It's official! The Force to expand at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Today at the D23 EXPO 2015, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced to an audience of more than 7,500 fans that Star Wars-themed lands will be coming to Disneyland park in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., allowing Star Wars fans to step into the stories from a galaxy far, far away.

Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single themed land expansions ever at 14 acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

These authentic lands will have two signature attractions. Along with the thrilling battle experience, another attraction puts guests behind the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, as they take on a customized secret mission.

Iger also shared concept images of the Star Wars-themed lands, giving fans a glimpse at what is to come for Disney parks.

The partnership between Disney and Lucasfilm dates back to 1987, when the successful Star Tours attraction, inspired by George Lucas’s legendary Star Wars film series, opened at Disneyland. The attraction was then redesigned, emerging as “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” in 2011 and featuring more than 50 different story outcomes and the possibility to visit five different planets.

For 60 years, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been delighting millions of people with fantastic storytelling, exceptional entertainment and extraordinary experiences, creating places where guests can make life-long memories with their friends and families. This announcement marks an unprecedented time of growth with exciting developments happening around the world – from Disneyland Resort’s Diamond Celebration to the anticipated opening of Shanghai Disney Resort in China.

Coming soon! The "Aveng-o-rail"

The Disney Parks Blog has announced the newest themed monorail will soon be gracing Walt Disney World's "highway in the sky" - The Avengers!

Much like the Tron-o-rail that helped to promote the release of Tron Legacy, the new Avengers monorail (I've dubbed it the Aveng-o-rail), will be an interesting sight to see.  The Avengers premieres May 4, so I expect this monorail will be running soon, probably within a few weeks.

Here's one question:  will you need SHIELD clearance to ride it?

It all started 40 years ago today...

Today marks a very special day for me and for countless Disney fans. Today in 1971 the Magic Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World.

While I was not there in person (I was only 9 months old), I have felt connected to Walt Disney World for as long as I can remember.

Since that moment, central Florida, the nation and the world have never been the same. Within a few years, WDW was THE place for people to visit and it has become a rite of passage for American families and a destination for victorious athletes (remember "I'm going to Disney World!").

On behalf of myself and the millions of Disney fans around the world, I want to wish a very happy birthday to Walt Disney World and to all those cast members who have been with the parks for 40 years and I also wish all the best for the next 40 years!

Tip Tuesday: Hurricanes and Disney

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!
(Yes, it's Wednesday. The "great" East Coast earthquake kept me busy yesterday.)

While the East Coast is still reeling from the Virginia earthquake (the center was about 150 miles from here), another major natural disaster is taking aim on the Caribbean and the East Coast shoreline.

All this talk of hurricanes led me to today's tip -- how Disney handles hurricanes.

There are two different sections of Disney that I'll discuss when it comes to hurricanes -- Walt Disney World (including Disney's Vero and Hilton Head resorts) and the Disney Cruise Line. Then I'll discuss what you should do to be prepared should tropical weather impact your trip or cruise.

Walt Disney World
The chances of a hurricane-force winds itself hitting Walt Disney World are nowhere near as likely as the coast, though if a major storm where to make landfall in Florida, it is possible that WDW could see winds in excess of 74 mph.

Disney keeps a close eye on tropical systems and has been known to close the parks should weather conditions become too dangerous for guests. The first time the Disney parks closed due to hurricanes was for Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Since that first closings, the parks have closed for hurricanes several times in the last 12 years (it closed twice in 2004 for Hurricanes Charley and Frances).

In the event the parks are closed, guests usually are asked to stay in their resort. Cast members plan different inside events and activities including movie showings, special in-resort character meet-and-greets and more to ensure the Disney magic remains strong. Once the parks and weather conditions are safe for guests again, Disney will let you know so you can resume enjoy the parks.

If you're planning a trip to Walt Disney World and you see that a tropical system may interfere with your travels, you do have several options for cancelling/re-booking, depending on how your booked your trip.

IF you booked directly with Disney:
Disney's temporary hurricane policy is effective in the event a hurricane warning is issued no more than 7 days before your scheduled arrival date by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for the Orlando area or for your place of residence. It is also effective in the event a hurricane warning is issued for the Vero Beach area or Hilton Head Island area for Guests traveling to those destinations. Once that NHC warning has been issued, you can cancel and/or re-book your WDW vacation without any change fees. This DOES NOT apply to airfare.

IF you booked with a travel agency:
Disney's temporary hurricane policy DOES NOT apply. You will need to contact your travel agent to make arrangements. I talked with Vicki Damanti, my own agent with MEI & Mouse Fan Travel about how they handle hurricane-related cancellations and/or changes. She said that since Mouse Fan Travel is a no-fee agency, any possible change fees would come directly from the suppliers, including airfare (which can be expensive). One of the great benefits of working with a Disney Specialized travel like Mouse Fan Travel is that if you have to make last-minute changes, you don't have to spend hours on the phone. Just contact your agent, and they'll do the work for you.

Disney Cruise Line
The Disney Cruise Line handles hurricanes a little differently than Walt Disney World. First, being a ship, it can move out of the way while a hurricane passes by. Second, should weather make a particular port inaccessible, the ship can simply go to an alternate destination. "The wonderful thing about a cruise vacation is that we can easily modify our itinerary or course to avoid inclement weather and still provide a great vacation experience," Rebecca Peddie from the Disney Cruise Line explained to me. "Should changes in itineraries become necessary, information will be available to guests on our website at www.disneycruise.com or through our reservation center," she said.

Anyone booking a cruise also has to bear in mind that cruises do operate during the traditional hurricane season and changes in the itinerary always are possible, should extreme weather arise.

So if a hurricane is forecast for the Caribbean (or other cruise destinations), what should you do? To be honest... nothing. Really. Ride it out. Disney's not going to put any guest in harm's way and will (literally) go out of their way to make sure your cruise experience is a pleasant one. Well, you may want to do one thing: pack some Dramamine (or other motion sickness medicine) because you might experience some rough seas, even though the cruise ships (especially the Dream and the upcoming Fantasy) are so large you might not feel the sea swells.

If you really feel like you have to cancel/re-book, then you need to carefully read the terms and conditions before you consider taking any action because you WILL incur change fees. Depending on how much in advance you make your changes, the fees can be staggering, and your trip might even be completely non-refundable. Basically, once you book a cruise -- you need to be prepared to go on that cruise be they fair or foul seas.

Additional Considerations
However there is one way you can cover yourself should things go completely awry (not just due to hurricanes, but anytime) and that's by acquiring trip insurance.

MEI and Mouse Fan Travel's Vicki Damanti says trip insurance is strongly recommended for anyone booking a cruise because the chance/cancellation fees are so high. Insurance is suggested for those booking trips to Walt Disney World, especially longer trips with higher total costs. Damanti has one reminder for anyone thinking about purchasing trip insurance to protect against hurricanes: You have to purchase insurance BEFORE a storm is named. Once a storm is named, you can't purchase insurance to cover yourself should that storm interfere with your plans, so you do need to decide if you want travel insurance well in advance of your trip.

All this being said, I need to pass along another important piece of advance from Vicki: "Use some restraint," especially when it comes to hurricanes. There's a very good reason for this advice. Hurricane forecasts have a tendency to change frequently. One day a storm might be forecast to hit central Florida, but 24 hours later, the forecast track has changed and central Florida is in the clear. This is a common occurrence, as has been seen with the constantly changing forecasts for Hurricane Irene (which as of this post, is forecast to brush the North Carolina Outer Banks.) Days earlier, this same storm was forecast to make landfall in central Florida.

The key point is stay informed and be prepared. Here are a few links to monitor when tropical weather potentially causes problems:

• National Hurricane Center


• Disney Cruise Line Travel Advisory Page


• WDW Hurricane FAQ page

Hopefully, you'll never have any reason to worry about a hurricane causing problems on your trip, but should a storm arise, you'll know what to do and what to expect.

Disney announces new "Premier Passport"

For a few weeks, there has been a rumor circulating that Disney was considering offering a new annual pass for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Upon hearing this rumor, many fans said "finally!"

Well today, Disney made it official. The new "Premier Passport" will be a combination of Walt Disney World's and Disneyland's Premier Annual Passes. The cost for this super pass is $700 a year.

Benefits for Passport holders at Walt Disney World:

• Unlimited admission for a period of one year to all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks, including park hopping privileges
  
• Unlimited admission to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Water Parks
  
• Unlimited admission to DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (valid only on event days; some events require an additional admission charge) and Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course (greens fee only. Tee time reservations are required and subject to availability)
  
• Parking at all four Theme Parks
  
• Subscription to Mickey Monitor, a collectible Passholder-only publication

Benefits for Passport holders at Disneyland Resort:

• Unlimited admission to both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure
  Parks for a period of one year, including park hopping privileges
  
• Parking at any pay-on-entry parking lot
  
• Subscription to "Backstage Pass"
  
• Complimentary subscription to Disney’s Family Fun Magazine (one per household)

Guests who already have a Premium Annual Pass for both Resorts, will automatically be issued a “Disney Premier Passport” – with an expiration date based on the later of the two annual passes. Guests may also upgrade an annual or seasonal pass for one resort to a “Disney Premier Passport” for an additional fee.

Disney offers new medal for multi-race finishers

Disney Sports is creating a one-of-a-kind bonus medal for runners who complete the Fall Race Challenge, competing in two of Disney’s three fall endurance events at Walt Disney World Resort. Runners that record an official time for Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K and either the Expedition Everest Challenge presented by Champion or The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K will receive the bonus medal in addition to individual race medals – a total of three race medals for running two races. Registration for all three fall events is now open.

“Disney is dedicated to providing guests with new, interactive features to make their race experience more fun, more exciting and more memorable,” says Disney Endurance Series Director Kathleen Duran. “We are always looking for new ways to differentiate our Disney events by creating unique, immersive experiences.”

Disney’s fall lineup includes expanded race options. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13k event will feature a 5k and an exclusive post-race party. Disney’s Race for the Taste 10k event will include a new 3k race designed for casual runners and those looking to compete in their first endurance event.

The Disney Endurance Series fall lineup includes:

Expedition Everest Challenge presented by Champion (Sept. 26, 2009): This second-year event is the first urban adventure race in Disney’s Endurance Series. The two-person team competition features a 5k, scavenger hunt and an obstacle course designed to challenge runners physically and mentally. There is an exclusive post-race party at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the finishers. A portion of all entry fees will benefit the Himalayan Youth Foundation and Disney’s Wildlife Conservation Fund.

Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K (Oct. 11, 2009): This race takes runners through Disney’s Hollywood Studios and around the 11 pavilions of Epcot World Showcase. Guests have access to a post-race picnic that includes food samples from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, live Disney entertainment, music, games and face painters.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K (Oct. 24, 2009): This road race returns for its third year and the journey includes a haunting course through the vacant streets of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The event includes an exclusive post-race party with family and friends.

To register for these and more Disney Endurance Series events including the Walt Disney World Marathon (Jan. 7-10, 2010), visit disneyenduranceseries.com.

Disney launches new service to allow guests "see and hear" attractions

Disney engineers have taken recent advances in wireless technology one step further, creating a first-of-a-kind, handheld assistive device to bring the magic of Disney theme parks to guests with visual and hearing disabilities.

Disney’s Handheld Device combines multiple functions – assistive listening, handheld captioning, and closed captioning activation – into one small, easy-to-use platform. The assistive listening system provides amplified audio, while handheld captioning enables guests to read captions while enjoying specific theme park attractions. Closed captioning is also activated by the handheld device in pre-show areas where TV displays narrate the upcoming experience.

The device also provides audio description for guests who are blind or with low vision. This service provides narrated information about key visual elements in attractions such as actions, settings and scene changes and works seamlessly with the existing show audio. From the moment a guest steps into an attraction, they are given rich detail of their surroundings and become immediately involved in the experience.

“We have a longstanding commitment to providing outstanding services for guests with disabilities,” said Greg Hale, chief safety officer and vice president of Worldwide Safety and Accessibility for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. “We had been looking many years for a way to deliver content in narrative attractions where fixed captioning systems weren’t an option. With this device, we found a solution for building multiple functions into a single lightweight, durable device that is simple to use and easy to maintain.”

The innovative handheld assistive device was designed to fit in a guest’s palm, weighing a mere 7.2 ounces. The Disney-patented* technology delivers location-based and synchronized information as guests move through an attraction. The device can also serve a wide variety of retail, commercial and industrial applications.

“We are now making this technology available outside of our Disney Parks,” said Hale. “Museums, movie theaters, stage shows, tours – it extends accessibility where it was previously impractical.” Softeq Development Corporation handled product development and is licensed to make this technology available beyond Disney Parks.

The device is offered at no additional cost at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort theme parks. For further information about services for guests with disabilities, guests should visit the Walt Disney World Web site at disneyworld.com or contact Walt Disney World Information at 407-824-4321 (voice) or 407-827-5141 (TTY).

Job ax is falling hard and fast at WDW

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting today that job layoffs at Walt Disney World have quickly increased as the second quarter comes to a close. Disney is the largest employer in central Florida with about 62,000 cast members. Some say about 450 have received the ax.

I ask all Disney fans to keep the folks who are suffering these layoffs in your thoughts.

Hopefully things will get better soon.

New details on buyout option for Disney execs

Some new details were released yesterday about the buyout for executives in a story from the Orlando Sentinel:

The Walt Disney Co. offered buyouts Wednesday to more than 600
executives at its U.S. resorts -- including 313 in Orlando -- as the company
struggles to cut costs amid a worsening recession.The company planned to
hand-deliver buyout packages to 619 executives, each of whom will have until
Feb. 6 to decide whether to accept.Disney said it will resort to layoffs if too
few employees voluntarily walk away.

"We hope to achieve our goals with the VSP [voluntary separation plan],
but an involuntary layoff with a lesser severance package will be required if
our goals are not met," Jayne Parker, senior vice president of human resources
for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, wrote in a letter to the affected executives.

In a written statement, Disney blamed the move on the country's hobbled
economy. The parks-and-resorts division is particularly vulnerable as consumer
spending is squeezed by sinking home values, rising unemployment and tightening
credit.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimate that combined attendance at Walt
Disney World and Disneyland will drop 7 percent this year."Given the continued
uncertainty of the economic environment, we must manage our business even more productively," Disney spokeswoman Leslie Goodman said in the statement. "This immediate action is designed to allow us to deliver an outstanding guest
experience and remain focused on achieving long-term growth."

Disney declined to reveal the savings it hopes to achieve through the
buyouts. It also would not provide details of the terms of the packages, though
individual offers depend on length of service and other factors, such as pension
accrual.

The buyouts were offered to 313 executives in Orlando at Walt Disney
World, Disney Vacation Club and Disney Cruise Line.

-- click on the link above to read the rest of the article --

I really hope most cast members will weather this economic storm safely. I also hope Disney will do everything it can to keep the magic as magical as it has been. While I'm not pleased about some of the reduced showings of Fantasmic!, I have to accept that Disney has got to do what it can to cut costs - everyone is doing that right now.

Disney stock has taken a massive hit. As of this post, Disney stock was trading just barely above $20/share, down $15/share from the one-year high of $35/share last March. Maybe now's the time to buy Disney stock - I can only hope it will go back up from here, but who knows.

Kungaloosh! no more

Today I mark a sad note in Walt Disney World history.

The Adventurer's Club (as with the rest of Pleasure Island) has officially closed for good - to be replaced with some kind of retail center. You can follow all the news about this change over at the Orlando Attractions Magazine Blog.

While I never personally had the opportunity to visit the Adventurer's Club, I am sad to see it go. When I first heard that Pleasure Island was going away, I thought "good riddance," I am not a bar and club type of person and I never thought that kind of drunken behavior belonged at Disney.

I guess that's what I get for going on stereotypes. While I may not be able to speak for the other clubs at PI, I've learned that The Adventurer's Club is nothing like what I thought. Since that announcement, I heard so many story and seen video from the Adventurer's Club, that I really wanted to go. Now that the opportunity is lost, I regret not finding time to spend a few minutes to appreciate this place and its loyal followers.

To all those who loved The Adventurer's Club: May you remember the adventurers fondly, may you sing the club song, may you remember the Colonel, may you always play along.

Kungaloosh!!!

What's the Sitch?

About a month ago, Disney announced a new adventure at Epcot -- the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. This sounds pretty cool. For anyone who may have visited a MagiQuest location - I think it's something similar.

Basically, you will get what Disney is calling a "Kimmunicator" (nice play on words) which will help guests on mission to stop all of Kim's bad guys. Most countries in World Showcase are taking part in this adventure. You get clues on your Kimmunicator in order to solve the mysteries.

Short of a whole new attraction in World Showcase (something this side of Epcot still really needs), this sounds like a lot of fun. My three kids are eager to try this out. I have to admit, my wife and I are too. We really enjoy Kim Possible and the wittyness of the show.

Here's the really thoughtful bit on Disney's part: guests who don't want to play probably won't see too much of it. Based on the news release from Disney, it sounds like much of this is discreet interaction with the Kimmunicator (which led me to the MagiQuest analogy).

The Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure is due to start sometime later this year (it had better be before December!!!), so I'll try to have a review after our next visit.

Tink and friends meet and greet coming in Oct.

Disney today announced the new Tink and her friends meet and greet starting in late October.

See the Orlando Attractions Magazine Blog for more info and great pictures.

My daugther went nuts when she saw this today. She can't wait to meet Tink!