Walt Disney World Park Update

Ears to the ground

…Three Downtown
Disney restaurants will be under slightly different management, beginning
April 17. Levy Restaurants, which owns and operates the Portobello
Yacht Club and Fulton’s
Crab House and operates the Wolfgang
Puck Cafe, was bought by British firm Compass Group, Plc. Compass
has owned 49 percent of Levy since September 2000, and will buy the rest in
three months. No changes are expected at the restaurants.

…On Friday, C.W. “Bill” Jennings, Executive Director of the
Orlando International Airport, announced plans to retire from the job in April.
It is unknown what effect that will have on the conflict between local limousine,
shuttle and taxi services and Disney’s Magical Express.

Don’t keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips, rumors,
and comments. Email Mark here.
Talk about Walt Disney World on our discussion forums here.

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

• Walt Disney’s
  Carousel of Progress – has been returned to the list of “seasonal”
  attractions, so its open status may change at any time.
• Liberty Square
  Riverboat – is not operating due to refurbishment through April
  1.
• Buzz Lightyear’s
  Space Ranger Spin – is closed through February 8 for refurbishment.
• Splash Mountain
  – is closed through January 27 for refurbishment.
• Pirates of
  the Caribbean – is expected to close from May through mid-September
  for the addition of characters from the movie that was inspired by the ride.
• Timekeeper
  – open seasonally.
• Cinderella’s Surprise Celebration – reportedly returns after
  the 18-month “Happiest Celebration on Earth” festivities end.

Epcot

• Test Track
  – will be closed for refurbishment through February 14.
• The Wonders of Life pavilion – has closed again following
  its holiday 2005 season run, and is thought to be closed for good.

Disney–MGM
Studios

• 50s Prime
  Time Cafe – will be closed for refurbishment through January
  28.

Animal Kingdom

• Expedition
  Everest – is scheduled to open in Spring 2006. The official
  opening press event is scheduled for April 7, just before the peak season
  of the two weeks surrounding Easter. DVC, Annual Passholder and Cast Member
  previews are January 26-29. The attraction should be ready for the general
  public in early February, so look for soft openings to begin in that time
  frame.
• Tarzan Rocks
  – closed on January 21, 2006. Its rumored replacement is a show based
  upon Finding Nemo, which would debut in November 2006 after the Theater
  in the Wild gets a complete makeover. The stage, lighting and sound system
  will all be gutted and the theater will be completely enclosed, as with
  the Lion King theater in Camp Minnie-Mickey.

Resorts

• All–Star
  Movies Resort – The Fantasia pool will be closed through early
  February for refurbishment. Guests can use the Mighty Ducks pool or take
  a complimentary shuttle service (10 a.m. – 10 p.m.) to the other All–Star
  resorts to use the pools there.
• Wilderness
  Lodge – Roaring Forks Snacks will be closed through March 8
  for refurbishment. Whispering Canyon Cafe and Artist Point will remain open,
  and grab-and-go items will be made available elsewhere during the refurbishment.
• Grand Floridian
  Resort and Spa – The 24-hour pool (including the children’s pool
  and hot tub) are closed for refurbishment for an undetermined length of
  time. During the closure, the themed pool and slide will remain open during
  its normal operating hours.
• 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 by June.
• Contemporary
  Resort – The South Garden Wing is partially open during refurbishment
  through September, 2006. Rumors indicate that the buildings may be completely
  gutted and rebuilt as Disney Vacation Club villas. However, another rumor
  states that new DVC lodgings will be built on the current site of the Disney
  Tennis Center at the resort, and there is no confirmation of the either
  rumor yet. Renovations on the rest of the resort are also underway, with
  the tower building being done one floor at a time and the North Garden Wing
  to follow, and are expected to run through October, 2006.
• 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 open between June and December, 2006.

Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon – Closed for its annual refurbishment through
  February 25.

Elsewhere

• Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – performs Tuesdays –
  Saturdays.

Park Events

February 2006

• National Dance Team Championship. February 3–6.
• National High School Cheerleading Championship. February 10–13.
• Atlanta Braves Training Camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex
  (link).
  February 17 ñ March 29.
• Twirlmania. February 17–20. Twirlers, auxiliary guard, pom,
  and dancers descend on the Wide World of Sports (link).
• Cheer & Dance National Championships. February 25–26.
  School & Youth Rec Cheer February 25, All-Star Cheer & Dance February
  26 (link).

March 2006

• Cheer & Dance National Championships. March 3–5. All Star/Studio
  March 3, School Dance March 3–5 (link).
• ESPN The Weekend. March 3–5. Corporate synergy brings the
  cable channel back to the Studios for its third go-round (link).
• World Baseball Classic. March 3-11. Baseball’s best players from
  Australia, Domincan Republic, Italy and Venezuela square off in the first
  round of the international tournament (link).
• National All Star Cheerleading Championship. March 10–13.
• National Kidney Foundation of Florida Gift of Life 5K Run/Walk.
  March 19. The seventh annual event to raise money and promote organ and
  tissue donation awareness (link).

April 2006

• Disney’s All-Star Kids Classic. April 1. Registration is now open
  for the kids’ inline race (link).
• Walt Disney World Inline Marathon. April 2. Registration is now
  open (link).
• 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).
• Grad Nite. April 28-29, May 5-6. High school seniors take over
  the Magic Kingdom after an early closing and party all night (link).

May 2006

• Disney’s Minnie Marathon Weekend 5K and 1 Mile (link).
  May 6. The short runs of the ladies-only running weekend take place at and
  near Downtown Disney.
• Women Run the World 15 K (link).
  May 7. The ladies-only run starts at Animal Kingdom, goes through the Studios
  and ends at Epcot.
• Epcot Teddy Bear and Doll Weekend. May 18–21. Collectible
  bears and dolls at Epcot (link).
• 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).

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. Dates TBA. Disney’s annual Christian music festival
  (link).
• Walt Disney World Triathlon. Sept. 24. Athletes compete in a 1.5K
  swim, a 40K bike ride, and a 10K run (link).
• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Sept. 29 – Nov.
  12. The annual celebration of things gustatory, plus the Eat to the Beat
  concert series (link).

October 2006

• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Dates TBA. Get your costumes
  ready. The Disney characters will certainly be wearing theirs. (link).
• Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K. Oct. 8. The annual Disney 10K
  race continues its association with the Epcot Food & Wine Festival (link).
• ABC Super Soap Weekend. Dates TBA. Your favorite ABC soap opera
  starts converge on the Disney-MGM Studios (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).

November-December 2006

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Dates TBA. Snow on Main Street,
  free hot cocoa and cookies. What’s not to like? (link).

December 2006

• 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. 5. Registration now open (link).

Current Discounts & Promotions

Passholder Best Rate Program gone, regular passholder discounts return

The Passholder Best Rate program apparently received a cold reception from
annual passholders that like to plan their trips on the spur of the moment.
The program has been discontinued and been replaced by straight discounts
available up until the last minute. Passholders can see discounts for multiple
months in advance on the passholder web site (link).
Currently, discounts are available through April 8.

Radisson announces exclusive Disney Fan Rate specials

The Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration (formerly the Radisson Resort Parkway),
a MousePlanet sponsor, has announced special exclusive rates for MousePlanet
readers through the end of February. These rates are lower than those that
you’ll receive through Hotels.com, Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, Radisson.com,
or anywhere else on the Internet.

The rates are as follows:

Now through February 2 – $85.00 weekdays / $95.00 weekends
February 3-9 – $95.00
February 10-26 – $105.00 weekdays / $115.00 weekends (EXCEPTION: 2/16 – 2/21
at $135.00 due to Daytona 500 Race)

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

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 July 2006.

Entertainment Schedule

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through July 2006.

Theme Park Events

Downtown Disney Entertainment

(Separate admission required)