News From the World of Disney: May 23 – June 5

June 5, 2015May 20, 2016

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Written by Sue Nowicki

May 23 – The beginning of this news period was dominated by Disney’s 24-Hour Event at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The 24-hour Event which included both parks being open from 6:00am on May 22 – 6:00am on May 23 was also Disney’s kick-off of the ‘Coolest Summer Ever’. (Link)

May 27 – Is a recent survey sent out by Disney a look at the future of tiered ticket pricing at Walt Disney World? The survey included a graphic which shows three levels of prices. The Gold tickets will be valid any day of the year. Silver will be valid most days except peak and holiday weeks. Bronze will only be valid during off-peak weekdays. This suggested pricing boosts the one-day ticket to Magic Kingdom up to $125/day during peak times. (WDW: Link; DL: Link)

May 27 – A new Castle Forecourt Stage show is coming to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The ‘Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular’ will star the Sanderson Sisters from Disney’s “Hocus Pocus”. The show will feature Dr. Faciliert, Oogie Boogie, Maleficient and other Disney villains. (Link)

May 27 – Duke Energy in cooperation with Walt Disney World is building a 5-megawatt solar power facility on Disney property near World Drive and Epcot Center Drive. The 48,000 panels will be in the shape of a Mickey Mouse head. As part of the 15-year agreement, Duke Energy will lease the land from Disney and run and maintain the facility from which Disney will buy the power. (Link)

May 29 – A cool new attraction is coming to Tokyo Disney Resort. The attraction, based on “Finding Nemo”, will ‘shrink’ guests to the size of a fish and allow them to explore the underwater world from the point of view of Nemo and his friends. (Link)

May 29 – When Disney announced a partnership with Turner Classic Movies earlier this year there was a lot of excitement about possible changes which would come to The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The first part of those changes were on display this week as the queue area now features digital movie posters and movie props as well as a new video featuring scenes from classic movies. (Link)

May 29 – The schedule for the ‘Eat to the Beat’ Concert series at the 2015 Epcot Food & Wine Festival has been announced. For those of us who grew up in the 80’s, get your leg warmers and AquaNet ready because you will be rocking to acts such as Starship, .38 Special, Rick Springfield, The Pointer Sisters, The S.O.S. Band, Dennis DeYoung, Tiffany, Air Supply and Chaka Kahn. There will also be contemporary performers such as David Cook, Fuel, Jo Dee Messina, Everclear, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Sugar Ray and Smash Mouth. The daily shows will take place throughout Food & Wine Festival at 5:30pm, 6:45pm and 8:00pm. (Link)

May 29 – The new, expanded Harambe Market is now open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The new area features four new quick service ‘shop window’ dining locations: Kitamu Grill, Famous Sausage, Chef Mwanga’s and Wanjohi Refreshments. (Link)

June 1 – In a not unexpected move, Disney Jay Rasulo has announced he will step down on June 30. This announcement was not a surprise because Rasulo has been working without a contract since the end of January. (Link)

June 2 – Several news updates ago we talked about the baby rhino born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We also reported that a fan vote named this little girl Kiama, which means magic. Beginning on June 3, Kiama and her mom, Kendi, will be joining the rest of the animals on the savannah. You might even be able to catch a glimpse of her on Kilimanjaro Safaris. (Link)

June 3 – Downtown Disney continues to add unique shopping and dining experiences as they transition to Disney Springs. The newest addition is The NBA Experience which will feature hands-on activities, a store and a restaurant. (Link)

June 3 – The Disney Channel has announced that ‘Tangled’ will now be an animated series which will premiere in 2017. The great news is that Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi will reprise their roles as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert. (Link)

June 4 – The union who represents performers at Walt Disney World has filed a grievance with Disney’s labor relations board. The union is challenging a now-written policy which forbids performers from revealing which character they portray in the parks either online or in print media. (Link)

June 4 – A reprise “Sister Act” is coming back to the big screen. Now this is just me talking, but I would say with the world-wide success of “Pitch Perfect”, this is a no-brainer for Disney Pictures. (Link)

June 4 – I don’t think it will be a surprise to anyone that Disney theme parks across the world dominate the statistics on theme park attendance. All Disney parks combined brought in 148,341,000 visitors. Of the top 10 most visited theme parks in the world, Disney parks hold nine of those spots. The Magic Kingdom alone had 19,322,000 guests making it most visited single site theme park in the world. Just for funsies, this means there is an average of 52,937 guests in the Magic Kingdom each day of the year. (Link)

That’s all the news for now. Follow me on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom for more Disney news.

Latest News From the World of Disney: September 25, 2015

Other posts by this author:
”The Descendants” Movie Review
Disney by Land, Disney by Sea: Part 1 & Part 2
”Tomorrowland” Movie Review
Best Walt Disney World Smartphone Apps
Restaurant Review – Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – The Way Life Should Be
A Day in the Life of Disney’s FastPass+ Service

Sue Nowicki splits her time between planning her next Walt Disney World vacation and being team mom to ten high-energy volleyball players where she fills the roles of secretary, navigator, treasurer, athletic trainer and team psychologist. You can follow her on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom.

Written by: Sue Nowicki

6 Comments

News from the World of Disney – Mar. 14-27, 2015

March 27, 2015May 20, 2016

Written by Sue Nowicki

March 15 – March Magic is back! Follow @WaltDisneyWorld or @Disneyland on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and you can vote for your favorite Walt Disney World & Disneyland attraction until an ultimate winner is crowned. (Link)

March 16 – Be Our Guest opened for breakfast starting on March 20. The Prix Fixe menu includes items which feature a French touch such as Eggs Florentine served in a puff pastry and Open-face Bacon & Poached Egg Sandwich with Brie. Most of the items on the menu cost $19.99. (Link)

March 16 – Not to be outdone on the cuteness scale by Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, Disneyland got into the act of showing off their new crop of babies… baby goats that is. Say hello to Bernard and Bianca. (Link)

March 16 – Two more actors have been announced to join Emma Watson in the live action feature re-make of ‘Beauty & The Beast’. Emma Thompson will play the part of Mrs. Potts while Kevin Kline has been perfectly cast in the role of Belle’s eccentric father, Maurice. To top all this off Alan Menken, the creative genius behind the scores of ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘Aladdin’ and ‘Pochanatas’, will return score the film as he did with the original. The film is currently scheduled to be released on March 17, 2017. (Link)

March 17 – ESPN’s ‘Baseball Tonight’ visited Walt Disney World for a week of shows on March 23-27. (Link)

March 18 – The Walt Disney World Company released their 2014 Corporate Citizenship report which touted a 31% decrease in its net emissions from its 2012 level. Some of the initiatives which were implemented to contribute to this reduction included making ESPN’s annual ESPY Awards ceremony in Los Angeles virtually waste-free, food scraps from 60 food and beverage locations at Disneyland were sent to a local facility for processing into feed nutrients for farm animals and Walt Disney World has started using Harvest Power Orlando to convert more than 120,000 tons of organic waste annually into renewable biogas and natural fertilizers. This is just the beginning, by 2020 they plan to reduce emissions by 50%. (Link)

March 19 – The amazing story of little leaguer Mo’ne Davis who made history last year as the first girl to pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series is coming to the small screen. Disney, who has an incredible way of telling amazing sports stories, will bring this story to the Disney Channel. (Link)

March 19 – The Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party is changing to the Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party beginning on July 5, 2015. Reservations for this transformed event opened on March 20. So what is the difference you ask? The new party will offer a sparkling cider toast and the price will nearly double to $49/adult and $29/child plus tax. (Link)

March 19 – Pandora introduced a collection of Disney Princess Charms as part of their Spring 2015 Disney jewelry collection. The prices for these charms start at $35. (Link)

March 19 – The Themed Entertainment Associate bestowed three awards on the Disney Parks. This included the prestigious Thea Classic Award to Disneyland’s “It’s a Small World” attraction. (Link)

March 19 – I think every Disney fanatic’s dream house would be at Disney’s Golden Oaks and that’s just what Brook Lopez of the Brooklyn Nets is getting. He is building a $1.6mm home in the exclusive neighborhood which includes perks such as annual passes to Walt Disney World and free transportation to and from the park. Sign me up! (Link)

March 20 – The US Navy Blue Angels did a spine-tingling flyover of Cinderella Castle on their way to Melbourne, Florida for an air show. Can you say goose bumps?! (Link)

March 20 – Innoventions West in Epcot will be temporarily closing at the end of May 2015 to make way for a new experience. (Link)

March 21 – If you don’t have the money to build a palatial estate at Disney’s Golden Oaks like Brooklyn Net’s player Brook Lopez how about buying your own monorail? For the bargain price of $280,000, you can own your very own Mark IV Red Monorail. (Link)

March 23 – Rumors are abound that a new Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant called ‘Skipper’s Cantina’ will be coming to the Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland. The estimated open date is the end of 2015. (Link)

March 24 – As we look forward to Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration, the Disney Parks Blog took some time to look back 60 years to the construction of the park.

March 24 – Disney Cruise Line is headed to the British Isles. In 2016, the Disney Magic will depart from Dover, England and spend 12 days with stops in England, Scotland and Ireland as well as La Havre, France. (Link)

March 25 – SMS Audio, owned by rapper 50 Cent, has teamed with Walt Disney Parks & Resort to become the official headphone manufacturer of Walt Disney World and Disneyland as well as the Official Disney Fan Club. SMS Audio will also be the official sponsor of the Star Tours attraction in Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well as the Avengers Super Hero Half Marathon Weekend and Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland. (Link)

March 25 – The original Disney Store in Glendale Galleria celebrates its 28th anniversary on March 28. Since 1987, the Disney Store has opened nearly 200 more stores in North America. (Link)

March 25 – Walt Disney World announced a special offer which saves Guests up to 30% on select Walt Disney World resort. To take advantage of this offer Guests must book between March 23 – June12, 2015 and their trip must take place between June 16 – August 27, 2015. (Link)

March 26 – Are you going to be in Walt Disney World or Disneyland in April? Are you looking forward to the new Disney movie “Tomorrowland”? If you said yes to both of those questions then I have great news for you. You will be able to catch some exclusive scenes with special ‘in-theatre effect’ from the movie at the Imagination Pavilion theatre in Epcot and the Tomorrowland theatre in Disneyland. (Link)

March 27 – runDisney races have become some of the most popular race events in the country, and soon to be the world when they head to Disneyland Paris. Here is a great video wrap-up of the recent Princess Half Marathon Weekend festivities.

That’s all the news for now. Follow me on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom for more Disney news.

Latest News From the World of Disney: September 11, 2015

Other posts by this author:
”The Descendants” Movie Review
Disney by Land, Disney by Sea: Part 1 & Part 2
”Tomorrowland” Movie Review
Best Walt Disney World Smartphone Apps
Restaurant Review – Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – The Way Life Should Be
A Day in the Life of Disney’s FastPass+ Service

Sue Nowicki splits her time between planning her next Walt Disney World vacation and being team mom to ten high-energy volleyball players where she fills the roles of secretary, navigator, treasurer, athletic trainer and team psychologist. You can follow her on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom.

Written by: Sue Nowicki

1 Comment

Disney News: February 14 – 27

February 27, 2015May 20, 2016

Written by Sue Nowicki

What started as a slow news period definitely ramped up in the last couple days. Happy reading!

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February 17 – Disney Parks posted a fabulous video on their YouTube page. In the video Disney characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Buzz Lightyear surprised unsuspecting shoppers at a Long Island mall by shadowing their movements. The results might actually warrant a hankie or two.

February 17 – Have you ever thought about trying to visit all four Walt Disney World theme parks in one day? I have tried two park in one day and that’s tiring enough. How about trying to visit three separate Disney Parks around the globe in one day? A couple from San Diego did just that. They started in Toyko Disneyland at 9:50am then raced across the Pacific Ocean to Disneyland in California to arrive around noon then caught a flight bound for Orlando where they arrived at the Magic Kingdom with 20 minutes to spare before the Magic Kingdom closed at Midnight. (Link)

February 19 – There has been a baby boom in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Five sable antelope calves and a white rhinoceros were born in the last several weeks. (Antelope: Link/Rhino: Link)

February 20 – The “Frozen 5k” kicked off runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend which included our own MouseQuester, Kate M. With temperatures in the high 30s/low 40s, Frozen Fractals were threatening but the cold never bothered them anyway. The weekend ended with much milder temperatures for the half marathon. (Link)

February 20 – Atlanta Braves Spring Training kicked off at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on February 26th with games beginning March 4th. Marquee teams such as the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers will be coming to Champion Stadium to take on the Braves. (Link)

February 23 – As predicted, ticket prices for Disney parks did indeed increase. The magic barrier of $100 was breached as a 1-day base ticket to the Magic Kingdom is now $105, or $111.83 with tax. Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure jumped to $99/day while Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios increased to $97/day. It should be noted that buying multiple day tickets will always be the best bet as the more days you purchase the cheaper it is per day. For example, a 7-day base ticket is only $47.86/day which is less than half the cost per day of a 1-day base ticket. (Link)

February 23 – Finally, we know who is replacing Tom Staggs as chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts since Staggs was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Bob Chapek, former head Disney Consumer Products, has been announced as the successor and comes with an interesting background which includes a B.S. degree in Microbiology from Indiana University. (Link)

February 24 – With the 2015 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival just around the corner, the Orlando Sentinel got a sneak peak at some of the amazing topiaries which will be on display. There are even two featuring our frozen friends from Arendelle. (Link)

February 24 – CruiseCritic.com named their best cruise ships of 2015. Guess who came in 1st in best cruise line overall, best for cabins, best for embarkation, best for entertainment, best for public rooms, best for service, best for families and best Bahama cruises ? (Link)

February 24 – There’s a new princess coming to the Disney kingdom. Moana, a Polynesian-inspired princess described as a ‘spirited teenager’, learns that her people are in jeopardy. She must search for a mythical island which will help her save her world and make her ancestors proud. Ron Clements and John Musker, the minds behind “The Princess & The Frog”, “Aladdin” and “The Little Mermaid”, will be directing. So far the only actor cast is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson who will voice the character of Maui, a demi-God. Casting for the voice of Moana is rumored to be down to two Hawaiian actresses. Moana scheduled to be released in 2016. (Link)

February 25 – For those who will be seeing Cinderella in a few weeks, you will be treated to a special presentation of the new ‘Frozen Fever’ short. (Link)

February 25 – In a surprising move by Walt Disney World, the 2015 dates for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party were released over two months earlier than usual. Also announced was that tickets would also go on sale earlier than normal as well. Be on the lookout for tickets to go on sale in April as opposed to May. (Link)

February 25 – Hasta La Vista, Baby! The iconic Sorceror’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is officially gone. (Link)

February 25 – Any DuckTales fans out there? If so, we found some great news for you. Disney has announced they will be revive the old series for a 2017 launch on the DisneyXD channel. (Link)

February 26 – The world of Pandora is coming alive. The newest addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom was featured on the Disney Parks Blog with the release of a short video showing Disney COO Tom Staggs, Avatar director James Cameron and legendary Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde taking a peek at some of the amazing features including a bioluminescent walk-way and forest.

February 27 – The construction taking place on the Central Plaza area between Main Street, U.S.A and Cinderella Castle is moving along and several sections are now open including the new FastPass+ viewing area in the Main Street Plaza Gardens adjacent to The Crystal Palace. (Link)

That’s all the news for now. Follow me on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom for more Disney news.

Latest News From the World of Disney: September 11, 2015

Other posts by this author:
”The Descendants” Movie Review
Disney by Land, Disney by Sea: Part 1 & Part 2
”Tomorrowland” Movie Review
Best Walt Disney World Smartphone Apps
Restaurant Review – Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – The Way Life Should Be
A Day in the Life of Disney’s FastPass+ Service

Sue Nowicki splits her time between planning her next Walt Disney World vacation and being team mom to ten high-energy volleyball players where she fills the roles of secretary, navigator, treasurer, athletic trainer and team psychologist. You can follow her on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom.

Written by: Sue Nowicki

1 Comment

February 1-13 Disney News

February 13, 2015May 20, 2016

Written by Sue Nowicki

My dad gave me some great advice as a child: “Write all your plans in pencil so they can be changed in a moment’s notice.”

Well friends, that is what is happening here. Originally, the plan was to bring you a monthly wrap-up of all the Disney news. However, we have found that so much news is coming out of the Disney machine, some of it very time sensitive, that we thought it would be best to bring it to you on a bi-weekly basis. Therefore, here is the first of our bi-weekly news wrap-up:

February 2 – Members of the World Champion New England Patriots visited Disneyland. (Link)

February 3 – Disney is now pushing back the opening of the new Shanghai Disney to 2016. (Link)

February 3 – Fecility Jones, Oscar-nominee for her portrayal of Jane Hawking in The Theory of Everything, has been tapped to star in Disney’s first ‘Star Wars’ spin-off film. (Link)

February 3 – Disney has filed paperwork which includes dismantling the Sorceror’s Hat, maintenance in the Big Thunder Mountain/Splash Mountain area, Hollywood & Vine, Kilimanjaro Safari, upgraded T-Mobile coverage, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Villas. (Link)

February 4 – The Disney Parks Blog posted a great video of the new Peter Pan’s Flight interactive queue. (Link)

February 5 – Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resort, Tom Staggs, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer which seems to indicate he might be the successor to Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger. (Link)

February 6 – Luigi’s Flying Tires closes in Disneyland. (Link)

February 6 – Starting on February 25, lunch reservations are now being accepted at Be Our Guest. (Link)

February 7 – Star-Lord, from Disney’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, made good on a Super Bowl bet made with fellow Avenger, Captain America, by visiting a children’s hospital in Boston. (Link)

February 7 – The Tree of Life in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is sporting some new roots. (Link)

February 9 – Unfortunately, the selfie crazy is here to stay and CNN has compiled a list of the Top 10 most popular places in the world to take a selfie. Guess what’s #2? (Link)

February 9 – Walt Disney World Co. reported that its first quarter occupancy rate was 89%. That is 8% over last year’s first quarter rate. Can anyone say NEW RESORT?! (Link)

February 10 – A Houston family is walking from Disneyland in California 4,000 miles to Walt Disney World in Florida in honor of their daughter who died as a result of a rare form of cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma. (Link)

February 10 – Rumors are abound that Disney will break the $100 mark on their one day Magic Kingdom theme park tickets. Get your tickets soon! (Link)

February 10 – The 2017 Disney movie line-up just got a little more interesting as it was announced that Marvel and Sony will partner to allow Spider-Man to appear in upcoming Marvel movies. (Link)

February 11 – Star Wars in coming to Disney Cruise Line. Eight sailing on the Disney Fantasy in early 2016 will feature ‘Star Wars Day at Sea’. (Link)

February 11 – If you have a lead foot you better speed to Richard Petty Driving Experience before June 28. The experience will be closing at Walt Disney World. (Link)

That’s all the news for now. Follow me on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom for more Disney news.

Latest News From the World of Disney: September 11, 2015

Other posts by this author:
”The Descendants” Movie Review
Disney by Land, Disney by Sea: Part 1 & Part 2
”Tomorrowland” Movie Review
Best Walt Disney World Smartphone Apps
Restaurant Review – Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – The Way Life Should Be
A Day in the Life of Disney’s FastPass+ Service

Sue Nowicki splits her time between planning her next Walt Disney World vacation and being team mom to ten high-energy volleyball players where she fills the roles of secretary, navigator, treasurer, athletic trainer and team psychologist. You can follow her on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom.

Written by: Sue Nowicki

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January 2015 Disney News Wrap-up

February 3, 2015May 20, 2016

Beginning this month we will do a monthly wrap-up of news stories regarding Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club. Enjoy!

January 5 – Gaston made the news a couple of times this month beginning with a push-up contest then an arm-wresting match. (Link/Link)

January 7 – Disney’s Polynesian Villa & Bungalows go on sales for non-Disney Vacation Club members on February 9, 2015. DVC members began purchasing points on January 12. (Link)

January 7- Several new retail MagicBands and accessories came to Walt Disney World in January. The new bands will sell for $19.95+tax – $24.95+tax. There will also be some new MagicBandits sets. (Link)

January 7 – Disney announced discounted theme park tickets to Disneyland for Southern California residents with a zipcode of 90000 – 93599. (Link)

January 12 – Cinderella’s coach from the upcoming movie “Cinderella” will be on display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Link)

January 14 – Disney held its inaugural Castaway Cay Challenge. This 5k took place the weekend after Walt Disney World Marathon. Participants completing any of the Marathon weekend events (5k, 10,k, ½ Marathon or Full Marathon) as well as the Castaway Cay 5k received a special Castaway Challenge Medal. (Link)

January 14 – Disney files Permits for meet ‘n’ greet. The application named, Epcot Meet ‘n’ Greet, includes a 13,000 sq. ft. building which will feature an attraction and a women’s rest room. Anna & Elsa perhaps? (Link)

January 15 – This month Space Mountain celebrated its 40th anniversary. (Link)

January 16 – A new concert series is coming to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. The Garden Rocks Concert series will begin on March 6 with the Gin Blossoms and culminate May 17with Herman’s Hermits starting Peter Noone. (Link)

January 19 – The dates for the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival have been announced. Get your wine glass ready, they have added a week this year. (Link)

January 20 – Peter Pan’s Flight gets a fun, new interactive queue. For those who have been through the queue at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, this will be a similar experience. (Link)

January 21 – More tenants of Disney Springs have been revealed for ‘The Landing’. (Link)

January 22 – Our favorite royals from Arendelle are coming to Disney Cruise Line. (Link)
January 23 – Disney Tsum Tsum are some of the most popular Disney toys lately. Steven Miller, Merchandise Communications Manager lets us know the best place to find them at Disney Parks. (Link)

January 23 – For everyone who has ever wished upon a star to stay in Cinderella Castle, Orlando’s WESH TV gave us a tour of the secret guest suite. (Link)

January 28 – The events for Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration have been revealed. (Link)

That’s all the news for now. Follow me on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom for more Disney news.

Latest News From the World of Disney: September 11, 2015

Other posts by this author:
”The Descendants” Movie Review
Disney by Land, Disney by Sea: Part 1 & Part 2
”Tomorrowland” Movie Review
Best Walt Disney World Smartphone Apps
Restaurant Review – Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – The Way Life Should Be
A Day in the Life of Disney’s FastPass+ Service

Sue Nowicki splits her time between planning her next Walt Disney World vacation and being team mom to ten high-energy volleyball players where she fills the roles of secretary, navigator, treasurer, athletic trainer and team psychologist. You can follow her on Twitter @JazzinDisneyMom.

Written by: Sue Nowicki

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The Latest From Walt Disney World

September 30, 2014May 20, 2016

Written by: Heather McGilvray

Walt Disney World® has seen quite a few exciting announcements released in the past couple of weeks so I thought I would take a few minutes to highlight them all in one place.

In Epcot, some chilly changes are being made at the Norway Pavilion. On October 5th, the Maelstrom attraction will be closing permanently. Maelstrom is being replaced by a ‘Frozen’ themed attraction projected to open in early 2016. Although Arendelle is a fictional location, much inspiration was taken from Norway in the development of the movie. In addition to the new ‘Frozen’ attraction, there will also be a ‘Frozen’-themed meet and great. This announcement has brought some controversy as the Maelstrom attraction which opened in 1988 and is a favorite among many guests. I, personally, loved the Maelstrom ride but think the Norway Pavilion is a perfect location for ‘Frozen’. Although it is always hard to say good-bye to the old, I think this transformation will be a great addition to Epcot. I am anxious to see how the Imagineers will incorporate ‘Frozen’ and Scandinavian traditions.

Like Epcot, Hollywood Studios has an attraction permanently closing. The Backlot Tours attraction is closing at the end of September. There is still speculation as to what the area will be used for, nothing official has been released. We do know that Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post will be relocating to the area. This is a store centered on all things ‘Frozen’. The Trading Post will be near the “For the First Time in Forever: A ‘Frozen’ Sing-Along Celebration.” While we don’t know what will the future holds for the area, it is speculated that some major changes are coming to Hollywood Studios. I am curious to see how they will update and add changes to this park. Know that MouseQuest will keep you updated as soon as we know the plans!

Not quite as popular as ‘Frozen’, but I was excited to see Pandora will be adding Disney charms. If you are not familiar with Pandora charms, they are a popular charm bracelet that you can customize. It was recently announced that this fall Pandora will be releasing sixteen Disney-inspired charms. This announcement caught my eye because I love shopping at Disney! On any given day you can find one or more of my family members sporting Disney apparel. For myself, I personally enjoy items that are practical, nice and a little bit unique. The charms will first be available at Walt Disney World and Disneyland and there is a charm for each of the parks. My personal favorite is the Mickey Mania but it is hard to choose. Look at how cute they are! I am so excited for this special addition of Disney fun.

More than shopping at Disney, I treasure our family Disney photos. It was just announced that on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train they will have photos and videos of your experience. Yes, videos! When Memory Maker is attached to your Magic Band your video from the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will automatically be added to your My Disney Experience account. In addition to the video, Memory Makers will provide you all photos taken by Disney photographers and on attractions throughout the parks during your stay. You can purchase Memory Maker at the parks but when pre-purchased, at least three days in advance, you save $50. Of course with the $50 savings you could go shopping (see above)! Memory Maker is always on my to-do list before a Disney vacation. I love Memory Maker because I can let Disney photographers capture some great shots and I can enjoy the special moments with my family. I can’t wait to see the included videos from the Mine Train on our next visit.

Written by: Sue Nowicki

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Disney Movies That Should have Park Attractions

July 13, 2014May 25, 2016

– Written By: David Smith

At one point or another, all of us armchair imagineers look around the parks and think about all the Disney properties that don’t have a representative attraction. With that in mind, I went about creating a list of the Disney movies (not Marvel, sorry) that I would love to see in the parks. First, a couple of ground rules I set for myself…

A) The movie must be one that I consider a “classic” Disney film. By this I mean that 20 years from now it will still be remembered (and knowing Disney, still being re-issued for purchase). John Carter might make a good attraction, but I doubt we’ll be talking about it in 20 years (at least not in the good way). Call me cynical if you want.

B) This list only applies to Walt Disney World. The movie might have an attraction in Disneyland, but for the purposes of this list, it does not exist. I did not include movies that already have attractions, even if I believe they deserve much better attractions (ie. Aladdin, The Lion King, etc.). I lumped stage shows in as existing attractions, but not character meet-and-greets.

C) I must have a specific type of attraction in mind. I can’t say that Mars Needs Moms would make a great attraction without stating what kind of attraction it should be. Actually, come to think of it, there is no way I can ever say that Mars Needs Moms would make a great attraction. Let’s just all agree to block that movie from our collective memories and move on.

Now, on to the list:

10. Sleeping Beauty (1959) – The last of the old-style animation classics, this movie is filled with artistic set pieces, memorable characters, and action that could easily translate into the classic dark ride format. In fact, this is probably more easily turned into an attraction than Snow White, suffering only in release chronology.

9. Super Mario Bros. (1993) – Reviewing the Disney film library, I was surprised to see this movie listed. I certainly don’t consider this movie a classic in any way. In fact, quite the opposite as this is one of the few blights on the Brothers Mario record. However, the concept of turning Nintendo properties into attractions is very, well, attractive. I’m sure there are all kinds of legal roadblocks to doing this, but I see this as the next big wave of attraction tie-ins.

8. Mary Poppins (1964) – Certainly the most famous of Disney’s live action movies, this movie gives us a variety of locales and the kind of episodic story that fits perfectly into the dark ride format. The movie that basically built a good portion of Disneyland certainly deserves a larger park presence than much more forgettable fare (I’m looking at you, Disney Junior shows).

7. Pinocchio (1940) – The movie that gave us Jiminy Cricket, Monstro, Pleasure Island, and donkey boys needs to have a Fantasyland dark ride.

6. WALL-E (2008) – A dystopian landscape, space travel, mass manipulation, robot love… how does this movie not have a coaster already? In all seriousness, I could see this as a high-speed coaster or EMV attraction recreating some of the more memorable scenes. Plus, it would be a chance to include Michael Crawford singing Put On Your Sunday Clothes in the attraction, and that’s always fun.

5. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) – Disney’s classic action movie still holds up today. I’m sure someone at WDI could come up with something using this movie as an attraction.

4. The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) – I’m already breaking my “classic movie” rule here, but I would love to see Kuzcotopia as a water ride, or even Yzma’s secret lab entrance as a coaster. Many possibilities here, and surprisingly, the movie still holds up to viewings now.

3. The Incredibles (2004) – This movie provides great characters, exciting action, and enough fantastic settings to fill 10 Little Mermaid show buildings. However, I think that this movie would do even better as a thrill attraction. The music alone makes me want to go fast. In fact, I think some consideration should be given to re-theming Rock-N-Roller Coaster as the… (building suspense)… Incredicoaster! Thank you, thank you very much.

2. Up (2009) – This movie already has an attraction built in basically. How easy would it be to take the Peter Pan ride system and create an Up dark ride. Just replace the pirate ship with a blimp, and you’re already half way there.

1. Tron (1982) – Even without the new movie coming out soon, this movie could easily support several different types of attractions: dark ride, coaster, simulator, EMV, 4D movie, whatever. Unless they called it Tron’s Great Escape, how could this possibly fail?

Hmmm… seems like I’m forgetting something here… nope, that’s it I guess…

OK, OK… let’s talk about it… that little film with the cult following (in much the same way that oxygen has a cult following), Frozen. The exclusion of Frozen from the list above is not an indication that I don’t want a Frozen attraction. On the contrary, I do want a Frozen attraction. I just don’t want 10 Frozen attractions. I get the feeling that Hollywood Studios is quickly turning into the Star Wars / Frozen park with Hoth acting as the transition between the two. At some point, the fanaticism towards this film with subside and be replaced with the normal level of respect due a classic Disney animated musical, right? RIGHT? I mean, things have to level out and we can get a new offering from WDI that doesn’t feature Anna and Elsa. Maybe? Anyone? Hold on, World of Color is starting…(The snow blows white on the…) sigh…

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Episode 42: What’s New in the Parks

October 13, 2013May 20, 2016

Welcome to the MouseQuest Podcast- Your guide in the quest for the perfect Disney vacation. This is episode number 42. This week we will be talking about what’s new in the Disneyland and Walt Disney World parks since January of this past year. There has been SO much going on the past few months and we hope this overview will help you know what new things to look for on your trip if you haven’t been back since last year.

Appearing this week are Dawn Gosdin, Rich Grady, David Smith, Marci Smithm and Gayle Turner.

To submit a question for the show, please go to the MouseQuest Podcast website, or send an email to question@mqpodcast.com.

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Episode 33: The Magic Kingdom

August 14, 2013May 20, 2016

Welcome to the MouseQuest Podcast- Your guide in the quest for the perfect Disney vacation. This is episode number 33. This week we will be answering questions all about the first of the four Walt Disney World theme parks; the Magic Kingdom. Since it’s opening day on October 1st, 1971, the Most Magical Place on Earth has welcomed millions of guests young and old. We welcome you to join us as we discuss some of our favorites of this amazing park. Questions this week include:

With only one day to visit the Magic Kingdom, how would you make the most of your time there without feeling overwhelmed?

What would you say are your top 5 things to do in the Magic Kingdom with young kids? What would you say not to miss?

When your kids pass that 44-inch height requirement there really is nothing they can’t experience. What are your family’s top 5 things to experience in the Magic Kingdom?

Besides entertainment and attractions, dining and shopping are two very important things that guests look forward to experiencing. What your top 5 shops and restaurants you would not miss in the Magic Kingdom?

I know that there are some people out there who feel that the Magic Kingdom is a park that only caters to children. What would you say to them about visiting the park?

What is your favorite attraction, shop and dining experience at the Magic Kingdom?

Appearing this week are Dawn Gosdin, Rich Grady, Amy Leto, Heather McGilvray, and Marci Smith.

To submit a question for the show, please go to the MouseQuest Podcast website, or send an email to question@mqpodcast.com.

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