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Rider Swap: Never Skip a Favorite Ride!

Have you ever walked up to Space Mountain only to discover that your little one is half an inch too short to ride? Or hiked to Expedition Everest and had your little one say, “Mommy, I don’t want to go on that.”   It appears your only options are to either have one parent ride and the other miss out on the ride, or skip the ride altogether. I don’t know about you, but most people do not want to spend their hard earned money to come to Florida and skip some of the rides.   This is where Rider Swap (a/k/a Rider Switch and Child Swap) comes to the rescue. Picture this. You see the rust-colored mountain of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad on the horizon.   You have been looking forward to riding it since your last vacation. Suddenly you are faced with the fact that your youngest is just a little too short to ride, or that he is just not ready to brave “The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness.” NO PROBLEM! Just follow these 3 easy steps. Step One: Head to the entrance of the

Pool Roundup: Doubloon Lagoon at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

Walt Disney World is composed of miles upon miles of fun attractions, shows and experiences.   This doesn’t just hold true to the theme parks, but to the resort hotels as well.   Guests staying at any of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels will find themselves transported to a whole new world and completely immersed in Disney magic 24 hours a day.   From the seaside escapes of the Yacht & Beach Club, to the sandy beaches and swaying palm trees of the Polynesian - each resort has a story to tell, and you as the guest play a very important role!   Every resort has a specific theme which begins in the lobby and carries through the restaurants, courtyards, guest rooms and of course – to the pool - a major player in any vacation! One of the most beautifully and well themed resorts in my opinion is Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort.   My first stay here was on my most recent trip to Walt Disney World in May 2012.   When Disney’s Magical Express dropped me off, I felt

Ears the News with Richard

Universal raised ticket prices for the second time in two weeks. A One day ticket to Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure went up from $88 to $89. Animal kingdom will be debuting a new indoor character meet n greet in the fall. The store, Beastly Bazaar, will close on 8/12/2012 and will be converted into this new meet-n-greet. Image from Disney Parks Blog Pinocchio Village Haus added 3 new flatbread pizzas to their menu.  The three new flatbreads include barbecued chicken, red onions, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and a mango barbecue sauce, a caprese flatbread with plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a blend of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan, balsamic glaze, and fresh basil, as well as a simple cheese and pepperoni flatbread for the kids. There appears to be some progress on the new Splitsville that will be replacing the closed Virgin Mega Store. Crews arrived earlier this week and began partial demolition of the building. Splitsville Image from Wdwmagic.com

Picture of the Day

There are some exciting things happening at Disney California Adventure this week!  Cars Land is opening on Friday!  Here's a blast from the California Adventure past.  Engine-Ears!

Royal Guest Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside

One of the things that make staying at a Disney World resort hotel unique is the theming. Where else can you stroll along the New England Coast, swim by a Mayan ruin, celebrate Mari Gras in New Orleans, and observe Okapi on the wild plains of Africa, all while staying within the confines of Central Florida.   Disney hotels are waiting to immerse and transport you to a different time and place.   Disney has now gone a step further with the creation of story rooms.   What an exciting way to step into the story and become part of the magic! The Pirate Rooms at the Caribbean Beach Resort were the first story rooms available in Walt Disney World.   Next in line were the Royal Guest Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside. OK, where do I sign up? I had a feeling this was going to be absolutely incredible and reserved my own “Princess Room” for my birthday trip this past May. The story begins with Princess Tiana inviting some of her princess friends to come and stay at her river home. Her

The Online Check-In Survival Guide

Online Check-In is a very popular topic for those who have never used it. Many wonder what the benefits are or will it hurt your room requests. I will do my best to give all of you a guide as to what to expect from Online Check-In, when to do it and most importantly what not to expect and when not to do it. Online Check-In or Not? Most people who are unfamiliar with Online Check-In seem to be at one of two extremes regarding what it actually does. Some are under the impression that Online Check-In is this magic wand that will make all of your Disney resort dreams come true. The others think that it is this evil thing that will remove all of your requests and shove you in the least desirable room in the resort. *cue evil laugh* Neither of those extremes are even close to the truth. Online Check-In will not exclude you from the increasingly rare free upgrade, it will not ignore your requests, nor will it give you golden FASTPASSES to all of the attractions. All Online Check-I

Ears the News with Richard

Both photos and video have been released shedding some light on the new interactive queue for Dumbo in the Fantasyland expansion. Guests entering the queue will receive a pager similar to the ones used in restaurants. Kids and adults alike will be free to play in the indoor playground while they wait. When the pager goes off it is your turn to ride.   Here’s a video . Star Wars Weekends Conclude this Weekend The “Sundowner Celebration” at Animal Kingdom began on the 3 rd and all the details are now available. In Asia you can find specialty food and beverages, tea brewing and cooking demonstrations, as well as an Indian dance and street party.” The Island Groove" steel drum group and "Viva Gala Street Band” will be playing on Discovery Island and there will be a Flamingo game for the kids. Africa offers specialized art, food demonstrations, a Wine Walk and Juice tasting, and a street party with the Tam Tam Drummers and Burudika Band.  Pricing for the Wine walk is