Disney World

Hotels inside Disney

2008-10-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

Why stay at hotels inside Disney when you can stay at a hotel on the outskirts for a fraction of the price? Assumed convenience is the answer for many. That ends up as mighty expensive assumption for many families. It is our experience that a hotel just outside Disney is better for most families than one within the theme park.

A major concern for many people who decide to stay at a hotel inside Disney World is that if they chose one outside the theme park then they would end up wasting all this time to make it inside the park. The truth of the matter is that whether staying at a hotel inside Disney or not there is still often a ferry ride or some other mode of transportation required to make it into the actual theme parks. Also, what happens if you also want to visit Sea World? The reality is that it usually takes just as long to enter the park from most hotels directly outside the theme park as one within it.

The best advice is to wake up early or perhaps realize that you might not. Many people are initially excited by the fact that guests who stay at hotels inside Disney are allowed to enter the park earlier. In reality few of those people do. Quite often people staying just outside the park end up inside Disney World before those staying at a Disney owned property. Also, the cost savings for an average family who stays just outside the park are often tremendous! Wherever you stay, we hope this short bit of information helps when planning your Orlando Vacation.

Staying Just Outside of Disney World

2008-09-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

Many people ponder over whether it is a smarter choice to stay inside the Disney World theme park or to stay on the outskirts. We’ve noticed a few definitive benefits to staying in the theme park, but they come at a hefty price. It is not uncommon to spend two or three times as much by staying inside Disney World rather than in a vacation home just outside the park. That said, vacationers willing to foot the extra expense will enjoy admittance into that park approximately an hour earlier than the general public and also experience the convenience of staying in a Disney owned property.

Most people find that the extra amenities are not worth the price tag. There are thousands of vacation homes that are located just outside the theme park. Oftentimes these homes are much larger and more luxurious than those found in the park. They also are ideal for those visitors who want to see more than Disney World. Those guests who also want to go to SeaWorld, play golf, or experience the many other attractions in Florida often prefer a place outside Disney.

Whether deciding to stay inside the theme park or just outside that are owned by
Disney, make certain to have a fun time. Visiting Orlando and Disney World is a once in a lifetime experience for many people and more than anything everyone here at OrlandoVacation.com simply wants visitors to enjoy themselves. So have fun search for a place to stay and have even more fun once you arrive!

New Character Dining at Animal Kingdom

2007-05-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

The Tusker House restaurant in Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom will soon undergo a transformation from a fast-food eatery to a buffet. It will feature a breakfast with the characters as well as lunch and dinner and will re-open in late fall. The original menu featured sandwiches, soups and salads and was among the best fast food in all of Walt Disney World.

New Attraction for Magic Kingdom

2007-03-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

The Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club is set to open on April 2nd in the Magic Kingdom. The attraction transports guests into Monstropolis where they learn of an unfortunate power crisis. Just like in the movie, Monsters Inc, guests are encourage to laugh at some upcoming monster comics to help generate power. The monsters interact with audience and might make jokes based on the clothes the guests are wearing or comments heard from the audience. You may even submit jokes via cellphone text messaging to be used in the show. The new show is located in Tomorrowland, right across from Stitch's Great Escape.

No More Alfredo's?

2007-03-02T06:46:00.000-08:00

If you're a fan of L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante at the World Showcase in Epcot, you might want to give it a visit before July. There's a rumor circulating that the restaurant will be overhauled and will be managed by a new company.

According to the official Alfredo's website, the original fettucini alfredo was created in 1914 to restore Alfredo's wife appetite during pregnancy. The recipe proved so popular with guests that in 1977 it was brought over to the United States. The original fettucini alfredo recipe is a part of the menu at L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante at Epcot. The restaurant is expected to stay open until July, and the replacement restaurant has not been announced.

St. Patrick's Day Celebration

2007-02-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

Celebrate St Patrick's Day in true Irish fashion at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant at Downtown Disney. From March 16th through March 18th the restaurant will come alive with speciality entertainment including U2 Elevation, a tribute band of the world famous U2, A Miss Raglan Rose competition, Tuskar Rock band imported directly from Ireland, an appearance by Danielle Fitzpatrick star of Lord of the Dance, Stupid Irish Dancing Competitions and more!

Raglan Road is located between Downtown Disney Marketplace and the West Side. There is no admission fee for Downtown Disney, but there is a small cover charge ($10-15) for the St. Patrick's Day events at Raglan Road.

Three Caballeros Coming to Epcot

2007-02-21T08:59:00.000-08:00

Donald Duck and his friends from the Disney animated feature Three Caballeros are coming to Epcot this spring. The characters will be found in El Rio Del Tiempo, an often overlooked attraction inside the Mexican pavillion. The ride, which many compare to "it's a small world" at the Magic Kingdom, has never developed a strong reaction in park guests and rarely fills to capacity. The original version took guests on a historic look of Mexico, with effects displayed on uniquely presented video screens. The highlight of the ride was the finale where fiber optic fireworks lit up a Mexican skyline. The new storyline is rumored to be about Jose Carioca and Panchito searching for Donald Duck throughout Mexico. Hopefully Disney will find ways to include some of the highlights of the original attraction in this new version.

Haunted Mansion to Receive New Effects?

2007-02-19T10:39:00.000-08:00

The original Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland has received some updated effects over the last two years. Madame Leouta, the disembodied psychic in the crystal ball, now floats around the Séance Circle adding to the illusion. The attic scene with the ghostly bride has been overhauled with a new dark storyline in which the bride is revealed to have killed off her husbands to obtain their wealth. With the success of these effects in California, rumors are circulating of these changes coming to the Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom. A summer refurbishment might be in the works that would give the classic attraction some modern effects to keep it fresh for current audiences. In addition to the effects mentioned above, some speculate of a rethink of the Grand Staircase scene. The Grand Staircase, in which riders pass gigantic spiders, is not found in Disneyland so whatever changes Imagineers conjure up would be unique to the Florida version. As technology progresses and attractions age, Disney will be looking for unique and different ways of keeping their classic attractions as popular as ever.

Orlandovacation.com has a new Disney World Expert

2007-01-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

Daniel Kaplan is our new Disney World expert. We look forward to many articles from him in the future.

How many days are left on my tickets

2006-12-28T11:34:00.000-08:00

Question:
How can I tell if there are any days left on my passes? I think I have a day or two left, but simply can't remember. Is there a number I can call to verify?
Answer:
Unfortunately, there is no phone number to call to see how many days are left on your Disney World tickets. However,you can bring them to the maingate at Disney World and a customer service representative can scan them through the machine and tell you exactly how many days are left on your tickets.

Disney Memorabila

2006-12-11T05:37:00.000-08:00

Question:
where can i call to purchase disney key chains,donald duck,tinker bell,daisy duck,mickey mouse and minnie mouse thank you do u have a 800 number to call

Answer: One of the best places to get Diseny memorabila is at disney.com or by calling them at 407-wdisney. Another place you might want to check out is LaughingPlace.com.

Disney Ticket Question

2006-12-08T06:02:00.000-08:00

Question:
I have a childs 4 day park hopper pass bought in 1998. Is it still valid? It has 1 day left on it. Also it is my daughters ticket and now she is 11 so she does not qualify as a child. Please respond.Thank you.

Answer: The tickets are still good because in 1998 all park hopper passes were non expiration.
I think how they do it now is that you take the child's ticket to the customer service desk and they will charge you a small fee since your child is now an adult. I'm not 100% certain of this but I think this is how it works now, for a more accurate answer you might want to call 407-wdisney.

2006-11-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Lisa here, checking in with a reminder that Disney is gearing up for its holiday season, and this one promises to be better than ever! For detailed information on what to expect, be sure to check out my Disney Holiday Celebrations article. I'm really excited, it's going to be a great time!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And don't forget to make your holiday plans soon, as things are really starting to book up around here!

Till next time,
Lisa

Healthier meals coming for children

2006-10-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

Disney announced yesterday that they were going to join the children's healthy eating campaign. In the kids meals there will be no more french fries or suggary soft drinks instead Disney will have those unhealthy items replaced with fruit drinks and veggies.

It doesn' t too good does it?

Disney World to embark on New Timeshare Project

2006-10-13T06:10:00.000-07:00

Disney announced yesterday that they were going to begin construction on their 8th timeshare project and 6th in Central Florida. The site for the new timeshare project is going to be built at the Animal Kingdom lodge. It will consist of 458 units, some which will be built and some which will consist of the current Animal Kingdom Lodge.

This timeshare resort will offer a new opportunity for the guest which the other 5 current timeshare projects don’t offer- a little peace and quietness (is this a word?J). Yes, the Animal Kindgom timeshare development will offer clients the opportunity to escape the theme park madness for a few hours and relax.

In 2001 10% of all visitors to Orlando where either coming here to go on a timeshare tour or they were going to stay at timeshare they currently owned. This past year, 2005, that number has increased to 15% and it is a growing. Currently Orlando has some 19,000 timeshare rooms available.

Disney to Host the Largest Horror Show in Florida

2006-10-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday the 13th and Screamfest is being held inside the Disney World gates at The Wyndham Resort. What luck! How often does Friday the 13th fall in October and better yet to have Screamfest held on this exact day.

Screamfest is the largest horror festival held in Florida and this is the 4th annual event. The goal for this year is to not only make it the largest Florida Horror Festival, but they want to make this year the largest horror festival in the entire world.

If you are interested in attending this years event the cost is $25 for a day pass and $30 for the weekend pass. Not a bad price to see these following horror stars: Rowdy Roddy Piper, Tony Todd, George P Wilber (Halloween 4), P.J Soles (Rock and Roll High School), Jame Duval, and Richard Brooker (Friday the 13th).

Kick off to Year of a Million Dreams

2006-10-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine having the Magic Kingdom to yourself? Well that is exactly what happened for 1 lucky family from Randolph, Ohio. The Spangler family was selected from more than 50,000 entries kick off “Year of a Million Dreams”. The Spanglers' entered the park with a red carpet entrance, and it was a dream come true.

Raymond and Tammy Spangler, both 38, and their children Derick, 13, and Ashley, 11 -- all big Disney fans -- felt like the luckiest people on Earth. They won Disney's "Keys to the Magic Kingdom" grand prize in a drawing and got the Magic Kingdom to themselves for 90 minutes, an unprecedented experience that highlighted their free, four-day, VIP Disney vacation.

The Disney's "Dreams" campaign began Sunday and runs through the end of 2007, as the follow-up to last year's highly successful "Happiest Celebration on Earth." Company executives credited last year's campaign with increasing Disney World attendance and profits in an otherwise uncertain tourism economy.

For this campaign, new shows have been added with dream themes. All park employees are directed to get more involved in visitors' experiences. More than 1 million prizes are yet to be awarded, ranging from world travel to mouse ears, nights in Cinderella Castle to unlimited fast-pass coupons.

No one has ever won exclusive use of a Disney park before. But even more than having 90 minutes to ride rides all by themselves, the Spanglers said they really loved the surprise rush of characters and employees who greeted them on Main Street U.S.A. Wednesday morning."We walked down the street, and it was quiet, with quiet background music, then all of the sudden the speakers started booming a deeper music, then you knew something was coming," said Raymond, who works in the network department for Alltel Wireless.

"That was amazing," Tammy said.

Reflections of China at Epcot

2006-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

The film replaces "Wonders of China", the Circle-Vision 360 movie that played at Epcot's China pavilion since 1982. Just as with the original, filmmakers used nine cameras to capture cultural and scenic images that will wrap completely around viewers. The tour includes stops in Hong Kong, Macau, Beijing, and Shanghai.

Le Cellier Steakhouse

2006-09-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

Tucked away on the lowest level of the pavilion near Victoria Gardens, this low-ceilinged, lantern-lighted, stone-walled establishment looks a little like the ancient wine cellar for which it is named. It offers a full menu of Canadian foods, with hearty, open-face steak sandwiches and steak salads also available for lunch, and roast prime rib and steak added to the offerings at dinner.

Rafiki's Planet Watch at Disney's Animal Kingdom

2006-09-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

On the east side of the village of Harambe is the Harambe Train Station. That's where you board the Wildlife Express and experience a ehind-the-scenes look at a Disney park while en route to Rafiki's Planet Watch. As part of the 5 1/2-minute trip, you'll zip past building where elephants, rhinos, and giraffes sleep at night. A guide narrates throughout the trip. All guests disembark at the Rafiki's Planet Watch station.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

2006-08-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

This 250-seat eatery re-creates a 1950s drive-in theater. The tables are actually flashy, 1950s-era cars, complete with fins and whitewalls. All the tables face a large screen, where a 45-minute compilation of the best (and worst) of science-fiction trailers and cartoons plays in a continuous loop.

Epcot Center - Coral Reef

2006-08-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

Decorated in cool greens and blues to complement its surroundings, this restaurant offers diners a panoramic view of the coral reef through large windows. The windows are eight feet high and more than eight inches thick. The dining room has several tiers, so all guests get a decent view. The menu features fresh fish and shellfish -- including Florida snapper, mahimahi, shrimp, and salmon. The menu may vary seasonally. Priority seating suggested.

Share a Dream Come True Parade

2006-07-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

This parade, create especially for the Magic Kingdom park, invites guests to celebrate Disney magic and "share a dream come true." The interactive parade, which has floats shaped like oversize snow globes, as well as every Disney character imaginable, begins in Frontierland and winds its way up Main Street, U.S.A. Check a times guide for the schedule.

Toon Park at Magic Kingdom

2006-03-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

This playground in Mickey's Toontown looks like a 3D cartoon, and virtually everything within it is made out of foam, including the grass and animal statues. Toon Park is a fun and safe place for your kids to have fun while the adults sit on the sidelines.

Mannequins Dance Palace

2006-03-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

This is Pleasure Island's premier dance club. It features a rotating dance floor, a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system, live DJs, and plenty of nonstop popular dance music. The club was recently renovated to maintain its cutting-edge atmosphere. You must be 21 years of age or older to enter into Mannequins, which offers a fully stocked bar and small cocktail tables. Throughout the night, Pleasure Island's Explosion Dancers perform.