Hotels & Resorts – Page 4

WDWNT Podcast Episode 83 Now Available for Download

WDWNT on March 2, 2009

Join me, Tom Corless, and a cast including Jason Diffendal, Justin Heyman, Brian Martsolf, and Luke Manning for a variety show that celebrates the Walt Disney World Resort and its many fans. So what are you waiting for? Let’s celebrate another week of Walt Disney World information and fun on the WDW News Today Podcast!!!

To kick off episode 83, we have your Walt Disney World Resort News and Rumor Report. In this week’s report, we will be talking about the opening of a very special museum at Epcot this summer, how you can get backstage and on-stage at the American Idol Experience attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and just how you can speed up the check-in process for your next Walt Disney World Resort hotel stay.

Town Square Talk is also back this week, highlighting the hottest topics around our WDWNT Network of websites and podcasts. On this trip down Main Street WDWNT, we have all the details on the latest videos available through the WDWNTube Disney Parks video site, the return of the very popular Back to the Future segment on this show, and who will be filling in as the new host of the Your Ear to the World podcast

Finally, to end this weeks program, we continue our countdown of the 20 Biggest Moments in Disney’s Hollywood Studios History as voted by you with a look at what took the #11 spot on the list. We’ll also be examining just how important this moment is in the near 20 year history of the park.

To subscribe to the WDW News Today podcast on iTunes, go to this link. If you do not have iTunes, visit our Podcast Download Directory to download or listen to all of our shows

This episode is also available in an enhanced version. An enhanced podcast is a podcast with added features that standard podcasts don’t have. Enhanced podcasts include many features like Chapter listings, this lets you skip through chapters or see what is in store for this weeks show. Enhanced podcasts also have images to let you differ the chapters by. Enhanced podcasts have one negative feature, you can not play them on most mp3 players. The file format for this is a .m4a which can play on Apple’s iPod and Microsoft’s Zune. You will also need iTunes or Windows Media Player to be able to skip through chapters. If you need or would like the standard edition, download the normal edition listed below this file both on Itunes and in our podcast directory.

Check-In Online…. Finally

WDWNT on February 26, 2009

The new online check-in system for Walt Disney World Resort hotels we told you about many months ago is now finally up and running according to Disney:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Feb. 24, 2009) – Walt Disney World Resort launched a new Online Check-In Service today, designed to simplify and streamline guest arrivals. The new service is complimentary and available to guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Disney Vacation Club resorts open as of February 2009.

Within 10 days of their arrival dates, guests are able to provide check-in information, advise the resort of their arrival times and request room preferences (although those cannot be guaranteed). Guests can also register the names of all the people in their party and provide a credit card to cover charges at the resort hotel.

Upon arrival at their resorts, guests visit a special welcome location where their room keys and other registration material are waiting. Disney cast members are also available to provide additional information and answer questions.

Meeting professionals can also arrange private group check-in at a Disney resort convention center or other locations.

“Our new Online Check-In Service offers added convenience and time savings for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests,” said Kevin Myers, vice president of Resort Operations for Walt Disney World Resort. “It’s the latest benefit created as part of our continuous effort to provide a seamless and hassle-free arrival experience for our guests as they begin their Disney vacation.”

Online Check-In Service is the newest Disney service designed to simplify the travel and arrival process. Guests staying at select Walt Disney World hotels get an extra dose of pixie dust with great perks and services including: Complimentary on-property transportation; Disney’s Magical Express, which offers complimentary airport shuttle and luggage delivery; and Extra Magic Hours, where each day one of the Walt Disney World theme parks opens one hour early or stays open up to three hours later, providing extra time in the parks to experience select attractions.

For more information about the new Online Check-In Service, click on disneyworld.com.

Doorway to Dreams Leads to Long Island

WDWNT on February 10, 2009

Disney has confirmed that it will be opening a second “Doorway to Dreams” Disney Vacation Club sales location (in my backyard) on Long Island, New York in the summer of 2009:

Scheduled to open later this summer, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams will offer Roosevelt Field visitors and Long Island, N.Y.-area residents a convenient and exciting way to learn firsthand about Disney Vacation Club, an innovative vacation-ownership program that helps families enjoy flexibility and savings on decades of future vacations.

Disney’s Doorway to Dreams will showcase the accommodations at Disney Vacation Club resort hotels, which are spacious and offer numerous home-like amenities. These vacation villas provide families with a place to relax and spend quality time together either at Disney destinations worldwide or at more than 500 other popular vacation locations around the world. This convenient mall location will give them a glimpse of the choices they have, from a magical stay at the Walt Disney World Resort or a relaxing cruise aboard a Disney Cruise Line ship to a family-friendly, interactive Adventures by Disney trip or an exotic jaunt to South America.

“Our first Disney’s Doorway to Dreams location has been very popular and a great way for Chicago-area residents and visitors to learn more about the family vacation experiences available through Disney Vacation Club,” said Disney Vacation Club President Jim Lewis. “Now, we are delighted to bring Disney’s Doorway to Dreams to New York, which is one the top markets for our rapidly growing membership base, so that more people can discover all that Disney Vacation Club has to offer.”

To help families envision just what those vacations will entail, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams, located at Roosevelt Field on Long Island, NY, will feature a full-scale, two-bedroom model of the vacation home accommodations Disney Vacation Club members and their families can expect to find at Disney Vacation Club resort hotels.

“Disney has always been a unique and innovative leader in the timeshare industry,” said Howard C. Nusbaum, chief executive officer of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). “Now, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams allows New York-area families the chance to experience how a timeshare ownership can help ensure years and years of memorable family vacations.”

Designed to create a fun and immersive experience, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams is planned to go beyond featuring model accommodations to offer an interactive family vacation discovery zone, comfortable discussion areas and a supervised children’s play area within its approximately 6,900 square feet of retail space.

Celebrating more than 50 years of offering more choices, Roosevelt Field is located at the intersection of Old Country Road and the Meadowbrook Parkway in Garden City and is managed by Simon Property Group, Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The mall offers unparalleled customer service with amenities including Simon Giftcards, good everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted and Simon American Express Giftcards, which can be used everywhere American Express cards are welcomed; Ticketmaster at Simon Guest Services, valet parking; complimentary wheelchairs; strollers and a post office. It is anchored by Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penney, Bloomingdale’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods and has more than 270 specialty stores. For more information, please go to www.simon.com.

For more information about Disney Vacation Club and the new Disney’s Doorway to Dreams preview center, please visit www.disneyvacationclub.com.

Buy 4, Get 3 Free Offer Continues Into the Summer

WDWNT on February 3, 2009

In brief, Walt Disney World will be continuing its buy 4 nights, get 3 nights free promotion through August 15th, 2009 beginning February 9th. If you would like to book or get more information on this fantastic offer, make sure to contact one of the fantastic agents at Magical Travel.

Robert Ashburn’s 1/23/09 WDW Photo Update

WDWNT on January 25, 2009

Robert Ashburn of Figment’s Media and FTN has provided us with another fantastic photo report, this time from the Magic Kingdom area with a full report on the park’s latest parade and some other smaller happenings. Let’s take a look:

We’ll start this report with photos from the debut performance of the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade at the Magic Kingdom. Since the pre-parade vehicle is now in the actual parade, a high school band acted in it’s place

Disney was filming the first performance for some promotional footage

The parade banner leads along with what was the pre-parade Grand Marshal vehicle

12/30 DVC Construction Updates

WDWNT on December 30, 2008

Everyone’s favorite photographer, Jose Eber, has returned with some photos of construction of the two latest DVC Resorts at Walt Disney World:

Construction continues on the Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

11/24-25/08 WDW Update by Matt Paul

WDWNT on November 26, 2008

Matt Paul has provided us with more pictures from his latest trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. Let’s see what happening at the world:

Guest Relations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is decked out for the season

Since I always get yelled at by High School Musical fans for a lack of coverage…

we will fill our annual quota in two pictures

A WDWNT Weekend Update

WDWNT on November 23, 2008

I thought I would take this time to address a few short subjects in one post just to make sure everyone is caught up on what’s going on with WDW and WDWNT right now:

-We have opened our fantastic poll allowing you to choose what you think are the 20 biggest moments in the history of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Just go HERE, pick 20 moments, and hit submit. The 20 biggest moments as voted by you will then be counted down every week on the WDW News Today Podcast until the anniversary on May 1, 2009. Voting closes on December 4 at midnight, so don’t miss out!!!

-Disney has released a picture of the completed facade of the new American Idol Experience attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (we should have our own pictures of the completed building very soon, until then check out THIS photo report on the WDW News Today Community Forums):

IT’S SHOWTIME!: Disney’s Hollywood Studios raises the curtain on the newest showbiz-themed attraction, “The American Idol Experience.” All the excitement of the popular “American Idol” TV show comes to life in a first-of-its-kind attraction where Walt Disney World guests can vote on their favorite performance, or audition with the chance to perform on stage. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (David Roark, photographer)

-Ellen’s Energy Adventure at Epcot will be closed for a lengthy refurbishment from January 5 through March 22, 2009. During this time, some general maintenance will occur. It is also rumored that Imagineering will use this a a time to look around the attraction for possible changes.

-Reported on the WDW News Today Community Forums:

Beginning December 1st, anyone booked for lunch at Tusker House (at Disney’s Animal Kingdom) between 1:00pm and 1:40pm will receive a ticket for reserved seating at the Finding Nemo (The Musical) 3:15pm show. If you are already booked during that time frame you will qualify for the reserved seating ticket. Only reservations between 1:00pm and 1:40pm qualify. One ticker per person dining.

-Also Reported on the WDW News Today Community Forums, Disney launching an online check-in service for resort guests:

Disney’s Online Check-In service enables Guests to simplify their arrival by allowing them to go online and provide information related to their upcoming stay. On a Guest’s scheduled arrival date, since check-in information will have been provided previously online by the Guest, they may experience a streamlined check-in at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels or Disney Vacation Club resorts. A welcome folder with their Key to the World Card will be waiting at a designated Disney’s Online Check-In area in the resort hotel lobby. Guests will need to present valid photo ID to pick up the folder and complete check-in. Guests may check-in online beginning 10 days prior to their arrival date. Web site addresses for Disney’s Online Check-In service will vary based on the original method of booking. As Guests are completing Disney’s Online Check-In service, select Guests will have an opportunity to apply for the Disney Rewards® Visa Card® that could be used during their stay. This service launches in January, 2009.

A lot to process, but hopefully we have everyone caught up on current Walt Disney World and WDW News Today events before the big holiday week begins.

10 Years of the Grand Floridian Gingerbread House

WDWNT on November 17, 2008

Jose Eber has sent us a few great photos of the Gingerbread House inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort which is just about ready for the rush of customers who will be buying treats from inside it this year:

Donald Duck is opening a present above this window

Hard to believe it has been ten years since it was first constructed

Jose Eber’s 11/15/08 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on November 16, 2008

Here is another fantastic photo (and video) report by WDWNT Photographer Jose Eber from his latest trip to the world:

Refurbishments on the Fantasyland facades has now moved on to Pinnocchio’s Village Haus

Work is now 100% complete on the new Liberty Square Bridge, no more work in the waterways

Christmas has now taken over Main Street U.S.A.

Tinker Bell movie merchandise has taken over some of the windows

This window that was full of Year of a Million Dreams merchandise has been changed, the first piece of the celebration to disappear with just about a month and a half left in it.