Walt Disney World Park Update

Update for March 5 – 11, 2007

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News and Views

New resort developments blanket the cost spectrum

From the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts chain to “value-priced lodging,” Walt Disney World is expanding its resort portfolio with two major developments announced last Thursday.

The two developments will be at opposite ends of the Walt Disney World Resort. Image © Disney.

The high-end development will see the Pete Dye-designed Eagle Pines golf course plowed under to create a new Four Seasons-branded resort, timeshares, and single- and multi-family private vacation homes. The nearby Tom Fazio-designed Osprey Ridge course will be enhanced and rebranded as a Four Seasons course. The 900-acre site runs from Vista Boulevard (the roadway that goes past the Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort) north to Bay Lake, and from Fort Wilderness east to the service facilities north of the Port Orleans Riverside Resort.

While some of this new development will be “fractional ownership vacation homes,” better known as timeshares, they will not be units of the Disney Vacation Club, according to Walt Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty. While the private vacation homes will actually be fully owned by those who purchase them, they will not have any voting interest in the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the quasi-governmental agency that oversees the Disney resort area. That’s because Disney is in the process of having the land for those homes de-annexed from the RCID and into Orange County. So that means that there will be another little pocket of property not owned by Disney in the middle of Walt Disney World. While Disney will likely develop this portion of the project, according to Prunty, some of the homes may be Four Seasons-branded; the details are still being worked out.

The Four Seasons development will be located in the northeast section of the resort. Image © Disney.

There has been no detailed design of this project yet. The reason that the project was announced so early is that the de-annexation process needed to be started and so the announcement of the reason was deemed appropriate. Disney is hoping to begin site work later this year, in anticipation of having the hotel and golf course ready to open in 2010.

With its attempt to capture a larger segment of the ultra-luxury travel market (following the opening salvo of the Disney-inspired Annie Leibovitz photographs inserted into high-end travel magazines), it’s not overly surprising that Disney has made a deal with a high-end chain to bring some name recognition among the elite luxury traveler set. Still, it’s disappointing that Disney feels that it can’t earn that recognition on its own. The new Four Seasons resort will compete for high-end travelers with the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton resorts at Grande Lakes Orlando and the Waldorf-Astoria that will be built at the Bonnet Creek Resort.

The Four Seasons will be located north of Port Orleans Riverside and east of Fort Wilderness. Image © Disney.

Interestingly the alliance is with Four Seasons, which was already 22 percent owned by Disney investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. The Saudi prince, who recently bought the Fairmont luxury hotel chain, is in the process of a complete buyout of the company in conjunction with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and current Four Seasons CEO Isadore Sharp.

The Western Gateway project is located in the southwest section of the resort. Image © Disney.

Meanwhile, toward the southwest of the Walt Disney World property, Disney will be creating a mixed-use tourism district of 4,000-5,000 low- to mid-rise, value-priced lodging units and 300,000-500,000 square feet of commercial space. The development will be on Disney property outside the official gateway to Walt Disney World near the Western Beltway exit to Western Way. The 450-acre development will be approximately the same size as Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The development will be just northwest of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Note that the Coronado Springs Resort label in this image is down and to the left of the resort’s actual location. It should be more in a straight line between Epcot and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Image © Disney.

As with Hotel Plaza Boulevard resorts, the new project will have third-party branded hotels, with a shopping, dining and retail center based around a “retail village” concept.

The Western Gateway development will include a shopping/dining/retail district, as well as value-priced hotels. Image © Disney.

Site work is expected to begin later this year, with construction taking place in phases over the next 8 to 10 years. While Disney states that it’s a “first-of-its kind project that will include third-party branded (not Disney) lodging, dining and hotels” and that the retail village will be “a unique project that will be a pedestrian-friendly environment,” it’s hard not to draw parallels with Downtown Disney and Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Both have third-party hotels, both have pedestrian-friendly shopping/dining/retail areas, and both are built along major alternate entrances to the Disney property.

The “retail village” will be pedestrian-friendly. Image © Disney.

These announcements—coming on the heels of the Animal Kingdom Villas DVC property going on sale, the announcement of the intent to build two new Disney Cruise Line ships, the opening of the Cinderella Castle Suite and the two Finding Nemo-based attractions, and the impending openings of the Laugh Floor Comedy Club and Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Amigos—marks a busy time of announcements for Disney leading up to this week’s annual meeting of shareholders (Thursday morning in New Orleans). We’ll have to wait to see how these projects develop, and whether new announcements continue or things take a break for a while.

Get your Le Originali Fettuccine All’Alfredo while you can

In news that will thrill some and traumatize others (people either love or hate this restaurant), L?Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante will be the first of the original table service restaurants in Epcot‘s World Showcase to disappear from the park. The restaurant will close at the end of its current contract on August 31, to be replaced by “a new Italian restaurant concept.”

Disney has not released any details of what the new restaurant concept might be, only that they are “currently finalizing negotiations with a strategic partner.” They have confirmed, however, that the new “dining experience” will continue to have International Program cast members staffing the location. That would seem to rule out the fears expressed by some that a domestic Italian-American chain would move into the location.

Alfredo’s has not announced any plans to open another location in the Central Florida area, so if a trip to Rome is not on your itinerary, you’ll need to head to New York City for the only other location in the United States. (Another location is planned for Las Vegas, though.)

It’s not known why Disney and Alfredo’s are parting company, but it’s a pretty sure bet that Disney either made the break or created a situation that led to the break, as the location was certainly not a money-loser for Alfredo’s. In fact, for the year 2004, Alfredo’s was number 13 on Restaurant and Institutions Magazine’s Top 100 Independent Restaurants listing in terms of food and beverage sales. It’s not likely that the restaurant would look to leave with that kind of income rolling in.

Overnight contractor doused with gasoline in fight at hippo pond

A fight early Thursday morning between two men employed by Encore Underwater Services—which has contracted with Disney for many years to perform underwater maintenance at the hippo pool at Disney’s Animal Kingdom—led to one pouring gasoline on the other and threatening to set him on fire with a lighter. Reportedly, Brandon Hoffman, 22, accused Stephen Kim, 34, of cheating in a card game two weeks earlier. Kim then poured gasoline on Hoffman and lit a lighter, threatening to set him on fire.

Hoffman backed away during some discussion, at which point Kim dropped the lighter and grabbed a shovel, wielding it like a baseball bat and threatening to hit Hoffman with it. Kim eventually dropped the shovel and was arrested by Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies. He was held in the Orange County Jail on aggravated assault charges and later released on $2,500 bail.

Disney has suspended work by Encore pending a review of the incident. In the interim, according to Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty, “the team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will ensure any necessary work is done despite this situation.” The company was only working on pools in animal areas. No guest areas will be affected.

Morty Miller, president of the Service Trades Council Union, which represents 21,000 Disney cast members, used the incident to note that “[t]his is an example of the kind of problem that Walt Disney World opens itself up to when it doesn’t hire and train and supervise its own employees, but rather outsources work to outside vendors who may not have the same kind of commitment.” However, it should be noted that these particular contractors were working in the middle of the night in an area apart from guest areas, providing “very specialized services (industrial diving) that are outside our core competency,” according to Prunty.

Disney settles labor complaint about contracting out third-shift custodial jobs in 2005

It was announced on Friday that Disney has reached a settlement with the Service Trades Council Union over how Disney contracted out 170 overnight custodial jobs in late 2005. The STCU filed an unfair labor practices charge over the incident, and Disney finally settled with the union to bring closure to the issue.

Under the agreement, which was approved a month ago by the National Labor Relations Board, Disney will pay $119,307 to the NLRB, which will then distribute the money to about 170 workers, based on their pay rate at the time of the outsourcing. It is expected that the payments will average about $650 per person.

Disney also agreed in the settlement not to change employees’ wages, hours and working conditions without consulting the union, and not to refuse to provide union-requested information.

When the third-shift jobs were transferred to contractors, the existing employees were given the chance to move to other jobs at comparable hours and wages, though the union alleged that not all of the custodians received acceptable offers, leading some to leave the company.

The union staged a rally at the Hotel Plaza Boulevard entrance to the resort to announce the settlement and declare a victory in the case. However, the jobs remain contracted out, and the former custodians still at Disney are working other jobs. Overall, while the union is declaring victory, it really doesn’t look like Disney gave up much to settle this suit. We’ll see what happens as negotiations continue on the next STCU contracts, as the current set of contracts expire in April.

Disney Vacation Club to open Doorway to Dreams in Chicago

For the first time ever, the Disney Vacation Club will open a satellite sales office and preview center away from the Disney theme parks. Later this summer, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams will open in the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois, in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. The 6,300-square-foot store will contain a “family vacation discovery zone” with multimedia sales tools, as well as a full-scale replica of a two-bedroom model vacation home from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas. There will also be a children’s play area and, of course, a sales office.

Storefront concept for the Disney Vacation Club satellite sales office. Image © Disney.

The site was chosen due to the strong existing membership base in the Chicago area, which Disney is hoping is an indicator of a strong likelihood of additional sales to area residents. Of course, the name ties into the current “Where Dreams Come True” marketing slogan.

The store will be hiring cast members soon, so if you want to work for Disney in the Chicago area, keep your eyes open.

Raglan Road brings true taste of Ireland to St. Patrick’s Day celebration

Where better to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Walt Disney World than Raglan Road Irish Restaurant & Pub? The Downtown Disney location has scheduled three days of celebration on March 16–18, with live entertainment all three nights.

U2 Elevation, billed as “the world’s most popular U2 tribute band,” will play on Friday and Saturday nights. House band Tuskar Rock will host a CD launch party for their new recording, also accompanying “Lord of the Dance” star dancer Danielle Fitzpatrick. Myra Waters will lead her Celtic Pulse Dance Troupe in a set of tap and step dance routines. To top it off, the Raglan Rose competition will have the guests voting to select Raglan Road’s Festival Queen. Celebrations begin at 5 p.m. on March 16 and at noon on March 17 and 18. There is a cover charge on Saturday, March 17, only, at $10 until 3 p.m. and $15 after 3 p.m.

Quick takes …

…Congratulations to MousePad member kella, whose husband was selected as one of the 20 Pirate finalists in the CareerBuilder.com Disney Dream Jobs contest. You can find his YouTube video here. Voting begins tomorrow. Good luck!

…The Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club now has an official opening date; it’s April 2, the same day that the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros will open in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion.

…All of the deluxe rooms at the Wilderness Lodge (sometimes referred to as Junior Suites) now fall under Concierge, and will have access to the concierge floor, lounge and itinerary planning regardless of what floor they are on. Prices were not increased due to this change. Thanks to Sue Pisaturo of Small World Vacations, MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel agency, for the information.

…Conversion of the Main Street Market House is apparently completed, as we’re hearing that the Arribas Brothers Cristal Arts location has moved into that location as of February 25. Work now will turn to converting the space formerly occupied by the glass and crystal seller near the exit to the Main Street Bakery into additional seating area for the eatery.

…”We’re hearing a rumor that an additional location of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique may be coming to the store location inside Cinderella Castle, which would cause the Art of Disney store to move to the current location of Uptown Jewelers. We’ll follow this story as it develops.”

…The Disney-MGM Studios will be celebrating Goofy’s 75th birthday with the release of the “Still Goofy After All These Years” hand-painted cel and an artist signing on March 24.

…The Swan and Dolphin Resort is partnering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. From now until September 30, guests who donate $20 or more to the charity will get to select an envelope that will give them a chance to win one of several rewards ranging from free ice cream to a room upgrade.

…Construction of the new Toy Story Mania facade is underway, with steelwork protruding from the front of the sound stage over the walled-off area of Mickey Avenue.

…The Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station and El Pirata y El Perico Restaurante have temporarily reopened to soak up the hungry diners during the school break period.

…The main pool at the Caribbean Beach Resort will close for refurbishment between January and June, 2008. Exact dates are not yet available. Thanks to Leslie Meister of Small World Vacations for the information.

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

• March 5, 8. Disney’s Pirate & Princess Party.
• Feb. 15 – March 29. Atlanta Braves Training Camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
• March 9-11. National All Star Cheerleading Championship.
• March 15-17. Sham Rock ‘n’ Roll at Pleasure Island.
• March 16. Mickey’s Pin Trading Night at Contemporary Resort.
• March 17. Typhoon Lagoon reopens from its annual refurbishment.
• March 24. “Still Goofy After All These Years” cel release and artists signing.
• March 31-Apr. 8, May 25-28, Jun. 30-Jul. 7, Aug. 31-Sept. 3 and Nov. 19-25, 2007; and Dec. 16, 2007-Jan. 2, 2008. No pool-hopping for DVC members.

Trivia question of the week

This week’s question: In what attraction can you spot Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in hieroglyphic form? Stay tuned to next week’s park update for the answer.

The answer to last week’s question: “Who are “Les Chefs de France,” of the restaurant of the same name?” is:

Three famous French chefs, Paul Bocuse, Gaston LeNotre and Roger Verge, banded together to create and open Les Chefs de France for Epcot’s France pavilion.

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

• Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse – closes for refurbishment from April 30 through May 18.
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club – is holding occasional test shows and will have its official grand opening on April 2.

Epcot

• El Rio del Tiempo – is closed for refurbishment through April 1, including the addition of a Three Caballeros-themed overlay.
• Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki – closes for refurbishment from March 11 through July 14.
• Rose & Crown Dining Room – currently closed for refurbishment from through March 14.
• Le Cellier Restaurant – closes for refurbishment May 14–18.
• Lotus Blossom Cafe – currently closed for major refurbishment. End date for the work is TBA.
• The Wonders of Life pavilion – has again closed, perhaps forever and perhaps just until next Thanksgiving weekend.

Disney-MGM Studios

• Journey Into Narnia: Creating The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – closes for refurbishment March 6.

Animal Kingdom

• No known refurbishments at this time.

Resorts

• All-Star Music Resort – Conversion of Calypso buildings to Family Suites continues. All work had been expected to be completed by October 13, but that date has not been met. All buildings not containing Family Suites will be renovated between January and June.
• All-Star Sports Resort – All buildings will be renovated between June and November.
• Caribbean Beach Resort – The feature pool is closed for renovation January – June, 2008. Exact dates have yet to be announced.
• Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – Building 6 (Concierge) closes in September for a full refurbishment.
• Port Orleans Riverside Resort – The Riverside Mill food court is closed for refurbishment through mid-April.
• Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa – Phase I’s four buildings and Phase II’s eight units are complete, Construction on the six buildings of Phase III is underway, with all six units expected to be completed in late 2007. The new buildings will comprise two additional sections, to be called The Carousel and The Grandstand. The two buildings in The Carousel have been completed, and the four in The Grandstand are well underway.
• Wilderness Lodge – The Silver Springs feature pool and hot tub is closed from January 29 through March 2. The children’s pool will closed on February 12 and also reopen on March 2.

Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon – Closed for annual refurbishment , and will reopen on March 18.

Elsewhere

• Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – performs Tuesdays – Saturdays. No performances March 18–20, May 20?June 4, July 29–31, September 23–October 1, November 25–27.

Park Events

Ongoing

• Disney’s Pirate & Princess Party. March 5, 8. A new hard-ticketed event celebrates the the pirates and princesses in all of us (link).

February 2007

• Atlanta Braves Training Camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex (link). Feb. 15 – March 29.

March 2007

• National All Star Cheerleading Championship (link). March 9-11. Teams descend on the Wide World of Sports.
• Mickey’s Pin Trading Night at Contemporary Resort (link). March 16. The popular 3-hour event returns to Fantasia Ballroom G.
• “Still Goofy After All These Years” cel release and artists signing (link). Celebrate Goofy’s 75th birthday at the Disney-MGM Studios with a new collectible.

April 2007

• Walt Disney World Inline Marathon and Half Marathon (link). Apr. 1. Strap your skates on to race from the Wide World of Sports Complex to the Disney-MGM Studios and Epcot, and back again.
• Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (link). Apr. 5 – June 3. Epcot comes alive with topiaries, other floral displays, gardening demonstrations and the “Flower Power” concert series at the 14th annual event.
• Disney Grad Nite (link). Apr. 20, 21, 27, 28. Graduating high school seniors have a huge party in the Magic Kingdom.
• USASF Cheerleading & Dance Worlds (link). Apr. 21–22. Teams descend on the Wide World of Sports.
• Mickey’s Pin Trading Night at Contemporary Resort (link). Apr. 27. The popular 3-hour event returns to Fantasia Ballroom G.

May 2007

• Disney’s Minnie Marathon Weekend 5K and 1 Mile (link). May 5. The short runs of the ladies-only running weekend take place at and near Downtown Disney. Registration is now open (link).
• Women Run the World 15 K (link). May 6. The course starts at Animal Kingdom, goes through the Studios and ends at Epcot. Registration is now open (link).
• Muddy Buddy (link). May 12. Athletes get down and dirty in this competition. Registration is now open (link).
• Danskin Women’s Triathlon (link). May 12-13. Athletes compete in a 400 yard swim, a 9 mile bike ride and a 2 mile run. Registration is now open (link).
• Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (link). May 15-17. Regular-season Major League Baseball comes to The Ballpark at Disney’s Wide World of Sports for the first time.
• Teddy Bear and Doll Weekend (link). May 18-20. The annual event features over 30 artists displaying their wares.
• Walt Disney World 70.3 Ironman Triathlon (link). May 20. Athletes compete in a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run. Registration opens soon (link).
• Pirates of the Caribbean Adventures on the Seven Seas Lagoon (link). May 21-24. Disneyland may get the movie premiere, but Walt Disney World gets a three-day, multi-tiered event on open water.
• Gay Days 2007. May 31 – June 3. The 17th annual gathering of the GLBT community at Walt Disney World (link1 | link 2).

June 2007

• Star Wars Weekends (link). June 1–24. The popular event returns to the Studios in 2007 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original Star Wars film.

July 2007

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp (link). Late July – Mid-Aug. The Bucs return to Disney for another year’s training camp.

August 2007

• Tom Joyner Family Reunion (link). Aug. 31 – Sept. 3. The radio host’s annual gathering returns for another year.

September 2007

• Night of Joy (link). Sept. 7?8. Disney’s annual Christian music festival.
• Disney’s Pin Celebration (link). Sept. 7?9. This year, the event’s theme is “Where Dreams HapPin”. Registration opens May 9.
• Walt Disney World Triathlon (link). Sept. 23. Athletes compete in a 1.5K swim, a 40K bike ride, and a 10K run. Registration opens soon (link).
• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (link). Sep. 14, 21, 28, Oct. 1, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31 (dates tentative). Get your costumes ready. The Disney characters will certainly be wearing theirs..
• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (link). Dates in Sept.?Nov. TBA. The 12th annual celebration of things gustatory, plus the Eat to the Beat concert series.

October 2007

• Race for the Taste 10K (link). Oct. 7. The annual October classic steers runners through the Disney-MGM Studios and Epcot. Registration is now open (link).

November 2007

• Disney Golf Classic (link). Nov. 1–4. Joe Durant returns to defend his 2006 title.
• Festival of the Masters (link). Nov. 9–11. Disney’s annual arts festival at Downtown Disney’s West Side.
• ABC Super Soap Weekend (link). Nov. 10?11. Your favorite ABC soap opera stars converge on the Disney-MGM Studios.
• Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (link). Nov. 12 – Jan. 6, 2008. Jennings Osborne’s amazing display returns to the Studios.
• Old Spice Classic (link). Nov. 22, 23, 25. ESPN Regional presents the second annual 8-team, 12-game tournament, featuring George Mason, Kansas State, North Carolina State, Penn State, Rider, South Carolina and Villanova.
• Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade (link). Dates TBA. The Animal Kingdom Parade trades its Jammin’ for Jingle in this holiday makeover.
• Holidays Around the World (link). Nov. 23 – Dec. 30. Epcot’s World Showcase gets storytellers, special entertainment and crafts for kids, the Lights of Winter and a spectacular Christmas tree.
• Festival of the Seasons (link). Dates TBA. Downtown Disney gets a holiday makeover.
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (link). Nov. 13, 15, 16, 26, 27, 29, 30, Dec. 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21 (dates tentative). Snow on Main Street, free hot cocoa and cookies. What’s not to like?.

December 2007

• Pop Warner Super Bowl (link). Dates TBA, expected to be Dec. 2?8. Football players and cheerleaders invade the resort for the pigskin championships.
• MouseFest 2007 (link). Dec. 2?10. The annual gathering of the Disney Internet community takes place at sea from Dec. 2?6 and on land from Dec. 6?10.
• Pleasure Island New Year’s Eve (link). Dec. 31. Pleasure Island celebrates the actual New Year.
• New Year’s Eve at Cirque du Soleil. Dec. 31. Cirque puts on special New Year’s performances.
• Atlantic Dance Hall New Year’s Eve (link). Dec. 31. Ring in the New Year at the BoardWalk’s own dance club.

January 2008

• Walt Disney World Half-Marathon (link). Jan. 12. Registration opens January 8, 2007.
• Walt Disney World Marathon (link). Jan. 13. Registration opens January 8, 2007. [Read our WDW Marathon Guide.]

Current Discounts & Promotions

Florida resident and AP room rates through March 30

Disney has announced room-only discounts for Annual Passholders and Florida Residents for mid-February through the end of March. Room-only discounts are available for Annual Passholders and Florida residents for most night from February 15 through March 30. Discounts are up to $40 off per night at Value resorts, $61 off per night at Moderate resorts and $131 off per night at Deluxe and Disney Vacation Club resorts. These rates can be booked up to the night of arrival, depending on availability. Discounts are priced off of rack rate. To book the rates, call Disney directly or your travel agent (Small World Vacations is MousePlanet’s preferred travel agency) and request booking code FCR (Passholders) or FCT (Florida residents).

Passholders and Florida Residents get six months’ admission to Pleasure Island for the cost of one night

From January 1 through March 31 of this year, Annual Passholders and Florida residents can purchase a multi-club Pleasure Island ticket for the regular price of $21.95 (plus tax) and get unlimited visits through June 30. Guests must be over 21 years of age to purchase the tickets, and proof of age, proof of an annual pass or Florida residency, and a valid photo ID are required at the Pleasure Island box office when purchasing a ticket or redeeming a certificate from an online purchase. The offer cannot be combined with other discounts or offers, and is not valid for single-club tickets. Guests must be 21 years of age to enter any of the dance clubs (basically anything other than the Adventurer’s Club and the Comedy Warehouse), and must show proof of age at the time of entry.

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, and again on August 6, 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. Prices do not include 6.5% Florida sales tax.

Park Hours

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through August 2007.

Entertainment Schedule

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through August 2007.

Theme Park Events

Fort Wilderness movie schedule for February 2007

Through March 10, Movies begin at 7:40 and (on Friday and Saturday only) 9:15, and are preceded by a campfire at 6:30 and a singalong at 7:00. Starting March 11, movies begin at 8:40 and will be preceded by a campfire at 7:30 and a singalong at 8:00.

Downtown Disney Entertainment

(Separate admission required)

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