Walt Disney World Park Update

Update for May 22 – 28, 2006

Go directly to: News & Views | Coming Soon | Trivia of the Week | Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Park Events | Discounts/Promotions | Park Hours | Events/Entertainment Schedule

News and Views

Mission: Space debuts spin-free version

Mission: Space “lite” officially debuted
on Friday, offering riders the choice of joining the “green team” or the “orange
team” for two different experiences on the popular Epcot attraction.

As I reported a couple of weeks ago,
Walt Disney World announced on May 2 that Mission: Space would debut a second
ride profile this summer, offering a “mild” ride to go with the normal “wild”
ride profile. Implementation was delayed while logistics for multiple queues
and Fastpass distribution were developed.

On Friday, the existing stand-by entrance became the stand-by line for Orange
Team (normal high-G version), while the former Single Rider entrance became
the stand-by line for Green Team (non-spinning version). A single Fastpass
queue will have riders steered to their correct team as they approach the
merge point. Riders will be issued an orange or green “launch ticket”
before entering the building, and will be directed to the proper line.

In the new “green” version, the centrifuge motors will be turned off, but
the other capsule motions will still be in place, so that riders will not
just be watching a movie in fancy seats, but will get some of the feeling
of the original without the high and low G-forces created by varying spin
rates of the centrifuge.

In addition to the standard warnings that people with high blood pressure,
heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness or other medical issues should
not ride, the Orange Team launch ticket includes the note that “[i]f you are
uncertain whether orange team – more intense training is right for you,
we strongly encourage you to select green team – less intense training.”
The reverse side of the ticket includes messages in Spanish, Portuguese, French,
German and Japanese telling the rider to ask a uniformed ride attendant for
important safety instructions in their language, which should help to blunt
the criticism that foreign guests might not understand the warnings in the
queue—which are only in English—and might not see any warnings
in their own language, which are only available on the foreign-language park
maps.

While Disney continues to claim that the change has nothing to do with the
two deaths of two guests following their rides on the attraction, it’s hard
to believe that there was absolutely no relationship, whether it be due to
liability or to perception resulting from the incidents. Waits at the $100
million attraction had dropped to 10 minutes at times over recent weeks, perhaps
due to people being afraid that they might also have an undiagnosed condition
that could lead to death after riding Mission: Space. (Both deaths were determined
to be due to aggravation of undiagnosed pre-existing conditions in the riders.)
By presenting an alternate option that will allow people who are uncertain
about their health to still get a good feel for what the attraction is about,
Disney will bring back a large group of people who might not otherwise give
the attraction a second look. The move appeared to be successful, as wait
times reached 40 minutes on Friday morning. It may take some time to confirm
any trend changes, however.

While Disney does allow occasional “test flight” mode rides on Star
Tours as may be requested when crowd levels allow, this is the first permanent
modification of an attraction to allow multiple levels of intensity. No changes
have been made to the “Orange Team” version of the attraction, and there are
no plans to change the 44-inch height requirement, as that relates to the
design of the on-ride restraints and their ability to restrain individuals
down to that size.

While there will be those who think that they’re up for the wild ride and
will have difficulty with it, and those with undetected ailments will still
ride not knowing that they’re in danger, people who ride just so that they
won’t miss out on seeing the attraction will now have a safer alternative.

7’3″ Peter Mayhew, who portrayed Chewbacca the Wookiee, and 3’6″
Warwick Davis, who portrayed Wicket the Ewok, discuss the Star Wars
movies during Star Wars Weekends at the Disney-MGM Studios. Photo by Brian
Warneke.

Wicket’s Warehouse is the temporary home of a great deal of Star Wars-themed
merchandise. Photo by Brian Warneke.

The shelves at Wicket’s Warehouse are fully stocked. Photo by Brian Warneke.

A 3/4-scale X-Wing sits at Wicket’s Warehouse for photo opportunities. Photo
by Brian Warneke.

New Studios character meal details

As we reported on April 3 and updated
May 1, the new character meals at
the Hollywood and Vine restaurant in the
Disney-MGM Studios will be called “Play
N Dine” and themed to Playhouse Disney. It is now confirmed that the
characters to be appearing are Jo Jo and Goliath from Jo Jo’s Circus
and June and Leo from The Little Einsteins. The characters will sing
and dance to songs from Playhouse Disney during the meals, which debut on
June 25.

As with dinner at the restaurant, the character breakfast and lunch will
be served buffet style. Breakfast will feature Mickey waffles, frittatas and
fresh fruits and pastries, while lunch will include baked salmon with citrus
butter, multigrain pasta and salads among dozens of other selections, including
a dessert and sundae station.

Breakfast (to be served 8:00-11:20 a.m.) will cost $22.99 for ages 10 and
up, $12.99 for ages 3-9, while lunch (to be served 11:40 a.m.-2:25 p.m.) will
run $24.99 for ages 10 and up, $13.99 for ages 3-9. Reservation are available
now via the Walt Disney World Dine Line, 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3563).

Limited Passholder and Florida resident discounts released for summer

Very limited discounts were released for Passholders and Florida residents
last week. Rather than the all-resorts rates that we’ve seen in the past,
the new rates are very specifically targeted to five resorts – two Disney
Vacation Club resorts and three deluxe resorts, indicating that bookings property-wide
are up, with only these five resorts selling below the expected point, necessitating
the issuing of discounts.

The released discounts are for July 5 through August 5 at the Old
Key West Resort, Saratoga Springs Resort
& Spa, Yacht Club Resort, Beach
Club Resort and BoardWalk Inn Resort.
(The Beach Club Villas and BoardWalk
Villas are not included in the discount.) Discount rates at the DVC resorts
begin at $159 per night for a studio room, and rates at the deluxes start
at $189 per night in a standard room. Other levels of accommodations at those
resorts are also available at higher rates. A limited number of rooms are
available at the discounted rates.

To receive the discount, you can either make your reservations through the Passholder
or Florida resident Web sites, through travel agents or by calling the special
Passholder or Florida resident phone numbers (available at the respective
Web sites). Passholders should reference promotional code EZT or EZU, while
Florida residents should reference promotional code EZW.

At check-in, Passholders will be required to show an annual pass or exchange
voucher, and Florida residents will be required to show proof of Florida residency.

A new sign has gone up on the construction walls around the Pirates of the
Caribbean. Photo by Indy.

2007 rates show change of seasons

Disney has released new room rates for 2007, and they’ve introduced
a new twist for folks staying at value and moderate resorts during the summer.
A new season level has been introduced and season dates have been moved around.
Deluxe resorts and Disney Vacation Club Resorts are not affected.

Regular Season used to run from immediately following the Easter peak through
late August, at which point Value Season would begin. Starting next year (only
for value and moderate resorts, though), Summer Season begins the Thursday
before Memorial Day and runs through the first Saturday night in August. Value
Season now begins the first Sunday night in August. In addition, prices at
moderate resorts have gone up by about $10 per night.

Summer Season rates are approximately midway between Regular Season rates
and Peak Season rates. For example, Regular Season rates (April 15 through
May 23, plus most of October and November) at a value resort are $99/night
for a standard room and $111 for a preferred room, while Peak Season rates
in those rooms are $119 and $127, respectively. Summer Season rates for those
rooms will run $109 and $121.

At a moderate resort, Regular Season rates are $165 for a standard room,
$185 for a water view, king bed or preferred location room; Peak Season rates
are $185 and $210, while Summer Season rates are $175 and $195.

This addresses trends of value resort bookings going up during Memorial Day
weekend, staying high through the first half of the summer and then dropping
once August arrives. This year, the trend is being addressed by only providing
Passholder and Florida Resident discounts at a few deluxe and DVC resorts,
rather than at all resorts. Expect further changes in the future as booking
patterns change and Disney shifts rates to match demand.

Thanks to MousePlanet sponsors Small World Vacations (link)
and MouseSavers.com (link)
for the rate and season information.

Increase in tourist tax may be in the offing

More extra costs could find their way into your Disney travel budgets in
the near future. Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer,
as well as representatives from the major theme parks and the hoteliers’ lobbying
group have all agreed on a plan that would raise the hotel room tax by one
percentage point and impose an additional $2 surcharge on rental cars. The
tax and surcharge cannot be implemented without legislative approval, however.

The tax must be approved by a vote of the Orange County Commission, requiring
at least five of a possible seven votes. The county and city are still negotiating
the spending plan for the proceeds of the bed tax. The surcharge was approved
by the Florida legislature, but it is uncertain whether Governor Jeb Bush
will sign or veto the measure. The surcharge faces further approval requirements
by voters on the November ballot, but it can only be placed on the ballot
if the funding agreement is approved by both the Orange County Commission
and the Orlando City Commission in a matter of a few days. Both bodies meet
early this week to consider the matter.

The new levy would increase the taxes at Disney hotels from 11.5 percent
to 12.5 percent at hotels in Orange County. The hotels in Osceola County (Animal
Kingdom Lodge and the All-Star Sports,
Music and Movies
Resorts) would presumably be unaffected and would remain at 13 percent.

The bed tax would be used to pay for promotion of tourism as well as construction
of a new performing arts center, renovation or replacement of the TD Waterhouse
Centre and renovation of the Citrus Bowl. The proceeds would be split roughly
in half, with the balance of the distribution shifting after the first two
years. The tax is expected to raise about $25 million per year.

The rental car surcharge, expected to raise $34-$38 million per year, would
provide 25 percent of the proceeds to the Lynx public bus system, which would
help to stabilize the funding for that community resource.

The tourism executives involved in the deal included Walt Disney World President
Al Weiss, chief executives from Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, and
leaders of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.

Lightning McQueen is available for meet-and-greets at the Disney-MGM Studios.
Photo by Brian Warneke.

Mater the tow truck is also out and about at the Studios. Photo by Brian Warneke.

Airport fees may also rise

The tax on hotel rooms isn’t the only cost that might be going up for Walt
Disney World visitors. Orlando International Airport (OIA) is considering
an increase in the facility fee from $3 to $4.50, to bring it into line with
the fees charged by other major airports.

The passenger facility charge program, created by the FAA in 1990 to help
airports raise money for projects, has a maximum fee of $4.50, which the other
top airports have already been charging passengers. OIA jumped from 14th busiest
in U.S. and 24th busiest in world to 12th and 21st between 2004 and 2005,
according to Airports Council International (ACI), with 34.1 million passengers
passing through the airport.

The airport will use the funds to pay for a new baggage conveyor system and
security system improvements, and possibly a second terminal when the passenger
levels create the need. By raising the money through an increase in passenger
fees instead of landing rights and gate fees, the airport is avoiding the
imposition of a further burden on the already financially-precarious airlines.
The airport expects the fees to generate $1.1 billion in revenue over the
next 12 years.

The increase has not yet been approved by the Greater Orlando Airport Authority,
which is expected to vote on the increase in the near future.

… However, baggage handling at airport improves

Last Monday marked the start of a new program at Orlando International Airport
that should speed passengers on their way between the check-in counter and
the terminal gates.

Back on April 24, I reported on
the upcoming change, whereby an airport contractor would begin handling passenger
luggage between the check-in counter and the baggage screening machines so
that there would be no need for passengers to drag their own bags to the counter
to check them in and get their routing tags, and then back to the machine
for screening.

Not only does this cut down on the time that passengers need to spend moving
luggage, but it will also free up the Transportation Security Administration
officers from loading the baggage into the machine, allowing the airport to
dedicate more officers to screening the baggage and passengers. Lines had
recently been exceeding 45 minutes during peak travel times.

The implementation date gives the airport a week and a half to work any bugs
out of the change before the Memorial Day Weekend rush hits.

The new Beauty and the Beast stamp is immortalized as a topiary at Epcot.
Photo by Catherine Sowa.

Cinderella and her prince look charming in their stamp topiary. Photo by Catherine
Sowa.

Lady and the Tramp’s topiary looks divine. Photo by Catherine Sowa.

Mickey and Minnie have fun in their stamp topiary. Photo by Catherine Sowa.

Gay Days feud easing?

There’s been a change in the landscape of the Gay Day vs. Gay Days feud this
year. Doug Swallow, one of the original founders of the event and owner of
gayday.com, has leased his site to Johnny Chisholm, promoter of the One Mighty
Weekend events that have been a staple of the weekend for many years. Swallow
has been reported as saying that he “didn’t want to deal with all the drama
and headaches this year.”

However, that doesn’t mean that the GayDays.com group, headed by Tom Manley
and Chris Alexander-Manley, is the sole arbiter of the parks schedule this
year. (Last year, the two feuding factions ran different schedules for visiting
the parks.) This year, Chisholm’s site is publicizing park dates as Epcot
on June 2, Magic Kingdom on June 3 and Animal
Kingdom on June 4. Manley and Alexander-Manley have Animal Kingdom on
June 1, the Disney-MGM Studios on June 2,
Magic Kingdom on June 3 and Epcot on June 4. Participants will again have
to choose which schedule they plan to follow, and allegiances will again be
tested.

Host hotels are also being pitted against each other, as Chisholm’s outfit
will be based at the Buena Vista Palace and GayDays.com will be at the Hotel
Royal Plaza. Both hotels are sold out. GayDays is returning to its longtime
home at the Hotel Royal Plaza from the Sheraton World Hotel, now that the
Royal Plaza has reopened from its post-hurricane renovations.

As always, however, the event has not gone unnoticed by the conservative
Christian Action Network, which in the past has participated in such events
as a protest against the event at the Florida State Capitol and hosting a
reception at Disney annual shareholder meetings. This year, the group is raising
money to fly a hot air balloon over Orlando to “ensure that parents are notified
about the events going on for Gay Days at Disney.”

The weekend has grown each year, and infuses well over $100 million dollars
into the local economy.

Here’s hoping that the two groups can settle their differences and host one
park schedule next year.

One cast member dead, one injured in head-on crash near Magic Kingdom

Early Thursday morning, one Disney employee died and another suffered serious
injuries in a head-on collision at the western end of Vista Drive, the roadway
that leads past Fort Wilderness. Phillip Stitzer, a 24-year-old merchandise
employee, lost control of his vehicle as he headed westbound toward World
Drive around 12:30 a.m. and swerved into the eastbound lanes, hitting a car
driven by Kuang Wu, a 60-year-old chef at the Polynesian Resort. Stitzer is
suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Wu’s car rolled onto its roof after the impact, and he was pronounced dead
on the scene. Stitzer was in critical condition at Orlando Regional Medical
Center. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, blood was drawn from Stitzer
for drug and alcohol testing after troopers found signs of drinking.

No charges have been filed yet, pending the outcome of an investigation.

The Main Street Athletic Club is closed for renovations. Photo by Mike Scopa.

Keystone Clothiers is also closed for renovation. Photo by Brian Warneke.

The construction walls for Keystone Clothiers go all the way around the building.
Photo by Brian Warneke.

“The Goofy” jumps toward “full”

Time is running out if you’re planning to sign up for the Goofy’s Race and
a Half Challenge during the 2007 Marathon Weekend. In the last week, registration
for the 3,000 available slots jumped from 50 percent to 70 percent full. Once
all the spots are gone, even if you sign up for both races you will not receive
a Goofy medal.

The numbers indicate that registration is around 90 percent of last year’s
number of entries with over six months left before the races. To register
or to check the status of the event, go to the race Web site (link).
[Read our WDW Marathon Guide.]

Disney confirms ESPNU Classic for November at the Milk House.

Two arms of the Walt Disney Company are coming together to produce The ESPNU
Classic, a new eight-team, 12-game college basketball tournament at the
Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of
Sports Complex at Walt Disney World over the Thanksgiving weekend, it
was officially announced on Tuesday. Nine games will be broadcast on ESPN2,
while the other three will be broadcast on ESPNU. All will be televised live.

Participating teams include five teams that made post-season appearances
this year: Arkansas, Minnesota, Montana, Southern Illinois and West Virginia.
Also participating will be Marist, Virginia Tech and Western Michigan.

The tournament, which will be run under the auspices of the Metro Atlantic
Athletic Conference, will take place November 23, 24 and 26. Four games will
be played on each day, with each team playing daily. The two undefeated teams
will face off in a championship game on the last day, with the remaining teams
playing consolation games. Pairings and game times will be announced at a
later date.

A panda topiary sits outside the China pavilion at Epcot. Photo by Catherine
Sowa.

The American Adventure features a red-white-and-blue star topiary outside.
Photo by Catherine Sowa.

Release of papers on the web creates more “Buzz”

A treasure trove of documents relating to the history of Walt Disney World
and other theme parks around the globe will soon be available online. The
University of Central Florida is digitizing about 150 of the 1,000 documents
donated to its library by Harrison “Buzz” Price and making them available
on the Web.

Thus far, the site (link)
is having technical difficulties and has been unavailable each time that we
checked it. However, the university plans to get it back online as soon as
possible.

Price, an economic consultant that performed the feasibility studies, market
analysis and site selection for Disneyland and Walt Disney World, among other
parks and resorts, donated dozens of boxes of papers to the school in late
2003. Some papers are available to researchers now, others restricted to only
become available in 2012, and still more to become available after his and
his wife’s death.

Included among the papers is information about the proposed Disney Down Under
Resort considered for Queensland, Australia in the 1990s and information about
Disney’s attempt to create a ski resort at Mineral King in California. Other
papers include an economic impact report on the then-proposed Walt Disney
World and a feasibility study of River Walk in San Antonio, Texas.

The children’s fur costumes from the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The
Witch and the Wardrobe are on display in the queue for The Great Movie
Ride. Photo by Mike Scopa.

Quick takes …

…While the official Walt Disney World podcasts are currently on hiatus
for retooling, host David Brady is producing podcasts about the Star Wars
Weekends for StarWars.com (link).

…Jiko – The Cooking Place at
the Animal Kingdom Lodge was recognized for “Best Independent Operator Menu”
in the 2006 Nation’s Restaurant News MenuMasters Awards.

…The Disney Cruise Line was recently honored by Porthole Cruise Magazine
with their 2005 Reader’s Choice Award for Most Family-Oriented Line, as voted
by the readers of Porthole Cruise Magazine.

…Tom McAlpin, president of the Disney Cruise Line, was named to the
board of directors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation last week. The cruise line
has been helping to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses
for the past eight years. McAlpin reported decided to get more involved with
Make-A-Wish during a gala event aboard the Disney Magic to benefit the organization
last summer in California as part of Disneyland’s 50th birthday celebration
(link).

…For those who are interested, Mark Goldhaber will again be making a guest appearance
on the WDW Today podcast (link)
both today and Wednesday.

Coming soon

• Through June 11, Epcot
  International Flower & Garden Festival
  • Flower Power Concert Series
    • May 22, B.J. Thomas
    • May 23–25, Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals
    • May 26–29, The Guess Who
    • May 30–June 1, Tony Orlando
    • June 2–5, Arlo Guthrie
    • June 6–7, The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie
    • June 8–11, Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone
  • Themed weekends
    • May 27–29, Memorial Day
    • June 2–4, I Dig Bugs
    • June 9–11, Festival Farewell Weekend
• Through June 11, Star Wars Weekends
  • May 26–28, Jake Lloyd (young Anakin Skywalker), Matthew Wood
    (sound editor, voice of General Grievous), Warwick Davis (Wicket the
    Ewok)
  • June 2–4, Jay Laga’aia (Captain Typho), Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti),
    Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok)
  • June 9–11, Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett), Temura Morrison (Jango
    Fett), Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok)
• Through June 5, no Cirque du Soleil performances
• May 26–29, DVC members may not pool-hop on these dates
• May 31 – June 4, Gay Days 2006, the 16th annual gathering of the GLBT
  community at Walt Disney World (not Disney-sponsored)

Trivia question of the week

What is the license plate number of the Star Speeder whose owner is paged
in the queue for Star Tours because it is
parked in a “no-hover zone”?

(Answer will be posted next week.)

Answer to last week’s question: 276 tons of steel were used in constructing
the 180-foot-tall Cinderella Castle.

Don’t keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips, rumors,
and comments. Email Mark here.

Talk about these stories and more on our Walt Disney World
discussion forum here.

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

• Pirates of the Caribbean – is
  closed through July 1 for the addition of characters from the movie that
  was inspired by the ride.
• Liberty Square Riverboat – is not
  operating due to refurbishment, and will return to service on September
  22.
• Timekeeper – is closed for good.
• Cinderella’s Surprise Celebration – reportedly returns at
  the beginning of November, following the final performance of Cinderellabration.

Epcot

• The Seas with Nemo & Friends – will open this fall in
  The Living Seas.
• The Wonders of Life pavilion – is closed for good.

Disney–MGM Studios

• No current refurbishments.

Animal Kingdom

• Finding Nemo – The Musical – will open in the Theater
  in the Wild late this year.

Resorts

• All-Star Music Resort – Conversion
  of the Jazz Inn buildings to Family Suites continues. Building 2 is in process,
  and building 9 will be next.
• Polynesian Resort – Work is now
  underway on the complete refurbishment and upgrading of rooms and hallways
  in all buildings, which is expected to be completed this summer.
• Contemporary Resort – Work is
  now underway on the complete refurbishment and upgrading of rooms and hallways
  in the tower building and both garden wings, and is now expected to be completed
  this summer.
• Wilderness Lodge – Work is now
  underway on the replacement of furniture in all rooms, which is expected
  to be completed this summer.
• Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa –
  Phase I’s four buildings and Phase II’s eight units are complete, Construction
  on Phase III is underway, with the six units expected to be completed in
  2007.

Water Parks

• Blizzard Beach – Will close for annual refurbishment October 29,
  and will reopen some time in December.
• Typhoon Lagoon – Will close for annual refurbishment when work on
  Blizzard Beach is complete, and will reopen some time in February or March
  2007.

Elsewhere

• Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – performs Tuesdays –
  Saturdays. Also, no performances May 21 – June 5, July 30 – August
  1 and September 17–25.

Park Events

Ongoing

• Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. April 21 –
  June 11. Epcot comes alive with topiaries, other floral displays, gardening
  demonstrations and the “Flower Power” concert series (link)
  at the 13th annual event.

May 2006

• Star Wars Weekends. May 19?21 and 26?28, and June 2?4 and 9?11.
  The popular event is slated to return to the Studios in 2006 (link).
• Gay Days 2006. May 31 – June 4. The 16th annual gathering of the
  GLBT community at Walt Disney World (link1
  | link2).

July 2006

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports
  complex (link).
  July 29 – August 17. The NFC South champions prepare for the 2006 campaign,
  with practices open to the public.

September 2006

• Tom Joyner Family Reunion. Sept. 1–4. The radio host’s annual
  gathering returns for another year (link).
• Night of Joy. Sept. 8–9. Disney’s annual Christian music
  festival (link).
• Disney’s Pin Celebration. Sept. 8–10. This year’s event is
  themed as “It All Started With … Walt” (link).
• Walt Disney World Triathlon. Sept. 24. Athletes compete in a 1.5K
  swim, a 40K bike ride, and a 10K run (link).
• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Sept. 15, 22, 29, Oct. 2,
  5, 6, 10, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31. Get your costumes
  ready. The Disney characters will certainly be wearing theirs. (link).
• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Sept. 29 – Nov.
  12. The 11th annual celebration of things gustatory, plus the Eat to the
  Beat concert series (link).

October 2006

• Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K. Oct. 8. The annual Disney 10K
  race continues its association with the Epcot Food & Wine Festival (link).
• Funai Classic at Walt Disney World. Oct. 16–22. Lucas Glover
  will try to defend his title at the 36th annual fall golf classic on the
  Palm and Magnolia courses (link).
• Disney Pin Cruise. Oct. 29 – Nov. 2. This year’s cruise is
  themed as “Cruisin’ Through Time” (link).

November-December 2006

• Festival of the Masters. Nov. 10–12. Disney’s annual arts
  festival at Downtown Disney’s West Side, now sponsored by Sharpie! (link).
• ABC Super Soap Weekend. Nov. 11–12. Your favorite ABC soap
  opera stars converge on the Disney-MGM Studios (link).
• Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights. Dates TBA. Jennings Osborne’s
  amazing display returns to the Studios (link).
• Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade. Dates TBA. The Animal Kingdom Parade
  trades its Jammin’ for Jingle in this holiday makeover (link).
• Holidays Around the World. Dates TBA. Epcot’s World Showcase gets
  storytellers, special entertainment and crafts for kids, the Lights of Winter
  and a spectacular Christmas tree (link).
• Festival of the Seasons. Dates TBA. Downtown Disney gets a holiday
  makeover (link).
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Nov. 13, 17, 27, 28, 30,
  Dec. 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22. Snow on Main Street,
  free hot cocoa and cookies. What’s not to like? (link).

December 2006

• MouseFest 2006. Dec. 3–11. The annual gathering of the Disney
  Internet community takes place at sea from Dec. 3–7 and on land from
  Dec. 7–11 (link).
• Pleasure Island New Year’s Eve. Dec. 31. Pleasure Island celebrates
  the actual New Year (link).
• New Year’s Eve at Cirque du Soleil. Dec. 31. Cirque puts on special
  New Year’s performances (link).
• Atlantic Dance Hall New Year’s Eve. Dec. 31. Ring in the New Year
  at the BoardWalk’s own dance club (link).

January 2007

• Walt Disney World Half-Marathon. Jan. 6. Registration now open
  (link). [Read our
  WDW Marathon Guide.]
• Walt Disney World Marathon. Jan. 7. Registration now open (link).

Current Discounts & Promotions

Free dining plan back, for a limited time

Perhaps the best-received package in recent Disney history, the “Stay, Play
and Dine” free dining plan is back. Packages purchased by June 4 for stays
from August 13 – September 30 will receive the Disney Dining Plan for
free. Essentially, it’s the Magic Your Way Plus Dining package for the price
of a standard Magic Your Way package. That’s a savings of $37.99 per night
per adult (ages 10 and up) and $10.99 per night for children (ages 3-9). Add
it up and a family of four with kids ages 3-9 will save $97.96 per night,
and a family of four with kids over age 9 will save a whopping $151.96 per
night.

Disney Visa cardholders can use request code YWL when booking, while the
general public should use code YWX.

Passholder, Florida resident discounts still available through June 3

In addition, Passholders discounts are still available on the passholder
Web site for vacations from April 23 through June 3. When calling by phone,
use booking code EZN or EZO. Florida resident discounts for the same dates
are available on the resident Web site, using booking code BOR. Passholder
rates start at $74 per night for value resorts, resident rates start at $79
per night for the values.

Cirque discounts for Passholders and DVC members

Passholders and DVC members get 25 percent off Category 2 admission to performances
of Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba through September 30, 2006. Each passholder
or DVC member can buy up to four tickets. Tickets should be purchased by phone
at 407-939-7604 up to 30 days in advance, and must be picked up at the box
office with valid Passholder or DVC identification. The offer is not valid
on Saturday shows during July, and the show will not be performed on Sundays
and Mondays, as well as May 21 ? June 5, July 30 ? August 1 and September
17?25.

Golf Price Slice returns

A round of golf at Walt Disney World
will be less expensive after 10 a.m. again this summer as the resort is bringing
back the Disney’s Price Slice promotion. From May 22 through September 30,
greens fees will be “sliced” to $55 for the Magnolia and Eagle Pines courses,
$49 for the Palm course and $45 for the Lake Buena Vista course. The rates
include the use of an electric cart and are discounted from the before-10
a.m. prices of $89 (Magnolia and Eagle Pines), $79 (Palm) and $69 (Lake Buena
Vista). The Osprey Ridge course is not involved in the promotion, as it will
be closed from May 15 through September 23 for refurbishment. The Tifdwarf
grass on the greens is being replaced by TifEagle turf, tee boxes are being
laser leveled and other work will also be done. The annual makeover of a selected
course has been extremely well-received, with the Palm course going first
in 2004 and the Magnolia getting upgraded last year. It is unknown at this
time whether the Eagle Pines or Lake Buena Vista course is scheduled for next
year. To reserve a tee time, call 407-WDW-GOLF (407-939-4653) or go to the
Disney Golf Web site (link).
Note that the site appears to have difficulty with browsers other than Internet
Explorer.

New Radisson offer

The Radisson Resort Orlando – Celebration, a MousePlanet sponsor, has announced
reduced rates for MousePlanet readers from now through July 8. Rates start
at $85 per night from now through June 1, and at $95 per night from June 2
through July 8.

Click here for more information, or here to make reservations now. These special rates and discounts
are for MousePlanet readers, so remember to book through our links here.

Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration releases rates through the end of 2006

The Radisson Resort Parkway is now the Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration!
The resort, a MousePlanet sponsor, has announced their standard rates through
the end of 2006. Note that the nightly rates do not include a $7 per night
resort fee.

Click here for more information, or here to make reservations now.

Magic Your Way ticket price guide

Walt Disney World’s entire ticket price structure changed as of January 2,
2005, to the new “Magic Your Way” passes, and prices increased on
January 1, 2006.. Advance purchase discounts are only available on tickets
above the base ticket of at least 4 days, with higher discounts on those tickets
with both options.

Park Hours

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through November 2006.

Entertainment Schedule

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through November 2006.

Theme Park Events

Fort Wilderness movie schedule for May 2006

Movies begin at 8:40. Movies are preceded by a campfire at 7:30 and a singalong
at 8:00.

Downtown Disney Entertainment

(Separate admission required)