Category — w. Most Recent Stuff
Next Week (January 16 Through January 24, 2016) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JANUARY 16 TO JANUARY 24, 2016
The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the graphic, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on January 2016 at Walt Disney World, click here.
Note that typos happen, and schedules change! If something seems odd, or if you want to double check, use the calendar links near the bottom to get the latest official Disney World scoop.
OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/16-1/24/2016
The Magic Kingdom will be open 8a-12MN 1/16, 9a-12MN 1/17 and 1/18, 9a-11p 1/19, 9a-9p 1/20, 9a-8p 1/21, 9a-10p 1/22, 9a-12MN 1/23, and 9a-11p 1/24
Epcot will be open from 8a-9p 1/16 and 1/17, and 9a-9p 1/18 through 1/24
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be 8a-10p 1/16 and 1/17, 9a-8.30p 1/18, 9a-8p 1/19 through 1/23, and 9a-8.30p 1/24
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 8a-8p 1/16 and 1/17, 9a-8p 1/18, 9a-5p 1/19 through 1/21, 9a-5.30p 1/22, 9a-7p 1/23, and 9a-8p 1/24
EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/16-1/24/2016
Saturday 1/16 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Sunday 1/17 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: None
Monday 1/18 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Tuesday 1/19 Morning: none Evening: Epcot
Wednesday 1/20 Morning: none Evening: Magic Kingdom
Thursday 1/21 Morning: Epcot Evening: none
Friday 1/22 Morning: Magic Kingdom Evening: Hollywood Studios
Saturday 1/23 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Sunday 1/24 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none
PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/16-1/24/2016
The Magic Kingdom:
- Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day
- Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9 and 11p 1/16 through 1/18; 7 and 9p 1/19 and 1/20; 7p 1/21; 7 and 9p 1/22; 8 and 10p 1/23 and 1/24
FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/16-1/24/2016
Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p 1/16 through 1/18; 8p 1/19 through 1/22; 9p 1/23 and 1/24
IllumiNations at Epcot: 9p every night
Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 7 and 9p 1/16 through 1/18; 7p 1/19 through 1/23; 7 and 9p 1/24
Symphony in the Stars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8p every night
SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/16-1/24/2016
See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.
LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/9-1/17/2016
See this for forecasts.
DISCLAIMER
Everything is subject to change and typos! Check the Disney Calendars for updates and official schedules. These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:
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January 14, 2016 No Comments
Affiliation with the Official Ticket Center
Frequent readers of my disclosure page 🙂 will have noted that I’ve just finalized a partnership with The Official Ticket Center.
The Official Ticket Center is best known for being one of the few legit sources of discounted Walt Disney World tickets, and one of the best.
It’s also one of the few legit sources that’s actually based in Orlando, and has such quaint features as an actual office and experts who will answer the phone and help you with any problems you might have, upgrade your tickets, etc.
They also have discounted tickets for other Orlando area attractions–check out the Official Ticket Center’s whole offering here.
The Disney World ticket discounts offered by the Official Ticket Center often aren’t that big–Disney will significantly discount hotels frequently, but very rarely tickets. But for larger families or those who need to squeeze every penny that they can, the ticket savings can be meaningful.
They first hit my radar as a result of this post on TouringPlans.com. I then met Patrick, the boss, at a Disney World event a year or so ago sponsored by the WDW Magazine folk, and since have collaborated with him in a bunch of settings, including the Get Down to Disness on-line live Q&A.
Here’s the word from Patrick:
“Here at The Official Ticket Center, we are proud of our ability to provide you with the lowest prices available for Orlando theme park tickets.
“Being a local business minutes from Walt Disney World, we feel that gives us a huge advantage to other online ticket sellers. We actually have physical location where you can come in and talk with one of our informative vacation planners while on vacation, not a faceless text like other online companies. You know itineraries change at a moment’s notice while on vacation, so it is much easier and reassuring when you have a friend that is in town to help!
“Being in business for over 15 years has earned us a few unique advantages like access to Disney E-Ticketing abilities as well as special discounts when purchasing in person at our guest service location. We have the best discounts on theme park tickets and take pride in our Meet or Beat deals!”
He continues (probably only the last para is relevant, so I’ve bolded it):
“I have been a big fan of Dave’s for many years now and love reading all he can throw at me on yourfirstvisit.net, The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, and everywhere else!
“His vast knowledge of the Walt Disney Resort area has helped me to better inform and educate my guests with their vacations while making me a more informed vacation planner.
“After hanging out and chatting with Dave at a few parties at Disney, I knew he was the real deal! We both share a deep love of Disney and routinely dabble with others in underground Mouse culture!
“I highly value Dave’s friendship and I look forward to helping his readers save time and money while visiting the Walt Disney World Resort.
“Mention Dave sent you from yourfirstvisit.net and receive a free welcome gift while supplies last!”
Patrick S. Pulliam
Owner ~ The Official Ticket Center
And as a result of the partnership, if you buy stuff from the Official Ticket Center via a link from this site, then they share a little pixie dust with me, which helps compensate for all of the time I put into it…
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January 12, 2016 4 Comments
Updated Beach Club Review (Plus a Couple of Suite Images)
Yesterday I published an updated version of my review of Disney’s Beach Club Resort, based on my most recent stays there in November and December.
The biggest difference is that the floor plan and photo tour now reflect the newly refurbed rooms.
These rooms were already quite livable, but the fixtures, fittings and coverings were pretty beat up.
The refurb has made all fresh, and also made some minor improvements in livability–e.g. centralizing the drawers more, and adding more power points.
I do think, as noted in the new review, that these rooms have lost some of their charm–although we did like the new Mickey and Minnie print enough for it to have made its way onto our Christmas Card, along with puppy Belle:
Most of the rest of the changes to the review were structural, although I did add some new photos.
More specifically,
The Beach Club overview page has some added content summarizing other pages in the review that makes it work better as one page introduction to the resort, so that many won’t need to delve any deeper into the review. I’ve been doing this with my updated reviews lately to help save people time.
The overview page has also of course the updated floor plan and a photo or two of the new rooms, plus a bit of a comparison to the old rooms.
The second page, a photo tour of a Beach Club room, now has all new images of a refurbed room.
The third page that summarizes Accommodations and Theming at the Beach Club is mostly the same as the old page, other than the obvious changes from the refurb.
Incidentally, for somewhat comic reasons I was “stuck” with an upgrade to a one-bedroom suite in November, and have not added photos from that trip to the Accommodations page yet, as I was already far enough behind on reporting on the refurb to the standard rooms that I wanted to get this new review out.
Most of those one bedroom suite photos will get added to the Accommodations page later–or perhaps I’ll do a photo tour of the suite…but here’s a couple to whet your appetite until then:
The sitting room in a one bedroom suite:
The couch side of the king bedroom in a one bedroom suite:
The bed side of the king bedroom in a one bedroom suite:
I’ve lately been separating out dining from the “Amenities” page–just as last year I separated out main pools–both for improved findability.
So there’s a new Dining at the Beach Club page, mostly similar to before, but with
–Updated reviews from the 2016 edition of The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, and
–Some new Cape May Cafe images from my January 2015 dinner there with my dad and sister. (The blurry but gleeful older guy delighted with the crab legs is my dad!)
The Amenities at the Beach Club page is pretty much the same, except it now excludes dining, and the page on Stormalong Bay, the Beach Club’s main pool is also pretty much unchanged.
The updated review of Disney’s Beach Club Resort begins here! Check it out, and let me know if it is helpful–and what you think of the new look of the rooms!!!
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January 11, 2016 No Comments
Dining at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Beach Club Resort, click here.)
The Beach Club has two table service restaurants.
- Beaches and Cream is a wonderful burger and ice cream shop, but is far too small for the demand for it.
- The Cape May Cafe has at breakfast a buffet with Minnie and other characters, but not Mickey, and an above-average seafood buffet at dinner.
More table service dining is within walking distance at the Yacht Club and BoardWalk, but none has great kid or family appeal except breakfast at Trattoria al Forno.
Quick service dining is quite limited, with just small venues at the back of the Beach Club gift shop and at the main pool. Another trivial option quick service is in the Yacht Club gift shop.
At one end of the Beach Club, on the way to the Yacht Club (part of the same massive interconnected building) is Cape May Cafe, a table service restaurant that does Mickey-less character breakfasts with Minnie, Goofy and Donald, and a seafood-focused buffet at night.
Goofy in the distance…
…and the review from our book, The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2019.
Above is a shot of part of the Cape May dinner buffet…
…the crab legs, not part of the buffet but rather sent straight from the kitchen on request…
…and the overall milieu.
There’s another table-service option, accessible from on the outdoor veranda walkway connecting the Beach Club and Yacht Club, Beaches and Cream.
Above is its review from our book, The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2019. Beaches and Cream will be closed for refurb in much of the second half of 2019, beginning in early August.
There are more table service dining options within walking distance at the Yacht Club and BoardWalk, none of any special appeal to kids except a character breakfast with Ariel, Eric, Rapunzel,and Flynn Rider at Trattoria al Forno.
In this gift shop is also what passes for the only counter-service inside the Beach Club–too small, too slow, too thin a menu.
On my last visit, the lunch/dinner menu had flatbreads, salads and soup both meals.
You can design your own flatbread based on what’s available.
Lunch in addition had a meatball sub, and dinner added to the sub ribs and chicken with sides.
Breakfast offerings are a little better–partly because a limited menu works better at breakfast.
But in general all three of the Epcot resorts have weak counter service options compared to the other DIsney World deluxe resorts.
I don’t know why. Part is a consequence of design–there’s actually not much room on the ground floors of the Yacht and Beach Clubs, or on the second floor of the BoardWalk Inn, to even put such places. But I suspect that the real reason is that most offerings on the BoardWalk itself, and almost all in Epcot’s World Showcase, are run by third parties, and Disney does not want to undercut their opportunity to sell meals…
At least the cold food section of the gift shop is better stocked than that of most other Disney World gift shops.
At the main pool shared by the Beach and Yacht Clubs, Stormalong Bay, the pool bar and grill, Hurricane Hanna’s, offers a different set of quick service options.
Here’s the menu, but you’ll probably find it more legible on Disney’s site here.
Waits can be long at Hurricane Hanna’s, but you at least there’s a ping-pong table!
Hurricane Hanna’s also has a refillable mug station.
More on all these options is on Disney World’s website here.
OTHER AMENITIES AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT
This review continues here!
PAGES IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT
- Overview and summary of Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Theming and accommodations at the Beach Club
- A photo tour of a Beach Club room
- Dining at the Beach Club
- Amenities at the Beach Club
- Stormalong Bay, the Beach Club’s main pool
OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD
- Where to stay–the Basics
- Where first-timers should stay
- Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them
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January 10, 2016 No Comments
Next Week (January 9 Through January 17, 2016) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JANUARY 9 TO JANUARY 17, 2016
The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the graphic, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on January 2016 at Walt Disney World, click here.
Note that typos happen, and schedules change! If something seems odd, or if you want to double check, use the calendar links near the bottom to get the latest official Disney World scoop.
OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/9-1/17/2016
The Magic Kingdom will be open 9a-11p 1/9, 9a-9p 1/10, 9a-8p 1/12 through 1/14, 9a-12MN 1/15, 8a-12MN 1/16, and 9a-12MN 1/17
Epcot will be open from 9a-9p 1/9 through 1/15, and 8a-9p 1/16 and 1/17
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-8.30p 1/9, 9a-8p 1/10 through 1/14, 9a-8.30p 1/15, and 8a-10p 1/16 and 1/17
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-8p 1/9, 9a-5.30p 1/10, 9a-5p 1/11 through 1/14, 9a-5.30p 1/15 and 8a-8p 1/16 and 1/17
EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/9-1/17/2016
Saturday 1/9 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Sunday 1/10 Morning: none Evening: Hollywood Studios
Monday 1/11 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Tuesday 1/12 Morning: none Evening: Epcot
Wednesday 1/13 Morning: none Evening: Magic Kingdom
Thursday 1/14 Morning: Epcot Evening: none
Friday 1/15 Morning: Magic Kingdom Evening: Hollywood Studios
Saturday 1/16 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Sunday 1/17 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none
PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/9-1/17/2016
The Magic Kingdom:
- Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day
- Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9 and 11p 1/9, 7 and 9p 1/10, 7p 1/11 through 1/14, 9 and 11p 1/15 through 1/17
FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/9-1/17/2016
Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p 1/9, 8p 1/10 through 1/14; 10p 1/15 through 1/17
IllumiNations at Epcot: 9p every night
Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 7 and 9p 1/9; 7p 1/10 through 1/14; 7 and 9p 1/15 through 1/17
Symphony in the Stars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8p every night
SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/9-1/17/2016
See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.
LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 1/9-1/17/2016
See this for forecasts.
DISCLAIMER
Everything is subject to change and typos! Check the Disney Calendars for updates and official schedules. These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest
January 7, 2016 No Comments
Updated Wilderness Lodge Review
Yesterday I published an updated version of my review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge based on my December stay there.
The main difference is that there’s a more consistent emphasis on booking a Courtyard view room while the refurbishment on the woods view sides is going on.
Otherwise it’s largely new photos, an updated floor plan, and a revised organization.
The first page of the review now has some components added to make it serve better as a one page overview of the resort.
This way people can get all the core info on one page, and only have to look at the other pages of the review if they wish for more detail. I’ve been doing this with all my updated reviews lately, and should have thought of it a long time ago.
The second page of the review, a photo tour of a standard room, has almost all new photos–the exception being the bunk bed photo, about a million years old.
Also here (and on some of the other pages) is an update to the floor plan–cosmetic, capturing the new bed stripe and correcting the table shape and entry/bath flooring.
The third page is the new version of the old amenities page. The new amenities page has a lot of new photos (though I need to get a few more on my next trip).
I also cut from it the whole beach/marina/fishing scene that’s now disappeared under the refurb, and moved the material on dining to its own new page, to be consistent with how I’ve been doing these reviews lately.
I updated the main pool page a little bit, but largely left the accommodations and theming pages alone.
I’m behind again on updating reviews–I still have updates to do for the Beach Club and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness (though see this). But those will be out soon!
The updated review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge starts here.
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January 6, 2016 No Comments
