Star Wars Weekends – threestrandswdw

Star Wars Addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Star Wars experiences were announced for Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, Florida at the D23 Expo this weekend. Here are a few of the highlights…

Star Wars Launch Bay will open later this year and allow you to experience exhibits, behind-the-scenes action, visit some new characters, food, and new merchandise from the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This experience will be located in the current Animation Courtyard portion of DHS.

Season Of The Force will debut in early 2016 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This will be a new fireworks show set to the score penned by the brilliant composer, John Williams. This will be a seasonal event and will take place on the weekends. Dates have not been announced, as yet. And, I’m not sure if this is a replacement for Star Wars Weekends, or in addition to SWW.

Star Tours – the Adventure Continues will be getting an update. But, it doesn’t seem like there will be a need for much refurb time. There will be new scenes added to the current ride from the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This should ad a bit more variety to this random experiential attraction.

Disney VISA Cardholders will be able to order new cards with Star Wars characters on them. And, there will be the Star Wars Imperial Meet and Greet for Disney VISA holders, as well.

The Star Wars Land experience will take us to a new, never before seen planet near the outer rim. It will include two new ride experiences, and the much anticipated Cantina will be quite a draw. This 14 acre additions is being considered the MOST ambitious undertaking in Disney Company History. There will be a mirrored experience built at Disneyland Park in California, too. No time line has been announced for completion of these projects, but I hope progress will be seen quickly!

Thanks for reading, sharing, or commenting! Have a Blessed and Magical Day, my friends!

Around the Disney World

Greetings friends! I know it has been some time since my last post. Truth be told, I have had a bit of a hard time finding the ability to blog, lately. But, I am back and hoping to be back in full swing soon!

Let’s take a look at the news from around the Disney World, shall we?

I am sure that many of us are thrilled to hear that both Marvel shows on ABC have been renewed. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter will return to the line up! I am especially excited about Agent Carter. It is a brilliant show and Hayley Atwell is very good in the role. And, she’s kind of cute! In addition, the release date for the next film in the Captain America, Civil War, series has been announced as May 6, 2016. This film taunts to pick up where Avengers: Age of Ultron left off. It should be an adventurous time at the theaters next year.

It appears that most, if not all, of the room refurbishments at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort have been completed. From what I have seen through video, they look amazing. These rooms are the same size as the Port Orleans resorts, so it’s no surprise that they look familiar! If you want to check out the rooms go to https://youtu.be/DMYk3eMKSZY to check out the IThemePark video.

Pirates of the Caribbean Refurbishment has been delayed until June 8, 2015. The ride will be down until about September 25, 2015. While there is no real news on what is being done, the speculation is that the boats may be replaced, some safety barriers may be put in place, and a general cleaning and refreshing of the Audio-Animatronics will be done. Summer may be a little different for those hoping to ride this park favorite. The Pirates League and Jack Sparrow shows will not be affected by this schedule. Keep up-to-date on Walt Disney World park refurbishments at https://wordpress.com/page/30334162/1120.

Rebel Hangar – A Star Wars Lounge Experience will be located in the Backlot Express area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And will offer a menu inspired by the Star Wars movies and television shows during Star Wars Weekends, beginning on May 15, and running through June 14, 2015. Star Wars Weekends are Fridays Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations can be made online. The menu looks pretty good.

And, finally, the Magic Eye Theater, which has been the home of Captain EO for what seems like forever, has been assigned the task of bringing previews of new Disney movies. Currently, you can see a 4D preview of Tomorrowland Starring George Clooney. And, later in May you can get a glimpse of the new Pixar movie Inside Out. Maybe it is time for Michael Jackson to stand down from his mission, but I have to admit that I’ll miss it! No word, yet, on whether EO will return or maybe something new might slide in to this spot. Personally, I wouldn’t mind a up-to-date reboot of Magic Journeys!

Well, that’s it for now. As always, thank you for reading! Have a Blessed and Magical Day, my friends!

News Tidbits From Around WDW

First up…PLAY BALL! For you sports fans who want to have an intimate experience with professional baseball, the Atlanta Braves will be returning to the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex for Spring Training, March 4 – April 4, 2015. Tickets for Braves ‘Home Games’ range from $14 for lawn seats to $54 for lower level reserved seats. Parking is FREE!

The Memory Maker Pre-purchase Package price increased as of December 3, 2014 from $129 to $169. The price paid during, or after, your visit will still be $199. It may be worth it with the enhancements that have been made to add ride pictures and videos.

Star Wars Weekends will be returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Fridays – Sundays, May 4 – June 14, 2015. There will be a

Star Wars Dine-In Galactic Breakfast featuring some of the ‘villains’ from the Empire. Darth Vader, Bobo Fett, Greedo, Jawas, and Stormtroopers will be a part of the experience. Cost will be $49.99 for adults and $31.99 for kids ages 3 – 9. Breakfast will be offered during Star Wars Weekends at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, and the hours will be 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars Dine will be held at Hollywood and Vine, and will include the Fantasmic! Dining Package. Along with Jedi Mickey will be Princess Leia Minnie, Darth Vader Goofy, Storm Trooper Donald, and Ewoks Chip ‘n’ Dale. Cost is $57.99 for adults and $34.99 for kids ages 3 – 9, and gratuities are not included.

Advanced reservations are strongly suggested for both dining experiences, and character appearances are subject to change. Call 407-WDW-DINE for more information and reservations!

Thanks for reading, and have a blessed and magical day, my friends!!

Meet and Greet for guys!

My daughters made an interesting observation today! There isn’t much for guys to do in the way of meeting characters! I thought that was quite a statement from them! So, here are my thoughts on the subject…

Personally, I have no problem meeting The Princesses! But, I could see where some may have an issue with that. I would think it might be a bit of an attraction if the powers that be at Walt Disney World would maybe pair the Princesses up with the Princes. In today’s world, there are few positive role models for our boys to glean things like manors, courtesy, and chivalry! However, with every prince comes the opportunity to make an impression that could last a lifetime with our young men!

My son with Eeyore, His favorite! — My son with Eeyore,
His favorite!

At this point, I would say that the characters that might draw the smaller boys would be Pooh and friends, Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and Goofy. I suppose The Pirates League could pull the men and boys in, but at nearly $30 each, it could be cost prohibitive! Woody can be found near Splash Mountain, along with Jessie.

Now, during Star Wars Weekends (SWW), there are special Meet and Greets at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that include Star Wars characters or Disney characters dressed in Star Wars garb. These are also for a price! You may also find the Disney Characters around various venues during SWW!

Even making The Beast more available might be considered an act of good faith from Disney in the attempt to make the parks more attractive to our boys! Why? In the end, he makes the right decision and chooses to sacrifice for what is important to him. A trait that, I believe, has been watered down in recent years.

So, what this all comes down to, is I think there needs to be more of a draw for our sons, of all ages, to Walt Disney World! I’d love to hear any ideas my readers might have! Please respond in the comments below!

Have a Blessed and Magical Easter, my friends!!

Planning for Special Events at WDW

Disney fans all over the world have special times of the year they like to visit Walt Disney World. One of the questions I often see asked is, When do I plan to go to…? Today, we will try to give you answers for that question.

Walt Disney World has it’s annual celebrations all year long. And, planning for those times can be a bit confusing. Two of the events have pretty much the same time frame each year. In the Spring, around the beginning of March and going until about the middle of May is the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. This is a time when the grounds around EPCOT are at their most beautiful as the Disney plant growers and topiary designers get to show off the skills that have been a part of the ‘landscape’ since the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. Planning for this event can pretty much be done anytime. Especially if you aim for the middle of the event.

The Fall equivalent, on a much grander scale, is the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. This event, again, is usually about the same time each year. And, if you make plans for the middle of the range, you should be just fine in getting the accommodations you desire for attending this time of year! Food and Wine does seem to attract larger crowds, and a lot of the locals visit, also. You may want to plan you F&W visits for midweek.

Other Annual Events of Interest:

Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at The Magic Kingdom
The Candlelight Processional at the America Gardens Theater in EPCOT
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

One other note to add: If you are planning to attend one of these events, go ahead and make your plans! Don’t wait until the last moment! If a special offer comes along, you can always make a change to your package without losing what you have booked. Better yet, use one of the MANY Disney Authorized Travel Planners to keep watch over your vacation and they will do the work for you! That usually means saving you money!

That’s it for now, my friends! May you have a Blessed and Magical weekend!

threestrandswdw.com