Disney Reveals New MagicBand Packaging This Week

At Walt Disney World® Resort, they are always looking for ways to improve your experience while ensuring their products continue to support The Walt Disney Company’s environmental initiatives.

Beginning Nov. 11, 2016, Guests who receive MagicBands at home before their resort stay will have their MagicBands fulfilled in new packaging.  The new packaging is fully recyclable and printed on recycled paper, in response to Guests' requests.

This packaging will include the same grey MagicBand holder that’s provided to Guests and at the resort front desk.  It will also contain the same collateral information on how to wear the MagicBand, how to use it in the parks and resorts, and RFID technology.

The new packaging includes a sleeve on its left side, which is where the Walt Disney Travel Company luggage tags will now be located.  The luggage tag straps can be found inside the gray MagicBand holder.

I always love seeing the new changes that Disney comes up with.  I can't wait to get our next MagicBands in this packaging!

Disney Unveils New Money-Saving Ticket Option!

Discover Endless Magic at All Four
Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks with a New Special Ticket

With so many new attractions and experiences to discover at each of the Walt Disney World® Resort Theme Parks, now is the perfect time to start planning your stay – and Disney has a new special ticket offer to experience the distinctive magic in each Walt Disney World Theme Park.

The new 4 Park Magic Ticket is only $70 per day for a limited time and gives you one admission to each of the four theme parks on four separate days starting tomorrow, Nov. 15, 2016 through May 26, 2017.  (That is a savings of over $60 when compared to a four-day base Magic Your Way ticket!)

The 4 Park Magic Ticket is valid for a total of four admissions to the Walt Disney World Theme Parks and can be used to enter each Theme Park only once.

Tickets are valid for one day of admission to Magic Kingdom® Park, one day of admission to Epcot®, one day of admission to Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, and one day of admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios® on four separate days and may not be used to enter the same Park more than once.

This special ticket is the perfect way for you to stay at nearby at Walt Disney World Resort area hotels and experience all of this magic and more at each of the theme parks, but it won’t be available for long.

You can only purchase the 4 Park Magic Ticket between Nov. 15, 2016 and March 5, 2017*.  Tickets must be used within 14 days of first use or by May 26, 2017, and the following block-out dates apply:  Dec. 17, 2016 through Jan. 2, 2017 and April 10-21, 2017.

*Tickets are nonrefundable, nontransferable, and exclude activities/events separately priced.  Admission is subject to capacity closures and other restrictions.

Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom Unveil New Dessert Cruise!

We love dessert, and we love all types of transportation at Disney's Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.  So imagine our delight in hearing about this new fireworks dessert cruise at the Magic Kingdom.

This article was just posted on-line by the Disney Parks Blog.  Here is a brief excerpt:

Cast your sights on the new Ferrytale Wishes: A Fireworks Dessert Cruise—the perfect way to take in a breathtaking view of the Magic Kingdom Park night time spectacular fireworks from an exclusive spot on Seven Seas Lagoon with dazzling desserts and drinks.

Imagine sailing off from the Ticket & Transportation Ferryboat Dock promptly one hour prior to “Wishes” Nighttime Spectacular, offered select nights weekly, on the iconic, double-stack ferryboat. Set a course for decks laden with delectable sweets such as “The Grand” key lime tart; pineapple upside down cake from the chefs at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort; spiced flourless chocolate cake from the pastry kitchen at Disney’s Contemporary Resort; “Main Street” Mickey Balloon Tarts; mini “fireworks” cupcakes with a pop; Cinderella’s Sugar Slipper with Orange Financier; no-sugar-added Florida mango panna cotta; and a fabulous fruit and cheese spread. Toast the evening with specialty alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in souvenir glow glasses. 

This special hard-ticketed event will have limited seating, and prices are $69 and $99.  You may call 407-WDW-DINE or visit DisneyWorld.com/DINE for reservations.

Visit the Disney Parks Blog to read more about this new and very cool event!

Cinderella's New Golden Coach Heads to Disney's Hollywood Studios

*Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog.

Isn't she beautiful?

According to the Disney Parks Blog, the Coach has made its way to Orlando and has already made one surprise appearance.  It is on its way next to Hollywood Studios.

Visit the Disney Parks Blog to see what surprises laid in store for Guests on New Years Eve!

Disney Parks Blog Unveils New Orange Bird Photo Opp

Disney's fabled and famous Orange Bird is back!

Disney Park Creative Services created this huge inflatable Orange Bird for Guests to take pictures with.  

What do you think?  Are you excited to have your picture taken with Orange Bird?

The ABCs of Disney Character Hunting

The Examiner takes a look at finding your favorite characters at Walt Disney World A through Z.  How do you find your favorite characters, and do you have a tricks or tips?

"One of the most magical things to do at the Walt Disney World Resorts and Theme Parks is to go hunting for your favorite Disney character and get that autograph book filled.  Almost everyone who visit’s the Disney theme parks has a blast seeking out their favorite character.  Let’s be honest.  With a show of hands, how many of you have taken a selfie with Mickey Mouse or posed in a princess costume with Cinderella?  Yeah, I raised my hand too.

Some of the Disney characters only make rare appearances, coming out to visit with guests during peak seasons and special events.  Here is a list of Disney Characters in alphabetical order that can be found at the theme parks:
A

• Aladdin - Magic Kingdom: Magic Carpets of Aladdin; Epcot: Morocco
• Alice - Magic Kingdom: The Mad Tea Party; Epcot: United Kingdom; Epcot: The American Adventure
• Anastasia - Magic Kingdom: Behind Cinderella’s Castle
• Anna - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall
• Ariel - Magic Kingdom: Ariel’s Grotto; Epcot: Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)
• Aurora - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall; Epcot: France, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)

B

• Baloo - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Upcountry Landing
• Beast - Epcot: France
• Belle: Magic Kingdom - Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only), Enchanted Tales with Belle; Epcot: France, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)
• Buzz Lightyear: Magic Kingdom - Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin/Carousel of Progress; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Friends Building

C

• Chip ‘n’ Dale - Magic Kingdom: Golden Horseshoe; Epcot: Near the Land Pavilion, Garden Grill (character dining only); Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Outside Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Cinderella - Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only), Princess Fairytale Hall
• Country Bears - Epcot: The American Adventure

D

• Daisy Duck - Magic Kingdom: Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: Legacy Fountain; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Discovery Island Character Landing, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Doc - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only)
• Donald Duck - Magic Kingdom: Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: The American Adventure, Mexico; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Cretaceous Trail, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Drizella - Magic Kingdom: Behind Cinderella’s Castle
• Dug - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Tough to be a Bug

E

• Eeyore - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only); Epcot: United Kingdom
• Elsa - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall

F

• Fairy Godmother - Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Fountain
• Ferb - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit to MuppetVision
• Frozone - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation

G

• Gaston - Magic Kingdom: Gaston’s Tavern
• Genie - Epcot: Morocco
• Goofy - Magic Kingdom: Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: The American Adventure, Legacy Fountain; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Chester and Hester’s Dinorama, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Green Army Men - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Friends Building

H

• Handy Manny - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only)

J

• Jasmine - Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only), Princess Fairytale Hall, Magic Carpets of Aladdin; Epcot: Morocco, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)
• Jake - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only), Disney Junior LIVE
• Jessie - Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain

L

• Lady Tremaine - Magic Kingdom: Behind Cinderella’s Castle
• Lightning McQueen - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Luigi’s Garage
• Louis - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Upcountry Landing

M

• Mad Hatter - Epcot: The American Adventure
• Marie - Magic Kingdom: Area by City Hall
• Mary Poppins - Magic Kingdom: Near Le Chapeau; Epcot: United Kingdom
• Mater - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Luigi’s Garage
• Merida - Magic Kingdom: Fairytale Garden
• Mickey Mouse - Magic Kingdom: Town Square Theater; Epcot: The American Adventure, Garden Grill (character dining only), Future World Character Spot; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Adventurer’s Outpost, Tusker House Restaurant (character dining only)
• Mike - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit of Backlot Tour
• Minnie Mouse - Magic Kingdom: Area by City Hall, Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus; Epcot: The American Adventure, Future World Character Spot; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat, Magic of Disney Animation; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Adventurer’s Outpost
• Mr. Incredible - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation
• Mulan - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall; Epcot: China, Restaurant Akeshu (character dining only)

P

• Peter Pan - Magic Kingdom: Peter Pan’s Flight
• Piglet - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only)
• Phineas - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit to MuppetVision
• Pluto - Magic Kingdom: Area by City Hall; Epcot: The American Adventure, Garden Grill (character dining only), Future World Character Spot; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Chester and Hester’s Dinorama
• Pocahontas - Epcot: The American Adventure; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Discovery Island Trails

R

• Rafiki - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Inside Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Ralph - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation
• Rapunzel - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall
• Russel - Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Tough to be a Bug

S

• Snow White - Magic Kingdom: Town Square Theater Porch, Cinderella’s Royal Table (character dining only); Epcot: Germany
• Sofia the First - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Hollywood and Vine (character dining only); Disney Junior LIVE
• Stitch - Magic Kingdom: Throughout Tomorrowland; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat
• Sulley - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Exit of Backlot Tour

T

• Tiana - Magic Kingdom: Princess Fairytale Hall, The Glade
• Tigger - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh; Epcot: United Kingdom
• Tinker Bell - Magic Kingdom: Town Square Theater

V

• Venellope - Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Magic of Disney Animation

W

• White Rabbit - Magic Kingdom: The Mad Tea Party
• Winnie the Pooh - Magic Kingdom: Crystal Palace (character dining only), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh; Epcot: United Kingdom
• Woody - Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Friends Building

Hopefully this will help you find all of your favorite characters throughout the parks at Disney World.  Remember that character appearances are intermittent during the times listed on the park guide so check with guest relations at the park for more details about times and locations for character meet and greets.  Happy vacationing!"

DISNEY - **FREE** Dining - Still Time to Book

Did you know you can eat for **FREE** at Walt Disney World during certain promotion times?

It's true.  You can!

Right now is one of those promotion times, and there is still time to book your **FREE** dining vacation.  Just click on the travel planning button to the right for more information.

*Visit the Disney website for promotion details.

Pictures - Let's See Yours

*Courtesy Pinterest

Been to Disney?

Love Disney?

Got a pic of you showing our Disney spirit?  Send it to us!  We'd love to feature you on our website!

Happy Cinco de Mayo - Mexican Mouse Ears!

*Courtesy Disneyland Today

"Show off your festive spirit with Cinco De Mayo ear hats – limited quantities now available at the Mad Hatter in Fantasyland!"

**FREE** the Goat

Free the Big Mountain Railroad Goat!

Click to find out how!

Get a Sneak Peek at A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas at Magic Kingdom Park

Are you ready to experience a whole new pirate adventure?

Walt Disney Imagineering just shared a sneak peek at the new interactive quest, A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas, which will debut at Magic Kingdom Park this summer.

In the game, the fate of piracy in the Caribbean rests in the hands of new pirate recruits, who, armed with magic talismans and treasure maps, embark on five different pirate raids throughout Adventureland to collect valuable treasures, while Captain Jack Sparrow’s magic compass guides them.

Here, Imagineers Jonathan Ackley and Matt Beiler offer up a look at a few of the quest’s cool special effects.

A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas will be included with Magic Kingdom Park admission and is open to guests of all ages.

Now, which of you are ready to join the ranks of a new recruit?

*Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Best Cookies at Disney World!

*Courtesy of Pinterest

Where and what are the best cookies at Walt Disney World?  Click the link above to find out!

Caption This: Piracy in the Caribbean at Walt Disney World Resort

Do you recognize this famous scene from Pirates of the Caribbean here at Walt Disney World Resort?

In it, three locals (under the watch of a pirate guard) await their turn to get dunked in the town fountain. What’s on their minds as they wait? You tell us. Go ahead and “Caption This!”

Leave us a comment below to tell us how you would caption this picture.

*Thanks Disney Parks Blog!

Is this You?

It’s a Jungle Out There: The History of Jungle Cruise Horticulture

When building the Jungle Cruise, Walt Disney turned to Imagineer and horticulturist Bill Evans to create the landscape.

Rather than create a true-to-life jungle though, Bill’s goal was to develop a “Hollywood Jungle,” a mixture of exotic plants and trees that would give the feeling of traveling through exciting and uncharted territories.

To create his Hollywood Jungle here in Anaheim, Bill developed some intrepid techniques, like smuggling plant seeds inside the cuffs of his socks and planting orange trees upside down to resemble mangroves.  Bill also worked with the site’s existing horticulture when designing the Jungle Cruise.  Originally planned for the east side of Disneyland park (where Tomorrowland would be built), Adventureland was moved to the west side of Main Street, U.S.A., to incorporate the large eucalyptus trees planted there by the orange farmers who previously owned the land. Planted to function as a windbreak for the orange groves, these trees made the perfect visual barrier, hiding all the mysteries that lay within the Jungle Cruise.

Through the years, the tall trees engulfing the Jungle Cruise have created a lush canopy that regulates the temperature inside this Hollywood Jungle, allowing plants that you won’t find anywhere else in Southern California to thrive right here in Disneyland park.

If you want to learn more about the horticulture of the Jungle Cruise, as well as other areas of Disneyland park, check out the Cultivating the Magic Guided Tour, where you will discover how horticulture is used to help tell stories and helped achieve Walt Disney’s vision for his original Magic Kingdom.



*Photos and story courtesy of Disney.