You may have already seen the first post on the new blog home...but in case you haven't, I'm moving my Disney blog over to http://www.maryalbright.com/blog. If you get to MaryAlbright.com, click on DisneyBlog and all the posts from this blog are archived there.
So visit me and subscribe over there. This will be the last post on this blog.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
WDW Scavenger Hunt News - Finally!
So with all the excitement last week, I just hadn't had a chance to talk about the fact that FINALLY....D23 announced that tickets for the WDW Scavenger Hunt will be available starting February 24.
I've had this event on my radar since it was announced. Two days to go through all four parks.
It's like the Amazing Race for Disney World!
I feel like that classic Disney commercial - "I can't sleep - I'm too excited!"
The dates have been announced for what seems like for-e-ver. I book a villa at BCV and sat tight because I was not going to book airfare until I know this event was for sure going to happen.
Now that I know it's happening, I'm sitting tight, biting my nails, watching for an airfare sale. I rarely plan last minute trips. Waiting this long to buy airfare gives me the willies. But I'm playing chicken with Delta and we'll see when I flinch.
DD and I will be a team. The boys have their trip to BSA SeaBase in June so I can kinda justify a girls adventure. A little.
I'm a little excited to see if this plays out the way I want it to. I need Tink to send some pixie dust this way!
I've had this event on my radar since it was announced. Two days to go through all four parks.
It's like the Amazing Race for Disney World!
I feel like that classic Disney commercial - "I can't sleep - I'm too excited!"
The dates have been announced for what seems like for-e-ver. I book a villa at BCV and sat tight because I was not going to book airfare until I know this event was for sure going to happen.
Now that I know it's happening, I'm sitting tight, biting my nails, watching for an airfare sale. I rarely plan last minute trips. Waiting this long to buy airfare gives me the willies. But I'm playing chicken with Delta and we'll see when I flinch.
DD and I will be a team. The boys have their trip to BSA SeaBase in June so I can kinda justify a girls adventure. A little.
I'm a little excited to see if this plays out the way I want it to. I need Tink to send some pixie dust this way!
Friday, February 4, 2011
DCL Online Check-In Determines Port Arrival Times
DCL has some new check-in and port arrival time information:
Each arrival time slot has a limited number of spaces. Therefore, Guest should complete their online check-in as soon as possible in order to have access to the largest selection of available arrival times.
•This is not applicable to Concierge and Platinum Guests, who can arrive at any time.
•Guest who purchase Disney Cruise Line Air or Ground Transportation will not need to select a time.
•For Guest with independently purchased air, only times appropriate for their flight arrival time will appear.
If you have already fully completed the online check-in process for an upcoming cruise (prior to these enhancements), any submitted information will be transferred over. However, Guests are encouraged to login and select a Port Arrival time.
Also
New Online Cruise Check-In Process
Enhanced online check-in process for Disney Cruise Line, “My Online Check-In.”
From DCL: You now can look forward to a more intuitive and streamlined input with improved technology that makes it easier and quicker to complete the necessary forms. In addition, a new animated video has been created featuring Goofy, who can help you walk through the process.
Here are some of the enhancements:
• More easily understood, smaller sections to simplify the process.
• Ability to easily enter information for the entire traveling party.
• Ability to enter shared information (such as home address) once and apply to additional members of the traveling party.
• If a Guest has cruised with Disney before some information automatically populates, such as address or passport information, reducing input time.
Guests are given access to “My Online Check-in” as follows:
•Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club: 120 days in advance
•Gold Castaway Club: 105 days in advance
•Silver Castaway Club: 90 days in advance
•First Time Cruiser: 75 days in advance
So...if you want that early arrival time, you need to get online and get yourself checked in as soon as you can.
Each arrival time slot has a limited number of spaces. Therefore, Guest should complete their online check-in as soon as possible in order to have access to the largest selection of available arrival times.
•This is not applicable to Concierge and Platinum Guests, who can arrive at any time.
•Guest who purchase Disney Cruise Line Air or Ground Transportation will not need to select a time.
•For Guest with independently purchased air, only times appropriate for their flight arrival time will appear.
If you have already fully completed the online check-in process for an upcoming cruise (prior to these enhancements), any submitted information will be transferred over. However, Guests are encouraged to login and select a Port Arrival time.
Also
New Online Cruise Check-In Process
Enhanced online check-in process for Disney Cruise Line, “My Online Check-In.”
From DCL: You now can look forward to a more intuitive and streamlined input with improved technology that makes it easier and quicker to complete the necessary forms. In addition, a new animated video has been created featuring Goofy, who can help you walk through the process.
Here are some of the enhancements:
• More easily understood, smaller sections to simplify the process.
• Ability to easily enter information for the entire traveling party.
• Ability to enter shared information (such as home address) once and apply to additional members of the traveling party.
• If a Guest has cruised with Disney before some information automatically populates, such as address or passport information, reducing input time.
Guests are given access to “My Online Check-in” as follows:
•Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club: 120 days in advance
•Gold Castaway Club: 105 days in advance
•Silver Castaway Club: 90 days in advance
•First Time Cruiser: 75 days in advance
So...if you want that early arrival time, you need to get online and get yourself checked in as soon as you can.
Star Wars Weekends Dates Officially Announced!
It's that time again!
From the latest Star Wars Beacon Newsletter:
The official dates for 2011 Star Wars Weekends are:
May 20-22
May 27-29
June 3-5
June 10-12
If you've never been to Star Wars Weekends (and you are a fan), it's a MUST-SEE!
I'm currently torn between doing Destination D the week before opening OR doing a quick weekend in May just for SWW.
Stay tuned! More announcements will be forthcoming!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Mary's Magical Meanderings?
Good grief that doesn't sound very appealing...
I'm thinking that my original title for this blog was just too cutesy and I need something different. Got any ideas?
I'm currently working on maryalbright.com (nothing much there yet, so don't meander over there until there's something worth looking at.) and I might see if I can re-direct this blog over there OR maybe export the content and start with a fresh URL.
I can't just do news all the time...I guess I haven't as my trip reports are interspersed between news and gossip discussion.
So, please comment here, on Facebook or Twitter or even send me an email.
How should I re-brand this blog?
Thanks for your input!
I'm thinking that my original title for this blog was just too cutesy and I need something different. Got any ideas?
I'm currently working on maryalbright.com (nothing much there yet, so don't meander over there until there's something worth looking at.) and I might see if I can re-direct this blog over there OR maybe export the content and start with a fresh URL.
I can't just do news all the time...I guess I haven't as my trip reports are interspersed between news and gossip discussion.
So, please comment here, on Facebook or Twitter or even send me an email.
How should I re-brand this blog?
Thanks for your input!
This Week: The Disney Dream, Fantasyland Updates, Star Wars 2.0 News
Lots of great news came out this week and boy, it's been fun to read! Especially since before a couple of days ago, Minnesota was really living up to its "Great White North" nickname in terms of cold! It's been a bear of a winter this year. We've had a boatload of snow (love it) and some serious Arctic cold for a while (hate it).
Disney Dream Takes Its Maiden Voyage!
Last week, the Dream did a two-day media preview, but this week it left on the "official" Maiden Voyage. So far, I'm seriously impressed with all the stuff I'm seeing. And that's saying something, because I'm not a fan of cruising. I'm sooooo not in love with being stuck on a boat, even though I know there's supposed to be tons to do. And I'm not a sit-by-the-pool-and-read type. I'm a get-in-the-pool-and-swim type and I know that the pools on ships are teeny-tiny.
But I'm digressing...Anyway...I'm really thinking that I could handle a 5-Day Double-Dip on the Dream for next Spring Break. I'd have to get 2 cabins (ouch) because the last cruise we did, my son was all upset to hear his parents snoring! So I'm thinking that I'd get an inside cabin and a verandah cabin across the hall from each other. We'll have to see if I can talk the lone holdout into giving it a shot.
Fantasyland Update
So Disney announced a ton of Fantasyland updates to its current expansion.
I'm all about the food so I was pleased as punch to see a snippet on the Be Our Guest Restaurant that will be in the "mysterious" West Wing of the Beast's Castle. Here's what Disney had to say about it:
Set in the halls of the Beast's Castle, this location will seat up to 550 guests and offer "great food fast" service by day and be full table service in the evening.
Sounds pretty exciting to me! Not your usual fast food, but maybe a step up from that. And I'm just dying to see what the menu looks like!
I'm also very intrigued by the re-imagining of Snow White's Scary Adventures as it becomes the Seven Dwarves Mine Ride. The ride vehicle is supposed to be state-of-the-art and able to swing side to side to the fun music as you visit the mine! Sounds like fun!
Star Wars 2.0 and Star Wars Weekends
Meg Crofton announced that Star Tours will open in 3D on May 20, 2011, which will also be the first Star Wars Weekend of this year.
There are usually four weekends, so if that pattern holds, the following should be the Star Wars Weekends this year:
Disney Dream Takes Its Maiden Voyage!
Last week, the Dream did a two-day media preview, but this week it left on the "official" Maiden Voyage. So far, I'm seriously impressed with all the stuff I'm seeing. And that's saying something, because I'm not a fan of cruising. I'm sooooo not in love with being stuck on a boat, even though I know there's supposed to be tons to do. And I'm not a sit-by-the-pool-and-read type. I'm a get-in-the-pool-and-swim type and I know that the pools on ships are teeny-tiny.
But I'm digressing...Anyway...I'm really thinking that I could handle a 5-Day Double-Dip on the Dream for next Spring Break. I'd have to get 2 cabins (ouch) because the last cruise we did, my son was all upset to hear his parents snoring! So I'm thinking that I'd get an inside cabin and a verandah cabin across the hall from each other. We'll have to see if I can talk the lone holdout into giving it a shot.
Fantasyland Update
So Disney announced a ton of Fantasyland updates to its current expansion.
I'm all about the food so I was pleased as punch to see a snippet on the Be Our Guest Restaurant that will be in the "mysterious" West Wing of the Beast's Castle. Here's what Disney had to say about it:
Set in the halls of the Beast's Castle, this location will seat up to 550 guests and offer "great food fast" service by day and be full table service in the evening.
Sounds pretty exciting to me! Not your usual fast food, but maybe a step up from that. And I'm just dying to see what the menu looks like!
I'm also very intrigued by the re-imagining of Snow White's Scary Adventures as it becomes the Seven Dwarves Mine Ride. The ride vehicle is supposed to be state-of-the-art and able to swing side to side to the fun music as you visit the mine! Sounds like fun!
Star Wars 2.0 and Star Wars Weekends
Meg Crofton announced that Star Tours will open in 3D on May 20, 2011, which will also be the first Star Wars Weekend of this year.
There are usually four weekends, so if that pattern holds, the following should be the Star Wars Weekends this year:
- May 20-22
- May 27-29
- June 3-5
- June 10-12
So, what do you think about all of this?
Monday, January 17, 2011
Disney Marathon, 5K, or Obstacle Course?
So Disney just did the Disney Marathon last weekend at Disney World.
Actually, there were several different races:
Actually, there were several different races:
- Marathon
- Half Marathon
- Marathon Relay
- Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge
- Buzz and Woody's Best Friends 5K
- Mickey's Marathon Kids Fest
Basically, if you want to run, there's something for everybody in this Marathon weekend. And what better venue than running through Disney Parks!
I'm soooooo not a runner. Meaning, I don't run just to run. I need more motivation than that. I can't just run down the road, on a treadmill, around a track. It's boring. Now, if I had to run through Disney World where I could be completely distracted from the fact that I'm running miles and miles because I get to see the parks at the same time...well, I might be open to that.
Disney has several other endurance events during the year.
- The Princess Half Marathon at WDW in February (and the related shorter races)
- The Wine & Dine Half Marathon at WDW in October (and the related shorter races)
- Expedition Everest Challenge at WDW in May
I'm not a fan of E:E at AK. Love the theming; the drop is not my thing. So I almost overlooked that last event there because to me, that sounded like riding E:E over...and over...and over again.
Then I looked a little deeper. Obstacle course? Scavenger Hunt? Through AK? Only 5K (~3 miles)?
Hmmm...that sounds more like my type of thing.
I'm all about obstacle courses and scavenger hunts. Make it interesting! This sounds like a very lite Amazing Race-type thing. (Though can you imagine what a real Amazing Race type thing would be like at WDW! I'd be on top of that in a heartbeat!)
I regularly do 5 miles on the elliptical at the YMCA. I know, I know...it's not that same as running on hard ground.
Dude...don't care. I'm not road racing...I'm racing at WDW!
Plus, if the scavenger hunt is the same concept...the clues you get are totally based on your knowledge of Animal Kingdom. Shouldn't be a problem.
So...I'm seriously thinking about it.
Should I do it? What do you think?
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