Temporary Dining Changes

WDWNT on August 10, 2008

Some temporary changes to dining at the Magic Kingdom are coming during the busy free dining plan season. According to the DIS:

TOMORROWLAND TERRACE

On August 24, 31 and September 7 and 14, the Tomorrowland Terrace will be serviing a buffet dinner from 5:30 to 9:00pm. The menu will include Chimichurri Beef Loin carved to order, salads, pastas, and breads.

$35 for ages 10 and up, $18 for guests 3 – 9 which includes tgratuity. Guests on the Disney Dining Plan can use one table service entitlement when dining here.

DIAMOND HORSESHOE

On August 24 – 31 and September 13 – 25, the Diamond Horseshoe will be serving a family style dinner from 5:00 to 9:00pm. The menu will include roast turkey, carved beef, pork loin, mashed potatoes and more.

$28.99 for ages 10 and up, $14.99 for guests 3-9. Guests on the Disney Dining Plan can use one table service entitlement when dining here.

Full Details on New Dining Plan

WDWNT on August 5, 2008

Here are the details on the new quick service dining plan Walt Disney World will be rolling out in 2009, provided by our good friends at Magical Travel:

New! Magic Your Way Package Plus Quick Service Dining

 

 
The Magic Your Way Package Plus Quick Service Dining includes Disney Resort accommodations, a Magic Your Way Ticket and a Disney Quick Service Dining Plan that offers 2 Quick Service meals, 2 Snacks (select dining locations) per person per night of the package stay, plus 1 Resort Refillable Drink Mug per person, per package. With this package, guests can save up to 20% per adult on dining.  

Dining Plan adds $29.99 per adult, $8.99 per child (ages 3 to 9), per night


For each PACKAGE NIGHT, clients with this package will receive:

2 Quick Service Meals

 One entrée OR one complete Combo Meal
One dessert (Lunch or Dinner) or one juice (Breakfast)
One single serving non-alcoholic beverage

2 Snacks

 Choose from:
– Frozen ice-cream novelty, popsicle or fruit bar
– Box of popcorn
– Single serving grab bag of Frito-Lay’s chips
– One 20oz bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dansani water
– Single piece whole fruit
– Medium fountain soft drink or apple juice

 Resort Refillable Drink Mug

 1 per person, per package

 

Prices Follow The Crowds

WDWNT on July 31, 2008

We are hearing that Walt Disney World ticket prices may once again rise on Sunday, August 3. While we’re not hearing that the increase will be more than a few dollars, this change should be met with the usual resentment from guests.

In other pricing updates, 2009 Walt Disney World vacation packages should be available soon and rumors already indicate that this year will show one of the smallest single-year increases in Disney history. Again, it appears that Disney is expecting lower crowd levels throughout the year in 2009.

We can also expect changes once again in the Disney Dining Plan, with the addition of a quick-service dining plan and more changes in the infrastructure of the pre-existing plans.

Stay tuned to WDW News Today for more information on these headlines as it becomes available.

“Make Port at the Caribbean Beach Resort!!”

WDWNT on July 30, 2008

Reported by the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World has unveiled a rendering and a few details of some retheming and renovations in the works for Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort — theming it after the hugely-popular Pirates of the Caribbeanride/movies/games franchise.

Clients who book through Walt Disney Travel Co. also will receive a new benefit — 30 minute play-cards for Disney’s resort hotel video arcades.

Walt Disney World also is announcing some changes in its Magic Your Way plan, to include Quick Service Dining beginning Jan. 11. Vacationers can get two quick-service meals and two snacks for each night of their stay in a Disney resort hotel, plus a refillable drink mug for unlimited refills of non-alcoholic beverages at Disney resort hotels.

Beds that look like ships. Dressers that look like old crates. Curtains that look like tattered sails. The attached artist’s rendering shows a few of the details.

Caribbeanbeachresort73008

Disney is planning the look for 384 rooms in the Trinidad South Village Area, set to be ready sometime next year. The resort has a total of 2,112 rooms.

These Pirate rooms are an addition to the hotel that has been in progress for a few years now, as are the Finding Nemo themed rooms now beginning to debut at the resort. It’s also interesting to note the inclusion of those Arcade Gaming Cards in the vacation booking, something Disney has never done before. As if all that wasn’t enough to swallow, this article even goes on to confirm the addition of the new Quick Service Dining Plan. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on these major headlines.

Adam Roth’s 7/27/08 Update

WDWNT on July 28, 2008

Our good friend Adam Roth from WDWCelebrations has provided us with a fantastic photo update from his latest trip to the  Walt Disney World Resort. Let’s take a look at some interesting things going on at the world this weekend:

A new spinning topiary has appeared outside the Imagination pavilion at Epcot. Expect this to be a temporary change…

Something new in Innoventions, most likely for the return of the interactive Kim Possible game at Epcot.

Some exterior work taking place as Nine Dragons Restaurant is refurbished.

While the restaurant is closed, Epcot invites you to enjoy the rest of the China Pavilion, and the restrooms in Norway.

Some construction going on in the Morocco Pavilion as well.

More exterior work on some buildings in the United Kingdom.

Moving over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Drew Carey and Golden Age Souvenirs are closed until August 5th for refurbishment.

As you can see, just having Sounds Dangerous closed has effected the crowds in this area.

Al’s Toy Barn has been completely removed and is set to become a backdrop for Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars.

The back-side of Pixar Place is complete and looks like a pretty picturesque spot to end this photo report.

Taste Test Track

WDWNT on July 17, 2008

Remember the old Leave a Legacy kiosk over at Epcot? If you do, then you probably know it was shutdown last summer and has been a dead-zone pretty much since that time. However, as you can see by the picture below, work has already begun on fixing up the area:

If the rumors I’m hearing are true, we should see some representatives from the food and beverage division of the Walt Disney World Resort setting up shop here in the near future. The reason: this spot is set to become a taste-testing area, where different food and beverage ideas and concepts can be tested with the general public. While we’re not sure if this means guests can line-up to taste what’s next for the World, I’m thinking that they will just be pulling random guests out of the crowds to do all the testing (much like they do for all of the other different “experiments” they perform around the resort). While none of this is confirmed as of this moment, It is highly likely to happen in some way, shape, or form. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on this Epcot location.

Dining Changes Official

WDWNT on July 15, 2008

Here is the official announcement from Disney on changes to the dining reservation system:

The Walt Disney World® Resort will release a new reservation booking system for dining, recreation and tour reservations in late October 2008. The new reservation system will replace our current Dining Reservation System and will allow you to book multiple dining reservations for your Clients in one experience, while associating reservations to your Clients’ Walt Disney World Resort room reservations.

In the future, Travel Agents and Guests will be able to make dining reservations online at disneytravelagents.com and disneyworld.com with this new reservation booking system. The launch date for this enhancement will be announced at a later date.

As a result of the system upgrade, effective July 29 through late October 2008, Guests will be able to book dining reservations up to Jan. 25, 2009 arrivals.  In late October, booking processes will return to normal, allowing Guests to book up to 180 days of arrival.

The system upgrade will not impact Victoria and Albert’s Restaurant, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Chef Mickey’s Restaurant. Those three venues will continue to observe the normal booking processes throughout the system cutover.

There you have it, as expected, you will soon be able to make all your Disney vacation reservations online in one motion, making the overall experience much easier. Expect the new system to be in order around January 2009.

Temporary Dining Changes

WDWNT on July 14, 2008

Reported by the Dis:

Disney will begin implementing a new reservation system that combines dining, recreation and tour bookings.

The conversion will start on July 21, 2008 and is expected to be functioning on October 24. While this is taking place, the latest dining reservation date which can be booked in advance is January 25, 2009. Once the new system is operating, it will revert to the 180 day Advance Dining Reservation window.

The exceptions to the shortened ADR booking window are Cinderella’s Royal Table, Chef Mickey’s and Victoria & Albert’s.

 

This updated system has been in the works for a while and is now finally being implemented. The rate of error from the old system necessitated the changes and the new system should work much more efficiently than the old. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we attempt to gain an official confirmation of these changes.

Downtown Disney Update

WDWNT on June 29, 2008

Orlando Attractions Magazine has gained possession of some of the concept art for the new stores and restaurants coming soon to Downtown Disney. Some interesting notes from the photos:

-Mickey’s T-Shirt Factory will replace or take up most of the Wonderful World of Memories store next to the Art of Disney in the Downtown Disney Marketplace.

-The new restaurant replacing the Rock N’ Roll Beach Club on Pleasure Island will most likely be named “El Dolbe”.

-Portobello Yacht Club will make a minor name change, menu changes, and an interior renovation when its changes occur.

You can see all of the concept art HERE.

More Downtown Disney Details

WDWNT on June 28, 2008

Here are some more details on the changes coming to Downtown Disney, including the replacements for some of the Pleasure Island clubs:

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (June 27, 2008)– Walt Disney World Resort today unveiled a new vision for Downtown Disney, with extraordinary new shopping, dining and other experiences including a completely re-imagined Pleasure Island. Also planned are numerous enhancements to popular Downtown Disney locations, as well as additional theming and storytelling brought to life by Walt Disney Imagineers.

“We are committed to offering guests new and exciting experiences they can only have at Walt Disney World Resort,” said Downtown Disney Vice President Kevin Lansberry. “Our bold new vision for Downtown Disney reflects the feedback we receive from our guests each and every day and will enable us to continue to offer the high-quality entertainment that is our hallmark.”

Over the next year, the 120-acre entertainment-shopping-dining complex will add a number of one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences for guests. Downtown Disney will even get its own iconic attraction, in the form of a giant, tethered balloon that will take guests 300 feet into the air to view the amazing vistas of Walt Disney World Resort. Other new experiences include:

· In fall 2008, guests will enter a world of prehistoric creatures at T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure. The dinosaur-themed family eatery will serve up pizzas, pastas, seafood and more, and will feature life-size animated dinosaurs that dwell among bubbling geysers, waterfalls and a fossil dig site.

· Also this fall, a design-your-own t-shirt store from Hanes will add to the growing collection of merchandise guests can personalize at Downtown Disney.

· E-brands Restaurants, an Orlando-based, multi-concept restaurant group, will premier its newest concept at Downtown Disney in spring 2009. The high-energy, casual eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty drinks and live music along the waterfront.

Guests also will enjoy a brand new mix of shopping and dining experiences at Pleasure Island as it is transformed over the next two years.

“Our guests tell us they want additional shopping and dining experiences at Downtown Disney,” added Lansberry. “We are currently considering a number of unique concepts from around the globe as we re-imagine Pleasure Island and look forward to sharing our progress over the coming months.”

To make way for the new offerings, all of the clubs currently on Pleasure Island will close on Sept. 27. Other locations on Pleasure Island , including Raglan Road , Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval, Orlando Harley-Davidson and outdoor food and beverage locations, will remain open during the transition.

To complement these new experiences, many popular Downtown Disney locations will undergo enhancements.

· Beginning this summer, Portobello Yacht Club will be transformed into a Tuscan Country Trattoria. The refreshed menu features authentic Italian dishes and signature favorites and a re-designed interior along with an outdoor dining space.

· This fall, Goofy’s Candy Company will add a special new room that will enable families to host one-of-a-kind birthday parties at Downtown Disney.

· The Marketplace Stage will be completely replaced with a larger, covered stage this fall to welcome even more entertainment to Downtown Disney and serve as a new premier venue for Disney Magic Music Days.

· Fulton’s Crab House will update its interior fixtures and furnishing and exterior in Spring 2009. The enhancements include a refreshed third floor deck dining area to offer additional Disney guests and larger private parties the traditional Fulton’s experience.

· Next year, Wolfgang Puck Café will update its interior fixtures and furnishings and will feature an enclosed glass patio offering guests a year-round outdoor dining experience.

These efforts come on the heels of recent enhancements at World of Disney, Wolfgang Puck Express, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, Earl of Sandwich and Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant.