Update for January 7, 2014 – January 13, 2014
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News and Views
Festival of the Lion King closes | Celebrate's last show | New vacation discount offer open to public | Polynesian Progress | Construction update | Quick takes | Crowd update
Festival of the Lion King closes
The Festival of the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom has taken its final bow before a long hiatus. The show will be moving to its new theater, currently under construction near Harambe, in approximately six months, although no official opening date has been announced. Camp Minnie-Mickey, which was intended to be a temporary addition to the park, has now permanently closed to make way for the new Avatar-themed land. The characters that were formerly seen in their Camp Minnie-Mickey greeting locations have been redistributed around the park: Chip and Dale will be at Rafiki's Planet Watch, and Donald Duck will be at the Cretaceous Trail in Dinoland.
Cast members perform at the final show of Festival of the Lion King as it goes into hiatus. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Celebrate's last show
Another Walt Disney World entertainment offering ended this past weekend. The Celebrate a Dream Come True parade took its last spin around the Magic Kingdom. The parade is the latest incarnation evolved from the 2001 Dream Come True parade. The new daytime parade, Festival of Fantasy, will debut in the spring; details and concept art for the new daytime parade can be found on our MousePad message board. Until Festival of Fantasy premieres, there is no daytime parade at the Magic Kingdom, but the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! street party will continue its daily performances.
Minnie and Mickey give their final waves from atop the Celebrate a Dream Come True floats. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
New vacation discount offer open to public
We previously posted an offer for Disney Visa cardholders that was shared with us by Mary Kraemer, Vacation Travel Consultant with MousePlanet sponsor MouseEarVacations. As noted then, the public version of the offer would begin on January 6. It looks like the public version has slightly different dates, and a room and ticket deal that wasn't included in the earlier Disney Visa version. Here are the details:
Save up to 30% on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Upgrade to a room and ticket package and get one more ticket day free! (Minimum 4-day Magic Your Way ticket required.)
For stays most nights March 14-April 12 and April 20-June 15, 2014:
- Save up to 30% at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney's BoardWalk Inn & Villas, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard/pool view rooms), Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney's Old Key West Resort and Disney's Wilderness Lodge (standard/woods view)
- Save up to 25% at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Port Orleans – Riverside and Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins
- Save up to 20% at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Beach Club Resort Villas, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (savanna/club rooms) & Villas, Disney's Wilderness Lodge (courtyard/club rooms) & Villas, Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Music and Disney's Pop Century Resort
The booking window for this rate is from January 6 to March 31, 2014.
Polynesian progress
Progress continues on renovations to add Disney Vacation Club villas at the Polynesian resort. A hill has been removed that separated the beach from the lagoon, and the circular walkway that will connect all of the new over-water villas has been largely completed. Rumors are still circulating about what other changes are in store for the resort, including removal of the iconic waterfall from the lobby.
The former hill has been graded and awaits further developments. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
The boardwalk that will connect the new villas is just about complete, and visible from the beach area. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Construction Update
J. Jeff Kober shares some construction photos from Animal Kingdom and Epcot this week.
As the shows closes at Camp Minnie-Mickey, construction continues on the new home of the Festival of the Lion King. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Another angle of the construction shows a path along the river to the left of the new theater. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
The entrance and sign for the new Spice Road Table restaurant at Epcot's Morocco are visible as construction walls come down. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
The remodeled Souk Al-Magreb is located in the same building as the new restaurant. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Testing of Fastpass+ continues at Animal Kingdom. Cast members with iPads can assist guests without Magic Bands. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Quick takes…
…The Main Street Confectionary will remain open while its facade is renovated from January 13 to April 11.
…The holiday decor and Christmas tree will be removed from Disney's Hollywood Studios overnight on January 9.
…The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend starts this coming Wednesday with the opening of the Expo at Wide World of Sports. The 5K race takes place Thursday, the 10K Friday, the half marathon on Saturday, and the full marathon on Sunday. Traffic around the resort will be affected by the races on Friday through Sunday, especially in the early morning hours. Expect delays if driving or taking Disney transportation due to road closures. Good luck to all of our Team MousePlanet participants!
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Crowd Forecast
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Talk about these stories and more on our Walt Disney World discussion forum here.
Resort Events
2014
- Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 9–12
- Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 21–23
runDisney events and capacity updates
2014
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Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 9–12
- January 9: Family Fun Run 5K – Sold Out
- January 10: 10K – Sold Out
- January 11: Half Marathon – Sold Out
- January 12: Marathon – Sold Out
- January 11–12: Goofy Challenge (half and full) – Sold Out
- January 9–11: runDisney Kids' Races – Sold Out
- January 9–11: Pasta Party in the Park – Sold Out
- January 9–12: Dopey Challenge (5K, 10K, half, and full) – Sold Out
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Disney's Princess Half-Marathon Weekend – February 21–23
- February 21: Disney Royal Family 5k – 65%
- February 21–22: runDisney Kids' Races – 72%
- February 22: Enchanted 10k – Sold Out
- February 23: Disney's Princess Half Marathon – Sold Out
- February 22–23: Glass Slipper Challenge (Enchanted 10k and Disney's Princess Half Marathon) – Sold Out
Do you participate in (or are considering signing up for) runDisney events? Visit our Team MousePlanet forum on the MousePad discussion board, where you can join our community of health-minded readers and staff.
Refurbishments and Attraction Closures
Magic Kingdom
- Tomorrowland Speedway – closed January 6–12, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Casey's Corner – closed January 6 through February 15, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Splash Mountain – closed January 6 through March 22, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Magic Carpets of Aladdin – closed January 13–30, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Liberty Belle Riverboat – closed January 21–30, 2014 for refurbishment.
- The Barnstormer – closed February 3–5, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority – closed February 10 through March 27, 2014 for refurbishment.
- The Plaza Restaurant – closed February 17 through March 15, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Pinocchio Village Haus – closed February 17 through March 30, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed April 7 through 9, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Pirates of the Caribbean – closed April 28 through 30, 2014 for refurbishment.
Epcot
- No known refurbishments at this time.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Studio Backlot Tour – closed January 5 through March 1, 2014 for refurbishment.
- AFI Showcase – closed January 5 through March 1, 2014 for refurbishment.
Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Festival of the Lion King – closed for move to its new theater, currently under construction. Estimated to be closed until July/August 2014.
Resorts
As reported in July, some refrigerators in non-Disney Vacation Club rooms at Walt Disney World are being replaced due to a product defect. All Walt Disney World Resort rooms with the exception of DVC Villas, the family suites at the Art of Animation and All-Star Movie resorts, and the cabins at Fort Wilderness are impacted. Disney says “the schedule for replacing the refrigerators at these Resorts is expected to last several months.”
In the interim, if you have a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and need a refrigerator for medical reasons, we recommend contacting your resort directly to inquire about availability during your trip. The hotel should be able to arrange for one if your room does not yet have a new refrigerator, but supplies may be limited while they work to replace all of the malfunctioning units.
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All-Star Sports
- Surf's Up Pool – closed January 6–24, 2014 for refurbishment.
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Polynesian
- Never Land Club Children's Activity Center – closed for refurbishment January 28, 2014 through January 1, 2015.
- Port Orleans French Quarter – Doubloon Lagoon Pool closed January 13 through February 28, 2014 for refurbishment. Transportation will be provided for guests to use the Ol' Man Island pool at Port Orleans Riverside during this period.
- Port Orleans Riverside – Magnolia Bend Building 80–85 pool deck closed January 20–21, 2014 for refurbishment.
- Saratoga Springs – Congress Park Pool closed January 22–23, 2014 for refurbishment.
Water Parks
- Blizzard Beach – closed January 6 through March 17, 2014 for annual refurbishment.
Elsewhere
- The Resort and Express monorail beam closes between 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily starting on January 21, 2014 for maintenance.
- Disney Osprey Ridge Golf Course – permanently closed to play.
- Downtown Disney Lots H, I, J, and K (in Westside area) closed until further notice for Disney Springs construction.
- Downtown Disney Bridge 4 and restrooms on Paradise Island are temporarily closed for ongoing construction work.
- Cirque du Soleil La Nouba – performs Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Current Discounts & Promotions
Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the intended audience. Check out the category that best matches you, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!
Discounts for Everyone |
Room Discounts from January 5 to March 5, 2014 and March 14 through April 12, 2014 A discount of up to 35 percent off regular room rates is available at select resorts for most nights from January 5 to April 12. Advance reservations required; book before December 31. As with all discounts, rooms available at these rates are limited, and minimum length-of-stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. No group rates or other discounts apply. Campsites, three-bedroom Grand Villas, and standard rooms at Disney's Art of Animation Resort are not included. Discounts vary by accommodation type and date, and availability varies by date. Moderate and Deluxe Resort suites may be available at a lower discount—check with your travel agent. Full details on the offer website. You can make your reservation through the Walt Disney World website or by calling (407) 939-7926 or your favorite travel agent. MousePlanet's preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link).
Save up to 30% on Walt Disney World resort rooms March 6, 2014 through March 13, 2014 Special rates for resort hotels (excluding Art of Animation Little Mermaid rooms, Fort Wilderness campsites, the Villas at Grand Floridian, and 3-bedroom villas). Book through December 31. Advanced booking required. Full details on the offer website. Discounts include:
Save up to 30%* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights March 14-April 12 and April 20-June 15, 2014 Upgrade to a room and ticket package and get one more ticket day free. (Minimum 4-day Magic Your Way ticket required.) Offer Details:
Book Jan. 6 – March 31, 2014 Memory Maker pre-arrival discount Disney's PhotoPass service provides a discount on Disney Memory Maker pre-arrival packages. For $149 plus tax, Walt Disney World guests will be able to digitally download any photos associated with their Memory Maker account, including photos taken on attractions. The advanced purchase price is a $50 savings. Applicable taxes are charged to all orders. This special offer is only available from this link, and must be made more than three days prior to arrival at the Walt Disney World Resort. All sales are final, and not eligible for an exchange or refund. |
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Discounts for Annual Passholders |
Room Discounts from January 4 to April 12, 2014 Annual passholders enjoy a discount of up to 37 percent off regular room rates at select Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts from January 4 to 18 and March 14 to 29, 2014. Advance reservations required; other discounts available during this time period. Must book before April 12. As with all discounts, rooms available at these rates are limited, and minimum length-of-stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. No group rates or other discounts apply. Campsites, three-bedroom Grand Villas, and standard rooms at Disney's Art of Animation Resort are not included. Discounts vary by accommodation type and date, and availability varies by date. Moderate and Deluxe Resort suites may be available at a lower discount—check with your travel agent. Full details on the offer website (annual passholder login required). You can make your reservation through the Walt Disney World website or by calling (407) 939-7926 or your favorite travel agent. MousePlanet's preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link). From January 4 to 18 and March 14 to 29, 2014:
From March 6 to 13, 2014 (Spring Break Travel):
Check with a travel agent or Walt Disney World for other rate discounts during this time period. |
Discounts for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders |
Room and ticket discount for travel dates from February 24-June 15 No discounts available March 6-14 and April 13-19. Buy a minimum four day ticket and get a day free. Room discounts include:
20% off select guided tours Disney Visa cardholders receive 20% off the non-discounted price of selected guided tours for up to 10 people. The cardholder must participate in the tour, and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card. Tours included:
10% off select restaurants Disney Visa cardholders receive 10% off the check when you pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card (be sure to request the discount). Discount excludes alcohol.
10% off merchandise Disney Visa cardholders receive 10% off at participating Disney-owned retail location when you spend a minimum of $50 and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card (be sure to request the discount). Read all of the restrictions on the Disney Visa website. Free 5×7 character photo at a private meet and greet location at Epcot Present your Disney's Premier Visa Card or Disney Rewards Visa Card for access to a private character meet and greet at Epcot for the cardholder and up to 5 guests. The event is hosted daily from 1pm – 7pm inside Innoventions West at Epcot. You'll receive one free 5 x 7 character photo per day. |
Discounts for Florida Residents |
Room Discounts from January 4 to April 8, 2014 Florida residents enjoy a discount of up to 37 percent off regular room rates at select Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts from January 4 to 18 and March 14 to 29, 2014. Advance reservations required; other discounts available during this time period. Must book before April 8. As with all discounts, rooms available at these rates are limited, and minimum length-of-stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. No group rates or other discounts apply. Campsites, three-bedroom Grand Villas, and standard rooms at Disney's Art of Animation Resort are not included. Discounts vary by accommodation type and date, and availability varies by date. Moderate and Deluxe Resort suites may be available at a lower discount—check with your travel agent. Full details on the offer website. You can make your reservation through the Walt Disney World website or by calling (407) 939-7926 or your favorite travel agent. MousePlanet's preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link). From January 4 to 18 and March 14 to 29, 2014:
From March 6 to 13, 2014 (Spring Break Travel):
Check with a travel agent or Walt Disney World for other rate discounts during this time period. |
Discounts for U.K. Residents |
2014 Free Dining offer for U.K. residents 2014 Free Dining offers for U.K. residents have been released. From the information posted on the Virgin Holidays website, it appears the 2014 program offers free Quick Service Dining Plan plan when booking at a Moderate resort, and free Dining Plan when booking at Deluxe resorts, Old Key West or Saratoga Springs. There are also offers for a free $200 Disney Gift Card and/or a 14-day ticket for the price of a 7-day ticket depending on travel dates. These particular offers are valid for U.K. residents only. |
