Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1244
March 21, 2014
A Few Walt Disney World Downtown Disney News Notes
If you’ve visited Downtown Disney lately, you know it’s a sea of construction. You’ve got it in the parking lots, you’ve got it taking place throughout the shopping district: it’s just everywhere. Granted, it’s all to make for a better experience when Disney Springs officially unveils. And I have to admit that it’s still a fun atmosphere to visit, shop, and dine in even while everything is taking place!
Today, I thought I’d bring you a couple of news notes about things that are taking place at Downtown Disney:
For those who may have missed my earlier announcement, the mega dining complex that was Pollo Campero, Bodie’s All-American, and BabyCakes NYC has now closed to guests. Guests looking for BabyCakes treats can still get them in many resort food courts and at the Gardens Kiosk at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
The parking lot is still quite a mess at Downtown Disney. If you are staying on property, try taking the bus. It may be the easiest way to get around. However, if you are driving, be aware that certain lots are closed. Those include parking lots E, F, G, H, I, J, and K. Your best bet is to park over by Cirque du Soleil.
A brand new shop/outdoor kiosk has opened up on the Marketplace side! Called Happy Hound, this kiosk sells accessories for your pets, including leashes, glamour collars, food bowls, outfits, jackets, and squeaky toys!
It appears that a brand new Food Truck Park is being built at Downtown Disney. This new permanent home for the four food trucks introduced last year s being built on the West Side near Bongos Cuban Cafe. It is expected to be unveiled sometime in the summer. Currently, the Food Trucks can be found Wednesday through Sunday near Cirque du Soleil and House of Blues.
That’s gonna do it for this edition of News Notes! Thoughts?
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Disney Parks To Hold Global Celebration Honoring the 50th Anniversary of “it’s a small world”
©Disney
This year marks a momentous occasion. We will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the happiest cruise that ever sailed – “it’s a small world.” The attraction originally opened in 1964 at the New York World’s Fair and was a tribute to peace.
To celebrate the attraction’s debut all those years ago, a global event will see guests and Cast Members at Disney Parks around the world unite and sing the famous song.
On Thursday, April 10, hundreds of voices from Disneyland Resort in California, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan, Disneyland Paris in France and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort will sing the unforgettable theme song. Throughout the day, Disney Parks also will sponsor Google Hangouts that invite people from around the world to participate in the anniversary events.
Won’t be there on April 10? That’s ok! You can still participate in the celebration. Fans around the world also are invited to join the global sing-along virtually by visiting SmallWorld50.com. Here guests may record videos of themselves singing the classic song and create virtual “it’s a small world” dolls to benefit UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund and the original sponsor of the attraction at the World’s Fair.) The Walt Disney Company will donate $150,000 to UNICEF, plus $1 for every sing-along video recorded on the website and another $1 for every virtual doll created on the site, up to $100,000.
Here’s my doll! As you can see from the donations bar, Disney has a long way to go in amassing donations…so go build a doll too! (Or, sing…if that’s what you prefer.)
©Disney
For those who don’t know, here’s a little history about the attraction. In 1963, Walt Disney was asked to create an exhibit for the 1964 World’s Fair to salute UNICEF and children around the world. One of Disney’s animators, Marc Davis designed the boat ride attraction through the regions and countries of the world. The first version of “it’s a small world” entertained and thrilled more than 10 million visitors in New York from 1964-65. After the fair, and some major enhancements, the attraction found a permanent home at Disneyland in California in 1966.
A team of WED artistic geniuses, including designer Mary Blair and costumer Alice Davis (both Disney Legends) , created its now iconic style. The “it’s a small world” dolls were designed by Mary Blair, and there is even a specific doll that is a nod to Mary at the Disneyland version. Blair appears as a little blonde with glasses, flying from a balloon over the Eiffel Tower in the Paris scene.
The attraction’s song was penned by the legendary Sherman Brothers. (If you don’t know who they are, find the documentary The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story. It will enlighten you.) The song was written at the request of Walt Disney, who asked them to pen a simple, yet catchy piece that could be sung in many different languages while guests traveled by boat through the attraction.
The attraction is a fan favorite (it’s one of mine) and I don’t even mind when the song gets stuck in my head.
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Adventures at Epcot with Walt Disney World Annual Passholder Advance FastPass+
Walt Disney World regulars rejoiced last week, as the rollout of advance reservation FastPass+ features finally reached all WDW annual passholders. That means that all Disney World annual passholders should be able to access the My Disney Experience website or mobile app and make FastPass+ bookings up to 30 days ahead of time. Previously, I shared my experiences using FastPass+ as an annual passholder making same-day reservations using in-park kiosks, as off-site guests still must do (at least for now). Now, I’m going to detail my personal adventures with week #1 of Annual Passholder advance FastPass+ reservations.
Getting Started with Annual Passholder Advance FastPass+
First of all, if you haven’t already, log into MyDisneyExperience.com and set up an account. Be sure to link your account to your valid annual pass using the ID number on the back of your pass, or voucher number if you have not yet redeemed an online purchase.
Next, visit the Magic Band page to customize your RFID wristband. You can select a color and name, verify your shipping address, and receive confirmation that your order has been received.
According to the webpage, Magic Bands should start shipping to annual passholders shortly.
Until your Magic Band arrives, you can continue to use your RFID-enabled credit-card-sized annual pass to enter the parks and activate FastPass+ sensors.
If you carry a smartphone in the parks, be sure to download the Apple or Android app. The iPad app is probably the most efficient platform for scheduling and adjusting FastPass+ reservations, but the website and phone apps work fairly well.
Making Advance FastPass+ Reservations
As we’ve covered before, making annual passholder advance FastPass+ reservations though My Disney Experience works exactly the same as it does for guests staying in onsite hotels. The only difference is that annual passholders who do not have a current hotel reservation may only book 7 days of advance FastPass+ reservations at a time, out of the next 30 days. That is based on a rolling 30 day calendar, so if you wanted you could make a new reservation every day, up to a total of 7 booked days at a time. (If you have a hotel reservation number tied to your account, you can reserve FastPass+ for as many days as you have booked in the hotel within a 60 day window).
Here’s a visual example, showing how I selected my first few days of FastPass+ reservations:
First, tap the calendar to select the date you want to make FastPass+ reservations for.
When the correct date is shown above, select Make or Manage FastPass+
Next, pick your park.
Now, select up to 3 attractions. If you select fewer than 3, the computer will pick the rest for you, so you might as well chose them all.
The system will suggest up to 4 options for FastPass+ return times. Select the one you like best, and it will be added to you My Plans screen.
If you don’t like one of your FastPass+ choices, tap on it to modify it.
You can replace all your choices, or simply adjust the time or attraction for a single reservation.
It’s easy to see all the available time slots for each attraction, a big improvement over the original FastPass take it or leave it method.
You can also see all your FastPass+ bookings in your My Reservations tab.
Day 1: Epcot FastPass+
My first first-hand annual passholder advance FastPass+ experience occured on Thursday afternoon at Epcot. I arrived around 1:00 p.m. and was parked in the the next-to-last spot in the next-to-last row, thanks to a healthy crowd for the newly-opened 2014 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.
The first sight I encountered after passing under Spaceship Earth was the epic double-sided queue that has been erected for the FastPass+ kiosks located around the central pin-trading station between the two Innovention wings.
The line seemed to be moving well, thanks to an overwhelming number of tablet-wielding cast members. But you still may want to seek out the less-visible kiosk clusters located in each Innovention breezeway. Better yet, the FastPass+ kiosks in World Showcase always seem relatively uncrowded, likely because there are barely any attractions that offer FastPass+ in that half of the park.
My first stop was The Land, where I used my Soarin’ FastPass+ to soar past a 120 minute posted standby wait in only 8 minutes (including the video preshow).
I haven’t experienced this attraction at Epcot in years, because I’m generally unwilling to sprint for a FastPass at rope drop. FastPass+ changes all that, since I can now sleep in and still ride without an interminable wait. Sadly, the film used in Epcot’s Soarin’ attraction is now so badly scractched (even compared to its less-than-pristine cousin in Disney California Adventure) that I can’t see myself returning until the massive vertical streaks marring the image are removed.
After Soarin’, I sat in on a showing of Captain EO (always assuming it will be retired before I return to the park), followed by a short stroll past some of the Flower and Garden displays.
Incidentally, the best part of this year’s festival is easily the expanded eats, with additional “outdoor kitchen” vending stand turning the even into a mini-Food & Wine Festival.
From the Buttercup Cottage near the UK Pavilion, I liked the pastry-wrapped pork and apple sausage roll, but loved the chese biscuit stuffed with smoked salmon tartare! Even better, I had Off Kilter to serenade me while I ate.
Another delicious discovery was the ghost pepper-dusted tilapia from the Urban Farm Eats stand. The shockingly large slice of fish wasn’t quite as scorching as its name would suggest, but it still packed a mouth-tingling kick.
Next, I considered hopping in Test Track‘s single rider queue, but 40 minutes was longer than I’d like to wait for it — especially considering the similar but superior Radiator Springs Racers usualy moves singles through in 20 to 30 minutes.
The FastPass+ return line looks long but it was moving much more quickly than the standby one.
At this point, it was time to use my second FastPass+ at Mission: SPACE. It was a less efficient experience than Soarin’, because a “brief technical delay” (read: upset stomach) temporarily halted the Orange Team queue and extended my total wait to about 25 minutes, nearly the orginal posted standby.
After my expedition to the red planet, I was ready to ride the big silver one. Spaceship Earth had a 20 minute posted standby, but I was seated in my time machine in about a tenth that time.
Unfortunately, another unexpected delay halted my Judi Dench-guided journey, stranding me with the alphabet-inventing Phonecians for a quarter hour or so. It’s probably my fault for forgetting to thank them…
By the time I emerged, a substantial line had backed up in both the standby and FastPass+ Return queues. This can happen whenever there is a breakdown, but remember that you can adjust your return window at any time up until you active the FastPass+ sensor. If the return queue is congested, check your My Disney Experience app for an alternate time slot, if still available.
Even with my unexpectedly extended stay in the ancient era, I still departed Epcot by 4:30 p.m. In under 3 1/2 hours inside the park, I experienced four attractions, saw some live entertainment and festival decor, and ate lunch. While I have done the same in the past under the old FastPass, I would never have been able to ride Soarin’ at all under this scenario before having annual passholder advance FastPass+ reservation abilities.
Tune in soon for more thrilling tales of my annual passholder advance FastPass+ adventures at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
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Adventures at Epcot with Walt Disney World Annual Passholder Advance FastPass+ is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
3 Simple Fixes Disney Should Make to FastPass+
By Len Testa
I spent all of last week in Walt Disney World with Unofficial Guide author Bob Sehlinger, using FastPass+, listening to questions that guests asked to Cast Members, and seeing how guests used the new FastPass+ kiosks and lines.
One thing we noticed was that FastPass+ lines could grow quickly at an attraction, if even the simplest thing went wrong at the front of the FastPass+ line. Because we’re geeks, we tried to identify both the root cause of the problems, and their solutions.
We think that Disney can reduce guests’ waits at FastPass+ lines through a few simple operational changes. Here’s our list of suggestions.
1. Build a Recovery Zone Next to Each FastPass+ Entrance
The main reason for long FastPass+ return lines is that the guests at the very front of the line don’t have valid FastPass+ reservations. During our trip last week, this happened every 1 or 2 minutes, at every attraction, for a variety of reasons:
Guests arriving outside of their FP+ window
Guests not having a FP+ reservation for that attraction
Guest not understanding how FP+ works
These issues are compounded if the guests don’t speak English.
Maybe the most common FastPass+ issue we saw was guests arriving too early for their FastPass+ reservations. Unlike paper FASTPASSes, MagicBands don’t have a way to display your return time, and checking the My Disney Experience app is a lot of effort. As a result, many guests just scan their MagicBands to see if they work.
If the MagicBands don’t work, a Cast Member has to figure out the problem, explain it to the Guests, and provide a resolution (let’s call this the Recovery Process, “Recovery” for short). This stops the entire FastPass+ line dead, because the Guests are still standing right in front of the FastPass+ readers while the CM is doing Recovery. Here’s a diagram showing the problem at Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland:
(Clearly, my drawing aptitude is giving my singing skills a run for their money.)
Disney should build a dedicated area for FastPass+ Recovery, just to the side of the main FastPass+ return line, and direct there anyone who needs help. This keeps the main FastPass+ return line flowing while guests needing assistance get their help from FastPass+ Cast Members. It’s also less embarrassing for the guests who need help, because there’s not a line of angry people behind them. Here’s what it might look like:
2. Add 2 More FastPass+ Readers at Every Attraction
Each FastPass+ line entrance has 2 FastPass+ RFID readers, and we estimate that together they can process up to 1,350 people per hour. (The lowest we counted in steady traffic was 800 people/hour. We think around 1,200 people/hour is a realistic estimate of what most attractions can process with the existing FastPass+ setup.)
If one of a ride’s RFID readers breaks, however, long lines will happen almost instantly at popular attractions, because 1 reader isn’t enough to handle the guest volume coming in to use FastPass+. So this is just a problem waiting to happen.
Disney can avoid this by adding 2 more readers at the FastPass+ entrance of popular attractions. In addition, these extra readers mean that each attraction could handle more FastPass+ guests per hour, reducing the wait to use FastPass+ and improving guest satisfaction. It would be almost exactly like the RFID reader setup Disney has at the entrances. Here’s a sketch:
3. Put a Cast Member at Each FastPass+ Reader
Another common FastPass+ problem occurs when only one Cast Member is assigned to monitor two FastPass+ readers. If a guest has a problem at one of the readers, the Cast Member can’t simultaneously solve the guest’s issue and pay attention to what was happening at the other reader. What we saw happen again and again was someone walk up to the second reader, get a blue light that indicates a problem, and continue on into the FastPass+ line anyway, while the Cast Member was busy with another guest. And a few minutes later, we’d see that same person walking back through the FastPass+ line, because they were stopped at the ride loading area by the second FastPass Cast Member.
Not only does this stop the FastPass+ line at the boarding area, but it’s embarrassing to the guests. One way to address this issue is to put one Cast Member at every FastPass+ reader, so that any problems can be addressed quickly by directing the guest to the Recovery Area:
Another possibly solution is to change the readers’ warning light from blue to orange, or another universal “warning” color, so guests know that something is off. Or adopt the symbols used at pedestrian crossings, where a green, walking stick figure means “go” and a red hand means “stop.”
Of course, I could be wrong. Let us know if you’ve seen any other FastPass+ issues, and how you think Disney could solve them.
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March 20, 2014
Mark Hamill Will Appear At Star Wars Weekends for the First Time
©Disney
Did you all just hear that collective gasp? No…it wasn’t because of a busted March Madness bracket…it’s because for the first time ever, Mark Hamill (otherwise known in the Star Wars saga as Luke Skywalker) will appear during Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is the first time ever that he has appeared during this celebration.
The actor will make his debut during the fourth weekend of Star Wars Weekends, June 6-8.
Fans will have the opportunity to see him in the daily “Legends of the Force” Star Wars-themed motorcade and in a featured talk show, which will likely be held at the Premiere Theater. (The location isn’t official, as of yet. Just speculation on my part.)
Could this be a great indicator of how amazing Star Wars Weekends will be this year? We’ve already learned that there will be a new fireworks show this year. Only time will tell as to how Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm will further enhance these fantastic fun-filled weekends.
This year, Star Wars Weekends will take place during five consecutive weekends (Friday-Sunday), from May 16 to June 15.
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In the Parks with Morgan: Festival of Fantasy
For the first time in more than a decade, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World has a new parade. Festival of Fantasy debuted on Sunday, March 9, 2014, and I have a ton of great photos for you from the parade, as well as a little background, some viewing tips, and my impressions of the newest addition to the Kingdom’s entertainment.
First, some general information. Festival of Fantasy begins at 3:00 p.m. in Frontierland and travels in front of the castle and down Main Street, U.S.A. This parade will be highly susceptible to rainy days because of the elaborate costumes and mechanics, so expect that if it’s raining at all, Festival of Fantasy will be cancelled. The FastPass+ viewing area for this parade is in front of Cinderella Castle in the inner ring of the hub. It’s a great place to watch from, but not the best place to photograph from as it puts you very close to the floats and makes it hard to get them in their entirety. Guests who have attended the parade in the FastPass+ area have reported that they were pleased with the number of people they watched with and didn’t feel crowded. Anna and Elsa are on a spinning platform with Tiana and Naveen. If the platform is still for the parade, which it has been both times I’ve watched, Anna and Elsa will only be visible from the Country Bears side of the street in Frontierland and the Emporium side on Main Street, U.S.A. The Tangled float has a lot going on, but it’s easiest to see the acrobatics taking place on the float from the Tom Sawyer Island side of the street in Frontierland and the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor side of Main Street, U.S.A. While the parade is very large, guests are allowed to sit on the curbs with their feet tucked under them.
And now we’re going float-by-float, so let’s get started!
First up? The Princess Garden float. This float is actually inspired by a Tokyo Disneyland float of the same name. Our version features Beauty and the beast, Tiana and Naveen, and as a special surprise, Anna and Elsa and Olaf.
The Princess Garden float and accompanying dancers.
Portions of the float rotate to reveal the sets of characters. Most popular according to guest reaction? You guessed it: Anna and Elsa and Olaf. Anna appears in her coronation dress on this float, the only place you can see her in this dress at Walt Disney World right now.
Anna, Elsa, and Olaf on the Princess Garden float
The Princess Garden float is accompanied by a court of swan dancers (seen above) and comes to us from the Jubilation parade at Tokyo Disneyland. Look closely at Anna and Elsa’s snow, as it’s rumored there’s at least one hidden Mickey in there.
Second in the parade is the Tangled float. There was a lot of criticism surrounding this float’s Viking ship design when concept drawings began circulating and while I’ll be the first to say that I thought it was an odd choice myself, one look at this float unit and you won’t care about the theme. Preceded by dancing maidens in rainbow dresses and a giant Ulf (he’s into mime), the Tangled unit is immediately joyful.
Then there’s the float itself. From its Snuggly Duckling poster to its giant swinging weapons, the float is a mechanical masterpiece. At nearly forty feet in length, it’s also gigantic. But its size is only part of what makes it a riotous sight; on each of the swinging weapons (one with a nearly life-sized Maximus), there are thugs and ruffians doing acrobatics. Yeah. That’s a ruffian in mid-air.
And if all that weren’t enough, you get not only Rapunzel, but also Flynn Rider. Outside of the Halloween and Christmas parties it’s the only place in Walt Disney World you’ll find him.
Third in the lineup is the Little Mermaid unit with sea creature dancers and Ariel’s float. This is one of the most colorful floats in the parade (and that’s saying a lot) and the costumed coral dancers, lion fish, Seashell maiden, and seahorses that complete the unit are breathtaking.
Coral Dancers in the Little Mermaid float unit.
Lion Fish Dancer in the Little Mermaid float unit
I have been so impressed with this float from the very beginning because it’s so much fun to look at and Ariel is a joy to watch. She’s pretty high up there and she really broadcasts joy. I love that Sebastian was brought in from Spectromagic, too, because I think it’s nice to give a nod to something that we all enjoyed for such a long time.
Last but not least in this float’s ensemble are several seahorses that dance with their cast members. The way they catch the light like giant sun catchers is gorgeous and the dancers add a lot of character, spinning the seahorses and dancing with the float’s Little Mermaid score.
Next up is the Peter Pan float. This unit leads off with a line of Lost Boys whose costumes were inspired by Newsies. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a huge fan of Newsies and thus I love this aspect. These Lost Boys also make me think of the boys in Hook, and I may or may not always want to yell “BANGARANG!” when I see them.
While Peter Pan is not my favorite movie, this float is pretty amazing if for nothing more than the complex design. Peter and Wendy ride in a pirate ship suspended on a rainbow nearly 3 stories above the street while Hook swings underneath on an anchor. Tink follows behind on a sunflower and she’s incredibly animated in her interaction with guests. All together it’s a really entertaining unit, even if it isn’t one of the most visually enticing of the show.
The Peter Pan float is accompanied by Mr. Smee and Tick Tock Crock as well, giving this part of the parade some silliness and laughter. You realize as a guest just how big this float is when Tick Tock Crock looks small next to it!
The end of the Peter Pan unit gives way to the Brave section of the parade which, not for lack of trying by its cast, is my least favorite of all the sections. The float is preceded by celtic dancers and lively Irish music and though they’re fun to watch, some of the costuming choices like the wigs on the men stand out in a way that’s not so visually pleasing. The plaids are lovely, though, and the choreography is boisterous.
Though Celtic theme is carried out fairly seamlessly through the Brave float, Merida has a tendency to be a little too high energy (that hair flies everywhere) and the little bears can be hard to see at times. The music in this parade unit is great, but the overall effect just isn’t as good as in some of the others.
Behind the Brave float is one of the most highly anticipated sights of the show. The Maleficent float unit has so much going on that it’s hard to know where to start, but I’ll just say this…FIRE. We speculated about it for months after Disney Parks Blog began teasing the design, and all our fangeek dreams came true when we found out that the 53-foot dragon does in fact breathe fire. As awesome as that is, it’s not all that’s great about this unit. First, there are the fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather. Seated on wheeled mechanisms, they appear to float down the street. And walking with them in a very rare princely appearance is Phillip, dressed for battle with the giant steampunk dragon.
Just after Phillip and the fairies come some of the most impressive walking characters of the entire parade, the ravens and the thorns. While these characters may be a little scary for very small children, their costumes and performances are stunning. They do a fantastic job of maintaining the feel of their float’s unit and are great to photograph.
And now, about that dragon. The Maleficent dragon float is 53 feet long and built in the Steampunk style. Steampunk is a mix of Victorian (19th Century) inspiration and steam machines and this dragon is a fantastic example of Steampunk design.
The dragon’s body is open in the middle and reveals the cogs and machinery that are hallmarks of this kind of design.
And, yes, the dragon breathes fire. We’re not talking fake fabric fire a la Pirates of the Caribbean here, either, kids. We’re talking warm-your-face holy wow FIRE. The fire effects won’t be used too close to trees or buildings or on windy days, but when the dragon’s head starts moving, get ready. It looks a little something like this…
The parade would likely have been a big “WOW” even if it had ended with the dragon, but the finale float, which is actually a series of three together, is over the top with things that make your eyes boggle. From the dancers in bubble dresses…
To the appearance by Jiminy Cricket…
And Snow White and the Seven Dwarves…
To the float that has everything from Pinocchio to swinging circus performers to Figaro and Cleo, this last round of floats and performers is an exuberant end to an already dazzling parade.
Last but certainly not least, Mickey and Minnie close out the parade drifting down the parade route on a hot air balloon float ushered in by circus dancers and a festive group of characters including Goofy, Chip, and Dale. The color and pageantry is off the charts.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them and that you get to see this parade for yourself soon. You can also check out this video if the stills aren’t enough Festival for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e_6b...
Until next time, keep it magical! ~M
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March 19, 2014
2014 Disney Dining Plans Increase In Price
Disney has been pretty good lately at quietly increasing prices. First Walt Disney World park admission prices increased with little warning last month, and it appears Disney is at it again. Though, this time instead of raising ticket prices, it has seemingly increased the price of the Dining Plan, as all three Disney Dining Plan prices appear to have seen a small uptick.
Here is a look at what you can expect now when purchasing the Disney Dining Plans:
Quick-Service Plan
Adult 10+: $41.99
Child 3-9: $16.03
(Increased from $39.64 for Adults and $15.75 for Children)
The Quick Service Dining Plan allows each guest to get 2 Quick Service Meals per day. For Breakfast you’ll receive an entrée or combo meal and a non-alcoholic beverage. For Lunch and Dinner you’ll receive an entrée or a complete combo meal, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage. You’ll also get 1 Snack Option per day, and 1 Refillable Mug per person for the length of your stay.
Standard Dining Plan
Adult 10+: $60.64
Child 3-9: $19.23
(Increased from $58.68 for Adults and $18.88 for Children)
The Standard Dining Plan comes with 1 Quick Service Meal per day, which includes an entrée or combo meal, dessert (lunch or dinner only), and a non-alcoholic beverage. You also get 1 Sit Down Meal per day which includes entrée, dessert (lunch and dinner only), and non-alcoholic beverage, or, if eating at a buffet, the full buffet. You’ll also receive 1 Snack Option per day and 1 Refillable Mug per person.
Deluxe Dining Plan
Adult 10+: $109.53
Child 3-9: $29.86
(Increased from $104.94 for Adults and $29.51 for Children)
For the Deluxe Dining Plan, guests receive 3 Meals, which can be any combination of either Table Service Meals or Quick Service meals. Table Service meals include an appetizer (lunch and dinner only), entree, dessert (lunch and dinner only), and a non-alcoholic beverage. Or, if eating at a buffet, the full buffet. Quick Service Meals include an entrée or combo meal, dessert (lunch and dinner only and a non-alcoholic beverage. Also included in the plan are 2 Snack Credits per day plus one resort refillable mug per person for the length of stay.
The best thing to do when planning your trip is to figure out which Disney Dining Plan (or any Disney Dining Plan!) is worth it for you. To do that, take a look at the menus of the restaurants you are planning on dining at and do the math to figure out if the cost of the dining plan works with what you plan on eating.
If you want to learn more about the Disney Dining Plans, as well as find out the estimated value of each of the different dining plan components, make sure to read our Disney Dining Plan page.
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Lost & Found at Walt Disney World
By Daisy Lauren
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You’ll know you’re there when you see this sign.
As we were walking out to our car this weekend my hubby said one of those things he always regrets, he casually asked if I thought a building was Lost & Found for for all of Walt Disney World. I stopped in my tracks and observed a shabby building that in my mind was still the kennel at the Transportation and Ticket Center. Of course, I knew better. Best Friends Pet Care opened years ago making kennels a thing of the past. However, even after walking past this building a hundred times I never realized this is where I should head if I ever misplaced something while in the parks. I figured if I didn’t know lots of you out there likely could use some information on the subject. So with that in mind here’s everything you need to know about Lost & Found at Walt Disney World.
The first thing to remember about Lost & Found is that timing matters. If you realize quickly that you’re missing something it’s smart to retrace your steps and hope that a cast member hasn’t sent your item away yet. But if you don’t notice for a while it’s smart to head to Guest Relations instead. Any items lost in the parks are brought to Guest Services to hold for same day pickups only. However, if you don’t realize until later or your item isn’t recovered until after park closing that’s where things get interesting! All items recovered from the four theme parks, two water parks, Downtown Disney, and all Disney transportation vehicles are sent to the one and only Theme Parks Lost & Found for next day pickups.
See? I wasn’t kidding. It’s shabby, right?
To find Lost & Found at Walt Disney World simply head to the Transportation and Ticket Center then follow signs for walking to the parking lot. Just past the gift shop you’ll see the building pictured on your left. They’re open everyday but close at 7pm so you’ll have to leave the parks a bit early to visit. If you’d like to call about your item their number is 407-824-4245. If your item hasn’t made it to lost & found yet you’re able to file a report from this location so the cast members know to keep an eye out. Don’t lose heart if you have to file a report and leave empty handed. I’ve heard amazing stories about items being returned long after their owners returned home. (Have you had an experience with pixie dust bringing something home you’d thought you’d lost forever? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!)
That covers most people but there are a few other locations to talk about. If you’ve lost an item at a Walt Disney World Resort you’ll need to head to Guest Relations at your resort. Each hotel operates and maintains their own Lost & Found services. The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex also operates their own Lost & Found service. If you’ve lost something at the Wide World of Sports you’ll need to head to their welcome center. Lastly, remember that the Magical Express isn’t actually owned or operated by Disney. If you’ve forgotten something on the Magical Express and you notice quickly call 866-599-0951. Otherwise, call Mears at 407-423-5566 for assistance locating your item.
Disney World is very diligent about holding onto things and trying to return them to the proper owner. They hold onto valuable items (credit cards, identification, electronics, ect.) for 90 days before discarding them. Less valuable items such as souvenirs, stuffed animals, clothing, ect. is discarded if not claimed within 30 days. (Well, technically anything that isn’t sensitive or personal is sent to property control, a store for Disney employees. But that is a story for another day!)
On the flip side, if you find something that has been lost in the parks please return it to the closest cast member. I often see lost clothing set on top of trash can and planters. It’s unlikely that a person who dropped this item will happen back that way to find it. By turning the item in there is a much better chance that the owner will be able to find it.
That’s everything you need to know about Lost & Found at Walt Disney World. Do you have any advice for folks that might lose something? Have you lost something in the parks before? Have you found something that you couldn’t believe someone had lost? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below and as always thanks for reading!
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March 18, 2014
Maleficent Sneak Peek Coming To Walt Disney World and Disneyland
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The upcoming movie Maleficent premieres in movie theaters around the country starting on May 30, but those who are anxious to learn more about this film will soon be able to do so at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.
Starting April 18, a special extended sneak peek will take place at Disney California Adventure in the Bug’s Life Theater and at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the ABC Sound Studio (the former location of Sounds Dangerous). The preview will be shown daily.
This is similar to what took place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios last year, when Disney was promoting The Lone Ranger.
Who’s excited for Maleficent?
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D23 Expo Returns To Anaheim in 2015
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Today, Disney held its annual shareholder meeting in Portland, Oregon. During it, they announced quite a few bits of news (like that we should look for a Cars 3 and Incredibles 2 to hit movie theaters in the future), but one of the most interesting aspects was that they officially announced that they will once again be holding the D23 Expo in 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center. This will be the fourth ultimate Disney fan event and will take place August 14-16, 2015.
For those who are unaware, the D23 Expo highlights each of Disney’s wonderful worlds. They will all come together to celebrate what’s new and what’s on the horizon for theme parks, television, music, games, and films, including Pixar, the Muppets, Star Wars, and Marvel.
Highlights planned for D23 Expo 2015 include:
The 2015 Disney Legends Ceremony-honoring the talented men and women who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy
Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives-a collection of one-of-a-kind assets, props and costumes curated by the Walt Disney Archives
The Collectors Forum-where Disney fans can buy, sell and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia and merchandise.
The Showroom Floor-filled with special opportunities to see what’s on the horizon for the company globally, with the ability to potentially meet their favorite Disney stars, characters, Imagineers, animators, and filmmakers.
StagePass-this popular ticket distribution system will return. It will allow attendees to obtain a guaranteed seat for some of the Expo’s most popular presentations.
The D23 Expo is always an exciting experience for the Disney fanatic. Tickets will go on sale beginning August 14, 2014. For more information, visit www.D23Expo.com
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