WDW Daily News

As we recently shared, Disney is working on ways to simplify the Disney Genie+ service, including offering the ability to plan before the day of your visit, which many Guests have asked for. They plan to share more news in the future, but in the meantime, they also want to improve the experience for guests using the service as it exists today, so they will be making an update as they continue to listen to guests.

Beginning June 27, Guests at Walt Disney World will now purchase Disney Genie+ service based on how they want to visit. Guests will be able to select either a single-park option or a multiple-parks option, subject to availability. With this update, prices may now be lower at some Walt Disney World theme parks compared to others. Guests will continue to be able to purchase Disney Genie+ service through the My Disney Experience app on the day of their visit.

By: Disney Destinations

June 14, 2023

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for planning a cruise vacation! This week, Disney Cruise Line not only announced 2024 fall itineraries for even more magical family vacations at sea, but also brand-new entertainment coming to Very Merrytime cruises in 2023. 

2023 Verry Merrytime Cruises

Looking to trade in white snow for white sand beaches? If so, Disney Cruise Line provides the perfect tropical setting for a family holiday getaway. With two brand-new entertainment experiences, Disney characters dressed in jolly new looks and fun-filled activities for the whole family, the high seas will be brimming with the spirit of the holidays later this year.

New Tree Lighting Ceremony

On the first night of all Very Merrytime sailings, guests will gather around the three-deck-tall tree in the ship’s atrium for a brand-new tree lighting ceremony. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy will invite families to sing along to classic holiday tunes, followed by a countdown that will not only make the tree merry and bright, but also introduce the guests of honor for the cruise 

“Deck” the Halls at Mickey and Minnie’s Holiday Party

Mickey and Minnie’s Holiday Party, another brand-new experience on these specialty sailings, will invite families to the upper decks for a one-of-a-kind celebration at sea filled with tidings of good cheer. This high-energy deck party – thrown by Mickey and Minnie – will feature favorite Disney friends as they celebrate friendship, love and family with a fresh mix of classic and original holiday songs.

Can’t get enough holiday décor? In addition to these new entertainment offerings, the Disney Cruise Line decks and halls will be filled with boughs of holly from bow-to-stern during Very Merrytime cruises. Aboard these seasonal sailings, guests will also find beloved Disney characters debuting new holiday attire, themed Very Merrytime activities for the entire family, carolers singing contemporary versions of songs that celebrate a myriad of holidays, commemorative merchandise and festive food and beverage items. 

With cruises from Florida and California, adults and children alike will discover the wonder of the holidays at sea in 2023. 

Disney Cruise Line will set sail from a new South Florida home in Fort Lauderdale, offering four- and five-night Very Merrytime cruises aboard the Disney Dream to tropical locales in the western Caribbean and Bahamas. Also from Florida, the Disney Wish and Disney Fantasy will continue sailing from Port Canaveral to The Bahamas and Caribbean. The Disney Magic will set sail to Baja and the Mexican Riviera from San Diego for holiday sailings before wrapping up the season in Galveston, Texas with Very Merrytime cruises to the western Caribbean.

Check out the latest construction photos for the new DVC tower at Polynesian Village Resort. There isn’t a lot to see at the moment but at least you can visualize the size of it.

Here is an artist rendering of what the final tower will look like.

When you stay in the magic this holiday season, you can save on select Disney Resort Hotels!

DISNEY+ OFFER

Disney+ subscribers save up to 35% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels from October 22 – November 2, 2023 and November 26 – December 25, 2023.

ROOM ONLY OFFER

You can save up to 25% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels on stays most nights October 2 to December 25, 2023.

FLORIDA RESIDENT OFFER

Florida Residents save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for stays most nights October 2 through December 25, 2023.

There will also be an Annual Passholder offer during this time period, with a savings of up to 35% at select hotels.

When you stay at a Disney Resort hotel, you’ll enjoy 30 minutes early entry to every theme park—every day.

For more details feel free to reach out to any Travel Agent at Wish Upon a Star with Us.

It’s a holiday vibe like never before. Sights of sparkling décor, sounds of modern beats over classic holiday songs, tastes of craft cocktails and decadent dishes. It’s nostalgic and it’s glitz and glam galore. This is Disney Jollywood Nights – a new, separately ticketed event from 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. on 10 select nights November 11-December 20, 2023.

Get ready to dress in your holiday glam best or festive flair, dance the night away to merry mashups, indulge in divine treats and bubbling spirits, and snap selfies with iconic characters during this new festive event. For an extra dose of cheer, the party wraps with the return of the nighttime spectacular, Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! You’ll be in fa la la la la la la la land before you can say Tinseltown!

Experience holiday vibes throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios with entertainment areas inspired by different genres

• Guests will be welcomed to Disney Jollywood Nights with a DJ spinning a mix of holiday tunes. Commissary Lane comes to life with a lively Latin Street Fair. Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy host a live holiday special at Theater of the Stars with some of their Disney friends. And… what’s this? Hyperion Theater will host a spirited sing-along – more details to come.
• Encounter glitz and glamor galore at two limited-capacity entertainment experiences – a jazz lounge at The Hollywood Brown Derby and an other-worldly soiree at The Hollywood Tower Hotel Courtyard.
• Wrap up the night and enjoy the return of a festive favorite, Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! This Santa-sized nighttime spectacular is jam-packed with music, fireworks, special effects and dazzling state-of-the-art projections.

Snap selfies with unique photo opportunities throughout the night

Read more

On 25 select nights, Nov. 9-Dec. 22, this separately ticketed event will welcome guests to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year at Magic Kingdom. Holiday magic is unwrapped with the return of festive favorites like the Christmas extravaganza stage show, “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration”, the sparkling spectacular “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks” and the merry must-see “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.” Guests can also look forward to enjoying some of their favorite classic and thrill attractions, including Tron Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise, which will use a virtual queue* during the event.

Tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are limited and can be purchased online beginning July 6. Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, and Shades of Green can begin purchasing tickets as early as June 29. Ticket prices will range from $159-$199 per person. The party dates are:

• November 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, 30
• December: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22

For the first time in forever, guests will be able to join Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and the Snowgies in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom for Frozen Holiday Surprise, a brand new Frozen-inspired entertainment experience that will illuminate the castle in a whole new way. This delightful new offering can be seen during regular park hours and during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting holiday addition.

Check out the latest construction photos from Splash Mountain/Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Take a look at some of the cool Pride merchandise around Walt Disney World.

June 13, 2023

The fun of fall and winter holidays will meet the magic of Disney Cruise Line in late 2024 with the return of Halloween on the High Seas and Very Merrytime Cruises. With rare itineraries to Hawaii and the South Pacific and more opportunities to visit Disney’s newest island destination in The Bahamas, families will have the chance to experience the fall seasons at sea in new and exciting ways.

Bookings open to the public on June 26, 2023. Clients that are Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club and select other affinity groups may take advantage of the following extended early booking windows:

• Pearl Castaway Club Members: Monday, June 19, 2023
• Platinum Castaway Club Members, Golden Oak and Club 33 Members: Tuesday, June 20, 2023
• Gold Castaway Club Members: Wednesday, June 21, 2023
• Silver Castaway Club Members, Disney Vacation Club and Adventure Insiders: Thursday, June 22, 2023
• Bookings open to all Guests: Monday, June 26, 2023 

Halloween on the High Seas

Halloween on the High Seas returns to Disney Cruise Line in mid-September through October 2024. This season of extra-special sailings will bring the fun of Halloween to guests on select cruises across the fleet with a host of added entertainment. Families will dress up and join Disney characters in their Halloween costumes; dance the night away at a spooky celebration on the upper decks; enjoy spinetingling themed food and beverages; and immerse themselves in a ghostly ship takeover with elaborate décor and a magical Pumpkin Tree.

From Port Canaveral, Florida, the Disney Wish will sail three- and four-night Bahamian voyages full of frightful fun, while the Disney Fantasy will offer these special themed cruises with lengths varying from four, six and seven nights. Four- and six-night sailings on board the Disney Fantasy will take families to The Bahamas, while seven-night escapes will transport guests to fan-favorite destinations throughout The Bahamas and Caribbean.

The Disney Magic will depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on vacations ranging from three to five nights to tropical destinations in The Bahamas and Caribbean. Select sailings on both the Disney Magic and the Disney Fantasy will include a chance for families to discover fun and relaxation at Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination in The Bahamas. Located on the island of Eleuthera at Lighthouse Point, this vibrant beach retreat will be a unique celebration of Bahamian culture brought to life with the quality and service of a Disney vacation.

Very Merrytime Cruises

From mid-November through December 2024, the Disney Cruise Line fleet will be decked from bow to stern with holiday cheer and entertainment during Very Merrytime Cruises. Holiday magic will be unwrapped for the whole family with joyful holiday décor; favorite characters in their finest festive attire; themed activities that are merry and bright; and celebrations on deck that are full of holiday spirit.

Families who want to spend the most wonderful time of the year with Disney Cruise Line will have opportunities to sail from two home ports in Florida, as well as a selection of cruises from Galveston, Texas. 

Short holiday getaways will be offered from both home ports in the Sunshine State, with a selection of three- and four-night Bahamian Very Merrytime voyages on the Disney Wish from Port Canaveral and four- and five-night cruises to The Bahamas and Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale aboard the Disney Dream. 

The Disney Fantasy will also embark a variety of four-night Very Merrytime sailings to The Bahamas, along with longer six- and seven-night itineraries in November and December. Select voyages on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy will include a day of fun in the sun along the white sand beaches of Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination at Lighthouse Point during the holiday season.  

Cheerful cruises from Galveston aboard the Disney Magic will range in length from four to six nights, allowing families to celebrate the holiday season together while visiting tropical ports of call throughout the Caribbean. 

Special Sailings to Hawaii and the South Pacific

In addition to the festive themed sailings, Disney Cruise Line guests can experience bucket-list itineraries in late 2024. The Disney Wonder will sail from Vancouver, Canada, to Honolulu, Hawaii, in late September with stops on the islands of Kauai, Maui and Hawaii before arriving in Oahu. From Hawaii, the Disney Wonder will embark on a transpacific voyage to Sydney, Australia, that will take families through the South Pacific to visit once-in-a-lifetime destinations such as Fiji, American Samoa and New Caledonia.

Disney Cruise Line will then set sail on its second season of vacations from Australia and New Zealand, bringing the magic of Disney close to home for local families in the region.