2014 Resolution: Plan a Vacation to Disney World!

People have all sorts of resolutions. Lose weight. Be organized. Play nice. Eat in more, eat out less. You get the idea. Here's one of my favorites: Have some time to sit back, relax, and chill out with those you love.

Otherwise known as a vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth!

This is one of my favorite family photos of ours.

Not every resolution comes with people who can help you make it happen, but that last one sure does! And guess who wants to help you? Disney!

Introducing:

2014 FAMILY TIME RESOLUTIONS

Even The Bathrooms Are Magical

One of my favorite newly constructed themed areas is the Rapunzel themed area in New Fantasyland inside the Magic Kingdom.

The tower itself has been up for awhile, peeking out from atop the construction wall. When it was revealed, guests literally were immersed in the Tangled village, dancing among the lanterned village "shops".

Still Working On The Railroad: Construction News

I love how the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride is coming right along. We're slightly ahead of schedule, which (fingers crossed) maybe means we could open before originally projected dates? On time, yes. But early? How fun would that be?

Here are the latest pictures, taken from just in front of Beast's Castle,

Eat to the Beat, at Disney's EPCOT

Every year, coinciding with the Food and WIne Festival at EPCOT, Disney invites some wonderful musical acts from the 70's, 80's and 90's to perform for you for FREE with your park ticket admission!  You simply come in, enjoy the park, and enjoy your show, with our without snacks in hand!  

Daily show times for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series take place at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM.  

New acts this year include the Go-Go’s, Edwin McCain, The Manhattan Transfer, Wilson Phillips, Spin Doctors and

WIlderness Explorers at Animal Kingdom

Does your inner boy scout love to explore? Did you LOVE the movie "Up"? Well now YOU can be a WIlderness Explorer, just like Russell! Discover the nature all around Animal Kingdom, as your "Troop Leaders" (aka Cast Members) assist you in taking on challenges and activities around the park.  

Like Russell, you can earn badges for tracking animals, learning animal communication methods, or learning about African culture, exploring dinosaur fossils, or even recycling!

Earn all of your "badges" as you head through the park this fall. (And moms who like to keep moments, let me just say you have a FABULOUS scrapbooking opportunity.) ;-)

Night of Joy 2013

Disney's contemporary Christian music event is back for another year, September 6th and 7th! Night of Joy (which has really evolved to be TWO nights of Joy - how awesome is that?!?) is celebrating it's 30th year!!! Held inside the Magic Kingdom, performances from your favorite contemporary Christian artists will take place at several stages onsite between 7 pm and 12:30 am, after the early closure of the park to non-ticketed guests. Yes, you CAN ride some of your favorite rides between jam sessions! 

Check out this lineup: 

Friday, September 6

• Skillet
• MercyMe
• Michael W. Smith
• Stephen Curtis Chapman
• Audio Adrenaline
• Mandisa 
• for King & Country
• Moriah Peters
• We As Human
• City Harbor

Saturday, September 7

• Newsboys
• Toby Mac
• Francesca Battistelli
• Building 429
• Group 1 Crew
• Matthew West
• PLUMB
• Jamie Grace

I cannot believe this lineup! And if that's not enough, Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith will perform together live, on the same stage! Woooo hooo!  

So here are the details about this event:

Night of Joy tickets are a special ticket. They get you into the park starting at 4 pm. You do not need to use your regular ticket to get in IF you are coming after 4 pm, but you MUST have a night of Joy ticket.

Prices are: $55.00 (plus tax) per person (all ages) for one night, with group tickets starting at $51 (plus tax) per person (all ages). Tickets for both nights are $99.00, plus tax for one person, and $94.00, plus tax per person for groups.

If this is ALL YOU, get your tickets early - they sell out in advance!

ºOº Karen

7.30

Monstrous Summer 2013 - Part 2 of 3 - Who to see, what to know, andwhere to go this summer at Disney...

Be sure and check out Mike and Sully's Monsters University Stage Show at Hollywood Studios. This Homecoming Party features the monsters of rock, Scare Supply, and are joined by our favorites, Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan!

You can catch this crew all summer long, along with "campus" cheerleaders who will teach you the Monsters University fight song!

Star Wars Weekends 2013 - Part 1 of 3 - Who to see, what to know, andwhere to go this summer at Disney...

Part 1: Who to See...

You know it, you love it - Star Wars Weekends is back at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Who to see: Actors and voice actors from Star Wars amd Star Wars: The Clone Wars are back for this annual event. Each weekend, the following stars will appear as well as your hosts, James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein.  Here's a list of scheduled celebrities for this year's event:

Weekend I (May 17–19)
Ray Park (Darth Maul – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett – Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Captain Rex – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Weekend II (May 24-26) - Also Memorial Day Weekend, AND 24-hr day weekend
Ray Park (Darth Maul – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok – Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
Jim Cummings (voice of Hondo Ohnaka – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Weekend III (May 31 – June 2)
Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok – Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar – Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
Sam Witwer (voice of Darth Maul – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Weekend IV(June 7-9)
Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian – Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca – Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
Tom Kane (voice of Yoda – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Things to do: 

1) Take your photo with a “life-size” rancor. For you Star Wars newbies, a rancor is a giant beast, and Jabba the Hutt’s prized pet in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. 

2) See “Obi-Wan & Beyond” (each event day), a special show which stars James Arnold Taylor. 

3) See a martial arts demonstration by the actor who portrayed Darth Maul in the special show “Visit to the Maul” (Weekends I and II) featuring Ray Park.

4)  “An Ewok’s Tale – my short story” (Weekends II and III) stars Warwick Davis. Guests get a unique look into the fascinating world of this Star Wars legend.

5) Catch Chip and Dale dressed as Ewoks, and even grab a photo with them.

6) Permanently cast yourself in stormtrooper gear. 

Yes, D-Tech Me is back, an experience where you can literally have your own likeness made into a 3-D figurine. A few simple 3-D full-face scans later, and voila! You have a permanent Stormtrooper in your mailbox a few weeks later. For hard-core fans, this one-of-a-kind souvenir is more valuable than a Picasso print!

Make sure you arrive early, as the shows do fill up quickly, and lines will form early for celebrity autographs. (And send me a picture of your D-Tech Me figurine! I might just feature it on my Facebook page!)

New Disney World Sale Released for Late Summer...

Eenie Meenie, Miney Mo. To Which Disney Resort Should I Go? Not sure which Disney Resort is right for you this Fall? Will certain specials steer you one way or another? Here's a little insight to help you decide.  Disney has released their Disney-Visa-Cardholder-Only discount for hotel rooms for the late summer.  Need details? Here you go: Save up to 30% on Walt Disney World Resort hotel stays, most nights 8/15/13 – 9/28/13. Discounts off basic room-only rates vary based on the resort. 

• 5% off – all Deluxe suites, All-Star Movies, Animal Kingdom Lodge (savannah view and Club Level), Animal Kingdom
• 15% off - Art of Animation (all room types except the Little Mermaid rooms), All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, Pop Century
• 20% off - Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans-Riverside, and Ft. Wilderness Cabins as well as Wilderness Lodge
• 30% off – Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard/pool view rooms), Yacht and Beach Club, Beach Club Resort Villas, Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Polynesian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, and Contemporary resort and Bay Lake Tower.  

The fine print: Ft. Wilderness campground, some 3-bedroom villas and the Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation Resort are not included in this offer. Some resorts, room types and date combinations will not be available. If you don't have a Disney Visa, don't worry. Non cardholders can have these sale rates in just a few days. 

Now I know what you're thinking. "Karen, I want an entire package. not just a room." No worries! I can add tickets and your choice of dining plan, which will still save you money overall.  

More fine print: You have to book by 7/31/13.  If you're choosing room-only, you need only pay for one night's room and tax up front, and the rest is due upon arrival. If you choose to do a full vacation including tickets and dining, the full balance is due 45 days prior to arrival. Still confused? Just contact me and I'll help you choose the right resort for your family. See ya real soon!

°o° ~ Karen

I've Been Working on the Railroad...

One of my to-do items for my recent trip was to scope out the current level of construction on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride. For those of you who rode Snow White's Scary Adventure while it was open, you can see just by looking at the coaster rail that this ride is VERY different.

Imagineers have designed an amazing ride system that allows each mine car to individually swing back and forth as the train twists and turns along the track. I for one, cannot wait to see another true coaster ride open at the Magic Kingdom, and these rails just make me want to whip out my calendar and plan a trip for opening weekend.

Here's a sneak peek. Mind you, if I were five feet taller, you'd have a much better peek but as it is, you'll just have to oooh and aaah along with the rest of us who can barely see over the top of the imagineering wall.

See ya real soon,

Karen

New Testing at Test Track

You already know that EPCOT's Test Track has undergone an amazing new refurbishment, but have you heard the latest news?

Today on Test Track, I ran into Cast Member Jesse. Jesse was holding this sweet board, can you see what's on it?

First, note the new plastic cards. They're park tickets, and they replace the PAPER tickets you're used to if you stay offsite (or if you're an annual Passholder). Aren't they pretty? And check out the new Minnie character. So excited for a girl-card! Check out the back of the card.

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Do you see the My Disney Experience logo, mid-bottom? I'm sure you are wondering what the two have to do with each other. Well, check it out.

When the Test Track refurbishment first opened, there were two different but similar experiences. For guests in the stand-by line, you would come in, get a plain white card on a rubber band string, and head to the design area where you designed the "car" that you are testing. You choose your color, choose the features of your car, then load the car you've designed onto your plain white card. Just before you board your vehicle, you load the newly designed vehicle, and board your custom car. Sweet, right? 

The refurbishment made the complete ride experience much more personal. You are no longer riding en masse on a course chosen by GM. Au contraire. Now you're riding in a car YOU designed, racing against everyone else, vying for the top score to beat at the end of the race.

Two big differences are currently in the works. First, instead of using the generic white card to design and track your car, NOW your park tickets or your Key to the World card (with the My Disney Experience at the bottom) will do the same thing. Second (are you paying attention?) Currently, there are two ways to design your car. The full configuration takes place on the stand-by side, while FastPass guests only get to choose two aspects of the configuration. Today, Test Track was testing full configuration ability for BOTH stand-by AND FastPass riders! Plans for implementation are in the works pending feedback from today's testing! Is that awesome news, or what? Stay tuned for that awesome modification to the FastPass experience!

Perfect Timing!

I am so excited! Guess what's being released THE day of my next trip to Disney World? New park maps!  Ta daaaa!  Here's a sneak peek:

The good news is... guess when they're being released? March 3rd!  The GREAT news is... guess when my next Mission: Mouse trip to Disney World is? March 3rd!  GET OUTTA TOWN!  Coincidence? I think not!

My purpose for that trip is to catch some of the behind-the-scenes excursions and events that I haven't been able to do so far. (And yes, maybe even a few things that our family wouldn't normally do, like Characters in Flight, since several of my family members have height issues.)

So wish me safe travels, and look for those new maps coming your way soon!

ºOº Karen