From an email sent out to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders:
Captain EO returns to Epcot®, and Passholders can attend a special preview of the film at the Imagination! Pavilion on July 1 from 3 – 9 p.m. The legendary film starring Michael Jackson is something Passholders don’t want to miss. Registration is limited so sign up today to see Captain EO save the universe like never before!
Disney has confirmed that the Main Street Electrical Parade and Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular will debut on June 5th at the Magic Kingdom for what is being called a Passholder preview:
Clear your calendar for Saturday, June 5, 2010, and get over to theMagic Kingdom® Park for an advance viewing of the return of perhaps the most beloved and adored Disney parade in history! The Main Street Electrical Parade is back as part of Summer Nightastic! Check it out at 9 and 11 p.m., or both!
Plus! That same night, Passholders* can check out the new Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular at 10 p.m., with special light effect viewing glasses, provided free to who? Passholders, that’s who. Pick up your free glasses between 4 and 8 p.m. at the Rose Garden entrance near Tomorrowland® and enjoy the show.
To learn more about the special advance viewing of Summer Nightastic! for Passholders, go to disneyworld.com/passholder.
*Weekday Select and Epcot® After 4pm Passholders are welcome but will require admission to Magic Kingdom Park.
While listed as a passholder preview, the park is open to the general public during these performances. The only real perks for Passholders are that they are being informed about these preview performances (it is still advertised as Spectromagic and Wishes! performing on the DisneyWorld.com calendar) and are provided the strange glasses usually distributed at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
In what has to be considered a shocking turn of events, WDW is offering all Annual Passholders 10% off their purchases at most Walt Disney World Resort stores now through January 3, 2010. This is the first time the discount has ever gone beyond just the World of Disney store at Downtown Disney. There are a few restrictions to the offer, but passholders can receive the discount at all Disney owned and operated stores on property. The restrictions are as follows:
*Offer is valid only at select Walt Disney World Resort stores. The Passholder discount is not accepted at Walt Disney World Resort Operating Participant locations, including but not limited to, China, Japan, and Morocco pavilions at World Showcase in Epcot®, Arribas Brothers, Basin, Basin White, Cirque du Soleil, Curl by Sammy Duval, Ghiradelli, House of Blues, Hoypoloi, LEGO Imagination Center, Magic Masters, Magnetron, Niki Bryan Spas, Orlando Harley Davidson Store, Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe, Richard Petty Driving Experience, Rubio Balloon Arts, SD Watersports, Sosa Cigar, Starabillias, Sunglass Icon, Surrey Bike Rental, T-Rex Café Shop, Wyland Galleries, The Disney Store, Disney’s Character Premiere, Disney’s Character Warehouse and any other locations or kiosks that are not owned and operated by the owners of the Walt Disney World® Resort. Discount is not valid on purchases of ticket media, gift certificates, Disney gift cards, videos, DVDs and CDs, Disney Dollars, sundries, periodicals, digital and video cameras, disposable cameras, film, consumer electronics (e.g., CD players, TVs, DVD players), tobacco, alcohol, In-Park balloon vendors, Add-a-Dollar (Wildlife Conservation Fund), postage stamps, rentals (e.g. strollers, ECV, etc.), all Titleist and Cobra golf equipment, National brand fragrances, treatments and cosmetics, Personalization, Imaging and Photo Pass product, Lladro, Armani, Hummel, Swarovski Crystal, Walt Disney Classics Collection, other collectibles and select merchandise. May not be combined with any other discount, offer or promotion. Not valid on previous purchases.
If the location you visit is not aware of the discount, just ask them to scan the barcode on newer WDW annual passes and the 10% discount will be deducted automatically (many cast members in merchandise locations have not been made aware of the new discount).
Just as they did for the arrival of the first Tinker Bell movie last year, Walt Disney World will be holding a special advanced screening event just for annual passholders, this time for the second film in the Tinker Bell “direct-to-DVD/Blu-ray” film series: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure. Here is the event information:
At this exclusive event, Passholders can see Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure a month before it’s released on Disney DVD and Blu-Ray. The tale of Disney’s favorite fairy, Tinker Bell, continues in an all-new magical adventure beyond Pixie Hollow! Take off in a hot air balloon with Tinker Bell and her new friend Blaze on an enchanting secret journey to find a new moonstone, the source of the Pixie’s mystical dust.
Location:
Town Square Exposition Hall, Magic Kingdom® Park
Event Times:
Saturday, September 26, 2009, 10:00am, 2:00pm & 6:00pm
Sunday, September 27, 2009, 11:00am & 3:00pmOfficial release date of the film on Disney DVD and Blu-Ray is October 27, 2009.
Additional Information
-Event is only for Passholders.
– Passholders need to bring along their confirmation slip, their valid Disney pass and a photo ID at the time of check-in.
– It is requested that Passholders that are booked for the event and cannot go for any reason should go to the website and cancel their reserved space to give opportunity to other Passholders to book the open space.
-Passholders should periodically check on the website, if space has opened up to reserve their preferred time.
Sign-ups for the event begin August 20th at 6:00 PM Eastern on the Walt Disney World Passholder website.
Just announced on the Walt Disney World Passholder website:
Be among the first to see the Hall of Presidents attraction before the official re-opening July 4th weekend! Open to all Passholders, this preview includes the Animatronics® figure of our 44th President, Barack Obama. And his predecessors will look more amazing than ever in a re-imagining of this inspiring, unforgettable attraction.
Preview Event Details
- Date: June 28, 2009
- Time: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Location: Magic Kingdom® theme park.
- Passholders do not need to sign up to attend the preview, but they do need to show a valid Pass and Photo ID at the Hall of Presidents attraction entrance.
- Seasonal and Epcot After 4 Passholders will need valid admission to the Magic Kingdom theme park in order to attend.
Additional Information
- The preview is subject to temporary closures. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Since myself and some of the WDWNT staff are going to be at the Walt Disney World Resort on June 28th, we will have pictures and video of the updated attraction coming on the same day. In addition, if any passholders are planning on attending the previews when they begin at 11:00 AM on June 28th and would like to meet up with us, please send me an email at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com. If the response is strong enough, I may send out invites through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The latest edition of the Mickey Monitor annual passholder publication is now available for viewing and offers a number of newsworthy announcements on some upcoming Walt Disney World attractions and special events. Here are some highlights:
-Passholders are being informed that Space Mountain will be closed for a “Space-Lift” beginning in April 2009. The article confirms that the track layout and the exterior look of the Mountain will not be touched during the refurbishment. While no reopening date is given, an opportunity to own a piece of the classic Magic Kingdom attraction is. For all the details on how to win a piece of Space Mountain, consult the Mickey Monitor and WDW Annual Passholder website.
-The article with top billing in this issue has a lot of information on the 2009 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, including a complete list of performers for the Flower Power concert series.
-Another article has more details on the upcoming “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party”. The parade/show will feature contemporary Radio Disney music, as well as some classic Disney tunes as characters emerge from large party boxes around the hub to party with guests in front of Cinderella Castle. The parade/show will perform multiple times daily at the Magic Kingdom beginning February 12th.
-Star Wars Weekends 2009 will be held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between May 22 and June 14, 2009.
More information on all of these special events and attractions, plus much more, can be found in this month’s issue of the Mickey Monitor which can be found HERE.
I’ve been hesitant to post the following news since registration for this event has closed once already and could close again at anytime. The event I’m speaking of is a 25 minute Walt Disney World Annual Passholder only tour of the Superstar Television Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, home to the upcoming American Idol Experience attraction. The tour is happening at various times during the day on December 14th, 2008 and the following times are still available as of this reports posting:
Updated at 6:15 PM EST on 11/14- every half hour from 3:30-7:30 PM now remaining
Space is limited and filling up fast, so if you are interested and can attend, you should rush over to disneyworld.com/passholder and sign up under “News & Upcoming Events”. The American Idol Experience attraction is expected to have full Annual Passholder previews sometime in January 2009 and open to the public the following month.
Registration for the Walt Disney World Passholder advanced screening of the Tinker Bell movie will be opening on August 19, 2008. The four screenings will take place on September 27 and 28 at 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM inside the Magic Kingdom, inside the Exposition Hall. You can register for the event If you have a valid WDW annual pass at this link beginning on August 19th.
It seems there may actually be an event that is exclusive to Walt Disney World Passholders coming this September:
Saturday and Sunday, September 27 & 28, you’re (Walt Disney World Passholders) invited to an exclusive Magic Kingdom screening of the eagerly anticipated new animated feature, Tinker Bell. You’ll be seeing it more than three weeks before the general public does on DVD and Blu-ray October 28!
From the storytellers at Walt Disney Picturescomes a spectacular, full-length CG animated featurefilled with magic and asventure starring Tinker Bell. It takes you into the secret world of Pixie Hollow, where you’ll hear Tinker Bell speak for the very first time.
This imaginative new film also introduces you to delightful new friends in Pixie Hollo-a place coming soon to Magic Kingdom park, where you’ll be able to meet Tinker Bell, Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta and Silvernist in person!
Passholder Screening Fun Facts:
Saturday and Sunday, September 27 & 28
Magic Kingdom Park
For show times & to sign up,
visit disneyworld.com/passholder
(note: registration is not yet available)
Not only does this article in the August issue of the Mickey Monitor release the event information, it is the first actual confirmation of the addition of a Pixie Hollow meet and greet area to the Magic Kingdom. Stay tuned to WDW News Today to find out when registration for this special event will open.
Here are the dates our “sources” have stated for the following events pertaining to the new Toy Story Mania attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
-Soft Openings begin on or around April 25, 2008
-Cast Member Previews of the attraction from April 26-27 and May 2-4, 2008
-Media Preview on May 9, 2008
-Annual Passholder Previews from May 10-12, 2008
-Media Press Event on May 16, 2008
-Official Grand Opening on May 20, 2008.
These very same dates were also posted on the Inside the Magic Forums, which leads me further to believe they are accurate as of the current moment. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on any of these events and this upcoming attraction.
