Mickey Tests Some Magic Words at Walt Disney World

posted on October 31st, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager

Guests visiting Magic Kingdom Park tonight are in for a real Halloween treat. For the first time in the park’s history, Mickey will be talking with guests and testing some new tricks backstage at Town Square Theater.

Because tonight’s test is open to a very limited number of guests – Mickey and his pals at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, and Walt Disney Imagineering helped us create this video to share with all of you.

Sweepstakes winner to sail on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship before maiden voyage

A Mom and The Mouse, Kristin Ford — posted by kristin ford on October, 27 2011 10:16 AM

Want to be one of the first onboard Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Fantasy? HGTV’s Sailing in Grand Style Sweepstakes is giving one lucky winner a trip on a preview cruise, departing March 26. The grand prize is a three-night cruise for four people in a deluxe oceanview stateroom with verandah, including all meals (excluding Palo and Remy), tips, taxes, fees and transportation to Port Canaveral. Airfare to and from Orlando is also included if the winner lives outside a 200-mile radius of Orlando. To enter, you must be 21 years or older prior to Oct. 11 and a legal resident of the United States. One entry is allowed per person per day and can be found online here. The deadline to enter is Nov. 14. See official rules here. http://www.hgtv.com/sailing-in-grand-style-sweepstakes-rules/package/index.html The maiden voyage of the Disney Fantasy is March 31. http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/disney-a-mom-and-the-mouse/2011/10/sweepstakes-winner-to-sail-on-disney-cruise-lines-newest-ship-before-maiden-voyage/ Note from Renee - And if you don't win a trip....I can help you plan one! The Fantasy looks incredible!

Magic Your Way Package Plus A Free Dining Plan Continues

Magic Your Way Package Plus A Free Dining Plan

Hungry for a great deal? Now through Dec. 17, 2011, buy a non-discounted Magic Your Way package for 4 nights and 5 days at select Disney Value Resorts and get a FREE Quick-Service Dining Plan. Or, buy a non-discounted Magic Your Way package for 4 nights and 5 days at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts and get a FREE Disney Dining Plan. Offer Details: This Vacation Package Includes: Accommodations Magic Your Way Base Ticket A Dining Plan Booking Window: Now – Dec. 17, 2011 Travel Window: Valid for arrivals most nights: Jan. 8-12, 2012 Jan. 21 – Feb. 2, 2012 Feb. 11-16, 2012 March 3-8, 2012 March 24-29, 2012

Walt Disney World to be Featured on ‘The Chew’

Walt Disney World to be Featured on ‘The Chew’ Oct. 26 posted on October 25th, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
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The Walt Disney World Resort will be featured on ABC’s “The Chew” tomorrow at 1 p.m. EST.

Chef Mickey recently visited the set of this new ABC daytime show to award an audience member with a trip to Walt Disney World for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. A clip featuring the Hazelton family’s Disney vacation will be featured on tomorrow’s show. Be sure to check your local listings.

When is the last time you called a pay phone in the U.K.?

For those of you who miss the days of pay phones and conversations before caller ID, there are three phone booths outside the restrooms at the UK at EPCOT that you can call. Center is a standard pay phone but right and left are the red British style phone booths. People take pictures in them. It is fun to to call the people while they are in them and engage in fun conversations - or call your friend/family at EPCOT!





Here are the numbers:
U.K. Phone Booths
•Right Booth: 407 827-9861
•Left Booth: 407 827-9862
•Center Booth: 407 827-9863

Canada Phone Booth
•407-827-9884

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is released on October 22, 1993

The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 American stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to "Christmas Town". Danny Elfman wrote the film score and provided the singing voice of Jack, as well as other minor characters. The remaining principal voice cast includes Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page and Glenn Shadix.

The genesis of The Nightmare Before Christmas started with a poem written by Tim Burton when he was a Disney animator in the early 1980s. With the success of Vincent in 1982, Disney started to consider The Nightmare Before Christmas as either a short subject or 30-minute television special. Over the years, Burton's thoughts regularly returned to the project, and in 1990, Burton and Disney made a development deal. Production started in July 1991 in San Francisco. Walt Disney Pictures decided to release the film under their Touchstone Pictures banner because the tone was rather dark for children. The Nightmare Before Christmas was met with critical and financial success. Disney has reissued the film annually under their Disney Digital 3-D format since 2006.

Disneyland celebrates this movie during the holiday season with the influence of Jack Skellington:

Haunted Mansion Holiday (09/16/2011 - January 2012)

Join ‘Jack Skellington’ and his friends for look at what happens when Halloween and Christmas collide in this spectacular transformation of ‘The Haunted Mansion’. The mansion has been taken over by the characters from Tim Burton’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ in this annual Disneyland tradition. “Sandy Claws,” a.k.a. Jack Skellington himself welcomes guests to enter. Once inside, you will discover the mansion decorated for a “Scary Christmas and fun for the entire family.

41st Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic

Some of the world's best golfers and celebrity athletes who love golf descend upon Walt Disney World Resort today for the last event of the PGA Tour season; the 41st Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. The event tees off on this day at Disney’s Palm and Magnolia golf courses with the celebrity athletes playing with the Tour pros.

Golf at Disney
Complimentary Golf Club Rental Guests staying at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel will enjoy complimentary Titleist and Cobra club rental when they purchase a full round of golf at any of the 4 Disney Championship Golf Courses.

Walt Disney World® Golf offers: 2008-2009 Silver Medal Golf Resort as awarded by Golf Magazine

• Beverage cart service available on all courses except Disney's Oak Trail


• Full-service pro shops


• Golf instruction from a full PGA Professional Staff, available by appointment


• Four championship courses
  

Disney's Palm Golf Course

Disney's Palm Golf Course offers tree-lined fairways, elevated tees and greens, and it boasts more than its share of water and sand with nine water holes and 94 bunkers. Disney's Palm Golf Course plays host to the Pro-Am competition during the Golf Classic at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Experience the natural beauty of the Florida woodlands that makes this majestic course one of America's premier resort destinations. This Joe Lee masterpiece features sparkling lakes and tropical sand, all in a gorgeous golf landscape populated with strategically placed palms. Played each year as part of the PGA TOUR's Children's Miracle Network Classic, Disney's Palm offers plenty of challenges for the novice and seasoned pro alike.

Course Information: 4 out of 5 stars, as rated by Golf Digest. The beauty of the Florida woodlands makes the Palm not only a pleasure to play, but also one of Disney's toughest. Rated by "Golf Digest" as one of "America’s 75 Best Resort Courses," this course plays a modest 6,461 yards from the middle tees and boasts more than its share of water and sand. On the 18th, golfers will be challenged by a hole that's been rated the fourth toughest on the PGA TOUR®.


Disney's Magnolia Golf Course

Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course is the longest of the Disney courses. Designed by Joe Lee in classic PGA TOUR style, the wide fairways invite you to hit the ball, and hit it hard! But beware -- 11 of the 18 holes boast water, and 97 bunkers dot the landscape and guard the medium-to-large, undulating greens. More than 1,500 magnolia trees dot this course designed for big hitters. As the setting for the final round of a PGA TOUR® event, this beautifully manicured course has all the earmarks of a golfer's paradise. The par-3 sixth hole even pays tribute to Mickey Mouse with a bunker shaped to form his silhouette.

Course Information: 4 out of 5 stars, as rated by Golf Digest. Step onto the first tee and into the shoes of champions. Power your way down the fairways at this home to the final rounds of the PGA TOUR's Children's Miracle Network Classic. These beautifully manicured links, designed by Joe Lee, are named for an abundance of fragrant Magnolias. Elevated tees, spacious greens, rolling terrain and tranquil water hazards on 10 of the 18 holes immerse you in a natural setting fit for a fulfilling round of championship golf.


Disney's Osprey Ridge Golf Course

Tom Fazio designed Disney's Osprey Ridge Golf Course to be in unity with the environment, but this trek through nature is no walk in the park. The course rolls through stands of majestic oaks and pines, while large bunkers, glistening lakes and rolling greens deliver all the excitement, magic and fun you can handle. This walk on the wild side provides a Disney golf experience like no other. A beautiful tropical wilderness creates a serene atmosphere, but with a uniquely styled course that challenges the player from the moment they step onto the first tee by offering dramatically elevated tees and greens, nine water holes, and more than 70 strategically placed bunkers.

Course Information: 4 out of 5 stars, as rated by Golf Digest. Tom Fazio, who in 1989 was voted "Golf Course News" "Architect of the Year," has designed a course that is totally unique to this area. This links-style course is designed by mounds and ridges framing the large greens and rolling fairways. The course plays 6,680 yards from the middle tees and winds its way through a tropical wilderness!


Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course

Styled in a classic country club setting, Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course meanders through dense pine forests. Characterized by small, slightly elevated, well-bunkered greens, the course demands accurate shot-making. Add an island green on the 7th, and it all adds up to a great golfing experience. Styled in a classic country club setting, the Lake Buena Vista course plays 6,268 yards from the middle tees. This challenging course, which meanders through dense pine forests, is characterized by small, well-bunkered greens that demand accurate shot-making. It all adds up to a golf experience that truly reflects the philosophy of the course's designer, Joe Lee.

Course Information: 4 out of 5 stars, as rated by Golf Digest. Enjoy a meandering course that winds its way through pastel villas, pine forests, palmettos and sparkling lakes. Experience the pleasures of a classic country-club course with a distinctive atmosphere. Tee off next to boats and canals and enjoy views of an enchanting lighthouse. Golfing here is, in the words of course architect Joe Lee, "exciting, challenging, yet fun to play."

Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course

Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course, our nine-hole, par 36 walking course, is noted for the small, undulating greens and elevated tees. Surrounded by thick vegetation and wildlife, it is perfect for those who enjoy walking a course and soaking up the scenery. Shots shouldn't be approached too casually, however, as Disney's Oak Trail greens have been labeled some of the most challenging at the Walt Disney World® Resort. The 9-hole, par-36 walking course features small, undulating greens and elevated tees. Playing to 2,913 yards from the middle tees and surrounded by thick vegetation and wildlife, it's perfect for those who enjoy walking a course and soaking up the scenery.

Course Information: Enjoy a delightful time at this retreat that is home to a pleasurable nine-hole, par-36 course. Play the excellent, undulating target greens. This design is for everyone, with holes ranging from 132 to 517 yards from the back tees. It's perfect for the developing golfer or the experienced player. Ideal for a family outing or getting in a quick nine, Oak Trail is a great place to relax.

World's Largest Cruise Sale

This week, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is holding the first-ever, week-long, World's Largest Cruise Sale. Every one of CLIA's cruise line members is offering Vacations To Go customers additional discounts or value-added incentives for new bookings made from October 17-23.

Many of the specials include shipboard credits, which are as good as cash onboard and can be used to pay for almost anything not included in the upfront cost of the cruise, including alcoholic beverages, boutique items, spa treatments and shore excursions.

In past years, the sale was called World's Largest Cruise Night and lasted only one day, but the response overwhelmed reservations centers and has been expanded to seven days this year. It's a great time to book a cruise that departs during the remainder of 2011 or the first quarter of 2012.

Here are all the World's Largest Cruise Sale participants:

• AMA Waterways


• American Cruise Lines


• Avalon Waterways


• Azamara Club Cruises


• Carnival Cruise Lines


• Celebrity Cruises


• Costa Cruises


• Crystal Cruises


• Cunard Line


• Disney Cruise Line


• Holland America Line


• Hurtigruten


• Louis Cruises


• MSC Cruises


• Norwegian Cruise Line


• Oceania Cruises


• Paul Gauguin Cruises


• Princess Cruises


• Regent Seven Seas Cruises


• Royal Caribbean International


• SeaDream Yacht Club


• Seabourn Cruise Line


• Silversea Cruises


• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection


• Winstar Cruises
  

If you are considering taking a cruise let me know and I will be happy to share with you the great discounts offered for this event!

http://ncvw.cruising.org/renee-latta

Tips for families attending Disney World’s Fort Wilderness campfire singalong

A Mom and The Mouse, Kristin Ford — posted by kristin ford on August, 4 2011

Before the movie starts, Disney World guests roast marshmallows and watch Cowboy Anthony perform with Chip 'n Dale at the Fort Wilderness campfire singalong. (Steven Ford/Orlando Sentinel)

A large number of Walt Disney World hotels offer nighttime outdoor movies for their guests, many on big inflatable screens by the pools or on beaches. At Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground, though, it’s a campfire singalong and includes entertainment before the show, fire pits for cooking and a permanent screen and seating.

I wrote about my family’s fun experience at the campfire singalong last fall here. Guests can show up for the movie and have a great evening, but I offer these tips for families who might benefit from a little planning.

** Bring blankets or towels to the movie for the kids so they can lounge, snuggle under them, and even fall asleep after a full day at Walt Disney World.

** Don’t forget the autograph books and cameras. At the campfire singalong Chip ‘n Dale make their way through the crowd, stopping for each family to get photos and autographs.

** Take your own supplies for roasting if you don’t plan to buy them at the concession stand. The Chuck Wagon sells roasting sticks for 49 cents each, a bag of marshmallows for $3.99, and a s’more kit for $8.99.

** A movie schedule is posted at the campground at the beginning of the month.

** The campfire singalong is open to any guests staying on Disney World property, not just those at the Fort Wilderness Campground.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/disney-a-mom-and-the-mouse/2011/08/tips-for-families-attending-disney-worlds-fort-wilderness-campfire-singalong/

Disney Fantasy upper deck entertainment details revealed

By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
10:14 a.m. EDT, October 13, 2011

Disney Cruise Line today announced details on some of the new features that will apear on the upper decks of the new Disney Fantasy.

At the top of the list is the AquaLab, a water playgrond on Deck 12 that will be near the signature AquaDuck water coaster, also a feature aboard the Fantasy's sister ship, the Disney Dream.

The AquaLab will sport jets, geysers and bubblers in an 1,800-square-foot space with a backstory featuring Donald Duck's nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie performing water experiments that end up getting the whole family soaked. Disney Fantasy guests will be left in charge as the nephews are away, but left with instructions to "control" the speed and water temperature of the AquaDuck by turning wheels and moving levers.

Also in AquaLab is a leaky wall, inviting children to try to cover up squirting pipes and stop Uncle Donald's row boat from filling up with water. Another feature unique to the Fantasy and also on Deck 12 will be a wading pool with a fountain water feature as well as canopy-covered seating.

New in the "just-for-adults" category, the Fantasy will offer the Satellite Sun Deck, on deck 13 forward in addition to the existing Quiet Cove Pool and Cove Bar. Central to the deck will be Satellite Falls, described as a circular splash pool with benches and a gently falling rain curtain that provides cool comfort. In some ways, it looks like one of those mushroom waterfalls that kids love, but this one is for foiks 18 and over, and instead of a mushroom, it looks like one of those National Weather Service doppler radar stations, or the top of a chess board pawn figurine.

"There's kind of a tongue-in-cheek reference to it being called Satelltie Falls," said cruise line spokesman Jason Lasecki. "It's right under one of the satellites for the ship."

So that's what's new on the Fantasy, but the ship will still feature many of the signature activities of the Dream including the AquaDuck, an array of swimming pools, a giant 30-foot-wide LED screen, Nemo's Reef children's water play area, the adults-only Quiet Cove Pool and Cove Bar, nine-hold mini-golf course and an interactive sports deck.

Over the weekend, the 265-ton portion of the ship's bow was mated with the rest of the vessel, making one complete shape at the . Now more work will continue on the interior of the vessel before eventual sea trials and its . The Port Canaveral-bound ship is slated to make its Florida debut in April 2012 after is maiden voyage on March 31.

The Disney Fantasy, currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany is set for its debut voyage on March 31, 2011. The Fantasy will sail out of Port Canaveral, offering alternating seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean with stops at Castaway Cay, the line's private island in the Bahamas. The 4,000-passenger ship is a sister to the Disney Dream, also based at Port Canaveral, that debuted in January 2010 and will up the Disney Cruise Line fleet to four, with the line's two original vessels, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder.

The Wonder is currently based on the Pacific Coast and the Magic will continue to sail out of Port Canavearl until Fantasy's arrival, when it will migrate to New York.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/disney-cruise-line/vs-disney-fantasy-cruise-upper-deck-update-101311,0,3866821.story

Buy 4 nights in paradise, get the 5th night Free!*

Now open and welcoming reservations: Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai‘i!

Special Grand Opening Offer

With this Special Grand Opening Offer, you can experience Aulani—the newest Disney Resort—and enjoy your most magical vacation yet when you stay 4 nights and get your 5th consecutive night free!

Book before December 16, 2011 for stays most nights from:

•November 27 to December 16, 2011
•January 4 to January 12, 2012
•January 16 to January 25, 2012

Now you can enjoy more moments of relaxation and exhilaration at this world-class Resort on O‘ahu!

You can splash into adventure in Waikolohe Valley—featuring pools, slides and winding streams. Unwind at Laniwai Spa—offering a sumptuous menu of treatments and an outdoor hydrotherapy garden. Or simply bask in beachfront bliss as they savor a spectacular sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

Whatever vacation pleasures you seek, you'll find them all and more at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai‘i.

Booking

5th Night Free promotion for guests who stay four consecutive nights between November 27, 2011 and December 16, 2011; January 4, 2012 and January 12, 2012; January 16, 2012 and January 25, 2012. Book by December 16, 2011.

Disclaimer:
*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Excludes Resort fees and taxes. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or offers. Offer excludes suites and 3-Bedroom Grand Villas. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room. Offer applied once per reservation and not valid for previously booked rooms. Check for offers for other lengths of stay. Advance reservations required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Limit 2 rooms per reservation.

Video: Aulani Brings the Legends of the Islands to Life

Stateroom Re-categorization on Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy

Based on Guest feedback, Disney Cruise Line® has decided to call attention to several staterooms that have unique features onboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Effective Oct. 18, a total of 120 staterooms will be re-categorized into five new categories.

• 4E – Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah – Oversized Verandah
• 5E – Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah – Oversized Verandah, some with solid white wall
• 7A – Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Navigator Verandah, Undersized or Obstructed Verandah
• 9C – Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom, One Porthole, Obstructed View
• 9D – Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom, One Porthole, Obstructed View – limited view of ocean

If you are currently booked in one of the affected staterooms on or after Oct. 20, you will receive a letter or email notification. If you are re-categorized to a higher stateroom category, the current rate is protected. Guests re-categorized to a lower stateroom category will receive a rate adjustment and/or refund if the reservation is paid in full.

October-December Disneyland Room-Only Offer

There is still time to get a great deal at Disneyland. Save up to 30%* on a stay at one of the Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort, for arrivals most nights Oct. 2 - Dec. 24, 2011.

Offer Details:
Save up to 30%* off a room-only reservation at Disney's Paradise Pier® Hotel.
Save up to 25%* off a room-only reservation at the Disneyland Hotel or Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa.

Booking & Travel Windows:
Book this offer Sept. 13 - Oct. 15, 2011, for a broader selection of travel dates, with arrivals most nights Oct. 2 - Dec. 24, 2011.

Book this offer Oct. 16 - Dec. 10, 2011, for arrivals most nights Nov. 1 - Dec. 24, 2011.

This offer is not available for travel Nov. 23-25, 2011, and travel on this offer must be completed by Dec. 25, 2011.

Upgrades:
Add tickets or upgrade your room-only reservation to a package so you can enjoy the Theme Parks, and experience popular seasonal events like Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort (Sept. 16 - Oct. 31, 2011) or Holidays at the Disneyland Resort (Nov. 14, 2011 - Jan. 8, 2012).

*30% savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. Offer valid for arrivals most nights from October 2, 2011 through December 24th, 2011 when booked between September 13, 2011 and October 15, 2011, and for arrivals most nights from November 1, 2011 to December 24, 2011 when booked between October 16, 2011 to December 10, 2011. Travel must be completed by December 25, 2011. Other restrictions apply. Applies only to standard and concierge level rooms and not valid with previously booked rooms. Other room rates and hotel rates will vary. Excludes taxes and fees. Blockout dates of 11/23/11 through 11/25/11. Advance reservations required. Subject to availability as the number of rooms allocated for this offer is restricted. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation and five (5) people maximum per room. Not valid in combination with any other hotel discounts or offers. Subject to change without notice.

Disney Pin Trading

October 10, 2010 - Disney fans and collectors gather at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club for a free event designed to kick off the second decade of pin trading at Disney World. (Pin trading at Disney, inspired by pin-swapping seen at Olympic Games, began as part of the company’s millennium celebration, originally to last just 15 months.)

Disney Pin Trading is magical fun for the whole family! The most important guideline to remember is to have fun collecting or trading the Disney pinsyou like.

The main criteria to judge whether a pin is tradable or not is that it must be a metal pin bearing a “©Disney”mark on the back that represents a Disney Event, Place or Location, Character or Icon.

• Pins should be in good, undamaged, tradable condition.



• For a safe trading experience, please trade one pin at a time, hand to hand with pin backs attached.



• Guests may trade a maximum of two (2) pins per Cast Member, perday.



• Please refrain from touching a Cast Member’s or Guest’s pins or lanyard. If you need a closer look, kindly ask the Cast Member or Guest wearing the lanyard if she or he can bring it into clearer view for you.



• Monies, gifts or receipts may not be exchanged or used in tradefor a pin.



• When trading with a Cast Member, Guests should offer a pin thatis not currently displayed on the Cast Member’s lanyard.



• Pins from other business units of The Walt Disney Company (i.e.ABC, ESPN) are accepted for trade.



• Operating participant pins that show a Disney, Disneyland®Resort, or Walt Disney World®Resort affiliation are accepted for trading.



• Plastic pins, rubber pins or other non-metal pins are not accepted for trading.



• “Personalized Name”pins are not accepted for trade.



• “Broche style”or “clasp pins”are not accepted for trade.



• Disney Service Award pins, Spirit of Disneyland®Resort pins, Partners in Excellence pins or Cast Member costume pins (i.e. Host/Hostess Badges, Disney Trainer) are not tradable.

Pin Trading Location Etiquette Guidelines:

• Limit of one table for each Pin Trader.



• Limit of one bag/binder on the Pin Trading Table.



• Limit of one bag/binder in the Pin Trading location.



• Tables may not be moved, and please . . .



• Be courteous and always remember to follow Disney Pin Trading etiquette as outlined above. Thank you!

The location etiquette guidelines are for specific trading locations at Disney Parks. These guidelines are designed to ensure the safety and courtesy of participants, maintain the show quality of the pin trading areas, and provide an enjoyable experience for all of our Guests.In California, these location etiquette guidelines currently apply to the designated pin trading areas at Disney's Pin Traders at Downtown Disney®District, and Little Green Men Store Command and Westward Ho Trading Co. in Disneyland®Park..In Florida, these location etiquette guidelines currently apply to the designated pin trading areas at Disney's Pin Traders at the Downtown Disney®Marketplace and Pin Central at Epcot®.

Guidelines are subject to change without notice. Guests suspected of abusing the guidelines or the pin trading process may be subject to, among other things, removal from the resort premises.

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin opened October 7, 1998

October 7, 1998 Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, housed in the space formerly occupied by Take Flight, opens at Walt Disney World. Presented by Mattel, the first interactive dark ride at the Magic Kingdom will have an official opening November 3.

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin is a video-game-inspired ride at Magic Kingdom theme park based on the exploits of Buzz Lightyear and the Evil Emperor Zurg from Disney·Pixar's film Toy Story 2.

Accept the role of a Junior Space Ranger, board XP-37 space cruisers and blast away at Evil Emperor Zurg's robot minions with laser cannons. Zurg is attempting to steal batteries from helpless toys to power a weapon of ultimate destruction, and Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear is tasked by Star Command to stop him. Now Buzz needs the help of Junior Space Rangers to thwart the Evil Emperor's dastardly plans.

Spin your space cruiser any direction you wish. Every time you hit a target, you're rewarded with fun sounds, special effects, and points are added to your total score. Players can compete with each other for the highest score or try to attain a new personal best. You are even assigned a Star Command rank, based on your performance. The lowest rank is the humble "Space Cadet," but advanced players can challenge themselves to reach the highest rank, "Galactic Hero."

The attraction mixes familiar video game elements with a neon-colored physical environment to create a dazzling new experience that will entertain both expert gamers and Guests who have always enjoyed classic Disney dark rides.

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin is located in the central hub of Tomorrowland, just southeast of Astro Orbiter's towering rocket ship.

Fun Facts
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin went to infinity and beyond by being named the 2004 Disney Magazine Reader's Choice Award winner for Best Magic Kingdom Park Attraction for Young Kids!

A Bug's Land opens inside Disney's California Adventure October 6, 2002

A Bug's Land opens inside Disney's California Adventure (although part of the land has been in operation since 2001). Designed especially for younger kids, the area (inspired by the Disney/Pixar movie) features such attraction as Flik's Flyers and Tuck and Roll's Drive'Em Buggies.

"A Bug's Land" is a section of Disney's California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The area is based on the Disney·Pixar film "A Bug's Life". Adjoining the 2001 agricultural themed area "Bountiful Valley Farm", the "a bug's land", originally to be called "Flik's Fun Fair", opened in Autumn of 2002 and sought to offer kid-friendly rides sorely lacking from the park's initial roster.

Oversized human items and foodstuffs are scattered around the land, similar to the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area at Disney Hollywood Studios. The entrance to the section featuring the rides is a box of "Cowboy Crunchies", a reference to Sheriff Woody from another Disney·Pixar film, Toy Story 2. The fictional backstory for the land reveals that Flik and the other bugs were inspired to create their own fun fair when Disney's California Adventure opened next door to them. When the Imagineers set out to build the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, they discovered the bugs in the garden and decided to open up Flik's fair to park guests.

Flik's Flyers is a spinner ride at "Flik's Fun Fair" inside A Bug's Land at Disney's California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Guests ride in Flik's bug-made contraption fashioned from man-made objects. The vehicles appear to have been fashioned from used food containers and have been stitched together by leaves and twigs to become “balloons” that whirl around a pie plate centerpiece.

Also, the wait time sign resembles a button. Whirring, cranking gears are heard as they leave the ground. They can provide a great view of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Flik's Flyers is similar to Blowfish Balloon Race at Tokyo DisneySea.

Heimlich's Chew Chew Train is a slow moving train-type ride inside A Bug's Land at Disney's California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It first opened in 2002, along with the rest of A Bug's Land.

Guests board a train in the shape of Heimlich, the German-accented caterpillar from Disney·Pixar's A Bug's Life. Heimlich himself narrates the ride through the speakers on the trains. Heimlich's tendency to overeat is the theme of the ride, as the train appears to eat through oversized portions of human foods: candy corn, animal crackers, carrots, Brussels sprouts and watermelon. Appropriate scents accompany the giant food sets so guests can sniff to attract them. Large bites have been taken out of all the foods, so you can tell that Heimlich has been there before. At the ride's end, Heimlich bids guests farewell and reminds them to eat their fruits and vegetables.

Other attractions include Francis's Ladybug Boogie, Princess Dot Puddle Park and Tuck and Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies

"Don't try to figure out a plan. You can't reason with a headless man."

October 5,1949

Disney's 11th animated feature film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is released. The film features the voices of Bing Crosby, who narrates Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", and Basil Rathbone, who narrates Kenneth Grahame's tale "The Wind in the Willows." "The Wind in the Willows" will inspire the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride theme park attraction, first at Disneyland and then at Walt Disney World. (Although WDW's version will later close.)


Experience ‘Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ on Disney’s Haunted Carriage Rides
A Mom and The Mouse, Kristin Ford — posted by kristin ford on October, 3 2011

When the headless horseman is not appearing at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, he is surprising guests during Haunted Carriage Rides at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground. (Walt Disney World)

Haunted Carriage Rides at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground offer thrills during this Halloween season without being too scary for most kids to enjoy.

We began our adventure Friday, the opening night, at the Blacksmith’s Shop. After checking in, we were encouraged to walk around and see the horses and memorabilia in the barn. When it was our turn, we climbed into one of four open carriages and headed out past Pioneer Hall and the Settlement Trading Post and into the woods.

The driver started the telling of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” before a recorded narrator picked up the tale, as the carriages traveled through the trees and along the shore of Bay Lake, stopping at key places mentioned in the story.

For my children, ages 7 and 9, there was nervous anticipation leading up to the appearance of the headless horseman. But there was no fear on the 25-minute ride. This is Walt Disney World, after all. Be aware, however, that the woods can be dark, depending on what time your ride occurs, and that can certainly affect small children.

If your teenager is looking for things that go bump in the night, it won’t happen on the Haunted Carriage Ride. For that, you’ll need to check out Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.

Disney’s Haunted Carriage Rides continue daily through Oct. 31, leaving on the half hour from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The cost is $60 per carriage, which holds four adults or two adults and three children. Call 407-939-7529 to make a reservation.

A tip: Many of the days are already sold out, but cast members told me they will take names for waiting lists because additional rides may be scheduled on busy nights. Those on the waiting lists will be notified by 4 p.m. the day of the ride.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/disney-a-mom-and-the-mouse/2011/10/experience-legend-of-sleepy-hollow-on-disneys-haunted-carriage-rides/

Free Disney Custom Maps

If you are planning a trip to Disney World or just like to dream of your trip there is a great free tool available to you. You can create your own personalized map for your trip that will be printed and mailed to you for free from

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/maps/

It is a great way to generate excitement and makes a wonderful keepsake!

October 3, 1971 Peter Pan's Flight opens at Walt Disney World

On the park's third day in business, 1971 Peter Pan's Flight opens at Walt Disney World. Based on the 1953 animated film, guests board vessels (attached to rails above) and "soar" over the skies of London.

Fly over London in a pirate galleon to far-off Never Land on Peter Pan's Flight, located in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom theme park.

Take a seat in an aerial galleon, get doused with pixie dust by Tinker Bell and sail out of the Darling children's home and into the glittery lights of moonlit London! You'll soar over the famous sights of Big Ben, London Bridge and more. You can even see the tiny headlights of automobiles twinkling far below.

As music from Disney's classic 1953 film Peter Pan swells, you descend to wondrous Never Land Island. Soon, you'll be sweeping past the Lost Boys camp, Mermaid Lagoon and Skull Rock. Watch as Peter Pan valiantly faces off against Captain Hook aboard the captain's grand pirate ship to save Wendy and her brothers.

It's a whimsical journey that you'll want to never end!

Upon entering the very beginning of the nursery, a play tea party featuring two famous toys, Raggedy Ann and Andy, can be seen. The Lost Boys camp and Mermaid Lagoon are now a part of the Never Land scene. Also, Hook's 48-foot pirate ship is included, complete with deck, masts, sails and rigging. Guests see Hook and Peter engaged in hand-to-hand combat on the mainsail, while the boys are lashed to the mast and Wendy is about to walk the plank. Then, guests see Peter and the Darlings posed victoriously on the ship, poised to sail into the sky, back to London.

Trivia: A hidden Mickey is located at the beginning of the ride. When the ship ascends, the shape of Mickey's head, formed by three cookies, can be seen below to the right.

Fun Facts: The popular girl's name "Wendy" was actually invented for the character of Wendy in the play, Peter Pan (1904) by author J. M. Barrie.

http://youtu.be/zGYBy7K4C_w