There are a few updates to the refurbishment list for Walt Disney World. Most recent additions/changes are in bold:

Magic Kingdom

• Aladdin’s Magic Carpets will be closed February 26 through March 10.
• The Liberty Square Riverboat will remain closed through May 21.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will close January 9 until May 28.
• Dumbo will remain closed through March 12.
• The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor will be closed January 4 through March 27.
• The queue of Peter Pan’s Flight is under refurbishment. The attraction remains open during the work, and no closures have been scheduled.

Epcot

• Tutto Italia Ristorante (Italy) will remain closed through April 28.
• House of Innoventions (Innoventions) will remain closed until May 15, when it is expected to open with a new sponsor.

Hollywood Studios

• The Backlot Tour will be closed from February 13 through March 10.
• The Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playset Adventure will also be closed February 13 through March 10.
• Fantasmic! will be closed from January 9 through February 11.
• Lights, Motor, Action! Extreme Stunt Show will close on April 29 for a brief refurbishment, reopening on May 3.

Animal Kingdom

• Kali River Rapids will be closed January 23 through February 9.

Other

• Typhoon Lagoon is closed now through March 17.
• The Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian remains closed until sometime in 2013, due to construction on the DVC property there.
• The  volcano pool at the Polynesian will undergo refurbishment from January 30 to April 1 2012.  The pool will remain open for most of that time, except for approximately 4 weeks beginning February 6.
• The piano pool at All Star Music is expected to close on February 6,  re-opening on March 3.

I have long sung the praises of my Chase Disney Rewards Visa. Sure, there are probably other credit cards out there that offer better benefits–but surely none more fun! I get 1% back on all my purchases, with the occasional bonus of 3% back in specific categories. Now, Chase has just announced a new Disney Premier Visa that I’m very excited about, because it offers 2% back in rewards on the categories I use most often–gas, groceries, restaurants, and Disney locations!

Now, there is a catch. In contrast to its predecessor, the Disney Premier Visa has a $49 annual fee. But if you apply through this link, you will get a $100 statement credit after your first purchase. That basically gives you two free years to see if you like the card. (I personally use my card for nearly all purchases–being careful to pay the balance each month to avoid any fees or interest. With this in mind, I’m fairly certain that with the additional 1% in rewards the card will pay for itself, unless my spending habits change drastically.)

Those who have the current Disney Rewards Visa can transfer/upgrade to the new Premier card, but you would NOT qualify for the $100 credit. A better option is to apply for the new card separately and then cancel your original card. (I’m going to hold onto mine for a while, just to be sure the new card works out for me.)

The new Disney Premier Visa has the same Disney perks as the Disney Rewards Visa:

• private character meet-n-greet with photo
• 10% off qualifying purchases of $50 or more at the Disney Store
• 20% off select guided Park tours
• 0% financing for 6 months on Disney vacation packages

BTW, I chose the Cinderella Castle design, because it reminded me of the “Key to the World” that all guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort receive. Now I can feel like I’m on vacation every time I pull out my Visa…well, sort of.

This one was from a piece of artwork in our room at the Grand Floridian. Sure am missing that place about now…sigh.

My other car is a…

I am a planner (duh!). But even the best-laid plans can fail when you neglect to check and double-check the details. So, even if you’ve made impeccably detailed touring plans for every day of your vacation, here a Thursday’s Tip for you: check the Park hours and Times Guide again upon your arrival. You might find that the information has changed since you made your original plans. It is not at all uncommon for Disney to extend Park hours after they have initially been released or cancel a parade or fireworks display here or there. (Just this week, Disney extended previously-released hours for the Magic Kingdom for most days in February.) Likewise, special events, such as last week’s presidential visit, can put a monkey wrench in your plans.

A copy of the current Times Guide is available at all Disney Parks as well as at the front desk of WDW Resorts. Cast Members–particularly those at the concierge desk–should be able to provide you with the most up-to-date information  and answer any questions that might help you tweak your plans and avoid hiccups.

I’m feeling this quote from Walt today, as I have several “projects” on my desk that seem to have been there indefinitely. I think it’s time for a few self-imposed deadlines!

“Everyone needs deadlines. Even the beavers. They loaf around all summer, but when they are faced with the winter deadline, they work like fury. If we didn’t have deadlines, we’d stagnate.”  

–Walt Disney