WDW Daily News

June 27th will mark 180 days until my family’s Walt Disney World vacation! We can’t be any more excited that December 26th is coming closer and closer. However, as many veteran Disney vacationers know 180 days before your vacation means one thing… Restaurant reservations. I thought this would be so easy. Boy was I wrong. I thought we would just call sometime that day and say what I wanted. Yeah, that’s not how it works.

First thing is, we have a dining plan. Therefore, for the four of us in my family, we get 1 snack, 1 quick service meal, and one table service meal. So on our 5 day trip, we’ll get to eat at 5 restaurants that require reservations. All over the internet, mainly Pinterest, I saw people mentioning that it’s a good idea to have a few backups for each night. That created an even bigger problem for us. My sister is allergic to many things and is a extremely picky eater, (well, so am I) so a lot of places didn’t have anything she would even think about touching. We finally have it narrowed down to a few things as a first choice… however, there’s a guarantee that they’ll go fast.

So for our first day in Hollywood Studios, our first pick is the Sci Fi Diner. Which looks amazing! Our second choice is the Fantasmic dinner package, which includes a dinner at Hollywood and Vine and priority seating to Fantasmic. Which wasn’t our first choice because we are hoping there’s a chance we’ll get good seats or a fast-pass. Our second day at Magic Kingdom our first choice is Chef Mickey’s for the breakfast buffet, not exactly in MK, but everyone is wanting character interactive meals. Our second choice for that day is Tony Town Square.

For Epcot, there were basically no places anyone found interest in. Let’s just say, we would not being accepted into the Epcot Food and Wine festival….. We are not cultured when it comes to exotic food. Therefore we decided to try another character breakfast. This one involves a slew of Princesses and is in a banquet hall in Epcot. “Akershus Royal feast” I’d personally never heard of it, but the reviews on the dining website gave it an average of four stars. We originally wanted to do the Cinderella breakfast…. But that costs 2 table service points instead of one and we want to try and go to as many places as possible. For our second day at MK we want to go to the Polynesian for Ohana character breakfast, this one featuring Lilo and Stitch. (If you can’t tell, we’re desperate to meet characters.) and for our last day in Animal Kingdom we’re hoping to get in at the Tusker House.

For the other meals during the day were going to have our quick service meal for dinner if we have reservations for lunch. And we’ll use quick service meal for lunch on days we have reservations for dinner.

We’re still having trouble deciding what we want for our backups. If anyone has any suggestions- please help us out! I’m excited to be able to write about my family’s experience in planning our first Disney Vacation. Only 6 more months!!

My name is Morgan and I am a cast member at Walt Disney World. I’ve been working at the most magical place on earth for a few months now and I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks to make park hoping a little bit easier that I thought I’d like to share, that might make your trips a little bit easier.

Tip #1: Do your Research!

When planning a trip to Walt Disney World or any of the theme parks for that matter, doing some planning ahead is the best advice I can give you. There are a great many sites out there that can help you start to pre-plan your trip and save you the massive headache of getting to the parks and freaking out over how big it is and how much there is to see. If you plan ahead a little you can definitely maximize your time, and it will help insure you don’t miss any of the “must-dos” on your list.

Tip #2: Fast Passes are your friends, but use them wisely.

For those of you that are staying on property and can pre-book your fast passes, I would strongly encourage that you do that. In the summer months the parks are at their busiest and the wait times can be very long on some of your favorite rides. Having your fast passes booked early can save you a headache. And for those of you that are day guests or not staying on property- don’t freak out! Your first stop after you enter the park should be your nearest fast pass kiosk (from Mainstreet USA that is at the Stitch ride in Tomorrowland). There you can book your family’s fastpasses for the day and not have to be too terribly stressed about the two hour wait splash mountain will have by noon. But be aware- use your fastpasses wisely. Now that it is possible to get “unlimited” fastpasses (particularly in the Magic Kingdom) make sure you don’t book Wishes, or the Main Street Electrical Parade as your first three passes. Those events don’t happen until the evening and you won’t be able to grab any other fastpasses through the day. Also note- that at park open most rides don’t have much of a wait so you can go ride splash mountain 4 or 5 times and get it out of the way and save your fastpass for something else.

Tip #3- Be aware of the Size of your Stroller.

This tip is for the parents with little ones that do still need a stroller. After watching parents for 3 months lug those beastly large strollers around the park and get annoyed at every twist and turn I say to you- don’t bring the big stroller. Most of the rides do not allow the strollers in the queue lines so it will be parked in stroller parking for most of your trip anyways. The one attraction that does allow strollers is the Walt Disney World Rail Road (if you happen to ride it come look for me that’s where I work  ). That’s awesome since the train will pick you up and drop you off in different locations. That said you do have to fold the stroller up to have it on the train and in the queue line. Folding the stroller can be a hassel but at least you get to rest if you come hang out on the trains with us  That said, you will be lugging the large stroller around with you all day, and having to navigate through the packed walkways with a big stroller and people crossing in front of you all day doesn’t sound like the most fun. Small fold up strollers will make your life easier from what I can tell. Lighter weight, easy to fold up, no muss no fuss- happier day at Disney World.

Tip #4- The Train Station is your friend.

I promise I’m not shamelessly plugging my work location, but the train station is a great location to view the parades and the fireworks. The fastpass parade location for Festival of Fantasy is located at the castle hub, but the view from the train station is amazing. If you pitch up right on the balcony you will be eye level with most of the floats, which is fantastic as they are really quite tall. There is also some seating so you could sit down and eat a little something while you wait and watch the parade. It’s also a fantastic location for the Mainstreet Electrical Parade. The parade also passes right by you and you have prime viewing for Celebrate the Magic, and Wishes after. It is also closely located to the exit of the park. At night this is crucial because when the mass exodus of the park occurs you’ll be first in line for the ferries and the monorails.

Tip #5- HAVE FUN

Walt Disney World can be overwhelming and the pressure to do single thing the park might be intense but don’t do that. I met an amazing family while I was waiting to meet Cinderella and Rapunzal and they were telling me how stressful their day had been because they were trying to cram everything in. I understand not everyone gets to come to Disney world often, but with the time you have make sure you have fun. Please don’t spend your time stressing your fastpasses or if you didn’t get to see every show. It’s okay, pick a few things and really enjoy them. And when you do make it back all the other things on your to do list will be right here waiting for you.

These are just a few tips I’ve found to be helpful in my past trips and watching other families run through the parks. As summer goes on I’ll offer more tips and probably have some fun crazy stories to share!

Pixie Dust and Magic
Morgan

“One little spark of inspiration, Is at the heart of all creation. Right at the start of everything that’s new, One little spark lights up for you.”

Journey Into Imagination with Figment is a ride to enjoy for those of all ages. This slow moving ride follows Figment, a purple dragon on a whimsical ride through the Imagination Institute. Dr. Nigel Channing, the chairman of the institute sets out to prove how the 5 senses (sound, sight, smell, touch and taste) capture the imagination. The questions is, is this ride enjoyable for all ages? YES IT IS!

• This ride has no height requirement and is accessible for anyone who would like to ride it. For those little ones in your group this ride offers a slow seated ride with a amusing, singing mascot. Little ones are able to see everything with no one blocking their view because it is all right in front of you with the cars moving to allow riders to see all that is there.

• For those in the party that may be at the age to think this ride is “uncool”, they are wrong. Not only does it provide a little education through learning about the 5 senses, but it also has a catchy tune that will most likely be stuck in their head for the rest of the day.

• Of course we cannot forget about the older crowd when it comes to this ride. This slow moving ride allows for a little rest and air conditioning to cool off during those hot days here in Central Florida. Many individuals may also remember Figment from the 1980’s when he starred in a similar ride with the Dream Catcher.

• After you take a ride with Figment through the Imagination Institute, you exit into the creative lab where there are activities for everyone to experience.

“Imagination, imagination. A dream can be a dream come true, With just that spark in me and you.
memories to last a lifetime.

Wizard World, Inc. plans to expand its schedule of pop culture conventions to a minimum of 22 shows in 2015, including at least nine new venues, it was announced today by John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO. The series, which includes 16 cities in 2014, will add San Jose, Calif.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Cleveland; Raleigh, N.C.; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Des Moines, Iowa; Madison, Wis.; and Greenville, S.C. Additional cities (new and returning) may also be added in the coming weeks.

Next year’s schedule to date also includes a return of at least 12 of the 16 events from 2014, plus the “Bruce Campbell’s Horror Fest” at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., site of Wizard World Chicago Comic Con. Among the longer-running Wizard World events returning are Comic Cons in Chicago (Rosemont, Ill.); Philadelphia; New Orleans; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas. Newer events in Portland, Ore.; Minneapolis; St. Louis; Sacramento, Calif.; Nashville, Tenn; Richmond, Va.; and Tulsa, Okla. are also slated to return.

“We are excited to bring the Wizard World experience to more fans in more places than ever before in 2015,” said Macaluso. “The new shows this year have been huge successes, and we believe that fans in these additional cities will enjoy our mix of top celebrities, superstar artists and all things pop culture.”

The 2015 Wizard World Comic Con schedule to date is as follows (*denotes new show) (all dates and venues subject to change):

• Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, January 9-11, Ernest N.Morial Convention Center
• Wizard World Portland Comic Con, January 23-25, Oregon Convention Center
• Wizard World Wisconsin Comic Con, February 6-8, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
• Wizard World Indianapolis Comic Con, February 13-15, Indianapolis Convention Center
• Wizard World Cleveland Comic Con, February 20-22, Cleveland Convention Center
• Wizard World Presents Bruce Campbell’s Horror Fest, March 6-8, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.
• Wizard World Raleigh Comic Con, March 13-15, Raleigh Convention Center
• Wizard World Las Vegas Comic Con, April 24-26, Las Vegas Convention Center
• Wizard World Minneapolis Comic Con, May 1-3, Minneapolis Convention Center
• Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, May 7-10, Pennsylvania Convention Center
• Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con, May 22-24, America’s Center
• Wizard World Greenville Comic Con, May 28-30, TD Convention Center, Greenville, S.C.
• Wizard World Des Moines Comic Con, June 12-14, Iowa Events Center
• Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con, June 19-21, Sacramento Convention Center
• Wizard World Richmond Comic Con, July 31-August 2, Greater Richmond Convention Center
• Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 20-23, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.
• Wizard World San Jose Comic Con, September 4-6, San Jose Convention Center
• Wizard World Columbus Comic Con, September 18-20, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio
• Wizard World Nashville Comic Con, September 25-27, Music City Center
• Wizard World Fort Lauderdale Comic Con, October 2-4, Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center
• Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con, October 23-25, Cox Business Center
• Wizard World Austin Comic Con, October 29-31, Austin Convention Cente

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A’s, the Wizard World Film Festival, comics-themed sessions, costume contest, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Sunday is also Kids Day, with an array of activities and programming specially designed for the younger Wizard World fans.

One of my favorite memories from my last Disney trip in April 2014 is the time that we spent watching the Citizens of Hollywood. These “Streetmosphere” characters perform throughout the day at Hollywood Studios, and they can show up at any given time, anywhere. If you happen to come across one of their shows, it’s well worth spending some time watching them. Every show is different and extremely interactive with the audience, so you get a new experience every time! If you’re lucky, you might even get to be a part of the spectacle. Since we happened upon these hilarious residents of Tinseltown various times throughout the day at Hollywood Studios, I was able to get some great shots of the gang.

Along with the skits that groups of Citizens put on, you may also come across just one of them on the street. If you do, don’t be afraid to go up and talk to them! You’ll leave with a smile on your face and some great memories to last a lifetime.

David Boreanaz (“Bones,” “Angel”), Norman Reedus (“The Walking Dead,” Boondock Saints), Matt Smith and Karen Gillan (“Doctor Who,”), Katie Cassidy (“Arrow”), William Shatner (“Star Trek,” “T.J. Hooker”) and comics legend Stan Lee are among the celebrities scheduled to attend Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 21-24 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.It is largest and longest-running of the 16 events in the 2014 series produced by Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) and will also feature a top-drawer collection of well-known comics artists and writers and a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions.

Reedus and Cassidy are scheduled to appear on Saturday and Sunday, August 23-24; Boreanaz and Shatner will attend on Friday and Saturday, August 22-23; Smith and Gillan are set for Saturday only; and Lee will be on site Friday through Sunday.

Popular celebrities on the Wizard World Chicago Comic Con roster include a host of “The Walking Dead” cast members, including Reedus, Danai Gurira, Scott Wilson, Sarah Wayne Callies and Michael Rooker.

Wrestling fans are geared for the appearance of five WWE standouts, including WWE® Superstars John Cena®, Batista™ and Bray Wyatt™, WWE® Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino™ and WWE® Diva Paige™.

“Star Trek: The Next Generation” enthusiasts are in for a special treat as six of its stars reunite for a unique celebration of the 20^th anniversary of the program’s final episode. The “TNG” bridge crew of Jonathan Frakes (“Commander William T. Riker”), Levar Burton (“Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge”), Michael Dorn (“Lieutenant Worf”), Marina Sirtis (“Counselor Deanna Troi”), Brent Spiner (“Lt. Commander Data”), and Gates McFadden (“Dr. Beverly Crusher”) relive the memories of the program’s seven-year run. Shatner will also host a special panel with the six on Sunday, August 24 from 5-6:45 p.m.

Others attending the Midwest’s largest pop culture festival include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Peter Criss (“KISS”), Anthony Mackie (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Million Dollar Baby), Evan Peters and Booboo Stewart ofX-Men: Days of Future Past, John Carpenter (Director, Halloween), Bruce Campbell (Army of Darkness, Evil Dead), James Marsters (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Torchwood”), Nicole Beharie (“Sleepy Hollow,” 42), Elvira (“Mistress of the Dark”), Jason David Frank (“Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers”), J. August Richards (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) and Lou Ferrigno (“The Incredible Hulk,” “The King of Queens”).

Superstar comics creators scheduled to attend include Neal Adams (“Batman,” “Green Lantern”), Leinel Yu (“Hulk,” “Wolverine”), Rafael Albuquerque (“Superboy,” “American Vampire”), Salvador Larroca (“Avengers vs. X-Men,” “Captain America”), Jim Cheung (“Iron Man,” “Fantastic Four”), Emanuela Lupacchino (“Thor,” “World’s Finest”), Mike Zeck (“Spider-Man,” “Punisher”), Marv Wolfman (“DCU Online,” “Crisis on Infinite Earths”), Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies,” “Army of Darkness”), Greg Horn (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Avengers”) and many others.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Wizard World Chicago Comic Con show hours are Thursday, August 21, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, August 22, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, August 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place all three days at the event, with celebrity Q&A’s, the Wizard World Film Festival, comics-themed sessions, costume contest, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Sunday, June 1, is also Kids Day, with an array of activities and programming specially designed for the younger Wizard World fans.

For our wedding anniversary this year, my husband and I decided to take the Backstage Magic tour that brings guests backstage at all four of the parks at Walt Disney World. The tour lasts all day, and we had a blast! We visited many locations on the tour, but our two favorite spots were the American Adventure and Central Shops.
We have viewed the American Adventure many times, but for the tour, we had the rare opportunity to go underneath the stage and see how all of the pieces of this show work. The show scenes are all in several giant lifts that safely and silently move them into place during the 28 minute show. We also learned that the films are projected via rear projection so that there is no need for a projector in the theater area. It was amazing to see how this attraction works. All of the animatronics are created with so much detail that it is hard to believe they are not real people. We learned that a third host for the show was considered. Mark Twain and Ben Franklin could have been joined by Will Rogers, but WDI discovered by polling guests that very few people knew who Will Rogers was. Therefore, WDI stuck with the two original hosts for the show. Also, all of the wigs that are made for the animatronics are actually made of real human hair! Our guide, Michael, also shared that Ben Franklin was the first animatronic ever to walk. In his scene with Thomas Jefferson, Mr. Franklin walks up stairs. Just to see all of these characters moving as well as the details in each scene was pretty amazing!

Our other favorite stop on the tour was Central Shops, which is located behind Magic Kingdom next to the railroad roundhouse. This giant building is where all of the magic happens! This building houses all of the projects that WDW is working at any given time. There are ride vehicles in various states of completion as well as animatronics and character costumes. There is an entire room devoted just to making signs for every park. We learned that two of the monorails were built at Central Shops, and all of the wood in the Grand Floridian lobby was assembled at Central Shops. Basically, if you enjoy seeing how things are made and how the magic is brought to life, then Central Shops is a place you should visit. This tour is the only way for non Central Shops cast members to be allowed admittance.

While the above two stops were our favorite, we did visit some other backstage locations at Creative Costuming in Hollywood Studios, the maintenance bay for the vehicles at Tower of Terror as well as the utilidors at Magic Kingdom. Lunch at the Whispering Canyon Cafe was provided as part of the experience. The tour started at 8:45 am, and it didn’t end until a little after 4:00 in the evening. We really enjoyed ourselves, and it was a fantastic wedding anniversary.

This day long tour is expensive; it costs over $200 a person, and photos are strictly prohibited in backstage areas. We felt it was worth the price for all that we were able to see during the day. Hopefully, we can take more of these types of specialty tours in the future! Until next time, have a magical day and keep moving forward!

I just returned from an extended stay in Florida!!! Soon I will be relocating there but that is another story all together. I will keep you updated as the move progresses. For now let me just say I need a Disney fix to relax!!! For now I will leave you with some Recent Trip Observations:

Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride is worth riding! I rode it the night before it opened (with a FP+) and loved it! For me it is a great mix of all the things I love most about Big Thunder Railroad, Mount Everest and Splash Mountain! Watch for a more detailed review once I can ride it again.

Spice Road, the new eatery on the water in the Morocco Pavilion, is worth a try. We ate there one afternoon for a late lunch, early supper and found it quaint and quiet! We ate outside with a view of World Showcase Lagoon. The menu featured Mediterranean small plates and a fabulous white sangria.

There have been some changes to the Port Of Entry shop in EPCOT. I like it! You can get items from the countries around World Showcase, like caramel corn from Germany! So if you forgot something you can check there to pick it up.

The new Co-Op store at Downtown Disney is also worth a stop. I stopped in and fell in love with all of the house wares in Disney Centerpiece, the home goods store which is one of six shopping venues inside.

Swimming with the sharks is a must do at Typhoon Lagoon!!!

You can make Fast Pass + during your stay and the My Disney Experience site is getting more user friendly……but be careful, I canceled ALL my FP+ while checking to see what was available.

While there are many places to watch Illuminations, I do not recommend the area close to the refreshment port just past Germany even though there are chairs there! The view wasn’t the best.

Splitsville has great sushi!

And yes, Magic Bands make me sweat in the summer heat of Florida!!!

Look for more about these tidbits of information in future articles…until then keep sharing the magic!!!

The Disney quick-service dining plan can be a great money-saver… if you know how to use your credits to the most advantage. Here are some helpful hints to help you make the most of your quick-service dining plan.

Remember that opting for quick-service doesn’t mean not getting great experiences. Although quick-service dining can get a bad rap for having “repetitive” food choices or only serving “fast food,” keep in mind that this is not true at all. Many quick-service locations offer unusual options and amazing theming. For example, if you want to dine at the famous Beast’s castle, you can use a meal credit for lunch at the Be Our Guest restaurant in Magic Kingdom. There, you can eat uncommon entrees like Braised Pork Coq Au Vin Style or Quinoa Salad while dining in the forbidden West Wing or the grand ballroom. At the Tangierine Café in the Morocco pavilion in Epcot, you can sample traditional Moroccan cuisine such as the Shawarma Lamb Platter or the Mediterranean Falafel Wrap. A number of other locations offer cuisine that is a far cry from the regular hamburger and French fries, which is what many people think most quick-service locations offer.

Don’t waste your snack credits! A bottle of water might sound enjoyable, but would you rather use a whole snack credit on that or a huge caramel apple from the Confectionary? Instead, buy a bottle of water at the beginning of the trip (or bring your own from home) and refill using water fountains throughout the parks. You might be surprised to see how many delicious food items are included under the snack credit, so keep an eye out for those little purple DDP symbols.

Check to see which restaurants get you more food. While all quick-service lunch/dinner meals include an entrée, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage, some locations allow you to get more bang for your buck. For example, a meal credit at the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in the Norway pavilion in Epcot includes a sandwich, a salad or fruit cup, a Norwegian dessert, and a choice of beverage (which includes a bottle of Voss Artesian Water… fancy!), while other locations may only offer an entrée, a dessert, and a beverage.

Remember that you can use your meal credits whenever you want during your vacation. Just because you are given an allowance of two meals and one snack per day doesn’t mean that you have to use those three credits at the same times every day. For example, if you would rather use a snack credit to get a pastry for breakfast and save the two meal credits for lunch and dinner, that’s no problem. Or if you don’t use a snack credit one day, that just means that you have one extra snack credit that can be used later in the trip. Almost everything can be fitted to your family’s needs!

A few quick-service locations don’t offer kid’s menus, so they can order any entrée on the menu. Although the kid’s meals with some quick-service locations may be limited, a few select locations don’t offer a children’s menu so kids are allowed to order off of the “adult” menu. These restaurants include Casey’s Corner and the Lunching Pad in Magic Kingdom, Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the Great Britain pavilion in Epcot, Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner in Hollywood Studios, and Dino Diner in Animal Kingdom.

The quick-service dining plan offers some amazing deals and cuisine for you and your family to sample. So go on — give it a try! You might be surprised at how pleased you are with the end result.

During my family’s recent trip to Disney World over the Memorial Day weekend, two special events brought even more excitement and energy to the parks than usual. Not only were we able to participate in the Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour event in the Magic Kingdom, we also headed over to Hollywood Studios for Star Wars Weekends. A common denominator in the palpable feeling of excitement at the two parks was the presence of characters.

Characters were everywhere!!

Park goers showed their Disney side by showing their passion for characters in a couple ways. First of all, many, many people dressed up as characters at both events. The Magic Kingdom was full of guests dressed as princesses, fairies, pirates, monsters, and even the fearsome Maleficent. It was great fun to wait in line for our first ever ride on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with a young girl dressed as Tinker Bell, whose wings tried to take flight each time we passed under the thoughtfully mounted fans (it was hot that day!!) above the queue.
In Hollywood Studios, guests were dressed up as their favorite Star Wars characters from both the light and dark sides of the force, and of course there were many Disney cast members perfectly portraying characters such as Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul. The biggest gathering of characters at the Studios took place during the Legends of the Force Motorcade, which included not only characters such as Disney’s Jedi Mickey and Darth Vader Goofy but also numerous members of the 501st Legion volunteer organization sharing their incredibly authentic-looking Star Wars costumes with the cheering crowd.

Naturally, when all these characters appear, we all want to meet them, and so another way that park goers showed their fervor for characters was by lining up for meet and greets. At the Magic Kingdom, characters appeared throughout the day as usual, but some of the more unusual ones kept guests invigorated into the wee hours. These included the Bowler Hat Guy, Dr. Facillier, Lotso, the Queen of Hearts, and Hades, among others appearing until after 5 a.m.

At Hollywood Studios, we stood in line to meet an incredible variety of Star Wars characters, including Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, Asajj Ventress, Ahsoka Tano, and Commander Cody. My boys enjoyed trading trinkets with the wandering Jawas and goofing with the wandering Storm Troopers. The rewards of meeting with these characters were huge as they all truly acted their parts. Ventress stared down many a young fan, and Anakin Skywalker chatted with my boys for several minutes by inquiring about the progress of their Jedi training.

By focusing on characters at special events, Disney has hit the jackpot in terms of getting people excited about and involved in the Disney experience. The characters at the Rock Your Disney Side event and Star Wars Weekends prove that characters are a powerful force for uniting park goers in common celebration. It will be no surprise if Disney introduces more events that highlight characters. In fact, the just announced Villains Unleashed event at Hollywood Studios on August 23 is no surprise at all. Get ready for some more character-focused fun!!!