Category — w. Most Recent Stuff

For those of you curious about the day job I’ve referred to now and then–here’s a link to a YouTube video about the project I’m helping out with right now!

The guy in the video is not me…but he did hire me at McKinsey a while back when he was the managing partner of McKinsey’s Cleveland office, and he and I have been working together every couple of years ever since! I’m helping him out right now with strategy for the Medical Mart.

Anyone care to guess where the idea for the “themed floors” came from? 🙂

Update 10/5:  A 2013 deal may come out October 10—see this.

DELAYS IN DISNEY WORLD 2013 DEALS?

I’ve been getting a lot of questions wondering about when–and if–early 2013 Disney World discounts might be coming out–especially since deals for the equivalent periods in 2012 and in 2011 came out in August.

My bet is that we’ll see the first set of Disney World discounts for January 2013 in early November, for a couple of reasons, but early December is also possible–as is tomorrow!

WHY DISNEY WORLD 2013 DEALS MIGHT COME OUT IN EARLY NOVEMBER [Read more →]

The Magic Kingdom will be opening at 8a rather than the usual 9a on eight of the ten days beginning Friday October 5, 2012 and ending Sunday October 14–every day in that span except for 10/9 and 10/10.

8a openings are unusual except on the most busy days of the year, and I haven’t seen such a sweep of them outside of the weeks around Christmas and New Years.  During Columbus Day week last year, there were none.

I’m not sure if this means the parks will be busier than the 5/Moderate Minus in the crowd calendar, or if something else is going on, but if they are busier, crowds will still be in the “Moderate” range.”

FORECAST 2014 RESORT PRICE SEASONS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

The material below shows the different resort price seasons at Walt Disney World at different times of the year in 2014.

(If you are looking for current deals and discounts, click here. For 2013 prices, click here.)

Ticket prices don’t vary over the course of the year–although they typically have an annual increase in the summer. See this for more on ticket prices.

Resort prices, however, are almost twice as high during some periods as they are at others.

Projections for 2014 resort price seasons based on recent Disney World practice follow. These will be updated when Disney releases actual 2014 prices–expected to happen on July 10, 2013.

2014 DISNEY WORLD PRICE SEASONS

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For the first page of this review of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, see this.

A PHOTO TOUR OF A STANDARD LITTLE MERMAID ROOM

Standard 4-person Little Mermaid rooms have the same size and a similar layout as those in the other value resorts. It still has full beds, though–with n\most other values having or moving to queen beds.

What’s particularly different is the specific decor, and the deep Disney theming that you won’t find in the other values.

You are “Under the Sea” in this room, a position that the carpet and how it works with curtains  and the beds is meant to reinforce.

Closing your eyes and saying “I believe in orange as an undersea color!  I do!!” helps a bit in getting this.

The room has two full beds, with Sebastian and Flounder between them. The “pearls” on the headboards are reading lights.

Here”s a closer view of the headboards…

…and of Sebastian and Flounder.

Towards the end of the beds, there’s a painting of Prince Eric.

On the other side of the room, you’ll find a table and chairs with a fun light fixture and mirror above, and a dresser with a TV above and a fridge inside. No coffee maker, though…

The chairs are fun for kids, but cheap looking…

…while the table has these sheets from a musical score embedded.

The dresser has the TV above, drawers on one side, and a mini-fridge on the other.

Here’s the drawers and mini-fridge. Note only three drawers. There’s a shelf above the hanging rack in the bath with more storage, and also room for suitcases used for storage on the floor between the fridge and the bath.

The bath is separated from the main living/sleeping area by a curtain.

There’s also coat hooks in this area.  The wall where the coats hooks are is where the door would be in a room outfitted with connecting doors.

Here’s a closer view of the coat hooks.

The bath has a single sink…

…and a large hanging area to its side, with a shelf above it, and an ironing board, iron, and safe.

The toilet and tub are closed off into their own space.  The shower curtain presents the first appearance of Ariel in the room.

The tub surround is themed to Ariel’s lair.

THE FAMILY SUITES AT DISNEY’S ART OF ANIMATION RESORT

This review continues here.

MATERIAL IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S ART OF ANIMATION RESORT

• Overview of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• The Little Mermaid Area and Rooms
• Photo Tour of a Little Mermaid Room
• Overview of the Family Suites Areas
• Accommodations in the Family Suites
• Photo Tour of a Finding Nemo Family Suite (plus bed dimensions, storage, etc)
• Photo Tour of a Lion King Family Suite
• Photo Tour of a Cars Family Suite
• Amenities at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• The Pools at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

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 150+ stays in them

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

DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: SEPTEMBER 29 TO OCTOBER 7, 2012

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the table, but organized by park, not by topic.

(For more on September 2012 at Disney World, see this, and for more on October,  see October 2012 at Walt Disney World.)

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