Disney News

The schedule of events for the first week of Star Wars™ Weekends has been announced.

• Celebrity Host Meet and Greet at Echo Lake – will use Disney’s FASTPASS® Service
• James Arnold Taylor (Voice behind Obi-Wan Kenobi and Plo Hoon in Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 9:45a
• Ashley Eckstein (Voice behind Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 4:30p, 5:45p
• Additional Celebrity Meet and Greets at Echo Lake – will use Disney’s FASTPASS® Service
• Ray Park (Double lightsaber wielding Sith, Darth Maul from the Phantom Menace) – 10:15a, 1:45p
• Jerome Blake (Rune Haako/Mas Amedda from The Phantom Menace) – 10:15a, 1:30p, 4:30p
• Dee Bradley Baker (Voice of Captain Rex from Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 3p, 4:30p, 5:45p
• Padawan Mind Challenge(registration at park opening near ABC Sound Studio) – 2:10p, 6:30p
• Hyperspace Hoopla – 8:00p
• Jedi Training Academy(sign-up in front of Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular) – 9:15a, 9:45a, 10:15a, 10:45a, 11:15a, 11:45a, 12:15p, 1:30p, 2:00p, 3:45p, 4:15p, 4:45p, 5:15p, 5:45p, 6:15p, 6:45p
• Star Wars™ Character Encounters (locations around Star Tours – The Adventure Continue, Backlot Tour and Premiere Theater) – 9a-7p
• Behind the Force – 11:00a, 1:45p
• Stars of the Saga – 3:15p
• Obi-Wan and Beyond – 4:45p
• Visit to the Maul – 6:00p

Star Wars™ Weekends will take place Fri – Sun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ May 18 – June 10, 2012.

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From the state-of-the-art kids’ club at Aunty’s Beach House, pampering treatment in Painted Sky teen spa, and an imaginative pool area Waikolohe Valley, there is something to delight every age and interest at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. This family paradise with a touch of Disney magic is surrounded by the green mountains and beautiful ocean waters in Ko Olina, Hawai’i.

For stays of 5-nights or longer from Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012, at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, kids (ages 3-9) will eat free* when ordering from the kid’s menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your children will also receive a free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef, the only private snorkeling lagoon in O’ahu! Guests of any age will save 25% off** fares on Hawaiian Airlines when flying from JFK, SFO, LAX, OAK or SJC.

Booking Window:
Now – July 14, 2012

Travel Window:
Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012

Travel Offer Details:
With a minimum 5-night minimum stay, guests ages 3-9 each receive:

• A free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef
• Three free meals (from the kid’s menu) for each night of your package at your choice of the following quick-service and table-service restaurants:
  • ‘AMA ‘AMA: Includes 1 appetizer (lunch and dinner only), 1 entrée and 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only); 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
  • Makahiki: Includes 1 full buffet (breakfast and dinner only)
  • The ‘Olelo Room: Includes 1 continental breakfast (breakfast only)
  • One Paddle, Two Paddle; Mama’s Snack Stop and Lava Shack: Includes 1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal, 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only) and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage

* The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or offers. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room. Dining entitlements and Rainbow Reef pass are for registered guests only, expire upon check out and are non-transferable. Advance reservations required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

** Reservation must include a minimum one-night stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa. Limited supplies are available and discount may be applied over all travel dates (8/29/2012 – 11/03/12). Fares on some dates may be higher. Not valid on K & L fares. Maximum of 6 passengers per reservation. Travel must originate from one of the following Designated Airports: John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Oakland International Airport (OAK), San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Fare is subject to seat availability. Child/infant or other discounts do not apply. If ticket changes are made, the value of the original round-trip discount may not be applied and is subject to availability. Date and routing changes may be made with applicable penalties, and fare differential may apply. Cancellation penalties will apply. Discount will be applied to the published base fare at the time of booking, based on a round-trip itinerary originating from a Designated Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii and includes Base Fare, Fuel Surcharge, and U.S. taxes. Fare shown includes taxes and fees including a $3.80 ZP tax per segment (defined as one takeoff and one landing), a $2.50 per enplanement September 11th Security Fee (not to exceed $10) and PFC surcharge of $4.50 (not to exceed $18 round-trip) where applicable will be applied. For complete listings of fees and baggage charges, visit http://www.hawaiianair.com/moreinfo.

Sorry, this promotion has expired

From the state-of-the-art kids’ club at Aunty’s Beach House, pampering treatment in Painted Sky teen spa, and an imaginative pool area Waikolohe Valley, there is something to delight every age and interest at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. This family paradise with a touch of Disney magic is surrounded by the green mountains and beautiful ocean waters in Ko Olina, Hawai’i.

For stays of 5-nights or longer from Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012, at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, kids (ages 3-9) will eat free* when ordering from the kid’s menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your children will also receive a free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef, the only private snorkeling lagoon in O’ahu! Guests of any age will save 25% off** fares on Hawaiian Airlines when flying from JFK, SFO, LAX, OAK or SJC.

Booking Window:
Now – July 14, 2012

Travel Window:
Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012

Travel Offer Details:
With a minimum 5-night minimum stay, guests ages 3-9 each receive:

• A free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef
• Three free meals (from the kid’s menu) for each night of your package at your choice of the following quick-service and table-service restaurants:
  • ‘AMA ‘AMA: Includes 1 appetizer (lunch and dinner only), 1 entrée and 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only); 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
  • Makahiki: Includes 1 full buffet (breakfast and dinner only)
  • The ‘Olelo Room: Includes 1 continental breakfast (breakfast only)
  • One Paddle, Two Paddle; Mama’s Snack Stop and Lava Shack: Includes 1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal, 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only) and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage

* The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or offers. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room. Dining entitlements and Rainbow Reef pass are for registered guests only, expire upon check out and are non-transferable. Advance reservations required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

** Reservation must include a minimum one-night stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa. Limited supplies are available and discount may be applied over all travel dates (8/29/2012 – 11/03/12). Fares on some dates may be higher. Not valid on K & L fares. Maximum of 6 passengers per reservation. Travel must originate from one of the following Designated Airports: John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Oakland International Airport (OAK), San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Fare is subject to seat availability. Child/infant or other discounts do not apply. If ticket changes are made, the value of the original round-trip discount may not be applied and is subject to availability. Date and routing changes may be made with applicable penalties, and fare differential may apply. Cancellation penalties will apply. Discount will be applied to the published base fare at the time of booking, based on a round-trip itinerary originating from a Designated Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii and includes Base Fare, Fuel Surcharge, and U.S. taxes. Fare shown includes taxes and fees including a $3.80 ZP tax per segment (defined as one takeoff and one landing), a $2.50 per enplanement September 11th Security Fee (not to exceed $10) and PFC surcharge of $4.50 (not to exceed $18 round-trip) where applicable will be applied. For complete listings of fees and baggage charges, visit http://www.hawaiianair.com/moreinfo.

We would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all our favorite Moms out there! We hope that you get to spend time with your family and friends, and maybe even get pampered a little!

Kick back, relax, and enjoy this special Mother’s Day preview of Disney•Pixar’s Brave which opens in theaters June 22nd.

Princess Merida will begin will begin an all-new character greeting experience in just a few more weeks!

A special “Disney mom” has a new reason to celebrate this Sunday after giving birth to a white rhino calf at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park.

After a 16-month gestation period, Kendi gave birth to her fourth calf Friday, May 4. The unnamed healthy male is the ninth white rhino which has been born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. Ironically enough, his mother, Kendi, was the first 13 years ago!

“The birth of a white rhino calf is certainly something to celebrate since the population of this species is endangered in the wild,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Animals, Science and Environment for Disney Parks. “It’s encouraging that with protection and careful management, the global population of white rhinos continues to grow.”

Guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park unfortunately won’t be able to catch a glimpse of the little one quite yet. The calf and mother will spend some time off the savannah bonding before they return to the herd in the coming weeks.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park participates in a white rhino breeding program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The program focuses on sustaining the white rhino population in North America. Beyond breeding programs, The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and the Disney Foundation have provided more than $1 million in support to programs in Africa and Asia to protect the last five remaining species of rhino.

And now, a few White rhino fun facts that you may have learned on a previous Kilimanjaro Safaris® Expedition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park:

• White rhinos are named not for their color, which is gray, but for the shape of their mouths. The word “weit” in Afrikaans means wide.
• The white rhino is among the world’s largest land mammals, second only to the elephant. A male rhino can grow to more than 5,000 pounds as an adult.
• A rhino can move its ears independently to pick up sounds but it depends most on smell.
• The receptors responsible for the rhino’s sense of smell are larger than the animal’s entire brain.
• The white rhinoceros has the widest set of nostrils of any land based animal.

Guests sailing aboard one of Disney Cruise Line’s® four ships – Disney Magic®, Disney Wonder®, Disney Dream™, or the Disney Fantasy™ – will find themselves surrounded by amazing amenities, spectacular shows, and fabulous food.

All Disney Cruise Line® sailings feature several deck parties. These parties are family celebrations under the sun and stars complete with music, dancing, and of course your favorite Disney characters.

The most famous (and crowd favorite) of Disney Cruise Line’s® deck parties is the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party. Your night begins when a special Pirate’s Dinner is all mapped out for ‘yer feastin’ at your rotational restaurant for that night. After dinner, you ‘hoist’ yourself up to the Deck for a rowdy buccaneer bash. An epic battle at sea ensues as the good guys take on the villains. Disney characters such as Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, Captain Mickey, Minnie and Goofy join the cruise staff on the stage for some music and dancing!

But after all of this fun, the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party gets even better! In typical Disney-fashion, Captain Mickey takes the party into the sky with a special grand finale – the only fireworks display at sea! That’s right, Disney Cruise Line® is the only cruise line to offer fireworks at sea to their guests!

Take a look at this preview video of the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party.

That is just a short preview of all the fun at the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party. The party is truly an adventure that everyone will enjoy! Due to some local restrictions, Disney Cruise Line® is not able to offer the fireworks at sea for all sailings. Please contact your Magic Maker® for full details.