I decided I’d try something new here in addition to opinion and review posts: a news update with all of the things that have happened in the past week or so, to have everything all in one place. So if you missed anything in Central Florida & Theme Park and Resort News, here you go!
Disney Parks let us in on a well-kept secret – that there will be another Disney 24 hour day in both the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World and Disneyland, on May 23 from 6am – May 24 at 6am. They also want you to come dressed up as your favorite character as they celebrate Heroes and Villains and hope guests will “Rock their Disney Side.” And, they are also giving away a coast-to-coast trip to the 24 Hour Day:
To enter, just tweet how you plan to “Rock” your Disney Side all season long, tagged with #DisneySideSweepsEntry. If you win, get ready to enjoy a coast-to-coast, 7-day/6-night Disney Parks vacation for 4—with back-to-back stays at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida followed by the Disneyland Resort in California, where you can enjoy the Rock Your Disney Side: 24-Hours event… live and in person! You can find out more, plus the official rules at DisneyParks.com.
In a galaxy far far away, we got some Star Wars Weekends news:
In order to convince more guests to join the Rebellion, a 5th weekend is now being added to Star WarsWeekends 2014. The new event dates are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 16-June 15, 2014. The theme for this year’s event is, appropriately, “Join the Rebellion.” Official Star Wars Weekends dates are as follows:
- Weekend I: May 16 – 18, 2014
- Weekend II: May 23 – 25, 2014
- Weekend III: May 30 – June 1, 2014
- Weekend IV: June 6 – 8, 2014
- Weekend V: June 13 – 15, 2014
There will also now be a nightly fireworks display rather than the Hyperspace Hoopla. More info on Star Wars Weekends here.
An all-new runDisney event, the Avengers Half Marathon was announced for Disneyland, November 14-16, 2014. Registration will begin at noon on March 25, so suit up!
Major changes were announced for the Magic Kingdom’s hub at Walt Disney World. While I was initially very worried about how this would look (and I’m still not really happy about the former Swan Boat landing looking inaccessible now?) it does look as though this new plan will fit into the existing layout and offer benefits as well. According to the Disney Parks Blog:
We’re adding several new elements to the area, including sculpted gardens, additional pathways, expanded restaurant seating and even a special viewing area for fireworks and other performances.
Here’s a flyover video of the changes to come:
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- At nearly 80 feet tall, Ihu’s Breakaway Falls has the tallest and steepest 360-degree spirals in the southern United States.
- Those who dare to brave Ihu’s Breakaway Falls will experience an almost vertical drop for nearly 40 feet, the steepest in the southern United States.
- Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is the longest water thrill slide of its kind featuring three “breakaway boxes” and four completely different slide paths. Once the floor disappears, riders will drop 20-24 feet per second.
Both SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are now offering a special $50 Weekday Ticket, on sale for only 50 days, good for a single weekday admission to either park, now through May 5, 2014, including spring break.
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Finally, in local resort news, the Hyatt Grand Cypress wants you to party like it’s 1984 with this special offer: