Category — p. News and Changes

The press release is here.

Here’s a photo of Jim:

I’m really excited to announce that today kicks off a new weekly column from internationally renowned Disney historian Jim Korkis.

Coming the rest of the Fridays this month from Jim will be a little-known movie influence on Main Street USA; some Muppetry in the history of Mama Melrose; and an appreciation of Peter Dominick.

Don’t know Jim? Well, keep reading!

About Jim Korkis

By Jim Korkis

My name is Jim Korkis and every Friday from now on I will be writing a column here on yourfirstvisit.net entitled “A Friday Visit With Jim Korkis.”

Every Friday I’ll be sharing information about Walt Disney World that I hope will enhance the visits of both first-timers and seasoned travelers.

Here’s a little bit about me:

• I grew up in Glendale, California and was lucky enough to then have the opportunity to meet and interview many Disney animators and Imagineers. Over the years, I have used that material in articles for fanzines, newspapers, magazines, websites and books.
• In 1995, I moved to Orlando and with my background as a professional magician, I soon found work as a street magician and balloon artist at Downtown Disney.
• Within a few short months with my background as a professional actor in stage and television, I became a “friend” of Merlin the magician, doing the “Sword in the Stone” ceremony in Fantasyland.
• Shortly, thereafter, with my background in animation in Los Angeles, I got a job as a salaried animation instructor at the Disney Institute in 1996.
• I later found myself working with Disney Adult Discoveries, the department that created and facilitated behind-the-scenes tours for guests and convention groups.
• Being the sole researcher and writer on the original UnDiscovered Futureworld tour got me the opportunity to work in Guest Relations at Epcot and later as a Coordinator with College and International Programs.
• Then, I was moved to the Epcot Learning Center (a combination computer lab and library for cast members) where I researched and taught over two hundred different presentations on Disney history for cast members and Disney business clients like Feld Entertainment and Kodak.
• Along the way, I also did special assignments including being the off-screen narrator for the syndicated television series, “Secrets of the Animal Kingdom,” the writer of the text for the 30th anniversary Walt Disney World trading cards, the facilitator for the Disney Crew puppet show (a touring anti-drug show performed at all the Central Florida elementary schools), the host of the “100 Years of Magic Vacation Planning” video and many other interesting things.

Jim Korkis as Merlin at Fantasyland

So, all of this puffery is to assure you that when I write about Walt Disney World, including things you may never have heard before, that I have a very solid and unique background.

In 2009, along with thousands of other WDW cast members, I was laid off. I am still on good terms with the company and do freelance work including writing a quarterly column on Disney history for Disney Files magazine produced for members of the Disney Vacation Club as well as still contributing to special projects like a video I wrote and narrated about Walt’s love of steam trains.

In the last five years, I have written seven books on Disney history including three volumes of The Vault of Walt, Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South?, and The Book of Mouse, Who’s the Leader of the Club?: Walt Disney’s Leadership Lessons, and Animation Anecdotes.

These books were all published by Theme Park Press and are available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions. I also wrote the “Jim’s Gems” parts of The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit. I am currently working on another Disney related book.

I hope all of this has intrigued you to come back next Friday and every Friday after that to hear some interesting stories about Walt Disney World and things that you may have missed even if you are a frequent Disney World guest!

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Every other Wednesday from 8p-9p Eastern a Facebook group called “Disness Meetings” has a live Disney World Q&A on Facebook.

Much more important, there’s prizes given away over the course of the meeting, and the grand prize tonight will be a free signed copy of The easy Guide!!

The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit is the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook in Amazon history, the easiest-to-use Disney World guidebook, and the first Disney World guidebook written from scratch for FastPass+!

Plus Elsa likes it…

So join the “Disness Meetings” Facebook group, and come along and visit tonight from 8-9p!!

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!

Every other Wednesday from 8p-9p Eastern a Facebook group called “Disness Meetings” has a live Disney World Q&A on Facebook.

Think of it as like a radio call in show, except typing, and everyone asks their Disney World questions (and gets them answered) at the same time.

I joined the Facebook group (you have to join the group to take part) a couple of weeks ago and attended the February 18 meeting–intending just to lurk, but I answered a bunch of questions anyway. It was a lot of fun!!

I’ve been asked to be the “special guest” at the next one, this Wednesday March 4.  So there’s that…you can probably block me….

Much more important, there’s prizes given away over the course of the meeting, and the grand prize Wednesday night will be a free signed copy of The easy Guide!!

The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit is the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook in Amazon history, the easiest-to-use Disney World guidebook, and the first Disney World guidebook written from scratch for FastPass+!

Plus Elsa likes it…

So join the “Disness Meetings” Facebook group, and come along and visit Wednesday March 4 from 8-9p!!

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!

WALT DISNEY WORLD 2017 ADMISSION TICKET PRICES

(This page is sponsored by the Official Ticket Center. Check them out for reliably lower-priced Disney World tickets!)

Three types of Walt Disney World prices are important to think about:

• Walt Disney World theme park admission ticket prices—the tickets that grant you admission to the parks
• Walt Disney World resort hotel prices, and
• Park and hotel food prices

Disney World ticket prices were last updated in late February 2016. This page focuses on Walt Disney World theme park admission ticket prices from now until they go up again.

MORE DETAILS ON WALT DISNEY WORLD ADMISSION TICKET PRICES 2016: HOW THE TICKETS WORK

There are multiple types of Walt Disney World theme park tickets, but the one most relevant to most first time visitors is the Magic Your Way ticket, with or without the Park Hopper option.

You buy one theme park ticket for each person who will be three years old or older at the time of your visit (kids younger than three enter the parks for free.) The tickets have two pricing levels: one for kids who will be younger than ten at the time of your visit (but 3 or older) and the other for people ten or older.

When you buy your tickets, you also say how many “days” you want—from one to ten. Each “day” you buy permits unlimited visits to one theme park on one day. If you also add the Park Hopper option, you can make unlimited visits to any of the theme parks in one day–one theme park, two, three, or all four theme parks.

• For example, if you buy a three day ticket without the park hopper option, you could make two visits to the Magic Kingdom on day one, three visits to Epcot on day two, and two visits to the Animal Kingdom on day 3
• If you have a three day ticket with the park hopper option, you could for example make two visits to the Magic Kingdom and one to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on day one, one visit to Epcot and two to Disney’s Animal Kingdom on day two, and one to Epcot and two to the Magic Kingdom on day three
• What you can’t do without a park hopper ticket is visit more than one theme park on the same day. For example, you can’t, on November 25th, use one day of your three-day ticket to visit the Magic Kingdom, and another day of this same ticket to visit Epcot that same day. More than one theme park in a day requires a park hopper

You do not have to use your days all in a row boom boom boom—e.g. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Once you use your first day, you have 14 days to use all the days on your ticket. So on a three-day ticket you could visit the theme parks Monday, Thursday, and Sunday.

• You can also add days at the same price that you would have paid had you bought all those days at once, but have to do so no later than the day you use the last day of your original ticket (and within 14 days of the first day)
• So if you buy a three-day ticket, and realize a few days later that you need more days, you can add two days and they will cost only the difference between what you paid originally for a three day ticket, and what you would have had to have paid for a five day ticket, so long as you add these days no later than the day you use your third day
• You can also add stuff like the Park Hopper during the same day window at the same price as you would have paid when you first bought your ticket

However, you can’t “subtract” days if you overbuy.

HOW WALT DISNEY WORLD PRICES ITS THEME PARK ADMISSION TICKETS

1. While Disney typically increases ticket prices at least once a year–late February in 2014 through 20165—it changes theme park admission prices based on the seasons of the year only for One Day tickets, which also have other curious characteristics–different prices for the Magic Kingdom vs the other three parks, and expiration. Multi-day tickets–which most people buy–are the same price whenever you plan to visit.

2. Disney sells tickets by the day—one through ten days. The way it prices these days, the first three days are very expensive, while days after the third are comparatively almost free. See the image for exact Disney World prices.

For example, a three day ticket costs (including tax) an adult $309, or an average of $103 a day. A ten day ticket would cost the same adult $426. The added 7 days cost in total around $117 more—or just about $16.70 per day. For a 4-6 day ticket, it costs $16/day/person to add days–and on a after the 7th day, just $10.65/day/person to add days.

3. A park hopper costs (after tax) about $73.50 for all ticket lengths longer than three days..

I have also uploaded an excel spreadsheet with the same data in it as the chart, so that you can multiply by the number of members of your own family.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD THEME PARK TICKETS

There are other ticket types than the ones discussed above—less relevant for first time visitors. For details on all of them, see this page on MouseSavers.com.

While it’s hard to find discounts on tickets, it is sometimes possible, especially for longer-stay tickets. Check sponsor the Official Ticket Center, MouseSavers.com, Triple A if you are a member, and if you have military ties, this page and also MilitaryDisneyTips.com.

Since you can add on to your tickets–days, park hoppers, etc.–but can’t subtract, it doesn’t really pay to overbuy. Start with the minimum you think you need (but at least two days) and add on later if needed.  Remember to add no later than the day you use your current last day!

All of this site’s To-Do Lists tell you exactly what ticket type you need for their associated itineraries.

FREE TICKETS ON YOUR BIRTHDAY?

Disney world no longer offers free tickets on your birthday.

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As expected, Disney World ticket prices went up effective today.  I’ll get a full analysis out later this week.

In the meantime, Josh has many of the new prices here.

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