WDW Daily News

Southern California’s Disneyland is planning a new 14-acre Star Wars themed land, although it may open until 2017 (Disney hasn’t released the official date yet).

Full Story

AccuWeather, the global leader in weather information and digital media, today announced the Every Minute Matters Sweepstakes available now through February 28, 2016.  Outdoor enthusiasts, pet owners, parents – indeed anyone who wants to get the most out of every moment – are invited to enter the new promotion event on AccuWeather’s Facebook page sweepstakes tab.

Life happens in moments.  Nothing prepares you for mother nature’s changes like MinuteCast® by AccuWeather.  And nowhere celebrates life’s indelible memories like Disney Parks.  That is why AccuWeather is giving away a great prize instantly each day – like an Olaf Frozen Hat and an AccuWeather umbrella or a Mickey Mouse Football and an AccuWeather umbrella – and a grand prize vacation for six to Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World® Resort.  Enter now for your chance to win and create family history together at www.facebook.com/AccuWeather.

“AccuWeather knows that, for our busy audience, days are short and they want to make the most of every minute. This is why they turn to our unmatched range of innovative weather forecasts with Superior Accuracy™,” said John Dokes, Chief Marketing Officer of AccuWeather.  “There has been a phenomenal response from our audience to AccuWeather MinuteCast, with users making it an essential part of daily activities from jogging and dog walking to up-to-the-minute weather watching for weddings, concerts, and sporting events.  We want to give people another way to make every minute count.  AccuWeather’s Every Minute Matters Sweepstakes gives our users the chance to win great daily prizes and a magical Disney Parks vacation.”

AccuWeather MinuteCast is the unique minute-by-minute precipitation forecast for users’ exact street addresses or GPS location.  It gives users by-the-minute precipitation forecasts for the next two hours – including precipitation type and intensity, start times, and end times for their exact locations – with the Superior Accuracy that is AccuWeather’s hallmark. AccuWeather MinuteCast is uniquely supported by both national and international patented technology. AccuWeather MinuteCast is available on AccuWeather.com web and mobile web sites and through AccuWeather mobile apps on most popular devices.

The AccuWeather Every Minute Matters Sweepstakes began at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) on January 25, 2016 and ends at11:59 p.m. ET on February 28, 2016.  Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Canada (excludingQuebec) who are 18 years of age or older as of date of entry.  Limit one entry per person per day.  No purchase necessary to enter or win.  Winners will be selected at random.  For complete sweepstakes rules, visit www.Facebook.com/AccuWeather.

The Irving-based maker of Huggies and Kleenex secured the naming rights to the Baby Care Centers (family bathrooms) and stroller rental stations…

Full Story

You’ve booked Fast Passes, you magically landed a reservation at Be Our Guest and you’re ready to hit the Magical Express. Even if you have the perfect Walt Disney World itinerary…

Full Story

Our Clients can enjoy a FREE Meal per person, per night at quick-service locations when they buy a non-discounted 4-night/5-day Walt Disney Travel Company room and ticket package at a Disney Value Resort hotel for arrivals most nights May 29-Jun. 30, 2016 and Jul. 5-Aug. 13, 2016 when they book Jan. 19-Feb. 29, 2016.

Contact Travel Agents, Scott and Becky Donahue, of Wish Upon a Star With Us to plan and book your vacation.

Booking Window:
Jan. 19-Feb. 29, 2016

Travel Window:
May 29-Jun. 30, 2016 and Jul. 5-Aug. 13, 2016
Minimum Length of Stay: 3 nights (and minimum 2-day Magic Your Way® Base Ticket)

Redeeming the quick-service meal is convenient and flexible. Each member of our client’s party is entitled to one meal per night of their stay. They can choose from breakfast, lunch or dinner at a wide array of Quick-Service locations throughout Walt Disney World® Resort.

Contact Travel Agents, Scott and Becky Donahue, of Wish Upon a Star With Us to plan and book your vacation.

Recall Summary

Name of Product: Darth Vader and Disneyland 60^th infant bodysuits

Hazard: The snaps on the bodysuits can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Remedy: Refund

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled infant bodysuits and contact Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for instructions on returning the bodysuits for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts toll-free at 844-722-1444 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at www.disneyparks.com and click on “Recall Notice” for more information.

Recall Details

Units: About 10,000

Description: This recall involves two styles of infant one-piece bodysuits with a three snap button closure. The garments are 100 percent cotton.

The Darth Vader Infant Bodysuits were sold in five sizes: 3M, 6M, 12M, 18M and 24M.  The garment has a gray body with black sleeves and trim. The artwork on the front of the bodysuit shows an infant Darth Vader holding a light saber with the text: “If you only knew the power of THE DARK SIDE.”

The Disneyland 60^th Infant Bodysuits have a light blue body with royal blue sleeves and trim.  The artwork on the front of the bodysuit includes Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and Pluto in front of the Disneyland Castle. The Disneyland 60^th bodysuits were sold in four sizes: 6M, 12M, 18M and 24 M. The text on the front of the garment reads “60^th Disneyland Resort, Diamond Celebration.”

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Sold at: Walt Disney World® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Disneyland® Resort in Anaheim, California, the Treasure Ketch Shop on the Disney Wonder® and Mickey’s Mainsail located on the Disney Magic®, Disney Dream® and Disney Fantasy® cruise ships from February 2015 through November 2015 for about $20.

Importer: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, of Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Manufactured in: Guatemala

Disney’s launching another major security change at its Orlando parks nearly a month after metal detectors were put up at the front gates.

Full Story

Disney Parks officially announced the ten newest members to its 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel, plus a newly designed website that promises to lend fresh insights and improved accessibility for future guests.

Ushering in a new era for the celebrated online forum, this year’s newcomers are as diverse as Disney Parks’ own culturally rich visitors with bilingual parents, single moms, dads, grandparents, and those with special needs children – all eager to share their trip planning expertise and passion for Disney with like-minded families.

Now in its ninth year, the Disney Parks Moms Panel is an online resource to help guests with their Disney vacation planning using the personal opinions, expertise and relatable experiences of everyday parents and grandparents. With just the click of a mouse or touch screen device, travelers have access to a wide-array of enthusiastic panelists who can share advice on how to maximize their future stay and create lifelong family memories. The multilingual resource, offered in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, can accommodate every Disney trip-planning inquiry imaginable – from the best fireworks viewing spots, tips for traveling with large families and ideal booking windows for popular restaurants, to special dietary dining options, cruise ship itineraries and on-property hotel offerings.

In addition to being well-versed in so many Disney Destinations’ amenities available, all of the panelists are genuine, friendly and excited to share their expertise with others, putting fellow parents at ease during the often stressful and overwhelming process of planning a vacation. Originally created with a specific focus on the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disney Parks Moms Panel has since grown to include members with extensive knowledge of every other unique Disney property and offering, which also includes Disneyland Resort, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, Disney Cruise Line, runDisney and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Among the most eagerly awaited aspects of the 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel is the arrival of a refreshed consumer website, slated to launch later this winter. Featuring a sleek new design layout and improved functionality for better user navigation, the mobile-device optimized site will make it easier for guests to plan an unforgettable Disney vacation at home or on-the-go.

Specific updates to the website includes a new topic search structure that will provide guests with easy access to more than 150,000 questions asked by previous visitors and answered by the knowledgeable panelists. With the new feature, guests can quickly sort and filter through tagged topics and find relevant content; and as always, visitors can get their own questions answered using the “Ask a Question” feature. In true Disney style, the website will reflect a sense of community by showcasing trending topics and most popular topics, allowing families to learn from each other’s past experiences and inspire the creation of new memories.

“2016 is poised to be an exciting and transformative year for the Disney Parks Moms Panel,” said Leanne O’Regan, director of public relations for Disney Parks. “Not only are we welcoming ten motivated and diverse professionals to our esteemed forum, but we are also preparing to debut a new website experience in the coming months, streamlining the trip planning process and paving the way for what should be the most magical time of our guests’ lives.”

In September 2015, thousands of hopeful parents worldwide vied for a spot on the coveted Panel, making it the second largest pool of submissions since the program’s inception nearly a decade ago. Following three rounds of interviews, essays and video submissions, a strong group of ten passionate parents and grandparents – including university professors, a physician and nurse, event planner, and an Information Technician specialist – were selected to join the respected forum. Since 2008, more than 130 experienced parents have served on the Disney Parks Moms Panel helping in the planning process for tens of thousands of Disney vacation guests.

Joining the 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel are as follows:

• Brandy Robinson; Euless, Tex. (Disney Cruise Line)
• Erin Karsman; Pittsburgh, Pa. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Jackie Psarianos; Richmond Hill, Ont. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Jennifer Reeves; Columbia, Mo. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Kiki Wong-Yee; Carmichael, Calif. (Disneyland Resort)
• Korliss Datcher; Birmingham, Ala. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Nancy Murphy; Alpine, Ut. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Priscila Noriega; Miami, Fla. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Ricardo Stella; Plainsboro, N.J. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Sally Bulavko; El Paso, Tex. (Disney Vacation Club)

To learn more about the Disney Parks Moms Panel and meet the newest panelists, please visithttp://disneyparksmomspanel.disney.go.com/. For those interested in joining next year’s panel, application details will be posted on the website in the summer of 2016.

Worried about 2016? You can’t blame local theme park fans for feeling that way.

Disneyland will be closing off its Rivers of America attractions next week as construction begins for Star Wars Land – a project that will take years to complete.

Full Story