Disney brings Mickey Mouse to the ‘Where’s My Water?’ franchise
Posted: June 18, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »
‘Where’s My Mickey?’
Building on the success of the mobile app ‘Where’s My Water?’ franchise, Disney has announced a new mobile app ‘Where’s My Mickey?’ that will premiere on Thursday.
The game will star Mickey Mouse and will build on the original ‘Where’s My Water?’ game that was designed as an experiment for the Disney Mobile division. The app was a hit with kids, racking up nearly 200 million downloads since its launch in 2011. ‘Where’s My Perry’ was also launched featuring the Phineas and Ferb characters.
‘Where’s My Mickey?’ is an obvious effort by Disney to make sure Mickey stays relevant amongst Angry Birds and other app characters that have soared in popularity over the past five years. Over the past few years, Disney has recognized the importance of keeping Mickey relevant with younger audiences. Kudos to Disney for doing this.
‘Where’s My Mickey?’
The game will cost $0.99 for phones, $1.99 on tablets and $4.99 on Windows tablets and PCs. The game include five chapters and bonus levels, and tablet versions will also include extra levels designed specifically for the devices.
The new app and new look Mickey Mouse will launch alongside 19 new short episodes that will start airing later this month. The shorts will feature Mickey and his redesigned friends – Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Googy and Pluto – as they travel and experience adventures across the world.
MyMagic+ testing to resume later this month
Posted: June 3, 2013 Filed under: Disney Official, Inside the parks Leave a comment »
Guests staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge or the Contemporary Resort later this month could be selected for the latest round of MyMagic+ testing.
The onsite test will begin on June 20. Eligible guests must check in on June 20, 21 or 22 and must be staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House or Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Guests staying in a Disney Vacation Club villa are not eligible for the test.
Selected guests will be contacted as early as today, inviting them to participate in the test.
According to Disney, participants will “touch to enter their rooms, touch to enter the parks and touch to pay at eligible locations starting upon check in and continuing through their departure (all eligible parties will depart by July 6) and redeem FastPass+ selections at all four theme parks between June 20 and June 26.”
If you met the requirements listed above and you are not contacted prior to your trip, don’t expect to be part of this test.
Walt Disney World and Disneyland ticket price increase effective June 2
Posted: June 1, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Disney has confirmed ticket prices at Walt Disney World and Disneyland will increase on June 2.
“As we’ve heard from many of our guests, the quality entertainment and attractions and the memorable moments created by our cast make a Disney theme park experience a great value. There’s something for everyone at Disney Parks to make a magical vacation memory,” Thomas Smith posted on the official Disney Parks Blog.
If you want to compare, here are the current prices.
________________________________________________________
Disneyland Resort Ticket Options (effective June 2):
| Ticket | Ages 10+ | Ages 3-9 |
| 5-Day Park Hopper | $300 | $279 |
| 5-Day 1-Park Per Day | $265 | $244 |
| 4-Day Park Hopper | $285 | $265 |
| 4-Day 1-Park Per Day | $250 | $230 |
| 3-Day Park Hopper | $260 | $244 |
| 3-Day 1-Park Per Day | $225 | $209 |
| 2-Day Park Hopper | $210 | $197 |
| 2-Day 1-Park Per Day | $175 | $162 |
| 1-Day Park Hopper | $137 | $131 |
| 1-Day 1-Park | $92 | $86 |
All multi-day tickets expire 13 days after first use.
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports
| Premium | $669 |
| Deluxe | $499 |
| Southern California* | $359 |
| Southern California Select* | $279 |
| Annual Passport Block-Out Day Ticket | $84 |
*Valid proof of Southern California residency required for purchase and use.
Disney Premier Passport
| Disney Premier Passport | $979 |
Theme Park Parking
| Auto/ Motorcycle | $16 |
| Oversized Vehicles/ Motor Homes/ Tractors w/o Trailers | $21 |
| Buses/ Tractor w/ Extended Trailers | $26 |
| Annual Passport Parking Pass | $139 |
________________________________________________
Walt Disney World Ticket Options (effective June 2):
| Magic Your Way Ticket Options(*) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days On Ticket | Base Ticket | Optional Add-Ons | ||||
| Ages 10-up | Ages 3-9 | Park Hopper® | Water Park Fun & More | Park Hopper® & Water Park Fun & More | No Expiration | |
| 10 days | $339 ($33.90/day) |
$320 ($32.00/day) |
$59 | $59 (10 visits) | $84 (10 visits) | $325 |
| 9 days | $329 ($36.56/day) |
$310 ($34.45/day) |
$59 | $59 (9 visits) | $84 (9 visits) | $280 |
| 8 days | $319 ($39.88/day) |
$300 ($37.50/day) |
$59 | $59 (8 visits) | $84 (8 visits) | $245 |
| 7 days | $309 ($44.15/day) |
$290 ($41.43/day) |
$59 | $59 (7 visits) | $84 (7 visits) | $220 |
| 6 days | $299 ($49.84/day) |
$280 ($46.67/day) |
$59 | $59 (6 visits) | $84 (6 visits) | $190 |
| 5 days | $289 ($57.80/day) |
$270 ($54.00/day) |
$59 | $59 (5 visits) | $84 (5 visits) | $145 |
| 4 days | $279 ($69.75/day) |
$260 ($65.00/day) |
$59 | $59 (4 visits) | $84 (4 visits) | $95 |
| 3 days | $262 ($87.34/day) |
$244 ($81.34/day) |
$59 | $59 (3 visits) | $84 (3 visits) | $45 |
| 2 days | $184 ($92.00/day) |
$172 ($86.00/day) |
$59 | $59 (2 visits) | $84 (2 visits) | $35 |
| One Day Theme Park Ticket Options(*) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ticket | Ages 10-up | Ages 3-9 |
| 1-Day Magic Kingdom® Ticket | $95 | $89 |
| 1-Day Epcot® or Disney’s Hollywood Studios® or Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Ticket | $90 | $84 |
| 1-Day Magic Your Way with Park Hopper® Ticket | $129 | $123 |
| 1-Day Magic Your Way with Water Park Fun & More Ticket | $149 (2 visits) |
$143 (2 visits) |
| 1-Day Magic Your Way with Park Hopper® & Water Park Fun & More Ticket | $174 (2 visits) |
$168 (2 visits) |
2-10 Day Base Ticket admits guest to one theme park each day of use. Park choices are: Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Park Hopper option entitles guest to visit more than one theme park on each day of use. Park choices are any combination of Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom on each day of use.
Water Park Fun & More option entitles guest to a specified number of visits (between 2 and 10) to a choice of entertainment and recreation venues. Choices are Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, DisneyQuest, Disney’s Oak Trail golf course, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Disney’s Fantasia Gardens and Disney’s Winter Summerland.
No expiration means unused admissions on a ticket have no expiration date. All tickets expire 14 days after first use unless No Expiration is purchased.
| Theme Park Annual Pass Options (*) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ticket | Ages 10-up | Ages 3-9 |
| Annual Pass | $609 | $609 |
| Annual Pass entitles guest to unlimited admission for 365 days from the activation date (except activities/events separately priced) to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as complimentary parking. | ||
| Premium Annual Pass | $729 | $729 |
| Premium Annual Pass entitles guest to unlimited admission for 365 days from the activation date (except activities/events separately priced) to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), Disney’s Oak Trail golf course, DisneyQuest and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, as well as complimentary parking. | ||
| Attractions Outside the Theme Parks (*) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket | Ages 10-up | Ages 3-9 | |
| Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach | 1-Day 1-Park / Annual Hopper | $53 / $104 | $45 / $85 |
| DisneyQuest | 1-Day / Annual Pass | $45 / $90 | $39 / $72 |
| DisneyQuest + Water Parks | Annual Pass | $132 | $102 |
| ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex | $14.95 | $10.28 | |
| Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba | $61-$144 | $49-$117 | |
Water Parks subject to rehabilitation, seasonal and weather closures.
| Florida Resident Theme Park Tickets and Options (*) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Hopper® | Water Park Fun & More | Park Hopper® & Water Park Fun & More | |||
| Ages 10+ | Ages 3-9 | ||||
| Florida Resident 4-Day Ticket | $199 | $187 | $29.50 | $29.50 | $59 |
| Florida Resident 3-Day Ticket | $179 | $167 | $29.50 | $29.50 | $59 |
Florida Resident 3-Day Ticket and Options and Florida Resident 4-Day Ticket and Options expire 6 months from first use or 12/17/2014, whichever comes first. Block-out dates apply (6/8/13-8/15/13; 12/19/13-1/3/14; 4/12/14-4/25/14; 6/7/14-8/14/14; 12/18/14-1/2/15).
| Florida Resident One Day Theme Park Ticket Options(*) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ticket | Ages 10-up | Ages 3-9 |
| 1-Day Magic Kingdom® Ticket | $95 | $89 |
| 1-Day Epcot® or Disney’s Hollywood Studios® or Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Ticket | $90 | $84 |
| 1-Day Magic Your Way with Park Hopper® Ticket for Florida Residents | $109.50 | $103.50 |
| 1-Day Magic Your Way with Water Park Fun & More Ticket for Florida Residents | $119.50 (2 visits) |
$113.50 (2 visits) |
| 1-Day Magic Your Way with Park Hopper® & Water Park Fun & More Ticket for Florida Residents | $139 (2 visits) |
$133 (2 visits) |
Valid proof of Florida residency per adult is required for purchase and use.
| Florida Resident Theme Park Annual/Seasonal Pass Options (*) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ticket | Ages 10-up | Ages 3-9 |
| Florida Resident Annual Pass | $464 | $464 |
| Florida Resident Annual Pass entitles residents to unlimited admission for 365 days from the activation date (except events separately priced) to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, plus complimentary parking. | ||
| Florida Resident Premium Annual Pass | $584 | $584 |
| Florida Resident Premium Annual Pass entitles residents to unlimited admission for 365 days from the activation date (except events separately priced) to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon water parks, DisneyQuest, Disney’s Oak Trail golf course and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, plus complimentary parking. | ||
| Florida Resident Seasonal Pass | $309 | $309 |
| Florida Resident Seasonal Pass entitles residents to admission to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom except for “blockout” dates around Christmas/New Years, Easter/spring break, and peak summer vacation period; the pass expires 365 days after activation. | ||
| Theme Park Miscellaneous Options (*) | |
|---|---|
| Parking | $15 (tax included) ($16 camper/trailer) per day |
| Single Stroller | $15 per day ($13 per day for length-of-stay rentals) |
| Double Stroller | $31 per day ($27 per day for length-of-stay rentals) |
| Locker | Theme Parks: $7 per day (large lockers $9 per day) + $5 refundable deposit Water Parks: $8 per day (large lockers $10 per day) + $5 refundable deposit |
| Wheelchair | $12 rental per day ($10 per day for length-of-stay rentals) |
| ECV | $50 rental per day + $20 refundable deposit |
| Walt Disney World Resort Options (*) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Resort Category | Disney Resort | Rate Range (**) | |
| Value | Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort | $85-$192 | |
| Disney’s All-Star Music Resort | $85-$192 | ||
| Disney All-Star Music Family Suites | $202-$392 | ||
| Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort | $85-$192 | ||
| Disney’s Pop Century Resort | $95-$206 | ||
| Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – Standard Rooms | $100-$191 | ||
| Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – Family Suites | $252-$433 | ||
| Children under 18 stay at no additional charge in Value Resort rooms with parents; additional charge $10 per adult over two in room. | |||
| Moderate | Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort | $162-$283 | |
| Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort – Pirate Rooms | $196-$327 | ||
| Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort | $167-$338 | ||
| Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort | $162-$288 | ||
| Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort | $162-$288 | ||
| Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort – Royal Guest Rooms | $192-$328 | ||
| Children under 18 stay at no additional charge in Moderate Resort rooms with parents; additional charge $15 per adult over two in room. | |||
| Deluxe | Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge | $279-$654 | |
| Disney’s Beach Club Resort | $350-$853 | ||
| Disney’s BoardWalk Inn | $360-$936 | ||
| Disney’s Contemporary Resort | $330-$950 | ||
| Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa | $480-$1,253 | ||
| Disney’s Polynesian Resort | $422-$1,093 | ||
| Disney’s Wilderness Lodge | $284-$911 | ||
| Disney’s Yacht Club Resort | $350-$1,040 | ||
| Children under 18 stay at no additional charge in Deluxe Resort rooms with parents; additional charge $25 per adult over two in room. | |||
| Deluxe Villas (Disney Vacation Club units available on a nightly basis) |
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort | $431-$2,640 | |
| Disney’s Beach Club Villas | $360-$1,284 | ||
| Disney’s BoardWalk Villas | $360-$2,380 | ||
| Disney’s Old Key West Resort | $327-$1,822 | ||
| Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa | $327-$1,822 | ||
| The Villas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge | $313-$2,380 | ||
| The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge | $368-$1,279 | ||
| Camping | Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground | Wilderness Cabins | $289-$481 |
| Campsites | $48-$132 | ||
(*) – Prices are subject to Florida sales tax except as noted; accommodations also subject to appropriate County resort tax.
(**) – Rates are per-night in 2013 and vary based on room/campsite location and time of visit; suites in moderate and deluxe hotels extra (Disney Vacation Club rates span range of studios, 1- and 2-bedroom villas and Grand Villas)
Tom Staggs discusses MagicBands at All Things Digital conference
Posted: May 29, 2013 Filed under: Disney Official, Inside the parks Leave a comment »
Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, showed off its new high-tech system at the 11th D: All Things Digital conference.
This is the most information we’ve seen released on the new MagicBands.
Staggs discussed the many possibilities that come with the MagicBands, including customized “Happy Birthday” messages for guests and interactive attractions.
The video is nearly 28 minutes long, but it’s worth a watch. LINK: http://on.wsj.com/10I82f7
New things mentioned in this discussion about MagicBands:
- “Snap ons like they used to put on Crocs” will be introduced for the MagicBand.
- Guests will be able to order food at Be Our Guest Restaurant ahead of time. You order food online, arrive at restaurant, sit at table and they will begin making your food when they detect you inside the restaurant. Food is then brought to the table.
- Bands can be resized by removing a rubber piece. Bands will then fit a child’s hand.
- It appears there will be some type of Facebook integration connected to the MagicBands.
Disneyland launches official Instagram account
Posted: May 23, 2013 Filed under: Disney Official, Mobile Leave a comment »This month, Disneyland launched its official Instagram account.
Disneyland is the #1 most-Instagrammed location in the country, according to Disney. More than 8 million photos have been taken at Disneyland and posted online using the photo sharing app to date.
The account has posted 11 photos through May 23 and already has 41,000 followers. Wow.
@Disneyland will be showcasing both Disneyland and DCA Instagrams from guests, including the first-ever Instagram (posted on May 15).
How should Disney handle the ‘Andy’s coming!’ viral photo?
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Disney Official, Photo Posts 1 Comment »
A photo recently posted to Imgur and Reddit has gone viral, prompting many people to wonder if the claim made by the original poster is true.
In the photo, the original poster claims if you yell “Andy’s coming!” while meeting Woody and Jessie, the characters will “stop what they’re doing and drop.” The photo sparked a debate on reddit and reddit.com/r/disney.
The photo has been viewed over 400,000 times.
A video posted to YouTube features an interview with a Cast Member who says they have ended the “Andy’s coming!” element of the meet and greet.
“It used to be that way. They did actually used to fall to the ground, but they did change the rules and they’re not allowed to fall to the ground anymore,” the Cast Member said. “They will actually stop sometimes, but the rule has changed.” Note: The video is posted at the bottom of this post (jump to :50 in the video).
If this is the new policy, it will be interesting to see if Disney discusses this viral photo with Cast Members that work alongside the characters. Will Cast Members need to discourage guests who try to yell that Andy is coming?
Some posters insist you can still do this at the parks, but we’ve been unable to find proof that the “Andy’s coming!” line will actually still work.
It will be interesting to see how Disney (and Woody) handle this viral phenomenon.
Buzz Lightyear launches onto mobile with new game
Posted: February 28, 2013 Filed under: Mobile Leave a comment »
Disney Mobile Games’ newest game for iOS and Android, Toy Story: Smash It!, is now available in the App Store and Google Play for 99 cents.
The 3D physics puzzler game is based on the Toy Story franchise. Players can control Buzz Lightyear as he throws balls to knock aliens off of blocks. The ultimate goal? To foil Emperor Zurg’s plans, obviously:
“Toy Story: Smash it!” is an all-new, 3D physics-based puzzle game featuring your favorite “Toy Story” characters! Embark on new adventures with the Toys through hilarious encounters in outer space, alien chases in the Wild West, and more! With 60 levels of nonstop puzzle play, this game will provide hours of explosive and thrilling fun!
This is the first major release by Disney Mobile since December, a successful month for the company.
REVIEW:
If the game sounds similar to Angry Birds and Little Big Planet, it is. However, the game is quite fun and the graphics are impressive.
In the game, players blast bricks, bounce balls and use all of Andy’s familiar toys while working through four episodes that contain 60 levels. The physics in the game is the most entertaining part of the challenges. Different materials used as projectiles have different effects during gameplay.
As the game progresses, players unlock unlock new projectiles and powerups to interact with other characters from the Toy Story franchise.
After playing around with the game, I definitely think it’s worth 99 cents. I’m still waiting for Disney to launch a series of mobile apps that guests will download and play while waiting in line for an attraction. This game certainly seems like a step in that direction.
Disney improves in-room WiFi, park WiFi still meh
Posted: February 27, 2013 Filed under: Inside the parks, Mobile, Wi-Fi Leave a comment »According to a report from WDWMAGIC, Disney has improved in-room WiFi service at all resort hotels. Here’s a snippet from the article.
“Apparently some issues with dropped connections had been identified and the system update addresses that with the hope of delivering better internet performance to the rooms.”
So, obviously this is good news. However, while we’re on the topic: I was underwhelmed by the WiFi service at the Magic Kingdom while at WDW back in January.
While I saw decent up/down numbers (averaging 2-3 Mpbs down), the inconsistency and dropped connections bugged me during our trip.
The biggest frustration was in Fantasyland and New Fantasyland. I eventually had to turn off my WiFi signal because I was noticing the signal dropping so frequently. Also, I had to “opt in” to Disney’s terms and conditions 4-5 times in a single day. Not cool.
While I admit I didn’t mess around with my settings a lot, it certainly was not as user friendly as I hoped. Maybe the recent improvements to in-room WiFi can soon be expanded to the parks.
TL;DR = Improved in-room WiFi? Win, fail or meh? Win. Magic Kingdom WiFi? Win, fail or meh? Meh. (RIP Betamouse)
Anyone else have a similar experience? Or was it just me?
PHOTO: Free swag for Annual Passholders
Posted: February 26, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »
Just wanted to share this photo – magnets are being sent out to Annual Passholders. Pretty sweet free swag! 
Video recap of Disney Parks Blog ‘Oz’ meetup
Posted: February 25, 2013 Filed under: Disney Official Leave a comment »The Disney Parks Blog team invited select readers to Epcot on Sunday for special screening of “Oz the Great and Powerful.” The blog team posted the recap on Monday.
While movie reviews were mixed, it seemed everyone that attended the event enjoyed the meetup.
Keep a close eye on the Disney Parks Blog for information about future meetups.
