Magical Kingdoms Disney Blog

Magical Kingdoms Disney Blog

MK’s News Roundup October 23

October 23rd, 2008 . by admin

WALT DISNEY WORLD

Dining system delayed again 

The new dining & recreation reservation system is now expected to go live in early December this year. Until then the latest date guests can book dining reservations for is March 22, 2009.

Halloween Activities

Guests at Disney’s Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, Saratoga Springs, Contemporary and Grand Floridian Resorts can take part in a selection of Halloween activities on October 31, including trick-or-treating, crafts, pumpkin painting and carving, parties and costume parades. The Grand Floridian will play host to a campfire on the beach at 7:30pm, with a special showing of Haunted Mansion at 9:45pm.

Visitors to Rafiki’s Planet Watch at Animal Kingdom on October 31 can enjoy trick-or-treating and other Halloween activities.

Port Orleans Riverside Campfire

Go down to Ol’ Man Island on Sundays and Thursdays and enjoy a campfire and sing-along starting at 6:30pm. Running seasonally from October 31, 2008 - March 31, 2009.

High School Musical

“High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now!” debuts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on October 24. Featuring 6 songs from the new movie, performed by 14 singers and dancers, it can be seen several times a day in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat.

T-Rex

T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover is now open at Downtown Disney. Guests seated in the 30,000-square-foot, 600-seat restaurant, surrounded by life-size animatronic dinosaurs, cascading waterfalls, and bubbling geysers can dine on delicacies such as Caesarsaurus (Caesar salad), Raptor Ribs (Asian BBQ ribs), and Pterodactyl Wings (Buffalo chicken wings). View the menu here.

Bay Lake Tower

Want a sneak peek at Disney’s newest Resort, Bay Lake Tower? Visit this site for a sneak preview and 360-degree tour of one of the suites.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE

Special Pirate Cruise

There’ll be a special pirate event aboard the Disney Wonder from March 8-12, 2009, featuring special events and meet-and-greets. More details are here.

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MK’s News Roundup October 7, 2008

October 7th, 2008 . by admin

More Muppets?

The New York Times reports that Disney are considering adding more Muppet-themed attractions to their theme parks. The Disney Company own the classic Muppets and are trying to revive their popularity, with Disney Channel specials, and a new feature film in the works. Whether they’ll wait and see if the revival is a success before pressing ahead with any new attractions, or whether they already have one in the pipeline, we’ll have to wait and see.

T-Rex Cafe

The new T-Rex Cafe at Downtown Disney is set to open October 14. Featuring several life-size dinosaurs including a 15 ft tall T-Rex, the new restaurant is brought to you by the same restaurant group as Rainforest Cafe. If you’re planning to eat there in the next couple of weeks, we’d love to hear from you!

Petrifies to go

The small fast food stand in DinoLand U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom is due to close on November 2, and will reopen on November 21 with a new name and new menu. Still expected to serve McDonald’s fare it will be called Trilobites.

Honey I Shrunk the Queues

FASTPASS is no longer available at Honey I Shrunk the Audience at Epcot.

Sailing to Europe

Disney Cruise Line announced yesterday that they are to sail to Europe in summer 2010. The Disney Magic will spend 5 months sailing to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, adding new ports and sailing from the United Kingdom for the first time on certain itineraries. We hear that the cruises are already extremely popular and expected to book up quickly when reservations begin on October 14, in particular the transatlantic voyages. Contact Small World Vacations today and get on the wait list for these not-to-be-missed cruises.

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Panama Canal Aug 08 Ports of Call

October 5th, 2008 . by JoR

Ports of call

Cabo San Lucas - We planned the Dolphin swim excursion at this port. We had never done it but it was great, the kids and I had an amazing time and well worth the cost. You cannot take your own photos here so if you would like them be prepared to pay for theirs. We were planning on walking around a bit after the swim but it was very hot and everyone just wanted to head back to the ship

Puerto Vallarta - DH and I had been to this port already, many years ago, we had decided to just go to the Westin Marina and use their facilities. Very nice hotel, the beach is not much to talk about but the pools were very nice as was the room. Cab ride cost us $10 each way

Acapulco - We had a rainy day and decided to just stay on the ship and relax. We were able to do some laundry too

Cartagena, Columbia - this is the first time a Disney ship had visited this port and we were welcomed by local dancers and entertainers. Mickey came up on deck 4 and waved to everyone on the dock. This day also ended up starting off rainy but cleared up by the time we were to go on our city tour. We took the Best of Cartagena tour so that we could see the highlights of the area. It was a very good decision and we really enjoyed the city. It was one of our favorite spots.

Aruba - We had been to Aruba in 2006 on a stop on a cruise. This time we rented a room at the Westin Palm Beach to just enjoy the beautiful beach that Aruba is known for. This was a great idea and we thoroughly enjoyed our day. I would love to just spend a week in Aruba some day soon. The hotel rooms were beautiful, comfortable and we had a great view. We had originally planned on spending all day here and head back to the ship around 8pm or so. We later found our that Aly and AJ were performing onboard the ship on this evening and my children wanted to go and see the concert. Around 4pm we headed to the room, showered and headed back to the ship. Cab ride was $10 each way. Before we headed to the hotel we went to the mall across from where the ship docks to buy some souveniers. We aren’t big shoppers but we did pick up a couple of things.

Castaway Cay - We love Castaway Cay to us it is the perfect beach day. We rented floats and also did a bike ride. My children spent some time with us and then went and spent some time with the friends they had made over the days on the cruise. This day was a little bittersweet just because it was our last port before heading back to Port Canaveral

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In the Spirit of the Christmas Holiday Enjoy the Magic of Disneyland!

October 2nd, 2008 . by Guest

Make this a holiday your family will not soon forget. Disneyland Christmas is awaiting you this holiday season, so prepare yourself for the best journey ever. As a popular Christmas spot, the nation’s number one theme park will dazzle you from late November  to early January. For young and old alike, the lights, the smells, the sounds, and the adventure ahead will be something your family will talk about for years.

Let the Fun Begin!

Thousands of decorations, lights, ringing bells, Christmas carols and good food abounds at Disneyland this time of year. Start your journey when you reach the entrance where candy canes surround the California Adventure sign, then step inside and be amazed at the venture ahead. No matter where you begin, you’re in for a fun ride. So let’s get started.

You might want to start with the more than 300,000 sparkling lights at the Small World where your children will enjoy special Christmas songs sung in several different languages. This is especially a favorite for the younger children. After you’ve enjoyed the sights and sounds of Small World, step into Frontierland and take pleasure in a good old fashioned reindeer roundup located at the Big Thunder Ranch. Before Santa starts his journey on Christmas Eve, and before the reindeer are hooked to his sleigh, there’s plenty of time for kids to relax near Santa’s corral where they can play reindeer games, talk to Santa and Mrs. Claus, and work on art projects they can take home as a remembrance of the time they spent with Santa. This proves to be a true holiday experience for children. One you won’t want to miss.

And how about an ornament to take home and hang on your own Christmas tree?  Visit New Orleans Square where L’Ornement Magique offers unique creations, and don’t miss the decorations found in Toontown and New Orleans Square.  It’s definitely worth a look, and while you’re at it check out the decorations adorning New Orleans Square. Everywhere you look it’s Christmas! As you wander from Toontown to Frontierland, to the Haunted Mansion, or through Main Street where Disney characters are sure to greet you, notice the look on your child’s face. Ahh, the wonder of it all.

Continue your tour to the Haunted Mansion.  The Mansion gets dressed up in a special way this time of year.  Join Jack Skellington from the “Nightmare Before Christmas” as he welcomes you into one of Disneyland’s favorite Christmas traditions. The scenes of haunted holiday feasts and spooks in the spirit of the season make this one of the best Disneyland Christmas attractions.  It’s best appreciated after dark.

Arrive Early, Stay Late

Because there’s always something to see and do at Disneyland, you’ll want to make sure you arrive early enough to see it all. If you plan on arriving during the first week of December, marvel at the Candlelight celebration, a combination of choirs, a live orchestra, a parade down Main Street, and a presentation of the Story of Christmas. Because Disneyland Christmas is so popular, plan to arrive before noon so you can beat the crowd.  Once the park has reached capacity, which is said to be around 80,000 people, you may have to wait for another day.

Every evening is special at Disneyland, where Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle is adorned with bright, twinkling lights and icicles, and around every corner is another wonder to behold. Take home some family photos and enjoy the performances, snow flurries, fireworks and parades this Christmas season.

Top off your visit to Christmas Disneyland with a wonderful Christmas Fantasy Parade. Stare in awe as your favorite Disney characters, dressed in their holiday best, dance through the streets along with other holiday characters like snowflakes and gingerbread men.  Stick around to see Santa ride through on his sleigh! What an adventure. Then at night watch as an array of jaw-dropping fireworks fill the night sky. Always check the Disneyland Holiday map to find out where each event is happening. During the weekend, people arrive early to see the show, as much as two hours in advance, and often in front of the castle. After the fireworks, it’s known to snow, so pick your spot and watch all of the special events.

Southern California Nights Can Be Cool During the Holidays.

Be prepared—bring a sweater. Although Southern California in the winter is usually mild and warm, there are times when a slight rain may pass through. Also, park hours are shorter in winter months, so be sure to call or check online for hours and all the basic information you’ll need to make this a truly spectacular holiday season. In fact, if you make reservations online by visiting a Disneyland information website, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and hassle. Book your reservations for a hotel and even buy your tickets in advance so you won’t spend your time waiting in line.

Don’t worry about food while visiting. There are plenty of places to eat—from hot dogs and pizza for the kids, to unique restaurants such as the Blue Bayou, or California Adventures Golden Vine—you won’t go away hungry. You can even make reservations in advance for these restaurants.
Memories are made at Christmas Disneyland because it maintains the traditions of the holidays that your family has come to know and love. From the lights, the sounds, the colors and rides, make this a holiday you won’t soon forget. And remember to take your camera, because these are memories you’ll want to preserve forever. Enjoy your holiday!

About the Author:  Angela Lytle is a self-employed mother of four and publisher of Christmas Decorations Online, a website featuring holiday decorations from Artificial Christmas Trees to beautify your home to Outdoor Christmas Lights that will brighten up your holiday display.

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