Disney Announces Return of Behind-the-Scenes Tours at Walt Disney World in 2022

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Since the Walt Disney World theme parks reopened in July 2020, one of the offerings that have been missing are behind-the-scenes tours. Thankfully, some of the tours in the Enchanting Extras Collection are returning in February 2022.

With The Walt Disney World Resort 50th Anniversary celebration well underway and the holidays just around the corner, it’s an exciting time to visit. For those of you with a love of animals, adventure and the outdoors – and those seeking to discover how Walt Disney’s vision, innovation and creativity brought Magic Kingdom Park to life – things are about to get a lot more exciting with the return of some of our fan-favorite tours from our Enchanting Extras Collection!

Guests who want to get even closer to the magic of nature and Disney now can book a number of tours as we continue our phased approach to bring back these world-class offerings and experiences. Looking for the perfect holiday gift idea you won’t soon lose or forget? Putting together your bucket list for the new year and looking to add some excitement? Making a resolution to spend more time outdoors? Then try one of the following tours available for booking and returning beginning Feb. 6, 2022:

Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom

Unlock the fascinating history of Magic Kingdom Park, where fantasy reigns, and gain backstage access to legendary hidden areas on this five-hour walking tour! Access the underground “Utilidor” service tunnels, learn hidden secrets of classic attractions, enjoy a delicious lunch and so much more on this backstage tour of the most iconic theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.

Caring for Giants

Delve into the wondrous world of the largest inhabitants of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park during this 60-minute tour for an experience you’ll never forget. Meet with a knowledgeable guide who will provide insight into the inner workings of our African elephant herd and share a glimpse into the day-to-day care for these amazing animals. Learn how Disney’s conservation efforts are dedicated to the preservation of wild elephant populations around the world as you observe these gentle giants from a private, backstage viewing area!

Wild Africa Trek

Perhaps my personal favorite, Wild Africa Trek combines action, adventure and education into a three-hour exhilarating safari adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where nature is truly alive with magic. Cross a swinging rope bridge near crocodiles and view towering giraffes, powerful rhinos and hippos as you ride across the open savanna in a rugged safari vehicle. Along your journey, a knowledgeable guide will share insights about the majestic animals you’re viewing as well as details about the park’s dedication to animal conservation around the world.

Up Close with Rhinos

Want to get even closer to nature? This 60-minute tour takes you backstage to meet our planet’s second-largest land animal in ways few people can. As your guides introduce you to the white rhinos at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, they’ll offer fascinating insights into the species’ behavior and biology, and discuss the challenges that threaten populations in the wild.

Savor the Savanna

Is all of this excitement making you hungry? Then explore the sights, sounds – and TASTES – of Africa on Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Savor the Savanna tour available for booking later this month. Indulge in a sampling of African-inspired cuisine, paired with a selection of regional beer and wine offerings, as you gaze out across the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. And listen as a private guide shares tales of the unique residents who inhabit the reserve and the special animal care provided at the park.

Walt Disney World Resort is sure to be even more magical as we welcome back these fan favorites in 2022 and continue The World’s Most Magical Celebration in honor of the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary!

Advance bookings are highly recommended for all tours and can be made on DisneyWorld.com or the My Disney Experience app. Experiences located at Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom require valid theme park admission and reservations.

Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane Passes Sell Out in Just Hours

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Hollywood Studios

On December 8, Disney’s newest planning tool, Disney Genie, launched at Disneyland Resort, along with the new paid-for Lightning Lane service, Disney Genie+. Unfortunately, due to a massive cloud server outage, the launch was anything but smooth, and Guests who purchased Disney Genie+ found themselves unable to do things like book ride passes, access their already booked passes, and mobile order. The outage caused app issues for a couple of days, but now it looks like things have settled down and things are running relatively smoothly at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Disney Genie Plus

When Disney announced Disney Genie+, they also shared that some of the most popular rides at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World would not be a part of Genie+. These rides would be called individual attraction selections, and Guests would have to pay an additional fee to access the Lightning Lane.  At Disneyland Resort, those rides are Rise of the Resistance, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, and Radiator Springs Racers, and the fees that Guests would pay would depend on the time of year and even the day of the week.

Web Slingers

A lot of Guests voiced their discontent at having to pay not only for Disney Genie+ but then also having to pay even more if they wanted to get to the front of some of the most popular rides. Rise of the Resistance could cost upwards of $20 per Guest for front-of-the-line access on busy days, and some were shocked to see that high price tag. However, it seems that the shock wore off quickly and a lot of Guests decided that the price tag was worth skipping the line.

According to Instagrammer Gothic Rosie, individual attraction selection passes for Rise of the Resistance sold out in a matter of hours on Saturday, December 11.

STATUS UPDATE: INDIVIDUAL LIGHTNING LANE
RISE OF THE RESISTANCE HAS SOLD OUT TODAY

Standby is still available. Check the app for wait times, currently at 120 minutes at the time of this posting.

Web Slingers and Radiator Springs Racers still have times available through ILL.

Thanks to @mramtrak457 for the heads up🥰🙏🏼!

ROTR Disneyland Tickets Sell out

It is important for Disneyland Guests to remember that individual attraction selection prices will vary, so it is important to check the Disneyland app for the most up-to-date information on the rides, as well as Disney Genie and Genie+.

Disney is paying insane hiring bonuses, just to fill vital roles in the parks

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Via DisDining.com

While we’re all excited that the Walt Disney World Resort is getting back to “normal,” following its unprecedented closure in March 2020 for nearly four months in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic, we know that Disney, like other employers, is facing challenges with finding enough people to fill the open Cast Member roles they have available at the Central Florida parks.

Disney World recently announced that it will be hosting a job fair on December 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Convention Center.

Five Hidden Gems Attendees Can Discover at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort | Disney Meetings Blog

Cast Members are desperately needed in culinary roles, housekeeping roles, custodial roles, and bus transportation roles, as each of these types of roles remains difficult for Disney to fill lately. Mickey really needs help filling positions to offer the most magic and the best in customer service to Guests, so he’s paying as much as $1,500 in sign-on bonuses for chef assistant positions.

Chef of Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland Shares His Favorites from the Menu | Disney Parks Blog

Several other challenging-to-fill positions come with hiring bonuses of up to $1,000.

Cast Members currently onboard with The Walt Disney Company can earn some extra cash as well. Disney is currently offering referral bonuses to Cast Members who send in friends, family members, or strangers they meet at Starbucks (or anywhere else) who apply for positions at Disney and get hired and use the Cast Member’s name as the person who referred them. Those referral bonuses start at $500 and go as high as $1,000 after the person is hired and employed for a designated amount of time.

If you’re not able to visit Coronado Springs on December 13 for the job fair, you can still apply online for positions at Disney World (or at any Disney-owned park or subsidiary) via the Disney Careers website by clicking here. Currently, the website lists Park Operations jobs such as Chef Assistant, Program Experience Associate, Monorail Host/Hostess, and more.

Disney Is Giving Away a Free Stay on the Galactic Starcruiser BEFORE It Opens!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Hollywood Studios

If there is one thing Disney is always trying to do, it is creating new, one-of-a-kind experiences for its Guests at its theme parks around the world. Beginning in March 2022, Guests will be able to board the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser for a 2-day completely immersive experience. The Galactic Starcruiser — named Halcyon — will feature amazing things like Lightsaber Training, a planet excursion to Batuu — located in Hollywood Studios — and unique dining options.

While Guests will not be able to stay onboard the Galactic Starcruiser before March, Disney is hosting a sweepstakes where the winners will be able to stay on the Starcruiser before it opens! That’s right, the whole Starcruiser just for the winner and up to four Guests. Here are more details on the sweepstakes from Disney Parks Blog:

As part of the ongoing “Star Wars Bring Home The Bounty” campaign, Lucasfilm Consumer Products is partnering with Walt Disney World Resort and Lucasfilm Publishing to give one lucky winner the ultimate adventure: a chance to win a 2-night experience on the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser before it opens in March 2022, and an exclusive meet and greet with the authors of  “Star Wars: The High Republic.”

By entering the Star Wars Bring Home the Bounty: Galactic Starcruiser Sweepstakes, one lucky grand prize winner will receive round-trip airfare for up to four individuals to Orlando, Florida for a 4-day/3-night vacation to Walt Disney World Resort, including a 2-night experience on a test voyage of the Galactic Starcruiser in February 2022. The winner of the grand prize will also get to experience a separate meet-and-greet opportunity with all five authors of “The High Republic” books and comics.

Galactic Starcruiser

While the Galactic Starcruiser sweepstakes will only have one grand prize winner, there will also be two first prize winners who will win an ultimate Star Wars prize pack. Here’s what the two first prize winners will receive:

Two first prize winners will receive a LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series AT-AT construction set, a Star Wars Galactic Snackin’ GROGU animatronic toy from Hasbro, a Star Wars R2-D2 TAMAGOTCHI, a Star Wars | Corkcicle – Death Star Ice Bucket, Star Wars | DIFF Eyewear – Darth Vader 2.0 sunglasses, Star Wars Jedi Decorative Pillows from Sobel Westex Home, a Star WarsDroids Guide to a Galaxy Far, Far Away by USPS, a “Star Wars: The High Republic: The Rising Storm” bundle, a “Star Wars: The High Republic: The Republic Fair” T-shirt and the full collection of “Star Wars: The High Republic” books and comics.

Galactic Starcruiser

The Galactic Starcruiser sweepstakes is open now through December 14, so make sure to enter as soon as possible, as the entry window is not very big. The winners will be announced during a special Star Wars: The High Republic livestream that will take place on January 4, 2022.

The Galactic Starcruiser sweepstakes is open to all US residents from all 50 states who are 18 or older. Those entering the sweepstakes may enter the contest once per day. The grand prize winner must take their Galactic Starcruiser vacation between February 16 and February 23, 2022.

Merchandise Mobile Checkout Is Now Available at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Since last year, we’ve been testing a new mobile checkout option at select merchandise shops throughout Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, available through our mobile apps. And just in time for holiday shopping, Guests can enjoy this feature at even more locations!

Mobile checkout is currently available or coming soon to the following merchandise locations:

Walt Disney World Resort

  • World of Disney at Disney Springs
  • Creations Shop at EPCOT
  • Emporium at Magic Kingdom Park – New!
  • Mickey’s of Hollywood at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Coming soon!
  • Island Mercantile at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park – Coming soon! 

Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Park

  • Disney Clothiers, Ltd., China Closet and Plaza Point
  • Emporium
  • Pioneer Mercantile and Bonanza Outfitters – New!
  • The Star Trader – New!

Disney California Adventure Park

  • Elias & Co.
  • WEB Suppliers – New!
  • Knick’s Knacks – New!

Downtown Disney District

  • World of Disney 
NEW "Scan-and-Go" Merchandise Mobile Checkout Now Available at Walt Disney World - WDW News Today

Guests should check the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app* during your visit for the latest location availability.

If Guests haven’t tried it yet, merchandise mobile checkout is a convenient shopping option available at select shops – it helps Guests save time by scanning and paying for items right from their phone. When Guests are ready to shop, they can simply open the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app and scan the barcodes on their souvenirs as they add them to bag. Once their shopping experience is complete, Guests can show their purchase QR code and selected items to a Cast Member at the designated exit, and they’re all set! 

Shopping with an eligible Annual Passholder, Magic Key or Disney Vacation Club discount?** Guest should make sure their pass or membership is linked to their Disney account, and valid discounts will be applied when they use mobile checkout.

Mobile checkout is just one of the recent enhancements and planning features available in our mobile apps. Mobile order service continues to add new locations for both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort including candy kitchens, where Guests can save time and order holiday treats in advance.

For Guests shopping from home, be sure to check out shopDisney.com for a great assortment of holiday merchandise!

*Message, data and roaming rates may apply. Availability subject to handset limitations and features may vary by handset or service provider. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you’re under 18, get your parents’ permission first.  Some app features require valid theme park admission and park reservation.

**At this time, Disney Visa Cardmembers should check out at an in-store register to receive the Disney Visa Cardmember discount of 10% off select merchandise purchases of $50 or more.