Walt Disney World Park Update

A Mickey-head fireworks display greets the Disney Magic as it pulls into the

port of Barcelona on Friday. The ship began its first of eight cruises around

the Mediterranean on Saturday. Photo © Disney.

Disney, unions extend contract following rejection of new deal by members

Late last Monday, the Service Trades Council Union and Walt Disney World

came to agreement on the extension of the existing labor contract for another

30 days, to June 20. This follows the 2,870-to-2,583 rejection by union members

of a contract offer from Disney. The contract would have covered 21,000 of

Disney’s 60,000 employees. The union also represents 8,000 workers under a

separate contract for part-time employees, which does not expire until September.

But things are not rosy in the accord between the STCU’s six member unions.

The

Orlando Sentinel is reporting that several STCU members, allegedly from

Teamsters Local 385, have filed complaints about voting irregularities with

election results from the other member unions.

The two sides resume negotiations tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.

The Disney Magic pulled into the port of Barcelona on Friday to a huge fireworks

display. MousePlanet’s Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix was aboard, and will have

a full report soon. Photo © Disney.

Passholder, Florida Resident discounts announced for summer

Disney has released discounted room rates for passholders and Florida residents

through most of the summer. Discounts are available for select Disney Vacation

Club and deluxe resorts from June 3 through August 4, and for select moderate

resorts between July 1 and August 4.

For passholders, the DVC rates start at $164 per night plus tax in a studio

at the Old Key West or Saratoga

Springs Resorts. Prices go up from there depending on the resort and accommodations.

In addition to those two DVC resorts, discounts are also available at the

Yacht Club, Beach

Club and BoardWalk Resorts. Rates at

the moderates start at $139 per night. For Florida residents, the DVC rates

start at $169 per night and the moderates start at $145 per night. 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 their respective web sites, by calling their 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.

Passholder discount codes are FDL (DVC/Deluxe) and FDJ (Moderates). Florida

resident discount codes are FDP (DVC/Deluxe) and FDN (Moderates).

Sounds Like Summer update

We’ve got an updated list of the Sounds Like Summer concert series schedule.

Slippery When Wet and Kevin White have switched dates, and Charlene Bedassie

is now known as Respect. Here’s the updated schedule:

Kids get free refills at table service restaurants starting Thursday

Starting this Thursday, Disney will be providing free refills on children’s

beverages at all table service restaurants. The policy does not apply to specialty

drinks. By providing free refills of beverages that largely do not cost them

much, they help to keep kids (who generally don’t drink all that much) from

becoming dehydrated in the parks and buy goodwill from parents.

Mickey Avenue’s Toy Story redo to wait until after Star Wars Weekends

Last week, we reported that Mickey

Avenue would be closed for construction in preparation for the next phase

of work on the Toy Story Mania facade, entrance and exit, and that rumors

indicated that the entire street will be re-themed. It looks like, while that

may eventually be the case, it won’t be happening immediately.

During the month of June, the Jabba’s Hut store (the official merchandise

location for Star Wars Weekends) will again be located on a soundstage on

Mickey Avenue. The area will become the Empire Sector for the duration of

Star Wars Weekends, carrying Star Wars theming.

Once the event is over, Walt Disney Imagineering will be free to work on

the facade of the building. In the meantime, Imagineering has plenty to do.

They just filed construction paperwork to begin work on the Audio/Visual and

Ride Install packages for Toy Story Mania. We’ll keep you informed as we hear

more.

Meanwhile, MGMStudios.org’s Matt Hochberg will be blogging live from Star

Wars Weekends this weekend. You can follow along here.

NASA opens new simulator attraction at the Cape

Mission: Space has some new competition

– from NASA. The Shuttle Launch Experience at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Visitor Complex opened on Friday. The $60 million attraction took three years

to develop and build under the guidance of NASA and veteran Space Shuttle

astronauts.

As opposed to the Epcot attraction’s fantasy

mission-to-Mars theme, the NASA attraction is an attempt to produce the realistic

sensation of being launched on a space shuttle’s eight-and-a-half minute trip

to orbit. It also relies on a standard motion simulator, as well as specially-enhanced

seating effects such as seat backs that compress as if the cabin were truly

under multiple-G stress. While not tame, it is certainly less stressful than

the centrifugal acceleration of Mission: Space’s Orange Team version.

The Shuttle Launch Experience joins the Apollo/Saturn V Center, IMAX 3-D

theater and other enhancements added to the visitor center since the Delaware

North Companies began operating it for NASA. The attraction is included in

admission to the center.

The visitor center, at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, is located

45 minutes east of Orlando.

Quick takes …

…As of yesterday morning, the 2008

Walt Disney World Half Marathon is at 95% capacity and the full

Marathon is at 65%. If you’re interested in running the Half next year,

you’d better hurry up and sign up (half

| full)

now! [Read our WDW Marathon Guide.]

…Sounds Dangerous – Starring Drew Carey

will be closed May 31–June 3, June 7–10, June 14–17, June 21–24,

June 28–30 while the theater is used for Star Wars Weekends events. It’s

uncertain whether that last weekend being blocked off means that Star Wars

Weekends will be extended by a week this year, but it certainly leaves the

possibility open.

…Disney has filed paperwork for “Downtown

Disney West Side Quest Simulator Demolition – Demo and canopy, column,

ride cards and concrete pedestal. Replace with pavers.” Could this be the

end of CyberSpace Mountain at DisneyQuest? Or is there some other simulator

on the West Side? If you have some insight, please let

us know. [Note: Apparently this editor’s infrequent visits to the West

Side are showing, as by Monday night no fewer than 17 helpful readers have

written in to inform us that there is a display model of the CyberSpace Mountain

simulator on a pedestal on the walkway between DisneyQuest and Cirque du Soleil.

Thanks to the readers for the information, and we apologize for any premature

terror over the possible demise of DisneyQuest.]

…Disney has also filed construction paperwork for the installation of

handicap accessibility equipment at the “All Star Music [sic] Mighty Ducks

Pool.” We’re not sure why they’re identifying a pool at the All Star Movies

Resort as being at All Star Music, but we’ll assume that they’re correct in

identifying the Mighty Ducks pool. Be ready for some construction there over

the summer.

…A new 20-minute video featuring cast, creators and highlights from

Finding Nemo: The Musical has just been

released over at BroadwayWorld.com.

…The acting director of veterinary services for Disney?s Animal Programs

at Walt Disney World has been named a 2007

Oustanding Young Alumnus by the University of Florida. Scott Terrell, a 1997

graduate of the school’s College of Veterinary Medicine, was honored on April

14.

…Walt Disney World’s 13th annual Environmental Excellence Awards recognized

more than 300 Cast Members for their commitment and dedication to the environment.

The awards are meant to recognize Cast Members whose efforts in recycling,

waste minimization, and conservation are exceptional. Four Cast Members were

recognized as Jiminy Cricket Award Winners for their exemplary commitment

to protecting the environment: Christy Conk, Animal Keeper at Disney?s Animal

Kingdom; Dennis Krupinksi, Engineering Department; and Sheri Elmore and Christa

Kelley, Disney Cruise Line.

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

• Apr. 5 – June 3. Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

  [park guide page].

  • Flower Power Concert Series
    • May 27?30: Gary Puckett
    • May 31?June 3: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
  • Themed Weekends
    • June 1?3: Festival Farewell Weekend
• May 20 – June 4. No Cirque du Soleil performances.
• May 31-June 3. Gay Days 2007.
  • May 31 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • June 1 – Disney-MGM Studios
  • June 2 – Magic Kingdom
  • June 3 – Epcot
• Jun. 30-Jul. 7, Aug. 31-Sept. 3 and Nov. 19-25, 2007; and Dec. 16, 2007-Jan.

  2, 2008. DVC members may not pool-hop on these dates.

• June 1–24. Star Wars Weekends, Fridays – Sundays.
  • June 1-3 – Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok, Episode VI, and Wald, Episode

    I) and Kenny Baker (R2-D2, all films)

  • June 8-10 – Ray Park (Darth Maul, Episode I) and Daniel Logan (young

    Boba Fett, Episode II)

  • June 15-17 – Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett Episodes V and VI) and Peter

    Mayhew (Chewbacca, Episodes IV-VI and III)

  • June 22-24 – Anthony Daniels (C-3PO, all films) and Bonnie Piesse

    (Beru Lars, Episodes II and III)

• June 11-Aug 12. Sounds Like Summer concert series at Epcot.
  • June 11-17 – Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi)
  • June 18-24 – Stayin’ Alive (Bee Gees)
  • June 25-July 1 – Kevin White (Garth Brooks)
  • July 2- 8 – Respect (Aretha Franklin)
  • July 9- 17 – Bjorn Again (ABBA)
  • July 18- 24 – Hotel California (The Eagles)
  • July 25- 29 – 52nd Street (Billy Joel)
  • July 30-August 5 – Captain Fantastic (Elton John)
  • August 6-12 – Transit Authority (Chicago)

Walt Disney World trivia question of the week

This week’s question: This week’s question was submitted by MousePlanet

reader Ryan. What color carpet covers the stairs of the steps leading

up to Cinderella’s Royal Table? Stay

tuned to next week’s park update for the answer.

The answer to last week’s question: “Which famous author helped

design Spaceship Earth, and the themes,

along with narration?” which was contributed by MousePlanet reader Marcus

Stone, is:

Science Fiction and classic short story author Ray Bradbury.

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

• Haunted Mansion – closed for refurbishment

  from June 6 through September 12.

Epcot

• Spaceship Earth – closed for refurbishment

  June 22–23 and July 9 – November 1.

• Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki – closed

  for refurbishment through August 20.

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

  forever and perhaps just until next Thanksgiving weekend.

Disney-MGM Studios

• Sounds Dangerous – Starring Drew Carey

  – will be closed May 31–June 3, June 7–10, June 14–17,

  June 21–24, June 28–30 while the theater is used for Star Wars

  Weekends events.

Animal Kingdom

• Wildlife Express Train – will be

  closed June 26.

Resorts

• All-Star Movies Resort – Refurbishment

  of the Mighty Ducks pool will take place this summer. An accessible chair

  lift and transfer station will be installed, along with other general touch-up

  work. Similar work on the Fantasia pool took about five months. In the meantime,

  All-Star Movies guests may continue to use the Fantasia feature pool and

  the other “quiet” pools at the resort.

• All-Star Music Resort – Refurbishment

  of the Calypso pool is underway. The accessible chair lift and transfer

  station will be replaced, along with other general touch-up work. Similar

  work on the Fantasia pool at All Star Movies took about five months. In

  the meantime, All-Star Music guests may continue to use the “quiet” pools

  as well as the main pools at the other All-Star resorts. All buildings not

  containing Family Suites are being renovated between January and June.

• All-Star Sports Resort – All buildings

  will be renovated between June and November.

• Caribbean Beach Resort – The feature

  pool will be closed for renovation January – June, 2008. Exact dates

  have yet to be announced.

• Grand Floridian Resort & Spa –

  Building 6 (Concierge) will be closed in September for a full refurbishment.

• Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa –

  Phase I’s four buildings and Phase II’s eight units are complete. Five of

  the six buildings of Phase III are done. The final building only has interior

  work remaining, and should be ready for occupancy in mid-June.

Water Parks

• Blizzard Beach – closed for annual refurbishment late December

  – late winter.

• Typhoon Lagoon – closed for annual refurbishment October 28

  – late December.

Elsewhere

• Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – performs Tuesdays –

  Saturdays. No performances May 20?June 4, July 29–31, September 23–October

  1, November 25–27.

Park Events

May 2007

• 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.

• Gay Days 2007. May 31 – June 3. The 17th annual gathering of the

  GLBT community at Walt Disney World (link1

  | link 2).

June 2007

• 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.

• Gay Days 2007. May 31 – June 3. The 17th annual gathering of the

  GLBT community at Walt Disney World (link1

  | link 2).

• 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

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp (link).

  Late July – Mid-Aug. The Bucs return to Disney for another year’s training

  camp.

• Disney’s Pirate & Princess Party (link).

  Aug. 11, 15, 18, 21, 24, 28, 31 and Sept. 3. A rerun of this past winter’s

  new hard-ticketed event celebrates the pirates and princesses in all of

  us.

• Tom Joyner Family Reunion (link).

  Aug. 31 ? Sept. 3. The radio host’s annual gathering returns for another

  year.

September 2007

• Disney’s Pirate & Princess Party (link).

  Aug. 11, 15, 18, 21, 24, 28, 31 and Sept. 3. A rerun of this past winter’s

  new hard-ticketed event celebrates the pirates and princesses in all of

  us.

• Tom Joyner Family Reunion (link).

  Aug. 31 ? Sept. 3. The radio host’s annual gathering returns for another

  year.

• 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, 30, Oct. 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28,

  30, 31, Nov. 2. Get your costumes ready. The Disney characters will certainly

  be wearing theirs.

• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (link).

  Sep.28 ?Nov. 11. The 12th annual celebration of things gustatory, plus the

  Eat to the Beat concert series.

October 2007

• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (link).

  Sep. 14, 21, 28, 30, Oct. 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28,

  30, 31, Nov. 2. Get your costumes ready. The Disney characters will certainly

  be wearing theirs.

• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (link).

  Sep.28 ?Nov. 11. The 12th annual celebration of things gustatory, plus the

  Eat to the Beat concert series.

• 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).

• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K and 6.5K (link).

  Oct. 27. Disney’s first night-time endurance event is Halloween-themed,

  and concludes witha big after-party. Registration is now open (link).

November 2007

• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (link).

  Sep.28 ?Nov. 11. The 12th annual celebration of things gustatory, plus the

  Eat to the Beat concert series.

• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (link).

  Sep. 14, 21, 28, 30, Oct. 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28,

  30, 31, Nov. 2. Get your costumes ready. The Disney characters will certainly

  be wearing theirs.

• 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.

• Pirates of Castaway Cay pin cruise (link).

  Nov. 11-15. Pirates, pins and a Disney cruise, all rolled into one.

• Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (link).

  Nov. 12 ? Jan. 6, 2008. Jennings Osborne’s amazing display returns to the

  Studios.

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (link).

  Nov. 12, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29, 30, Dec. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18,

  20, 21 (dates tentative). Snow on Main Street, free hot cocoa and cookies.

  What’s not to like?

• 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.

December 2007

• Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (link).

  Nov. 12 ? Jan. 6, 2008. Jennings Osborne’s amazing display returns to the

  Studios.

• 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. 12, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29, 30, Dec. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18,

  20, 21 (dates tentative). Snow on Main Street, free hot cocoa and cookies.

  What’s not to like?

• 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

• Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (link).

  Nov. 12 ? Jan. 6, 2008. Jennings Osborne’s amazing display returns to the

  Studios.

• Walt Disney World Half-Marathon (link). Jan. 12. Registration is now open (link).
• Walt Disney World Marathon (link). Jan. 13. Registration is now open (link).

  [Read our WDW Marathon Guide.]

June 2008

• Gay Days 2008. June 6 – 9. The 18th annual gathering of the GLBT

  community at Walt Disney World (link1

  | link 2).

Current Discounts & Promotions

Free dining plan is back for late August–September

Disney is offering a new free dining package for trips beginning August 26

through September 22. Minimum stay will be three nights and a minimum one-day

theme park ticket per person is required to get the free dining package for

the length of your stay. Just remember that this is during peak hurricane

season, which is why Disney needs to offer this promotion to get people to

visit the parks and stay on property. While the odds of a hurricane interrupting

or cancelling your vacation are low, you may want to take advantage of the

trip insurance offered by Disney, just in case. Packages must be booked by

June 24.

Hotel Royal Plaza offers discounts to MousePlanet readers

We’d like to welcome the Hotel Royal Plaza as a new MousePlanet sponsor.

As part of our new relationship, the Royal Plaza has created a special offer

just for MousePlanet readers! From now through the end of the year, anyone

booking

their stay through the MousePlanet web site will receive discounted rates

up to 20 percent off on all room types.

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. And children 10 and under eat breakfast for free!

And so we’d like to thank the Hotel Royal Plaza for joining the MousePlanet

family, and invite you to try

their hospitality.

Disney’s Price Slice golf rates are back

Disney’s popular summer golf discount program, Disney’s Price Slice, will

return from May 14 through September 27. During that time, a round of golf

at any of the Walt Disney World courses

will be less expensive after 10 a.m. daily, due to the heat of the summer

season. The Magnolia, Palm, Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge courses will carry

a fee of $55, while the Lake Buena Vista course will cost $45. Rates include

the use of an electric cart, and are $34-$44 cheaper than regular rates.

The rates include the use of an electric cart and are discounted from the

before-10 a.m. prices of $99 for resort guests/$109 for day visitors (Magnolia

and Osprey Ridge), $89 for resort guests/$99 for day visitors (Palm and Eagle

Pines) and $79 for resort guests/$89 for day visitors (Lake Buena Vista).

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’s front page still appears to have difficulty with browsers

other than Internet Explorer. Once you get past the front page, you should

be all right.

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 November 2007.

Entertainment Schedule

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through September 2007.

Theme Park Events

Fort Wilderness movie schedule for May 2007

Movies begin at 8:40 and will be preceded by a campfire at 7:30 and a singalong

at 8:00. The movie schedule for June was not available at press time.

Downtown Disney Entertainment

(Separate admission required)

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

and comments. Email Mark here.