Tag Archives: Hollywood Studios

Mar 29 2019

More Disney After Hours Dates Added For Spring 2019

I could not be more excited about this announcement! Disney has just added more Disney After Hours dates for late spring 2019 at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Cinderella CastleIf you haven’t heard about Disney After Hours, it is a way to experience the parks with little to no wait time for your favorite attractions plus all of the popcorn, ice cream, and select bottled beverages you can possibly consume. I have done this event a couple of times at Magic Kingdom, and it is well worth the money. If you are planning just a single day visit to Walt Disney World, this is a fantastic option. For about the same cost of a regular one-day park admission ticket, you can enter the park at 7pm after the heat of the day, and enjoy the park three hours after regular closing time with almost no crowds or lines.

Here are the current dates for each park:

  • Magic Kingdom: April 4 and 11; and May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom: April 3; May 7, 14 and 21; and June 4, 11 and 18.
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios: April 6 and 13; May 1, 4, 10, 17, 24 and 31; and June 14, 21 and 28.

And at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there are two special celebration nights:

On Wednesday, May 1, guests can celebrate Disney’s Hollywood Studios 30th anniversary with special anniversary merchandise, additional character greetings, and more food & beverage offerings to purchase.

On Saturday, May 4, guests can celebrate May the Fourth dressed in their favorite Star Wars gear while enjoying fun galactic character greetings and specialty treats available for purchase.

At Magic Kingdom more than 25 attractions and character greetings are available during Disney After Hours including:

  • Astro Orbiter
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • Disney Princess Greetings at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Haunted Mansion
  • “it’s a small world”
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain

At Animal Kingdom, there are lots of attractions, characters, and experiences available including:

  • Avatar Flight of Passage
  • Na’vi River Journey
  • Pandora Drummers – Swotu Wayä
  • Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
  • DINOSAUR
  • Mickey & Minnie Greeting at Adventurers Outpost
  • Rivers of Light
  • Tree of Life Awakenings
  • It’s Tough to be a Bug!
  • TriceraTop Spin

And at Hollywood Studios all of the top attractions are available including:

  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • Toy Story Mania!
  • Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
  • Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
  • Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Character Greetings

Please remember all attractions and entertainment are subject to change without notice.

All Disney After Hours event tickets cost $125 plus tax for advance purchase and $129 plus tax for day-of purchases. Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders receive a discounted price of $95 plus tax. Please click here for more information or to purchase tickets.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Do you think Disney After Hours is worth the admission price?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Mar 25 2019

More Cars Fun Coming To Hollywood Studios In 2019

Great news for fans already looking forward to the March 31, 2019 opening of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Hollywood Studios, there is even more Cars fun coming our way. Here’s the scoop, courtesy of Disney:

When Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy speeds into Disney’s Hollywood Studios on March 31, the world of Disney•Pixar’s “Cars” will unfold all around you, and the fun and excitement extend beyond the show into the courtyard outside Sunset Showcase, with special entertainment, photo ops, and more.

Piston Cup Champion Cruz Ramirez is stopping by to meet and take photos with all her fans, and DJ, the ultimate party on wheels, has hit the open road and made his way east, bringing his own incredible music mix to liven things up.

Several times daily, things kick into gear for “DJ’s Ready! Set! Party Time!” as Lightning McQueen’s Pit Crew arrives on the scene, getting everyone around DJ engaged in entertaining “Cars”-inspired dances and games. It all makes for some high-octane fun, starting March 31 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Are you excited to check out the new Cars experiences?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Mar 15 2019

Fact vs. Fiction: Disney Skyliner At Walt Disney World

If you’ve been to Walt Disney World recently, you have probably noticed one of the massive construction projects throughout the property…the Disney Skyliner. In advance of its opening later this year, fact and fiction abound across the Disney fan sites about this newest addition to the World. Let’s take a look at the Disney Skyliner and see what’s true!

First the fiction…

“There is no air conditioning in the gondolas. I am going to die of heat stroke!”

Living in Colorado, gondolas are very commonplace out here. Let me assure you that while it is true that there is no air conditioning in the cabin itself, you will be just fine. There are vent windows at the top of both sides of the gondola that allow for air flow. If you have never ridden in one, you will be pleasantly surprised at the breeze that circulates in the cabin while in motion.

“I am going to have to run and jump on the moving gondola. That’s just an accident waiting to happen. I am going to sue Disney when I break my leg!!”

Don’t worry, there will be no running and jumping required. Gondolas are spaced far enough apart that when they come in to a station they slow down dramatically for guests to exit and board. The cabins typically move slower than the moving walkway attractions like Haunted Mansion and Spaceship Earth that Walt Disney World visitors are accustomed to navigating with ease. The ones we use at several of the ski resorts here in Colorado allow for plenty of time to load our equipment on the outside of the cabin and then board as it very slowly creeps through the station.

“The Disney Skyliner will never run in the summer, because of the rain, lightning, and winds.”

Believe it or not, gondolas can and do run in all types of weather all over the world on a daily basis. The type of cabins that Disney will be using from Doppelmayr, can operate in rain and wind speeds of over 50mph safely. While Disney may chose to shut down the Skyliner from time to time during electrical storms, that is not necessarily required. For fellow science geeks out there, think of each cabin as its own Faraday cage.

“There’s no way I’m riding that thing, if it gets stuck, I am going to have to repel down a hundred feet on my own!”

It is actually very rare that cabins get stuck, and often even if there is a malfunction, a line can still be brought back in and unloaded. But in a worst case scenario, you have to be evacuated, keep in mind the Disney Skyliner is approximately 50 feet high at its tallest point, not a hundred feet. Here in Colorado, our ski patrol routinely spends time practicing with volunteers evacuating them from the gondolas. With Disney’s stellar record, I am sure they will do the same. In the event an evacuation becomes necessary, safety personel board your cabin from the roof, harness each guest in, and slowly assist you being lowered to the ground. Not necessarily an ideal situation by any means, but it certainly would be an exciting memory from your vacation that you wouldn’t soon forget!

And now the facts…

The Disney Skyliner will transport guests by connecting Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to four resort hotels – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Not only will there be brightly colored gondolas, there will also be select gondolas adorned with graphics from favorite Disney attractions and movies. Some of the featured themes will include:

  • Mickey & Minnie
  • Frozen
  • Donald & Daisy
  • Coco
  • Lilo & Stitch
  • Moana
  • Finding Dory
  • Peter Pan
  • The Haunted Mansion
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Chip & Dale
  • The Princess and the Frog
  • Ralph Breaks the Internet,
  • Monsters, Inc.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Ratatouille
  • Toy Story
  • Beauty & the Beast
  • Zootopia
  • Star Wars

There will be five loading stations located at Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and the last one situated between Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation.

The initial testing of the Disney Skyliner has begun in recent weeks, and appears to be going well.

While no official opening date has been announced, Disney has said that it will be ready to go by fall 2019.

Let The Countdown To The Disney Skyliner Begin!

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Will chose the Disney Skyliner over other Disney transportation?
Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you!

Mar 1 2019

First Look At Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy Coming To Hollywood Studios In 2019

Hey fans of the Radiator Springs gang and Lightning McQueen in particular…KaChow! I have exciting news if you’re heading to Walt Disney World soon…Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy will be racing from the starting line at Hollywood Studios on March 31, 2019. Here’s a first look at what we can expect, courtesy of Disney:

Learn what it takes to be a champion racer from the legendary Lightning McQueen at Sunset Showcase.

To kick things off, Lightning demonstrates what he’s learned over the years by using his brand-new, state-of-the-art racing simulator and its wraparound screen. Of course, as this seasoned racer has discovered throughout his career, things don’t always go according to plan, and he has to think fast to get back on course.

With Tow Mater, Cruz Ramirez and the gang from Radiator Springs rooting him on, Lightning gears up for the challenge. Will he emerge victorious? Speed on over to find out.

Bonus: after the show, you’ll even have the chance to snap a photo with trainer-turned-racer Cruz Ramirez just outside the Academy.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Will you be checking out Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Feb 25 2019

Helpful Information For Your August 2019 Disney World Vacation

So you are planning a vacation to Disney World in August 2019?
August is a wonderful time to visit Walt Disney World!

Weather

The weather in Disney World during August is hot and rainy. The average high is about 92 degrees, the average low is about 73 degrees and the average rainfall is about 7.71 inches. You can expect some rain most afternoons or evenings, so be sure to bring your poncho!

Crowds

The crowds in August are moderate at the beginning of the month as families enjoy vacationing during the last few weeks of summer break. By the end of the month, the crowds drop off dramatically as kids head back to school.

Magic Kingdom Welcome ShowAugust 1 – August 3
Average Crowd Level 5.0 out of 10
August 4 – August 10
Average Crowd Level 5.7 out of 10
August 11 – August 17
Average Crowd Level 4.9 out of 10
August 18 – August 24
Average Crowd Level 3.7 out of 10
August 25 – August 31
Average Crowd Level 1.7 out of 10

Magic Kingdom ClockPark Hours

Magic Kingdom
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Epcot
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Hollywood Studios
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Animal Kingdom
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)

For specific hours on each day during August, please click this link. Remember that park hours are subject to change and are often adjusted two weeks prior.

Events

On Thursday and Saturday evenings during the summer, Disney will be throwing a glowing pool party at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.

On select nights beginning in August, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will be held at Magic Kingdom. This party is a lively, light-hearted, family friendly event. There are special parades, exciting dance parties, stunning fireworks and tons of trick-or-treating stations filled with candy for everyone! Adults and children alike really get into the spirit of the event by dressing in costume, trick-or-treating and dancing the night away with all of the characters.

Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival will begin late August. Last year’s festival featured 197 chefs and included more than 35 food and beverage marketplaces scattered around World Showcase, signature dining experiences, food and beverage demonstrations and music concerts.

Refurbishments

Periodically throughout the year, Disney closes attractions for refurbishments and enhancements. Here are the currently scheduled closures during August (subject to change without notice):

Epcot Mission SpaceMagic Kingdom
Tron Themed Attraction: Opening in 2021

Epcot
Guardians of the Galaxy Themed Attraction: Opening in 2021
Ratatouille Attraction: Opening in 2021
Space Themed Table Service Restaurant: TBD

Hollywood Studios
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: Opening in 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: Opening Late Fall 2019

Animal Kingdom
No Scheduled Refurbishments At This Time

Water Parks
No Scheduled Refurbishments At This Time

Disney Springs
No Scheduled Refurbishments At This Time

Planning Tips

If you are traveling to Disney World in August 2019, your planning is probably well under way at this point. Here’s a checklist to make sure you are on track:

  • Make sure you have created your My Disney Experience account. If you haven’t, click here to sign up now.
  • If you haven’t already made your dining reservations, be sure to make them now by clicking here.
  • If you are staying on site, be sure to customize your MagicBand on your My Disney Experience account by picking the color and adding your name. And if you really want to make your MagicBand special, personalize it with your own custom designed MagicBand Skin from Magic YOUR Band. Click here to get started!
  • Now is a great time to research what attractions you and your family would like to see at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Because Walt Disney World is so large, it is very difficult to see everything during one trip, so be sure to get everyone’s top priorities. This is also a great time to begin looking at menus for counter service restaurants so that you have an idea of which locations serve foods that your entire family will enjoy.
  • Whether you are staying on site or off-property, be sure to purchase your admission tickets and link them to your My Disney Experience account.
  • 501 WaysOnce your tickets are linked and at exactly 60 days in advance of your check in date (7am EST time) if you are staying on site or 30 days in advance for all other guests, login to your My Disney Experience account and book your Fastpass+ reservations.
  • If you are staying on site, be sure to check in online at 60 days out from your arrival date.
  • Double check your flight times and if you will be using Disney’s Magical Express for your airport transportation make your reservation at least 60 days in advance by clicking here.
  • It’s never too early to start creating a packing list so that you don’t forget anything.
  • Need more help planning? Please check out my UPDATED book 501 Ways to Make the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation, for hundreds of insider tips and secrets for having the most magical Disney World vacation possible!

Special Offers

If you haven’t already made your August 2019 reservations, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save money:

Join The Fun

Next Disney VacationDisney Vacation Planner Jennifer Hardy and I have teamed up to create a new Facebook Group called Next Disney Vacation! It is the perfect place to talk about your next Disney vacation, ask your questions, get them answered, and share the magic. Everyday you’ll find posts, photos, trivia, tips, and more that we find all throughout the Disney Universe. If you’re counting the days until your next Disney vacation or just dreaming of one, we would love to have you join in the fun! Please click here to be a part of our group!

Have a magical vacation!