There have been several Disney-related stories in the news recently, so rather than regurgitating what other people already explained so well, I thought I’d share a few links here so you can read the original stories. Click below and enjoy!

• Despite previously saying he wouldn’t, J.J. Abrams has apparently reconsidered and will, in fact, direct the new Star Wars movie. Very exciting news for this LOST fan!
• Disney’s new MyMagic+ has caused some privacy concerns with a Massachusetts Congressman. Bob Iger responds.
• Aladdin is headed to Broadway!
• George Clooney will star in Tomorrowland, written by Damon Lindelof (another LOSTie!) and Jeff Jensen. The subject matter and plot are still a bit of a mystery.

Those are the major updates for now. Will be interesting to see how each of these stories continues to unfold.

ABC News Nightline Merger Between Disney and ABC

photo ©Disney Co.

A couple of days ago, Disney officially announced the new “My Magic+” system. I’ll admit that I haven’t had time to fully absorb it or even form a complete opinion. So I won’t try to sway you, dear reader, or even simplify it for you. Instead, I’ll simply point you to the official word from the man himself, Tom Staggs, Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman. Here’s the link to the official announcement from the Disney Parks Blog. For more information, a quick search of “My Magic+” will yield tons of articles, posts, stories, etc. from bloggers and fans who are way more informed than I am on this subject! (I’m not afraid to admit my limitations. When it comes to technology, I’ll leave that to the techies. Just point me to the deals and coupon codes, please!)

I have been terribly remiss about keeping up with the updates around Walt Disney World. My only defense is the same as everyone else’s: busyness! The holidays have really snuck up on me. (That explains why so many of my posts lately have been Amazon deals…I am still struggling to get my shopping done!) Pair that with a still fairly new-to-us home, a husband’s crazy work schedule, the start of Upward cheer season (I’m a coach), and our normal lives as a homeschooling family, and I simply haven’t been able to keep up with the Most Magical Place on Earth as much as I would like. But this morning, I finally carved out some time to read up on some exciting new developments, which I now share below (in shorthand) for you.

• The new Fantasyland expansion area continues to draw the crowds, with wait times exceeding 100 minutes at the Under the Sea–Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction. FYI, if you have a visit planned, you’ll want to note that Fastpasses for the ride are located in OLD Fantasyland near Mickey’s Philharmagic, not near the Little Mermaid attraction.
• Be Our Guest restaurant (new Fantasyland) will be testing a system that would allow guests to essentially reserve a time for lunch and even pre-order food. Guests would then arrive at the restaurant at the appointed time and go through an express checkout, where they would be given a magical rose (much like traditional restaurant “beepers”) to take to their chosen table where the food would later be delivered. Sounds like a viable solution for eliminating the lunchtime bottleneck that seems to be happening in this very popular new eatery.
• WDW has just completed yet another test of the new Fastpass+ system–the first of these tests that also included live shows. (Many of us were curious as to how they would fit into the picture when the original concept was first introduced.) Certainly there are both pros and cons to the system, but based on how many of the new kiosks are sprouting up around the World, I’m guessing it’s here to stay. I have yet to personally experience it, but I’m fluctuating between being excited about the new technology and lamenting over losing a system that I am familiar and comfortable with.
• There was a lot of buildup, and if you weren’t in the Magic Kingdom on the evening of December 5 you missed it, but the dragon flew. And, as Forest Gump would say, “That’s all I have to say about that.”
• While Fantasyland was having its “Grand Re-Opening,” Test Track was not to be outdone, when it rolled out its 2.0 version on December 6. There was a band (One Republic), pyrotechnics, WDW execs and such…it was kind of epic. I hear the attraction is pretty cool too. Our family is pretty psyched about giving it a whirl on our next visit!
• Disney has retooled the official Walt Disney World website. Check it out here.

Those are the highlights for now. Back to my Christmas shopping. Oooh…here’s another great deal I found on Amazon (Ok, this one is actually from MY list):

Beginning today, Disney will be running a 2-week test on its new X-Pass feature. Guests who take part in the test have been pre-selected, so even if you happen to be heading to the Parks this week, don’t plan on getting in on the test unless you’ve already been informed.

If you’re not familiar with the X-Pass experience, a cursory web search will yield dozens of articles offering more information. And you can see by the numerous articles that the proposed system is receiving very mixed reviews, with many guests sharing concerns about how this will affect the Fastpass system for those not using X-Pass. And, of course, since X-Pass will be offered only to guests at the Deluxe Resorts (at least initially), the concern is that the guest experience of those of us who traditionally stay in Value or Moderate Resorts will be somehow diminished. (I’m trying to reserve judgment for now, but honestly, I think this is an epically bad idea at first glance.)

It will be interesting to see what changes Disney makes to the current plan, based on the two-week test. Or–dare we hope?–if they will scrap the entire idea.

UPDATE: I’m now reading that what we’ve been calling “X-Pass” will be presented to the public as “FastPass+” instead.

With Disney cracking down on FastPass return times, chances are that you may not be able to use FP for all the attractions that you want to ride during any given day. In a perfect world, return times would line up for your schedule–and that may come in time, with the NextGen technology and XPass–but for now, you’ll likely miss out on a FP for at least one attraction that you want to see. Our Thursday’s Tip offers an alternative to FP for getting  on your favorite ride with minimal wait: use the stand-by line during a parade or fireworks show.

Crowds throughout the Parks tend to lighten during the parades, particularly the evening ones. And as long as you’re in line for an attraction before a Park closes, you will be allowed to ride. I don’t recommend waiting until the last minute for your absolute favorite attraction–anything could happen, and a ride can shut down at any time–but if you’re unable to fit a popular attraction in via FastPass, the stand-by line during parade times is a great second option.

There have been rumors before, but it looks like this time it might be true: Disney is going to start cracking down on Fastpass return windows. (Can you hear the collective wail from devoted WDW fans everywhere?) This has long been one of my favorite tips for readers–that you can actually use Fastpasses anytime after the start of the return window on the ticket. This has allowed my own family to have a somewhat flexible touring schedule at Walt Disney World and still manage to visit those key Fastpass attractions. But now it seems that beginning March 7, all guests will be required to use Fastpasses during the actual time listed on the paper ticket, with a 5-minute grace period at the start and a 15-minute grace period at the end (meaning, you can be up to 5 minutes early or up to 15 minutes late…but that’s IT!).

Why the sudden change? All guesses point to preparation for the new NextGen Fastpass system that will allow guests to log on to their computers or mobile devices and essentially plan every detail of their Disney vacation, including what times they will visit each attraction. The need for precision with the NextGen system is pretty obvious.

I’m a planner, but the idea of scheduling every minute of my time in the Disney Parks is completely unappealing to me. And from what I gather from other fan sites, it’s pretty unappealing to many devoted fans. I can’t help but wonder if the NextGen Fastpass system will have the same effect on one’s ability to get Fastpasses “on the fly” as Free Fall Dining has had on our ability to get Advanced Dining Reservations less than a month in advance.

Like it or not, it’s coming.