This meal has been added to help ease the demand during the Disney Free Dining Promotion that is running at Walt Disney World. Anyone can dine at the restaurant, though, and advanced reservations are recommended. The cost for lunch at Chef Mickey’s will be $28.75 including tax; $15.97 ages 3 to 9, under 3 free.

Lunch with Mickey Mouse sounds fun! The dates for lunch are now through August 28, and September 19-October 2. Lunch hours are 12:30-2:30 p.m. Breakfast and dinner are still offered as usual.

Book your vacation through Our Laughing Place Travel, and your Disney professional travel agent will assist you will all yout itinerary planning, which includes making all your dining arrangements for you. 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.

Here is what has been leaked out, as far as changes.

• The plans for Cinderella’s Chateau, Sleeping Beauty’s Cottage, and even Pixie Hollow have been scrapped. These areas will not be built.
• There will be a new Snow White attraction built in the same area that was planned for Cinderella’s Chateau and Sleeping Beauty’s Cottage. There was a rumor quite a while back, about a Dwarf’s Mine Roller Coaster, and maybe this is happening. The original ride, Snow White’s Scary Adventure, would be closed.
• The area where the old Snow White attraction was will be turned into a Meet’n'Greet area. This would be similar to the Fantasyland Character Festival.
• The rumored new Fantasyland Character Festival may only be temporary, as the characters may move to an area that makes use of the old Skyway station.
• If the rumored new area for characters ends up being by the old Skyway Station, the area where the rumored former Snow White’s Scary Adventure would be turned into a new attraction.
• Nothing has been said yet as to what attraction will be on the other side of Fantasyland, with Dumbo.

Another rumor that turned into fact at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World is the changing of the name of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority back to the Peoplemover! This is fun news for a lot of people. They even fixed the soundtrack, and it is more like the one that has the spiel “Paging Mr. Tom Morrow…” Loved that!

There are rumors flying around right now about the ongoing refurbishment of It’s a Small World at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. This attraction started the refurbishment on August 1, 2010, and the completion date is October 22, 2010. The official word is that the load and unload areas are being renovated. The unofficial word, totally a rumor, is that Disney is adding Disney Characters to the attraction. They did this at Magic Kingdom at the Disneyland Resort in California. Or, the other rumor, and the one I believe to be true, is that the Walt Disney World attraction is receiving a Holiday Makeover, so it will be festive like the one in Magic Kingdom in Disneyland California.

Disney is keeping it new and fresh! I am so excited about all the changes and rumors, and will enjoy each new idea as Disney announces them. I can’t wait to experience the new Fantasyland!

If you would like to start planning your next Disney vacation, you can contact an OLP Travel Agent to help you plan your trip, or contact me personally, and I will be happy

Visit OLP Travel on Facebook, or Franniepoppins on Facebook.

FREE DINING OFFER

Purchase a 4-night, 5-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company room and ticket package at a select Disney Moderate Resort and get a FREE** Disney Dining Plan.

Offer Details:
When you who book purchase a 4-night, 5-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes accommodations for four nights at a select Disney Moderate Resort and a 5-day Magic Your Way Base Ticket, you’ll get the Disney Dining Plan free.

Sample Pricing:

$1,751 for a family of four*, staying in a standard room at a select Disney Moderate Resort most nights Aug. 19, 2011 – Sept. 29, 2011. That’s like paying $88 per person, per day!

Booking and Travel Window:

Booking Window: Aug. 16 – Dec. 20, 2010

Travel Window: Valid for arrivals most nights Aug. 19, 2011 – Sept. 29, 2011
Ask for other great rates for arrivals most nights Oct. 1-7, Oct. 22-28,
Nov. 12-18, Nov. 27 – Dec. 2 and Dec. 10-21, 2010, and Jan. 1-5,
Jan. 9-13, Jan. 21 – Feb. 3, Feb. 11-17, Feb. 25 – March 3 and May 27 –
June 2, 2011

Ask about packages for other lengths of stay and accommodations at other select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels.

*Price based on 2 Adults, 1 Junior and 1 Child. The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same package. Tickets valid for one Theme Park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use. No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required.

**Excludes gratuities and alcoholic beverages. Children ages 3 – 9 must order from children’s menu if available. Some Table-Service restaurants may have limited or no availability at time of package purchase.

Room Only Offer

Book at a select Walt Disney World® Resort hotel and save at least 25%*. And, with great rates available in every category – from Value Resorts to Disney Deluxe Villas – there’s a price to fit every budget.

Just add Theme Park tickets and you may take advantage of all the fun and special events. Plus, by upgrading to a package, you’ll get special benefits and magical extras.

Offer Details:

Save 25% at select Disney Value Resorts and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Save 30% at select Disney Moderate Resorts and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Save 40% at select Disney Deluxe Resorts (Excludes Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa)

Save 40% at select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

Booking and Travel Window:

Booking Window: Aug. 16 – Nov. 21, 2010

Travel Window: Available for stays most nights Oct. 3 – Nov. 23 and
Nov. 27 – Dec. 25, 2010, and Jan. 1 – Feb. 16, 2011

Disney has a lot of fun happening in Walt Disney World. If you would like to start planning your next Disney vacation, you can contact an OLP Travel Agent to help you plan your trip, or contact me personally, and I will be happy

Visit OLP Travel on Facebook, or Franniepoppins on Facebook.

You can expect to experience a Meet and Greet with Duffy the Disney Bear starting on October 14, 2010. It has not been announced where he will be, but a good guess would be somewhere around Mousegears, or perhaps at The Character Connection, which is not far from Mousegears.

Who is Duffy the Disney Bear? Duffy has made appearances at Epcot before; He used to appear at Disney’s Teddy Bear & Doll Weekend. In the past he made occasional appearances at Once Upon a Toy at Downtown Disney. Duffy is a regular at Disneyland in Japan and Tokyo, and is very popular at both of those theme parks.

Also at Epcot, Donald Duck’s new Meet and Greet area is complete. Donald can be found in Mexico, and stands by a wall that resembles a Mayan Temple wall. It is subtle, blends in nicely, and Donald just works so well in Mexico.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park, in Walt Disney World, there has been a change announced for one of the character meals, at Hollywood and Vine. Special Agent Oso is joining the group there, for the Playhouse Disney’s Play’n'Dine. He will be replacing the departing JoJo, starting on October 3, 2010.

At The Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World change is a way of life. I’d expect to see lots of little nuances of change, with the Fantasyland expansion going on. Along the line of new experiences and what we might expect in the new Fantasyland, Rapunzel and Flynn will be available for a new kind of character experience. This ‘Play and Greet’ experience is very similar to the character interaction that will be offered with the Fantasyland expansion. This new Meet and Greet experience will take place at the Fairytale Garden starting on October 15, 2010.

Disney has a lot of fun happening in Walt Disney World. If you would like to start planning your next Disney vacation, you can contact an OLP Travel to help you plan your trip. Visit OLP Travel on Facebook, or Franniepoppins on Facebook.agent today for help planning your Walt Disney World vacation, or contact me personally, and I will be happy

How will this work for? Here is what I can surmise will be a rough draft of the rules, by what I have read and heard.

1. You will still need to add a dining plan to your Magic Your Way Package prior to 3 days prior to your arrival.
2. You must use at least one full day of dining credits for your entire room reservation in order to reload a day’s worth of credits. This means each person in your room must have used a day’s worth of credits.
3. Dining credits will only be allowed to be reloading one day at a time, and in a full day’s amount of credits. Disney is not going to allow guests to just add quick service meals, or sit down meals, or snacks. One full day of credits must be added each time.
4. If you have used two full days of credits, Disney will allow you to add up to two full days of credits, and so on.
5. Credits must be added equally, for each person listed in your room.
6. You will be limited to the amount of night’s worth of credits you can add, and cannot add more credits than what you started with. A 7 night stay will only be able to reload up to 7 nights worth of credits.

None of this is official yet. If you like to dine at the Disney Signature Restaurants, or go to the Disney Dinner Shows, reloading credits might work for you. Watch for changes in the dining plan over time. They are preparing for more Signature Dining Experiences at Epcot. Le Cellier is the first one there. Next we may see Tutto Italia, perhaps Teppan Edo and San Angel Inn.

Next year we may see a new addition to the dining plan; Signature Disney Dining Experiences. This will be sold separately, and will be available to add to an existing plan. Like you can add wine now…. The Signature Disney Dining Experience credits would be available to add after check in, if you have an existing dining plan.

OLP Travel has a wonderful Disney Dining Guide, to help you choose restaurants. The Our Laughing Place Travel Agents will be happy to help you with decisions on which dining plan will work, and guide you as to whether adding credits after you arrive will be beneficial for you.

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.

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.

So, let’s talk about the changes at Walt Disney World. First off, there is a big change in the Disney Dining Plan. Le Cellier, one of the most sought after restaurants at Walt Disney World, will now cost you 2 dining credits, for dinner, with the Disney Dining Plan. I am guessing the menu prices will increase along with this change. Lunch will remain 1 dining credit. This change takes effect on March 1, 2011. Le Cellier is located in the Canada Pavilion, at Epcot.

Another change is to room categories at Walt Disney World. Some of those include adding a preferred pricing area at Disney’s Moderate Resort, Port Orleans Riverside. Taking a look at the Map of Riverside, I can take a guess at what rooms will be preferred. The description on the Disney web site says some of the preferred rooms will have trundle beds. So, this would mean some of the preferred rooms will be in the mansions. My official guess is that the building numbers for preferred rooms at Port Orleans Riverside will be all of buildings 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 27. I think they will have half of buildings 80, 85, 90 and 95.

Both of the Port Orleans Resorts, Riverside and French Quarter, now have River View rooms, no longer called water view.

Animal Kingdom Lodge charges extra for the Arusha Rock savanna view rooms, starting in 2011.

There are changes to the cancelation policies for the Walt Disney World 2011 Packages. The fee to cancel after final payment due date in 2010, up until 8 days prior to arrival, was $100.00. For the 2010 packages that feel will increase to $200.00.

Every year Disney tweaks the package extras, and here is what the deal is for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Packages for 2011, from the Disney web site.

Walt Disney World Resort

At the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, each 2011 Magic Your Way* Package from Walt Disney Travel Company will feature “Magical Extras” that will help Guests explore Disney beyond the Theme Parks. A new benefit for 2011 is a 15% discount on the regular hourly rate at a Children’s Activity Center at a select Disney Resort hotel.

Additional “Magical Extras” include an array of activities like a15% discount on select services of 50 minutes or greater at Niki Bryan Spa locations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, a Walt Disney World marina discount giving guests 15% off the regular price of any boat rental and 15% off the regular price of select Guided Bass Fishing Excursions at participating marina locations.

Disneyland Resort

At the Disneyland Resort in California, every Walt Disney Travel Company vacation package includes the chance to interact with some classic Disney Characters in Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness** one hour before Mickey’s Toontown opens to the general public.

All 3-day or longer Walt Disney Travel Company vacation packages include a souvenir Disneyland Resort Park Hopper® ticket which is valid for parking and admission to both Theme Parks and includes preferred seating*** privileges at selected attractions in Disney California Adventure™ Park. Included in this ticket is one Magic Morning† admission in Disneyland® Park before the Park opens to the public!

Walt Disney Travel Company vacation packages also include an exclusive collectible pin, lanyard and luggage tag for each member of the family. In addition, those who book online may receive a “Welcome” phone call from a Disney Character‡.

There are lots of great reasons to visit in 2011, including exciting new additions to Disney California Adventure Park, such as The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure attraction. And while World of Color lights up the night at Disney California Adventure Park, the new Mickey’s Soundsational Parade at Disneyland Park is sure to be a hit with your Clients.

The Disneyland Resort vacation package provides saving of up 15% off any one of the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort: Disney’s Paradise Pier® Hotel, Disneyland® Hotel or Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa. Good Neighbor vacation packages offer accommodations at one of more than 40 conveniently located Anaheim-area Good Neighbor hotels.

Walt Disney Travel Company also offers a complete 6-day, 5-night Southern California vacation package offering the ultimate Southern California experience. In addition to three nights at one of the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort or a Good Neighbor Hotel, Guests have a choice of two nights at one of the featured hotels in San Diego, Los Angeles or the surrounding Orange County beach areas.

*The number of rooms made available for the Magic Your Way package may be limited. Marina and Guided Bass Fishing discounts not valid all dates, one voucher per room. Age restrictions apply to all Magical Extras.

**To enter Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness, each Guest must have a valid Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket and one Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness voucher from Walt Disney Travel Company. Entitlement available for one morning throughout the length of your ticket on Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday. Days and times of operation and all other elements including, but not limited to, operation of attractions, entertainment, stores and restaurants, and appearance of Characters may vary and are subject to change without notice. Subject to capacity and other restrictions.

***Preferred Seating and viewing capacity is limited and subject to availability. Valid only during dates of vacation package. Show times vary.

†Magic Morning admission allows admission into select attractions in Disneyland® Park before the Park opens to the general public on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. Each Guest must have a valid 3-Day or greater Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket from Walt Disney Travel Company To enhance the Magic Morning experience, it is strongly recommended that Guests arrive at least 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to Park opening. Days and times of operation and all other elements including, but not limited to, operations of attractions, entertainment, stores and restaurants, and appearances of Characters may vary and are subject to change without notice. Subject to capacity and other restrictions.

Visit OLP Travel on Facebook, or Franniepoppins on Facebook. If you would like to start planning your 2011 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.

Don’t miss the chance to experience this before it is gone. Belle appears daily in Fantasyland, at 10:20 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Be sure to arrive early, because the sitting area is quite small, and fills up quickly.

Replacing Belle are the characters from Disney’s upcoming new film, Tangled. You will be able to meet Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder at the Fairytale Garden in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. These fun characters will be available to meet starting on October 15, 2010.

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.

There is a rumor that Disney may be developing a new parade for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, in Orlando, Florida! This is a very exciting rumor, as it may be the long rumored Rivers of Light Parade. If it is the Rivers of Light Parade, it will be a welcomed night time event. Animal Kingdom has a very magical feeling after night time falls. Adding a light parade to that sounds so alluring. This is pretty exciting news. All this being said, it is also rumored that the new parade is a replacement parade for Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade; the Holiday Parade that has been presented for several years. I am rooting for the Rivers of Light.

Either way, I suppose I am excited, because Disney continues to amaze me with new things to experience. Years of visiting Walt Disney World, and still, always something new; this is why I love the Walt Disney World vacation experience. 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.

Disney has some good deals for upcoming travel dates. If you are thinking of planning a Walt Disney World 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.

Here is what awaits you for Holiday Fun at Walt Disney World!

Magic Kingdom

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – On 19 magical nights between Nov. 8 and
Dec. 19, holiday revelers can sip cocoa, catch a “snowflake” on a fingertip and catch the spirit of the season through enchanting entertainment that includes live shows, fireworks, carolers and special character meet and greets.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which kicks off at 7 p.m. on select evenings (after regular Magic Kingdom closing), is pure, time-honored Disney magic:

Dancing gingerbread, marching soldiers and Santa’s sleigh parade down Main Street, U.S.A. to seasonal melodies during the twice-nightly “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” … Cinderella Castle is draped radiantly with 200,000 glistening white lights … and “Holiday Wishes, Celebrate the Spirit of the Season” fireworks lights the night sky during a pyrotechnics show orchestrated to holiday melodies.

The night wouldn’t be complete without the forecasted flurry of snowflakes along Main Street, U.S.A. and a warming cup of cocoa in hand. Party-goers also enjoy complimentary cookies and apple slices and enjoy unlimited admission to favorite attractions.

This after-hours family-friendly outing takes place Nov. 8, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 28, 30 and Dec. 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17 and 19. The evening kicks off at 7 p.m. and continues until midnight. Day-of-party ticket pricing is $59.95 ($53.95 for ages 3-9). Advance tickets are available with $6 savings for most dates. Guests can visit Disneyworld.com/christmasparty or call 407/W-DISNEY.

Castle Dream Lights – When daylight has passed during the holiday season, Magic Kingdom guests can behold a breathtaking transformation during the Castle Dream Lights ceremony. Each evening Nov. 8, 2010, through Jan. 3, 2011, Cinderella and favorite characters decked out in holiday garb take to the stage and magically transform Cinderella Castle into an ice palace aglow with 200,000 white lights – a perfect centerpiece to a park all decked out with wreaths, bows, garland and towering Christmas trees.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Spectacle of Dancing Lights – Millions of brilliant bulbs blanket the backlot with dancing lights and animated displays synchronized to high-energy holiday tunes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Nov. 8, 2010, through Jan. 3, 2011.

Colorful wreaths, twirling carousels, flying angels and Santa and his reindeer bedazzle park-goers amid swirling snow flurries during The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, a megawatt, multi-colored spectacle that Show Director John Phelan calls “the ultimate Americana Holiday lights display.”

“Imagine it,” Phelan said. “One private citizen (Jennings Osborne), overwhelmed by the spirit of the season, created his own ‘Holiday Wonderland,’ complete with a giant rotating globe with ‘Peace on Earth’ above it and a massive canopy of red lights that people could walk under. He said he wanted the people to feel like they were inside the lights, looking out. Only in America!”

In fact, originally it was only in Little Rock, at the home of Arkansas businessman Jennings Osborne. The rich tradition began some 20 years ago when he strung 1,000 lights as a Christmas gift to his daughter. After the exhibit grew larger and brighter – into millions of lights – it was transported to Walt Disney World Resort in 1995, where the light display now delights guests from all over the world each year.

Epcot

Holidays Around the World – Throughout World Showcase, storytellers share customs and lore from their heritage from Nov. 26-Dec. 30. Strolling around the promenade during the Holidays Around the World celebration may put you face-to-face with the good-hearted witch La Befana, known in Italy for filling children’s shoes with treats, or the jolly gift-bearer Father Christmas in the United Kingdom. There are meet and greets with Santa and Mrs. Claus in The American Adventure, plus other legendary icons who share messages of goodwill. The celebrations of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are showcased as well.

The evening is capped by the visual splendor of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” the mesmerizing Epcot spectacular featuring fireworks, laser and water – all spruced up for the season with a spirited holiday finale.

Candlelight Processional – The poignant story of Christmas unfolds during this renowned event featuring celebrity narrators, a mass choir and 50-piece live orchestra at America Gardens Theatre. On Nov. 26, Isabella Rossellini is scheduled to lead off the star-studded celebrity lineup that later in the season is scheduled to include Whoopi Goldberg and Jodi Benson among others (lineup of narrators is subject to change without notice). To ensure a seat for this joyous favorite, Candlelight Dinner packages are available with dinner at select Epcot restaurants, a special spot for fireworks viewing and guaranteed seating for the heartfelt Candlelight Processional. For bookings call 407/WDW-DINE.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade – The wild side of Animal Kingdom blends with a playful spirit of the holidays during “Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.” Mickey and pals present seasonal melodies with a world beat twist during a whimsical cavalcade throughout the park. The high-energy afternoon parade runs daily from Nov. 26, 2010, through Jan. 3, 2011.

Santa Goofy’s Holiday Village is adorned with festive décor and perfectly trimmed Christmas trees and crooning carolers. And Santa Goofy and spirited friends greet guests for photo opportunities.

Downtown Disney

Festival of the Seasons – Santa Claus is coming to town – to Downtown Disney, that is – and he’ll be meeting kids, listening to wishes and posing for pictures daily from Nov. 19 through Dec. 24 at Santa’s Chalet.

Santa is at the center of Festival of the Seasons, during which school choirs and bands often perform at the dock stage to help ring in the season … and shoppers can enjoy holiday gift buying every day.

With dozens of shops from boutiques to gigantic toy stores, there is something for every style and budget. Tren-D has hip fashions and accessories, D Street offers all the latest Vinylmations, the World of Disney store showcases character, princess and pirate merchandise, and lots more. And you could fill Santa’s sleigh with all the games and goodies at Once Upon a Toy. There are also Ghirardelli chocolates, Basin (soaps and bath products), LEGO Imagination Center and much more.