Disney Creates New Vacation Experiences at Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line

Disney has a lot going on in 2010, 2011, and 2012! There are lots of new experiences being created. I think Disney is kicking it up a notch, and Disney family vacations will be better than ever. The Disney Difference will abound.

Let’s start with Walt Disney World. I already reported about the new summer celebration at Walt Disney World, Summer Nightastic! This celebration will bring lots of fun options to Walt Disney World, and Disney has released a few more details about this.

What is the first change in Walt Disney World? It is a huge change! The groundbreaking for the new Fantasyland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will be happening very soon. The results of this three year construction project will be the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history.  It will be the first time that guests will be able to truly immerse themselves into their favorite Disney fairy tales. They will have more magical and immersive encounters with Disney princesses.  There will be a themed village for each princess. These villages will be within Fantasyland Forest. For instance, Cinderella will have a chateau in her village called Dreams Come True with Cinderella. Guests can meet Cinderella face to face in her country chateau, share a dance or train to be one of her Royal Knights.  Sleeping Beauty’s area will be called At A Birthday Surprise for Sleeping Beauty. It will be party time inside the Briar Rose Cottage, nestled in a lush, forest setting, where the three good fairies give Aurora the Sweet 16 party she never received, and everyone’s invited to join in the surprise celebration. Belle’s special place will still feature story telling.  An enchanted mirror will transport guests from Belle’s father’s cottage to Beast’s castle for an enchanting the storytelling performance during Enchanted Tales with Belle.

 Children of all ages have always loved Dumbo’s Flying Circus. The big top comes to Dumbo’s Flying Circus with a magical flight high above brand-new circus grounds. The improved ride will be twice the size of the classic attraction.  Inside a stylized tent, guests enjoy midway games and other fun-filled experiences.  

There will be three new restaurants in the new Fantasyland. The Be Our Guest Restaurant, one of three enchanted dining rooms inside Beast’s castle, is one of the new dining areas, and just outside the castle in Belle’s Village will be Gaston’s Tavern, another themed eatery.  Meanwhile, in the new Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction, Ariel and all her friends will entertain in a ride-through adventure featuring favorite songs from the popular animated feature. 

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, an all-new 3-D version of the popular Star Tours attraction launches in 2011 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, featuring immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the “Star Wars” galaxy.

ESPN Wide World of Sports is also being relaunched in 2010. A re-imagining project involving ESPN and the Disney sports complex, the leading multi-sport venue in the nation, aims to create immersive and entertaining sports experiences for athletes, coaches and fans by incorporating signature elements of ESPN in ways that will connect athletes and coaches with their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements.  Guests will discover a new welcome center, a digital center where video captured by 56 high-definition robotic and handheld cameras across the 220-acre sports campus is edited for display on 40 video screens and two “jumbotrons” throughout the complex as part of a veritable Wide World of SportsCenter, and the new ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill.  Meanwhile, behind the scenes, technical staff will continue work in the Innovation Lab to develop ground-breaking ESPN on-air products – using the action throughout the complex as a real-world testing environment.

Disney Cruise Line has lots of changes happening, too. The newest ship, the Disney Dream, is being built right now, and will have her maiden voyage on January 26, 2011. The Walt Disney Company is expanding its successful cruise vacation business by adding two new ships. After the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy will set sail in 2012.  Two decks taller than the existing Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the new 1,250-passenger liners will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line.  These new ships will offer magical innovations, engaging children’s spaces, family entertainment and immersive experiences for which Disney Cruise Line is renowned. I will be sailing on the new Disney Dream, on March 6, 2011. I can’t wait to experience it! Visit Franniepoppins on Facebook.

To make room for the big new ships, Disney Cruise Line is making big changes at Castaway Cay, perfecting it. Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island paradise in the tropical waters of the Bahamas, is getting an extra dose of pixie dust.  The enhancements include an expanded family beach, a floating water platform featuring two twisting water slides, two fresh-water play areas for guests to cool off, a new teen retreat and 20 new private rental cabanas offering the ultimate in beachside luxury.  The additional island amenities are scheduled to be complete by summer 2010. 

There will be new sailings for the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic. In 2010, the Disney Magic will sail to Europe for an unprecedented five-month season of Northern European and Mediterranean cruises.  Book-ending the summer season of 12-night Northern European Capitals cruises, the Disney Magic will once again return to the Mediterranean for 10- and 11-night cruises, with three new ports of call – Tunis in northern Africa, the island nation of Marta, and Ajaccio, Corsica.  In the summer of 2010, the Disney Wonder will sail four- and five-night cruises to Nassau, Key West and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.  In the summer of 2011, the Disney Wonder will sail for the first time to Alaska, with seven-night cruises calling on Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.

As you can see, Disney is going to be very busy creating more vacation experiences for us to enjoy. If you are planning a visit to Walt Disney World, contact an OLP Travel agent today for help, or contact me personally, and I will be happy to help you plan your trip. Visit Franniepoppins on Facebook. Or, visit me on my webpage, Franniepoppins!

 

 
 

Written by Francine - Visit Website
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