News and Events

All posts in the News and Events category

How to Join in on the Fun From Home! NEW Pirate Adventure Game at Walt Disney World!

Published April 11, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Have you heard? A brand new interactive game is coming to Walt Disney World this summer – and Disneyways is throwing a sort of “virtual” party – in case you can’t be at WDW for the big day. We would love for you to join us at our new facebook group Disney Pirate Adventure and SOTMK Trailblazers!

The new game is called A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas. Guests will get to play the role of a pirate in an attempt to save the actual Adventureland area of Walt Disney World. We can look forward to five different pirate raids, each with a separate map, as well as a talisman, to guide us in our quest of collecting treasure.

pirate game

On the adventure, guests will interact with Captain Jack Sparrow’s famous compass and come in contact with things like a parrot, an oyster, a bobcat spirit, a cannon, and a treasure chest.

This one is completely separate from Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom – which is still alive and well – bigger and better than ever!

We are all brand new to the Pirate Adventure Game….and whether you are brand new or a seasoned SOTMK player – anyone can come join our virtual party as we talk about the games, share tips, and display photos! SOTMK card trading is welcomed!

Coming soon are contests, videos created just for the group, meetup events and more!

REQUEST TO JOIN BY CLICKING HERE!

This is the place to be for anyone who enjoys or wants to learn more about the Walt Disney World theme park interactive games – A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas AND/OR Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

Check out this cool video for more on the new Pirate Adventure Game!

Even more information on the Pirate Adventure Game can be found HERE.

A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasure of the Seven Seas – Secret Details Revealed!

Published April 10, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Ahoy mates! Coming this Summer, adventures await at Walt Disney World when Captain Jack Sparrow himself brings his swashbuckling antics to Magic Kingdom in a new interactive quest to the park this spring. It’s called “A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas” and an adventure it will be! Join our new facebook group here to join in the fun from home!

The experience will have guests playing the role of a pirate in an attempt to save Adventureland. There will be five different pirate raids, each with a separate map, as well as a talisman, to guide you in your quest of collecting treasure.

pirate game

On the adventure, guests will interact with Captain Jack Sparrow’s famous compass and come in contact with things like a parrot, an oyster, a bobcat spirit, a cannon, and a treasure chest. “A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas” will take us through five different “pirate raids” fighting off Captain Jack Sparrow’s many enemies including the Royal Navy and Captain Barbossa among others. We will of course – look for treasure along the way.

Guests will be equipped with a pirate map and a “magic” talisman looks to be placed inside a skull (photos to come!) where guests will begin the adventure. It looks as though the Royal Navy and captain Barbossa aren’t the only things we need to be on the look out for. Images of sharks circling in the water, cannons, talking shrunken heads, battles between ships in a bottle and other scoundrel activity will be just a few obstacles placed in your way to finding the treasure. Some of the “raids” might take place inside the shops near the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, maybe the Swiss Family Tree House, and near the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction entrance.

Guests who are successful in helping Captain Jack eliminate his foes and locate the Seven Seas treasures will be welcomed as part of his new crew. Those who do not are sentenced to “face the wrath of the cruel sea – alone.”

With the announcement of a 5th Pirates of the Caribbean movie set to hit theaters on July 10, 2015 we can’t help but wonder if “A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas” will give us some hints as to what’s coming next for the mischievous Jack Sparrow and his scallywag adventures.

Practically Perfect in Every Way…

Published April 10, 2013 by Disneyways.com

We had some work to do in Tampa this weekend. Epcot was on our way home, so we decided to stop in for dinner.

I feel so fortunate that my husband got this beautiful photo of Mary Poppins in front of the UK pavilion – so that I could share it with you today.

The weather was beautiful and I have a feeling she came in, umbrella open, on that gentle breeze.

Do you have any favorite Mary Poppins memories?

Mary Poppins

Related articles

Just in Time for the 15th Anniversary! Your GO-TO Source for Animal Kingdom Information!

Published April 9, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Have you heard? Monday, April 22nd is Animal Kingdom’s 15th anniversary! I wanted to quickly re-post for you what Disney has sent out so far about the occasion.

But first I need to let you in on a secret. If you are looking for more information on the entire Animal Kingdom Park in general – you really need to join Safari Mike at the MOST comprehensive site I have found so far on the web!

Read all the way to the bottom of this post to get the stuff from Disney and then head to:

JamboEveryone.com

DAK anniversary

The information from Disney about the anniversary begins below.

  • Special opening ceremony – Meet at the Tree of Life at 8:40 a.m., to hear from Josh D’Amaro, Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom; Dr. Jackie Ogden, Vice President of Animals, Science and Environment; and Joe Rohde, Senior Vice President of Walt Disney Imagineering Creative. Make sure you arrive early for this!

 

  • Earth Day “Party for the Planet” festivities – Special interactive activities that focus on animals and nature will take place throughout the park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Artists and other vendors will present their work on in Africa and on Discovery Island, with their work available for purchase.
  • Opportunity to purchase special 15th anniversary merchandise, available in limited quantities.
  • Special food & beverage.

 

We’ll have more details on Party for the Planet fun, food & beverage and merchandise closer to the event date – stay tuned!

To join the conversation about the park’s anniversary online, use the hash tag #DAK15 on Twitter.

Related articles from Disneyways:

Wild and Free nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge

2 AK Restaurants that Give You the Most Bang for your Buck

5 Things you May Not Know About DiVine

Awesome Animal Photos and More

World Secrets! Beyond the Birthday Basics: Grown-ups Like to Celebrate at Disney too!

Published April 5, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Alicia is a Disneyways subscriber and avid reader who has a WONDERFUL “predicament”. She is celebrating her 27th birthday in Walt Disney World this year. This is her first time ever to blow out her candles in the most magical place on earth. Alicia was so sweet and persistent in asking me for some tips that might help her to make the day extra wonderful.

So…Alicia…this one’s for you…and everyone else reading this post who has wondered the same thing!

Thanks for your great question!

Alicia

Can you tell Alicia is just a kid at heart?

This is definitely one of our longer posts, and I want to respect your time. If you are too busy to read all this – stop right here and call my friend Ramon from ThemeParkConcierges.com. (407-257-9973)

Ramon has been helping families and individuals create magical Disney birthday moments for years and he is VERY affordable for the amazing value he provides. Like some sort of Disney wish granter – Ramon has access to special meet and greet opportunities, VIP seating, holiday tours, and all sorts of things that he can customize just for you, and that are probably not even listed here. He can save you a ton of time and make your birthday celebrations a breeze!

Now let’s get the ball rolling and think out side the box for a little inspiration! We’ve got free, cheap and pricey ideas for grown-up birthdays!

Drinking or Snacking Around World Showcase

Planning is crucial here – so be sure to check out THIS LINK before you attempting this idea. Now take it a step further. Create something tangible before you leave for yourself or the person who is celebrating their birthday. Look up the drink and food menus at the World Showcase pavilions and think about the items you or they would most prefer. Print a map of Epcot and write your choices on each country to represent your plan of action. Create t-shirts with the countries and all the drinks or snacks listed. Bring a sharpie to mark each one off as you go! You can buy alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and food at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom if you like those parks better – or do a snack crawl around Magic Kingdom!

Wear a HAT!

Any silly or customized hat can also be a great way to celebrate your birthday trip around the world, or any occasion really. Check out this photo my hubby took of Mike from MikeandTheMouse.com (and me!) from our last Disneyways meetup. Nothing beats a fashionable set of Mickey ears.

By the way…if you weren’t at the meetup these are the sort of shenanigans you missed. You need to come to the next one. The details will be revealed soon! 🙂

mike

Watch the Fireworks during Dinner 

Again, some planning ahead is important here. You’re going to need a list of restaurants where this is possible. Stay tuned to Disneyways for those. Better yet subscribe to get updates by email so you’ll never miss a post! Advanced dining reservations are also crucial! The good news is – fireworks viewing won’t cost you any extra if you are lucky enough to be seated for dinner in a good spot.

Take a Specialty Cruise 

Check out the options for specialty cruises at Walt Disney World here. Check out this page for the phone numbers to call. Don’t want to sit on hold? Hire Ramon to do this for you.

Pick the Plan

Here’s one that won’t add any expense at all. You or  the person celebrating their birthday gets to pick the general schedule for the day and maybe even invite a surprise guest.  The attraction and show choices are endless, and giving or having this kind of power is fuel for some wonderful birthday memories.

Set up a Small Private Event

There are a couple of ways to set up a small private event at Walt Disney World.

One is to call Private Dining at the Grand Floridian (407-824-2474) and arrange to have dinner somewhere in the hotel or at the marina during the Wishes fireworks. If you are staying in some other Disney resort – then the way to do a small private event at Walt Disney World is to work with Disney Catered Events (321-939-7278). My recommendation? Use a travel agent or hire Ramon to do all of this for you.

Beyond Birthday Cake

Sure you can get cake at Disney, if you prefer. But I hope you will go to Norway for School Bread. Get Zebra Domes from Boma or Mara in Animal Kingdom Lodge. Order Crepes from Chefs de France, ‘Smores from the ’50s Prime Time Diner, or the Tonga Toast at Kona Cafe. Bring your own birthday candle and your server will bring it out singing. Try to conquer the Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream. Have Dole Whip or Mickey Bar at breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Sample every kind of fudge at the Main Street Confectionery. The more off-the-wall your sweet treat is, the more you or your special someone will remember the celebration.

Book some Extra Birthday Fun

Take the Characters in Flight balloon ride at Downtown Disney. Spend a day at the Saratoga Springs Resort spa or the new Senses Spa at the Grand Floridian. Take a backstage tour at the Magic Kingdom. Book a suite or stay in a different or nicer resort than usual. Plan a shopping spree. Stay at the park until it closes. Go parasailing or waterskiing at the Contemporary. Get tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba at Downtown Disney.

Decorate Your Room

A great way to add oomph to your celebration is to decorate your hotel room. You can do this with streamers and balloons brought from home. Don’t want to do it yourself? Enlist the help of the Disney Floral and Gift Basket team. Find them online or give them a call at 407-WDW-GIFT. They have a bunch of room decorating packages available. They can also customize a basket for you. If you have something very specific in mind, get on the phone and speak to someone directly. OR save time and money by…you guessed it…hiring Ramon to do it all for you. Do I sound like a broken record yet?

Another Freebie

Grab a blanket or extra towels and watch the Wishes fireworks presentation from the beach at the Polynesian.

Do the “Usual” but still Pretty Fantastic Disney Celebration Stuff

Of course Disney has their own official ways to make birthdays a little more magical in the World. Click here for more on that. Just don’t forget to come back to this page to reference all the cool extra stuff we’ve mentioned already.

I hope one or more of these ideas will help you get started. Let’s face it, you actually may not need to jump through any magical hoops to make a Disney celebration special. A trip to Walt Disney World is pretty special all by itself. Life really can’t get much better than feeling the wind in your hair on Test Track –  or getting a hug from Mickey Mouse. I promise, you aren’t the only one who gets sentimental at Disney.

Please send me your ideas, dreams and memories of your favorite Disney birthdays! We would LOVE to hear from you!

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend Disney Villains Hollywood Bash 2013

Published April 4, 2013 by Disneyways.com

She’s breaking hearts all over the kingdom!

How does Maleficent stay in such great shape at her age? She will never tell…but  it’s probably got something to do with a little Disney magic – and possibly

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler!

As of April 4th 2013 registration is 67% Full.  Click here for details and here to see if tickets are still available. If you’re more of a spectator then a runner….(like me!)… and you have a friend or family member in the race you also have a chance to be in on something really special.

Runners and their guests are invited to party all night long with the Disney Villains at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! You’ll enjoy exclusive access to some of your favorite Disney attractions including Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ and Toy Story Mania! Plus there will be live DJs and you’ll get to meet your favorite Disney Villains.

Admission to the Disney Villains Hollywood Bash is included in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 10-Miler race registration for all participants. It is not included in the Disney Happy Haunted 5K or runDisney Kids Races registration.  Disney Villains Hollywood Bash Tickets for spectators, friends and family must be purchased separately.  Space is limited and tickets are non-refundable.

Disney Villains Hollywood Bash Tickets:

· $54 (2/12 – 5/21)
· $64 (5/22 – 9/4)
· $74 (9/5 – sell out)

Here’s what’s included:

Disney Villains Hollywood Bash
Saturday, October 5 – Sunday October 6, 2013
10:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m.
Location: Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Purchase your Disney Villains Hollywood Bash tickets here while they last.

Where else can you enjoy at 10 mile race – AND meet some dastardly Disney villains – all on the same night?

 

 

Disney Dance Party at HS until April 6th!

Published April 2, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be holding the “Spring Break in the City Dance Party” for the remainder of the week. Positioned at Streets of America and 8th Avenue (where the Spectacle of Dancing Lights stage is typically positioned), a DJ will be performing starting at 12:30 p.m. and continuing into the evening hours, daily through Saturday, April 6. There will be music and activities for the whole family!

dhs

In other news,  the last performance of the Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade and Disney Channel Rocks! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be Saturday, April 6.

LIMITED TIME MAGIC VINYLMATION “EASTER EGG” HUNT IN EPCOT – PART 2 OF 2

Published March 31, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Disney announced 2013 would bring us Limited Time Magic  and March 18th – 23rd we had a fun week full of Easter egg hunts, especially in Epcot’s World Showcase.+

To read part one of this post and get more information on the event, please click here.

I thought today, Easter Sunday, would be a good day to show you more pictures from this event. I was holding out so as not to give too much away! I hope you enjoy the photos, and I want to thank Josh of Josh Weatherly Photography for his wonderful contribution! His professional photos have his watermark on them.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related Link: How to Make an Easter Basket Cocktail

Limited Time Magic Rumors!! Another All Night Party?!

Published March 29, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Just a rumor for now – but I heard Friday May 24th there will be an all night party into Saturday morning in WDW’s Magic Kingdom Park.

Visions of Leap Day are dancing in my head!

How about you?

lTM

Another rumor – Magic Kingdom is considering a Limited Time Magic event that will involve Tinker Bell and her friends for a week. Word is that we will get to meet them all together and they will give out autograph cards similar to the ones we saw earlier this year from the characters during Limited Time Magic.

If the rumor is true – this event would take place in April or early May.

tink

 

Later today there will be an announcement from Disney about the ACTUAL Limited Time Magic coming for this week. Follow me on facebook and twitter for the latest on that! Have a magical day!

Related articles

Happy Anniversary!!

Published March 28, 2013 by Disneyways.com

One year ago I sat down and decided to learn how to build a site in WordPress. I had never even READ a blog in my life. I knew nothing about Twitter, Pinterest, SEO, – let alone web design! I never thought of myself as a writer, although that hasn’t really changed.

Being born and raised in Orlando, I felt a little alone in my passion for Disney. I know it’s hard to believe, but some of us who live here take Disney World for granted.

My friends and family encouraged me to start this blog – perhaps because they were ready for me to share this enthusiasm with someone ELSE for a change! Now many of them subscribe to the blog and are constantly cheering me on. They are awesome!

One year ago with their support and encouragement, I embarked on an almost entirely self-taught crash course in web design.

Despite my fears and insecurities – you all are here.

Reading my stuff, interacting with me on social media, sharing a lot of laughs – and being more of an encouragement to me than you will ever know.

I have made precious and wonderful friends and I’ve joyfully reconnected with some from my past.

I’ve made hundreds, maybe thousands of connections to others on-line, some of whom I have never met in person (yet!)- but you certainly hold a place in my heart.

I wake up each day feeling like it’s Christmas morning. I had no idea what a wonderful thing this little Disneyways blog would become in my life.

Med180px (1)

I am so excited about what the future is bringing our way! I think I’m getting better at giving you the information you are looking for through the blog…and now…I’m learning a ton about podcasting, video production, e-book publishing and so much more! Year two is going to ROCK.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing this journey with me. I look forward to many, many more anniversaries of sharing the Disney love with you.

In looking back…I wanted to share one of my posts from that first week. It still makes me laugh. I hope it does the same for you. Have a magical day!!

Click here to read about My Love for a 5 Legged Goat…