 2012, over 1.4 million Dole® Whips and Dole® Whip Floats were consumed at the Walt Disney World® and Disneyland® Resorts combined. That’s a lot of pineappley goodness! Guests on one of the Disney Dining Plans at Walt Disney World® Resort may use a snack entitlement for both the Dole® Whip and Dole® Whip Float.