News Around the World

Epcot's Kidcot Fun Stops
June 18, 2013
Walt Disney World planners recognize that young children love to color and collect items. Luckily for young Epcot guests, the park has incorporated these activities in craft stations, called Kidcot Fun Stops, in each of the 11 country pavilions at the park's World Showcase. Though these attractions were designed for children, they may just be the motivation families need to walk all the way around World Showcase Lagoon. Plus, parents no doubt will appreciate a short break in their touring to rest and recharge.

Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf
June 18, 2013
Fantasia Gardens is located across from the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel near Epcot. It is home to two very different courses: A traditional miniature golf course by the same name and Fantasia Fairways, an 18-hole golf course with water hazards, sand traps, roughs designed to be played only by putting. Make no mistake -- Fantasia Fairways is a challenging course for serious golfers.

D23 Debuts Brand New Website
June 18, 2013
D23 launches a brand new website full of great content! Disney A to Z – A complete and newly-updated electronic version of the definitive Disney encyclopedia with more than 7,000 entries written by Dave Smith, founder and Chief Archivist Emeritus of the Walt Disney Archives and much more.

Remembering Merlin the Magician
June 18, 2013
The beloved live action show where Merlin selects a young guest from the audience to attempt to pull the sword from an anvil to become the new temporary ruler of Fantasyland (until the next show in a half hour) premiered at Disneyland in the Summer of 1983 after the opening of the New Fantasyland so this year marks Merlin's 30th anniversary as a park character. At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the show opened in 1993 (though other sources claim 1994) and delighted guests until its final performance on August 15, 2006.

Disneyland Walking Observations
June 18, 2013
Follow Jason as he wanders around the Disneyland resort, with a number of updates and observations.

July 1-7: 4th of July Fireworks Nightly at Magic Kingdom
June 13, 2013
Walt Disney World announces July 4th celebrations including a special Limited Time Magic event! Beginning July 1 through July 7th, enjoy 4th of July fireworks at the Magic Kingdom!

Embracing the Queue Line!
June 12, 2013
Here are some reasons why you just might want to embrace the queue.

Money Saving Tips
June 12, 2013
We love our Disney, don't we? But we realize that the prices often force us to be frugal.

So several weeks ago, we asked for your best money-saving tips and boy, did you send them in! Thanks!

Take a look at the tips we've collected on saving money before and during the vacation. We plan to share as many of these bright ideas with you as we can -- in fact, it will take at least two installments to cover them all. I've tried to sort them into some kind of logical categories, so get ready to take notes on Part 1 of Money-Saving Magic: Tips from AllEars.Net Readers

Reservations for Premium Epcot Food and Wine Festival Events Begin August 13!
June 12, 2013
Reservations for premium events for the 18th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which runs September 27-November 11, will begin at 7 a.m. on August 13. The number for booking is 407-WDW-FEST.

Orlando Water Parks - Where to Go!
June 09, 2013
As Orlando residents, my family and I have had various combinations of theme-park passes since our kids were toddlers. For several years, those included the popular water parks: either Disney's Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon or SeaWorld's Aquatica.

Car Masters Weekend June 15-16 Downtown Disney
June 07, 2013
Car Masters Weekend, now in its third year, is the perfect way to celebrate Father's Day as Downtown Disney West Side hosts a classic car show with a modern twist June 15-16, 2013. Featuring all things "Cars," the event also showcases meet and greets with Disney-Pixar "Cars" and "Cars 2" characters, a sock hop at Splitsville, select discounts on food and shopping, and more exciting entertainment for the whole family.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Track Completed!
June 05, 2013
Walt Disney Imagineering just marked a milestone in the construction of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom and has shared this photo of the last pieces of track laid in place. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which will debut in 2014, is a family coaster that will take New Fantasyland guests on a journey through the mine where the Seven Dwarfs spend their days digging for gems.

Wilderness Explorers Program at Animal Kingdom Open
June 04, 2013
Animal Kingdom's newest attraction, Wilderness Explorers, is built around a theme from the Disney-Pixar film "Up." One of the main characters in the 2009 animated movie, Russell, is a Wilderness Explorer, which is a fictional version of Boy Scouts. As Russell is working to earn his final merit badge, he gets caught up in an elderly man's drama and ends up traveling on an unexpected journey.

Now Walt Disney World's newest theme park has developed a Wilderness Explorers program that encourages kids to learn about specific areas of their world by earning merit badges, similarly to how the group functions in the movie. The Wilderness Explorers attraction at Animal Kingdom, which debuted June 1, is open to all guests, though the materials are geared toward kids ages 7 to 10.

Maple Leaf Tickets Honoring Old Prices thru 6/13/13
June 03, 2013
Our approved ticket vendor, MapleLeaf Tickets is honoring their previous Disney pricing while supplies last.

Ticket Prices Rise at WDW and DL
June 02, 2013
Walt Disney World and Disneyland have raised their ticket prices effective June 2, 2013. Our ticket vendor, Maple Leaf Tickets, is honoring the current pricing through June 10, 2013.

A Pirates Adventure: Treasure of the Seven Seas
May 31, 2013
The creative forces at Disney World are banking on that with a new scavenger hunt at the Magic Kingdom called, not surprisingly, A Pirate's Adventure. Located in a small building on the outskirts of Adventureland, just past the arches connected to Pirates of the Caribbean and across from the Pecos Bill and Tortuga Tavern dining area, is the spot where would-be pirates plot their raids. After a series of simple steps on a touch-screen computer, players will head out on one of five possible quests to help Captain Jack Sparrow locate the Treasures of the Seven Seas. They are armed with a paper map and a "magic talisman" (otherwise known as a RFID-chipped card).

Be Our Guest Receives National Award
May 31, 2013
Just six months after opening its doors, Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom Park earned national recognition for the groundbreaking dining experience being provided to guests in New Fantasyland.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts received an Operator Innovation Award from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) for the technology at the restaurant. An independent panel of expert judges recognized Disney for driving advancement in the foodservice industry.

Father's Day Special at Swan and Dolphin
May 31, 2013
Families looking to celebrate Dad this Father's Day can give him the gift of a golf getaway at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel. While staying at the Epcot Resort Area hotel, Dad can hit nearby links, thanks to the property's special golf packages.

Guests can book the Championship Golf package and play any Walt Disney World championship golf course of their choice. The package includes an overnight stay, a round of golf for two people and transportation to and from the course. Rates begin at $321 per room. Guests of the hotel also receive preferred tee times at these on-property courses, which were host to the PGA Tour's Walt Disney World Golf Classic from 1971-2012.

Mickey and the Magical Map Debut!
May 28, 2013
On May 25, Fantasyland Theatre (nee Videopolis) debuted a new live show, "Mickey and the Magical Map." Without giving too much away...The story begins with the Sorcerer Yen Sid (perhaps familiar from the Epic Mickey games) directing his Mapmakers to paint a map able to transport dreamers to all the places they imagine.

Celebrate the Magic Summer Edition!
May 28, 2013
The Celebrate the Magic! castle show in the Magic Kingdom has a "Limited Time Magic" special segment. New in this edition are Phineas and Ferb, the Little Mermaid, and Lilo and Stitch.