Update for August 5 – 11, 2014
Go directly to: News & Views | Join our Networks | Resort Events | Refurbishments and Attraction Closures | Discounts and Promotions | Comments
News and Views
Changes made to 2015 Walt Disney World vacation packages | 2015 Disney Dining Plan information released | Tables in Wonderland policy changes | Three new experiences added to Epcot Food and Wine Festival | Ribbon cutting held at new Four Seasons Orlando | Haunted Mansion to receive gift shop this fall | Quick takes | Question of the Week | Crowd update
Changes made to 2015 Walt Disney World vacation packages
Walt Disney World opened reservations for 2015 vacation packages last week and visitors can expect some changes regarding what's included as “magical extras.”
According to our sponsors at Small World Vacations, Walt Disney World added many new benefits for anyone booking a 2015 resort vacation including:
- Joffrey's Coffee and Tea Company – 20 percent discount at select locations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort
- Walt Disney World Tours – 15 percent discount on select tours at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Bongos Cuban Café located at Downtown Disney West Side – 15 percent discount on food, nonalcoholic beverages, and merchandise
- Paradisio 37 located at Downtown Disney West Side – 20 percent discount on food and nonalcoholic beverages for lunch
- Arribas Brothers located at Downtown Disney Marketplace – 10 percent discount on purchases (restrictions apply)
- The Hair Wrap Company – one charm with a value of $5 with purchase of a hair wrap at select WDW locations
- Hoypoloi Gallery located at Downtown Disney West Side – 10 percent discount on merchandise (restrictions apply)
- Pop Gallery located at Downtown Disney West Side – 10 percent discount on merchandise (restrictions apply)
- Something Silver located at Downtown Disney West Side – 15 percent discount on merchandise
- Planet Hollywood – $15 voucher for food and nonalcoholic beverages and one keepsake souvenir per package located at Downtown Disney West Side (valid for dine-in only)
- Basin – 10 percent off entire purchase at Basin located at Downtown Disney Marketplace or Basin White at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Other changes:
- Magic Your Way Packages with Dining packages – various changes, including the removal of Disney PhotoPass photos at Cinderella's Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Character Breakfast
- Premium Package – removal of Magic Kingdom Wishes Nighttime Spectacular fireworks viewing and Epcot IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth viewing. This may now be booked through My Disney Experience.
- Platinum Package – removal of Magic Kingdom Wishes Nighttime Spectacular fireworks viewing and Epcot IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth viewing. This may now be booked through My Disney Experience.
Small World Vacations also said that as of right now, AAA has no active discounts for 2015 Walt Disney World vacation packages, but this may change in the future.
2015 Disney Dining Plan information released
Last week, Walt Disney World released information about the 2105 Disney Dining Plan. Visitors can purchase a Disney Dining Plan as an add-on to their resort vacation packages. The plan gives them an allotment of pre-paid meals and snacks to use during their stay. For 2015, Disney continues to include a Rapid Fill refillable mug that can be used at the visitor's home resort for free drink refills on non-alcoholic beverages.
Disney published documents for each version of its dining plan, which offer a breakdown of what each plan includes. Here are the links for the 5 Disney Dining Plan options:
- Quick service dining plan
- Regular dining plan
- Deluxe dining plan
- Premium dining plan
- Platinum dining plan
The 2015 Disney Dining Plan option is valid for arrival dates from January 1, through December 31, 2015.
Tables in Wonderland policy changes
As of August 1, 2014, Tables in Wonderland changed a number of things related to its food and drink discount program, according to MousePlanet sponsor TouringPlans.com. The Tables in Wonderland discount card can be purchased by Florida residents and Walt Disney World annual and season passholders, as well as Disney Vacation Club members. The card entitles the holder to a 20 percent discount on food and drink at participating restaurants on select days throughout the year.
One of the major changes includes additional blackout dates for select restaurants beyond the already scheduled dates of Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. The additional dates include November 23–29; December 21–27; March 8 through April 4, 2015; and May 31 through June 20, 2015 at the following:
- 1900 Park Fare
- Chef Mickey’s
- ‘Ohana (dinner only)
- Cinderella’s Royal Table
- Les Chefs de France
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
- Le Cellier Steakhouse
For more information, visit the official Tables in Wonderland website.
Three new experiences added to Epcot Food and Wine Festival
MousePlanet received word from Disney Parks Blog and TouringPlans.com about three new experiences coming to the 2014 Food and Wine Festival: the Eat to the Beat dining packages, Late Nights LIVE, and the Epcot Food and Wine Festival Premium Package.
The TouringPlans.com report said that the new Eat to the Beat dining packages offer visitors a chance to eat either lunch or dinner at one of 13 participating Epcot restaurants as well as reserve a seat for one of that day's Eat to the Beat concert performances. Participating restaurants include:
- England's Rose and Crown Pub
- Germany's Biergarten
- The Land pavilion's The Garden Grill
- The Seas pavilion's Coral Reef
- China's Nine Dragons
- Morocco's Restaurant Marrakesh
- Mexico's San Angel Inn and La Hacienda de San Angel
- Italy's Via Napoli and Tutto Italia
- France's Les Chefs de France
- Japan's Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo
Lunch prices range from $34.99 to $59.99 ($12.99 to $18.99 for children ages 3 through 9); dinner prices range from $49.99 to $74.99 ($16.75 to $28.99 for children ages 3 through 9). Prices do not include tax or gratuity. Packages can be booked by calling (407) 939-1889.
According to the Disney Parks Blog, visitors can also enjoy The 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival: Late Nights LIVE from 9:00 p.m. through 1:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the annual festival. This special event, located between the World Showcase Plaza and the United Kingdom pavilion, features food from select festival marketplaces (including Hawaii and Greece), live music, entertainment, and a DJ. Tickets are $79, plus tax and can be purchased by calling (407) 939-3378. Ticket price includes admission to Epcot starting at 9:00 p.m. only. Additional theme park admission must be purchased for those wanting to enter before the party.
The final new experience is the Epcot Food & Wine Premium Package, available from noon to 8:00 p.m. on select Mondays through Thursdays throughout the festival. Anyone staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel (including the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels), can buy a ticket, entitling them to an in-room gift with wine, a festival wine glass, a special festival MagicBand, a $50 Disney gift card, truffles and access to the premium areas at the festival. In this 10 reserved areas, ticket holders can order from the festival marketplaces and have the food delivered directly to them. The package also includes one admission to Late Nights LIVE! Tickets cost $199 per person, plus tax, plus Epcot admission. To book the premium package, call (407) 939-1889.
Ribbon cutting held at new Four Seasons Orlando
The new Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort held its ribbon-cutting ceremony last week as it prepared to welcome its first guests on Sunday, August 3, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
The 443-room resort, with room rates running up to $600 per night, offers visitors the benefits of staying on a Walt Disney World resort property while providing them with upscale accommodations (many with views of the Magic Kingdom's nightly fireworks). Guests have access to a Disney Planning Center, where cast members help people plan their trips, purchase tickets, make reservations, and more.
Disney character dining is also available at the Four Seasons Orlando at Ravello, an Italian restaurant, featuring a “Goofy and Pals” breakfast on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Younger guests can enjoy “magical moment makeovers” where girls can become princesses and the boys are made into valiant knights.
Visit the Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort official website for more information on the hotel and its amenities.
Haunted Mansion to receive gift shop this fall
Fans of the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion can look forward to a brand new gift shop featuring attraction-themed merchandise scheduled to open sometime this fall.
The new Haunted Mansion-themed shop will be located in Liberty Square, where Yankee Trader resided until it permanently closed on July 27, 2014. Haunted Mansion merchandise fans can find clothing, home goods, souvenirs and much more at the new location when it opens.
Disney did not provide a firm opening date as of this update, but keep an eye out for updates in the future.
Quick takes
…Happy belated birthday to Disney Hollywood Studio's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which celebrated 15 years of thrilling riders last week. The attraction officially opened on July 29, 1999.
…An update from Disney's Polynesian Resort: guests currently staying at the resort can now receive free admission to Blizzard Beach for each day of their stay due to the main pool's refurbishment. This is a change from its previous policy, which MousePlanet reported on back in May, which only allowed one day's admission during a guest's stay. In addition to the free admission, the resort buses guests to and from the water park, provides a free beach towel and will now allow guests to use their Rapid Fill refillable mug, if they purchased it during their trip.
…The Chase Lounge returns for the 2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival for the third year in a row, according to our sponsor TouringPlans.com. Located in the American Adventure parlor, this lounge is provided to Disney Visa Card holders who purchases an Epcot theme park admission. While in the lounge, guests can relax, get a free soft drink and cool off in the air conditioning. In previous years, beer and wine were sold in the lounge, but this has not been confirmed as of this update. Also, the option to secure a preferred viewing location for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth or the Eat to the Beat concerts has not been confirmed at this point.
Question of the Week
This week's question comes from MousePad forum member dawz1026, who asked about favorite counter service restaurants.
So, we want to know, what are your favorite Walt Disney World counter service restaurants?
Join the conversation about this topic and many more related to Walt Disney World travel over at the MousePad discussion forum.
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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
- Richard Petty's Junior Ride-Along Experience – at the Richard Petty's Driving Experience.
- Harambe Nights – every Saturday night through August 9. Disney's Animal Kingdom.
- Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party – September 1, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28; October 2, 3, 5, 9. 10, 13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 31.
- Disney's Night of Joy 2014 – September 5–6.
- Disney Trade Celebration Imagination Gala – September 5–7 at Epcot.
- Epcot After-Hours Wind Down – through September 15. Epcot, World Showcase (reservations required).
- Epcot International Food and Wine Festival – September 19 through November 10.
- Disney Fit Challenge – September 26–28. More information on the Disney Sports website.
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend – October 3–4.
- Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic – October 31 and November 1. Tickets and packages now on sale.
- Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – November 7–8.
- Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party – November 7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21, 30; December 2,4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19
- Destination D: Attraction Rewind – November 22–23. Additional details expected to be released this spring. The event was originally announced for July 26–27, but was rescheduled.
2015
- Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 7–11, 2015.
- Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 19–22, 2015.
runDisney events
If 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.
2014
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend – October 3–4.
- Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – November 7–8.
2015
- Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 7–11, 2015.
- Disney Castaway Cay Challenge – January 12, 2015 – sailing on the Disney Dream.
- Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 19–22, 2015. Most events sold out.
For current information on registration dates and capacity, see Lorree Tachell's runDisney Race Capacity Updates in the Team MousePlanet forum on our MousePad discussion board.
Refurbishments and Attraction Closures
Magic Kingdom
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – closed through August 4 for refurbishment.
- Liberty Square Riverboat – closed August 4–8 for refurbishment.
- Mickey's Philharmagic – closed September 8–19 for refurbishment.
- Astro Orbiter – closed through September 19 for refurbishment.
- Walt Disney's Carousel of Progres – closed September 22–27 for refurbishment.
- Walt Disney World Railroad Fantasyland Station – closed September 28 through November 8 for refurbishment.
- Walt Disney World Railroad Frontierland Station – closed September 28 through November 8 for refurbishment.
- Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street U.S.A. Station – closed September 28 through November 8 for refurbishment
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin – closed November 10–21 for refurbishment
- Cinderella's Royal Table – closed January 5 through March 6, 2015 for refurbishment.
Epcot
- No known refurbishments at this time.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Fantasmic! – closed November 19–November 21, 2014 for refurbishment
- The American Idol Experience – permanently closes on January 5, 2015.
Disney's Animal Kingdom
- It's Tough to Be a Bug – closed through August 11 for refurbishment.
Resorts
As previously reported by MousePlanet, 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.
- All Star Music Resort – refurbishment of its Intermission Food Court beginning on August 1 and scheduled for reopening on December 21, according to our sponsor TouringPlans.com.
- Polynesian – Never Land Club Children's Activity Center closed for refurbishment through January 1, 2015.
- Polynesian – refurbishment of the lobby ongoing.
- Wilderness Lodge – refurbishment of its Silver Creek Springs Pool from September 3 through late November 2014.
Water Parks
- Typhoon Lagoon – the entire park closed October 26 through December 20 for refurbishment.
- Blizzard Beach – the the entire park closed January 4, 2015 through March 3, 2015.
Elsewhere
- 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 Pleasure 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 |
2014 Free Dining offer for general public Sue from Small World Vacations reports the general public can book a free dining package for specific dates beginning Wednesday, May 7. Offer details: 2014 Vacation Dates
Free Quick Service Plan
Free Table Service Dining Plan
Offer Restrictions
Save up to 30 percent with Room Only Discount Visitors can receive up to a 30 percent discount when making a room only reservation at the Walt Disney World Resort on most arrival days from August 16 through October 3. Offer exclusions include all of Bay Lake Tower, the Grand Floridian & Spa Villas, and the Art of Animation Little Mermaid Rooms. 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 can 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. Special offer 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 |
Save up to 30 percent* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels Disney released a number of summer travel discounts covering arrivals between August 16 and October 3, 2014. They are tiered by resort and length of stay, with a 5 percent bonus for stays of 6 nights or longer. Book through August 8, 2014. Offer Details:
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Discounts for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders |
2014 Free Dining Offer for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders Sue from Small World Vacations reports the Disney Rewards VISA and Debit Card Holders can now get a free dining discount when booking a qualifying Walt Disney World vacation package. Offer details: 2014 Vacation Dates
Free Quick Service Plan
Free Table Service Dining Plan
Offer Restrictions
Room and ticket discount for travel dates from February 24 through 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 percent off select guided tours Disney Visa cardholders receive 20 percent 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 percent off select restaurants Disney Visa cardholders receive 10 percent 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 percent off merchandise Disney Visa cardholders receive 10 percent 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 to 7pm inside Innoventions West at Epcot. You'll receive one free 5 x 7 character photo per day. |
Discounts for Florida Residents |
Save up to 35 percent* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels Disney released a number of summer travel discounts covering arrivals between June 15 and August 28, 2014. They are tiered by resort and length of stay, with a 5 percent bonus for stays of 6 nights or longer. Book through June 6, 2014. Offer Details:
Disney's All-Star Movies Resort is NOT included in this discount. |
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. |
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