The Excitement Is Real!

With all of the news coming out yesterday at the D23 Expo in Anaheim this mama got super excited. Our family loves Disney World the way it is now, but change is inevitable and should be welcomed. Disney fans grow and change, and they want new rides and areas to enjoy while still having some of the nostalgia to fall back on. And personally I think that they're on the right track. Also, as a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) family, we look forward to seeing the changes.

 

Photo Cred: Inside the Magic

First...the change for DVC. We will welcome a new resort to Disney Vacation Club: Disney's Riviera Resort. The resort is to be between Hollywood Studios and Epcot. I believe the area this resort will sit on is right next to Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. Based on the location, there will be no walkway access to Epcot or Studios, but there will be a new Disney Skyline gondola station at the resort which will give Riviera Resort guests access to International Gateway at Epcot (along with Disney busses, of course). And speaking of the new Disney Skyline....

There were two new forms of transportation introduced at yesterday's panel...the Disney Skyline (a gondola system that will give guests a bird's eye view of Walt Disney World), and Disney's Uber-like service - "Minnie Vans" (a fleet of Chevy Traverse vehicles [which seat 8 passengers] painted to evoke Minnie Mouse's traditional white polka dotted red dress).

Now...onto the parks. This was epic. 

Hollywood Studios: 

- Star Wars Land has a name! It will be known as Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

- Toy Story Land is scheduled to open Summer 2018 (which makes this family super happy as we will be there towards the end of that summer).

- The Great Movie Ride will be closing August 13, 2017 to make way for a new Mickey Mouse themed ride (based on the new Disney Shorts style of animation).

Epcot:

- The Guardians of the Galaxy are coming to Epcot! This new ride will be located where Universe of Energy is now (and it will have a larger footprint).

- Ratatouille (the hit ride at Disneyland Paris) will be making it's way to France in the World Showcase. The ride will be located in the space behind the Eiffel Tower so no changes will be coming to the France Pavilion.

- The China Pavilion will be getting a new CircleVision movie.

- Nothing was announced in regards to a possible new pavilion addition to World Showcase, but we can only hope.

Animal Kingdom:

- There were no announcements made in regards to Animal Kingdom, but that was to be expected since Pandora: The World of Avatar just opened Memorial Day weekend.

Magic Kingdom:

- There will be a new E-Ticket attraction coming just in time for the Magic Kingdom's 50th Anniversary Celebration: TRON Lightcycle Power Run. This extremely popular ride at Shanghai Disneyland is heading over to our favorite place. The ride will not be replacing the Speedway (as was rumored), but will be located behind the Speedway and next to Space Mountain.

WOW....just Wow. We were out to dinner when all of this news broke, and I was literally freaking out. 

Resort News:

Besides the new DVC resort, it was announced that a new, fully immersive Star Wars resort would also be coming to Walt Disney World.

A lot of fun things are also happening in Disneyland and at California Adventure, even at the New York hotel in Disneyland Paris...but this Disney Mum's knowledge of those locations is limited to what I read and see online, and I have no personal experience there.  At Walt Disney World we love to get fully involved in the magic...and let our inner child be free - along with parenting our own little children. We can't wait for all that is to come!

Life Getting in the Way of Blogging...Who Knew?!

So my sincerest apologies to those who follow the blog...but I have been trying to get it together and find some rhythm after becoming a mom. After having my son six years ago I thought it wouldn't take too long to get back into a routine where I could blog regularly...and that didn't happen. Then I got my first tenure track teaching assignment and that definitely ate up any time I had. Fast-forward to 2015 and we welcomed our family's princess. Now that time I didn't have didn't have time either!

I think I finally found some rhythm after just throwing my hands up and declaring that we'll just live and learn. Parenting the crap out of life...I guess.  So the blog is evolving. Now it will be a Disney mum's personal insight on Disney World, the resorts, Disney Vacation Club, and vacation planning...along with this mama bear's stories about life. This should fun...and I hope you enjoy the ride along with me!

Disney Mum is a Mom of Two Now!

Hello Everyone! I have been neglecting the blog recently and I feel absolutely terrible about it!! Since my last blog post a lot of things have happened in my personal life and at Disney World. I am now a mom of two beautiful little mouseketeers. My son will be turning five in a few weeks and my daughter will be turning one in a few months! I'm so excited that I now have a Disney Prince and Princess of my very own. We actually just got back from Walt Disney World a couple of weeks ago, and there is a lot going on at our magical place. I also recently got a new teaching position (which I am super happy about), so I have been trying to keep up with grading and lesson planning.

In the next blog post we'll break down the changes that we experienced during our most recent visit, and we will take a look at what else will be changing.

Pardon My Absence....

It's been a long time since I've posted - almost a year since my last post. For that I sincerely apologize. I finally got my very own classroom for this past school year, and I had no time for posting. With that said...I hope to post a few times this summer, and hopefully a few during the next school year...lol.

Alot has happened in my Disney life since last summer. We went to Walt Disney World for Thanksgiving week 2012, and loved every minute of staying at Port Orleans - Riverside. The room was a remodeled one in the Alligator Bayou. The location was perfect, and the room was beautiful. In May of this year we closed on our first Disney Vacation Club purchase. My DH was fantastic, and as part of my birthday and Mother's Day gift we purchased 175 points at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa.

I can't wait to stay at our home resort...but that will have to wait until December 2015. We will instead be staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village this August for a quick, adults-only long weekend away. I will post about then when we return. In the meantime...stay cool my friends - it's been a scorcher in the mid-Atlantic.

Disney's Polynesian Resort

When we visit Walt Disney World this year we will be staying at Port Orleans Resort - Riverside. We are extremely excited to stay there since we have only stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort on our previous visits. POR has been completely refurbished and it has a charming Southern-style atmosphere. That being said, we have always wanted to stay on the Monorail loop, at one of the Deluxe Magic Kingdom area resorts. More specifically, at the Polynesian Resort. After discussing this with my DH, we have decided to stay at the Poly, as the Polynesian is commonly known, for our 2015 visit to my magical place. To say I am excited would be an understatement. I need to push this thought out of my head so I can enjoy our stay at POR, and then I can allow myself to think about staying at the Poly.

Disney's Polynesian Resort has a South Seas feel to it. Entering into the resort you are transported to a South Pacific island. It is decidedly lush with tropical gardens, luaus and sandy shores. It has Torch-lit walkways, a cascading indoor waterfall and the soothing sounds of distant drums. The resort buildings have thatched roofs, and you are surrounded by 75 varieties of tropical and subtropical plants in the 3-story atrium of the Grand Ceremonial House. The Polynesian also has a volcano themed main pool, called the Nanea Volcano Pool, and a quiet pool for the enjoyment of guests. One of the biggest appeals of the Polynesian Resort is its location on the Monorail track. The resort features 847 luxurious room which are decorated with rich tropical colors, and is furnished in traditional bamboo and rattan. 

The Polynesian offers Character Dining ('Ohana), Quick Service (Capt. Cook's, Kona Island), Casual Dining (Kona Cafe), Dinner Show (Diney's Spirit of Aloha) and a Lounge (Tambu).

The history of the Polynesian Resort is enough to entice guests to book a stay. The resort was one of the original resorts to open at Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971 as Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. The "Village" part of the name was dropped in the 1980s, and it became known as Disney's Polynesian Resort. Guests can choose to stay in rooms with Lagoon views, Magic Kingdom views and Garden Views. Since the Polynesian falls in the "Deluxe" resort category, rooms are some of the most expensive beginning at $329/night, but price varies on the season and the view you choose.

More information on this resort can be found:

www.tikimanpages.com

www.allears.net

Key To The World Cards Getting Upgraded

The incredibly awesome Key To The World cards (KTTW) are getting an upgrade. Your KTTW card has multiple uses: room key, park ticket, dining plan credit counter, FASTPASS collector, Extra Magic Hours verification and charge card (should guests choose to link it to a major credit card). On-property resorts at WDW will be changing to a wireless door lock system using RFID technology. This change is scheduled to be rolled-out throughtout 2012 and 2013. The cards will basically look the same but instead of inserting the cards to open the door, guests will simply tap the lock for the door to open. This new technology is already in place at Disney's Art of Animation Resort, BoardWalk Resort, Contemporary Resort and Yacht & Beach Club Resorts.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/General_Disney_News/New_Key_to_the_World_cards_coming_to_Disney_World_resorts.htm

Abandoned Disney: Disney's River Country

Disney's River Country was Walt Disney World's first water park. It opened to guests in the summer of 1976, and closed in the fall of 2001. River Country has been left abandoned, but is still located on the banks of Bay Lake. Nearby is the also now abandoned Discovery Island. River Country is adjacent to Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds. 

As recently as 2010, there have been some improvements in a very small area of River Country. This area is adjacent to Mickey's Backyard BBQ held at Ford Wilderness. Guests seem to be able to use the restrooms and the small area directly behind the BBQ area. There seems to be other things going on in the area right next to the construction wall separating River Country from Fort Wilderness, but it's anybody's guess. 

It would be nice to see River Country turned either into a DVC property or an extension of Fort Wilderness. If they also did something with Discovery Island it would be great. I think that even if the abandoned areas were just simply cleaned up, and all of the garbage removed, then people wouldn't find it so enticing to sneak into the off-limit areas. It is never advisable to go into areas closed to resort guests.

The links below have information and pictures relating to River Country. The last two links are the most recent...having been posted in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/06/vintage-walt-disney-world-looking-back-at-river-country/

http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/articles/river-country-water-park-looking-back

http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/forum/abandoned-disney-disneys-river-country

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2449157

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHpyJvFjHWQ