Walt Disney World Park Update

Update for November 19 – November 25, 2007

Go directly to: News & Views | Coming

Soon | Trivia of the Week | Refurbishment/Attraction

Closures | Discounts/Promotions | Park

Hours/Park Events/Entertainment Schedule

News and Views

Disney Dreamers Academy | Williams

to step down | Disney honored at IAAPA conference

| Pardoned turkeys to go to Walt Disney World | DVC

annual meeting/dues | Construction update | Quick

Takes …

Disney Dreamers Academy to convene in January

One hundred high school students from 21 states and the District of Columbia

have been selected from more than 3,000 applicants to participate in Disney’s

Dreamers Academy. Created in conjunction with nationally syndicated radio

personality Steve Harvey, the program targets students who show promise but

need a little motivation.

Students were nominated by parents, teachers, school administrators, church

groups and the students themselves. The final 100 were chosen by a panel of

judges with backgrounds in business and education.

Academy attendees will visit Walt Disney World

January 17-20, participating in interactive workshops on topics such as Walt

Disney World Imagineering techniques, entertainment, the business of sports,

culinary arts, and more. Disney cast members, executives and celebrities like

actress Monique Coleman will share their blueprints for success. They’ll also

get time in the theme parks before a graduation ceremony with a special guest

motivational speaker.

Williams to step down

After years of playing through pain, Reggie Williams will be taking a break.

The 14-year NFL veteran and 13-year Disney veteran will step down from his

role running Disney’s Wide World of Sports

Complex this week to concentrate on taking care of his body. The 53-year-old

Williams had both knees replaced in 2005, and he continues to have problems

with his right leg. Williams’ legs were injured many times during his 14 years

playing linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals, leading to the eventual double

knee surgery in October 2005.

After he started at Disney in the mid-1990s, Williams oversaw the creation

of Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, which opened on March 28, 1997.

In 1998, the two-time Super Bowl veteran was named vice president of Disney

Sports Attractions, overseeing a newly created Sports & Recreation division

that merged Walt Disney World recreation and water parks, and Disney Sports

Attractions, which included the sports complex, the Walt Disney World Speedway

and Walt Disney World golf.

The Dartmouth grad will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame

next month. His last day on the job will be Wednesday, but no replacement

has been named as of yet.

Disney honored at IAAPA conference

At last week’s annual conference of the International Association of Amusement

Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) in Orlando, Disney was named the winner of two

THEA awards by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). The Finding Nemo

Submarine Voyage at Disneyland Park was

recognized for its groundbreaking application of new technology for its amazing

projected imagery. The second winner hasn’t even officially been announced

yet. The Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot,

which has only been “playtested” so far, was recognized for outstanding achievement

for an interactive experience.

There was another Disney honor announced

at the conference, as well, though it hasn’t made it to Disney’s public

affairs Web site as of this writing. Disney Legend Dick

Nunis, former Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions (now Walt Disney Parks

& Resorts), was named to the IAAPA Hall of Fame. Nunis was inducted into the

IAAPA Hall of Fame in honor of his 44 years of service to the Walt Disney

Company. Nunis is now president of New Business Solutions, Inc., a consulting

company, and serves as chairman and CEO of NorthWest Ventures LLC.

Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton gave the keynote address to the conference,

talking about the “Year of a Million Dreams” (YAOMD) promotion and what was

involved in making it happen. She also mentioned all of the currently announced

projects pending for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. For Walt Disney World,

that included only next year’s Toy Story Mania attraction, as well as the

YOAMD promotion.

Pardoned turkeys to celebrate by going to Walt Disney

World

In this 60th annivesary year of the Thanksgiving tradition, two turkeys will

receive presidential pardons from President George W. Bush at the White House

tomorrow. Following their pardons, the turkeys will have their dreams come

true as they fly first class to join the Year of a Million Dreams celebration

at Walt Disney World, where they will ride in the Thanksgiving Day parade

through the Magic Kingdom before retiring

to live out their lives in the backyard of Mickey’s

Country House.

The first presentation of a Thanksgiving turkey to a president was to Harry

S Truman in 1947, though the first turkey’s life to be officially spared was

by John F. Kennedy in 1961. The official pardonings became standard in 1989,

under President George H.W. Bush.

This year’s turkeys are yet to be named. Contending names are:

• Wing & Prayer
• May & Flower
• Gobbler & Rafter
• Wish & Bone
• Truman & Sixty
• Jake & Tom

You can vote your choice at the Thanksgiving at the White House Web

site.

Mickey Mouse (in Pilgrim garb) went to the Ten Star Ranch in Dubois, Indiana

last week to check out the 45-pound National Thanksgiving Turkey (and runner-up)

and to help to announce their selection. Image © Disney (Diana Zalucky,

photographer).

Disney Vacation Club annual meeting/dues info mailed

The annual meeting announcements for Disney Vacation Club members are starting

to arrive in mailboxes. The announcements include information about the annual

meeting for the condominium association and the projected budgets for the

resorts.

The consolidated annual meeting, for all DVC resorts, of the DVC Condominium

Association will take place on Tuesday, December 4 at the Coronado

Springs Resort. The doors open at 10:30 a.m., and the Board of Directors

Annual Meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. The doors reopen at 1:30 p.m. for the

Members Annual Meeting at 2:00 p.m.

There will also be an information session for Old Key West members on the

15-year membership extension. That session will take place from noon to 1

p.m., and will include a box lunch for attendees.

If you plan to attend, make sure to go to the DVC Member Web site to RSVP.

The agenda for both meetings is:

• Call to Order
• Declaration/Election of Chairman of the Meeting
• Calling of the Roll
• Verification of Quorum
• Proof of Notice of Meeting
• Approval of 2006 Minutes
• Election of Directors (member meeting only)
• New Business
  • Approval of Resolutions
    • Use of excess assessments for future major repairs and replacements
    • Use of reserve funds
  • Presentation of Budgets
• Adjournment

The estimated annual dues for each resort, based on personal documents and

Internet reports, is as follows:

• Animal Kingdom Villas – $4.7132
• Beach Club Villas – $4.7968
• BoardWalk Villas – $5.0402
• Old Key West – $4.5630
• Saratoga Springs – $4.2101
• Villas at the Wilderness Lodge –

  $4.8653

• Vero Beach – $6.9702
  • After developer subsidies (to compensate for the resort having only

    175 units instead of the originally-planned 266), Vero’s effective annual

    dues are purchased:

    • Before January 1, 1996 – $4.7130
    • On or after January 1, 1996 – $6.0391
• Hilton Head Island – $5.1649

Construction update

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

County in the last week:

• The Kim Possible Interactive Adventure at Epcot, which won

  a THEA award at the IAAPA conference last week, is moving ahead. Permit

  applications to pull and pour concrete “to support electrical infrastructure

  for interactive game per design [drawings]” and “install conduit/wire &

  electric boxes for power & data to support the game” have been filed for

  locations at the Mexico, Norway

  and China pavilions. Expect word to continue

  around World Showcase in the coming weeks.

• A new sunshade will be built and installed in front of the Outpost in

  World Showcase.

• Permits have been filed for removal and replacement of the stage curtain,

  pleated valences, and related hardware at the American

  Adventure. Expect some downtime in January for the work.

• Work at Spaceship Earth continues, with

  permits being filed to rebuild the wall between the load and unload areas

  so that the lower three feet can be removed.

• Permits have finally been filed for the demolition of the Backlot Theater

  at the Disney-MGM Studios. The permit

  covers “roof covering and metal deck, corrugated metal wall & frames, curbs,

  concrete ramps, stage framing, procenium [sic] columns & beams.” Also, all

  electrical conduit and wiring will be removed. The existing gate will be

  relocated 16 feet from its original location.

• A new “4X sister beam” will be installed at the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty

  Square bridge.

• Typhoon Lagoon Breakers Restaurant

  will get a new air handling unit as part of the annual refurbishment.

• Heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment will be replaced (including

  new return air grills) in buildings 5 and 7 at the Grand

  Floridian Resort.

• As the former All-Star Cafe prepares to reopen this week as a quick-service

  eatery, a permit was filed for Imagineering to install a “cafe menu package.”

Quick takes …

…MousePlanet’s mailbag editor and endurance

series writer Stephanie Wien is looking for feedback from those planning

to run in future races at Disney. A recent New York Times article (link)

discussed the fact that USA Track and Field (USTF) has banned the use of iPods

and headphones at its official races to “ensure safety and to prevent runners

from having a competitive edge.” The Walt Disney World marathon Web site states

that the race prohibits the use of headphones. What do you think of the USTF

decision? Do you use an iPod/headphones during your training? Have you used

it in a race? Do you plan to use it in the WDW marathon or another race anyway,

even though the rules state not to? Write in and let

Steph know!

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

and comments. Email Mark here.

Talk about these stories and more on our Walt Disney World

discussion forum here.

Coming soon

• Now through Jan. 6, 2008. Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.
• Now through Jan. 6, 2008. Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.
• Nov. 25, 27, 29, 30, Dec. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21. Mickey’s

  Very Merry Christmas Party.

• Nov. 22, 23, 25. Old Spice Classic.
• Nov. 23 ? Dec. 24. Festival of the Seasons.
• Nov. 23 ? Dec. 30. Holidays Around the World.
• Nov. 19-25, 2007 and Dec. 16, 2007– Jan. 2, 2008. DVC members may

  not pool-hop on these dates.

Walt Disney World trivia question of the week

This week’s question: How much produce grown at The Land pavilion

is served in Walt Disney World restaurants each year? Stay tuned to next

week’s park update for the answer.

The answer to last week’s question: “How many miles do Walt

Disney World mowers travel each year?”, is:

450,000 mowing miles, the equivalent of 18 trips around Earth at the equator.

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

• Magic Carpets of Aladdin – closed

  for refurbishment December 2–8.

• Minnie’s Country House – closed

  for refurbishment January 1–February 1.

• Splash Mountain – closed for refurbishment

  January 1–February 15.

• Snow White’s Scary Adventures –

  closed for refurbishment January 28–February 15.

Epcot

• Spaceship Earth – closed for refurbishment

  July 9 – February 18.

• Tutto Italia Ristorante – is now open, but closes in Spring 2008

  to be completely remodeled, and reopens in Fall 2008 under yet another new

  name.

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

  forever and perhaps just until Thanksgiving weekend.

• Nine Dragons – closes in early

  2008 for renovations that include the creation of an exhibition kitchen.

  It is expected to reopen in fall 2008.

Disney-MGM Studios

• Mickey Avenue – closed through

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

  and related theming.

Animal Kingdom

• Yak & Yeti Restaurant – the new full-service restaurant

  is now open.

• Yak & Yeti Market – the new quick-service restaurant is

  now open.

• Tusker House – has now reopened

  as a buffet restaurant with a character breakfast.

• Restaurantosaurus – Donald’s Breakfastosaurus

  ended November 5. The McDonald’s-based restaurant remains open for lunch

  and dinner.

Resorts

• All-Star Sports Resort – All buildings

  scheduled for renovation between June 2007 and February 2008.

• Animal Kingdom Lodge – Construction

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

  Kingdom Villas is expected to take until spring 2009.

• Caribbean Beach Resort – Feature

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

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

  Barbados Villages while the main pool is closed.

• Coronado Springs Resort – Jaguar

  water slide closed for refurbishment from November 26 – December 14.

  The Dig Site feature pool and all quiet pools remain open during the refurbishment.

• T-Rex Cafe – reportedly opens in Downtown

  Disney in late 2008.

Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon – closed for annual refurbishment October 28

  – January 5.

• Blizzard Beach – closed for annual refurbishment January 6

  – March 8.

Elsewhere

• Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – performs Tuesdays –

  Saturdays. No performances November 25–27. Will hold special performances

  on New Year’s Eve.

• Official All-Star Cafe at Disney’s

  Wide World of Sports Complex – closed on September 23, and is expected

  to reopen on November 20 as a quick-service eatery.

Park events are now found in the monthly Park

Hours/Park Events/Entertainment Schedule pages

Current Discounts & Promotions

Hotel Royal Plaza offers discounts to MousePlanet readers

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

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

the year, anyone booking

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

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

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

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

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

by an adult dining from the regular menu.)

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

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

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

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

ready to serve you.

We’d like to invite you to try

their hospitality!

Passholder, Florida resident discounts announced through end of the year

Disney has released discounted room rates for passholders and Florida residents

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

higher than passholder rates.

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

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

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

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

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

An interesting twist on this deal is that, for certain check-in dates, you

can get a Disney Dining Card with $20-$100 per room with your minimum 2-night

reservation. This perk is available for stays with check-in dates between

October 21-November 3, November 11-17 and December 9-15. The card can be used

toward food & beverage only, and not toward merchandise.

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

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

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

and comments. Email Mark here.