Category — p. News and Changes

CHANGES TO 2011 WEEKS TO VISIT, MOSTLY MINOR

I’ve just published a revised version of this site’s 2011 Weeks to Visit Walt Disney World, Ranked in Order.

Nineteen of 2011’s 52 weeks had changes to their week ranking–but for 16 of these 19, the changes were minor–up or down 5 positions or fewer, and no change in how the week was categorized.

(I categorize the weeks as Recommended Weeks, Worse Weeks, and Weeks to Avoid.)

…BUT NOT ALL CHANGES ARE MINOR…

Three weeks, however, had major changes in their rankings, and two of these three also had changes in their category.

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FREE DINING AT WALT DISNEY WORLD INTO DECEMBER

UPDATE AUGUST 2010: This deal has now been extended well into 2011! See this for more.

MousePlanet.com is reporting  here that Disney has extended its free dining plan, already announced through October 2,  to certain dates further into October, and certain dates in November and December.

The new offer is not available for arrivals October 8-21, October 29-November 11, November 19-November 26,  December 3-December 9, and after December 21.

OVERVIEW: DISNEY WORLD PARK CALENDARS

I’ve noted elsewhere–for example, here, here, and here–that the best way to find out Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, fireworks and Fantasmic times, and such, is to work from the individual official Walt Disney World park calendars.

These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:

• Magic Kingdom Calendar
• Hollywood Studios Calendar
• Animal Kingdom Calendar
• Epcot Calendar

However, these calendars aren’t too user friendly, so I thought I’d give some advice on how to use them and about some of their odder aspects.

HOW TO USE WALT DISNEY WORLD’S THEME PARK CALENDARS

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DISNEY WORLD’S SUMMER NIGHTASTIC

“Summer Nightastic” is Disney’s name for five new or recycled things happening this summer (through mid-August) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and the Magic Kingdom:

• The return of the old Magic Kingdom evening parade, the Main Street Electrical Parade, replacing Spectromagic
• A new fireworks display at the Magic Kingdom, the Summer Nightastic Fireworks Show, replacing Wishes
• Enhancements to the Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• The Sounds Like Summer Concert Series, a concert series at Epcot, and
• The Rock ‘n’ Glow Dance Party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Since the first three represent changes some of Walt Disney World’s best loved attractions, I saw then last weekend, and comment on them below.

The upshot?  All three remain linchpins of a Walt Disney World trip, whether in their current form, or the ones they will go back to in August.

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See below for your choices for 4th of July fireworks at Walt Disney World–including July 3rd!

(See this for more on July 2010 at Walt Disney World.)

Disney World 4th of July Fireworks on Friday, July 3:

• Magic Kingdom:  “Celebrate America Fireworks” at 9p. Park open until 11p, with Extra Magic Hours until 2a

Disney World 4th of July Fireworks on Saturday July 4:

• Magic Kingdom:  “Celebrate America Fireworks” at 9p.  Park open until 1a.
• Epcot: “Illuminations” at 10p, with a special holiday ending. Park open until 10p, with Extra Magic Hours until 1a
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: special fireworks show at 9.50p.  Park open until 10p
• For events other than fireworks, see this

Suggestions for Disney World Fireworks

As Mark Goldhaber at Mouseplanet.com notes here, “crowd levels will be extremely high, as this is one of the busiest days of the year at Walt Disney World (especially with the holiday occurring on a Saturday this year). Parks may close their gates early due to capacity. ”

Those following this site’s summer itinerary for Walt Disney World will be at either Epcot or the Magic Kingdom (depending on whether July 4 is the first or last Saturday of their itinerary.

Those at Epcot should have no problem.

Those trying to see the Magic Kingdom may find the park closed, in which case Epcot is their best alternative. 

Epcot is less likely to be closed than the Studios, and, with its Extra Magic Hours, will not put you in the spot of having to leave with the massive crowd when the fireworks are over.

A SMALL LANDMARK

Sometime yesterday, this site crossed 150,000 visitors; sometime today, it will cross one million page views.

These are minor blips in the cosmic scheme of the Internet. Lady Gaga must do that every five minutes…but even so, considering that when I started a couple of years ago, all I knew was that I thought this site had something to contribute, and that my mom would probably read it…I am kind of astonished.

Thanks to all of you for coming and looking around! And more importantly, I hope the site has helped!

To celebrate, I am going to Walt Disney World this weekend—to see and review a few changes, re-test a couple of elements of my Disney World summer itinerary for first time visitors, and see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

WHAT’S NEXT

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