New Fantasyland Opening Dates

Disney Parks Blog recently shared some news on the opening dates for the attractions and restaurants planned for Magic Kingdom Park's New Fantasyland. The next phase of Storybook Circus, featuring the second half of the Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction and Casey Jr. Splash 'n' Soak Station, will open July 2012.

Some of the attractions I can't wait to see - Under The Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Gaston's Tavern and Ariel's Grotto - will be opening this holiday season. Unfortunately nothing more definitive has been announced. There's no mention if holiday season includes Thanksgiving week, which is when the holiday season officially starts. I would hope it does since that is when our family will be visiting.

I will be sure to pass along more information once it becomes available!

WDW Rehabs and Closings

We all know how excited we get when planning our trips to Walt Disney World, at least I get really excited! One of the things I love to do is plan out which rides I am eager to go on. Before I get my heart set on going on particular rides I like to know which are being rehabbed or have closed. So in order to help you plan your visit here is an updated list of current Disney World Rehabs and Closings.

Magic Kingdom

Snow White's Scary Adventures will close May 31, 2012 and will become the new Princess Fairytale Hall meet and greet location. The Seven Dwarves Mine Train will open in the new Fantasyland area in 2013.

The Liberty Square Riverboat is currently in dry dock as it is being refurbished. It will return to service May 21, 2012.

Fairytale Garden is closed as it is being made over to host Merida, of the upcoming "Brave". Merida is scheduled to begin appearing in mid-May. Rapunzel, who had been appearing in Fairytale Garden, is currently next to City Hall on Main Street USA.

Epcot

Test Track closed for refurbishment on April 16, 2012. It is scheduled to reopen in fall 2012.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show is closed for refurbishment April 29 - May 2.


More information on Rehabs and Closings can be found at www.allears.net

Epcot: Calling the Red Phone Booth

Everyone has seen the Red Phone Booths located in the UK Pavilion and Canada Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase. Many of us have even taken pictures inside the iconic booths (as I did in the booth located in the Canada Pavilion on our May 2010 visit). The little known fact is that the phones in those booths actually work! You can even call the booths and speak to guests in the park that day. Many guests enjoying picking up the ringing phones and speaking to the callers from all over the world...you never know who will be on the line. People usually speak of the weather, what's going on in the park that day and a lot of other interesting things. If you're feeling nostalgic and are missing Disney World just pick up the phone and call a Red Phone Booth.

UK Pavilion:
(407) 827-9861
(407) 827-9862
(407) 827-9863

Canada Pavilion:
(407) 827-9884

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Celebrates 20 Years!

On February 2, 2012, Disney's Port Orleans Riverside celebrated 20 years. In 1992 the brand new section of Dixie Landings resort, now the 1,024 rooms of the Alligator Bayou lodges, opened to the public, the first of two distinct areas which would include the Magnolia Bend mansions. The resort underwent a name change and merged with its sister hotel, Port Orleans, in 2001. The original Port Orleans Resort became what we now know as Port Orleans French Quarter and Dixie Landings became what we now know as Port Orleans Riverside.

Disney's Art of Animation Resort

Disney World's newest resort - Art of Animation - is currently taking reservations and will be opening in phases for guests beginning May 2012. Disney's Art of Animation is a value category resort that lets you become part of some of your favorite animated films...Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid.

The resort is adjacent to Disney's Pop Century. It is a part of the Disney Hollywood Studios area of WDW. Art of Animation features 1,120 suites designed after Finding Nemo, Cars and The Lion King. It has an additional 864 rooms inspired by The Little Mermaid. The suites are scheduled to begin opening in May 2012 with the Finding Nemo wing, followed by the Cars wing in late July, the Lion King wing in late September, and the final phase has the standard rooms, the Little Mermaid wing, scheduled to open on December 31, 2012. There are three swimming pools and four courtyards - one for each film.

More information can be found on http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/art-of-animation-resort/

MVMCP 2011

The holiday celebrations have started in the Magic Kingdom and the "The Magic, The Memories and You!" gets in the spirit of the holiday season. The nightly light show on Cinderella Castle has a special segment which wraps the castle in colorful bows and boughs, gift paper and ribbons, ornaments, candy stripes, multi-colored strands of lights and gingerbread! Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party has been in full swing since 8 November 2011. The dates for this year's party are November: 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 27, 29, 30, 2011 and December: 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 2011. Also, The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios will run most nights from November 10, 2011 - January 7, 2012. Our family is especially excited that all of the celebrations have begun because it means that we are now only a year away from our first family vacation at Disney World!

Refurbishments for 2012

Refurbishment plans for 2012 have been announced. The following attractions will be closed for refurbishment on the following days:

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Closed for Refurbishment January 9 - March 31

Dumbo The Flying Elephant - Closed for Refurbishment January 9 - February 17

Liberty Square Riverboat - Closed for Refurbishment January 28 - February 3

Swiss Family Treehouse - Closed for Refurbishment October 1 - October 31