WALT DISNEY WORLD

Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas
Word on the street is that non-DVC members will be able to start booking rooms at the new Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas at the end of the month, for stays May 2009 onwards.

 Tinker Bell meet and greet
A new Disney Fairies room at Toontown Hall of Fame at the Magic Kingdom is set to open October 26, where guests will finally get to meet and greet Tinker Bell and her fairy friends.

 New attraction at Innoventions
A new attraction inside Innoventions East in Epcot has soft-opened. StormStruck begins with a 3D film, featuring two screens, each showing a house. A storm blows through damaging the houses as it goes. Once the film has finished, guests get to rebuild one of the houses using computer screens in front of them, choosing the materials they think will best prevent the house from future storm damage. After you’ve done that another storm blows through and you get to see how well your new house withstands the storm.

Tickets & Parking
Walt Disney World increased their ticket prices last weekend, along with parking prices. 2009 resort rack rates & package details were also released.
2009 sees a new package available, the Magic Your Way with Quick Service Dining Package. For $29.99 per adult and $8.99 per child, per day, you can get two quick service meals and two snacks, plus a refillable mug. We’ll be looking in detail at whether packages are good value in a future blog article.

 Discounts on the horizon
Expect to see new discount offers become available in the next couple of weeks, including a free Disney Dining Plan package for UK guests. Not mentioning any dates in particular, but UK guests may want to check our offers listing on August 20 ;)

MNSSHP
The October 3 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party has been cancelled. Various rumors exist as to why this decision has been made. One is that there is a press event to be held that night, but more recent rumors indicate the park will be used to host Miley Cyrus’ Sweet 16 party.

DISNEYLAND

Ticket prices
Ticket prices have also increased at Disneyland, with an adult one day, one park ticket going up by $3, and the three-, four-, and five-day par hoppers increasing by $10 each.

McDonald’s to go
Burger Invasion, Conestoga Wagon and Harbor Galley are set to close from September 2 – 27, when it’s expected that the McDonald’s sponsorship will come to an end. No word yet on what the new menus at these locations will include.