2011 was a great year for the Walt Disney World Resort.  There were a lot of changes and additions to greet guests that visited Disney World this past year.  Let's take a look back at 2011 and check out some of the special shows, events, and attractions that occurred:


"Let The Memories Begin"
The celebration theme for the Walt Disney World Resort for 2011 was "Let The Memories Begin."  The biggest new addition in honor of this celebration was the night time projection show on Cinderella Castle called "The Magic, The Memories, and You!"  This innovative transformation of Cinderella Castle into a video screen went way beyond watching a simple image projected onto the castle.  This 10 minute show brought a multitude of elements to life including images taken each day of guests enjoying the Magic Kingdom.


ESPN The Weekend
This past March saw the final occurrence of the ESPN The Weekend Special Event at Disney's Hollywood Studios.  This was an opportunity for Disney World Guests to get to see and interact with ESPN personalities and star athletes from a number of sports. 

In the above picture you can see Dick Vitale talking to the crowd with a panel of NBA Hall Of Famers and Legends behind him: Kevin McHale, Karl Malone, Alonzo Mourning, & Gary Payton.  This was an example of one of the many sessions that took place that Disney World guests could get up close to see and here some of their sports idols.

Wild Africa Trek
Disney's Animal Kingdom introduced a new type of tour that takes you closer to the action than ever before.  The Wild Africa Trek literally gave guests a new perspective in viewing the animals throughout the Harambe Wildlife Reserve.


Disney Junior - Live On Stage!
Disney's Hollywood Studios updated their hit attraction for pre-school age guests by transforming "Playhouse Disney-Live On Stage" to "Disney Junior-Live On Stage!" thereby incorporating a new line-up of characters that your pre-schoolers know and love.  Now you can find Jake and the Never Land Pirates and favorites from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and the Little Einsteins performing in this great show for kids.


Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
Perhaps the biggest "new" attraction to hit Disney World in 2011, was the dramatic refurbishments done to Star Tours.  In what turned out to be the best updating of an attraction ever, Star Tours-The Adventures Continue became an attraction that now has guests clamoring to ride multiple times so that they can experience several of the multiple show sequences that are mixed randomly.  This makes each ride different along with the addition of 3-D effects, improved sound, and the inclusion of many of your favorite Star Wars characters.


Enchanted Tiki Room
Another change that Disney World Guests had been asking for finally came to fruition during 2011.  After an unfortunate fire damaged the Tiki Room, Disney Imagineers changed the show back to something closer to the original to the delight of Disney fans.  The annoying voice of Gilbert Gottfried is no longer part of this attraction!


Disney World 40th Anniversary
On October 1st, 2011 the Walt Disney World Resort celebrated its 40th Anniversary.  Special Ceremonies were held in the Magic Kingdom to mark the day.  Meg Crofton addressed the crowded that gathered around Cinderella Castle to pay tribute to Walt Disney and the Disney Company on this momentous occasion.

The best sights around the Magic Kingdom that day were actually all of the great Disney World fans and their homemade shirts and costumes honoring this special day.

If you are travelling to the Walt Disney World  Resort with young children get ready for a magical vacation that only Disney World can provide.  The best way to take advantage of what the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer is to do your research and plan ahead.  Only WDWorld will help you plan your upcoming Disney World Vacation by sharing some of the Top Restaurants, Shows, & Attractions for Families with Young Children that should be on your "Disney Must Do List."


Disney World Restaurants
When dining with young children there are several factors to keep in mind:

• Kid friendly food choices while still offering great food for adults to enjoy.
• Fast food service to keep children from getting restless.
• Entertainment while you are eating to make it an experience that they will remember long after the vacation is over.

Fortunately Disney World offers several restaurants that provide dining experiences that meet all of these criteria.  They are called Disney Character Dining Experiences and there are several to choose from.  All are located at restaurants that offer either buffet or family style service in order to speed up the food service and provide ample food and choices no matter how picky your young eater is.


Here are our Top Recommendations:

• Chef Mickey's - This buffet meal served at Disney's Contemporary Resort is hosted by none other than Mickey Mouse himself!  No Disney World Vacation is complete without spending time with Mickey and this is the best way to do so.  Mickey and friends not only entertain the entire restaurant, but they make personal stops at each table for autograph signing and photo opportunities.
• 1900 Park Fare - This buffet restaurant housed in the luxurious Grand Floridian Resort may not be as well known as dining in Cinderella Castle, but this may be the best way to meet Cinderella, Prince Charming, and the Step Sisters.
• Crystal Palace - This buffet located within the Magic Kingdom is host to Winnie The Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore.  The food is great and even the adults can't wait to get their picture taken with Pooh and Tigger.
• Princess Storybook Dining At Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot Norway.  This might be the best way for your little Princess to meet the Disney Princesses.  Although you may not always get to see Cinderella, your will get to meet a large number of the other Disney Princesses while dining here.  The photo opportunities that you get here are priceless as each Princess comes to your table to sign autographs and pose for pictures with your family.

• Festival Of The Lion King - This live action show with your favorite characters from The Lion King has singing, dancing, acrobatics, and audience participation that is enjoyed by Disney Fans of all ages.
• Finding Nemo - The Musical - Disney made a daring move by turning a non-musical movie into a musical stage show with tremendous success.  You will love the puppetry and live singing.  A must see that is loved by all ages.
• Flights Of Wonder - The animal lovers in your family will enjoy this show that features 20 species of live birds.  Here you learn about the birds while you are entertained. 

• Beauty and the Beast - Live On Stage - This Broadway Style Musical brings this Disney Animated Classic to life right before your eyes with bright costumes and great singing and dancing.  Another favorite for guests of all ages.
• Disney Junior Live On Stage - See your favorite Disney Junior Characters in this special show geared for young children.

• When visiting the Magic Kingdom don't forget to catch one or more of the Parades.  Currently the afternoon parade is the Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade and the night time parade is the Main Street Electrical Parade.  They are totally different experiences and a great time to grab a snack and relax, while watching the parade go by.
• The Dream Along With Mickey Stage Show takes place in front of Cinderella Castle.  See Mickey Mouse and Friends sing, dance, and battle Maleficent.
• Monsters Inc Laugh Floor - Meet Mike Wazowski and your other favorite characters from Monsters Inc in this kid friendly live comedy show featuring animated characters interacting with the crowd.

Epcot
In Epcot the best entertainment is found in the various countries of the World Showcase.  In addition to the entertainment listed below there are opportunities for children to interact with Cast Members from each Country to learn what life is like there.

• Jeweled Dragon Acrobats - these Chinese Acrobats will astonish the on-looking crowd with their feats of balance, flexibility, and daring.
• Miyuki - The "Candy Lady" demonstrates an age-old Japanese tradition by creating beautiful animals right before your eyes from the taffy-like candy.
• Turtle Talk With Crush - This is your chance to interact with an animated Crush from Finding Nemo.  Be amazed as he interacts with the crowds and answers questions from the children in the crowd.

Disney World Attractions For Young Children
What is a theme park without attractions?  Disney World may contain 4 of the most highly 'themed', theme parks in the world.  For Disney it is all about the story telling and from the moment you enter the parks, you become part of the story.  Each attraction has a story to tell and even the queues that you wait in are highly themed and start the process of telling the story for the attractions.  Here are the attractions that we recommend the most for young children:


Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Kilimanjaro Safaris - Travel on a "two-week" safari of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve to see an amazing array of animals in their natural habitats.
• Affection Section at Rafiki's Planet Watch - Get a chance to pet the animals and spend some time learning about them.
• Tricera Top Spin - This dinosaur themed "Dumbo-style" ride is great for all ages.

• Toy Story Midway Mania - This continues to be the most popular attraction in all of Disney World.  These series of games are easy to play, but hard to master.  Shoot the targets to score points, but most of all Have Fun!
• Muppet*Vision 3-D - The Muppets are at it again, but this time they venture to the realm of 3-D pranks and gags.  Fun filled entertainment and corny jokes that the whole family will love.
• Voyage Of The Little Mermaid - This attraction/show takes you to the world of Ariel and her underwater friends.  See amazing puppets and great live action performances. (Caution some scenes are dark and Ursula can be scary to young children.)

• Mickey's Philharmagic - A 3-D romp with Donald Duck through scenes of your favorite Disney Animated Classics.  Mickey Mouse comes in to save the day and restore order to the calamity that Donald causes.
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin - Shoot targets to score points and help Buzz Lightyear stop the Evil Emporer Zurg.
• "it's a small world" - Classic Disney Attraction in a park filled with classics.  Just sit back, sing along, and enjoy the multitude of animatronic figures performing.
• Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room - This musical show has returned to its roots and is better than ever.  be serenaded by a variety of birds, flowers, and tikis during this Polynesian flavored show.
• Peter Pan's Flight - Take off with Peter Pan as you fly over London and through Neverland.  This ingenious ride vehicle provides a great experience in this classic attraction.

• Soarin' - Epcot's most popular attraction with all age groups.  Hang glide over the best sights that California has to offer.
• The Seas With Nemo & Friends - Take a ride on a Clamobile through the world of Finding Nemo and into a vast array of marine life including dolphins, sharks, rays, and sea turtles.
• Journey Into Imagination With Figment - Follow Figment the dragon through a lesson in how to use your imagination.

If you are planning to visit the Walt Disney World Resort in the early part of 2012, here is some important information to help you while planning your Vacation.  All dates are considered tentative and may change.  The biggest closures during this time is Dumbo and the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Magic Kingdom® Park

• Plaza Ice Cream Parlor  01/04/12 - 03/27/12
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant  01/09/12 - 02/17/12
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad  01/09/12 - 05/27/12

Epcot®

• Tutto Italia Ristorante  01/07/12 - 04/30/12
• Innoventions: House of Innoventions exhibit  12/04/11 - May 2012

Disney's Hollywood Studios®

• Sounds Dangerous  Closed; Operates Seasonally
• Fantasmic!   01/09/12 - 02/12/12
• Studio Backlot Tour  02/13/12 - 03/10/12

Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Kali River Rapids  01/23/12 - 02/9/12

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Annual Refurbishment   12/04/11 - 03/17/12

Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park
None

Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village
Pool Slide at Samawati Springs Pool - The pool will remain open. Guests may use the pool slide at Jambo House.    01/09/12 - 02/03/12

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Grand Floridian Spa - As part of some planned changes for Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, there's currently construction going on near the Grand Floridian Spa. The spa will temporarily close on Sept. 19 and reopen in approximately 18 months. During this construction, the Fitness Center will remain open. Guests may be referred to The Spa at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort for spa services.     09/19/11 - Mid 2013

Disney's Polynesian Resort
Beach Sand Renourishment - Portions of the beach will be worked on at a time.   01/04/12 - 01/16/12

It's time to plan your 2012 Walt Disney World Resort Vacation.  There are no bad times to visit Disney World, but there are times where you can experience one of the many Disney World Special Events that occur each year.  In this article we will review the calendar for 2012 so that you can choose the dates that match up with your favorite event!

Disney World 2012 Special Event Calendar

Walt Disney World Marathon - Jan 5-8
The king of the runDisney events with the Disney World Half Marathon and Disney World Marathon being run on consecutive days.  Those crazy, I mean talented enough, to run both events qualify for a special Goofy Race & A Half Challenge Medal.  It's too late to register to run, but you can still check out the action and cheer on the thousands of runners.

Since this is an annual event, you can start planning for the 2013 Disney World Marathon now!

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend, Feb 24-26
This endurance race is for the inner Princess in all women.  It's not about winning, but being willing to put in the training to finish this 13.1 mile race.  It is one of the largest distance races for women in the country.


Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, Mar 7 - May 20
This Epcot annual event brings millions of blooms and over a hundred incredible topiaries to Epcot each year in this must see Disney World Special Event.


Star Wars Weekends
For four Weekends each year Disney's Hollywood Studios becomes the Mecca for Star Wars fans.  The Star Wars Weekends combines costumed Star Wars Characters, celebrities that either starred in or helped create the Star Wars Movies, and interactive sessions for Star Wars Fans.  Whether you are a Star Wars Trivia expert or a casual fan, this is an incredibly fun event that you should make a point to see.


Epcot International Food & Wine Festival - Sept 28 - Nov 11
This is the ultimate Disney World Special Event that many Disney Fans and local Floridians look forward to each year.  A combination of international Food and Beverage Kiosks, Wine Seminars, Cooking Demonstrations, and great entertainment make for an incredible Festival that can be enjoyed at Epcot each Fall.


Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon, Nov 9-10
The 3rd of the 3 Half Marathons that are part of the annual runDisney line-up at Disney World is a night race that travels through 3 Disney World theme parks and ends up in a late night party at Epcot during the Food & Wine Festival.  A great experience certainly worth training for!


Holidays/Christmas At Disney World, mid-Nov - end-Dec
Disney World certainly knows how to celebrate the Winter Holidays, especially Christmas!  From the middle of
November through the end of December Disney World brings out an unbelievable multitude of decorations and special entertainment that stretches across all four theme parks, the Disney World Resorts, and the Disney Shopping Districts.  

Visit Disney World For A Special Event!
As mentioned earlier there is no bad time to visit Disney World, but for the return visitor, there are many incredible special events that are worth experiencing beyond the normal Disney Magic.  The hardest part is deciding which event to see.

The Disney Vacation Club has officially announced what rumours have speculated for months.  The newest addition to the DVC at the Walt Disney World Resort will be part of the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  The new villas will include 147 villas to open late in 2013 near Disney's Wedding Pavilion.  This will be the second Disney Vacation Club property to be located along the Magic Kingdom Monorail loop joining the recently added Bay Lake Tower Villas at Disney's Contemporary Resort.


Here is the official announcement from the Disney Vacation Club:

Villas in the works for Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Disney Vacation Club is developing an estimated 147 villas as part of the previously announced expansion of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Estimated to open in late 2013 near Disney's Wedding Pavilion, the resort's slated to become the 12th Disney Vacation Club property.

"We continually look for ways to expand Disney Vacation Club by creating resort experiences that our Members will love," said Claire Bilby, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Vacation Club. "With the continued popularity of Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, we are thrilled to offer our Members and Guests a new resort option along the monorail beam with easy access to the Magic Kingdom Park, as well as a variety of shopping, dining and recreation experiences."

There is a hidden gem within Disney's Animal Kingdom that is often overlooked when discussions turn to Walt Disney World Resort Restaurants.  It is a fairly recent addition to the animal focused theme park and it wins for both incredible theming and great Asian inspired food.


Yak & Yeti Restaurant
The Yak & Yeti Restaurant is one of only two Table Service Restaurants that can be found within Disney's Animal Kingdom.  When this theme park opened, there were none and Disney recognized that they needed to correct this oversight.  Disney World Theme Park Guests have become accustomed to experiencing great themed restaurants in addition to the normal park attractions.


Incredible Theming
The Yak & Yeti Restaurant does not disappoint when it comes to theming.  It is anything, but your typical restaurant and it is worth dining there just to get a chance to explore the restaurant and look at all of the artifacts and decorations you will find within.  There are two stories and multiple rooms with each adding a different flavor of decor to enjoy.



Great Asian Cuisine
The Yak & Yeti is not just a greatly themed restaurant, the food is definitely a great reason to visit also. The Asian themed food here gets better guest reviews than the Nine Dragons Restaurant in Epcot.  During a recent visit my family of four tried four different entrees on the Yak & Yeti menu.

• Baby Back Ribs
• Shaoxing Steak and Shrimp
• Maple Tamarind Chicken
• Kobe Beef Burger
• Seared Miso Salmon
• Crispy Mahi Mahi
• Duck with Anandapur Glaze
• Tempura Shrimp
• MalAsian Seafood Curry
• Stir Fried Beef and Broccoli
• Sweet & Sour Chicken or Pork
• Bourbon Chicken

There is a wide variety to the menu featuring Steak, Chicken, Pork, Seafood, and Vegetarian items.  There is certainly something that everyone in your group will enjoy.



Yak & Yeti Restaurant - Recommended!
If you are looking for a place to dine during your day at Disney's Animal Kingdom strongly consider eating at the Yak & Yeti Restaurant.  This air conditioned oasis not only provides great food at reasonable prices compared to other Disney World Table Service Restaurants, but the theming is incredible.  It is like an attraction itself with all of the artifacts and decorations that you will find inside.

The Walt Disney World Resort welcomes its newest version of The Three Little Pigs at Disney's Animal Kingdom.  These rare kunekune pigs from New Zealand are not actors, but they are cute.  You also don't have to worry about them being chased by the Big Bad Wolf, these three little pigs will be staying at Rafiki's Planet Watch in the Affection Section so that Disney World Guests will be able to get a close up look at this rare breed and a chance to interact.



Here is the Disney Press Release:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Dec. 13, 2011 – The Animal Care team at Conservation Station has some new animals to brag about with the arrival of three kunekune pigs, a rare breed that has just made its debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.


Found in New Zealand but believed to have originated in China, kunekune pigs also are known as Maori pigs after the first people of New Zealand. “Kunekune” means “plump” in the Maori language. Kunekunes nearly became extinct in the 1980s before breeding efforts increased their numbers.

To help with the pigs’ care at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and to acclimate them to the up-close experience with Guests at Affection Section, animal keepers have been working with the kunekune pigs on a variety of behaviors. This training, which is similar to techniques used with pets, helps keeps the pigs fit, intellectually stimulated and comfortable around Guests.

“Most people have heard about endangered species in reference to wild animals, but many domestic animals are at risk of extinction as well,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Animals, Science and Environment for Disney Parks. “By showcasing rare domestic breeds, like babydoll sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats and kunekune pigs at Affection Section, we are helping our Guests learn more about them and how they can help.”

Fun facts about kunekune pigs:
•Kunekunes are a small breed that usually weighs from 90-120 pounds when fully grown. They have a round body, a short up-turned snout and a curly tail. Some have a wattle (a fleshy growth hanging from the neck).
•The pigs can be black, white, ginger (red), brown or gold tipped, and their coats can be spotted, striped, marbled, solid, curly, smooth, rough, long or short.
•They are grazers and foragers. They eat shrubs, weeds, bird eggs, snakes and mice, and usually don’t root.