It is my feeling that one area being changed up is the Pixie Hollow area. This is the area planned for opening in 2013. I wonder what they will do. Maybe there will be a lean toward the Peter Pan, the Lost Boys and Captain Hook, for the boys to enjoy? Wouldn’t a Neverland be fun?

My other thought was would Tarzan fit in? He is gone from Animal Kingdom. A Tarzan area would be a lot of fun!

Whatever it is that Disney decides to do there, I am again impressed that they are listening to what guests are saying. I am excited to see what the new Fantasyland will have for attractions and experiences.

Disney is keeping the magic alive in Florida at Walt Disney World. Even while all this work is being done behind construction walls, the fun goes on in Fantasyland! Disney has special discount offers out for the rest of 2010 for travel. If you are looking at traveling in 2011, Disney just released the 2011 packages, too! If you would like to start planning your next Disney vacation, you can contact an OLP Travel agent today for help planning your Walt Disney World vacation, or contact me personally, and I will be happy to help you plan your trip. Visit OLP Travel on Facebook, or Franniepoppins on Facebook.

Adventures by Disney, Disney very personalized vacations, offers 7 different itineraries in 2010 that tour different areas of the United States of America. See the country through Disney’s experienced eyes and you will see it is such a unique way.

The Wyoming Family Vacation offers your family the chance to get to know the American West. Grab the reins and see the world from a saddle. Find your frontier spirit with horseback riding, roping and fly-fishing beneath wide-open skies at an authentic dude ranch. Raft the writhing Snake River, and explore the whimsical sights and Western charm of Jackson Hole. Then discover the soul of Yellowstone as you hike among its cascading rivers and iron-streaked canyons to watch Old Faithful burst from the earth. Come explore Wyoming – and realize that home on the range is just where the family belongs.

Experience the Northern California Family Vacation. Blaze an adventurous trail through the land of legendary gold and natural glory. Soar to the top of Squaw Peak and behold Tahoe’s aquamarine jewel among the mountains. Float along the idyllic Truckee River and swim in a setting more beautiful than any painting. And make the Yosemite Valley your incredible backyard as you hike and ride through its unspoiled majesty. Then spring from the wilderness to explore San Francisco’s hilly charm by bike and private trolley – on your unbelievable expedition from the gold-streaked Sierras to the famed Golden Gate.

It should be required by schools to take the Grand Canyon Family Vacation. The Southwestern stage is set for your adventure. Get ready to raft the majestic Colorado River. Tear through Red Rocks in an off-roading 4×4. And discover parts of the Grand Canyon most will never see. The desert will speak to you through naturalists, Navajos, cowboys, even native creatures. And as day becomes star-dusted night, you’ll gather ’round the campfire to share memories from your very own tall tale.

The Alaska Family Vacation is truly a one of a kind vacation. Get ready for untamed, unspoiled, unbelievable family adventures in the foothills of our country’s highest peak: mighty Mt. McKinley. Come frolic with the sled dogs of the legendary Iditarod. Explore deep, icy fjords and jetboat along a pristine river in search of wildlife that’s still completely wild. Learn how to track majestic wolves through their forest empires. And float among the iceberg remains of calving glaciers that have existed for centuries. You’ll discover this distant wilderness with its native people, making new friends and memories in the land of the midnight sun.

Hooray for Hollywood! Disney takes you on a Hollywood Family vacation. You’ll experience both Hollywood and Disneyland on this vacation. Go where the magic happens – to places few will ever see, places you will never forget; The El Capitan Theatre, The Jim Henson Company Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering – places where sketched-out dreams become vivid reality for you to experience firsthand. Then live the magic as you explore every whimsical corner of the Happiest Place on Earth – transforming a trip to the park into a VIP experience far beyond imagination.

Another education vacation, and really this is one that will take you to some of the most beautiful places in the entire world, is Glacier National Park and Canadian Rockies vacation. Come raft mighty rivers, hike flower filled meadows and ride horses on trails through the clouds in the unspoiled Canadian Rockies. Imagine your family surrounded by the snow-capped peaks, towering forests and impossibly blue lakes of two immense national parks in two countries. You’ll sleep high in the sky, between glacial lakes and ancient limestone-with tribal tales of when the world was young still dancing in your mind. And after canoeing, hiking and biking in land roamed by Lewis and Clark and beyond, you’ll never want to come down to Earth again.

The Mid Atlantic Family Vacation brings you to the most patriotic part of the United States, our nation’s capital, and other places where our mighty nation was born. Pedal past larger-than-life monuments that voice our country’s heroic tales. Walk in the footsteps of our forefathers, and even meet a few of them. Gather where Revolutionary plans were once laid, savoring authentic dishes from 1776. And travel back in time to live the colonial life, just as it was hundreds of years ago. You’ll eat, sleep and play in places steeped in national nostalgia – and experience an adventure you won’t find in any book.

And, not only is Adventures by Disney taking you to wonderful places in the United States, but Disney Cruise Line is also going to be joining in on the patriotic bandwagon. They have wonderful cruise itineraries lines up for Alaska, and these itineraries should not be missed! The Disney Wonder is headed to the West Coast in the summer of 2011, and that is when the Alaska Cruises will be offered.

Right here in our country, we have so much to see. Why not see it with the Disney extra touches? If you would like more information, contact an OLP Travel agent today for help, or contact me personally, and I will be happy to help you plan your trip.

Let’s start with Walt Disney World. Here is what you would find for discounts now, depending on your travel dates.

• There is the Disney Gift Card Offer. This deal is available for bookings through mid-April, and has to be booked by March 27, 2010. You can get up to a $75.00 Disney Gift Card for qualified stays at a Walt Disney World Resort.
• An offer that gives discounts all the way into August 2010 is the Winter-Summer offer. This deal offers a percentage off of your Walt Disney World Resort room, up to 45% off! It is a room only discount, with a twist. You can turn it into a Magic Your Way Package.
• If you are a Florida Resident, you can get a discount on a room only stay.
• If you are an Annual Passholder, you can get a discount off of a room only stay, and, as an added perk for Annual Passholders, Disney allows these guests to book a dining plan without purchasing theme park tickets.
• Disney also offers spectacular deals for the military, and they also are allowed to add a dining plan without purchasing tickets.
• There are also discounts available for AAA members.

Disneyland has several offers as well.

• There is a Winter Room Only Offer, and you can add tickets and other features to this offer. Travel must be completed by May 4, 2010, and booked by April 1, 2010.
• Disneyland also has a deal if you buy a three-night, five-day package, you will get two more nights free! This offer is available for travel through April 29, 2010, and must be booked by April 1, 2010.
• For selected arrivals, through April 30, 2010, kids can fly free, one per adult paid fare, on select airlines, when airfare is purchased with a qualified Disneyland package.
• AAA members also get discounts at Disneyland.
• Military personnel can find good deals at Disneyland hotels.

The offers at Disney Cruise Line aren’t as plentiful, but there are very good rates available for the Mediterranean Sailings, and Florida Residents and active military can find good deals as well. Your best bet, when booking a Disney Cruise Line vacation, is to book as early as you can. The best rates are always the rates that are first released. Disney ships book up, because they are the highest quality cruise. You get so much with a Disney cruise. Book early and you get your best deal.

Adventures by Disney vacation rates fluctuate, and this is another example of the earlier you book, the better your rate.

What is the bottom line, and when is the best time to book your Disney Vacation? I’d say you best bet is to book your Disney vacation as soon as you can. This insures you the best deal. Book through Disney Specialist, in particular an Earmarked agency and you will be sure you have someone working with you who Disney recognizes as an authorized Disney vacation planner. Specifically, book through an Our Laughing Place Travel agent, and you will be sure of the best deal. We pride ourselves in the fact that we watch for deals, and even if you already have a discounted rate, we still watch, and make sure you have the best deal. Disney has it all! You can find your perfect family vacation at a Disney destination, and find a vacation that fits in your budget.

Visit my website, Franniepoppins.com, or become a fan of Franniepoppins or Our Laughing Place, on Facebook.

Adventures by Disney has an offer out now for a free cruise with select booked itineraries.

Walt Disney World is offering a free Disney Gift card, worth up to $750.00, with Magic Your Way Packages. Also, at Walt Disney World, you will find room only discounts. Your Our Laughing Place Travel agent will find the best deal for you.

Disney Cruise Line has a few offers for kids to sail for free!

Disneyland is offering two free nights at their resorts, if you pay for three nights

Making family memories, being together, it is so important, right? You want to take your family, and escape to a place where you can have some fun. Disney provides a vacation escape. Being able to leave your cares behind, and let your inner child out Disney style, skipping down Main Street USA in Disneyland, or throwing your hands in the air and dancing on the Disney Wonder during the sail away party. How about a visit to an exotic faraway land, Like the Galapagos Islands? The ultimate Disney escape, Walt Disney World, gives Disney’s guests the best escape.

Disney strives to provide their guests with a vacation experience; something that will provide such good feeling that the guest will want to repeat that feeling. Being Disney’s guest is what it is about. No matter what your budget is, Disney has a vacation for your family, and there will be magic if it is a Disney destination.

Roy E. Disney passed away today, December 16, 2009. He was 79 years old. Roy stepped in a two times, to make his opinions known in the Disney Company. He was never afraid to follow what he believed in. In my opinion, it is Roy who is responsible for starting a process that instilled the Disney Difference in the Disney Destinations we know today. He may not have been as famous as his Uncle Walt, but he held the same ideals.

In 1984 Roy was very unhappy with the leadership capabilities of Walt Disney’s son-in-law, Ron Miller. Roy resigned from the Disney Board of Directors, and sought out investors to back him up in a bid to install new management. His efforts at that time led to the hiring of the famous team of Michael Eisner and Frank Wells. Roy rejoined the Board of Directors, and rose to be vice chairman of the Disney Company and chairman of Disney Animation. Roy was very involved in the making of The Lion King, and several other animated films. We can all thank Roy for the return of good Disney animation.

Frank Wells died in 1994, and Roy became disenchanted with Eisner, and again stepped up to the plate. He was forced to resign. Here is an excerpt of his resignation letter to Michael Eisner.

“In conclusion, Michael, it is my sincere belief that it is you who should be leaving and not me. Accordingly, I once again call for your resignation or retirement. The Walt Disney Company deserves fresh, energetic leadership at this challenging time in its history just as it did in 1984 when I headed a restructuring which resulted in your recruitment to the Company.

I have and will always have an enormous allegiance and respect for this Company, founded by my uncle, Walt, and father, Roy, and to our faithful employees and loyal stockholders. I don’t know if you and other directors can comprehend how painful it is for me and the extended Disney family to arrive at this decision. ”

Roy saw the quality of the Disney product slipping away. He did not back away quietly. It was at a shareholders meeting in 2004 that Roy got a standing ovation after making this comment.

“One of the reasons for my leaving, other than the fact that they fired me, was that I saw that quality slipping away from us,”

Roy kept up with what he believed in, and in fact in 2005 Michael Eisner retired, one year shy of his contract. Robert Iger replaced him.

You will be missed Roy E Disney. Thank you for helping keep your Uncle Walt’s dream alive. When I visit Disneyland or Walt Disney World, cruise on Disney Cruise Line, or enjoy the uniqueness of a Adventures by Disney vacation, I will always know that you helped create this magic. You did so in a quiet mannered, yet ever so powerful, way. Rest in Peace, Roy.

For those who want their vacations to be mind-growing in addition to mind-blowing, there are Adventures by Disney — where you’ll travel above and beyond, and see what most ordinary tourists will never experience.

For example, on The Emerald Isle, you’ll go sheep herding in Shannon, take jig lessons in Killarney, and tour cathedrals in Dublin. Or, on Discovery Down Under you’ll plunge into the largest coral reef system on earth, ride camels through the desert to watch the sun set on Ayers Rock, and feel the rush of adrenaline as you zoom around famed Sydney Harbour on a high-speed boat. These are adventures you’ve got to hike, bike and swim to believe.

Take it from me, on Quest for the West I experienced a Wyoming I never even knew existed. I mean, who knew that Yellowstone National Park is the site of a “super volcano?”

With itineraries all around the globe, you’ll experience the world’s authentic wonders come to life. And that’s way more than kid’s stuff.

The Adventures by Disney itineraries are not value itineraries, but when you take a close look at them, you will find they actually are deluxe tours that are value priced.  Once you look at what Disney offers, you see that you do get your money’s worth, and then some.  For starters, the size of your group will be smaller than you might expect.  The average adventure by Disney has 30 to 40 guests, and each Adventure has two Disney tour guides.  Disney has gone out and searched for hotels, and attractions, that are top notch.  Hotels are 3, 4, and 5, star hotels, and the many private tours offered within each Adventure are truly above and beyond the tours you will find within other tour companies’ itineraries. Most of your meals are included in each Adventure by Disney.  With Adventures by Disney you get what Disney calls The Disney Difference, a variety of Disney magical surprises, and Disney touches.

Looking at the 2008 itinerary for the Adventures by Disney Southwest Splendor, you will find yourself immersed in the history and lifestyle of the Southwestern United States.  This specialized itinerary will take you from Arizona to Utah, with stays in three different locations.

 I think if Walt Disney were alive today, he would be pleased with the Adventures by Disney.  Walt was very creative, and he had a knack for creating one of a kind experiences.  That is what Adventures by Disney does with each Adventure, creates a one of a kind experience.    

Creating magical memories one vacation at a time!

Francine  

Some might even go so far as to say, I’ve visited Disney World and Disneyland enough to last a lifetime.  And — while it’s true that the Disney imagineers provide plenty of change to keep me coming back to check new venues — I was starting to think I might have to start traveling to other countries to get my Disney thrill.  Imagine my delight to discover the Disney company read my mind and developed an easy way for me to do just that! 

Adventures By Disney takes Disney where the magic has never gone before…  Land Tours around the World!  The focus is – of course – on family fun, and the intention is to provide a quality experience with Disney’s magical touch along the way.  The first year these tours were offered publically was 2006, and I sampled the Costa Rica Eco-tour.  Here’s the pictorial review I wrote: Path to Pura Vida  In 2007, I signed up for two tours:  Fiesta Espana and “Quest for the Wild West” (I’ll write a review for this one as soon as we get back)  The 2008 itineraries are so exciting, I could barely whittle it down to three.

 There IS a pattern here, and you can probably tell I am as enamored with the impeccability of the Disney style with their land tours as I am with the quality of  I find in the Disney parks.  What can I say?  I’m hooked on pixie dust

With Adventures By Disney, I’m ready to travel with Disney to “Infinity and Beyond”!

You can save the date starting August 1st, 2007.

To secure your space now on a vacation of a lifetime, all you need is a $300 per person*, fully-refundable deposit to SAVE YOUR DATE and we’ll take care of all of the planning! Don’t miss your chance to see the world with Disney.

Space is limited to save your 2008 itinerary, save your date beginning August 1, 2007!