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Exclusive Video from Day one! Limited Time Magic: Dapper Dans – the “Original Boy Band”

Published February 27, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Dapper Dans – The “Original Boy Band”

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February 25 to March 3, 2013

From Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando Florida:

“The Dapper Dans tip their hats to a new kind of music that they discovered while “strolling through the park one day.” Watch for this winsome quartet and their all-new medley that will have “Everybody” seeing “What Makes You Beautiful.” But they won’t be saying “Bye Bye Bye” to barbershop completely—after all, the Dapper Dans are the “Original Boy Band.” Part of Limited Time Magic, this musical time warp is a can’t-miss experience at Magic Kingdom park in Florida.” – source LimitedTimeMagic.com
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Click here to see video from Day One (February 25th!) of the Dapper Dans.
Video provided by Ramon Rodriguez, VIP Theme Park Concierge and our official Disneyways on-scene reporter!

“MagicBands” in colors and characters – an awesome photo tour

Published January 31, 2013 by Disneyways.com

First posted on January 31, 2013

It looks as though you will not only be able to choose an armband in your favorite color – but you will get to customize it even further with your favorite character or design.

I heard from a reliable source today that Star Wars characters will also be an option, but I couldn’t find any photos to show you as an example.

All photos below are from DizFanatic.com unless otherwise noted.

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UPDATE! 

For the first time, Disney released two limited edition, retail MagicBands with pre-printed images (edition size 2,500 each) during Star Wars weekends 2014. A green retail MagicBand with Yoda’s image and a red retail MagicBand with Darth Vader’s image (colors were selected to match their light saber colors). Each retail MagicBand was packaged in a decorative Star Wars Weekends box (you could even use the free Aurasma app on your mobile device to make the box image come to life).

Photo Credit Disney

Photo Credit Disney

To see our post on Modeling a MagicBand click here
To get all of you RFID questions answered check out this post

Newly Updated Pirate’s Adventure in Magic Kingdom

Published September 29, 2016 by ltdjosh

Three years ago, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom introduced an interactive quest for guests of all ages. The name of the quest was “A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasure Of The Seven Seas”. Over the years, thousands of wee pirate lads and lassies (as well as a few buccaneers) have enjoyed scavenging around Adventureland to find clues and solve the mystery of the adventure. A few months ago, Disney announced an addition to the adventure. Let’s take a look at one of the adventures, as well as the new surprise ending awaiting guests.

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The building where you sign up for the Pirate’s Adventure is next to Pirate’s Of The Caribbean, towards Splash Mountain. It’s an unassuming building that most people just quickly walk by, perhaps thinking it’s a food vendor or something of that nature. However, once you walk inside, your fate be forever changed. There are 5 different adventures you can choose. Once you’ve chosen your adventure, simply scan your magicband (or your park ticket) and the on screen guide will tell you what mark on your map to go to first. For this demonstration, I chose the Guardian’s Curse adventure. Once I scanned in, I was off on an adventure I won’t soon forget.

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For each adventure, you receive a treasure map telling you roughly were to go to find your clue. Once you reach the area, you have to find the symbol listed on your map. When you touch your magicband (or ticket) to the symbol, something magical will happen in the immediate area that will tell you where to go next. You never know what you’ll find. First up, the compass symbol.

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This symbol seemed easy enough to find. Look for a treasure chest, a lantern, and a map on top of an old crate. Then find the symbol. Well, there are a lot of crates around. Thankfully, I found my symbol.

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The next symbol that I was to find was the bulls eye symbol. This one proved even trickier to find, but I kept a sharp eye out and sure enough, found what I was looking for on top of a barrel (perhaps filled with rum for Captain Jack Sparrow?).

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Next up, I had to search for a parrot symbol. Since I knew there were parrots all over Adventureland, it took me a few minutes to find the right parrot (and the matching symbol).

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However, I found the tricky bird.

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And his symbol.

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I was getting excited. This was fun, and it didn’t take that long to do. Plus it was a great way to spend a very quiet morning in Adventureland. Off to the next symbol: A captain’s hat.

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A few moments later, I had found the blasted hat.

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I had won the adventure, but this odd pirate came up out of his watery grave to tell me that I should continue my quest for more treasures.

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Since it had taken me less than 10 minutes to complete the entire adventure, I decided that I would try, as my Pokemon Go friends would say, to “catch them all”. At the end of the 3rd adventure, I was dealt a pleasant surprise: a complimentary fastpass for Pirate’s Of The Caribbean.

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This wasn’t time stamped, but date stamped, good through the end of the month any time the ride was operating. I then went on my way continuing adventures, and received another at the end of my 4th adventure, and another at the end of my 5th adventure. An hours worth of work searching all over Adventureland (and seeing things that I had never noticed before) and I had 3 free legacy fastpasses to use anytime over the course of the next 2 weeks.

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If you’re in the area and have some free time, I definitely encourage you to take the challenge and enjoy the Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures Of The Seven Seas. You won’t be disappointed.

 

Joshua Snyder is a Disney fanatic and Travel Agent, working with My Mickey Vacation travel.. He is an annual passholder for Walt Disney World, and enjoys going the parks as often as he can. In his spare time, he enjoys reading everything he can about the parks and helping introduce new families to the Happiest Place On Earth. He currently resides in the Orlando, FL area. He can be reached at joshua.snyder@mymickeyvacation.com.

MAGIC IN THE DETAILS: JEDI OR NOT, HERE WE COME! Four Tantalizing Clues about Disney’s Coming Star Wars Attractions by Guest Author Adam M. Berger

Published March 18, 2015 by jpmdo

With Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios fast approaching and with Star Wars Episode VII slated to debut in theaters this December, it’s clearly a great time to be a Star Wars fan. And then there’s the expected arrival of an entire Star Wars-themed land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (and probably Disneyland Park) sometime in the not-too-distant future.

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Photo Copyright – Disney

Of course, with the powers-that-be at Disney remaining tightlipped, it’s still anyone’s guess as to what we can expect when that galaxy far, far away finally lands at Walt Disney World. And yet there are some very intriguing hints already to be found in and around Disney’s existing Star Wars attractions…if you only know what to look for. As usual, “the magic is in the details.” So here are four enticing clues about what to expect in the forthcoming Star Wars attractions.

  1. Expect both familiar and new characters, vehicles, settings, and scenarios. Many Disney attractions adhere closely to the movies upon which they are based, replicating the original screen versions as faithfully as possible. However, this has never been the case when it comes to the Star Wars attractions and experiences, which have introduced numerous new characters, vehicles, settings, and scenarios alongside the familiar ones. It’s a good bet that this “expanded universe” approach will continue…full Force.

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Photo by Adam Berger

  1. Expect big themes. While the forthcoming Star Wars shows, rides, and environments are likely to feature new characters and other unique elements, you’ll also see a continuation of the big themes established in the cinematic Star Wars universe. Some of these themes have already carried through into the existing Star Wars attractions, including “humanity versus soulless technology,” “the struggle between goodness and evil,” and “ordinary people fulfilling their heroic potential.” Expect more of the same in future attractions.

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Photo Copyright – Disney

  1. Expect sophisticated technology in the service of storytelling. Though the Disney parks have long been known for their sophisticated ride and show systems, those technologies have always been upstaged by the attraction storylines, creating immersive, fully realized, emotional experiences. This is certainly the case with attractions like Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. You can bet that the ride and show technologies behind the experiences being planned for the new Star Wars lands will be even more advanced…and just as invisible.

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Photo Copyright – Disney

  1. Expect more variability, more spontaneity, more guest interaction, and more personalized experiences. No matter how many times you queue-up for Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, you never know which one of 54 different combinations of scenes you are going to get, giving your experience a wonderful element of variability and spontaneity. You can be sure that this approach to keeping your experience fresh and surprising will go into hyperdrive in the new Star Wars attractions. At the same time, you’re certain to see more of the personalization and direct interaction that guest “younglings” are already encountering in the Jedi Training Academy show as they cross light sabers with Darth Vader—but on an even bigger and more impressive scale.

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Photo by Adam Berger

The technological key to all of this will doubtlessly be the same RFID platform that powers your MagicBand. But instead of merely admitting you to the Disney Parks, your Disney hotel room, and your pre-booked FastPass+ attractions, your MagicBand will eventually endow you with Jedi-like powers, immersing you in your own personalized, customized Star Wars universe.

What are your expectations for the new Star Wars-themed sections coming to the Disney parks? Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section, below. And May the Force be with you!

Every guest a hero

Adam M. Berger is a professional attraction show writer and design consultant, and the author of the book Every Guest is a Hero: Disney’s Theme Parks and the Magic of Mythic Storytelling—available in print and e-reader editions from Amazon.com and other fine online booksellers.

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Memento Mori- A Store Dedicated to All Things Haunted Mansion in Disney’s Magic Kingdom ~ By Guest Author Karyn Locke

Published November 13, 2014 by Karyn Locke

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Those of you that have read my blog posts in the past certainly know my affection for Disney’s Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom. I get asked what my favorite ride at Walt Disney World is all the time, and without hesitation, I happily answer, “Haunted Mansion”. My family and I have gotten to the point that we know which wall panel of the stretching room will slide open and head directly to it, and can talk right along with “Your Ghost Host” while he is reciting his monologue. Yeah, I’m that much in love with the ride. With each visit to Magic Kingdom, I would hunt out the latest Haunted Mansion items for sale in the shops and carts, hoping for something other than a HM key chain or t-shirt to purchase.

Fast forward to the opening of Memento Mori- Disney’s Haunted Mansion store in Liberty Square. From the Latin phrase Memento mori (remember death), the Magic Kingdom store was bound to not only have every item that I’ve dreamt of owning, but a sense of humor just like my beloved ride.

I, along with my family,  was one of those folks happy to queue up outside the storefront in Liberty Square waiting my turn to purchase goodies covered with spooky-eyed wallpaper and adorned with candlestick-holding gargoyles. Giddy with delight, my family and I headed into the shop, and just like a kid in a candy shop, could not decide what to purchase first.

What’s “In Store” for You?

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What’s in store for happy shoppers, you ask? So many spooky, kooky, creative, and downright awesome Haunted Mansion items that you’ll be hard-pressed to choose a favorite!

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When you walk through the store entrance, you’ll notice a cool photography room where you can get “ghostified”, as my daughter calls it. Just like the famous paintings in the ride, the photo will look normal from one angle and creepy from another. Well worth the $20 if you ask me.

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There’s tons of fun items to take home, like well-made pens, fedoras, and of course, t-shirts.

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Make sure to mosey around the store, as there’s some really cool details along the walls.

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Haunted Mansion phone cases, necklaces, and other themed jewelry as far as the eye can see!

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Want a Haunted Mansion hair accessory? Look no further. There’s really cute headbands with the bat stanchions from the ride queue available for your wearing pleasure.

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Here’s the part of the store that was the most fun for me- the kitchen/table ware area. There’s Master Gracy china, Madame Leota towels, HM aprons, cups, glasses, and candlesticks for your table.

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Looking for a way to spruce up your living room & bedroom? There’s throws and pillows that would make a fine addition to the room.

I did notice an absence of one important item: the doombuggy! I’ll put that on my list for Santa this year.

Karyn Locke, Marketing and Social Media Guroo and Mid-America Guroo for trekaroo is a travel writer from Ohio that has a passion for all things Disney and a hankering for Dole Whip Floats at least three times a week. Also creator and blogger for Sand and Snow…and everywhere in between!, she’s happy to give Disney tips to anyone that asks and is pleased as punch that her family shares her love of the most magical place on earth.

Tokyo Disneyland Exclusive: The Magical Dreamlight Wand

Published December 6, 2013 by Disneyways.com

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All of these photos came directly from Trish our Tokyo Disney correspondent! Here’s what she had to say:

“During Episode 80 of the podcast Tony wondered why Tokyo Disneyland uses the Magical Dreamlight Wand instead of the Glow with the Show Ears. There are two reasons that I can think of, with the first being that the person who purchased the wand can actually enjoy seeing the wand as it changes colors along with the show. The second reason has to do with the show viewing rules and courtesy to others. Before the show starts there is always an announcement asking guests to remove large hats and head bands so as not to block the view of others.”

In an effort to fulfill our mission of bringing you Disney news from around the globe – The Disney Parks Podcast is super excited to introduce a new segment to the news each week that will get you up to the minute on what’s new at Tokyo Disney Resort AND Tokyo Disney Sea! Because many of us may never get to visit the park in person, we are delighted to bring just a little bit of this amazing park to YOU!

Our wonderful Disney Parks Podcast Correspondent Trish – is an American girl living minutes away from Tokyo Disney Resort. She enjoys going by bicycle when the weather is nice! Having grown up in Florida and going to WDW each year of course she loves going to Disney Parks! Trish hopes everyone enjoys her updates from Tokyo Disney Resort and that they will inspire people to visit! For photo updates from the resort please check out Trish’s twitter account @DreamSweetsLove – and we will also be posting links to her periodically on all the Disney Parks Podcast media outlets! Thank you Trish for these amazing photos!

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Video: Your Questions Answered – The Reimagined Disney Magic Cruise Ship

Published October 29, 2013 by Disneyways.com

I asked some friends to send me their questions about anything they wanted to know about the newly reimagined Disney Magic, and these wonderful folks really delivered! Thank you all so much for these awesome and fun questions – I hope my answers are worthy!

My husband and I were very fortunate to spend 2 wonderful nights on the beautiful Disney Magic. It was our first ever Disney cruise – and cost us way too much money – but we really enjoyed it!

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This is my first time making a video like this. I am a total nerd – nervous – and the video itself is of pretty poor quality. I apologize for all of that, but I hope you find the information helpful. I found out the hard way that YouTube only gives you the ability to load 15 minutes of video – so I had to separate mine into one 7 minute segment and one 8 minute segment.

Thanks for tuning in and muddling through all of this with me as I embark on this new method of sharing the Disney magic with you! Please send me your thoughts and feedback. I would love to hear from you!

Have a magical day!

A Magical Monstrous Summer All-Nighter 2013

Published May 25, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Leap Day 2012 in WDW Magic Kingdom, a small handful of my family and of course my wonderful husband were able to celebrate with me. I was very grateful for the 5 hours or so I had with them, but the majority of the time I was alone. I remember being on the People Mover at 5am on March 1, 2012…looking down at an empty Tomorrowland and wondering if I was some sort of weirdo for loving Disney World so much. Nobody I knew felt strongly enough about it to be there with me at that time of the morning. Who could blame them though, really? Still, it was strange being in the happiest place on earth, not feeling sad really, but feeling very alone.

Fast forward to this week, and on our latest episode of the Disney Parks Podcast, Parkhopper John asked each of us what we were looking forward to the most about the all-nighter on May 24, 2013. The very first thing that popped into my head was spending time with friends. I wasn’t sure if my husband would make it over to party with us, but he did, and that made it even more wonderful to me.

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There were 2 or 3 times yesterday and last night that I looked around and couldn’t believe the wave of emotion that came over me. At times laughing until my face hurt, and at others feeling so amazingly thankful. What a difference a year makes. I have met some of the most wonderful new friends as a direct effect of Disneyways. Some near, some far, and some that I have never met in person (yet!) To say that I feel blessed is a terrible understatement. I am so undeserving of the life that I lead, and I never, ever want to take it for granted. I don’t normally talk about myself this much here on the blog, but I hope you will forgive me and understand that what I am trying to do – is encourage you today.

If you ever feel alone in your passion for Disney, if you ever feel far away from this magical place, I hope you will think of my story. If you are reading these words right now, YOU are one of the Disney friends that I carry in my heart every time I go through those magical archways on property, whether we have met in person or not. Disneyways, and none of the work that I do, means anything without you. Thank you for taking this journey with me. Thank you for being my Disney friend – one of the best kind of friends in the “World.”

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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?

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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.

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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!

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Real life Magic and Romance on the High Seas (with a Splash of Disney!)

Published March 24, 2013 by Disneyways.com

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Many people think Disney cruises are just for kids, but my new friend Shellie Wylie knows a secret. She and her husband of 17 years have found real life magic and romance on the Disney Cruise line, and it is their favorite way to travel WITHOUT the kids! Let’s cruise along with Shellie today, and see through her eyes, how and why one can find very grown- up treasure on the high seas with Disney.

Real Life Magic and Romance on the High Seas (with a Splash of Disney!) Written by Shellie Wylie

My husband and I have taken three Disney cruise vacations without children in tow. All three vacations were simply wonderful! Because I am the owner of a travel agency, we have traveled often sans children as well. Despite the perception that Disney cruises are just for kids –  our favorite…by far… adults only vacations have been on Disney ships.

The feeling of being valued and appreciated by all crew members begins the moment we arrive at the terminal. The efficient check-in process starts the trust in Disney’s ability to care for us in that special Disney way. I enjoy the experience with excitement as the daily stress carried around in my shoulder muscles begins to drop away.

By the time we reach the gang-way and the cast member calls out “Welcome to the Wylie family”, I am in tears. The impact of that entrance, the grandness, the beauty, the simple yet profound welcome sets the stage for what is to come.

How does this relate to romance?

Well, because of the superior service and beautiful surroundings, as a couple, we are freed enough from our real lives to see each other again as we did 17 years ago. Disney is a master at story telling. On the ship the story they are telling is your own. You write it. They’ve given you a beautiful sea-bound canvas. Classic, well designed stateroom, charming coffee bar, opulent and fun restaurants, room service, night club, piano bar, sports bar, adult exclusive pool, and so many options for activities if your story should include them.

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 In this environment I am so very important again to my husband, and he to me. I begin to remember why we fell in love so long ago. We focus on each other because we trust Disney to do everything else. And they do.

Our stateroom is always clean. Our food is always wonderful. If we choose to sit and read on deck, we can do that in peace together on wonderful round cushioned loungers. We can play 70’s Music Trivia, or disco dance. Romance can be found on a Disney cruise because these ships give us a chance to look into each other’s eyes and fall in love all over again. The details are all taken care of, so we are able to put our focus elsewhere.

We have our own real life magic – with just a subtle sprinkle of Disney magic thrown in. It feels good to be a part of the magic. It’s magic, not Mickey Mouse. It’s NOT in your face Mickey or Minnie. They are there for sure should you seek them out. These ships have a feeling, a personality that does not focus on the Disney characters. The focus is on the elegance and magic to set your mind at ease. You get to create your own story – and my husband and I choose to create a story of romance.

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But it’s not ALL about us. Another gift that is included with a Disney Cruise is meeting fellow passengers who also know how to appreciate the magic. They are people like you. They are people who enjoy family. They are people who are kind and thoughtful. They are people who enjoy excellent Broadway quality shows who probably do similar things at home. And in all my cruise vacations, I have never seen an adult embarrassingly inebriated on a Disney ship as on other ships.

It’s the magic that sets the Disney ships apart from other cruise lines. It’s Walt’s belief that we NEED some magic in our lives now and then. He was right. We do need it. I think we need it now more than ever before. Simple beauty. Simple service. Simple kindness. These go a long way to un-complicating my life for a little while, and helping my husband and I find romance and real life magic on the high seas.

When you board the Disney Magic, or Wonder, or Dream, or Fantasy, the magic of Disney is where you live 24 hours a day. Ironically it feels like a fantasy to be freed from the cares and worries of the “real” world. And that my friends…amounts to a hefty dose of romance.

Shellie

Shellie Wylie is the owner of Wishes Family Travel – your FREE, concierge level, personal service, luxury travel agency for families. 

Learn more about Wishes Family Travel – and how Shelly or her agents can help you book the vacation of your dreams – by clicking the logo below. 

 

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