This year Disney’s resolution is to get more families to spend time together, and what better way to do so than to give out free vacation packages? Yes, you read that correctly. Every day until January 31st Disney will be giving out a vacation-a-day to… Read More »Still Need a New Year’s Resolution? How About Planning a Free Disney Vacation?
Normally at this time of year, I write a retrospective piece looking back at the year in Disney, but for personal reasons, I’ve decided now is the time to look forward, not back. Instead of recollections, I’m writing prescriptions.These are the things I believe will help Walt Disney World continue to compete for the hearts and wallets of their fans while fending off challenges from other entertainment options both near (Universal Orlando) and far (changing TV viewing habits at home, for instance)
I’ll try and limit myself to one or two recommendations each and something that can at least get started in 2014. I don’t intend each prescription to solve every woe, but it will at least make a significant difference in one or two major problem areas.
Magic Kingdom
The oldest theme park in Central Florida is showing its age more and more and suffers from serious stagnation in both attractions and entertainment (translation: a serious capacity issue). There is something they can do quickly to make a dent. As part of an overall project to update Tomorrowland, I prescribe for the park an indoor air-conditioned high-capacity theater capable of hosting shows similar to the Hyperion Theater at California Adventure. With multiple shows a day, this adds a lot of capacity, gives guests a place to cool off in the heat and humidity, and allows for a showcase for Disney’s latest animated musicals (Rapunzel Stage show anyone?). This is also something that could be accomplished quickly and with minimal in park disruption by setting the theater outside the berm. Additional revenue can be raised by hosting events in the space, something the Magic Kingdom is currently lacking.
EPCOT
This park has the highest capacity of all four parks. It has two wonderful festivals and an enjoyable Christmas overlay. These are wonderful for what they do to attract guests. However, the mission and vision of EPCOT has been ignored for too long, and many areas of the park are in serious need of rejuvenation. Let’s tackle the two sections of the park separately.Read More »Dr. John’s 2014 Prescriptions for Walt Disney World
Editor’s note: Please welcome Michelle Snow with here first guest post for The Disney Blog. Follow her on Twitter @zengrrl. One of the best parts of the Holiday season at Walt Disney World is the annual Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood… Read More »Watch The 2013 Osborne Family Lights From Home
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Disney is currently trying out a “tiered” Fastpass+ system at Epcot. The idea behind it is simple, in that you’re limited as to how many major attractions you can choose a Fastpass for. It works like this:
Choose one Fastpass from the following:
And then two Fastpasses from the rest:
This is clearly a response to guests choosing all “e-ticket” rides for their three Fastpass selections and none being available for off-site guests. It’s rumored (key word) that it will be implemented resort-wide during Christmas week, at the very least. The good news is that if you already have Fastpasses chosen, you won’t be effected by this new change, at least during this initial period of testing.
Yes, it’s early, Food and Wine isn’t even over yet, but Disney has given the first taste of what next year’s 21st EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will include. The the 75 days between March 5 – May 18, 2014 guests will enjoy all… Read More »21st Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Sets Course For Flowers and Flavors March 5 to May 18
We received this comment from Scott on the post “Part of Disney’s MagicBands Testing? Here’s Everything you Need to Know” and it seemed like a great idea to expound on this topic a little more: I am assuming that for now the Magic Band is not being… Read More »Double Dipping with Disney’s MagicBands.
Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World resort is in the early stages of its transformation into Disney Springs. A lot of what we knew as DTD (including Pleasure Island and NYE every night) is gone forever. However, there are some traditions that continue and we hope will survive the transition. One of these is the Festival of the Masters, which, believe it or not, is in its 38th year. The event will takeover Downtown Disney Nov 8-10, 2013.
The prestigious open-air fine arts festival features more than 300 artists creating and showcasing their unique works in painting, photography, sculpture, chalk, glass and more. Exhibits feature more than 130 award-winning artists, nearly 20 up-and-coming Emerging Masters, the Disney Artist Village, live performance artists and more.
Here’s a video I made capturing a few of the highlights from last year:
A crowd favorite, the Disney Artist Village will return with one of the largest displays of official Disney art available for purchase and will include meet and greets with the more than 25 artists behind those masterpieces. Located between Cirque du Soleil and House of Blues on Downtown Disney West Side, the Disney Artist Village tent will feature Disney character art created by masters from various Disney disciplines including Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group. Disney Artists also will perform live shows as they create new works of art on stage and will host interactive chats about art and what it can be. Both the art chats and live performances will take place at Waterside Stage in the Marketplace.Read More »Festival of the Masters Returns to Downtown Disney Novemember 8-10, 2013
Disney Vacation Club welcomed the 12th resort to its collection with the opening of The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This is the second of three planned DVC locations along the monorail resort loop at the Magic Kingdom. It features a few of its own amenities, but also shares the world-class dining and recreation offerings of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the flagship Walt Disney World resort.
“The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is yet another example of how we are listening and responding to our members,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Vacation Club. “The resort builds on the continuing momentum to provide our members with ever-greater choices and experiences.”
The new resort features a variety of villa accommodations that sleep anywhere from five to nine guests, all designed to bring families closer and create memories that last a lifetime. The resort is the first Disney Vacation Club property to feature deluxe studios that sleep up to five guests. Additionally, expansive grand villas sleep 12 guests and feature multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as a media room with a home theater system.
Timelapse Construction Video, more facts and photos from the new Villas below the jump:
Read More »Inside the new DVC Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort