Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1231
May 9, 2014
In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of May 9, 2014
While you’ve been busy shopping for your mother or the mother figure in your life (remember, this weekend is Mother’s Day), I’ve been busy finding all the interesting reads I could pack into this article! What are they? Take a look!
In Case You Missed It – Disney and Universal Orlando News and Rumors
FastPass+ usage has increased by 40% over Legacy FASTPASS. Read more about this story in the Orlando Sentinel.
This past week, Disney reported its earnings, which were obviously exceptional, thanks in large part to the success of Frozen. Read more about the higher than expect profits here.
If you are a Walt Disney World fan, you have probably heard about the Little Orange Bird. If you don’t know who he is, here is the backstory on his existence. And when you head over to Sunshine Tree Terrace the next time for a Citrus Swirl, be sure to say hi for me!
This week I ran across a fantastic podcast that I must be included in your rotation! Called WDFM Podcast, it’s from the Walt Disney Family Museum! This monthly show is dedicated to further Walt Disney’s story and features interviews with people who knew or admire him.
his monthly podcast will endeavor to further Walt’s story. From interviews with people who knew or admire him—such as Disney Legends, animators, Imagineers, and more – See more at: http://www.waltdisney.org/podcast#sth...
his monthly podcast will endeavor to further Walt’s story. From interviews with people who knew or admire him—such as Disney Legends, animators, Imagineers, and more – See more at: http://www.waltdisney.org/podcast#sth...
If you are a fan of Pixar movies, you’ll know the story behind A113. If you haven’t heard of it, here’s the full story. (Along with some other places you’ll find the infamous letter and numbers.)
Star Wars Day (May the Fourth), was this week and Bob Iger had a little fun with everyone’s favorite Wookie!
The world lost an icon with the passing of Bob Hoskins, who was famous for many roles, but for Disney, he was famous for playing Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. His influence on this movie was huge. He will be missed.
If you are a fan of ABC shows, you know that now is the time of year where some shows get the pick up for the next season and some get the axe. Here’s the list of pick ups, along with new shows premiering next season and which shows will not be returning. Which shows are you excited about seeing next year or which ones will you miss that got cancelled?
Thinking about taking a cruise? Digital Journal shares “Five Cost-Saving Cruise Tips for Families.” (My favorite tip is getting the Spa Pass. (Known as the Rainforest Room aboard Disney Cruise Line. It really is like getting the spa experience for a minimal price, without paying for the super expensive spa treatments. Who doesn’t love taking advantage of a hot tub that looks over the water or those fantastic heated chairs?!)
Are you as excited as I am for Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort to open? We have three peeks at this new area. The first was a peek for a contest that the Today Show is hosting. Here, Al Roker discusses a brand new sweepstakes, which starts May 13, where guests can win a chance to be on hand for the opening day ceremony of Diagon Alley. (No official opening date has been announced just yet, but I would expect it to be announced very soon.) To enter, you’ll need to watch the Today Show and entering the code word mentioned on the show, at the sweepstakes website.
The second and third were videos released by Universal themselves. The first one shows the goblins up close, including one of the goblins (named Bogrod) who was instrumental in what took place during the Gringotts scene featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 2. Holy wow does he look realistic! The goblins are a part of the queue of the new attraction, Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts. In the last video that Universal released, it showed behind the scenes of the Hogwarts Express. It will be so exciting to step foot into this infamous train.
In Case We Missed It
What did we miss? Send your idea attached to a copy of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and send both to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.
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In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of May 9, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
2014 Eat to the Beat Concert Series Artists Announced
©Disney
The 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is rapidly approaching, especially when you consider the extended festival dates announced for this year. (For those who have missed it, the Epcot Food & Wine Festival will run for an unprecedented 53 days, starting a week earlier than normal on September 19 and lasting until November 10.)
Part of this popular festival is the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, where popular bands and solo artists perform nightly. (Of course, once again, I will miss seeing Hanson…my tween self is very sad.)
Each year sees a number of new artists performing, and this year’s series brings Jo Dee Messina, Los Lonely Boys, and Fuel, all for the first time.
The schedule for this year’s Eat to the Beat Concert Series is:
Sept 19-21 – Jo Dee Messina
Sept. 22-23 – The Pointer Sisters
Sept. 24-25 – Rick Springfield
Sept. 26-27 – Christopher Cross
Sept. 28-29 – Hanson
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 – Air Supply
Oct. 3-5 – Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
Oct. 6-8 – Sugar Ray
Oct. 9-10 – Fuel
Oct. 11-12 – Sister Hazel
Oct. 13-14 – TBD
Oct. 15-16 – Billy Ocean
Oct. 17-19 – Night Ranger
Oct. 20-22 – Smash Mouth
Oct. 23-24 – Jim Brickman
Oct. 25-26 – Los Lonely Boys
Oct. 27-28 – Wilson Phillips
Oct. 29-31 – Dennis DeYoung, original member of Styx
Nov. 1-2 – 38 Special
Nov. 3-5 – Boyz II Men
Nov. 6-7 – David Cook
Nov. 8-10 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
These concerts are always a lot of fun, and you can tell the performers are excited to be on stage here. Do keep in mind that this schedule (and list of artists) is subject to change.
The performances take place at the America Gardens Theatre, found in the American Adventure Pavilion. Concert times are 5:30 pm, 6:45 pm, and 8:00 pm, and the show is included with your park admission.
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Least Crowded Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2014 Dates
Last year I wrote about what we expected to be the least crowded Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties. It proved to be a very popular topic, so here I am again to review the information from last year and give you an even better projection for 2014. Make sure you check out our dedicated page for a complete list of dates as well as a thorough description of what the Halloween party is.
In short, if you’re looking for the best 2014 Halloween Party to attend, we recommend Tuesday, September 16, 2014. Last year we recommended the equivalent party, Tuesday, September 17, 2013, and it turned out to be the party with the lowest wait times by our calculation.
If that date isn’t in your plans, any of the non-Sunday September dates will be good choices, followed by any Tuesday in October. As you may guess from the above, Tuesday is the best day to attend a party. Last year Sunday ended up being the day with the highest in-party attraction wait times, although even then our adjusted average was 11.6 minutes per attraction, so not too shabby.
As it was in 2012, Halloween night was deceivingly high in our ‘best day’ rankings in 2013. October 31st is a very popular party day and often reaches party capacity (which is still much lower than full park capacity). We suspect the low wait times are a result of many guests spending their time meeting characters, trick-or-treating, and securing the best spots for the parades rather than riding rides.
In 2014 Halloween falls on a Friday night. For the past two years parties were held on the Friday after Halloween, November 2, 2012 and November 1, 2013, both of which were among the highest wait times. All that is just a long-winded way of saying that you should avoid the October 31, 2014 party if you want to avoid the crowds.
If you are considering other dates, here are our predicted rankings of attraction wait times at each of the 2014 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties.
[Please note that the military discount ends following the September 28 party. The Advance Annual Pass and Disney Vacation Club discounts end following the October 21 party, but are also not available for the parties on October 10 or 17.]
Party Date
Attraction Wait Times Rank
Advance Purchase Price for an Adult Ticket
Notes
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Lowest Wait Times
$66.03
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
2
$66.03
Friday , September 12, 2014
3
$66.03
Sunday, September 28, 2014
4
$66.03
Monday, September 1, 2014
5 (Estimated)
$66.03
“Estimated” because we do not have any previous data. Disney has never held a Halloween party this early.
Friday, October 3, 2014
6
$71.36
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
7
$66.03
Thursday, October 30, 2014
8
$75.62
Crowds will be heavy for character meets and parades.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
9
$71.36
Sold out 1 day in advance in 2013. Crowds will be heavy for character meets and parades.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
10
$71.36
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
11
$71.36
Friday, September 26, 2014
12
$66.03
Sold out 1 day in advance in 2013.
Monday, October 13, 2014
13
$71.36
Sold out 1 day in advance in 2013.
Friday, September 19, 2014
14
$66.03
Sunday, September 14, 2014
15 (Estimated)
$66.03
“Estimated” because there is no equivalent 2013 date
Thursday, October 16, 2014
16
$71.36
Sold out 2 days in advance in 2013.
Friday, October 31, 2014
17
$82.01
Sold out 27 days in advance in 2013. Crowds will be heavy for character meets and parades.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
18
$71.36
Firday, October 17, 2014
19
$71.36
Sunday, September 21, 2014
20
$66.03
Sunday, October 5, 2014
21
$71.36
Thursday, October 9, 2014
22
$71.36
Sold out 1 day in advance in 2013.
Friday, October 24, 2014
23
$75.62
Sunday, October 19, 2014
24
$71.36
Thursday, October 23, 2014
25
$71.36
Friday, October 10, 2014
Highest Wait Times
$75.62
Sold out 1 day in advance in 2013.
To determine all of the above, we looked at posted wait times from key attractions including Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, it’s a small world, and The Barnstormer. We narrowed it down to times between 7pm and midnight, which is when the park is limited to party guests. Some quick notes about our research:
Our wait times only include attractions−not character meet and greets, special shows, or parades. The characters, in particular, often have long lines, especially for rare characters like the Seven Dwarfs. Regardless of which party you attend, some of the character lines will be long. If those are a must do, do them as early in the evening as possible.
In general the wait times during the Halloween parties are quite low, averaging only about 10 minutes. If there are any attractions that you have really been wanting to do, experiencing them during the Halloween party might just be the time.
Looking for more information? Erin Foster wrote an amazing overview of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party that will help you whether this is your first trip or your 100th (and if it’s your 100th, you might have a problem…being too awesome). There is also a wonderful recap of 2013′s Halloween Party available for even more Halloweenieness (that made up word is even a stretch for me).
If you consider yourself handy with the camera, or if you simply want better pictures, you can’t go wrong with Tom Bricker’s tips on photographing the Halloween party.
Now that you are armed with the most powerful weapon…knowledge, you can plan your 2014 trip to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. This blog post will help you find all of the party dates and prices.
Hopefully this analysis will help you choose the best Halloween Party to attend. Make sure to check back here later, where we’ll soon be breaking down Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, as well.
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Least Crowded Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2014 Dates is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
May 8, 2014
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ Advice and Ride Testing Observations
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train making a test run in the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland (photos by Seth Kubersky)
As you may have heard, during the first few days in May, Walt Disney World allowed select media to preview the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in New Fantasyland, and announced a May 28 official opening date for the attraction. Public soft openings are expected some time in the next few weeks, but for now the only people riding the family-friendly coaster during operating hours are employees involved with Seven Dwarfs Mine Train testing and training. On the Monday after the media preview, Touring Plans stats guru Fred Hazelton and I paid a visit to the Magic Kingdom. There, we had the opportuninity to observe the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train making training and testing runs, as the attraction cycled spordically — both with and without riders — over the course of several hours. In addition, we have some advice on securing coveted Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ reservations, as well as an update on using four or more FastPass+ appointments in one day.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Testing Observations
Let’s start with some scenic shots of the Mine Train, and the mind-blowing quantity of rockwork and landscaping that went into the area surrounding it.
Ok, so the foreground may not be that scenic, but look at that backdrop!
Since we at Touring Plans love numbers, I timed the trains to get a rough idea of rider capacity. Be advised that these estimates are based on testing and training cycles, and may not be indicative of how the ride will operate on or after opening day.
With what appeared to be three trains in operation and no riders, the shortest time observed between dispatches was 48 seconds, with an average dispatch interval of 1 minute.
With riders, the shortest dispatch interval observed was approximately 1 minute, 45 seconds. However, I didn’t observe enough consecutive occupied trains to accurately compute an average interval.
Each train consists of 5 cars with 4 seats per car, for a total of 20 passengers.
If operators can dispatch a full train every 60 seconds, the ride will have a throughput capacity of 1200 riders per hour. For comparison’s sake, that’s more than Peter Pan’s Flight, but significantly less than Space Mountain or Haunted Mansion.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ Information
No matter what the eventual capacity is exactly, the standby line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is likely to be epic all summer long. Luckily, anyone who has registered with My Disney Experience can book FastPass+ reservations for the ride from May 28 to the end of their reservation window (60 days for resort guests, 30 days for everyone else).
The FastPass+ system actually crashed on the day Mine Train reservations were released, reportedly collapsing under the strain of 50,000 requests. However, the servers were resuscitated, and it’s now possible to secure Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ bookings for a wide range of days. I personally was able to book for 9:45 a.m. on the attraction’s opening day, and during prime hours on several subsequent days during that opening week.
Here are some hints on booking Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ reservations for yourself:
Use the mydisneyexperience.com website, not the iOS or Android app. You can access the website using your phone or table’s browser, if you like.
The iOS app in particular is not updated yet for the Mine Train, making it impossible to book the attraction through it.
After you book Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ through the website, it should appear in your app. But the attraction does not yet appear properly on the map and has temporarily disappeared from my display at random times.
Beware adjusting editing your Mine Train reservation via the app, especialy if you are managing accounts for multiple users. I accidentally deleted one of my party’s reservations, and when I recovered it by copying another, the time changed.
Rolling 4th FastPass+ Update
While at the Magic Kingdom, I also had my first opportunity to try out the rolling 4th FastPass+, which grants you a 4th (or 5th, or 6th…) ride reservation after your first three have all been used or expired.
The additional FastPass+ times must be retrieved from a kisok, so I headed to the service center in Storybook Circus, where I was one of only 2 customers.
The system worked as advertised (except for the kisoks’ typically unresponsive touch screens) and I was pleasantly surprised by the options, with all the park’s E-Tickets still available at 2:45 p.m. on a moderately crowded day (6/10 on our crowd calendar).
Festival of Fantasy parade reserved viewing was even listed as still available, but The system wouldn’t let me select it, possibly because the return window had already opened.
I ended up taking a Space Mountain FastPass+ for 2 hours in the future, which is fairly close to what I would have expected in similar circumstances under the old paper FastPass system.
It’s important to note that the new 4th FastPass is not subject to restrictions on tiers or park-hopping, meaning that you can switch parks and use a kiosk there to book any open FastPass+ in that park, even the “top tier” attractions in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot like Toy Story Mania or Soarin’. For that reason, some guests have requested the ability to pre-book fewer than 3 FastPass+ times.
The system insists on giving everyone 3 reservations, whether they want them all or not, but some users have reported success with deleting two FastPass+ times through the website (another feature not available in the app) and then booking a 4th FastPass+ immediately after using their remaining reservation. Fair warning: it is possible to accidentally delete your entire day’s FastPass+ itinerary, and the attractions you originally wanted may no longer be available, so exploit this loophole at your own risk.
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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ Advice and Ride Testing Observations is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade at Disney’s Animal Kingdom To End May 31
©Disney
It was announced earlier this year that Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade at Disney’s Animal Kingdom would be ending its almost 13 year run. We now know that the last performance of the parade will take place on May 31.
The parade is ending due to the large amount of construction taking place in the park that will interfere with the parade route, as well as some of the guest viewing areas.
Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade was a fun showcase of Disney characters, music, and animal puppets.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is currently going through a substantial enhancement, with Festival of the Lion King debuting this June, a new night time extravaganza called Rivers of Light announced, and the Avatar-themed land set to debut in 2017.
There are no plans for a new parade for the park at the present time.
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PotterWatch: Piccadilly Circus Fountain Installed, Today Show Harry Potter Sweepstakes, and More.
The Piccadilly Circus fountain has arrived at Universal’s Wizarding World (photos by Seth Kubersky)
Orlando experienced some wild weather last week, but the torrential rain didn’t stop progress on Diagon Alley, as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion at Universal Orlando accelerates towards rumored soft openings at the end of this month. In today’s edition of PotterWatch, we feature the installation of the famous Piccadilly Circus Fountain in front of the the London Waterfront, and a new Today Show Harry Potter Sweepstakes starting next week.
Piccadilly Circus Fountain
The final major component of the London Waterfront, as featured in published concept art of the area, arrived recently, as a stunning replica of the Piccadilly Circus fountain was mounted in front of the Wyndham’s Theatre facade.
The fountain appears to be a museum-quality copy of the famous Shaftesbury Memorial and Statue of Anteros (usually misidentified as his winged twin Eros, a.k.a. Cupid).
While I was taking photos from across the lagoon, jets of water began spouting from the fountain at impressive heights.
But by the time I got close enough to capture video, the spraying had ceased, and a worker was on a lift adjusting it.
London Waterfront and Diagon Alley Progress
Smaller details are progressing all along the London Waterfront, with much more work occuring in Diagon Alley behind the facade.
The wooded berm’s forest is still a work in progress, but the Gringotts show building should eventually be largely concealed.
The newly installed lampposts are made of cast iron, and look amazingly authentic in person.
The former Amity Island restrooms, which were originally themed to the Jaws ride, are now being repainted in a shade of brown.
Zonko’s Window
Zonko’s interior may have been eaten up by Honeyduke’s candy shop, but it will remain in spirit thanks to these newly modified windows, featuring “no-heat” fireworks.
The explosive backdrop is clearly designed to animate using simple spinning patterns. Most likely, this will be activated by the interactive wands I’ve previously reported on.
The display appears to be computer-printed at a relatively low resolution, and is (to me) of noticeably less exacting quality than the area’s original windows.
Hogsmeade Station
Take a look at progress on Hogsmeade Station and its entry building at the transition to Hogsmeade.
The metallic patterning applied to the tower of Sindbad‘s stadium is reminiscent of water towers seen along railroads in the UK.
There was no work being done on this wall and berm during my visit.
However, the large stones I spotted behind Thunder Falls Terrace on a prior visit were no longer visible. Could they be destined to live here?
Today Show Harry Potter Sweepstakes
Tune into NBC’s Today Show next week for “clues” to entering a sweepstakes that could take you to Universal Orlando and the Wizarding World. You can register to enter on this website, then watch the show starting the morning of May 13.
An observant Orlando United forum member posted this schedule showing when the sweepstake “clues” may be broadcast, but since it’s a live show things are subject to change:
Tuesday, May 13: (7-9 a.m.) L.A. Reid talks about new Michael Jackson album: Xscape. Suze Orman on Today. Harry Potter Clue. The Voice on Today. Emma Roberts talks about Palo Alto. Dolly Parton performs on Today Plaza.
Wednesday, May 14: (7-9 a.m.) Modern day prom dilemmas. Harry Potter Clue. The Voice on Today. James Franco and Gia Coppola talk about Palo Alto. Mark Bittman talks about book: VB6. Lily Allen performs on Today Plaza.
Thursday, May 15: (7-9 a.m.) Kip and Mona Lisa Harding talk about new book: The Brainy Bunch: The Harding Family’s Method to College Ready by Age Twelve. Harry Potter Clue. The Voice on Today. Maya Rudolph on Today. Ricky Martin performs on Today Plaza.
Friday, May 16: (7-9 a.m.) Bryan Cranston talks about Godzilla. Harry Potter Clue. Heidi Klum talks about America’s Got Talent. Mariah Carey performs on Today Plaza.
These segments will include footage featuring Al Roker recorded during a recent video shoot at the resort, as revealed in this promotional clip, which also provides our first look at the animatronic goblins in the Gringotts lobby:
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PotterWatch: Piccadilly Circus Fountain Installed, Today Show Harry Potter Sweepstakes, and More. is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney Cruise Line Fare Tracker in Action: Timing Your Cruise Booking
By David Davies
Before delving into some travel planning decisions for my upcoming Disney Cruise Line adventure, I thought it’d be useful to explain how our Disney Cruise Line Fare Tracker tool accelerated my booking this cruise.
I am sailing on the 4-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Dream – Itinerary A on October 12, 2014. I get to enjoy the cheapest cabin (11C), which my group of 2 adults and 1 child will call home for the journey.
Comparison with Similar Cruise from Last Year
If our Fare Tracker finds an identical itinerary departing on a comparable day (for example, the third Sunday in October) in 2013, it displays that on the same chart when looking at a 2014 cruise. For example, our Fare Tracker for my itinerary but sailing on October 19, 2014, is shown below. Note that data for both that cruise and last year’s October 20, 2013, cruise are displayed:
As you can see, Disney’s fare adjustments for the 2014 cruise have been similar to what is shown for the 2013 cruise. However, for this particular 2014 sailing, some trends leap out:
Fares are a bit higher ($25-50) in 2014 than in 2013.
Fares increased a bit later (2-3 weeks closer to sail date) in 2014 than in 2013.
Based on the 2013 changes, I expect current pricing ($2,098.66 as of May 6, 2014) to stay in effect (and perhaps drop a bit) for an 11C cabin with 2 adults and 1 child on this sailing. And if I knew I wanted to take this cruise at the beginning of this year, I would have tried to purchase before 272 days prior to sailing (January 20, 2014) to avoid the price increase we saw in 2013. In this case, that would have worked out, because the first price increase did not hit until February 4, 2014 (257 days before sailing).
Fare Tracker Shows No Comparable Cruise
Alas, that October 19 cruise above is not my cruise. I depart on the second Sunday in October, and Disney Cruise Line did not have a 4-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Dream – Itinerary A leaving on that day in 2013. Thus I lack a directly comparable cruise for my sailing. As a result, there is only one line on my cruise’s Fare Tracker chart:
Disney Cruise Line generally increases its fares over time via its “tier pricing” structure; this means that the earlier you book, the lower your fare will be, so as the cruise fills up, pricing goes up. (There are exceptions to this; Disney occasionally offers “last minute” pricing to fill unpopular cruises, but it generally does this via unusual fare types so as to avoid direct comparisons with other bookings.)
I was assigned to take this cruise on January 6, 2014, which was 279 days before it sails. At that point, the fare had not changed from $1,922.66 since we started tracking this cruise in February 2013 (more than 600 days before sailing!). Based on this information, it was likely that this fare was at or near the lowest price that DCL would offer for my particular cabin and group. The question was: How long could I wait to book without having the price increase?
With the Fare Tracker at my disposal, I looked at 2013 cruises for my itinerary and manually found sailings that departed on October 9 and October 20, 2013:
The October 6 cruise had a fare jump at 258 days before sailing, and the October 20 cruise had a jump at 272 days before sailing (both occurred on January 21, 2013, the third Monday in January). Based on this, it seemed reasonable that a price increase would occur sometime around the third Monday in January of 2014 (January 20).
My Results
I was assigned to go on this cruise right at 279 days before sailing, so we acted as quickly as we could. We were not able to buy before 272 days hit, but we made the purchase on January 15 (270 days before sailing) without experiencing a fare increase. That turned out to be about 3 weeks before a $108 price increase hit at 250 days before sailing (on February 4, 2014).
While $108 in savings may not seem like much compared to the price of a Disney Cruise, it will easily contribute toward our gratuities or pay for a shore excursion or a meal at Palo. Plus, I love the “game” of getting a great price, and I feel that we did well here.
We use the past to predict the future quite often here at TouringPlans.com, and while predicting fare changes is far from a precise science, my experience here shows an approach that worked well for me in January.
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May 7, 2014
FastPass+ Only Character Meet and Greet Opportunities Begin Soon
We’ve known it was going to happen for a while, where select character meet and greet opportunities would only be available for guests who made FastPass+ reservations. It appears this exclusive option is currently on the horizon.
Beginning this Sunday, May 11, some select meet and greet opportunities will only be available to guests who make reservations. (As a matter of fact, I even noticed one of the FastPass+ ONLY signs when I was at Epcot’s United Kingdom pavilion this past weekend and thought…hmmm…. Little did I realize that this would be implemented soon.)
Here are the locations where guests will only be able to meet select characters by having a FastPass+ reservation. (Standby will not be available.)
Epcot
United Kingdom Pavilion – Meet Winnie the Pooh (a Tier 1 attraction choice)
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Magic of Disney Animation – Meet Minnie Mouse (a Tier 1 attraction choice)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Character Landing – Meet Daisy and Donald
Remember that at both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the attraction choices are tiered, and guests may only choose one attraction in the Tier 1 category. This means if you choose one of these meet and greet experiences at these two parks, you would not be able to choose attractions like Soarin’ or Toy Story Mania. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the tiered system does not exist, and guests are free to choose any three experiences they would like.
Currently, it appears that there are no FastPass+ ONLY meet and greet opportunities at the Magic Kingdom.
Keep in mind that any other FastPass+ meet and greets that occur in the parks will allow for standby guests. These three are currently the only meet and greet opportunities where guests can meet these characters via FastPass+ exclusively.
As time goes on, it will be interesting to see if (and when) other character meet and greet experiences become FastPass+ ONLY.
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FastPass+ Available for Star Wars Weekends Presentations
©Disney
Star Wars Weekends is rapidly approaching. We are approximately a week and a half away from the fun. Part of the excitement for Star Wars Weekends, which takes place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, are the special presentations that guests can enjoy. These shows, which take place in the Premiere Theater, are always entertaining and some are only done during this particular event.
This year, with the addition of FastPass+, many of the stage presentations for Star Wars Weekends will allow guests the capability to make FastPass+ reservations. The shows that guests can make reservations for include:
Weekend I
Behind the Force – Star Wars: Rebels – Ashley Eckstein, along with two other Clone Wars stars, reveal the art of voice acting.
Obi-Wan and Beyond starring James Arnold Taylor – James Arnold Taylor takes guests into the world of voice acting, performing over 200 iconic characters in this exclusive show.
Stars of the Saga Star Wars Celebrity Talk Show – James Arnold Taylor hosts a Star Wars themed talk show exploring the life of movie making with two Star Wars celebrities.
Weekend II
Behind the Force – Star Wars: Rebels – Ashley Eckstein, along with two other Clone Wars stars, reveal the art of voice acting.
Obi-Wan and Beyond starring James Arnold Taylor – James Arnold Taylor takes guests into the world of voice acting, performing over 200 iconic characters in this exclusive show.
Stars of the Saga Star Wars Celebrity Talk Show – James Arnold Taylor hosts a Star Wars themed talk show exploring the life of movie making with two Star Wars celebrities.
An Ewok’s Tale: My Short Story, Starring Warwick Davis – Warwick Davis reenacts his entire life in this entertaining show. Only available Weekend II.
Weekend III
Behind the Force – Star Wars: Rebels – Ashley Eckstein, along with two other Clone Wars stars, reveal the art of voice acting.
Obi-Wan and Beyond starring James Arnold Taylor – James Arnold Taylor takes guests into the world of voice acting, performing over 200 iconic characters in this exclusive show.
Stars of the Saga Star Wars Celebrity Talk Show – James Arnold Taylor hosts a Star Wars themed talk show exploring the life of movie making with two Star Wars celebrities.
Visit to the Maul, starring Ray Park – the martial arts master performs amazing demonstrations. Only available Weekend III and IV.
Weekend IV
Behind the Force – Star Wars: Rebels – Ashley Eckstein, along with two other Clone Wars stars, reveal the art of voice acting.
Obi-Wan and Beyond starring James Arnold Taylor – James Arnold Taylor takes guests into the world of voice acting, performing over 200 iconic characters in this exclusive show.
Stars of the Saga Star Wars Celebrity Talk Show – James Arnold Taylor hosts a Star Wars themed talk show exploring the life of movie making with two Star Wars celebrities.
Visit to the Maul, starring Ray Park – the martial arts master performs amazing demonstrations. Only available Weekend III and IV.
Weekend V
Behind the Force – Star Wars: Rebels – Ashley Eckstein, along with two other Clone Wars stars, reveal the art of voice acting.
Obi-Wan and Beyond starring James Arnold Taylor – James Arnold Taylor takes guests into the world of voice acting, performing over 200 iconic characters in this exclusive show.
Stars of the Saga Star Wars Celebrity Talk Show – James Arnold Taylor hosts a Star Wars themed talk show exploring the life of movie making with two Star Wars celebrities.
Do keep in mind that Disney’s Hollywood Studios tiers its attractions, and these shows are all in Tier 1. Guests may only select one attraction from those in Tier 1. Also, since these shows are unique, FastPass+ reservations will likely go fast. If you want to make sure to see one of these shows, make your reservations as soon as possible.
For those who are not able to make FastPass+ reservations, or would like to see more than one show, standby options will be available.
Star Wars Weekends is scheduled to take place Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May 16 – June 15.
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FastPass+ Available for Star Wars Weekends Presentations is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
New Macaw Experience Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom
©Disney
News about Disney’s Animal Kingdom keeps getting released! Today, Disney announced that a brand new animal experience will begin sometime this summer.
Called “Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes Flight,” this all new experience will have beautiful macaws flying over and around Discovery Island. The display will feature six types of macaws, including blue-throated, hyacinth, blue and gold, green-winged, scarlet, and military.
Guests will also be able to talk with avian experts to learn more about this gorgeous bird, as well as how conservation efforts are being implemented, for this currently endangered species. Guests will also be able to take part in close encounters with the birds.
As more information gets released about this brand new experience, I’ll make sure to keep you posted. It’s certainly exciting to see some new fun happening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
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New Macaw Experience Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
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