Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Archives - Page 3 of 11

More Disney FastPass+ Testing Coming in December

November 29, 2012 by Chip Leave a Comment

Here is news from Disney about the upcoming FastPass+ system that is rolling out to the parks:

At the Walt Disney World Resort we’re constantly looking for ways to make the Guest experience even better. As a part of these ongoing efforts, over the next several months we’ll be continuing our test of enhancements to our very popular Disney FASTPASS® service at the Walt Disney World Resort. The test, called Disney FastPass+, will allow a small number of Guests to make Disney FastPass+ selections for some of their favorite experiences at Magic Kingdom® Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® Park before they even leave home.

From Dec. 11-15, select Guests who are registered to use Disney’s Magical Express service will be offered the opportunity to go online to pre-select four Disney FastPass+ experiences at Magic Kingdom Park and three experiences at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park. Guests eligible for this test will be notified via mail this week, at the mailing address on the booking. The mailing includes FastPass+ cards that your clients will use for the test. It’s important for you to pass along these cards to your Clients in order for them to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Information that we collect from your Clients solely through this test will not be used for marketing purposes. As always, we may send marketing communications to these Clients due to separate past or future interactions between us and these Clients.

While this exciting concept is currently only in the test phase, we’ll continue to share information on the wide range of new, innovative experiences we will be testing and implementing over the coming year, which are designed to make a Walt Disney World vacation even more magical!

So what do you think? Are you looking forward to Disney FastPass+?

Mermaids now appearing on Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World Resort (chipandco.com)
D23 Unlocks The Magic Of Disney with a Year of Spectacular Events Across The Country (chipandco.com)

More Disney FastPass+ Testing Coming in December

Filed Under: Disney & Co, News, Parks & Resorts, Rides, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney FASTPass, Disney World Fastpass system, Fastpass, Hollywood, Magic Kingdom, Parks & Resorts, The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort, Xpass

D23 Unlocks The Magic Of Disney with a Year of Spectacular Events Across The Country

November 28, 2012 by Chip Leave a Comment

Starting in March, D23 takes the party on the road once again with our second D23’s Disney Fanniversary Celebration. The event, which played to crowds of enthusiastic fans across the U.S. earlier this year, will commemorate dozens of magical milestones, each celebrating an anniversary in 2013. Said The Hollywood Reporter of the 2012 event, “It’s a must for Disney fanatics and a fascinating look at Disney history.” Hosted by Disney Archivists and D23 Team Members, D23’s Disney Fanniversary Celebration events will be held in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., and will revisit some of the most beloved theme park attractions, animated and live-action films, TV series, and nearly 90 years of Disney history. Fanniversary events will be open to the public, with special admission and surprises created especially for D23 Members in attendance.
D23 will once again partner with The Walt Disney Studios, offering members access to advance screenings of the latest Disney animated and live-action feature films. In 2012, D23 Members were among the first to see Wreck-It Ralph, Frankenweenie, and Brave.

MICKEY’S OF GLENDALE, the Walt Disney Imagineering employee store in Glendale, Calif., will open its doors exclusively to D23 on Saturday, April 13 and Saturday, June 8. Members will have an opportunity to purchase limited-edition merchandise and view the park-like grounds at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts’ creative “think tank.” Additionally, in 2013, D23 will partner with Disney Store in key locations to host exclusive and one-of-a-kind events for our D23 Members.

Throughout the year, D23 will continue its popular series of movie screenings at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. D23’s 50 AND FABULOUS returns, honoring Disney favorites celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2013, including screenings of Son of Flubber (April 13), Summer Magic (June 8), and The Sword in the Stone (September 15). FROM THE VAULTS also returns, bringing favorite live-action films back to the big screen, including the digitally restored 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on November 16.

The year also includes D23 DAY AT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS AND ARCHIVES, our popular member-only tours of the historic Studio Lot and Walt Disney Archives in Burbank. Tours will take place May 4, June 1, September 14, and November 2.

In the fall, during Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival, D23’s SIP & STROLL event will return (September 2013). And during the holiday season, D23 will bring back the popular offering DISNEY AND DICKENS (in Burbank in December), and introduce the all-new festive D23’S HOLIDAY SPLENDOR at Walt Disney World Resort in December.

The grandest fan event of them all will take place August 9–11 at the Anaheim Convention Center when the D23 EXPO 2013: THE ULTIMATE DISNEY FAN EVENT brings all the wonderful worlds of Disney together under one enormous roof for three days. From The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts to Disney Consumer Products and our numerous media networks, guests will revel in new discoveries, special panels and presentations, movie screenings, celebrity appearances and autograph signings, and gain fresh insights into movies, television, theme parks, animation, Disney history, and more. Special “early bird” discounted tickets are available through December 31, 2012, and D23 Members receive an additional discount on tickets as well as special perks at the Expo.

Look for dates, ticketing information, and more D23 events to be announced throughout the year. Full details on D23’s lineup of 2013 special events can be found on the Fan Club’s website at www.D23.com. All events and dates are subject to change.

D23 2013 Events Calendar:

March–April: D23’s Disney Fanniversary Celebration, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C.
April 13: 50 and Fabulous—Son of Flubber, Burbank, Calif.
April 13: Mickey’s of Glendale shopping day, Glendale, Calif.
May 4: D23 Day at the Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
June 1: D23 Day at the Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
June 8: 50 and Fabulous—Summer Magic, Burbank, Calif.
June 8: Mickey’s of Glendale Shopping Day, Glendale, Calif.
August 9–11: D23 Expo 2013, Anaheim, Calif.
September: Sip & Stroll, Walt Disney World Resort
September 14: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
September 15: 50 and Fabulous: The Sword in the Stone, Burbank, Calif.
November 2: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
November 16: From the Vaults—20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Burbank, Calif.
December: Disney and Dickens, Burbank, Calif.
December: D23’s Holiday Splendor, Walt Disney World Resort

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present, and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. D23 unlocks the magic of Disney with a host of exclusive benefits, including a quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.D23.com; a weekly email newsletter; an array of discounts and special offers; free gifts throughout the year; as well as exclusive events created especially for its members.

Gold-level D23 memberships are $74.99, and Silver-level memberships—which provide all benefits with the exception of a Disney twenty-three subscription—are just $34.99 a year. All discounts and special promotions are available to both Gold- and Silver-level D23 Members. A membership to D23 makes the perfect holiday gift.

Disney fans can join the world’s only Official Disney Fan Club by visiting www.D23.com, or at select shops at the Disneyland® Resort, the Walt Disney World® Resort and www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow “DisneyD23” on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

2013 D23 Expo the Ultimate Disney Fan Event Returns to Anaheim From August 9 – 11 (chipandco.com)
D23′s Magic and Merriment (chipandco.com)

D23 Unlocks The Magic Of Disney with a Year of Spectacular Events Across The Country

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Burbank, Calif, D23 Events, D23’S DISNEY FANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, disney, Glendale, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Imagineers, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

Disney’s Stores’ Rent At Airport Reduced By New Contract

August 30, 2012 by guest blogging 2 Comments

According to the Orlando Sentinel Walt Disney Parks & Resorts has negotiated a new contract with Orlando International Airport reducing the amount it pays for it’s two gift shops by hundreds of thousands dollars.

The new contract not only reduces the minimum rent that Disney pays on its two stores in the airport’s main terminal but it is also expected to reduce the percentage of sales that Disney pays for the privilege of selling souvenirs. Disney had argued that it pays higher minimum rents and percentages of its sales than the airport’s other themed-retail stores.

Disney has “The Magic of Disney” store, located at the western end of the terminal and “Disney’s Earport” which is at the eastern end of the terminal, and leads to gates for the airport’s busiest carrier, Southwest Airlines.

Disney defended the newly negotiated contract saying that it accurately reflects changes in business conditions since the last contract was signed.

New contract cuts Disney stores’ rent at airport (orlandosentinel.com)
The Walt Disney Company to Takeover Disneyland Paris? (thedisneyblog.com)
Disney’s Magical Express sees a decline in ridership (wdwinfo.com)

Disneys Stores Rent At Airport Reduced By New Contract

Filed Under: Disney & Co, Disney Store, News Tagged With: disney, Disney Magic, Orlando International Airport, Orlando Sentinel, Percentage, Southwest Airlines, Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

Beginners Guide to Disney Pin Trading

March 22, 2012 by guest blogging 3 Comments

You see them everywhere at Disney: all kinds of shapes, sizes, colors, designs, and patterns. They commemorate events, parks, hotels, rides and attractions, characters and holidays. They come in sets and individually, and can range from inexpensive little fun ones to very expensive collectors’ sets. They are, of course, Disney pins…and if you haven’t yet gotten involved in pin trading, be warned: it is very fun…and more than a little addictive.

Pin collecting can all be a little overwhelming at first though, so if all those brightly colored little pieces of metal are calling your name, here are a few things to know so that you can have fun with pin trading…but not spend a fortune in the process.

First of all, pin collecting can give some wonderful and fairly inexpensive souvenirs(if you don’t get carried away), and if you decide to do some trading, it is a great activity for kids! But, it doesn’t have to involve trading if you don’t want to trade! For our family of 3 adults, it is more of a collection thing now: we typically choose 2-3 per trip that are especially meaningful, and we hold on to them…no trading them away!

But if you want to trade, jump right in and have fun! Pin trading is especially popular with children and I always love seeing kids bravely ask cast members to trade a pin with them….and then be delighted when they do!

Now you do want to be careful if you are on a budget, because yes, this CAN be an expensive hobby if you are not careful! While the cost of pins can start as low as maybe $6-8 each, they can go up to $20+ for some very elaborate limited editions. And Disney sells pin sets too, so if you like that idea, you can spend even more.

So if this all sounds like a fun and rewarding hobby and activity, well it is! To get started then, keep in mind the following:

If you have kids, arrive at Disney with a dozen or so cheap pins for your kids to trade with. You can find some on eBay, at DisneyStore.com, and even Amazon. The idea here is to trade these for others your kids will like more.
Set a limit of so many per day, or per trip, or a cost limit…and then stick to it. It is easy once you start looking at them, to get carried away!
It is easier, in my opinion, to do this if you are collecting with a theme in mind…..which can be just about anything. Maybe the resorts, or characters, or villains, or princesses. You name it, Disney’s got a pin for it. For us, we tend to now buy our pins around dated events, as they are a great reminder of when we went and when we got the pin: such as New Years Eve 2005.
Make a conscious decision: collect for fun, collect to trade, or collect seriously. If you have kids who are going to trade everything away, you won’t spend a lot on them, or especially care about what they look like. But if you want to make this a serious collection, you can buy only Limited Editions, for example, to increase the value of your collection. If this appeals to you, there are some great books out there that can give you more information.
Think about how you are going to keep them when you get home! Don’t go to all this trouble to buy all these pins and just keep them in a shoebox! Some people frame the lanyards and pins. Some put their pins in a shadow box. We were given the suggestion, to create binders with foam sheets in between to protect the pins, and that is what we do. And I have to say, it is fun to go back and look at the binders years later and relive the fun we had collecting them!
Check out the “Official Disney Pin Trading Site, a great site filled with all kinds of helpful information for anyone who is interested in pin collecting and trading at the Disney Parks. It even provides some “pin trading etiquette”. For example:

IS IT TRUE DISNEY CAST MEMBERS HAVE TO TRADE THEIR PINS?
Yes. Cast Members at our Theme Parks and Resorts have to trade their pins displayed on their Company issued lanyards. Guests can make up to two (2) trades per “lanyard,” per Cast Member, per day. When trading with Cast Members, Guests should offer a pin that is not already displayed on the Cast Member’s lanyard.

WHY ARE SOME CAST MEMBERS WEARING GREEN/TEAL LANYARDS?
Disney Pin Trading is fun for people of all ages. However, kids, ages 3-12, get an extra trading treat. Look for Kids Only lanyards – Disneyland® Resort uses “teal” lanyards and Walt Disney World® Resort uses “green” lanyards. This means that Kids are the only Guests allowed to trade from these special lanyards. Kids can also trade from Cast Members wearing blue lanyards.

(Information courtesy Official Disney Pin Trading)

Pin collecting and trading can be a fun and rewarding hobby and a relatively inexpensive one if you are careful. Have a great time finding your favorites, and watching your collection grow!

The classic article comes to us from Nancy of The Affordable Mouse.

Disney Pin Trading 101 – The Basics (livinginagrownupworld.wordpress.com)
Disney World Quick Tips – Pin Trading (chipandco.com)

Filed Under: Original Articles, Tips, Tips &Tricks Tagged With: Cast Member, Collecting, disney pin collecting, Disney pin trading, Disney Pins, Disney souvenirs, disney world pins, eBay, Pin Trading, Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

Chip and Company’s Disney Addicts One More Disney Day Meet

February 28, 2012 by guest blogging Leave a Comment

Hey there fellow Disney Addicts. If you are going to be in the Magic Kingdom for the One More Disney Day celebration come by and say hi! We are going to be meeting at Aloha Isle at 9:00 PM on February 29th. Buy yourself a Dole Whip, hang out with your fellow Disney addicts, and chat with a few Chip and Company writers.

You can RSVP on Facebook and make plans with your fellow addicts. We hope to see you there!