A Blog About Disney Stuff

Today, Hong Kong Disneyland has reopened to guests, following the reopening of Shanghai Disneyland in May. And Disney is currently preparing for the upcoming reopening of Walt Disney World and the proposed reopening of Disneyland Resort.

While Disney shares how they have reimagined the Disney parks experience “with the well-being of our guests and cast members in mind,” they’ve enlisted the help of a few INCREDIBLE friends to spread the word to guests about new safety measures that will be implemented in the parks.

Guests in the process of planning a Disney vacation will be receiving some safety advice from the Incredibles and their friends, including Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, their kids, and more! These characters will “show us how to use our powers to help everyone be well,” and Disney has provided some examples of how they’ll do exactly that!

Frozone will remind everyone to “Be Cool” (with required temperature checks).

Mrs. Incredible will show you how to practice physical distancing.

Dash himself will remind you to DASH off to wash your hands often!

And fashionista Edna Mode will encourage you to “Cover Up Dahling,” by wearing a face mask.

This isn’t the last we’ll see of our Incredible pals… Disney will be sharing more Super tips over the next several weeks, with the reminder that “Together We Can Make Today Incredible.”

Lastly, Disney shares: “Just like the Incredibles, we each have a role to play as we watch out for one another and do our part. Because together we are magic … and we all need a little more magic in our lives, don’t you think?”

Click here to learn more about the safety measures being implemented in Disney Parks around the world.

To catch up on all the latest news about the reopening of Walt Disney World theme parks starting on July 11th and Disneyland Resort (which currently has a proposed reopening of the parks for July 17th), you can also visit any of the links below.

Are you a fan of the Incredibles and their new Super safety tips? Please let us know with a comment!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, disney california adventure, disney parks, disney’s hollywood studios, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Paris — Disney Studios, Epcot, Featured, Hong Kong Disneyland, magic kingdom, News, Disneyland reopening, health and safety measures, hong kong disneyland reopening, Reopening of Disney parks, shanghai disneyland reopening, Super Safety Tips, The Incredibles, walt disney world reopening

Disney suspends Disney Parks Moms Panel Search for 2020…

In an announcement on the Disney Parks Mom Panel website Disney shares details of the change for 2020.

Our Disney Parks Moms Panelists are passionate about helping Guests make the most of their Disney vacation. Sharing their real experience and heartfelt advice, they help families create memories that will last a lifetime.

Each year, we search for new, enthusiastic and knowledgeable Guests to join this group of vacation planning pros. Since 2020 is unlike any year we’ve ever experienced, we are extending some of our current panelists for another year to provide stability to the program in an unstable time. As a result, we will not be seeking new panelists this fall.

We know this will be disappointing if you were planning to submit an application this year, but we are looking forward to receiving your application in the future. Until then, our current Disney Parks Moms Panelists are here and are as eager to answer your questions about your next Disney vacation as we know many of you are about returning to the magic with your family, friends and loved ones.

Disclosure: Search dates and eligibility requirements are subject to change without notice.

 

From our friends at chipandco.com
Filed Under: News, Disney Parks, Disney Parks Moms Panel, Disney World, Disneyland

Disney World dining reservations opened up today for guests who have hotel reservations between June 22 and July 10, 2020. Only a few restaurants will be open — all located at the Disney Vacation Club resorts that are opening on June 22nd — but that hasn’t stopped the classic booking day Disney phone line jam!

We’ve gotten through on the phone lines, though, and we’ve got details! Let’s dive in and see how many of your questions we can answer!

You May Be On Hold For a While

Currently, guests are only able to book by phone, so technologically we’re returning to the days of yore…before anyone could book their dining reservations online via My Disney Experience. Which means we’re in for hours on hold.

You’d think that with such a relatively small sample space — ONLY guests who have hotel reservations between June 22 and July 10th are allowed to book right now, and they can’t book anything past July 10th — that the phone lines wouldn’t be as overwhelmed as they are with a big new restaurant opening. But that doesn’t seem to be the case this morning. Our four team members here at DFB were on hold for 45 minutes to an hour — one of us was given a more than 2-hour estimated wait time. And we called at 7AM on the dot!

So here are a few tips for you if you’re still on hold:

• An hours-long wait time is not uncommon: It’s true. We’ve been through this over and over again. So take the dog for a walk, jump on your exercise bike, feed the baby, write that blog post ;-). Believe me, you have time. Just keep your phone with you and try not to hang up while you’re getting other things done.
• Cast Members might not have all the information they need: Again, all too often this is the truth. And right now it might be even more the case. Things are changing SO quickly at Disney World right now that it’s hard for anyone to have all the details and updates in line. So go easy on your Cast Member if they don’t have all of the details and information they need to make your booking. You’ll get through it together.
• When you do get through, get confirmation numbers for ALL dining reservations. Your My Disney Experience account might not update immediately, so make sure you have confirmation numbers so nothing goes awry.

Other Dining Reservation Details You Should Know

Eventually, after almost an hour of waiting, one member of our team did get through to talk to a Cast Member, and that means we got some questions answered and some reservations MADE.

According to the cast members we spoke to, guests can ONLY book reservations during the length of their stay — so you can’t book ANY dining beyond your hotel reservation. But you CAN book at other hotels besides your own.

Disney is not booking any dining past July 10th at this time (yes, we tried to get some theme park dining reservations for July 11th — no dice). Those later reservation dates — and theme park restaurant booking — will likely come with the updated online booking process for dining reservations.

The cancellation policy is the same as it’s always been! You gotta cancel within 24 hours before your reservation time — if you don’t, you’ll be charged the standard fee of $10 per person. As a reminder, character meals are currently not available (except for a modified experience for breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace) and hours are subject to change.

In the end, we were able to book all of the reservations we were hoping for, so from what we could tell, they weren’t “selling out” of any dining options this morning.

From our experience (personally, and based on cast member information), you will be able to cancel your dining reservations via the My Disney Experience app and website, but you will have to call to modify any dining reservations.

We’ll be updating you with more information on the new resort guest-only booking process so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest updates.

Click here for the FULL LIST of restaurants set to open on June 22nd!

Are you in the same LOOOOOONG hold as us today? Tell us in the comments! 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney resorts, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservations, Disney Vacation Club, Disney Vacation Club Resorts, Disney World Advance Dining REservations, disney world dining, Disney World dining reopening, Disney World reopening, Disney World resort hotel reopening, DVC resort hotel reopening

Disney World can get BUSY, you guys (two hours for Peter Pan’s Flight is sometimes a norm in the summer). And while each family has a method to the madness on what they’d like to do their vacation, a lot of people don’t realize exactly how important it is to visit the parks in the morning.

Even though being an early riser many not be your forté, we’re telling you that these things in Disney World are worth waking up for!

Rope Drop

When you’re feeling adventurous (like the kind of bravery where you’re SET on conquering all of the rides in a park), you’re going to want to make sure you’re up and at ’em early! Since many of the crowds will start to pick up as the day goes on in Disney World, rope dropping a park is a helpful way to take advantage of fewer wait times in the morning.

Rope dropping means that you arrive ready to go right when the park opens, and it’s literally named after the practice of cast members dropping a rope that has been held up to keep guests from entering the land before it opens.

If you’re looking to get a lot done in one day, those first few hours in the morning are practically essential to get on multiple rides before people start flocking to them from mid-morning through the afternoon.

When you make sure you’re at the parks early for rope drop, it gives you the chance to be one of the first few people on attractions (Flight of Passage will have a shorter wait time first thing in the morning opposed to 2 PM).

Rope dropping also gives guests have the opportunity to tackle significantly more rides than they would be able to after the parks have been open for a few hours.

You could even knock out all of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland by noon if you get through the rides you want to do quickly. Just make sure to grab some coffee before you head to the parks because that extra caffeine is pretty necessary to start your day off ride-hopping! ;D

Don’t know how to Rope Drop? Check out our full guide on how you can do it like a pro!

Trolley Show

If you’re not going to Magic Kingdom first thing in the morning, you’re SLEEPING on the Main Street Trolley Show! Each morning at 8:20AM, 9:15AM, 10:10AM, and noon daily, the Citizens of Main Street band together to welcome guests into the parks. So, if you’re not in the parks before the afternoon, you’re definitely not going to catch the show.

The performance is populated with colorful outfits and some of that ragtime pizazz that Walt’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri, so lovingly inspired! The Citizens of Main Street dance to a song about all of Magic Kingdom and how wonderful Main Street, U.S.A. is. Plus, you might recognize the mix of the classic Hello, Dolly! music that Disney uses throughout its parks and in WALL-E.

Since the Festival of Fantasy parade doesn’t start until the afternoon, the Trolley Show is a great way to kick off your morning.

While you might need a break from riding all the attractions or your kiddos want to sit down to have some ice cream for a moment, the Citizens of Main Street can entertain guests of all ages with their high energy and cheer!

You’ve never done these four things in Disney World, but you need to!

Main Street Vehicles

We are sure that everyone has at least once been VERY excited to see the horses out in Magic Kingdom (they’re just so sweet). But, did you know that you can actually ride ALL the Main Street vehicles when you’re visiting?

Magic Kingdom is home to a horse-drawn carriage, trolley, jitney, omnibus, and a fire engine that will take guests on a one-way ride down Main Street. While you’re riding, it kind of feels like you’re part of a Disney parade since you can wave at all the guests passing by (is this what being famous is like??).

The Main Street vehicles stop during the Trolley Show and other entertainment throughout the day, and they usually end their runs sometime in the early afternoon. So, if you really want to say you had the magical experience of riding a horse-drawn carriage in Disney World, you’ll want to visit in the morning!

On top of the awesome photo-op you can take of your family and friends, you can also stop by to listen to the Dapper Dans who perform close to the trolley station.

And, if those harmonies don’t make you feel like you’re in the Most Magical Place on Earth, we don’t know what else will!

Watch the Dapper Dans perform for you at home while you’re away from the Disney Parks!

First Pitch at Casey’s Corner

Oh, Casey’s — how we miss your wonderful corn dog nuggets and plastic cheese. While Casey’s Corner is a Disney World staple already, the quick-service location also hosts a “First Pitch” many mornings to open up the restaurant.

Casey’s will let the first two children in line throw a first pitch to a Cast Member to ring in the day!

After they throw the baseballs, the kids will receive a free brownie (the equivalent of a Home Run, honestly) as Cast Members sing a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Although Disney is full of surprises for your family to enjoy, the First Pitch is a unique experience for your little one to have when they’re visiting.

Besides, they’ll be super excited that they got a free brownie out of it (and that means you can have a little bit of it too ;D)!

We bet you didn’t know you could do these cool things in Disney World!

Welcome Show

As Magic Kingdom welcomes guests to the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy, you can start your morning off in the most Disney way possible with the “Let the Magic Begin” show! Many of your favorite characters like Mickey, the Disney Princesses, and more will gather on stage to officially open all the lands for the guests to visit.

The Fairy Godmother even helps to bring some morning magic to the Kingdom by creating a small number of fireworks at the end of the show. Since fireworks are usually shown in the evening during Happily Ever After, it’s a special occasion to be able to see them during the daytime!

Although your kids will love being able to wave to all their favorite characters, it’s also a reminder to everyone of what Disney does best — entertainment.

Should you reschedule your Disney trip for 2021? Here’s what we think!

Boarding Passes!!!

Do we really even need to go into this one anymore at this point?? Hollywood Studios Rope Drop is essential if you’re going to be one of the guests scrambling to get a Boarding Pass for the newest Disney blockbuster ride, Rise of the Resistance, in the morning.

Since the attraction assigns boarding groups on a first-come/ first-serve basis, being there early is the key to making sure you ride the gem of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

There are only a certain amount of boarding groups per day, so you may not receive a pass if you wait until later in the day to go. Instead of sleeping in (even though it sounds GREAT), you don’t want to miss the opportunity of getting a Boarding Pass for earlier in the day to get on the ride more quickly.

And, since the early bird gets the (space alien) worm, you can also ride other rides around the park and come back when your boarding group is called. If you play your cards right, you might even be able to ride Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash back-to-back!

This is EVERYTHING you need to know about getting a Boarding Pass for Rise of the Resistance!

We get that feeling of wanting to chill out in bed after spending some seriously long days in the parks. But, make sure to plan accordingly if you want to do some of these activities in the parks (go back to your hotel early the day before, make sure you’re well-rested, etc.). You’ll thank us later after you’ve gotten up early to explore Disney World!

Take a look at the 6 good things that might come out of the Disney World closures!

What are some of your favorite things to do in the mornings in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney Entertainment, Disney News, disney parks, Featured, Special Stuff, Walt Disney World, Boarding Passes, casey’s corner, Disney, disney news, Disney World, Disney World reopening, first pitch, let the magic begin, main street trolley show, main street vehicles, morning, rope drop, Star Wars Land, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, trolley show, welcome show

It is now more important than ever for theme park guests to utilize their cell phones while visiting the parks. With theme parks around the word adjusting their operations due to COVID-19, guests are having to adapt how they visit the parks as well. Shanghai Disneyland has launched a new virtual queue system called Standby Pass. This new system may give us some ideas of how visiting the domestic Disney parks may change in reflection of COVID-19 precautions. Let’s dive in to how the Shanghai Disneyland virtual queue system works.

Theme park admission required

Much like Walt Disney World’s FastPass+ system, visitors must have admission to the parks before being able to using the Disney Standby Pass system.

Virtual Queue is not the same as a FastPass

A Disney Standby Pass, which is a virtual queue, is not the same as having a FastPass. The purpose of the virtual queue is to reduce the amount of physical queue space being occupied by guests, which would make it difficult for social distancing. Disney Standby Passes will be released daily through the Shanghai Disneyland app on an hourly basis.

There are limitations on the amount of Standby Passes released, and they are on a first-come, first-served basis. The last Standby Passes will be distributed approximately two hours before the park closes each day.

Once the Standby Pass window that you’ve selected becomes valid, you must wait the posted wait time in the Standby line. In the first image below, only people with a valid Standby Pass for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train would be allowed into the queue, at which time they would expect to have a 5-minute wait with appropriate social distancing in the queue area. Without a Standby Pass, you would not be permitted to enter the queue.

Must be physically present in the park

Only guests inside the park can open the Shanghai Disneyland app to secure Disney Standby Passes. You must physically in the park, with each member of your party being in the park too. The Standby Passes are available for free with paid admission, unlike the Disney Premier Access (similar to Disneyland’s MaxPass–a paid FastPass system).

Using the Shanghai Disneyland app to acquire a Disney Standby Pass requires you to scan your park ticket’s QR code. You will also need to make sure your party is linked together in the app. The Standby Pass will be issued as an one-hour window. Once you confirm the selection you can go about your day in the park as you await your one-hour window to arrive.

Entering the attraction with a Standby Pass

Once the one-hour window has arrived for the Standby Pass, head to the attraction’s Disney Standby Pass return entrance. Disney Cast Members will scan each park ticket to verify the Disney Standby Pass. There is also a QR code in the app that can be scanned. The Disney Standby Pass is only valid for the specific return window on the date issued.

Once you’ve entered the Standby Entrance you will need to wait the posted wait time; the Standby Pass is not like a FastPass.

Disney Standby Pass Test Expanded to More Attractions

The first test of the Disney Standby Pass began at the beginning of June. At the time the only attraction that offered Disney Standby Pass was The Adventures of Winnie The Pooh. Now the test has been expanded to two additional attractions. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Disney Color-Fest are now part of the test.

It is especially interesting to see a show, Disney Color-Fest, included in the test. Shows are usually not a good use of a virtual queue system. A shows present a different set of social distancing challenges than rides do. This could be a solution to some of the show-specific challenges with social distancing.

Simple Summary of the Disney Standby Pass Steps

1. Download the Shanghai Disneyland app
2. Enter the park and open the app and select “Get Standby Pass”
3. Scan the QR code on the ticket
4. Create a party in the app by linking everyone else’s tickets
5. Select the attraction your want
6. Confirm selection
7. Go to Standby entrance of the attraction at designated time with QR code that will generate in the app or the QR code on your park ticket

You may recognize this process from that of the Virtual Queue that was in use for Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is also similar to the Virtual Queue that is currently in use at Universal Orlando. We’ll see what the future holds for this type of system at Walt Disney World.

The post Shanghai Disneyland’s New Standby Pass System Expands To More Attractions appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Shanghai Disney Resort, disney virtual queue, Shanghai Disneyland