Writer’s Note, News & Views
The updated “Country Bears Musical Jamboree” officially opened today, July 17th, at Magic Kingdom. This new/reimagined version of the Country Bears show features country-and-western versions of popular Disney songs including “Try Everything” from Zootopia, and “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, among others. If you would like to know all about the updated backstories for each of the bears in the show, Disney Parks Blog bares it all. This morning, Disney Parks Blog posted this link to the full playlist on available on Spotify (Update in the evening from a press release: plus here on Apple Music and here on Amazon Music). If you are an Apple Music subscriber, you can still find the original 1971 playlist here.
As I’ve mentioned quite a few times over quite a long period of time, we expect Disney Parks will finally make its next batch of big announcements about what its plans are for Walt Disney World Resort at the upcoming D23: The Ultimate Fan Event in Anaheim. The Disney Experiences Showcase is set for Saturday, August 10 at the Honda Center, at 7 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (that’s 10 p.m. out here in the Eastern Daylight Time Zone). The official D23 website event schedule reminds us all that, all the “Evening shows at the Honda Center are for D23 Ultimate Fan Pass ticket holders only. There are no reservations or stand-by queues available for the Honda Center.” In other words, if you were not fortunate enough to secure a ticket (and, if you recall, it sold out quickly earlier this year), you will not be admitted. D23 description of the showcase is pretty bare bones:
Join us on Saturday, August 10, at 7:00 p.m. at the Honda Center for an immersive celebration of Disney Experiences around the world. Accompanied by a special lineup of musical numbers, surprise appearances, and a few familiar faces, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro will host this exciting showcase, woven together by the theme of music. Throughout the show, fans can expect updates on new and highly anticipated projects across Disney Experiences, along with new ways for generations of fans to connect with their favorite Disney stories
Note: Though the Parks/Experiences presentation has been named “Horizons,” don’t assume that a pavilion with that name is coming back to EPCOT. In fact, when I saw the image, my first thought was the old adage, “the future is always ahead of us,” which means we never really reach that point, do we?
So, happy 69th Anniversary today the Disney Park that started it all, Disneyland. Disneyland is marking it with a limited-time $69 ticket offer for Anaheim residents only for visits between August 5 and September 26, 2024. Here in Central Florida, it’s our usual hot and humid summer and Tropical Storm season. The Florida Resident ticket offers remain unchanged and social media reports keep saying the parks are a whole lot less crowded than they had been. The heat and humidity certainly is keeping me from popping over there during the daytime, and the afternoon thunderstorms have lingered into the evening on a few occasions lately, making even popping over in the evening less attractive.
DOLE Whip Day Just Ahead
DOLE Whip Day is tomorrow, July 18th. MousePlanet was invited by Disney to a preview “DOLE Whip Dash experience” yesterday, July 16th, with stops at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. As I had already accepted an invitation to visit Evermore Resort yesterday to preview its holiday offerings (more on that below), I asked my friend Paula Kennedy, owner of DisneyOver50.com, to enjoy the treats on our behalf and to share them with you. Here is her report.
DOLE Whip Day is the third Thursday of each July. The timing is perfect, because DOLE Whip is a refreshing treat to enjoy on a hot summer’s day! To celebrate, I was part of a hosted group, invited by Disney, to take part in a DOLE Whip Dash for MousePlanet and my site, Disney Over 50. We had the opportunity to try DOLE Whip throughout Walt Disney World.
DOLE Whip was originally called DOLE Pineapple Whip, but now there are other flavors. Most of those flavors are plant-based and gluten-free. (If you follow a special diet, always double-check.) DOLE Whip is also relatively low in calories, compared to most other Walt Disney World snacks.
You can find DOLE Whip in three of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Disney Springs, and at some of the resorts. Depending on the location, you can purchase it in a cup, a cone, as a float, as a sundae, or even try a sampler. It’s a treat that won’t blow your vacation budget, but will put a smile on your face.
Disney Parks Blog has published its Foodie Guide for the Dole treats across all of the domestic Disney Parks and Experiences locations, and it published a recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cake you can try at home.
Evermore Orlando Resorts Offers Family and Group Gatherings
As mentioned above, the folks at Evermore Orlando Resort invited MousePlanet over for a preview of its first ever holiday season’s offerings. As you may recall, Evermore just debuted earlier this year. It is located literally right across the road from Walt Disney World Resort on land that still includes golf courses of the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress (the hotel’s tower can easily be seen from Disney Springs just off Disney property).
Evermore is a brand new vacation destination designed for families and gatherings of all sizes with all with the services and conveniences of a hotel. It is really the first resort operation of its kind in Central Florida. Evermore offers luxury accommodations from 2-bedroom villas, to 4- bedroom Flats, and Vacation Homes with up to 11 bedrooms which sleep up to 32 guests in 7800 square feet. Each accommodation type includes a large common area for gathering, a full kitchen, plus a washer & dryer. The Evermore Resort also includes a more traditional-style luxury hotel, the Conrad Orlando, with 433 rooms and suites. Conrad is a luxury hotel brand of Hilton.
Evermore Resort says that it is ready to become “A Home for Your Holidays,” by offering your gathering of family and/or friends, “the simple joys of the holidays.” Its concept is to allowing guests to spending more time together by having the Evermore Orlando Resort team take care of as much of the decorating, cooking, and cleaning as its guests want. As its leadership describes their thinking, the resort provides the accommodations and services that allow a large family gathering, without one or more family members having to be the ones designated to do all the preparations, tidying up before the gathering, and cleaning up afterwards. These sorts of hotel-style services are available on a flexible à la carte basis priced based on the size of the unit guests have chosen.
For the holidays, Evermore vacation package options include:
- Evermore to Your Door – Evermore’s culinary team will provide fully catered meals delivered to guests’ units. Special holiday menus will be offered for Thanksgiving and Christmas, featuring holiday favorites like herb-crusted prime rib, sweet potato casserole and apple pie.
- Seasonal Decor Packages – Guests can delight in the ambiance of the holidays – just like at home – but with none of the work! Decoration packages designed by local Orlando company Our Comfort & Joy creates the ideal holiday setting for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and December’s holidays.
- Housekeeping Services – Skip the clean up and get back to making memories! Guests will select from several à la carte housekeeping options.
- Entertainment – Evermore will offer a variety of seasonal activities throughout fall and winter. For Halloween, enjoy activities all week long, including trick-or-treating, a Monster Mash Pool Party and more. Daily fall festivities, including Thanksgiving, will include harvest games and live entertainment. Winter fun for the whole family will feature reindeer games, elf activities, holiday bakeshop fun, menorah lightings and Santa sightings. Additional details will be announced at a later date.
Limited Time Special Offer – Families can save 20% on stays in 5–11-bedroom vacation homes November 15, 2024 – January 12, 2025, and enjoy a complimentary Evermore to Your Door holiday meal delivery and kitchen tidy-up service, when they book by September 30, 2024. Terms and conditions apply, including that stays must be at least 5 consecutive nights. To book, visit EvermoreResort.com and use promo code HOLIDAY24.
Evermore Resort’s booking system will allow multiple families splitting costs of the vacation home rentals to have separate payment accounts. In its promotional materials for the Fall/Winter 2024 season, Evermore breaks down its different accommodation sample prices by bedroom (though, of course, it rents a complete unit, not the individual bedrooms).
Villas: starting at $449/night (2 & 4 bedroom units, averages to $224 per bedroom)
Flats: starting at $611/night (4 bedroom units, averages to $153 per bedroom)
5 Bedroom Home: starting at $1,379/night (averages to $275 per bedroom)
9 Bedroom Home with Theater: starting at $2,465/night (averages to $273 per bedroom)
11 Bedroom Home: starting at $2,792/night (averages to $254 per bedroom)
The above sample pricing does not include any offers or promotions and the rates based on regular midweek season. Pricing increases on weekends and holidays.
The centerpiece of the resort is Evermore Bay, a 20 acre area of activity-rich beaches and crystal clear swimming areas. On one shore of Evermore Bay, Conrad Orlando offers a holiday getaway for travelers looking for luxury hotel accommodations, as well as couples or smaller families. A full slate of holiday offerings are available there too. In-room, guests can book décor packages and a gingerbread-house-making experience. Specialty food and beverage offerings will include holiday desserts, a hot chocolate bar and exclusive fireside s’mores in addition to Thanksgiving and Christmas buffets at Sophia’s Trattoria, a Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes at Sophia’s Trattoria and a New Year’s prix fixe menu at Ceiba.
Around Conrad Orlando, enjoy festive entertainment, including holiday family portrait sessions, visits with Santa in his vacation attire, carolers, and customized holiday poem writing. During Hanukkah, the resort will feature a nightly menorah lighting at sunset. Conrad Spa Orlando will feature an aroma therapy holiday special.
Guests can take advantage of Hilton Honors Advance Purchase to save on their 2024 Conrad Orlando holiday stay today at Hilton.com.
As mentioned above, the land of Evermore Resort has been the golf courses of the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. The resort still includes two 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed courses. Evermore dining options also include casual bites at a waterside food truck, to upscale dining overlooking Evermore Bay, pre-made meals delivered to the vacation homes, and even private chefs who can come cater to vacationers’ needs.
Views of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground’s Old Cabins
As mentioned in recent weeks, Disney Vacation Club is replacing the old cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground with new cabins that are part of the DVC ownership/membership program and which can be rented by members for points or anyone for a cash reservation. As I mentioned following the July 1 grand opening, the new cabins are being placed into service loop-by-loop at the campground. There are a number of loops that still have the old cabins, and some friends invited me to visit them during a stay last week. That invitation provided me with a nice opportunity to share one last look at the old cabins.
Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.
This & That & Reminders…
…NEW: EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival’s Eat to the Beat Concert Series schedule is now posted on the official TasteEPCOT.com website. The three times nightly concerts run from August 29 to November 18, 2024 at the America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase. As usual, the line up is a mix of returning performers and new ones, and attending concerts (by the standby queue or by watching from the standing area on the promenade) is included in park admission. Guaranteed seating is available for individual weekend concerts with purchased dining packages at participating table service restaurants; same-day dining packages are once again available at Regal Eagle Smokehouse (which Disney says may not be available on peak days). All dining packages are subject to selling out, and, of course, a dining reservation (even one for a package) does not guarantee admission to EPCOT, as that remains its usual separate thing requiring a ticket and, depending on ticket type, possibly a park reservation too.
…REMINDER: tickets for the second annual edition of Disney’s Hollywood Studios after-hours holiday party events, Disney Jollywood Nights, are now on sale on the Disney World website at DisneyWorld.com/Jollywood or by calling 407-934-7639. Ticket prices are $159 to $179 per ticket, plus tax (prices vary by event date and Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10/ticket). Tickets are also on sale for Magic Kingdom’s traditional holiday after-hours party events, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at DisneyWorld.com/VeryMerry or by calling 407-934-7639. Its ticket prices are $169 to $219 per ticket, plus tax (prices vary by event date, and Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10/ticket on select dates).
…REMINDER: the new Lightning Lane Pass sales (advance experience reservation system) I wrote about earlier this month goes live on July 24th, replacing Genie+.
…REMINDER: For nearly two decades, restaurants around Orlando annual have participated in Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining program. The participating restaurants offer three-course, prix-fixe dinners at “exceptional” prices. Every meal served supports charities. This year, the event runs August 16th through September 30th. Like last year, participating restaurants offer either $40 or $60 menus. Each of the offered three-course dinners includes the choice of an appetizer, entree and dessert from the restaurant’s Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu. Tax and gratuity are not included. The organizers ask that diners please tip based on the total meal value. Participating restaurants at Disney Springs include Summer House on the Lake, Jaleo, Maria & Enzo’s, and The Edison. Amare at The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is also participating, and there are several dozen more in the Lake Buena Vista, Dr. Phillips, and I-Drive area, all within a fairly short ride of Walt Disney World Resort (plus more Downtown Orlando and throughout the area getting up to that 150 participants number). For all the participating restaurants and their special menus, visit MagicalDining.com.
…REMINDER: The restaurants of Disney Springs are also celebrating the Flavors of Summer through August 11. There’s a whole Disney Parks Blog foodie guide to check out too.
…REMINDER: Guests at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant this summer at Disney Springs can also enjoy the new “Summer Lovin’ Menu” offerings from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The seasonal menu features four Raglan Road appetizers and five cocktail specials at just $10 each. Nine select entrees at $20 each include the restaurant’s famous Fish N Chips, Shepherd’s Pie (both Shepherd’s Pie to Try and This Shepherd Went Vegan pie), The OMG Burger, and That Salad with Chicken. Starters like the buttermilk-marinated Bang Bang Chicken or a Soul Soup & Salad Combo paired with the pub’s Irish Gunpowder gin-based Blathanna Blossom, the vodka-forward Blueberry Mint Lemonade, and other super summer sippers are also available. The Summer Lovin’ Menu will be served throughout summer at all indoor Raglan Road bars and tables, on the patio, and at the Hole in the Wall bar. The full All-Day Menu will be available daily as well.
…REMINDER: Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs is also offering Disney Annual Passholders a 20% off discount on lunch, both weekdays and weekends, through the end of September.
…REMINDER: On Thursday, August 22, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., The Edison at Disney Springs will host an special evening, featuring beverage creations and a bit of friendly rivalry amongst Central Florida’s top mixologists, like Blake Cain from Mather’s Social Gathering, Letisha Diaz from Prato in Winter Park and Chelsea Gilpin from The Edison. During the event, guests will sample and vote on cocktails crafted by local mixologists, while enjoying expertly prepared bites from various food stations. Alongside the culinary experience, the night will feature a silent auction with the proceeds benefiting Give Kids the World Village! Tickets are $85++ per person and extremely limited. Guests must be 21+ to attend. Visit this page on Tock for further information and to purchase tickets.
…REMINDER: Walt Disney World Golf will be hosting the 2024 PGA Family Golf Championship at Disney’s Palm Golf Course, September 28th & 29th, 2024. The PGA Family Golf Championship will bring together teams of 2 to 4 players, who are all biologically or legally related, to compete in two days of weekend fun and create great memories and moments with their loved ones. PGA Family Golf brings family members of all ages and skill levels together on multi-generational teams, and programs are hosted exclusively by PGA of America Golf Professionals and LPGA Professionals. Learn more on the official Walt Disney World Golf Blog.
…REMINDER: Applications are now open for the 2025 Disney Dreamers Academy event at www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com, where high school students looking to achieve their dreams can be nominated or apply themselves. Disney Dreamers Academy is an annual four-day transformational program at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, designed to broaden career and personal development for a select group of 100 teens from Black and underrepresented communities across America. The 100 selected students receive an all-expense-paid trip, along with one parent or guardian, to Walt Disney World Resort to experience a combination of inspiration, education and fun at The Most Magical Place on Earth. MousePlanet has been hosted by Disney at several past editions of Disney Dreamers Academy and has reported on them in past Walt Disney World Resort Updates.
…REMINDER: Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic celebrates 15 Years this year with the return of its Food & Wine Classic on Friday, November 15 and Saturday, November 16, 2024. The event will run an additional half-hour longer each evening than in the past, giving guests more time to enjoy the sips, flavors and music. Tickets are available now at SwanDolphinFoodAndWineClassic.com, including a bundle offering with a 15 percent discount for tickets for both Friday and Saturday night. The discounted bundle gives attendees a taste of everything the Food & Wine Classic has to offer, with different menu items featured each night. Additionally, favorite stations from years past will make an exclusive return, paying tribute to the event’s early years.
More information about the 2024 event, including educational seminars, will be released soon. For the latest information or to purchase tickets, guests can visit SwanDolphinFoodAndWineClassic.com, like swandolphinfwc on Facebook, or call 1-888-828-8850. Discounted hotel packages are available with proof of ticket purchase.
…REMINDER: Before the fall comes around, Florida residents and Disney Annual Passholders can save up to 30% off regular rates on hotel stays at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. Guests can visit swandolphin.com/offers/ for more information or to book.
…REMINDER: Give Kids the World Village, the 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Kissimmee that provides cost-free week-long trips to critically ill children and their families, announced that its Gingerbread Run is returning this fall and will take place at night – under the holiday lights! On Saturday, November 23, you’ll have the chance to run, roll or stroll a 5K or family fun run through the whimsical storybook Village illuminated by thousands of holiday lights. Information and registration is available on this page of the Village’s website.
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Resort Reservations, Ticket Advice & Special Offers
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.
The 4-day Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket is $235 ($59 per day), plus tax, and offers admission to one theme park per day. The ticket is valid through September 28, 2024, and park reservations are required. The ticket can be used on consecutive or non-consecutive days, and there is no fuse, so you can use the first admission in April and space out your remaining visits over the summer.
A 3-day version of the ticket is also available for $219 ($73 per day).
Both of these tickets also offer optional upgrades:
- Park Hopper Option
—$40 More Per Ticket, Plus Tax.
Visit more than one theme park on the same day. - Water Park and Sports Option
—$35 More Per Ticket, Plus Tax.
Visit one theme park per day. Plus, get a certain number of visits to a water park, golf course or miniature golf course based on the length of your ticket. For example, if you purchase a 3-Day Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket with the Water Park and Sports option, you can visit a Walt Disney World theme park on 3 days with an advance theme park reservation—and visit a Disney water park on 3 additional days by September 28, 2024. - Park Hopper Plus Option
—$55 More Per Ticket, Plus Tax.
Visit more than one theme park on the same day. Plus, get a certain number of visits to a water park, golf course or miniature golf course based on the length of your ticket. This option is a combination of the Park Hopper option and the Water Park and Sports option.
It really is important to stress the necessity for making your park reservations as soon as you complete your purchase. Disney is only setting aside a limited number of reservations for this ticket type each day, and states, “Reservations may be unavailable for any particular date or park, especially as you get closer to the date of visit or ticket expiration date.”
If you are not a Florida Resident, or you are, but park reservations are not available for the dates you want to visit, Disney is also offering the 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket from $99 Per Day, Plus Tax (Total Price from $396, Plus Tax). The 4-Park Magic Ticket includes one admission to each of the 4 Walt Disney World theme parks—Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios—for a total of 4 admissions, on 4 separate days. Limit one admission per theme park, one theme park per day. This is a date-based ticket, so it does not require a theme park reservation to enter a park, but you must pick a start date through September 22, 2024, and the ticket must be used within 7 days of the selected start date. This ticket cannot be used to enter the same theme park more than once.
If you are willing to skip Magic Kingdom, Disney is also offering a Special 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom only, starting from $89 per day, plus tax (total price starting from $267, plus tax). This is also a date-based ticket that does not require a theme park reservation to enter a park, but you must pick a start date through September 24, 2024, and the ticket must be used within 5 days of the selected start date.
Disney+ subscribers can get a FREE dining plan when purchasing a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option. This offer is valid for arrivals most nights through September 30, 2024. Visit DisneyWorld.com/SpecialOffers for additional offer details!
Disney Rewards Visa Card users can get a free dining plan when using the card to purchase a non-discounted 4-night/4 day Walt Disney Travel Company Package including room at select hotels and tickets with Park Hopper Option for arrivals most nights through July 31, September 1 – 7, and December 9 – 21, 2024. More details, restrictions, information, and the opportunity to book are on this page of the DisneyWorld website.
Florida residents can save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for stays most nights through October 3, 2024. Which resort qualifies for which discount and booking opportunities are available on this page of DisneyWorld.com.
Details and more special offers are available on this page of DisneyWorld.com.
MousePlanet’s travel partner Get Away Today is available to help you book rooms and packages.
REMINDER: Get Away Today’s Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages can now be booked completely on its website! No cumbersome quotes needed! Simply compare all your favorite Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Get Away Today’s hand selected off-property hotels in a few clicks, and then customize for your included tickets for your vacation.
Get Away Today’s Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages now have the option to add Layaway Plans, which allow you to pay the total balance up to eight days prior to travel. You can also add their popular “Peace of Mind Plan” when booking a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, which allows any reschedules and cancellations up to five days prior to travel with no penalty.
When booking with Get Away Today, all Walt Disney World Resort on-site packages include Get Away Today’s e-concierge, which includes its Best Price Guarantee, Dining Reservation Reminders, access to their Concierge Team email for help before and during your vacation, and more.
Looking to go beyond Walt Disney World Resort when visiting Central Florida? Check out Get Away Today’s Universal Orlando Resort ticket offers too.
Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or a travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today! As always, we remind our readers that Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Florida or eligible for U.S. Military Personnel benefits. Historically, non-Florida residents tend to benefit the most by purchasing tickets in advance (and, of course, being mindful of the rules relevant to those tickets). Don’t get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside Disney property stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Walt Disney World Theme Park admissions, and may result in denial of entry. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks.
