Traveling with 'Little Ones' Easier Than Ever With Disney's New Magical Beginnings

It's a small world after all

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Disney's Magical Beginnings is a new, breakthrough program devoted to families traveling with toddlers or preschoolers. It was custom designed based on both consumer research and guest feedback and is aimed at reducing the hassles and increasing the magic for parents when vacationing with toddlers and preschoolers.

"Magical Beginnings is all about making our parks and resorts even more accessible and appealing to a huge and important group of people -- families with very young children," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "Magical Beginnings reinforces our commitment to creating an easy-to-plan, easy-to-navigate vacation filled with activities that allow families to create lifelong memories."

Disney theme parks in Florida and California have always been the perfect playground for the whole family, but new attractions, shows and amenities make the parks and resort hotels even more welcoming to "little ones."

Timeless attractions, special kid's menus, character dining, children's programs, length-of-stay stroller rental at the theme parks, plus kiddie pools, play areas and in-room babysitting at Disney resort hotels were all created with young guests in mind.

The new Magical Beginnings program offers value travel packages, captivating entertainment, targeted planning tools and a host of services and amenities to make navigating Disney parks with children five years and younger easier then ever.

Recent research released by travel marketing experts Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown and Russell (YPB&R) shows that eight out of ten families believe the ideal age to take a first major vacation with children is when the children are five years old or younger. The research revealed the families are seeking family-friendly destinations that offer activities for both kids and parents. Florida and California are the states family travelers want to visit most, with Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort as the preferred destinations. And nine out of ten preschool parents would consider taking their young children on a theme park vacation as long as the park offered age-appropriate rides and services.

"Age-appropriate activities and attractions are very important to this group of family travelers," said Peter Yesawich, chairman and chief executive officer of YPB&R. "That's why theme parks and, in particular, the Disney parks, are a natural vacation choice for families vacationing with toddlers and preschoolers."

Rekindling childhood memories and creating new family traditions is easy at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts as each features myriad attractions and entertainment options relevant to preschoolers.

"We continue to survey our guests around the world and evaluate our attractions and entertainment to remain as relevant as possible," said Rasulo. "Magical Beginnings is really the product of that listening and research. We think this new Magical Beginnings season will really resonate with families with toddlers and preschoolers."

Walt Disney World Introduces a Travel Season Just for Little Ones

Walt Disney World Resort has created an exciting seven-week travel period filled with savings and special events ideal for youngsters and parents during a traditionally less busy time of year.

• From Aug. 13 to Sept. 30, these families can enjoy a new package that offers free dining for the entire family. Packages include a five-day, four-night stay at a value resort, "Magic Your Way" theme park tickets and free Disney Dining plan (one table-service meal, one snack and one quick-service meal per day). Packages begin at $950 for two adults and one child (ages 3-9), $173 per additional child.

• Throughout the special travel time Disney will showcase dynamic concerts and special entertainment for little ones. "Playhouse Disney in Concert," presented by Huggies and Pull-Ups brands, includes performances by Disney Channel favorites The Wiggles, who will perform multiple shows daily, Aug. 29-Sept. 1. The award-winning Australian foursome will rouse the crowd with songs like "Yummy, Yummy" and "Big Red Car" as they headline a kid-friendly concert at Disney-MGM Studios. Youngsters can dance and sing along with other favorites including the Doodlebops; Johnny & the Sprites, featuring Johnny Tartaglia; Dan Zanes and more -- all scheduled to appear during the seven-week travel time. Plus, Disney Live Family Entertainment featuring the new "Mickey's Magic Show" created by Feld Entertainment will make its first-ever park appearance.

• During the Little Ones Travel Time, Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom will open an hour early on select days for Disney guests and their small-fry for favorites such as Dumbo, the Flying Elephant, it's a small world and Peter Pan's Flight, and a new play area featuring water fountains, a tree house, crawl-through logs and more. Plus, youngsters can meet favorite characters during the special edition Extra Magic Hours. While guests must have Resort ID and valid ticketing for the parks offering this Fantasyland Extra Magic Hours, there is no additional charge to enjoy this extra time in the parks. This early access allows families with young ones to get an early start to their day and maximize park time before heading back to their Disney resort for an afternoon break.

• Character dining experiences have traditionally proven to be a great way to introduce little ones to Disney characters, with a dozen offerings throughout Disney parks and resorts. Coming this summer, kids can now dine and get autographs with Playhouse Disney pals JoJo and Goliath, and characters from Disney's Little Einsteins will meet and greet guests at Hollywood and Vine at Disney-MGM Studios.

• Other magical experiences for little ones include the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at World of Disney in Downtown Disney. A little girl can be transformed into her favorite princess with fancy hairstyles, glittery nails and dazzling costume makeovers. Reservations for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are strongly encouraged by calling 407/WDW-STYLE. And young adventurers can pretend to sail the high seas and hoist the Jolly Roger in the new, interactive Adventure Room in World of Disney. Young heroes and heroines can fill treasure chests and skulls with pirate plunder, create their own seafaring hat and interact with a new pirate named Rusty Blade.

• Planning a trip and navigating the parks will be easier than ever thanks to on-line planning tools, a Magical Beginnings in-park map highlighting age-appropriate attractions, hassle-reducing services and specially trained Disney reservation agents. For more information, visit disneyworld.com and select "Something For Everyone" and choose "Preschoolers" for more details and travel tips.

• Guests traveling by air don't need to worry about carting their luggage and their little ones through the airport. With the innovative and complimentary Disney's Magical Express, guests check their bags at their hometown airport, bypass baggage claim at Orlando International Airport and are whisked to all the Disney fun while their bags are delivered to their hotel rooms. The Disney magic even extends to the trip home for guests flying on many major airlines as guests can check their bags and get their boarding passes right at their Disney resort hotel.

Bookings for the new travel package during the Little Ones Travel Time at Walt Disney World Resort can be made through June 4 by calling 407/WDW-PREK or a local travel agent, or by visiting disneyworld.com/preK. For more information on Magical Beginnings, contact disneymagicalbeginnings.com.

Disneyland Resort Launches Magical Beginnings, Where Disney Magic Began

The best way to introduce little ones to the magic of Disneyland Resort in Southern California where Disney theme park magic began is with the Magical Beginnings travel package, available Aug. 13-Nov. 21, 2006. Two-night packages start from $239 per adult. Package highlights include:

• Accommodations at a conveniently located Anaheim-area Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor Hotel, with complimentary shuttle service to the Disneyland Resort Main Entrance ticketing plaza.

• 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket, valid for same-day entry into both Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park.

• Early entry into Fantasyland in Disneyland, where families can take advantage of a morning head-start on the most charming of Disneyland attractions such as Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Storybook Land Canal Boats, King Arthur's Carrousel and it's a small world.

• One entry into Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness -- an interactive character experience exclusive to vacation package guests. It's an opportunity to meet and greet famous Disney characters, including the Mayor of Toontown -- Mickey Mouse. The experience begins an hour before the area opens to the general public, ensuring an intimate character experience for families with young children.

• Preferred seating to "Playhouse Disney-Live On Stage!" in Disney's California Adventure. Families get up-close seating for this smash hit show starring Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House and JoJo's Circus. Families will also receive preferred seating at a number of other shows throughout Disney's California Adventure park.

• Optional experiences include numerous Disney character dining opportunities throughout Disneyland Resort, including a Disney Princess-themed lunch or dinner at Ariel's Grotto in Disney's California Adventure. Also, families can head to Downtown Disney District for a stop at Club Libby Lu, where little girls can become their own princesses of the kingdom with hair and costume makeovers.

• All package guests receive a colorful Magical Beginnings guide map that highlights all the fun for little ones, with suggestions geared towards enjoying Disneyland Resort's two theme parks with youngsters.

Bookings for the new Magical Beginnings package at Disneyland Resort can be made by calling 877/TOTS-DLR or your travel agent.

Florida Residents Have Special 'Magic Your Way' Options Suited to the Way Guests from the Sunshine State Often Visit Disney

(3-29-06)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The innovative "Magic Your Way" ticket plan that allows Walt Disney World guests to create their own tickets for a customized vacation also provides Floridians -- who sometimes make shorter but more frequent visits -- with options designed for the way residents of the Sunshine State often "do Disney."

For Walt Disney World guests generally, "Magic Your Way" means tickets to the various theme parks, attractions and other entertainment offerings are tailored to the interests of their group and the length of their vacation . . . and they save if their stay is longer.

But Floridians can opt for several immediate savings:

 

• a one-day theme park Base Ticket for $56.70 ages 10-and-up, $47 ages 3-9 (approximately 10 percent off the posted one-day ticket prices);
• a 3-Day Play Pass (three days to be experienced any three days during a six-month period from time of purchase) for $120 for ages 10 and older, $99 for ages 3-9 (cutting the cost of Disney fun to $40 per day for ages 10 and older, $33 for ages 3-9);
• Park Hopper option at substantial savings -- just $10 extra on the Resident-priced one-day Base Ticket and $20 extra on the 3-Day Play Pass, allowing Floridians to visit more than one of Disney's four theme parks a day (Park Hopper is a $40 premium option on "Magic Your Way" tickets available generally).

"This is our way of thanking our home-state neighbors for their years of loyalty," said Walt Disney World President Al Weiss. "Floridians told us what they wanted, so we're giving them more flexibility and options that fit the way they visit Walt Disney World.

"Whether ordering a computer, a car or a cup of coffee, people want things customized to fit their individual needs," Weiss added. "Now our guests have that same ability to customize their Walt Disney World dream vacation, creating the ticket that is just right for them."

Because "Magic Your Way" tickets offer savings that increase with the length of stay, a weeklong Walt Disney World vacation becomes even more affordable.

"Recent research shows that longer vacations are high on the wish list for families," Weiss said. "With so much to see and do at Walt Disney World, guests want to take a week to experience it all, at their own pace. With this new plan they can -- and at more affordable prices that reward more leisurely stays.

"Simply put," he said, "the more you play, the less you pay per day."

Under the "Magic Your Way" program, a family of four can enjoy a six-night/seven-day Walt Disney World vacation -- including a stay at an on-property Disney hotel with theme park tickets -- for as little as $1,500.

Even More Choices: Disney Resorts, Benefits

Staying in the "middle of the magic" at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel has always been the best and most relaxing way to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation. And now Disney hotel guests get great new benefits, too, including more time in the parks and a convenient and affordable dining plan:

• Extra Magic Hours: One of Disney's theme parks opens one hour early or stays open three hours later so Disney Resort hotel guests can enjoy select attractions. (A valid theme park ticket and Resort ID are required.)
• Disney Dining Plan: Disney hotel guests who want the convenience of a more-inclusive "cruise-style" vacation can purchase the "Magic Your Way" Package Plus Dining. For each night of their resort stay guests can enjoy two meals and a snack at more than 100 select restaurants throughout the Walt Disney World parks and hotels.
• Disney's Magical Express: Guests of 22 Disney owned-and-operated hotels can check their bags at their hometown airport, bypass baggage claim at Orlando International Airport (OIA) and board state-of-the-art motor coaches to the Vacation Kingdom, where their bags "magically" appear in their room upon check-in. Launched during the "Happiest Celebration on Earth," Disney's Magical Express will continue as a complimentary service.

With more than 20 uniquely themed Disney resorts -- Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Disney Vacation Club -- Walt Disney World Resort offers accommodations for every taste and budget.

"Happiest Celebration on Earth"

The new values and benefits became available for the "Happiest Celebration on Earth," marking 50 years of Disney theme park magic worldwide.

Walt Disney World Resort has imported attractions from Disney parks around the globe to mark the occasion:

• At Disney-MGM Studios, a high-octane stunt show filled with speeding cars, motorcycles and jet skis comes direct from Disneyland Resort Paris.
• At Epcot, a soaring adventure over California comes from Disneyland Resort.
• At Magic Kingdom, a magical, musical "Cinderellabration" takes its cue from the popular Tokyo Disney Resort show.

And in 2006, the Central Florida Vacation Kingdom is unveiling a first-of-its-kind attraction for all the rest of the world to experience only in Florida:

• At Disney's Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest treats guests to a swerving, curving, high-speed rail adventure into the Himalayas ... and a face-to-muzzle encounter with the legendary yeti.

"Magic Your Way" Easy to Book

A new step-by-step, shopping cart-style process on disneyworld.com makes it easy to customize and book a dream Walt Disney World vacation. Or guests can contact 407/W-DISNEY or their travel agent to book the magic -- their way.