<![CDATA[Magical Kingdoms Disney News & Reviews Centre]]> http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums This is a discussion forum powered by vBulletin. To find out about vBulletin, go to http://www.vbulletin.com/ . en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:51:38 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Magical Kingdoms Disney News & Reviews Centre]]> http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums Free Dining Extended through 15th December http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1342&goto=newpost Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:20:41 GMT All your meals for free! *When you book a minimum 3-day/ 2-night stay in a Disney Hotel at Disneyland Paris * ... All your meals for free!

When you book a minimum 3-day/ 2-night stay in a Disney Hotel at Disneyland Paris



Your holiday package includes

- Accommodation in a Disney hotel
- Tickets for the 2 Disney® Parks
- Breakfast in your Disney hotel
AND
2FREE meal vouchers per person and per night booked(1).
Valid in a wide variety of restaurants across the resort.

Combinable with: Kids Stay & Play Free offers!
Just book by 15th December 2009 for arrivals until 1st April 2010(2)

CLICK HERE TO BOOK & FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND LIST OF RESTAURANTS

*Terms & conditions



  • During its validity period, the "all your meals for free" offer is valid in 1 or more Disney hotel per arrival date. This Hotel may change according to your booking date. To find out which hotel this offer applies to on your preferred booking date, please call: 08448 008 898 and quote "Free Meals offer"
  • (1) 2 meal vouchers per person (from 3 years old) and per night booked in a Disney hotel. Vouchers can be used for lunch and dinner (except brunch) throughout and only for the duration of your stay. Eg: from dinner on the day of arrival to lunch on the day of departure (breakfast is included in your package at your hotel).
  • (2) Offer excludes arrivals from 22nd - 31st December 2009. Last departure date from the hotel must be 23rd of December 2009 as vouchers cannot be used between 24th and 31st December 2009.
  • Offer only combinable with Kids Stay & Play Free offers and not combinable with any other offer or discount
    o Kids under 7 stay and play free offer: valid for arrivals until 2nd January 2010. Please see brochure or website for details.
    o Kids under 12 Stay, Play &Travel for Free offer: Valid for arrivals from 3rd January until 1st April 2010. Please see brochure or website for details
  • Offer valid for new reservations only & only valid on packages of 3 days / 2 nights & or more
  • Not valid for packages with family rooms at Disney's Newport Bay Club, Empire State Club rooms, Castle Club rooms and Suites.
  • Transportation, other options or insurance are not included but can be added to your reservation.
  • Dining capacity is subject to availability and restaurants opening hours may vary. Availability in many locations may be limited, so it is highly recommended to book your table before coming to Disneyland Paris, at least 7 days in advance, by calling our Dining Reservation Service on 08448 008 898 and select the Book your Restaurant option
  • Subject to availability and Disneyland Paris terms & conditions apply
]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1342 <![CDATA[Toy Story 3 Official Trailer [HD]]]> http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1341&goto=newpost Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:53:30 GMT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BlMNH1QTeE ]]> Animation and Movie News MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1341 Prestigious Art Festival Returns to Downtown Disney Nov. 13-15 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1340&goto=newpost Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:38:34 GMT If you think photo-realistic art is across the spectrum from abstract art and “ne’er the twain shall meet,” then you haven’t seen the works of... If you think photo-realistic art is across the spectrum from abstract art and “ne’er the twain shall meet,” then you haven’t seen the works of Jeannie Maddox, an artist from Dothan, Ala., who has been making Disney’s Festival of the Masters at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort a kind of home-away-from-home virtually every fall since 1975.
When the 2009 Festival of the Masters presented by Sharpie takes place Nov. 13-15, Maddox will be among the nearly 150 award-winning artists who will be participating. Some work in clay. Others wood, metal or mixed media. Others watercolors.
Maddox’s specialty is oils on canvas. And while she depicts her style as “photo realistic,” her husband, Sam, isn’t quite sure that’s an accurate description. “She’s an abstract painter who paints realistically,” he says.
To explain: Maddox’s topical passion is swimmers – in the water. Thus, reality is a visually distorted view of the body beneath the surface, with ripples and bubbles adding to the abstract quality of the painting.
As she has done 32 previous years – including the very first Festival of the Masters in 1975 –Maddox will be showing off her works at Downtown Disney. Five of those previous festivals, she claimed a first-place award in painting. Her dream? “Best in show, of course,” Maddox says. For a preview glance at her work, visit www.jeanniemaddox.com.
Festival hours are 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are complimentary. For more information about Festival of the Masters, guests can contact 407/824-4321 or visit disneyworld.com/artfestival. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1340 Mobile Magic Application Transforms Verizon Wireless Phones Into Electronic Tour Guides to Navigate Disney Parks http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1339&goto=newpost Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:46:35 GMT BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and BURBANK, Calif. (Nov. 11, 2009) – Imagine having a personal tour guide to lead the way around the vacation magic of Walt... BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and BURBANK, Calif. (Nov. 11, 2009) – Imagine having a personal tour guide to lead the way around the vacation magic of Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Now imagine that tour guide is in the palm of your hand and able to point you to a visit with a Disney princess or directly to a Fantasyland attraction.

Starting today, Verizon Wireless customers have exclusive access to Mobile Magic, the first Disney-developed mobile application that enables them to easily navigate Disney parks on both coasts, providing helpful and timely information. With either a swipe of their fingers or the touch of a few keys, guests can access an array of park features on their Verizon Wireless phones, including:
  • Updated attraction wait times and FASTPASS return times for the park they are in
  • Locations of their favorite attractions, characters and restaurants, with GPS-enabled maps
  • Restaurants for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks
  • Tips on what’s happening in the parks
  • Trivia games to play against other parks guests
New content will continue to be added to the Mobile Magic application as the attractions and opportunities at the Disney parks and resorts continue to evolve.
Exclusive to Verizon Wireless customers, Mobile Magic is available for download and purchase for $9.99 for a 180-day subscription*. Verizon Wireless customers can also text MAGIC to 2777 to purchase the application on a wide variety of feature phones. Download and message charges may apply. Airtime or megabyte data charges may apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications.
Mobile Magic, marking a first in both the travel and mobile industries, is the outgrowth of a new multi-year relationship between Disney Parks and Verizon Wireless aimed at enhancing the park experience. Verizon Wireless continues to invest in its nationwide wireless network, and the relationship with Disney means Verizon Wireless users will benefit from further enhancements to the Verizon Wireless network in the parks.
Guests are currently using Verizon Wireless’ technology with Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, an ultra-interactive attraction at Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort.
Guests who are not Verizon Wireless customers can access select information, such as park hours, attraction information, entertainment schedules and dining information, through the new m.disneyworld.com and m.disneyland.com mobile Web sites with their browser-enabled phones.
*Message and data rates may apply. Coverage not available everywhere. Availability subject to handset limitations. If you’re under 18, get your parent’s permission first. Valid theme park admission required. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1339 Magnolia Course No. 17 a Picture-Perfect Place for the Finish of the $1 Million Kodak Challenge http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1338&goto=newpost Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:53:31 GMT When Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort opened in 1988, it created the backdrop for a “postcard” view of Walt Disney World as a golf resort – the... When Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort opened in 1988, it created the backdrop for a “postcard” view of Walt Disney World as a golf resort – the palm-lined entrance and the red-shingled, white clapboard-sided elegance of the new resort in the background, with golfers on the 17th tee of the Magnolia golf course in the foreground.
It was a picture-perfect view. Worth a thousand words. A real “money shot” for a photographer.
How seemingly appropriate (or perhaps ironic), then, that 21 years later, a couple of PGA TOUR golfers competing in the 2009 Children’s Miracle Network Classic Nov. 12-15 will be doing some “shooting” of their own on No. 17 … with $1 million at stake. The picturesque and challenging par 4 is the final hole of the inaugural Kodak Challenge, a winner-take-all competition that has been tracking TOUR players’ performance on designated holes throughout 2009.
Thirty Kodak Challenge holes – one each at 30 PGA TOUR co-sponsored events – were determined before the 2009 season. For each player, his best performance on the Kodak Challenge hole during a tournament has been recorded on his “Kodak Challenge Scorecard.” For instance, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill earlier this year, No. 18 was the Kodak Challenge hole. If a player scored two bogies, a par and a birdie on the difficult hole, his scorecard for the Challenge would read -1, reflecting only the birdie.
Golfers must play 18 of the 30 Kodak Challenge holes to be eligible to win. When a golfer has played more than 18 of the holes, his scorecard reflects his best 18.
So now it is coming down to a finish at Disney on No. 17. Here, in the words of Disney Head Golf Professional and Classic Chairman Kevin Weickel, is what the golfers face:
"From a peninsula tee 485 yards from the cup, a player must split the fairway guarded on the left and right by water and trees. In doing so, the key is proper positioning in the fairway to gain the most advantageous angle for the second shot, as the hole doglegs left to an elongated green. Even with the biggest of drives, players will be left with a mid iron of some sort to approach a green which slopes from back to front with a tilt to the right – which is guarded on the right by a bunker and beyond that by a mirror lake. As the pin moves further back and to the right on this green, birdie becomes an incredible challenge which has baffled players for 39 years.”
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']It adds up to a hole that has been the third most difficult on the Magnolia course and sixth most difficult in the Classic (including the Palm course) since the TOUR began keeping hole-by-hole statistics in 1983. In 1984, No. 17 played .346 over par to rank as the 36th most difficult hole on the entire PGA TOUR.[/font][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Par has been the norm for No. 17, with more than two-thirds (68 percent) of players’ rounds including a 4 on the long par 4. Another 17 percent of rounds have been over par, while players shoot under par about 15 percent of the time.[/font][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Kevin Streelman is atop the Kodak Challenge leader board at -16 – two strokes better than Nathan Green, J.J. Henry and Bo Van Pelt. The two-stroke lead means that if Streelman birdies No. 17, he claims the $1 million prize. [/font][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']If he does no better than par on No. 17, Van Pelt (the only challenger entered in the Classic) still would need an eagle to match his score. How difficult a challenge might that be? Consider these facts:[/font][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/font]
  • There has not been an eagle on No. 17 in the Classic since 1998.


  • In those 10 “eagle-less” Classics (1999-2008), 2,966 rounds have been played on the Magnolia course.
  • But between 1983 (when the PGA TOUR began tracking hole-by-hole data) and 1998, there were four eagles on the hole during 3,325 Classic rounds – one in every 832 rounds on average.
  • Since record-keeping began, then, there have been four eagles in 6,291 rounds. Put another way: The historical odds are more than 1,500-to-1 against it.
Put yet another way: The odds are virtually twice as good for a hole-in-one on the 170-yard No. 3, where there have been seven aces since 1983 and eight since 1982.
Yet viewed still another way: Given that there hasn’t been an eagle on No. 17 in nearly 3,000 rounds … “it’s overdue.”
If two or more players are tied in the competition at the finish of the Classic on Sunday, there will be a winner-take-all playoff for the $1 million prize. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1338 Davis Love III Defends at Disney Against Well-Known Pro Golf Vets and Prowling Youth out to Make a Splash on the PGA TOUR http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1337&goto=newpost Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:53:12 GMT When *Davis Love III* defends his championship in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic Nov. 12-15 at Walt Disney World Resort, he’ll be in the... When Davis Love III defends his championship in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic Nov. 12-15 at Walt Disney World Resort, he’ll be in the company of well-known veterans with long professional golf resumes and younger players with big dreams.
The field of 128 players for the final event of the PGA TOUR official-money season was set Friday afternoon featuring names such as Justin Leonard, David Toms, Mark Calcavecchia, Rich Beem, Lee Janzen, Billy Mayfair, Zack Johnson, David Duval and Heath Slocum – all with long resumes. But because the Classic is players’ last chance to reach the top 125 in 2009 earnings – and an exemption to play regularly on the PGA TOUR in 2010 – there also are plenty of young players chasing dreams (and a big paycheck from the $4.7 million purse) on Disney’s Magnolia and Palm courses.
Several of the fresh new names are intriguing because they just happen to be playing extremely well right now. At the top of the list: 20-year-old Rickie Fowler, who scored a seventh-place finish at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and then tied for second place (losing in a playoff) the following week at the Frys.com Open.
The back-to-back big paychecks in October vaulted the former Oklahoma State All-American from California to within $70,125 of the current 125th spot on the money list. He’s trying to follow Tiger Woods’ route to the TOUR – enough success through limited playing opportunities to avoid a trip to the grueling PGA TOUR “Q School.” A top-10 finish in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic likely would accomplish that goal.
Twenty-one-year-old Jamie Lovemark already has moved through the first stage of “Q School,” but the two-time All-American at University of Southern California could forego the remainder of it via a high finish at Disney. He tied Fowler for second in the Frys.com Open when they were bettered in a playoff by Troy Matteson. It marked Lovemark’s second PGA TOUR payday and gives him enough in winnings that a top-five in the Classic would likely earn him a spot on the TOUR in 2010.
Then there’s Erik Compton, a 29-year-old former two-time All-American at University of Georgia who’s a walking, talking miracle. He’s about a year-and-a-half into his second transplanted heart. His remarkable medical history aside, Compton made news in late October by blowing away the field in a “Q School” first stage event at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. He won the 72-hole tournament by seven strokes with a 22-under-par 266 on the difficult Wanamaker course.
For a complete look at the field for the Children’s Miracle Network Classic, visit pgatour.com. On the home page, click on “Tournaments,” scroll down and click on “Children’s Miracle Network Classic,” and then click on “Field” (which will be located near the upper right of the page under “Tournament Overview”). Or CLICK HERE.
Tournament rounds on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13 will begin at 6:45 a.m. on both the Magnolia and Palm courses. At the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 70 scores for the weekend round on the Magnolia course.
Pre-event ticket sales are available exclusively through ticketmaster.com. Ticket booths will be located onsite during the tournament where weekly badges ($20) or daily tickets ($10) can be purchased. Complimentary guest parking for the tournament is at Epcot, with complimentary transportation provided between the Epcot parking lot and the tournament entrance.
Golf Channel will provide its signature wrap-around news coverage of the Children's Miracle Network Classic live and in high definition from Nov. 12-15. Coverage kicks off Thursday, from 1-4 p.m. ET.
The 2009 Children's Miracle Network Classic marks the 39th year of the PGA TOUR at Walt Disney World Resort. The tournament’s gallery of champions includes 14 players who also have “majors” on their resumes. In addition to Davis Love III, the winner’s list includes the likes of Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart and Raymond Floyd. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1337 Inspiring Heart Transplant Recipient Compton Accepts Children’s Miracle Network Classic Sponsor Exemption http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1336&goto=newpost Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:52:52 GMT Erik Compton has received the fourth and final sponsor exemption for the 2009 Children’s Miracle Network Classic Nov. 12-15 at Walt Disney World... Erik Compton has received the fourth and final sponsor exemption for the 2009 Children’s Miracle Network Classic Nov. 12-15 at Walt Disney World Resort. Compton joins two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen, former PGA Championship winner Rich Beem and former Big Break X: Michigan winner Haymes Snedeker as sponsor exemptions.
Sponsor's exemptions are extended to players who otherwise wouldn't qualify for the field of 128 players that will tee off in the PGA TOUR Fall Series finale on Disney’s Palm and Magnolia courses.
This year’s tournament marks the second consecutive year Compton has received a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic. A former No.1-ranked junior and a two-time All-American at Georgia who has overcome two heart transplants to compete for a spot on the PGA TOUR, Compton finished 60th (tie) at Disney in 2008, including a second-round 68.
“We’re pleased to welcome back Erik for this year’s Classic,” said tournament chairman Kevin Weickel. “Undoubtedly, his story of purpose and resolve has inspired many throughout the golf world, and this year his resolve is proven once again as he will be walking the tournament – showing again strength and perseverance to accomplish your dream.”
A year ago, Compton was granted a release from the TOUR’s stipulation that players walk during tournament rounds, as he was less than six months beyond his second heart transplant. At age nine, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, an enlarging of the heart that hinders its ability to pump blood. Three years later, in 1992, he received his first new heart at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Five years later, Compton lit up Disney’s Palm and Magnolia courses, winning the prestigious AJGA Polo Golf Junior Classic in 1997. He was a member of the 2001 Walker Cup team, then turned professional later that year. Most of his events have been on the Nationwide Tour, but he also has PGA TOUR events on his resume as far back as 2002.
Compton’s most recent eyebrow-raising effort was in late October during the first stage of “Q School” – PGA TOUR qualifying – on the Wanamaker course at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. He capped a 22-under-par 266 with a final-round 66 to win his site by seven shots. There are 13 sites in the opening stage of Q school, in which nearly 1,000 players compete for about 25 PGA Tour cards.
Before moving on to the second stage of Q school, though, Compton joins a field of players shooting for shares of a $4.7 million purse in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic. The defending champion is TOUR veteran Davis Love III, who last year joined the likes of Tiger Woods, Vijah Singh, Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart and Raymond Floyd as winners of the prestigious Disney tournament. The Classic title was Love’s 20th career win, providing him a lifetime exemption on tour.
Tickets for individual rounds ($10) and badges for Classic week ($20) are available at www.ChildrensMiracleNetworkClassic.com or through www.ticketmaster.com. Net proceeds go to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals, including the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Orlando, and Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville.
The Golf Channel will air the Children’s Miracle Network Classic live, Nov 12.-15.
Children’s Miracle Network
Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals. Each year the 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind. Thousands of special events and grassroots fund raisers are conducted year-round through a coalition of premier children’s hospitals, media partners and corporate volunteers working together to ensure healthy kids in their communities. To donate or to learn more, go to www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org.

Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort is a contiguous 40-square-mile, world-class entertainment and recreation center featuring four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom); two water adventure parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon); 34 resort hotels (24 owned and operated by Walt Disney World, including seven Disney Vacation Club resort properties and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground); 81 holes of golf on five courses; two full-service spas; Disney’s Wedding Pavilion; Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex; and Downtown Disney, an entertainment-shopping-dining complex encompassing the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and West Side. Walt Disney World Resort is also included in vacation packages ofDisney Cruise Line. Located at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 20 miles southwest of Orlando, Walt Disney World Resort opened Oct. 1, 1971. Open daily, year-round. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1336 Buy a Three-Night, Five-Day Package, Get Two More Nights Free*! http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1335&goto=newpost Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:42:29 GMT Now through April 1, 2010, you can buy a 3-night, 5-day Disneyland® Resort vacation package from Walt Disney Travel Company and get two more hotel... Now through April 1, 2010, you can buy a 3-night, 5-day Disneyland® Resort vacation package from Walt Disney Travel Company and get two more hotel nights free*! Plus, this package includes a 5-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket, allowing you to enjoy favorite attractions at both Theme Parks.

This offer is available for arrivals Jan. 5 — April 29, 2010. Travel on this offer must be completed by May 4, 2010. Book through April 1, 2010. This offer is subject to availability and block-out dates.

Book now with Small World Vacations! ]]> Disneyland California Offers and Discounts MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1335 30% off DLP and Kids go free! http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1334&goto=newpost Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:41:07 GMT Save *30%* off your package in a Disney® Hotel PLUS *All Kids GO FREE*! **Your holiday package includes:* * Accommodation in a Disney hotel *... Save 30% off your package in a Disney® Hotel PLUS All Kids GO FREE*!

Your holiday package includes:


  • Accommodation in a Disney hotel
  • Tickets for the 2 Disney® Parks for each day
  • Breakfast

AND
All Kids go FREE:
(For any adult package booked, children under either 7 or 12 are offered the same package for FREE - depending upon arrival dates)


Just book by 15th December 2009 for arrivals between 9th November 2009 and 5th February 2010 (exc. 22nd - 31st December 2009)


CLICK HERE TO BOOK & FOR FURTHER DETAILS

 ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1334 Last few days to book Free Dining at DLP! http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1333&goto=newpost Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:34:31 GMT Must be booked by November 15! All your meals for free! *When you book a minimum 3-day/ 2-night stay in a Disney Hotel at Disneyland Paris * ... Must be booked by November 15!

All your meals for free!

When you book a minimum 3-day/ 2-night stay in a Disney Hotel at Disneyland Paris



Your holiday package includes

- Accommodation in a Disney hotel
- Tickets for the 2 Disney® Parks
- Breakfast in your Disney hotel
AND
2FREE meal vouchers per person and per night booked(1).
Valid in a wide variety of restaurants across the resort.

Combinable with: Kids Stay & Play Free offers!
Just book by 15th November 2009 for arrivals until 1st April 2010(2)

CLICK HERE TO BOOK & FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND LIST OF RESTAURANTS

*Terms & conditions



  • During its validity period, the "all your meals for free" offer is valid in 1 or more Disney hotel per arrival date. This Hotel may change according to your booking date. To find out which hotel this offer applies to on your preferred booking date, please call: 08448 008 898 and quote "Free Meals offer"
  • (1) 2 meal vouchers per person (from 3 years old) and per night booked in a Disney hotel. Vouchers can be used for lunch and dinner (except brunch) throughout and only for the duration of your stay. Eg: from dinner on the day of arrival to lunch on the day of departure (breakfast is included in your package at your hotel).
  • (2) Offer excludes arrivals from 22nd - 31st December 2009. Last departure date from the hotel must be 23rd of December 2009 as vouchers cannot be used between 24th and 31st December 2009.
  • Offer only combinable with Kids Stay & Play Free offers and not combinable with any other offer or discount
    o Kids under 7 stay and play free offer: valid for arrivals until 2nd January 2010. Please see brochure or website for details.
    o Kids under 12 Stay, Play &Travel for Free offer: Valid for arrivals from 3rd January until 1st April 2010. Please see brochure or website for details
  • Offer valid for new reservations only & only valid on packages of 3 days / 2 nights & or more
  • Not valid for packages with family rooms at Disney's Newport Bay Club, Empire State Club rooms, Castle Club rooms and Suites.
  • Transportation, other options or insurance are not included but can be added to your reservation.
  • Dining capacity is subject to availability and restaurants opening hours may vary. Availability in many locations may be limited, so it is highly recommended to book your table before coming to Disneyland Paris, at least 7 days in advance, by calling our Dining Reservation Service on 08448 008 898 and select the Book your Restaurant option
  • Subject to availability and Disneyland Paris terms & conditions apply
]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1333 Disney Raises the Curtain on Rebranding Efforts at Disney’s Wide World of Sports http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1332&goto=newpost Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:32:11 GMT *LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.**, Nov. 5, 2009 --* Glimpsing into the future, Walt Disney World Resort today provided new details about ongoing efforts to... LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Nov. 5, 2009 -- Glimpsing into the future, Walt Disney World Resort today provided new details about ongoing efforts to re-imagine Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex with the ESPN brand.

With an expected grand re-opening on February 25, several signature ESPN elements will be added throughout the 220-acre facility, providing new entertainment and immersive experiences for guests and athletes. As part of the plan to take youth sports to a new level, the soon-to-be named ESPN Wide World of Sports will include:

20 video screens, including two JumboTrons that will include customized videos, highlight reels featuring the daily competitions and interviews involving ESPN sports personalities.
A new 2,500 square foot state-of-the-art broadcast center with eight edit bays and a direct uplink to ESPN in Bristol, Conn.
A new ESPN Innovation Lab facility where the ESPN Emerging Technology Group will develop ground-breaking on-air products and test them with the hundreds of sports events and athletes at the complex.
A redesigned and renamed ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill, a sports-themed eatery with high-definition TV screens and live radio remote capabilities.
Complex-wide audio system.

“The collaborative re-branding of Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex with ESPN is part of an aggressive growth strategy for our sports business aimed at leveraging the power of sports with the leisure travel business,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises.

By aligning the world’s No. 1 family vacation destination with the worldwide leader in sports, Walt Disney World Resort and ESPN will create an entertaining and immersive experience for the nearly 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators who come through the Disney sports complex each year. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1332 Disney Gallery Reopens in a New Location http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1331&goto=newpost Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:13:39 GMT The Disney Gallery has reopened at *Disneyland*® Park in its new location on *Main Street, U.S.A*.® (previously occupied by the Bank of Main... The Disney Gallery has reopened at Disneyland® Park in its new location on Main Street, U.S.A.® (previously occupied by the Bank of Main Street).

While the location may be new, the remodeled Disney Gallery continues the outstanding tradition of showcasing original and one-of-a-kind Disney artwork and collectibles to Theme Park Guests. The new design maintains some of the unique elements of the former bank, including the popular bank vault, which is now used to display select pieces of historical Disney artwork.


In addition to the vault, the Disney Gallery is now made up of three separate rooms: two large display rooms and a merchandise room. The display rooms feature historic Walt Disney Imagineering conceptual art created during the development and enhancement stages of attractions and Disney-inspired art created by current and former Disney artists and Imagineers. Guests visiting the merchandise portion of the Disney Gallery will have the opportunity to purchase Disney prints (including on-the-spot prints from Print on Demand), sculptures, books and many other collectibles from popular Disney attractions and animated features.


The first exhibit on display at the new Disney Gallery location is "Enchanting the Classics." This exhibit focuses on how artists at Walt Disney Imagineering have kept beloved Disneyland Resort attractions such as the Submarine Voyage, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion and "it's a small world" fresh and exciting over the years with enhancements and surprises. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1331 <![CDATA[Video - WELCOME TO MICKEY'S VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARTY- INTERACTIVE STORYBOOK.]]> http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1330&goto=newpost Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:10:12 GMT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h8d0zOXi78 ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1330 Magnolia Course No. 17 a Picture-Perfect Place for the Finish of the $1 Million Kodak Challenge http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1329&goto=newpost Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:50:46 GMT When Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort opened in 1988, it created the backdrop for a “postcard” view of Walt Disney World as a golf resort – the palm-lined entrance and the red-shingled, white clapboard-sided elegance of the new resort in the background, with golfers on the 17th tee of the Magnolia golf course in the foreground.
It was a picture-perfect view. Worth a thousand words. A real “money shot” for a photographer.

How seemingly appropriate (or perhaps ironic), then, that 21 years later, several PGA TOUR golfers competing in the 2009 Children’s Miracle Network Classic this week will be doing some “shooting” of their own on No. 17 … with $1 million at stake. The picturesque and challenging par 4 is the final hole of the inaugural Kodak Challenge, a winner-take-all competition that has been tracking TOUR players’ performance on designated holes throughout 2009.

Thirty Kodak Challenge holes – one each at 30 PGA TOUR co-sponsored events – were determined before the 2009 season. For each player, his best performance on the Kodak Challenge hole during a tournament has been recorded on his “Kodak Challenge Scorecard.” For instance, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill earlier this year, No. 18 was the Kodak Challenge hole. If a player scored two bogies, a par and a birdie on the difficult hole, his scorecard for the Challenge would read -1, reflecting only the birdie.

Golfers must play 18 of the 30 Kodak Challenge holes to be eligible to win. When a golfer has played more than 18 of the holes, his scorecard reflects his best 18.

So now it is coming down to a finish at Disney on No. 17. Here, in the words of Disney Head Golf Professional and Classic Chairman Kevin Weickel, is what the golfers face:

"From a peninsula tee 485 yards from the cup, a player must split the fairway guarded on the left and right by water and trees. In doing so, the key is proper positioning in the fairway to gain the most advantageous angle for the second shot, as the hole doglegs left to an elongated green. Even with the biggest of drives, players will be left with a mid iron of some sort to approach a green which slopes from back to front with a tilt to the right – which is guarded on the right by a bunker and beyond that by a mirror lake. As the pin moves further back and to the right on this green, birdie becomes an incredible challenge which has baffled players for 39 years.”

It adds up to a hole that has been the third most difficult on the Magnolia course and sixth most difficult in the Classic (including the Palm course) since the TOUR began keeping hole-by-hole statistics in 1983. In 1984, No. 17 played .346 over par to rank as the 36th most difficult hole on the entire PGA TOUR.

Par has been the norm for No. 17, with more than two-thirds (68 percent) of players’ rounds including a 4 on the long par 4. Another 17 percent of rounds have been over par, while players shoot under par about 15 percent of the time.

Kevin Streelman is atop the Kodak Challenge leader board at -16 – two strokes better than Nathan Green, J.J. Henry and Bo Van Pelt. The two-stroke lead means that if Streelman birdies No. 17, he claims the $1 million prize.

If he does no better than par on No. 17, any of the three challengers still would need an eagle to match his score. How difficult a challenge might that be? Consider these facts:
  • There has not been an eagle on No. 17 in the Classic since 1998.
  • In those 10 “eagle-less” Classics (1999-2008), 2,966 rounds have been played on the Magnolia course.
  • But between 1983 (when the PGA TOUR began tracking hole-by-hole data) and 1998, there were four eagles on the hole during 3,325 Classic rounds – one in every 832 rounds on average
  • Since record-keeping began, then, there have been four eagles in 6,291 rounds. Put another way: The historical odds are more than 1,500-to-1 against it.
Put yet another way: The odds are virtually twice as good for a hole-in-one on the 170-yard No. 3, where there have been seven aces since 1983 and eight since 1982.
Yet viewed still another way: Given that there hasn’t been an eagle on No. 17 in nearly 3,000 rounds … “it’s overdue.”

If two or more players are tied in the competition at the finish of the Classic on Sunday, there will be a winner-take-all playoff for the $1 million prize. ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1329 Christmas Season Fun Facts 2009 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1328&goto=newpost Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:34:15 GMT The Disneyland Paris Christmas Tree
• Towering 24 meters high (from the grass to the star on the top) and weighs over more than 24 tons
• Near to 500 light bulbs illuminate the tree tinsel
• 590 Christmas baubles (390 round ones and 200 byzantine shaped ones) decorate the tree
• 240 various decorations (figures, candy canes, toy soldiers, drums, red bows…) hang on the branches
• The assembling of the tree takes place over one night
• 23 persons (of all different types of professions) are required to help install and completely set up the tree


The Christmas Illuminations
• From Town Square, all the way up Main Street and right up to Sleeping Beauty, more than 1 million lights twinkle at night fall
• Around 7 km of fairy lights are used to decorate the Main Street, U.S.A. lampposts
• Between 300 000 and 400 000 leds are needed to transform Sleeping Beauty’s Castle into a Cristal Castle
• The final lighting concept has been completed this year with the light overlay of the castle giving a maximal sparkling effect
• 3 full nights of work are necessary to lay the led lighting curtains (entertainment technical term) on the castle towers, roofs and turrets
• 15 nights are planned to install all the other Christmas light overlays in the trees and firs of Critter Corral for the transformation process of the area into the Santa Claus Village
• 6 nights are necessary for the dismantling of the Halloween season decorations and overlay to transform Main Street U.S.A. for our Christmas Season


“Dreams of Christmas” Santa Claus Float
• The new Santa Claus float weighs around 6 tons
• The new float was built in the Paris region and represents Santa’s Sleigh, filled with presents and pulled by the reindeer, floating above clouds...
• This Parade unit is composed of 12 Toy soldiers, 18 Elves, 1 nutcracker



The Santa Claus float Elves:
• 70 sets of costumes and 45 hats have been made for the elves accompanying the Santa Claus Float
• The costumes were made in three different sizes to cater for the different body shapes of the performing artists
• Nearly 400 meters of different material was necessary to make these costumes
• Various accessories were sew on the costumes:
- 90 bobbles
- 500 sleigh bells
- 700 golden buttons
• A total of 180 pairs of shoes were necessary to shoe all the performers
• 6 different types of Elves are performing in the Parade
- Chi chi (2 performers)
- Pom Pom (4 performers)
- Bells (2 performers)
- Buttons (2 perfomers)
- Joker (3 performers)
- Furry (5 performers)

More details on Christmas at Disneyland Paris


 ]]> MK2 http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1328