Tag Archives: Walt Disney World

Mar 27 2019

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!

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 24 2019

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!

Mar 20 2019

First Look At The Completely Reimagined Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Opening In 2019

More changes are on the way to Walt Disney World, and this time they’re coming to one of the moderate resort hotels…Disney’s Coronado Springs. This hotel is a hidden gem, with rates that typically run a little lower in addition to offering a few more amenities than the other resorts in this category, and all of this before the unveiling of the updates. I already have reservations for a few nights in one of the tower rooms this fall, so I will be sure to share my adventures! In the meantime, here’s a first look at what we can expect, courtesy of Disney:

In summer 2019, Walt Disney World Resort will unveil a completely reimagined Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, featuring hundreds of new guestrooms and a plethora of new amenities. Walt Disney Imagineering is reinvigorating the resort with fresh storytelling and functional enhancements that will make a dramatic impact on the experience for guests.

The biggest addition to the property will be a 15-story tower offering a two-level entrance lobby, 545 guest rooms (including 50 suites), a themed and unique rooftop table-service restaurant, two presidential suites and more.

A second new restaurant will be located on an island in the middle of the resort’s 14-acre lake, Lago Dorado. New walkways will stretch across the lake, allowing quick and convenient passage to and from all areas of the resort.

All 1,800-plus existing rooms at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort feature updated fixtures, furnishings and lighting. A fresh, sophisticated color palette will tie the entire resort together when the tower opens, with a total room count of more than 2,400.

To learn more about Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort or to reserve a room, please click here.

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 the newly reimagined Disney’s Coronado Springs?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Mar 18 2019

Jaleo And Pepe Now Open In Disney Springs

The long wait is now over! As of yesterday, Jaleo and Pepe are both open in Disney Springs. Fans of tapas style dining and drinks looking for a table service meal, can give Jaleo a try. For sandwich lovers looking for a quick service option, check out Pepe. Here’s a quick look, courtesy of Disney:

José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup is proud to announce that its beloved Jaleo brand will open a new location at Disney Springs, bringing the spirit and flavors of Spain to the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and creating 280 new jobs. As the pioneering brand that popularized tapas dining in the U.S., Jaleo at Disney Springs — opening March 17— will be the fifth Jaleo location in the U.S., the first in Florida and the largest location to date.

First opened in Washington, D.C., in 1993, Jaleo represents the very best of Spanish cuisine and design, seen through the creative lens of Spanish Chef Andrés and his team. Jaleo offers an unparalleled tapas experience in a lively setting befitting its name, which means “revelry.”

Jaleo at Disney Springs will feature an extensive menu of tapas reflecting the rich regional diversity of traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine, as well as sangrias and a premier selection of Spanish wines. Highlights include a variety of authentic paellas cooked over a wood-fired paella pit, Spanish specialties like hand-carved Jamon Iberico de Bellota and wood-grilled Iberico pork, and signature dishes like Gambas al ajillo, shrimp sautéed with garlic and chili, and Pollo Croquetas, classic Spanish chicken fritters.

On the restaurant’s front corner adjacent to the Jaleo entrance will be Pepe by José Andrés, the first brick and mortar location of the chef’s wildly popular Spanish food truck, which has been a D.C. fixture for more than six years. Pepe by José Andrés will offer a diverse menu of Spanish sandwiches, or bocatas, both hot and cold, as well as gazpacho and salads to go. The quick-service location will also sell delicious Spanish sangria, complete with sangria ice cubes to prevent any dilution of the drink in the Florida climate.

Designed by renowned Spanish designer Juli Capella, the architectural form of the building housing both Jaleo and Pepe is inspired by the bold, playful nature of Spain featuring petals that organically open, inviting guests to enter and experience the very best of Spanish cuisine. The petals themselves form pergolas, which extend toward the outdoors, allowing light to flow in and out.

Jaleo at Disney Springs will be open for dinner starting March 17 with lunch service beginning later in the month. Pepe will be open for lunch and dinner beginning March 17, no reservations needed. To make a reservation at Jaleo, please call 321-348-3211.

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 trying Jaleo, Pepe or both?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!