In order to maintain the highest quality standards, Walt Disney World Resort must conduct routine maintenance from time to time.
To help you and your clients plan for vacations early next year, we’re sharing that all lines of the Disney Skyliner will be closed for routine maintenance Jan. 22-29, 2023.
Bus transportation will be available at all Disney Skyliner Resorts throughout the planned closure so your clients can reach their desired destinations across Walt Disney World.
On July 27, The Walt Disney Company launched its highly anticipated MagicBand+ at the Walt Disney World Resort. The new MagicBand+ has all the features of a traditional MagicBand, with some significant changes. The biggest feature that the MagicBand+ feature has is that it is rechargeable. Old MagicBands only have a battery life of about two years, but this new MagicBand will last you for years to come! Guests who had a Walt Disney World vacation booked could go on My Disney Experience to preorder the Bands and have them sent to their house before their vacation.
Unfortunately for some Guests, they will not be receiving their MagicBand+ before their magical vacation. According to theme park insider Scott Gustin, Disney has been sending out emails to some Guests, letting them know that they will not get their band before their trip “due to overwhelming popularity.” Gustin shared a copy of the letter on Twitter.
The letter reads:
We are reaching out about the recent MagicBand+ order that you made through My Disney Experience.
Due to overwhelming popularity, we are unable to fulfill your order in time for your arrival at Walt Disney World Resort. Therefore, your order will be complimentary.
If you were charged, a refund will be automatically processed back to your original form of payment within 7 business days. Your MagicBand will still ship to the address provided, at no cost to you so you can use it for future visits.
In addition, if you’d like to purchase other MagicBands to use at the Walt Disney World Resort for this visit, to provide the discount you were offered online, we will be sending you a $50 digital Disney Gift Card that you may use toward the purchase of a MagicBand+ at a Walt Disney World Resort retail location, or you may apply it toward the purchase of other Disney merchandise or experiences (see DisneyGiftCard.com for details and participating locations). A separate email will be sent with your digital Disney gift card.
Please accept our sincerest apologies. Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you real soon!
In addition to being rechargeable, there are a number of other new features that come with Disney’s new MagicBand+. Guests can visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios and become Bounty Hunters. MagicBand+ will also interact with the Fab 50 statues that can be found at the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT. They will also light up with both Disney Enchantment and Harmonious.
Guests visiting Walt Disney World can also purchase MagicBand+ at select locations throughout the Resort. You can read more about Disney’s MagicBand+ by clicking here.
Via DisDining.com
Things at Walt Disney World Resort lately seem to be going from bad to worse when it comes to Guest behavior. Yes, we know, summer in Florida isn’t the best time to be at a theme park. It is very hot, even more humid, the lines are long, and the prices for everything from food and drinks to merchandise is high. Be that as it may, Guests need to remember they are still in a family theme park and should know how to conduct themselves property.
Sadly, it looks like another Guest decided to behave like a fool and, this time, a woman and her young baby were put in danger. The incident happened on July 5 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios — a Park known for its incredible themed areas like Toy Story Land and it’s exciting, immersive attractions, like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
According to eyewitness Alyssa P., who reached out to Disney Dining, a man was arrested after shoving his girlfriend and a young baby to the ground in the Park. According to Alyssa, the couple and the child were already being escorted out of the theme park when the man shoved the woman. The shove also caused the baby to fall to the ground. The man — identified as Matthew Johnston from Port Saint Lucie, FL — was immediately arrested. He was then transported to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office where he was booked on a charge of Domestic Violence.
Alyssa told Disney Dining that she witnessed the shove and subsequent arrest and then asked a Disney Cast Member what happened. The Cast Member told her that the couple had been fighting and had been asked to leave the theme park, which is why security was with them. Even though security was there, that did not stop Johnston from deciding to physically assault his girlfriend and child. Alyssa called the entire incident “all so disturbing.”
Unfortunately, this is not the first time in recent weeks that a fight has broken out at one of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks. Recently, a screaming match broke out on a Magic Kingdom tram headed to Disney’s Ticket and Transportation Center. Luckily, Cast Members were able to break it up before things got physical. Then, there was an all out brawl that broke out at Disney’s Magic Kingdom between two parties that resulted in arrests and lifetime bans.
Via InsideTheMagic.net
Walt Disney World Resort is actively waiting for the economy to fail, according to reports from experts in the field.
Many Disney Park fans who have visited Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios over the past couple of years have taken notice of changes in operations over that time.
Many have noticed that Disney is not quite as clean as they remember it. Others have reported unsightly damage. Many other fans have talked about price increases and merchandise failures.
However, one thing that continues to be at the top of everyone’s mind is Disney annual passes.
Disney paused its selling of annual passes nearly a year ago and other than a small window where passes appeared to be for sale a couple of months ago (it turned out to be a false alarm), they have remained unavailable for Disney Guests.
While many have wondered when these might become available again, a couple of Disney insiders recently explained that the company has no incentive to bring them back right now and they likely won’t, until an economic collapse occurs according to reports from Florida Politics.
“Disney doesn’t have much of a reason to bring back the full slate of annual passes right now. Disney World is generating record revenue and operating profits with fewer guests than before,” said Rick Munarriz, an analyst for the investment website The Motley Fool who regularly writes about Disney Parks. “Disney’s annual passes will come back when the global economy buckles to the point that visitors can no longer pay the cover charge for a Disney gated attraction.”
Another Disney expert echoed those same sentiments.
“The thing that might bring back APs sooner rather than later is an economic slowdown. Airfare is pretty expensive right now, so getting here is costly,” said Len Testa who runs Touring Plans. “I could see a situation where, say, kids go back to school in September/October, and fewer people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on airfare for a long weekend. In that case, Disney would look to locals to make up the difference, especially in things like restaurant revenue.”
Disney Parks are currently running at capacity and it wouldn’t make sense for Disney to attempt to bring in more Guests when it is already operating with such volume.
While fans may be hoping for Disney annual passes– which include the Pixie Dust Pass, Pirate Pass, Sorcerer Pass, and Incredi Pass– it seems they may have to wait until an unfortunate collapse of the economy for them to return.
Here’s what Disney says about its annual passes:
Annual Passes allow you to enjoy the magic all year long. Now is the time to answer the call and discover all the possibilities a Walt Disney World Annual Pass can bring.
To enter a theme park, each passholder must have a theme park reservation in addition to a valid pass. Park reservations are limited and are subject to availability and applicable pass blockout dates.
New sales of select Annual Passes are currently paused. Please check disneyworld.com/pass for the latest updates.
MagicBand+ is here! Walt Disney World Resort guests can now interact with Disney stories in all new ways through the magic of technology, with the launch of Disney’s newest wearable, MagicBand+. The new product will enhance guest visits to Walt Disney World Resort throughout the vacation destination’s 50th-anniversary celebration and beyond. The bands are now available for purchase at Walt Disney World (select locations) and in guests My Disney Experience accounts.
While MagicBands have not been complimentary for some time, Disney Resort guests can still purchase bands ahead of their visit and receive a “pre-arrival” discount. MagicBands are offered for sale up to ten days before arrival to guests residing in the United States and Canada in English only. Customized MagicBands are available for purchase up to six days before arrival for guests residing in the United States and Canada. Currently, customization is only available in English. MagicBands may also be purchased when you arrive.
To order your MagicBands for a resort stay, you need to visit the “My MagicBands and Cards” section of your My Disney Experience account. There you will see upcoming resort stays, and if you’re an annual passholder, an option to purchase a band for your pass. Select a future stay and choose to customize your bands.
Here is a look at the bands that are now available:
Bands are either $34.99 and discounted to a $24.99 pre-arrival price or $44.99 and discounted to a $34.99 pre-arrival price. Annual passholders will be able to use their 20% discount if they choose to purchase the bands in person.
Note that MagicBand+ bands are also available on shopDisney.com.
Here are some shipping details as listed in My Disney Experience:
Shipping Timeline
As soon as you book your Resort stay, you may select your MagicBand and customize your name, up until 10 days prior to your arrival.
For U.S. Guests, your MagicBands will ship to your home, usually within 10 business days of placing your order. Eligible International Guests will receive their MagicBands at their Disney Hotel Front Desk.
10 – 6 Days Before Your Trip – Select your MagicBand and customize your name. MagicBands will ship to your Resort Front Desk.
5-1 Days Before Your Trip – Pre-Arrival MagicBand selection is no longer available.
Shipping Details
Pre-arrival, online offer available only to Guests who will be staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or Guests who are new or renewing Walt Disney World Annual Passholders. Premium MagicBands sold by Magic Kingdom, Inc. Credit card will be charged when order is placed. Personalized MagicBands cannot be cancelled, returned, refunded or exchanged, even if the hotel reservation is cancelled. Cancellation of hotel reservations will result in cancellation of MagicBands orders; however, if personalized at the time of hotel cancellation, the MagicBands order cannot be cancelled and the nondiscounted full retail or comparable value of the premium personalized MagicBands will be charged. Shipping to eligible U.S. addresses (including U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) only; shipping not available to PO Boxes, APO, FPO, DPO, or international addresses. Pricing may vary. Selection subject to availability. Other discounts not applicable. Offer subject to restrictions and change without notice.
Finally, do note that guests may continue to use their existing MagicBand and Disney MagicMobile, available on eligible devices, to enjoy other features, such as park entry. The original MagicBand product will continue to be available for purchase as well.