Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up March 31, 2019

Here’s the Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up for March 31, 2019!

Latest Disney World Enthusiast Articles

Polynesian Village ResortTip Of The Week

When visiting Magic Kingdom and it’s time for a meal, hop on the resort monorail to the Contemporary, Polynesian Village, or Grand Floridian to enjoy a quiet leisurely lunch or dinner. Not only will this help recharge you for more touring, it also offers a nice break from the crowds and heat of the parks.

Looking for more tips like this? Click here!

Disney Did You Know

In Haunted Mansion, the hitch-hiking ghosts, Ezra, Gus and Phineas, were given their names by fans.

Walt’s Words

“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.”

Featured Advertiser

Create your own unique look with a personalized Disney MagicBand Skin. Magic YOUR Band has a range of designs to choose from that you can use as-is or customize with your own text. And if you want to take it to the next level, you can even upload your own photos or images to fully personalize, customize, and decorate your MagicBand. With great discounts for multi-buys, why not create one for the whole family? For more information or to start customizing your own Magic YOUR Band Skin now, please click here.

501 WaysFeatured Book

UPDATED! The difference between an average and an outstanding Walt Disney World trip is in the details. Kristi Fredericks helps make your dream vacation a reality with her numerous tips and tricks to save money, time, and sanity while at the happiest place on earth in her new book “501 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Walt Disney World Vacation”. For more information, to read an excerpt, or to purchase, please click here.

Considering A Disney World Vacation

Book Your Disney VacationJennifer Hardy, a Disney Vacation Planner with Destinations in Florida, is the official travel partner of Disney World Enthusiast. She can help you book your next Disney vacation whether it is to Disney World, Disneyland, or aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Currently Jennifer has some incredible deals for discounted travel to Walt Disney World. For more information about Jennifer’s amazing and absolutely free services or to get a free no-obligation quote, please click here!

You’re Invited

Next Disney VacationJennifer Hardy, from Destinations in Florida, and I have teamed up to create a brand new Facebook Group called Next Disney Vacation! It is the perfect place to talk about your next Disney vacation, voice your opinions, ask your questions, get them answered, and share the magic. Whether it’s Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, or the Disney Cruise Line, Jennifer and I are ready to help. 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 and conversation! Please click here to be a part of our group!

dwe logo small size white bkgdComing Up Next Week

Next week I’ll have some planning information plus all of the latest Disney World news!

Have a wonderful week!

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!

NBA Experience Opens August 12, 2019 In Disney Springs

If you are a basketball fan planning a visit to Walt Disney World in summer 2019 and beyond, Disney has something on its way just for you – The NBA Experience in Disney Springs. Here are the latest details courtesy of Disney:


NBA Experience, the brand-new destination coming to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort, officially opens August 12, 2019. This announcement was made at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., during tonight’s Orlando Magic – Philadelphia 76ers game, where Mickey Mouse made a surprise on-court appearance.

In collaboration with the NBA, Disney is developing NBA Experience as a one-of-a-kind environment packed with 13 interactive elements and hands-on activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors. NBA Experience will give guests the chance to feel like a basketball superstar.

“When we were young, we played basketball in our driveways or in the park, creating those imaginary moments of making the game-winning shot for a championship,” said Stan Dodd, executive producer, Walt Disney Imagineering. “We want to take that energy and help you feel what it’s like to be an actual NBA or WNBA player.”

Upon entry to NBA Experience, guests will feel as if they’re walking through the players’ tunnel at an NBA or WNBA arena. A ticket to NBA Experience grants access to every activity, in any order guests choose, with the ability to return to stations to improve performances or learn even more about the game, players and teams they love. In addition to the competitions and games, the experience will also include a retail store featuring NBA-themed merchandise.

Additional elements of the destination include:

  • A slam dunk challenge, where guests can change the height of a standard 10-foot hoop to as low as seven feet to perform their own superstar moves – captured by burst photography.
  • An activity that tests shooting skills with spots on a court that light up as guests move from one location to another attempting to sink as many shots as possible in 15 seconds.
  • A way for guests to see how they stack up to some of the world’s best basketball players by measuring their vertical leap, wingspan, shooting and dribbling.
  • Personalization for various activities with guests’ names and associating the activity with their favorite NBA or WNBA teams.
  • Real-time technology to aggregate statistics of NBA and WNBA games and players for continuous updates, while leaderboards will track top NBA Experience performers throughout each day.

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 visit The NBA Experience?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

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!

Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up March 24, 2019

Here’s the Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up for March 24, 2019!

Latest Disney World Enthusiast Articles

Tip Of The Week

While the Disney value resorts offer pools that are heavily themed, none of them have water slides. If a water slide is going to make or break your child’s vacation consider staying in a moderate or deluxe resort instead.

Looking for more tips like this? Click here!

Haunted MansionDisney Did You Know

There are 13 candles on the birthday cake in the Grand Ballroom Scene in Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom.

Walt DisneyWalt’s Words

“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.”

Featured Advertiser

Create your own unique look with a personalized Disney MagicBand Skin. Magic YOUR Band has a range of designs to choose from that you can use as-is or customize with your own text. And if you want to take it to the next level, you can even upload your own photos or images to fully personalize, customize, and decorate your MagicBand. With great discounts for multi-buys, why not create one for the whole family? For more information or to start customizing your own Magic YOUR Band Skin now, please click here.

501 WaysFeatured Book

UPDATED! The difference between an average and an outstanding Walt Disney World trip is in the details. Kristi Fredericks helps make your dream vacation a reality with her numerous tips and tricks to save money, time, and sanity while at the happiest place on earth in her new book “501 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Walt Disney World Vacation”. For more information, to read an excerpt, or to purchase, please click here.

Considering A Disney World Vacation

Book Your Disney VacationJennifer Hardy, a Disney Vacation Planner with Destinations in Florida, is the official travel partner of Disney World Enthusiast. She can help you book your next Disney vacation whether it is to Disney World, Disneyland, or aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Currently Jennifer has some incredible deals for discounted travel to Walt Disney World. For more information about Jennifer’s amazing and absolutely free services or to get a free no-obligation quote, please click here!

You’re Invited

Next Disney VacationJennifer Hardy, from Destinations in Florida, and I have teamed up to create a brand new Facebook Group called Next Disney Vacation! It is the perfect place to talk about your next Disney vacation, voice your opinions, ask your questions, get them answered, and share the magic. Whether it’s Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, or the Disney Cruise Line, Jennifer and I are ready to help. 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 and conversation! Please click here to be a part of our group!

dwe logo small size white bkgdComing Up Next Week

Next week I’ll have some planning information plus all of the latest Disney World news!

Have a wonderful week!