Category — p. News and Changes

A couple of quick points:

• Disney’s current major Disney World discount available to the general public needs to be booked by February 28th.
• Multiple sources, including Mark Goldhaber at MousePlanet.com, are noting that Disney World will be upgrading its reservation systems beginning early in the morning Thursday 2/23. 

In the past, this upgrade has led to a bit of a mess, including trouble “with dining reservations records, dining plan credit records, and other resort systems.”   So bring paper copies and don’t expect to be able to use the systems the 23rd and perhaps even the 24th…

• Finally, I’ve been ill most of this week, so have gotten behind on new posts and on responding to comments…I promise to do better!

DECEMBER 2011 VERY DIFFERENT THAN DECEMBER 2010 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD?

Later today the Walt Disney Company will release its FY12 Q1 earnings, covering October through December 2011.

Comparison of such results to year-earlier figures is always of profound interest to analysts.

In this comparison, December 2011 may come in light at Walt Disney World and Disneyland compared to December 2010. [Read more →]

FANTASMIC CONTINUING AN EVERY NIGHT SCHEDULE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD?

Fantasmic is re-opening on February 13 after a rehab, and Disney World’s August calendar is out.

Once it re-opens, Fantasmic is scheduled to show every night through August, except for March 21 and June 6–the two off nights likely due to private parties at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The important point is that Fantasmic is showing every night in August 2012–including the last week, when Disney World shifts from its summer/peak calendar to its Autumn-Winter-Spring operating calendar.

This suggests that Disney World will continue to show Fantasmic almost every night in the rest of 2012. [Read more →]

(This page is one of a series explicating Walt Disney World lingo, abbreviations, and FAQ for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World.)

DISNEY WORLD FREE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY?

As many as two dozen people a day come to this site with some version of “Is Disney free on your birthday?” as the words they entered into a search engine.

Here’s the bad news: there used to be a deal where Disney World offered free tickets on your birthday.  But there isn’t one anymore.  Disney world tickets are the same price on your birthday as they are on any other day.

DISNEY WORLD BIRTHDAY SPECIALS

But there are still some fun birthday offers from Disney World, and some of them are free!

Free Disney World birthday stuff includes:

• A happy birthday button (see the image at the top, courtesy of Kristin’s Tips from the Disney Diva), which you can get either from your Disney World resort hotel or from guest services in the parks. Mike at My Dreams of Disney reminds me that Disney strictly enforces when you can get this free birthday button–it must be within 6 months before, or 6 months after, your birthday!
• A happy birthday call–dial 0 in your resort to schedule it
• Perhaps, a happy birthday cupcake as the finale to a Disney World table service meal.
• And of course you can bring birthday celebration materials from home!

OTHER WALT DISNEY WORLD BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Much more celebration of birthdays at Walt Disney World is possible–but not for free. 

Options include birthday cakes ($21 and up), birthday parties ($16 per person and up), and many others. (Prices are from The Complete Walt Disney World 2012.)

See Natalie’s article on Walt Disney World birthday celebration ideas on Meet the Magic for more ideas and options!

Walt Disney World released last week changes to its park hours for the week that includes President’s Day.

The Magic Kingdom now has 8a openings from Saturday February 18th through Saturday the 25th, and the Animal Kingdom is showing 8a openings from the 18th through Wednesday the 22nd.

Moreover, closings at the Magic Kingdom are now at 1a most nights from Friday 2/17 through Saturday 2/25.

So far, Extra Magic Hours are unchanged from the normal Autumn-Winter-Spring pattern.

My friends at Destinations in Florida Travel have a deal where if you buy your Universal tickets from them, you can use, for free, their shuttle service from Disney World hotels to Universal and Harry Potter.

For more, and to get your Universal tickets that provide this free deal, see this.

For more on getting to Harry Potter from Walt Disney World, see this.