Disney World News Today

I love staying at a Disney Resort hotel. I’ve stayed at nearly all of them in Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. The first Disney hotel my family stayed at was Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in summer 1992. There is something magical about staying at a Disney resort (I love that blast of cool air when entering a hotel lobby). My favorite place is Disney’s Polynesian Resort as I like pretending I’m on a tropical island somewhere in the South Pacific (and they have a Dole Whip machine!). New merchandise featuring a few favorite Disney Resort hotels is arriving this summer. I recently gave you a sneak preview of these new items in an article about summer merchandise. This time, I caught up with Disney Design Group artist Tim Whalen who created the artwork for this new Resort logo program

This week’s “Caption This” photo comes from inside the Enchanted Tiki Room here at Magic Kingdom Park

Disney guests Angela Fry of Las Vegas (l) and Diane York of Irvine, Calif., sample the Kalua Pork Slider and beverages from the Hawaii marketplace and other international kiosks at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which runs Sept. 27-Nov. 11, 2013. (Matt Stroshane, photographer) Guests can sample wine, cheese and ethnic tastes from

Jim looks back at Disney’s connection to the Windy City

On June 17, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, will launch a new free level of membership, as well as a massive reimagining of its D23.com website, opening up the wonderful worlds of Disney like never before to its members. The website will provide access to newly digitized content that delves deeply into The Walt Disney Company’s vault of material, past and present, along with exclusive glimpses of the future.

In addition to its existing gold and silver levels, this new free level includes:

Access to all exclusive content on D23.com
Exclusive, limited-edition merchandise and collectibles
Subscription to Weekly D23 FanFare E-newsletter with breaking news and special offers
Discounted tickets to the D23 Expo 2013: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
Access to the Members Only content on D23.com
An array of discounts and special offers

D23.com will continue to offer the latest Disney news free to all guests who visit the site. But D23 Members can unlock even more magic in each section by logging in and accessing content whenever a golden key is shown

Fall 2013 is a grand celebration at Walt Disney World Resort, with the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, Boo-tiful Fun, Night of Joy, an Opening Fit for a Princess and more leading up to the holidays. On land – and sea – Disney guests will find unrivaled excitement. As temperatures cool, the fun heats up. Here’s a look at what’s ahead

Beginning Thursday, May 23, current Disney Vacation Club members will be able to purchase real estate interests at what will be Disney Vacation Club’s 12th resort. General sales will begin June 19.

Disney Vacation Club is building 106 two-bedroom equivalent villas on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon as part of a previously announced expansion of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa that will also include a lively children’s water-play area and other amenities.

Once opened, the new property will feature deluxe studios and one-bedroom villas that sleep five guests, as well as two-bedroom villas that sleep nine guests. Additionally, expansive grand villas will sleep 12 guests and will feature multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as a media room with a home theater system, all designed to bring families closer to create memories that last a lifetime. All of the deluxe studios and villas will feature decor reminiscent of the Victorian era, made playful and relaxed with classic Disney touches

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the site of Star Wars Weekends, a Star Wars fan-fest, which take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 17-June 9, 2013. The event features Star Wars parades, celebrity appearances, live entertainment, limited-edition merchandise releases, behind-the-scenes presentations and special editions of Jedi Training Academy. Most Star Wars Weekends activities are included in regular theme park admission

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks aren’t the only places to have a monstrous time during this Friday’s all-nighter at the Disneyland Resort … the Downtown Disney District is also getting in on the fun with extended hours and more. Check it out

I started my Disney career as part of the Walt Disney World Resort College Program in the fall of 1997. In those days, my roommates and I spent a lot of time at Downtown Disney, mostly at Pleasure Island. I remember hearing about something new coming to the West Side – a giant five-story building filled with virtual reality games, arcade classics and cool interactive experiences you couldn’t find anywhere else