Walt Disney World Resort Update

Update for August 9, 2010 – August 15, 2010

Go directly to: News & Views | Join our Networks | Coming Soon | Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Discounts/Promotions

News and Views

Disney Magic rescues 18 people adrift at sea | Disney raising ticket prices again | 2011 dining plans released | Six arrested for illegal theme park ticket sales | Via Napoli opens at Epcot | New monorail job | Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages on sale starting August 26 | PeopleMover returns to Walt Disney World | Construction update | Quick takes

Disney Magic rescues 18 people adrift at sea

Tony Phoenix reported the following on his blog this past Friday (link):

While sailing from Gibraltar to Barcelona, the Disney Magic rescued 18 people who were adrift at sea. Disboards member poohmomof5 posted that she is currently onboard the Magic and shared the following:

“I’m onboard the Magic right now and Captain John came on at about noon today and announced that at 3:45am this morning, the Magic rec’d a SOS call stating that a nearby ship heard screams in the water. The ship then commenced rescue operations and found 18 Algerians who had been lost at sea for 4-5 days. They are onboard now and are recieving food and water and healthcare.”

We contacted Disney Cruise Line and they provided us with this statement:

While sailing from Gibraltar to Barcelona, the Disney Magic rescued 18 people who were aboard a small boat that had lost power. The boat was located by the Disney Magic crew members around 3:45 a.m. today, and the people were brought aboard the ship and provided with food and staterooms.

We are proud of the Disney Magic crew members, who skillfully demonstrated their training and commitment to maritime protocols around saving lives at sea. We have notified authorities in Barcelona of this rescue, and they are coordinating the debarkation of the group and other details.

Last September, the Disney Wonder rescued a man who had jumped overboard from a Carnival ship in the Caribbean.

Disney raising ticket prices again

Mark Goldhaber posted the following piece in his blog after new pricing information for Walt Disney World ticket was released on Tuesday, August 3 to be effective on Thursday, August 5 (link). He augmented this post with additional pricing information he was able to obtain after his original blog post:

Crowds are starting to return to Disney Parks & Resorts, prompting them to start decreasing room and dining discounts, and that would certainly mean that there would be no reason to back off of the annual ticket price increase. This year, Walt Disney World shifted from its traditional practice of first-Sunday-in-August price increases. Instead of waiting until late Friday afternoon after the close of the weekly news cycle to announce price hikes for Walt Disney World theme park ticket prices effective on Sunday, this year’s increases were announced this afternoon, on a Tuesday, with a Thursday effective date.

One-day, one-park tickets are up $3 for adults, to $82, and up $6 for children, to $74. The Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More options have both risen $2 to $54. Adult 10-day base tickets are up $19 to $262, with unexpiring 10-day tickets with both Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More options jumping $27 to $583. 10-day base tickets for children are up $29 to $239, with their tricked-out price with all options leaping $37 to $560. Please note that all ticket prices in this story do not reflect the additional 6.5 percent sales tax.

By announcing ticket price increases at the beginning of August since 2006, Disney gains two benefits: It provides a nice last-minute boost to the fiscal fourth-quarter earnings (Disney’s fiscal year ends at the end of September), and it puts the new prices out there in time for the publication cycle for guide books and for the start of booking for the following year’s packages. With the new prices in effect, look for Disney Dining Plan prices to be locked in and resort prices to be set this this weekend so that booking can be opened for all 2011 travel packages.

If you’d like to compare the prices below to last year’s prices, you can do that here.

Theme park annual pass prices are also increasing. The Adult Annual Pass is up $10 to $499 and a child AP is up $18 to $450. Adult Premium Annual Pass increased $10 to $629, while the child PAP rose $21 to $567. Florida resident Annual, Premium and Seasonal Passes are also rising. Renewal prices and DVC discount prices are not yet available, but they should be posted by Thursday. [Update: The table below has been updated to reflect renewal prices.]

After raising prices by $1 earlier this year, one-day, one-park water park passes are unchanged at $46 for adults and $40 for children. DisneyQuest has had a $1 jump, to $42 for adults and $36 for children. Wide World of Sports admission is up 70 cents for adults, to $12.61, while the children’s price is unchanged at $9.34. Tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba and annual passes for water parks and DisneyQuest are unchanged.

Florida residents can also continue to buy monthly-payment Annual Passes of all types. For each pass, a down payment of $87.33 (including tax) must be made for adult tickets, $78.81 (including tax) for child tickets.

The price increase helps Disney to cover contractually-obligated raises to employees and other rising costs of operating the theme parks and resorts. To help combat the affordability issue, Disney may continue to discount room rates and offer special pricing or Free Dining promotions, though with recent decreases in promotions that may not happen. If they do, it would be so that Disney would continue to keep attendance up and rooms filled while the relative value of the park passes continues to increase. As the economy rebounds, instead of having to put a huge price increase in place to bring prices back to market value, Disney will just continue the decrease in promotions and the net profits shoot back up. It’s a great way of preserving the relative market value of the park passes against the price increases in other entertainment venues (major league sports, movies, Broadway shows, ski passes, etc.).

Germany pavilion at Epcot. Future site of Karamelle Kuche. Photo by Tina Delaney.

Scrims up on Main Street in Magic Kingdom. Photo by Tina Delaney.

2011 dining plans released

Disney has released the details of next year’s dining plans. You can book your package trip for 2011 now on the Walt Disney World Web site (link) or via phone. Once again, the basic Dining Plan carries a variable price depending on season. The price varies from $45.99 to $47.99 for adults and $11.99 to $12.99 for children, up $1-$4 for adults but remaining the same for kids. Those prices will be in effect for higher-demand seasons such as Presidents’ Week, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year’s

The Quick Service Dining Plan is up $3 for adults to $34.99 and $2 for kids to $11.99. The price for the Deluxe Dining Plan is up $7 for adults to $78.99 and $1 for kids to $21.99, respectively. The Premium Plan is up $5 for both adults and kids to $169 and $119, while the Platinum Plan is up $9 for adults to $229 and $5 for kids to $160.

Here’s a run-down on the pricing for all dining plans:

The Wine and Dine add-on package is again available this year for an additional $39.99 per night, unchanged from the last three years. The Wine and Dine package entitles you to one bottle of wine per night, redeemable at any point during your stay at table service restaurants. Wine ordered at signature restaurants or with private dining (room service) will cost you two Wine and Dine credits.

 For more information, Disney offers PDF files for each plan: Quick Service Dining Plan (pdf link), Dining Plan (pdf link), Deluxe Dining Plan (pdf link), Premium Plan (pdf link), Platinum Plan (pdf link) and Wine and Dine Add-On Plan (pdf link).

Six arrested for illegal theme park ticket sales

Speaking of theme park tickets, the Orlando Sentinel reports that deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office arrested six people for illegally reselling more than 2,000 theme park tickets for Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, and SeaWorld worth $395,000. The arrests follow an undercover operation of theme park ticket booths along West U.S. Highway 192. Illegally reselling unused days on multi-day park passes is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The suspects were taken to Osceola County Jail.

Via Napoli opens at Epcot

A new casual pizzeria called Via Napoli has opened in the Italy pavilion at Epcot. This is the first authentic Italian pizzeria to ever open in the park. Restaurateur and longtime Patina Restaurant Group CEO Nick Valenti created the Via Napoli concept based upon his travels in Southern Italy and his time developing and overseeing the successful Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria in New York which was awarded the coveted certification of “La Vera Pizza Napoletana.” “I have always loved the beauty of a simple Neapolitan pizza,” Valenti says. “It’s a perfect food, something beloved by both Italians and Americans. At Via Napoli we will make pizza the traditional Neapolitan way: with a textured, soft and charred crust. I look forward to bringing it to Walt Disney World, where it should be a welcome addition to guests visiting Epcot.”

Left to right, Epcot Vice President Dan Cockerell and Patina Group CEO Nick Valenti cut the “vine” to officially open Via Napoli while Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney World Ambassador Clay Shoemaker, Patina Group Founder and Chairman Joachim Splichal and Minnie Mouse look on. Photo by Vance Cope.

A special Mickey pizza was prepared for the Grand Opening festivities. Photo by Vance Cope.

A pizza chef “feeds” the Stromboli oven a pizza to be cooked, while the Vesuvio and Etna ovens “look on.” Photo by Vance Cope.

The following report of the restaurant’s opening was posted in Mark Goldhaber’s blog late Friday night (link):

Via Napoli opened at Epcot on Thursday, and Vance Cope covered the grand opening festivities for MousePlanet. We’ll have a longer story coming in the next week, but I wanted to post Vance’s first impressions for you since you can now make reservations to dine there. Here’s what Vance had to say:

On Thursday, August 5, I was able to attend a media preview of the newest Disney/The Patina Group restaurant, Via Napoli, which is located at the rear of Epcot’s Italy pavilion. Via Napoli, which will be a table service-only restaurant, specializes in authentic Neapolitan pizza fresh from their wood-burning ovens, along with several other classic Italian dishes.

The outside of the restaurant has a very welcoming feeling and blends in nicely with the rest of the pavilion, though it does seem to look more modern than its sister restaurant, Tutto Italia, located next door. The interior has a very open feeling, with high ceilings and lightly colored walls with framed art on them. The majority of the restaurant consists of individual tables that could sit a normal party of 4 or 6. The exceptions to this are a long bench seat against the far wall with tables that are movable, so that they can accommodate various size parties, and one very long “family” table that looks as if it could sit up to 20-25 people depending on how closely the chairs are put together, to sit large groups or possibly solo diners. I thought the room overall was very nicely put together and was very family friendly, but not a quiet place for a romantic dinner as the restaurant did seem loud.

The pizza kitchen is open to the dining room so that you can watch the chefs create your dinner. It contains three pizza ovens with sculpted faces by the names of Stromboli, Vesuvio, and Etna, named for Italy’s three active volcanoes. The pizza itself is really unique and totally different from what you might find around Walt Disney World in its freshness and, most notably, its crust. The Patina Group has taken special care to use water that closely matched the quality and mineral content found in Naples, Italy, which gives the crust a crispy and chewy texture at the same time. To add even more authenticity to their pizzas, they have imported Caputo flour from Naples, San Marzano tomatoes and handmade mozzarella. Those that have never eaten a pizza from a wood burning stove may find the crust has a burnt taste to it, but I found it really good and thought that it added a lot of flavor to the slices I tasted.

Available in three different sizes, there are nine different types of pizza available on the menu from your basic Margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil) to those much more complex like the Prosciutto e Melone (fontina, mozzarella, pecorino, prosciutto, and cantaloupe). I also had the chance to sample some of the appetizers, desserts, and drinks available at Via Napoli while at the event and thought that overall they were really good. The signature drink of the restaurant is the Acqua Fresca, available in Limonata, Blood Orange, and Strawberry, which are described on the menu as “seasonal fruit juice coolers” and will be quite refreshing on a hot day.

One of the appetizers available at Via Napoli that is meant to be shared by a whole table of dinners is the Fritto Misto which is an assortment of fried vegetables, fish, cheese and Arancini. The vegetables tasted very fresh and the batter that they were fried in added a nice crunch and saltiness. The Arancini (which are also available as their own appetizer) are fried risotto balls with a crunchy exterior and a soft interior filled with mozzarella and meat ragu. From the dessert menu, I sampled the Zeppole di Caterina (ricotta cheese fritter served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce) — which tasted like a really good donut — and the Gelato Frizzante, which is an “Italian Style” ice cream soda. Via Napoli also has an extensive list of wines, cocktails, and alcoholic signature drinks.

Open now for walk ups, Advance Dining Reservations are now available to book for all dates starting September 10.

Thanks, Vance! I can’t wait to try it. What about you folks?

New monorail job

Walt Disney World wants to make its monorail safer. In addition to the new spur being built off the Epcot monorail line to station one of the work tractors that was announced last week, Disney also plans to create a new Central Monorail Controller position. That person will be responsible for overseeing traffic along the 15 mile-long track. Right now, control of the monorail rotates between a group of monorail coordinators. This new higher pay scale position is designed to ensure that workers charged with directing trains can focus solely on watching the trains instead of having other tasks to perform.

Photo by Julie China.

This is the latest in a series of changes Disney has made since a monorail pilot was killed in a fatal collision between two trains in July 2009. The accident sparked two federal investigations and a wrongful death lawsuit against Disney filed by the pilot’s mother.

This new position is subject to union contract ratification.

Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages on sale starting August 26

The Candlelight Processional is an annual event held at the America Gardens Theatre at Epcot. It consists of the retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by a 50 piece orchestra and a mass choir. The official Disney Parks Blog has announced the Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages will go on sale on August 26 (link). The Candlelight Dinner Packages include dinner, a guaranteed seating section for the Candlelight Processional, and pre-arranged fireworks viewing. You’ll be able to purchase tickets by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

Here is a list of some of the (subject to change) narrators:

• Isabella Rossellini – November 26–28
• TBD – November 29 to December 1
• TBD – December 2–4
• TBD – December 5–6
• Jodi Benson – December 7–9
• Whoopi Goldberg – December 10–11
• Steven Curtis Chapman – December 12–15
• Thomas Gibson – December 16–18
• Trace Adkins – December 19–21
• Brad Garrett – December 22–23
• TBD – December 24–27
• Marlee Matlin/Jack Jason – December 28–30

Scrims are up in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland. Photo by Tina Delaney.

Scrims are up on Main Street in Magic Kingdom. Photo by Tina Delaney.

PeopleMover returns to Walt Disney World

It’s back to the future for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority at Magic Kingdom. The attraction has been renamed the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. When it originally opened in 1975, the attraction was called the WEDway PeopleMover. It was re-named the Tomorrowland Transit Authority relatively recently, in 1994.

Old TTA sign. Photo by Julie China.

Construction update

Here is the listing of interesting items from paperwork filed with Orange County in the last week:

• Magic Kingdom Disney resort bus facility – credit card plaques.
• Magic Kingdom Space Mountain – roof coating.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Outpost marquee.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Wildlife Tracking Center – construction work.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Backlot Tour – Catastrophe Canyon electrical work.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Radio Disney – electrical work.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Soundstage 1 (located between Backlot Tour entrance and Toy Story Mania) – plumbing and electrical work.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios The Hollywood Brown Derby, ABC Commissary, and Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! – electrical work.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios The Magic of Disney Animation – air handling unit replacement.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – air handling unit replacement.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream – air handling unit replacement.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater – electrical work.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Muppet Vision 3-D – electrical work.
• Epcot Germany Pavilion – Karamell Kuche signage.
• Epcot Mousegear – replace carpet and floor fixtures.
• Disney’s All Star Sports Resort – mechanical work.
• Disney’s All Star Music Resort – mechanical work.
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort – bakery plumbing work.
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Fairy Tale Wedding Pavilion and Franck’s Studio – bride’s vestibule restroom, Franck’s Studio restrooms, chapel restrooms refurbishment.
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Grand Floridian Cafe – appliance installation.
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, installation of new Paddock Pool
• Downtown Disney Marketplace World of Disney Store – construction work.
• Downtown Disney Pleasure Island West End Island – construction work.
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex – concrete and roofing work.
• ESPN Wide World of Sports – clubhouse directional signage.
• ESPN Wide World of Sports The Milk House – flooring work.
• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon – plumbing work.

Quick takes …

…Le Cellier restaurant at the Canadian Pavilion in Epcot will require two Disney Dining Plan credits for dinner starting March 1, 2011. Lunch will remain at one dining credit.

…wdwmagic.com is reporting that starting later this week through late October, Dinosaur at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be operating at a reduced capacity while one of the loading docks undergoes refurbishment.

…The Wishes Dessert Party has been extended through December 29. The Wishes Dessert Party is a nightly event held at the Tomorrowland Terrace in the Magic Kingdom. This event offers a buffet of delicious desserts and a great viewing area for the Wishes nightime fireworks. Call 407-WDW-DINE to book this event.

…The Disney Cruise Line Terminal in Port Canaveral has a new air conditioned gangway.

…The 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon is 55 percent full, the Half Marathon is 75 percent full, and the Goofy Race-and-a-Half Challenge is 60 percent full. If you’re interested in participating in these races, now’s the time to sign up! You can register at the official Walt Disney World Marathon Web site (link).

…The Inaugural Disney Wine & Half Marathon and the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Relay have both reached capacity. The Kids Races are 55 percent full, and you can also still register for the Mickey’s Halloween Family Fun Run 5K. Both adult events will take place at the Walt Disney World Resort on October 2 at 10:00 p.m. on a brand new marathon course. For more information, go the ESPN Wide World of Sports Web site (link).

Join our networks
Facebook MousePlanet MouseAdventure The MouseStation Podcast	Twitter @MousePlanet @MouseStation @MouseAdventure @MousePlanetAVP (Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix) @MPMark (Mark Goldhaber) @MPSteven (Steven Ng) @MPStephanie (Stephanie Wien) @MousePlanetJeff (Jeff Kober)

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 up

• June 6 to August 14: Summer Nightastic! (link).
• July 14-27: ESPN RISE Games (link).
• August 27-29: Disney’s Pin Celebration: Trade City, U.S.A. (link).
• September 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, and 30, October 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, and 31, and November 1. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (link).
• September 5: Trek Women’s Triathlon (link).
• September 10-11: Night of Joy (link).
• October 1-2: Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon (link).
• October 1 to November 14: Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
• October 9. MouseAdventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (link).
• November 8, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 28, and 30, December 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17 and 19. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (link).
• November 11-14: Children’s Miracle Network Classic (link).
• November 12-14: Festival of the Masters (link).
• November 25-28: Old Spice Classic (link).
• December 4-11: Pop Warner Football Championships (link).
• January 6-9, 2011: Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (link).
• February 25-27, 2011: Disney’s Princess Half Marathon

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

• Ariel’s Grotto – closed permanently to make way for the Fantasyland Forest makeover.
• Pooh’s Playful Spot – closed permanently to make way for the Fantasyland Forest makeover.
• Scuttle’s Landing – closed permanently to make way for the Fantasyland Forest makeover.
• it’s a small world – closed for refurbishment through October 22.
• Liberty Square Riverboat – closed for refurbishment August 16–25.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – closed for refurbishment October 25 to November 14.
• Storytime with Belle – last performance on September 12. Will be replaced with a new “play and greet” with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Tangled starting October 15.

Epcot

• Cantina de San Angel – closed for major renovation, tentatively set to re-open September 24 as Hacienda de San Angel. Taqueria Del Lago remains open.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Star Tours – closed for refurbishment September 8, 2010 through May 16, 2011.
• Toy Story Mania – closed for refurbishment August 16–28.
• One Man’s Dream – closed for refurbishment August 16 through November 2.

Animal Kingdom

• Flame Tree Barbeque – closed August 9 through September 19.

Resorts

• Saratoga Springs Resort – Paddock quiet pool closed for conversion to new feature pool opening in 2011.

Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon – closed October 31, 2010 through January 8, 2011 for refurbishment.
• Blizzard Beach – closed January 9, 2011 through March 19, 2011 for refurbishment.

Elsewhere

• Lake Buena Vista Golf Course – closed August 16 through August 22.
• Magnolia Golf Course – closed August 9 through August 15.
• Osprey Ridge Golf Course – closed August 23 through August 29.
• Oak Trail Golf Course – closed August 30 through September 3.
• Cirque du Soleil La Nouba – performs Tuesdays through Saturdays.
• McDonald’s at Downtown Disney – closed permanently; the location is being converted to Pollo Campero, opening this fall.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Room-only discount rates available for Passholders and the general public through mid-August

Everyone can save 15 to 30 percent off your room rates for stays from May through mid-August. Rates vary depending on your dates of travel and the resort category at which you are staying.

For any stay from May 2 through August 14, you get some great discounts:

• Value resorts: 15 percent off
• Moderate resorts: 20 percent off
• Deluxe Resorts: 25 percent off
• Deluxe Villa Resorts: 30 percent off.

The deal can be booked from now through the day of your arrival. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Reservations may be booked through the Walt Disney World web site (link) or by using code TD7 if booking via the Walt Disney World Reservations phone line (407-939-7515) or through a travel agent. MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link).

If you’re a Passholder, you can get even deeper discounts. Passholders can save 30 to 40 percent off their room rates for stays at Walt Disney World this summer. Rates vary depending on your dates of travel and the resort category at which you are staying.

For any stay from June 3 through August 14, you get some great discounts:

• Value resorts: 30 percent off
• Moderate resorts: 35 percent off
• Deluxe Resorts: 40 percent off
• Deluxe Villa Resorts: 40 percent off.

The deal can be booked from now through your day of arrival. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Minimum length of stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. Reservations may be booked through the Walt Disney World Passholder Web site (link) or by using code KD5 if booking via the special reservations phone line for this offer (407-939-5684) or through a travel agent. MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link).

Room-only discount rates available for Passholders and the general public through October 2

Everyone can save 15 to 30 percent off your room rates for stays from August 15 through October 2. Rates vary depending on your dates of travel and the resort category at which you are staying.

For any stay from August 15 through October 2, you get some great discounts:

• Value resorts: 30 percent off
• Moderate resorts: 30 percent off
• Deluxe Resorts: 40 percent off
• Deluxe Villa Resorts: 40 percent off.

The deal can be booked from now through the day of your arrival. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Reservations may be booked through the Walt Disney World web site (link) or by using code ID6 if booking via the Walt Disney World Reservations phone line (407-939-7515) or through a travel agent. MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link).

If you’re a Annual Passholder, you can get even deeper discounts. Passholders can save 35 to 42 percent off their room rates for stays at Walt Disney World this fall. Rates vary depending on your dates of travel and the resort category at which you are staying.

For any stay from August 15 through October 2, you get some great discounts:

• Value resorts: 35 percent off
• Moderate resorts: 35 percent off
• Deluxe Resorts: 42 percent off
• Deluxe Villa Resorts: 42 percent off.

The deal can be booked from now through your day of arrival. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Minimum length of stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. Reservations may be booked through the Walt Disney World Passholder web site (link) or by using code SIA if booking via the special reservations phone line for this offer (407-939-7617) or through a travel agent. MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link).

Kids Stay and Play Free offer for the general public extended

The “Kids Stay, Dine and Play Free” offer that has been available to Disney Rewards Visa cardholders has now been extended to the general public, but without the “Dine” part of the offer. Additionally, the “stay” portion of the deal really doesn’t have much value, since the cost of the room doesn’t change whether there are kids in the room or not but the free park passes may provide some needed relief in your travel budget.

The general public offer is good from May 2 through October 2 (you must book by August 14).

In the new offer, kids ages 3 to 9 staying in the same room as an adult (limit four guests per room) can get free standard Magic Your Way passes for the length of the vacation package. Reservations may be made by using code BF4.

The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. To reserve a package, you can book online (link), call the Walt Disney World Reservations phone line for this offer (407-939-7905) or contact a travel agent. MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link).

Free dining extended for selected dates through late December

Walt Disney World extended its free dining offer for “select arrival dates,” originally available through October 2, to run through late December, and although Disney’s Web page only lists Value and Moderate resorts for the discount, it is also available at Deluxe and Deluxe Villas resorts. The offer has a number of “blockout dates,” so you may need to shift your arrival date one direction or another to qualify for the promotion. According to Mouse Ear Vacations travel agent Mary Kraemer, the offer is valid for arrivals from August 15 to October 7, October 22–28, November 12–18, November 27 to December 2, and December 10–21.

To qualify, you must purchase a non-discounted Magic Your Way package (hotel room and length-of-stay admission ticket) for each member of your party. If you book at:

• A Deluxe or Standard Resort – receive the Disney Dining Plan: One table-service meal, one quick-service meal, and one snack per day for each member of your party (ages 3 and up)
• A Value Resort – receive the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan: Two quick-service meals and two snacks per day for each member of your party (ages 3 and up), plus a refillable mug to use at your hotel.

The booking deadline remains August 14. The deal can be booked from now through the day of your arrival. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Reservations may be booked through the Walt Disney World web site (link) or by using code TF5 if booking via the Walt Disney World Reservations phone line (407-939-7918) or through a travel agent. MousePlanet’s preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link).

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