WaltDisneyWorld

Play Disney Parks App

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

The new Play Disney Parks App (downloadable free from the App store and Google Play) is an app whose time has come! It makes exploring and enjoying Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort even more fun, if you can believe that. One app works in both Orlando and Anaheim.

So, what exactly is the Play Disney Parks App? It was designed to bring families and friends even closer while enjoying the theme parks. Let’s face it, waiting in lines (queues) is what we all endure when we go to Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and any of the parks in Walt Disney World. If you look at people in the parks, many of them are standing with their heads down staring at their phones. Well, as long as they are doing this, they might as well incorporate their smart phone with the attraction and share the experience with family and friends.

The mobile app has several modes of play, and some can be played at home too. However, while you are in Disneyland and waiting for the Peter Pan’s Flight attraction, why not play together? Before you even get to the building, there are plenty of fun Q&A games to play. Only one smart phone is needed. The questions are asked to individuals in your party. 2-5 players can play on one phone. Then, when you get to the building part of the queue, there are hidden items to locate and check off on the app. And when you get to the magical lantern, the app will show your party a little magic.

There are several attractions already connected with the app, however if you’re waiting in line for an attraction that doesn’t yet have a special connection, there are some trivia games that will challenge everyone, from young to old.

Another aspect of the app is the Apple Music feature. You can listen to Walt Disney’s Disneyland opening remarks at the location where they were said. And there is plenty of Disney music to play throughout the parks and at home.

Guests ages 13 and older (with a Disney account) can earn achievements while playing with the app.

As Jonathan Ackley, Executive Creative Director Imagineering and Creator of Play Disney Parks, said, it “turns wait time into play time.” The more you explore and play, the more magic there is to encounter.

The technology is being incorporated into the Star Wars Galaxy Edge lands while they are being built in Florida and California. Currently in Anaheim the attractions that have already been specifically associated with the app are Space Mountain, Toy Story Mania, and Peter Pan’s Flight, with more to come.

The Play Disney Parks App provides an immersive experience beyond what the parks already offer. With interactivity and engagement, families and friends spend their time together, while being “together.” This is a multi-generational experience and one sure to add to the fun of Disney Parks.

On a personal note: I played this while waiting for the Peter Pan attraction. It turned the 30-minute wait time into a lot of fun. How’s that for Disney magic?

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Take advantage of Disney’s Magical Express when visiting WDW

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



When going to Walt Disney World, the best way to experience little extras is to stay at one of the resorts on the property. They offer additional park hours for guests as well as plenty of fun within the resorts. Getting to and from a Walt Disney World resort is easy and convenient with the Magical Express.

When you make your reservation at one of the many (and different) resorts at WDW, make sure you add the complimentary Magical Express to your plans. They will mail you luggage tags that identify your bags as going to a specific WDW resort. Once you land at Orlando, you have two choices. You can either collect your luggage yourself and take them to the Magical Express gateway, or you can simply go directly to the Magical Express and let the airport staff collect your bags and send them to your resort.

If you don’t collect your own bags, your luggage will eventually make their way to your hotel room while you are out enjoying the parks. Although, if you arrive later in the evening, you would probably benefit from collecting your own luggage as sometimes it takes several hours for your bags to make it to your resort.

Once you are on the Magical Express, sit back and let the driver take you to your resort without all the hassles of dealing with a taxi or the city traffic. Sit back, watch the video, and soon you’ll be registering at your resort, ready to take in all the sights and sounds of Walt Disney World.

When you are ready to return home, the folks at the Magical Express will print your boarding pass and take your luggage. All you have to do is to board the bus and in about a half hour you’ll be at the airport. Your luggage will arrive separately but will be tagged to your flight so they will fly with you. To make sure you make it to your flight on time and to assure your luggage makes it onto your flight (because they go by a separate truck), your reservations on the Magical Express are usually set for three hours before your flight time. But there are plenty of stores and restaurants at the Orlando airport to occupy your time if you have some last minute gifts to purchase.

Whatever you do, when you stay at a WDW resort, by all means take advantage of the Magical Express.

About the Author

Roy Brokaw writes about interesting things to do and places to see. He is also an accomplished travel photographer.

What’s new and coming to Walt Disney World? Plenty!

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



Walt Disney World is continually growing and evolving. So, what’s in store for the near future? The construction has begun on several projects that will add convenience, fun, and enjoyment for guests.

First, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is adding a new 15-story tower. The tower will have additional dining areas, including a rooftop restaurant where guests will be able to see plenty of WDW far and wide. And at night some of the fireworks displays from different theme parks will be visible from the restaurant.

“For many of our guests, magical memories begin at one of our 27-themed resorts each and every day,” said Josh D’Amaro, senior vice president of Walt Disney World Resort Operations. “At Walt Disney World Resort, we continue to expand our portfolio and invest in new resort developments that allow even more guests to be immersed in all that a Disney resort has to offer.”

Additionally, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is adding a new waterfront dining area and new shopping experience.

There is also a new resort being built in WDW. Disney Riviera Resort will also include a rooftop restaurant with nighttime views of EPCOT and Disney Hollywood Studios. Disney Riviera Resort is also a Disney Vacation Club property, adding another option to the many resorts available to DVC members. This is the 15th property for members.

Toy Story Land just opened in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This 11-acre land is filled with plenty of fun as the guests become toys in Andy’s back yard. With three attractions – Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, and Toy Story Mania – plus Woody’s Lunch Box restaurant along with other activities and intricate details throughout the land (including Andy’s shoeprints), this is a fun place for all the fans of Woody, Buzz, and the entire gang.

Opening in late fall of 2019 is the new Star Wars land where guests will be completely immersed in the Star Wars galaxy. It is described as “one of the most ambitious projects” tackled by the Imagineers at Disney. Guests will be transported to the Black Spire Outpost, just as they have been to Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. With the geographic formations and all the sights and sounds of the planet Batuu, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be a completely new experience.

To go along with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will also be a new Star Wars themed resort where guests will be able to continue their interplanetary experience after leaving the park.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios next year (2019) will be the first ride-through attraction with Mickey and Minnie. “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” transports humans inside the cartoon world. Don’t ask me how they are going to do this. I cannot explain it, but I can say that it looks like it will be an incredible and fun experience with the visual effects.

And speaking of Minnie, the Minnie Van service at WDW just started transporting guests around the property. If you don’t want to wait for a complimentary Disney Transport bus or a monorail or a boat on any of the property’s waterways, you can call for a Minnie Van. These adorable red and white vehicles can be ordered through Lyft on your Smart Phone and serve as your personal transportation throughout WDW. Sometimes you want to go from one resort to another, and if you have spent any time at WDW you know that can be a daunting experience. Now all you have to do is to call for a Minnie Van to take you wherever you want to go.

And while we’re on the subject of transportation, the new Skyliner is a transportation system (like the old skybuckets) that provide a fun view of the land below while transporting guests from Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century, Disney Riviera, and Caribbean Beach resorts to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at EPCOT. Disney’s Skyliner skyway transportation buckets are just one more way of getting around WDW.

And finally, the Play Disney Parks app was just released. “Play Disney Parks represents the next step in how we use innovative digital technology to enhance the guest experience in our parks,” said Vivek Sharma, Senior Vice President of Digital Guest Experience and eCommerce for Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products. “The app is designed to help guests immerse themselves in the Disney stories they know and love in a whole new way.”

The Play Disney Parks app is available for both WDW and Disneyland Resorts. There are games to play, quests to conquer inside the parks, and plenty to occupy your time while waiting for your next attraction. Plus there are special effects that will undoubtedly raise the level of fun for the shows in the parks and special magic as guests travel through the parks.

With the opening of Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure in Disneyland Resort, Florida and California have many new experiences for Disney fans and plenty just around the corner, or as Pocahontas says, “just around the river bend.” 2018 and 2019 are years of major growth at the Disney parks. Enjoy the magic.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw writes about travel, products, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Crescent Lake at Walt Disney World is a unique area

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



There are several lakes on the Walt Disney World property and Crescent Lake is just one. This is a unique location connecting three popular WDW resorts with EPCOT and Disney Hollywood Studios.

The Yacht Club resort is a magical place to stay. It’s situated next to the Beach Club resort and directly across the lake from the Boardwalk resort. Boat service is offered from one side of the lake to the other, so it’s easy for guests to visit the different resorts and take advantage of the various restaurants and fun associated with each specific resort. They are all built with the old charm of the spirit of coastal resort living and harken back to the days of summers spent at ocean side communities.

What also makes these three WDW resorts special is their proximity to both EPCOT and Disney Hollywood Studio. Both of these theme parks are accessible via the waterway (although at the time we were there the boat to Disney Hollywood was under construction to reinforce the bridges), and they can easily be accessed via short walks. The walk to EPCOT from the resorts is an easy one and takes a mere 20 minutes. You’ll enter EPCOT in the back in the International Gateway, not far from Great Britain. It’s an easy walk – actually a restful stroll – from the Yacht Club (or Beach Club or Boardwalk) to EPCOT.

Walking to Disney Hollywood Studios is a bit farther, so if you prefer to take the boat, that might be a good idea. After all, once you enter the park, there is still a lot of walking to do to see all the attractions and take advantage of everything there is inside the theme park.

Of course, to access any other area of WDW, each resort offers complimentary bus service so traveling to The Magic Kingdom from the Yacht Club Resort is no big deal. Simply catch the appropriate bus and leave the driving to them.

There are new resorts being built at WDW as well as the Skyliner that will soon connect several resorts with various parks. There is always construction and new and improved – as well as helpful – things coming to Walt Disney World. It never stops growing and every time guests visit, there is always something new to see and explore.

This time Toy Story Land opened in Disney Hollywood Studios (a short distance from Crescent Lake resorts). Next will be Star Wars, the Skyliner, and new resorts with more fun from the amazing Imagineers.

If your main goal is to experience EPCOT and Disney Hollywood Studios, consider one of the three resorts on Crescent Lake for easy access to the two theme parks.

About the Author

Roy Brokaw writes about interesting things to do and places to see. He is also an accomplished travel photographer.