photo ©Disney Store

D23 now offers a free membership level, and you can sign up through the Disney Store! Click on this link to get your free membership and finally be eligible for exclusive merchandise and insider info. What have you got to lose? It’s FREE!!!

There have been several recently-announced Limited Time Magic events. Here’s what’s coming up, along with details from Disney:

• Starting today: Attend a Monster’s University Homecoming. The MU School of Scaring is hosting a campus bash inspired by Disney•Pixar’s Monsters University and it all goes down each evening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Hit the quad where you can hear your DJ—”Monster of Scaremonies”—spinning the latest beats, and take part in a series of fun activities. Then, get pepped up as the MU cheerleaders pop in to lead the MU Fight Song before those monsters of rock, Scare Supply, take the stage. Enjoy a medley of monstrous mash-ups, and laugh along as they’re joined on stage by Mike and Sulley. It’s a pep rally of epic proportions, and it’s all part of Limited Time Magic!
• Now through August 3: See a Sneak Peek of The Lone Ranger. Saddle up for a wild summer ride when The Lone Ranger arrives at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Come mid-June, gallop over to ABC Sound Studio for a little Limited Time Magic and enjoy an extended trailer of The Lone Ranger, starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer. Don’t miss the chance to catch this sneak peek of Disney’s thrilling adventure film before it opens in theaters on July 3, 2013! And from June 15 to June 16, keep your eyes peeled for statues of the Lone Ranger and Tonto at Downtown Disney area—see if you can spot the two whenever they pop up!
• June 17-23: Give Grads Congrats with Celebratory Ear Hats.  Every graduate deserves congrats, and what better way to pay tribute—and say “Ears to you!”—than with a Mortar Board Ear Hat! For a limited time when you purchase a mortar board graduation Ear Hat at La Chapeau Hat Shoppe in Magic Kingdom park, you can pick from 5 different tassels that best represent your school colors, individually available for just $1.95 each. So drop by and do the grad in your life a favor—help celebrate his or her determination in style, courtesy of a little Limited Time Magic!
• July 1-7: Independence Week Celebration. Get set for a red, white and blue bash of patriotic proportion! In honor of America, Limited Time Magic is prepping a week-long Fourth of July celebration you won’t soon forget. Be on the lookout for updates in the near future and don’t miss your chance to salute our nation’s birth at Disney Parks on both sides of the U.S. of A.—from sea to shining sea!

Registration is now open for the 2014 Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon. The race and surrounding events will take place February 20-23, 2014. You can find all events and pricing on the Run Disney website.

I am a bit of a JJ Abrams geek. In fact, I’m currently obsessed with an older Abrams series, Alias, which I’m watching on Netflix. So when I heard that he would be at the helm of the first Star Wars film since Disney purchased Lucasfilm, I was almost giddy. And now we have an idea of when production will start: early 2014! If you want the full details, check out this story. Expect to see the film in theatres in 2015.

Disney has just announced its 2013 program for Homeschool families, and it looks like a super fun one–especially for this theatre-loving family! Here is the description:

Disney Homeschool Days: On With The Show
Glamour! Excitement! Applause! It’s all that and more when you’re in the world of theatrical entertainment! Check out what it takes to be a part of a modern day production at Homeschool Days at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Participants in this program discover real-world application in the “ABC’s” of an exhilarating production.  The creative team and technical crew provide insights into the collaboration, communication, and creativity that it takes to bring the lights up and call for Showtime!
Participants will be able to:

• Identify and articulate a variety of technical disciplines necessary for stage or show production.

• Articulate the role of constructive criticism in performance arts and discuss application to everyday situations.

• Identify and discuss fundamental responsibilities of creative and stage management teams.

• Articulate the value of preparedness, presentation, and focus in performance arts and demonstrate these elements in everyday situations.

• Define risk-taking and articulate the value of intelligent risk-taking.

Disney Homeschool Days 2013 will be on October 9. In addition to the program mentioned above, students have the option to add additional programs from the Disney Youth Education Series, via individual enrollment (additional fee applies). And, of course, there are discounted tickets available to those attending and their families (there are limits to the number of tickets you can purchase, based on the number of students enrolled). Prices for these packages aren’t as great as previous years, but they’re still discounted considerably from regular Disney gate prices.

As a homeschool family, we heartily endorse Disney Homeschool Days! It’s a great way to enjoy the Disney Parks while getting a unique “behind the scenes” peek at the Disney experience. The presentations are of stellar quality and appeal to kids of all ages. And the dates for the programs are typically among the least crowded in the Parks. If you’re a homeschool family, this is a great time to visit WDW!

Disney has confirmed their annual ticket price increase will begin on June 2. Go here to see the new pricing. Yikes! Even when you know it’s coming, it’s still a kick in the gut!