A Series Of Exciting Announcements Kick Off Summer At Walt Disney World!

In their wonderful style, Disney have this week put out a series of magical announcements concerning not only events happening in the parks this summer, but some things which will debut even further into the future, which is becoming more exciting with every passing announcement, of which there have been many! It certainly has been a busy week over at the World, with the Animal Kingdom celebrating its 15th anniversary on Monday, and then a two day press event taking place as well over the course of the week.
As I mentioned in the former paragraph, the announcements have been plentiful, coming thick and fast over a couple of very exciting days. Such is the volume of these announcements, it's certainly been difficult to keep track of them all, so I've elected to set them out in a list below for additional clarity. Here they are
1: Disney have announced their 'Monstrous Summer' event, which will celebrate the release of the upcoming Monsters University movie, the prequel to the original Monsters Inc film. Alongside the already active Monsters University Monorail (or 'Monsterail)' the summer will feature meet and greets, special performances of the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom, and most notably the 'Three Park All-Nighter', which will see the Magic Kingdom join the two parks of California's Disneyland in being open for 24 hours, much like the 'One More Disney Day' event last year. The Magic Kingdom's event will see the film's stars Mike and Sulley being the Grand Marshals of the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade, alongside late night appearances by characters in Town Square and dance parties in Cinderella Castle's courtyard. As always, Disney have promised lots of surprises and unique merchandise for this special event, which will begin at 6am on May 24, running for the following 24 hours. This rare event was announced by none other than Mike Wazowski himself, who was projected onto Spaceship Earth using some pretty awe-inspiring technology. I won't give too much away, but would really recommend watching the video of this amazing piece of Disney Magic- absolutely amazing! There's also a video detailing how they did it, which can be found here
2: It has been revealed that the popular 'Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade' at the Magic Kingdom, will bow out to a replacement in spring 2014. This spellbinding parade has been a Magic Kingdom staple since its debut in 2009, when its predecessor was re-themed to create it, and has proved to be one of the most popular Magic Kingdom afternoon parades ever. It's successor, the Festival of Fantasy Parade will feature new floats, music and costumes, and will according to Disney “...bring a celebration of New Fantasyland...” to the parade's route. No dates have been announced yet, but we do know that a range of Disney Movies will be represented, from timeless classics such as Dumbo and The Little Mermaid to modern masterpieces like Tangled and Brave.
3: A major update has been shared regarding progress on the construction of the two New Fantasyland attractions which are yet to open- the Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Princess Fairytale Hall. The Disney Parks Blog reports in this post that both are on course for their respective opening targets, and also features a video in which Imagineers take us behind the scenes on construction of both attractions.
4: The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend is adding the 'Glass Slipper Challenge' and a new 10k race for 2014. RunDisney have shared a creatively written article on their blog which has all the information you need should you wish to participate.
I am incredibly excited about all this! One of the reasons I love Walt Disney World so much is because it's ever-changing; there's always new stuff being brought in, and this week has been as good an example of this as any. Whilst I unfortunately probably won't get back to the World until after the Mine Train opens, I'm still definitely going to follow along with all of this awesome stuff, and can't wait to experience some of it myself!
Thanks for reading! This post took a little longer than normal to write, so this week's Attraction Review will be coming your way tomorrow! I read so many different articles to write this one that it took a bit longer than I thought it would to write- but I'm definitely going to do more WDW news updates in the future!
Please check out the awesome We're Going To Walt Disney World Podcast of which I am the guest in Show #29! They do an amazing job with their podcast, and I would love for you to check it out if you haven't already!
Have a magical day!

Thank you for reading; and have a magical day!

www.wdw-wod.blogspot.com

World of Dreams Photo of the Week

New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom is truly breathtaking. With this multi- million dollar expansion, Disney have taken all the things which made the Classic Fantasyland amazing, and made them even better still, creating what now is by far the Magic Kingdom's best themed area. One of my favourite parts of the expansion is Storybook Circus, which is a, you guessed it, circus themed area. I think that the Imagineers have got Storybook Circus just right, and I really enjoyed exploring it last October- the details are incredible.

The centrepiece of this unique area of Fantasyland is the new Dumbo attraction. Unlike the old Dumbo, which was located near the old Snow White's Scary Adventures, this new Dumbo features two versions of the attraction right next to each other, both served by one of Disney's innovative interactive queues. My family and I were lucky enough to get a Surprise Fastpass for Dumbo on our last trip, and, despite the fact that we are way to old for it, we rode it! It was great fun, and brought back memories of when I first visited a Disney Park, which was Disneyland Paris in 2005. Dumbo was the first thing I rode there.

This week's photo is of the 'spoke' of the Dumbo attraction, taken from the Fastpass queue just before boarding my 'Elephant'! I have edited it slightly to improve the quality, but haven't done so in any other way, as the beautiful colours which Dumbo is painted in don't need enhancing!

I would love to hear your opinions on the photo! Do you think it's a good angle, or should I have focused on the whole attraction? Please share your views in the comments!

Thank you for reading, I really appreciate your support! Have a magical day!

New Year, New Features For The World Of Dreams Blog!

Hello everyone, I hope that you're enjoying 2013 so far! I apologise for the recent lack of activity on the blog, I have been away from home, but I have returned and am ready to kick start 2013 with some exciting new additions to the blog!
Firstly, every Wednesday, starting next week, I will be posting a 'World of Dreams Photo of the Week' to the blog. I will be featuring photos which I have taken on my travels to Walt Disney World, alongside a short explanation what the photo's all about, and when I took it.
Secondly, each Friday I will be reviewing a different Walt Disney World Attraction which I have experienced, giving my own opinion on the attraction, as well as scoring it out of ten in several different categories. I will feature an attraction from a different park each week, and will rotate the parks (Magic Kingdom, then Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and lastly DisneyQuest). I can't wait to write these!
Lastly, every second Sunday, I will be doing a 'Pin Focus'. I am an avid collector of Disney Pins, and each Pin Focus will put the spotlight on a different pin in my collection, as well as detailing where I bought it, and if it's likely to still be available in the parks.
I also have loads of great ideas for original posts, and I can't wait to share them all with you this year!

Have a magical day!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that you and your loved ones had a magical and enjoyable Holiday Season, and are ready for the amazing things 2013 has in store for all of us, especially at Walt Disney World. I would like to wish you and your loved ones a magical 2013, I sincerely hope that your year is filled with Disney magic and happiness! As reflected in most of the 2013 Dated Merchandise now available at Walt Disney World, I hope also that you see the 'Lucky Side' of 2013!
As expected, Disney announced 'Disney Time' last night as part of the New Year's Eve Celebrations. The promotion is primarily a set of sweepstakes (they're giving away one vacation per day for 31 days), and is based around the principle of well, Disney Time, more specifically the time you spend at the Disney Parks with your family and friends, and how this special time allows you to escape from the ubiquitous stresses of life and ultimately have a great time experiencing the magic of Disney.
The sweepstakes which are currently open are divided into five categories, each offering a different vacation experience, such as 'Big Thrills', to the lucky winner. Alongside its fellow promotion, 'Limited Time Magic', 'Disney Time' is definitely making 2013 an unmissable year at Walt Disney World. Who knows, '13, despite being an unlucky number, may even give 2012, an amazing year, a run for its money!

Thank you so much for reading, and have a magical year!

The Dragon Finally Returns to New Fantasyland on the Eve of its Opening

Last night, the wait was finally over! All the reported sightings of a Dragon flying over WDW this week were finally brought into the light- as the first 'official' sighting was made last night in the skies over the Magic Kingdom, leading to a flurry of activity on the Disney Dragons Tumblr Blog, and the Disney Parks Blog itself. The Dragon, on his most lengthy outing so far, was said to have been 'drawn to the New Fantasyland Grand Opening Celebration', which took place this morning. The Tumblr Blog, written by Disney's Social Media Managing Editor, Gary Buchanan, is really worth checking out, as it tells a great Disney story, and is THE place for all the best information and videos about New Fantasyland's 'hottest' new resident!

The Dragon's home, New Fantasyland, was officially opened this morning at the Magic Kingdom, with a spectacular celebration featuring fireworks, characters, and celebrities, which was lead by Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. The celebration ended with a banner reading 'Welcome to New Fantasyland' being unfurled on the front of the castle. This ceremony marks the official opening of the second phase of what is the biggest expansion in the Magic Kingdom's history, and means that Under the Sea~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, Enchanted Tales With Belle, Gaston's Tavern and the Be Our Guest Restaurant are now in full operation. The first phase (Storybook Circus) opened in March, and the 3rd and 4th phases (Princess Fairytale Hall and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train), will open in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Now it's your turn! If you have any views or stories to share about today's topic, please feel free to leave a comment, or a message on our Facebook page!
Thank you, and have a magical day!

As The Official Opening Of New Fantasyland Approaches, Sightings Of A Dragon Are Reported In WDW...

Thursday December 6th is going to be a big day for Walt Disney World. On a day which has certainly already cemented itself in WDW history, the resort will see not one, not two, but three major new Official Openings; with the Animal Kingdom the only theme park not to have an attraction making its debut. All three have been going through soft openings, or 'Dress Rehearsals', but are being officially opened on Thursday.

Firstly; The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow will be opening in Hollywood Studios' Soundstage 4 (where the Journey Into Narnia walkthrough attraction was housed). As with Narnia, the Captain Jack attraction will be a walkthrough, and Disney have promised that it will include content from every Pirates of the Caribbean movie. They are also claiming it to be 'a first of its kind sensory experience', and that, if you haven't experienced this attraction; 'you don't know Jack... Yet'. As always, the detail which has gone into both the concept art and the attraction itself are stunning, in a way that only Disney can pull off. If you want to see for yourself, WDW Magic have a great selection of photos.

Next, we head over to Epcot, where the long awaited and eagerly anticipated Test Track 2.0 will be starting its engine! Closed for refurbishment since spring this year, the re-imagined Test Track, now presented by Chevrolet is the second attraction to be premiering on Thursday. The old, moderately popular queue has been replaced with a futuristic queue, where you get the opportunity to design your own car, before boarding an equally futuristic 'SimCar', which will take you on a thrilling adventure around Test Track's amazing circuit. Upon exiting the ride, guests will have the opportunity to make a commercial for their car design, have their picture taken with it, and race it around a virtual track. It sounds like another awesome Disney attraction!

Last, but certainly not least, there is 'the big one'. The second, biggest phase of the Magic Kingdom's New Fantasyland will be opening, comprising of the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast areas. The Storybook Circus area (first phase) opened last March, and the second phase has been doing Soft Openings, meaning that I was fortunate enough to get to experience both on my recent trip in October. Having actually been there, I can tell you that the New Fantasyland area is absolutely stunning- another spectacular feat of Disney Imagineering. The theming is superb, the attractions equally so, and from what I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised if Fantasyland knocks Frontierland off its perch as the Magic Kingdom's most popular land, especially after the third phase (Snow White) opens in 2014.
Thursday will see several additions to Fantasyland, the most notable of which being Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, and the Be Our Guest Restaurant. Gaston's Tavern, a counter service restaurant, will also be opening, alongside Enchanted Tales With Belle; an interactive storytelling experience, and several gift shops and snack carts.

Although all of these things are exciting additions to the Magic Kingdom, they have been overshadowed in recent weeks by rumours of a Dragon heading 'back home' to New Fantasyland. The Dragon rumours first surfaced back in June, when Imagineers were spotted testing an actual flying Dragon (which I believe they now have a patent for) at an airfield in California. At the time, it was speculated that the Dragon was for the upcoming Avatar Land at the Animal Kingdom, but ever since Disney have begun dropping hints through a blog post and a Tumblr Blog, people are certain the Dragon is headed to New Fantasyland. Lots of ideas are being bounced around- including the possibility of Epcot's Figment being somehow involved! Disney have, in their usual style, been feeding us little tidbits of info about this- and the links above are really worth a look, the story they've created for this is incredible, especially the interview with an 'anonyMOUSE' source. Sightings of the mysterious beast have begun appearing all over the place now- and I for one cannot wait for the reveal!

I'd love to hear your views on this! If you want to share your views, please feel free to leave a comment below! Thanks for reading, and have a magical day!