The Force is strong with these...

2009 © Lucasfilm Ltd.TM and Disney © All Rights Reserved. Photo by Greg Grusby.

I happened to run across this photo today on the Disney Web site and had to pass it along!

Caption:

Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Executive Tom Fitzgerald joins Industrial Light & Magic Visual Effects Supervisor Bill George and Star Wars creator George Lucas to review show concepts for the new Star Tours adventure.

Tip Tuesday: Tables in Wonderland

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

In a continuation of last week's tip about the Annual Pass, I wanted to talk about another savings opportunity that goes hand-in-hand with the Annual Pass, the Tables in Wonderland card.

For those who frequently dine at the many table-service restaurants around Walt Disney World, Disney offers a program where annual passholders and Florida residents can save 20% off their entire bill at any table-service restaurant on-property. This is different from the Disney Dining Plan (DDP). With the standard DDP, guests receive one table-service credit, one counter-service credit and one snack, per person, per day. The DDP table-service credit includes an entree, dessert and non-alcoholic drink. Appetizers and alcoholic drinks are NOT included in the DDP.

Tables in Wonderland is different. It doesn't matter what your order or how much, you get 20% off. Better yet, you can apply your Tables in Wonderland savings for up to 10 people at your table, provided you're paying the bill.

But wait, it gets better.

As part of the Tables in Wonderland card, guests get free valet parking at any Disney resort where they are dining. Just show your Tables in Wonderland card to the attendant when you pull up. I've personally done this a few times already and it's VERY nice!!!

Now, there is a cost to purchase the Tables in Wonderland card. For Annual Passholders, the cost is $75 per year. For non-AP Florida Residents, the cost is $100 per year. Additional cards may be purchased for $50 and a replacement card is $50 (so don't lose it!!).

There are a few restrictions to the Tables in Wonderland card. Discounts are not available during major holidays like Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve/New Year's Day, Easter, Mother's Day and Fourth of July. Additional restrictions are possible.

At first glance, you might not think the Tables in Wonderland card is worth the price, and you may be right. It really depends on how much you use it. In my case, every time we dine at a resort restaurant, I have five people. Basically with the Tables in Wonderland card, one person eats for free (again 20% off the total bill).

Given that most restaurants we tend to eat at run around $18 a person, we need to use the card at least 4 times to break even ($18 x 4 = $72). After that, we're saving money. We've already used our Tables in Wonderland card three times, and we've got more ADR's coming up before the card runs out, so in the long run, the Tables in Wonderland card will save us money.

Like the Annual Pass, you need to do the math before you decide if the Tables in Wonderland card is worth it. And, like the Annual Pass, the more you play (well, the more you eat), the more you can save.

So as you plan your next trip(s) to Walt Disney World, think about how much dining you plan to do at on-property restaurants. It may be that the Tables in Wonderland card is a smart choice!

Magic Kingdom Fantasyland Expansion is CONFIRMED!!!

Jay Rasulo, head of Disney Parks and Resorts gave his much-anticipated presentation today at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, CA.

He didn't waste any time with surprise announcements!

The rumored Fantasyland Expansion at the Magic Kingdom is TRUE!!! The area will double in size!! It all starts in 2010 and should be ready by 2012.

Pictures (click for larger version):
Fantasyland concept art:


Ariel's Adventure:


New Dumbos Attraction:



Basically the leaked blueprints are genuine!
Here they are:


Overlay to current Fantasyland:


This news spells the end of ToonTown. In a news conference Disney confirmed that ToonTown would be no more.

But wait, there's MORE!!!

Star Tours 2.0 in 3-D is CONFIRMED!!! It will close in 2010 to begin the refurb. Apparently Disneyland will be first. The Disneyland version will re-open in 2011. DHS also will be updated!



Video:


News Release from Disney Parks:
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo detailed plans for future lands, attractions and adventures that will be delighting Disney guests for years to come, at the first D23 Expo.

Most notable among the announcements were the confirmation of an all-new Star Tours attraction and the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World."Storytelling is the DNA of Disney dreams and we're always exploring new ways to tell new stories in new places," Rasulo told a crowd at the Anaheim Convention Center in California before taking them on a "behind-the-magic" tour of their favorite Disney destinations.Rasulo announced that a new 3-D version of the tremendously-popular "Star Tours" attraction will debut at the Disneyland Resort and Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2011.

Based on the iconic Lucasfilm "Star Wars" films, the attraction will include immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the Star Wars galaxy.

For Walt Disney World in Florida, Rasulo outlined plans for the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom, vastly increasing the size of Fantasyland by 2013.

Guests will soon be able to:

Visit their favorite Disney Princess in her castle, cottage, or chateau to share a dance with Cinderella; celebrate Sleeping Beauty's birthday with the Good Fairies; or join Belle in an enchanting story performance in the Beast's castle library.

Be Our Guest and dine in one of three enchanted rooms inside the Beast's castle.Fly with Dumbo high above brand new circus grounds, twice the size of the existing attraction with a new interactive, three-ring circus tent.

Journey under the sea with Ariel, The Little Mermaid, in her very own attraction - also opening at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim in 2011.Meet Tinker Bell and her friends in the magical world of Pixie Hollow.

Rasulo provided updates on the multi-year expansion of Disney's California Adventure including the new "World of Color" attraction slated to open in the spring of 2010 and the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land scheduled to open in 2012 where guests will literally step into the town of Radiator Springs and its six acres of hand-carved rockwork.

Rasulo noted the progress of several other recently-announced projects including the three new lands coming to Hong Kong Disneyland by 2014; the Disney Dream, the new ship being built by Disney Cruise Line; the many diverse itineraries being offered by Adventures by Disney that take guests on 19 unique, once-in-a-lifetime guided vacation experiences; and Disney's first family destination resort on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

Rasulo's keynote presentation was only part of the D23 EXPO experience.

Guests were able to discover:

• Never-before-seen models of upcoming Disney attractions.
• Up close and personal visits with Lucky the Dinosaur and Wall-E.
• A preview of the most advanced Audio-Animatronics figures ever created by Walt Disney Imagineering.
• Displays showcasing cutting-edge effects technologies that are being developed for Disney attractions, shows and venues.

More coverage from the D23 Web site.

Video from Disney's HUGE announcements yesterday

Video courtesy Stitch Kingdom:

D23 Update: Imagineering Legends come together to talk about the parks

It's not very often that six of Disney's most legendary Imagineers sit down together to share some of their most personal memories with fans. But when they did on the first day of the D23 Expo, it was pure magic. Moderated by Disney Legend Marty Sklar, who retired this year on July 17 after 53 years of Imagineering brilliance — on the 54th anniversary of Disneyland — X Atencio, Alice Davis, Blaine Gibson, Bob Gurr and Don Iwerks spent two hours recounting some of their favorite Disney memories for an audience of a few hundred avid Disney aficionados.

Read more at the D23 Web site!

Depp announces Pirates 4 at D23 Expo

From MSNBC:

Avast! Disney says a new “Pirates of the Caribbean” film is on yonder horizon.
Johnny Depp sailed onstage Friday on a pirate ship at the Anaheim Convention Center to help announce the forthcoming installment of Disney’s blockbuster film franchise. He was welcomed with a rousing standing ovation.

Depp will reprise his role as Capt. Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” slated for summer of 2011. It’s the fourth in a series.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32803347/ns/entertainment/

Disney Cruise Line announces new destination -- Alaska

Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz, in front of a boisterous crowd at the Storytellers Theater at the D23 Expo, announced on September 11 that Disney Cruise Line (DCL) will offer Alaskan cruises during a four-month season of seven-night sailings aboard Disney Wonder in 2011. The cruise ship will depart Vancouver, British Columbia, and weigh anchor in such popular ports as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. The new itinerararies will be offered after the Disney Wonder is repositioned on the West Coast in 2011, departing from Los Angeles harbor in addition to Vancouver.
More from the D23 Web site!

More from D23 -- the Treasures Collection

The D23 Web site has a few pictures from the Disney Treasures collection at the D23 Expo.

Check it out!

http://d23.disney.go.com/articles/091109_NF_BN_BlogDay2.html

TTA reopens today

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority has reopened today.

Dewayne Bevil from the Orlando Sentinel's Theme Park Rangers has pictures.

Epcot's Illuminations named best outdoor night show

Amusement Today has announced their 2009 Golden Ticket Awards, honoring the best of the best in amusement/theme parks.

In the outdoor night show production category, Epcot's Illuminations: Reflections of Earth was named the best production. The Disney parks took four of the top five spots in this category (Disneyland 2nd, Disney's Hollywood Studios 4th and Magic Kingdom 5th).

Also, The Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios earned second place for the best dark ride, while Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye at Disneyland placed 4th.

As for indoor roller coasters, Disney earned several honors. Rock N' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios was named 2nd while Space Mountain earned double honors (Disneyland's version placed 3rd while WDW's version placed 5th).

Disney parks, however, didn't fare quite as well in many of the other categories including best park and best new ride. Cedar Point took the top honors in the best park category. Disneyland and WDW's Magic Kingdom were the only Disney parks represented at 3rd place and 8th place respectively. Disney didn't make the best new ride list. Blizzard Beach earned a 3rd place spot in the best waterpark category.

Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom did place 4th and 5th in the cleanest park category, but, interestingly enough, no Disney park made the list in the friendliest park staff category.

Disney's Hollywood Studios came in 4th place in the best shows category, while Epcot came in 3rd place for best food. Epcot and Animal Kingdom came in 3rd and 4th place respectively for best landscaping while Spash Mountain was named 3rd place in best water ride at an amusement/theme park. As for best waterpark ride, Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach came in 5th place.

When it comes to the holidays, no Disney park made the list for best Halloween event, while Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom came in 3rd and 4th place for their Christmas events.

Finally, Amusement Today also released the top 50 steel and wooden roller coasters. Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom was ranked 36th and Disneyland's Space Mountain ranked 49th. Disney doesn't have any wooden coasters.