Annual Passholder Appreciation Days

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

This holiday season, Annual Passholders Can Enjoy Special Holiday Savings and Offers!

Now through January 3, 2010 all So Cal Select, Southern California and Deluxe Passport holders receive 10% off all purchases at select Disneyland Resort stores. For the same time period Premium Passholders receive a 20% discount (usually 10%).

And why is December 5 such a good day to start – or finish – your holiday shopping? Because that’s the day that APs enjoy early shopping opportunities at the World of Disney store. From 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., you’ll enjoy incredible discounts of up to 50% off select items, plus door busters and “Donald’s Deals.” The first 1,000 shoppers at the World of Disney store at the Disneyland Resort will receive a complimentary Vinylmation gift.

Disney fans are wild about Vinylmation, a collectible series of vinyl Mickey figures available at select Disney Theme Park locations. Each collectible series contains 3″ figures in 11 “revealed” designs and 1 “mystery chaser” design that are packaged in blind boxes. You won’t know which design you’ve got until you’ve open the box! Vinylmation figures are also available as limited edition 9″ figures. Join us during the World of Disney store Annual Passholder Event on December 5, 2009 and receive 20% off your purchase of any vinylmation figures (that’s in addition to your 10% Annual Passholder discount)! Offer valid while supplies last during the Annual Passholder Event.

In addition, December 5 -12, Annual Passholders can take advantage of shopping opportunities and savings at participating Downtown Disney District locations including World of Disney store, Studio Disney 365, Build-A-Bear Workshop, RIDEMAKERZ, Jamba Juice, Haagen-Dazs, Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria and more.

You can see the complete list by clicking HERE.

Information on Disney’s Handheld Device

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Did you know the Disneyland Resort has several services available for guests with visual and hearing disabilities? I am 40 percent deaf, and I didn’t know about Disney’s Handheld Device until last month.

I’ve never been able to hear all of the audio in attractions such as the Enchanted Tiki Room, and I’ve often wondered if I’m missing some of the rich storytelling that Walt Disney Imagineers carefully and creatively incorporate into all of the attractions at the Resort. Now, thanks to Disney’s Handheld Device, I won’t be missing those special details anymore.

Today, I thought I’d give you a quick rundown of this service in case you or someone you know can benefit from this really cool tool.

Disney’s Handheld Device is a palm-sized wireless device that was developed in 2002. The device features several services, including Assistive Listening, which provides amplified audio at 12 attractions, and Handheld Captioning, which displays text for 14 attractions.

A new service was just added yesterday. Audio Description, now available at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, provides narrated audio for guests with visual disabilities by describing visual attraction elements, such as actions, settings and scene changes.

The audio below is from the Audio Description for the Haunted Mansion. We’ve layered in some clips from the attraction to show what the audio is describing.

Audio Description is being offered at 19 attractions at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks: Enchanted Tiki Room, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, ‘it’s a small world’, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Disneyland Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience”, It’s Tough to be a Bug!, Turtle Talk with Crush, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, and Muppet*Vision 3D.

So, now that you know all about it, where do you get it? Guests with visual or hearing disabilities can obtain a handheld device at the Guest Relations offices, near the entrances to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks. The devices are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is a fully-refundable $100 daily deposit for use.

Going to the Disney Parks? There’s an App for That

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

The Disney Parks Blog has unveiled the first official information on the long awaited phone applications that Verizon customers will soon be able to purchase, making it easy to conquer lines for attractions, meet and greets, and much more:

Earlier this year, we announced our first official Disney Parks mobile application – Mobile Magic. Now, we’re sharing details and screen shots.

You’ll recall that Mobile Magic is bringing attraction wait times, FASTPASS return times, extensive information on character locations and more for Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks to your Verizon Wireless phone. Development work has been ongoing but the team recently offered a walkthrough of the app and it’s looking great.

Attraction wait times on your Verizon Wireless device will be unique. There’s been an investment in the backend infrastructure to support Mobile Magic and offer actual wait times based directly on Disney Parks information.

As for FASTPASS, you’ll be able to check if it’s still available for specific attractions. And if FASTPASS is available, the app will deliver information about the next return time. So, if you can still get a FASTPASS, the application will show, for example: FP: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Also, mobile maps are GPS-enabled. While wandering the parks, your location will be indicated by a white circle. Then it’s simple to scroll through content and find it on the map via a “getting there” option. The map zooms out and allows you to see your location and exactly where the character greeting or restaurant can be located.

It’s important to note that actual wait times, FASTPASS return times and detailed character appearances are only available in the park you are in. When you’re out of the park or on the soon-to-be-launched mobile Web site, you’ll see scaled-down wait time descriptions (now – moderate – high demand) FASTPASS availability (yes – limited availability – not available) and the list of character appearances will be limited.

If you are not a Verizon Wireless subscriber, you can still use your mobile phone to access select information via text and on the Disney Parks Mobile Web site. It’s just better from our friends at Verizon Wireless.

There’s more to this offering but we wanted to share these screen grabs and let you know that the app is coming soon. So, how’s it looking?

Of course, there are some official details you should know about: The downloadable Mobile Magic application for Verizon Wireless subscribers is available for purchase. Message and data rates also may apply. Coverage not available everywhere. Availability subject to handset limitations. If you’re under 18, get your parent’s permission first.

2009 CHOC Walk at the Disneyland Resort

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

More than 12,000 walkers participated in the 19th annual CHOC Walk in the Park, hosted by the Disneyland Resort. The walkers raised more than $1.5 million dollars for the hospital during this years event that took place on October 18th

Myrna Litt’s 10/17-10/18/09 Disneyland Resort and CHOC Walk Photo Report

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

After coming back from the Disneyland Resort on Friday, Myrna Litt returned Saturday morning to spend the weekend there so she could participate in the CHOC Walk in the Park today. Here’s her photo report from the CHOC Walk, as well as other happenings around the Disneyland Resort:

An old-fashioned Disney Vacation Club car stationed outside the entrance to the Grand Californian Hotel

Read More about Myrna Litt’s 10/17-10/18/09 Disneyland Resort and CHOC Walk Photo Report

Disney’s Doorway to Dreams Opens in Long Island, NY

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

On Saturday, Tom Corless attended the grand opening of Disney’s Doorway to Dreams store operated by the Disney Vacation Club inside the Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island, New York. This is just the second Doorway to Dreams Disney Vacation Club sales location to open (the first is located in Chicago) and the grand opening events included continuous tours of the store, character meet and greets, and live entertainment. Here is a video taking a short look at all of the festivities, embedded via the WDWNTube: