Category — w. Most Recent Stuff

(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’S EPCOT RESORTS

The Epcot resorts are deluxe resorts grouped around Crescent Lake within easy walking distance of Epcot, and a moderately longer walk away from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Boats take guests to both parks as well.

As I count them, there’s seven Epcot resorts:

• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• The Swan
• The Dolphin

But most people, when they think of the Epcot resorts, are thinking of the Beach Club, the Yacht Club, and the BoardWalk Inn.

I’m not keen on these resorts for first time family visitors–they hold up the bottom end of the list of Disney World deluxe resorts ranked in order.

But for returning visitors, they are wonderful choices and the favorites of many. [Read more →]

OVERVIEW: SEPTEMBER 2012 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews Walt Disney World in September 2012: crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, special events, and operating hours; and ends with week by week summaries.

[Read more →]

DISNEY WORLD’S SPECIAL HALLOWEEN PARTY

While Halloween itself is October 31st of course, Walt Disney World provides a special celebration at the Magic Kingdom many evenings in September , October, and even November 2012.

This celebration is called “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.”

At the party, many of the Magic Kingdom’s rides are open, and trick or treating, special events, and slightly different parades and fireworks are offered.

The official Disney World page for this event can be found here.

MORE ON MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY in 2012

[Read more →]

OVERVIEW: DISNEY’S YACHT CLUB RESORT

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, one of the Epcot resorts, is the seventh best deluxe resort at Walt Disney World for first time family visitors.

You can have a wonderful visit at any Walt Disney World resort hotel.

However, this site recommends that first time visitors to Walt Disney World who can afford it should stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a deluxe resort, and that those who can’t should stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value resort.

(It also suggests that first time visitors should avoid the moderate resorts, while noting that these resorts are wonderful for visits after the first. See this for why.)

Compared to other Walt Disney World owned and operated resorts, the deluxe resorts are distinguished by having (on average) the most amenities, nicest views, best dining options, best transport options, largest rooms, best service, and highest prices.

Among the deluxe resorts, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort has a lot of positives.

It stands out for sharing with the Beach Club the best pool on property, sharing with the Beach Club and the BoardWalk Inn convenient access to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and also sharing with these resorts a short walk to dozens of interesting table service dining options located in these resorts, at the Swan and Dolphin, on the BoardWalk, and in Epcot.

(See this for much more on resort distinctions by price class–value, moderate, deluxe, etc.) [Read more →]

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 →]