Walt Disney World Park Update

Woman escapes rape attempt at Pop Century

In another story first reported on the podcast, a woman was reportedly assaulted

at Disney’s Pop Century Resort last Friday night just before 6 p.m. She was

walking along a path when she was allegedly shoved to the ground in an area

with 4-foot-tall bushes by a man who reached into the pocket of her shorts

and grabbed her room key, then attempted to rape her.

There’s no word on how the woman got away with her room key, but get away

she did. She ran back to her room but was unable to open the door because

her card key was bent in the attack. She pounded on the door and screamed

until she woke her husband, who was napping inside. The husband called 911

and got a Disney cast member to stay with the woman while he ran out to the

pool area to search for the assailant.

Neither the husband nor the Orange Country sheriff’s deputies were able locate

the attacker, described by the victim as a tall, light-skinned black man,

190 pounds, 40 to 50 years old, with short, clean-cut black or brown hair,

and wearing a clean, short-sleeve white shirt with dark pants.

Holiday guests get extra dining options at Magic Kingdom

To help address the huge crowds expected during the holiday season, Disney

has added more dining options inside the Magic

Kingdom through New Year’s Eve.

For breakfast, you can get waffles at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments starting

at 7:00 a.m. The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor will start serving coffee, hot cocoa

and pastries at 7:00 a.m. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight

Cafe will serve breakfast from 8:00-10:30 a.m.

The Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station

will actually be open for lunch and dinner starting at 11:00 a.m., and will

close at 10:30 p.m. through December 28, at midnight December 29-31, and at

9:00 p.m. January 1-5.

El Pirata y el Perico Restaurante will

also be out for lunch daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. December 22-January 2, and

will even be open for dinner through 8 p.m. December 28-31.

The Diamond Horseshoe Saloon will also serve quick service lunch from 11

a.m.-4 p.m. December 23-January 3, and will serve full-service turkey dinner

nightly from 5-9 p.m. December 24-31.

There will also be some extra outdoor foods kiosks to soak up any extra crowds.

Atlanta Braves spring training seven weeks away

The Atlanta Braves return to Disney’s

Wide World of Sports Complex this spring for the 11th time. Pitchers and

catchers report to spring training on February 14, the position players following

on February 19. Full-squad workouts begin the next day.

There’s only a week to start getting in shape, as the team’s first game,

a traditional matchup against the University of Georgia, takes place on February

27. The Braves then have 15 home games during their stay, beginning February

29 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and wrapping up their pre-season on March

27 against the New York Mets. Season tickets, three- and five-game mini-packs

and group tickets are all available now by calling 407-WDW-GAME (407-939-4263)

or at disneysports.com

. Individual game tickets go on sale on January 5 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster

online

or by phone at 407-839-3900 (or your local number). Tickets run from $14.50

(general admission lawn seats) to $23.50 (lower reserved).

The Braves’ full home schedule is as follows:

WDW world’s top theme park/attraction

Walt Disney World was selected as the world’s

leading theme park/attraction by the World Travel Awards, while the Orlando/Orange

County Convention & Visitors Bureau won for the world’s leading tourist &

convention bureau. Orlando was chosen as North

America’s leading destination and the Walt Disney World Swan

and Dolphin was chosen as both North America’s

leading conference hotel and North America’s leading resort.

The World Travel Awards have been presented since 1994 to the best in the

world’s travel and tourism industry based on a vote of travel professionals

from 167,000 travel and tourism organizations in over 160 countries.

Construction Update

This week’s listing of interesting items from paperwork filed with Orange

County in the last week:

• Work on the Kim Possible Interactive Adventure at Epcot

  continues, as permit applications “to install electrical infrastructure

  for interactive game” have been filed for locations at the Japan,

  France and United

  Kingdom pavilions. In addition, a permit for “Germany

  Interactive” has also been filed. Along with the permits that we

  reported on November 19 for Mexico,

  Norway and China,

  the only pavilions that we haven’t spotted permits for are Italy,

  the American Adventure, Canada

  and Morocco.

• The Monsters, Inc. meet-and-greet at the Disney-MGM

  Studios (just two weeks from becoming Disney’s Hollywood Studios) will

  be getting new signage and a new door.

• Imagineering has submitted a permit application for a new widening package

  for Mickey Avenue at the Studios in preparation

  for its conversion to Pixar Place.

• Permits have been filed for installation of new showsets at Playhouse

  Disney Live at the Studios.

• The walkway at the load/unload area of Kali

  River Rapids will be replaced with a new surface of fiberglass grating

  with anti-skid coating. Handrails will also be replaced.

• City Hall at the Magic Kingdom is slated to get a new roof.
• Three new drinking fountains will be installed at Blizzard

  Beach.

• The Best Friends pet resort, at just under 3 acres, is slated to be built

  across from – and with an entrance between – the Port Orleans

  Riverside and French

  Quarter Resorts.

• The bus stops at loops 1100, 1200 and 1300 at the Fort

  Wilderness Resort & Campground will be rebuilt.

• The hot and cold water systems at the Contemporary

  Resort will get new CPVC piping. The resort’s feature pool and jacuzzi

  will also be getting new chair lifts.

• Building 8 at the Grand Floridian Resort

  will be getting an upgraded control system for its elevators.

• Rotten wood decking at the Beach Club Resort’s

  porte cochere is slated for replacement.

• Permits have been filed for the construction of the new cast member Health

  & Wellness Center, which will be built off of Backstage Lane at the Epcot

  Red Lot.

• Soil remediation permits have been filed for the Flamingo Crossings development.

Quick takes …

…The special New Year’s Eve edition of the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks

will now be shown December 29-31, a night earlier than the previously-announced

December 30 and 31 only.

…We’re hearing a rumor that the rumored expansion of the Pirate & Princess

Party dates will be taking place, but have not yet seen it confirmed on the

Disney

web site yet. In addition to the previously-announced dates of January

21, 26, 29, February 2, 5, 9, 14, 22, 26, March 1, 6, 11, and 14, anticipated

additional dates are April 1, 4, 6, 11, 16, 23, 29, May 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 21,

26, 31, and June 4.

…WDW web site now says “Disney’s Hollywood Studios”. The signage at

the Animation archway and the Earffel Tower have lost their Disney-MGM logos,

and the new name should start going up in another week or so.

…The Gaylord Palms has a special offer for theme park passholders. Passholders

for Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

and Cypress Gardens can receive a free child’s admission to ICE!

for every adult admission purchased between now and January 3. The offer is

only valid for admission before 2 p.m., and only at the box office. See gaylordpalms.com/passholders

for more information.

…Minnie’s Country House has had its

January 1–February 1 refurbishment removed from the current schedule.

Maybe Mickey did such a great job maintaining it for Minnie that it doesn’t

need major work after all?

…Disney has named 11-year company veteran Ken Potrock as Senior Vice

President of Global Sports Enterprises for Disney Parks & Resorts. Potrock

will head Disney’s worldwide sports operations, including Disney’s Wide World

of Sports Complex. Those responsibilities had previously been handled by Reggie

Williams, who retired as Vice President for Sports Attractions at Thanksgiving

to focus on rehabilitating a right leg that never recovered from a knee replacement

in 2005. Potrock had serving as Senior Vice President of Global Marketing,

in which capacity he held sway over marketing for Disneyland,

Walt Disney World, the Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club and other

businesses.

…Recently, 28 International Program cast members from Spain and Germany

visited Rollins College for a cultural exchange with students studying Spanish

and German. The event, at the Rollins campus International House, let students

studying Spanish and German to interact with natives from those countries

while those foreign cast members got the opportunity to learn from English

speakers, all in a social setting.

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.

Coming soon

• Now through Jan. 6, 2008. Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.
• Now through Jan. 6, 2008. Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.
• Now through Dec. 30. Holidays Around the World.
• Dec. 31. Pleasure Island New Year’s Eve.
• Dec. 31. New Year’s Eve at Cirque du Soleil.
• Dec. 31. Atlantic Dance Hall New Year’s Eve.
• Dec. 16, 2007-Jan. 2, 2008. DVC members may not pool-hop on these dates.
• Jan. 12. Walt Disney World Half-Marathon.
• Jan. 13. Walt Disney World Marathon. [Read our WDW

  Marathon Guide.]

• Jan. 18-20. College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship.
• Jan. 21, 26, 29, Feb. 2, 5, 9, 14, 22, 26, March 1, 6, 11, 14. Disney’s

  Pirate & Princess Party.

• Jan. 25. Mickey’s Pin Trading Night at Contemporary Resort.

Walt Disney World trivia question of the week

This week’s question: In 1988, magician Doug Henning was a consultant

for the creation of which Walt Disney World “attraction”? Stay tuned to

next week’s park update for the answer.

The answer to last week’s question: “How many tractor-trailer

truckloads of decorations does it take to decorate Walt Disney World?”, is:

150 tractor-trailer truckloads of decorations adorning 22 resorts, 4 theme

parks, 2 water parks, Downtown Disney and more.

Do you have a trivia question that you’d like to share? If we choose to use

your question, we’ll give you credit in the Update. Email us here.

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

• Splash Mountain – closed for refurbishment

  January 1–February 15.

• Snow White’s Scary Adventures –

  closed for refurbishment January 28–February 15.

• Liberty Square Riverboat – closed for refurbishment February 24–March

  1.

Epcot

• Spaceship Earth – closed for refurbishment

  July 9 – February 18. Currently in soft opening status; may close at

  any time for any (or no) reason.

• American Adventure – closed for

  refurbishment, including replacement of the stage curtain and related tapestry

  and hardware, January 7 – February 3.

• Tutto Italia Ristorante – is now open, but will close in the spring

  of 2008 to be completely remodeled, and will reopen in fall 2008 under yet

  another new name.

• The Wonders of Life pavilion – has again closed as such, perhaps

  forever.

• Nine Dragons – closes April 30

  – November 30 for renovations that include the creation of an exhibition

  kitchen.

Disney-MGM Studios

• Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! –

  closed for refurbishment, including the replacement of the primary characters

  in the show, January 3–27.

• Journey Into Narnia: Creating The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe –

  closed for refurbishment and likely conversion to a Prince Caspian theme,

  January 2 – May 23.

• Mickey Avenue – closed through

  at least next spring for installation of the Toy Story Mania attraction

  and related theming.

Animal Kingdom

No known current refurbishments.

Resorts

• All-Star Sports Resort – All buildings

  will be renovated between June 2007 and February 2008.

• Animal Kingdom Lodge – Construction

  of the Kidani Village annex building for the Disney Vacation Club’s Animal

  Kingdom Villas is expected to take until spring 2009. Jambo House construction

  is expected to be complete by January 29, 2008.

• Caribbean Beach Resort – Feature

  pool closed for renovation January 7–mid-September, 2008. Temporary

  “child-sized” slides will be added to the quiet pools in the Jamaica and

  Barbados Villages while the main pool is closed.

• T-Rex Cafe – reportedly opens in Downtown

  Disney in late 2008.

Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon – closed for annual refurbishment October 28

  – January 5.

• Blizzard Beach – closed for annual refurbishment January 6

  – March 8.

Elsewhere

• Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – performs Tuesdays –

  Saturdays. Will hold special performances on New Year’s Eve.

Park events are now found in the monthly Park

Hours/Park Events/Entertainment Schedule pages

Current Discounts & Promotions

Hotel Royal Plaza offers discounts to MousePlanet readers

MousePlanet sponsor Hotel Royal Plaza, in the Downtown Disney resort area,

has enhanced its deal for MousePlanet readers. From now through the end of

the year, anyone booking

their stay through the MousePlanet Web site has been able to receive discounted

rates up to 20 percent off on all room types. Now, for a limited time, you

can get even more! The discounted rates now include free breakfast for two

in the Giraffe Café!. Plus children 10 and under always eat breakfast for

free! (Two children 10 and under eat free from the kids menu when accompanied

by an adult dining from the regular menu.)

The completely-remodeled 394-room resort is located on Hotel Plaza Boulevard,

just a few minutes’ walk from Downtown Disney. Bus service to all Walt Disney

World theme parks is included with your stay. Their Giraffe Café restaurant,

Giraffe Tavern sports bar, Marketessen deli-style café and Sips Pool Bar are

ready to serve you.

We’d like to invite you to try

their hospitality!

Passholder, Florida resident discounts announced through end of the year

Disney has released discounted room rates for passholders and Florida residents

for the end of September through md-December. Discounts are available for

select resorts for most nights from September 30 through December 23. (The

nights of November 21-24 and November 30-December 7 are excluded at non-DVC

resorts, most likely due to Thanksgiving weekend and the Pop Warner Super

Bowl invasion, while only the Thanksgiving dates are blocked at the DVC resorts.)

There are two effective rate periods for this discount, with September 30-October

3, November 25-29, and December 8-19 carrying passholder rates of $59 per

night in value resorts and $164 per night in a DVC studio. The remaining dates

in the promotion period (except for the nights of November 21-24, which have

no discounts due to Thanksgiving weekend) have nightly passholder rates starting

at $79 for values and $194 for DVC studios. Florida resident rates are $5

higher than passholder rates.

Minimum stay requirements apply for Friday and Saturday arrivals. All rates

can be booked up until the date of arrival. Passholders and Florida residents

can book via your respective Web sites, by calling your travel agent (Small

World Vacations is MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel provider) or

by calling 407-560-7277 for passholders or 407-560-7722 for Florida residents.

Rooms available at these rates are very limited, and they’re going quickly!

For ticket prices, park hours, and entertainment schedules, please go here.

Don’t keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips, rumors,

and comments. Email Mark here.