Author: touringplans.com

For the first time that I can recall, Disney is allowing guests to wear costumes inside Magic Kingdom during the day. With the cancellation of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Disney has added lots of Halloween fun at Magic Kingdom this year. If you’re thinking of heading to Magic Kingdom to celebrate spooky season, it’s a good idea to review their costume guidelines. Costumes during the day are allowed at Magic Kingdom through October 31, 2020.

You can review Disney’s official guidelines on their website, but let’s break it down into a simple list. It is important to note, Disney reserves the right to refuse admission or ask that a guest change their attire if it is perceived to be inappropriate and / or unsafe.

• Costumes must be family-friendly.
• Costume should not impede a guest’s ability to move safely.
• No sharp objects or objects that could strike a Guest or Cast Member.
• Costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.
• Decorative masks (other than approved facial coverings) can only be worn by Guests 13 and under, but eyes must be able to be seen and provide unobstructed views.
• Masks (other than approved facial coverings for COVID-19 safety) cannot be worn by any Guest 14 years of age or older.

Don’t get spooked by crowds and long lines. Become a TouringPlans Subscriber and you’ll have access to all our treats, including all the features of our Lines app.

Are you planning on heading to Magic Kingdom in costume this year?

 

The post What Are Disney’s Costume Guidelines for Guests? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dos and Don’ts, Halloween, In the Parks, Magic Kingdom, Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), disney costume guidelines, disney costume policy, disney halloween, magic kingdom halloween

Scary new deals and a frightening coaster announced for Universal Orlando in this month’s Around the Universe. Let us dive in!

Jurassic World VelociCoaster

Opening summer 2021 in Islands of Adventure, Jurassic World VelociCoaster puts guests in the middle of a pack of Velociraptors. The new roller coaster will feature two launches, a max speed of 70 mph, four inversions, and 12 seconds of air time. Unlike Hulk or Rock’n’ Roller Coaster, which use over the shoulder restraints, VelociCoaster will use lapbars to creates a less restricted ride experience. We expect VelociCoaster will quickly become one of the most thrilling coasters in Orlando when it opens next year.

Daytime Halloween Event

Trick or Treat! Universal’s celebrating Halloween differently this year with a new daytime Halloween event. The new event takes place in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure parks. Families with young children will find the under-12 trick or treating in Islands of Adventure their speed. Adults and horror fans will scream with joy at experiencing Revenge of the Tooth Fairy and Universal Monsters Bride of Frankenstein Lives! haunted houses in Universal Studios Florida.

Find all our complete thoughts with tips and touring plans in our review!

Discounts and Deals

Starting this week Universal offers a new ticket deal for all guests and extended the popular Buy A Day, Go Every Day ticket for Florida residents.

• Buy 2-Day, 2-Park Ticket, Receive 3 Days Free – Starting at $243.99 plux tax for adults
• Save 30% on Universal Express Pass (Annual Passholders only)
• Annual Passholder Resort Discounts – Dates Now Through November 1
  • Endless Summer Surfside – Standard rooms starting $74 a night plus tax
  • Cabana Bay Beach Resort – Standard rooms starting $79 a night plus tax
  • Loews Royal Pacific Resort – Standard rooms starting at $169 a night plus tax
  • Hard Rock Hotel – Standard rooms starting at $189 a night plus tax
• Buy A Day, Go Every Day Through December 24 – $164.00 per guest plus tax (FL residents only)
• Save Up To $100 On Select Annual Passes (FL residents only)

Refurbishments and Closures

The following attractions are closed due to COVID-19. At this time there are no dates for reopening unless otherwise listed.

• Fievel’s Playground
• Curious George Goes to Town
• A Day in the Park with Barney
• Fear Factor Live
• Fast & Furious: Supercharged
• Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl – Closed weekdays
• Camp Jurassic
• If I Ran the Zoo
• Jurassic Discovery Center
• Me Ship, The Olive
• Poseidon’s Fury
• Storm Force Acceleration

Leave your thoughts in the comments below! 

The post Around the Universe – Discount and News for October 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: discounts, News, Universal Orlando Resort, VelociCoaster

Yesterday we rejoiced in the anniversaries of Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Understandably, there was not much fanfare given the state of things in the world. Still, our team enjoyed being in EPCOT, revisiting some of the few sites that still hold those original EPCOT vibes.

EPCOT has changed dramatically and sadly it is in a state of limbo. Construction for a massive revamp of the park is nearly halted thanks to COVID-19 and the massive financial impact it has caused.  Bluntly, it is not an easy park to be in, especially at Future World. But, there’s still lots of EPCOT magic to enjoy.

At Future World West you can experience three pavilions that still carry some retro EPCOT feelings. The Seas with Nemo and Friends has changed the look of what was The Living Seas. It was the first major attraction at Walt Disney World to receive a massive Intellectual Property overlay, adding in Disney characters to what was a scientific pavilion.  Still, once inside you can see remnants of Seabase Alpha, and you can still marvel at the second largest aquarium in the country.

Over at The Land Pavilion, the exterior is almost exactly that same as it’s been since it opened. Although the steep hill to enter is annoying, the mosaic tile wall along the entrance is beautiful, and it is a creative building layout. The interior carries a lot of the same feeling as it always has, but with modern touches.

Aboard Living With The Land, a cherished boat ride, you can spot a tribute to EPCOT’s opening year. That’s one of my favorite touches throughout Walt Disney World, displaying the opening year and other important dates throughout attractions.

The final pavilion in Future World West, The Imagination Pavilion, is home to one of the biggest controversies of the park. Many Disney fans lament the removal of the original Imagination attraction. Though Journey Into Imagination with Figment does have a few tributes to the original attraction, nothing will fill the hole in our hearts.

What was the World of Motion attraction is now Test Track. This attraction has a modern looking entrance, and has seen its share of revamps over the years.

It is good to note that weekdays continue to be a lot less busy than weekends at EPCOT. We’ve seen weekday attendance pick up at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, but at EPCOT we’ve not seen as much of an increase during the week.

Our Lines App uses real time data to show Expected Wait Times compared to Disney’s Posted Wait Times. At around 2:00 p.m. yesterday the average expected wait time was around 17 – 20 minutes.

Did you ever visit EPCOT Center in the early years? What is your favorite EPCOT attraction?

The post PHOTOS: Celebrating EPCOT’s Anniversary by Revisiting Memories of the Original Park appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Epcot, In the Parks, Observations, Photos and Video, disney reopening, epcot anniversary, Epcot Construction, epcot photos, epcot tips

We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute,” bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

What is an Attraction?

About two years ago, I saw a charming off-Broadway musical called The Other Josh Cohen. Toward the end of the show, a character mentions having been on Space Mountain, calling it a roller coaster. Another character immediately castigates him and says, “It’s not a ‘roller coaster,’ it’s an ‘attraction.’”

That pretty much sums up the situation.

Disney does not call the things you do and see in the parks by words like “ride,” “roller coaster,” “show,” “train,” or “movie.” All those things are, per Disney nomenclature, “attractions.” Attractions can be in motion like Space Mountain or Dumbo the Flying Elephant. They can be stationary like Country Bear Jamboree or It’s Tough to Be a Bug. They can be things you walk through or past like the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail or Maharajah Jungle Trek. Even Epcot’s Kidcot Fun Stops, where kids sit and color, are classified as attractions.

Some attractions are headliners or major attractions, Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios, for example. Others are minor attractions, like the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival at Epcot. There are even a few things like the Aerophile ballon and the Vintage Amphicars at Disney Springs that Disney calls attractions even though they’re not in a theme park.

So why do you care that Disney calls things attractions rather than some other word? Well, you don’t necessarily, but knowing this does sometimes help you understand what people are talking about.

For example, the Walt Disney World website currently lists 172 things under “Attractions” home page link. It can be helpful to know that not all 172 of those items move and they’re not all time consuming. You might also miss a lot of the things to do at Disney World if you asked someone about “rides.” They could tell you about only things with vehicles that move rather than things that provide entertainment like The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular at Hollywood Studios or the film in the Canada pavilion at EPCOT. “Attractions” covers everything.

Let us know what Disney topics you think need just a bit more explanation.

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From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), disney in a minute

This week, see what Dani has to say about the layoff of thousands of Cast Members, we find out why you need to see this new artwork that’s found in the Disneyland Resort, and what Joe thinks of how the VelociCoaster will change the Orlando area, plus more.

What We’re Talking About – Disney and Universal Orlando News and Rumors

Of course the biggest news of the week that you likely didn’t miss was the fact that 28,000 Cast Members across the company are being let go. Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, said the layoffs are happening as the virus has hurt business, and because California has not lifted restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen.

Dani shares her sentiments: For the layoffs, this has hit home. I worked for Disney for nine years, I spent the most time working for Disney Vacation Club. 279 people are said to be laid off from DVC – that’s a massive amount. Every day since the announcement I’ve seen numerous Facebook friends post that they got “the call” and were let go. I have been setting money aside each month to donate to local food banks and help local Cast Members that I know. I am grateful to be able to write about the parks and appreciate our readers. For those who would like to assist with donations or for those who need help, here is more information about Cast Member Pantry In addition, you can also donate to Second Harvest Food Bank, if you so choose. 

What a gorgeous piece of art. A beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman is now on display at the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort and was designed by former Disney Imagineer Nikkolas Smith. The mural is titled “King Chad,” and features Chadwick as T’Challa posing with a young boy, who is clearly a children’s hospital patient. It is a wonderful mural.

We all love hearing Joe Rhode stories and he recently talked with Collider about the new Disney+ series about Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as about the park as well. It’s so fascinating listening to this man share details about this park. You can so tell how much he loves it.

*Big gasp* Nick Fury is coming back! Samuel L. Jackson is slated to reprise the roll in an upcoming Disney+ project, according to Variety.

James let us know his take: It’s always great news to hear of any new, original content coming to Disney+, but having an actor the caliber of Samuel L. Jackson on board to reprise his role of Nick Fury for a Marvel series is just what I needed right now. While I do kinda wish that Disney would consider loosening its content restrictions to permit Jackson the flexibility to uncork some of his trademark profanity, I’m still really excited to hear this!

Helen Reddy, who was in Pete’s Dragon and sang the classic Disney song, “Candle on the Water,” passed away this week. Is the original version of Pete’s Dragon one of your favorites? Thoughts are with here family.

A Pixar film means a great new short and this year, before Soul, the short will be called Burrow and it features a scared looking rabbit. Will be curious to see where this story goes.

Dani said: I absolutely love when Pixar films and shorts go deep, dealing with emotions. I cannot wait for “Soul” about a very important topic. I’m sure I will cry, a lot.

Yara Shahidi, who plays Zoe in black-ish and grown-ish will play Tinkerbell in Disney’s upcoming live-action version of Peter Pan. She will join Jude Law who will play Captain Hook. (How did I miss that news?!)

Are you ready for one intense roller coaster ride? I think you’re going to get it with the recently announced Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando Resort. The coaster is slated to debut summer 2021 and is themed after the most recent films, including cameos of some of your favorite characters. It looks totally insane and I cannot wait to be able to ride this one!

Joe stated: Orlando tourists should prepare for a coaster unlike any in the area.

The post What We’re Talking About: Cast Member Layoffs, Universal’s VelociCoaster, and More appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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Filed Under: In Case You Missed It