Walt Disney World has increased prices for day tickets overnight. Disney switched to date specific flex pricing, which means that what you pay for admission depends on both which park you’re visiting, and whether it’s a high season, regular, or value day. You save more… Read More »Multi-Day Ticket Prices at Walt Disney World see Price Jump
Developing a joy of reading in today’s youth is a key part of ensuring future generations can lead the world with the wisdom and problem solving abilities it takes to improved living conditions around the globe. Disney, known for its imaginative storytelling, sees a key… Read More »Walt Disney World donates 40,000 Disney books to Central Florida educators, children, and families
As Walt Disney World ramps up for its 50th anniversary in 2021, there is a big push to expand the number of hotel rooms available on property. With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, big new attractions at EPCOT (Ratatouille, Guardians) and Magic Kingdom (TRON), and a… Read More »Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Expansion Update
When you visit Walt Disney World for a runDisney weekend, be sure to pack a positive attitude and options for running in multiple weather conditions, because if there’s one thing true about Central Florida, the weather is a bit unpredictable. After that the biggest question… Read More »Picking the best resort for your Walt Disney World runDisney weekend
6/18 Update: This has been a week of horrible tragedies and out of respect for the family who lost a child, I’ve refrained from making any remarks directed at or about the family. However, this today the family issued a statement and I wanted to… Read More »Update: Family in tragic gator attack Disney World issues statement
Do you remember what made you decide to place a deposit on your first Walt Disney World resort stay? It was likely a recommendation from a friend or a perhaps a special article you found on a blog, but I bet it wasn’t a song… Read More »Top Reasons to Stay at Walt Disney World in Song
I have two large complaints about The Swan and Dolphin Hotel at Walt Disney World. First, they charge a lot of money for parking, which makes it difficult to just drop by and enjoy some of their fabulous restaurants. Second, they were built just a tad too close to EPCOT, so they tend to loom in the background of photos. On the other hand, that also means they’re perfectly situated between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Making them a popular resort destination since they opened 25 years ago.
I’m also a fan of the architecture style brought by architect Michael Graves. Did you know that the Dolphin hotel actually represents a volcano that rose out of the ocean and that the Swan hotel was splashed with the water from the rising volcano. Check it out next time you visit. You’ll see that the causeway between the two hotels represents the water.
It was just announced that the Swan and Dolphin Hotel will be getting the largest makeover in its history. The hotel has launched a multi-phase, multi-year, $125 million redesign project that will transform every guest room in the 758-room Swan Hotel and the 1,509-room Dolphin Hotel.
“As we celebrate the hotel’s 25th anniversary, it is appropriate that we mark the occasion with a renaissance of our room product,” said General Manager Fred Sawyers. “Our guests will continue to receive the level of service and hospitality that comes with a quarter century of experience while enjoying a modern new guest room.”
The transformation, it is promised, will occur without disruption to the guest experience as the majority of guest rooms will be available throughout the process. The hotel’s public spaces, restaurants, meeting rooms, shops, pools and recreational areas will not be impacted and remain fully operational throughout the renovation. Read More »Swan & Dolphin Resort starts room renovation
Update: Welcome to NY Times readers. Please find the latest news on MyMagic+ and Fastpass+ here. See all of our coverage here.
I went to the Magic Kingdom on Sunday to test how the FastPass+ (FP+) experience would work for someone who has time for a mid-day 4 hour visit. I’m still building back up to theme park conditioning, so anything more than that exhausts me. I’m a local and haven’t yet booked a night at at Disney resort, so I don’t own a MagicBand. Even though FP+ has been running in place of the paper (aka legacy) Fastpass system at Disney’s Animal Kingdom since before Christmas, this was my first experience with FP+.
Given that the FP+ system had been live for a few days already, I made sure to read various discussion boards about other people’s experiences and tried to determine an optimal strategy for myself and my son. Unfortunately, almost nothing turned out the way I thought it would.
My first attempt at accessing FP+ was a strikeout. I had read a few accounts of how guests were able to make FP+ reservations at the TTC via Guest Relations cast members armed with tablets. When we arrived at the TTC via the parking lot tram around 10:45AM there were no Guest Relations cast members to be found. Disney might have just been experimenting with that service earlier in the week. In theory, almost everyone arriving at the TTC is on the way to the Magic Kingdom, but you don’t really know until they’ve actually swiped their cards at the front gate. So I can see why they pulled that option.
After a quick ride on the monorail to the main gate, we immediately headed to the Main Street Opera House to score our FP+ reservations. I entered and went right to the MyMagic+ terminals, which would let me make a FP+ reservation if I was a Disney resort guest, but apparently not if I was a day-guest. There was a separate queue for that. A queue with a long-line as it turns out.Read More »FastPass+ and MagicBands Takeover Walt Disney World – Part I: My Magic Kingdom Experience