Mouse Travel Tips

Walt Disney World recently released the 2011 dates for Star Wars Weekend events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Intergalactic events will be held every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from May 20 through June 12.  This is a great way for fans of the “Star Wars” franchise to dress up, meet their favorite characters, and participate in several “Star Wars” themed events at the DHS park.

I’m especially excited because this is the first time I’ll be attending Star Wars Weekend (SWW).  Woo hooo!  May the Force be with me on this journey!  Ray and the kids have each been several times, but I was never able to join them.  I’ll get to see firsthand how excited my kids get to see their favorite Star Wars characters.  I might even be able to persuade them to dress up (hey – I gotta recoup that $40 investment in the Bobba Fett costume I bought my daughter last Halloween, right?).

To say my kids love “Star Wars” is an understatement.  On their first trip to Star Wars Weekend in 2007, my daughter (who was two years old at the time) got so excited to see Chewbacca that she jumped up out of her stroller and ran to him – before the adults even realized she was gone.  There were a few heart-stopping moments, but they finally located her clinging to Chewbacca’s legs, waiting for Daddy to snap a picture of her.  That’s my girl!

In addition to the excitement of the events and activities, we are really hoping that the refurbishment of the “Star Tours” attraction will complete on time.  According to some rumors, it’s possible the ride will open at DHS a few days prior to the start of the SWW event.   That seems likely, because George Lucas recently toured the progress of the Disneyland refurbishment, and seemed to like what he saw.

So may the Force be with the Imagineers, so we can get Star Wars Weekend and the Star Tours attraction all opening at the same time this year!  To hear our tips and reviews of Star Wars Weekend events, check out Episode 14 of Mouse Travel Tips.  And remember:  “The Force will be with you…always.”

Despite the heat and the crowds, many people travel to Disney parks during the busy peak seasons.  This is especially true for families with school aged children, and for teachers and others in the education profession.  In today’s podcast, we’ll discuss how you can survive a trip during Spring Break, Summer, or the holiday season.

One of the websites we use in our planning to beat the crowds at Disney Parks, no matter what time of year we go is Touring Plans.  This website offers detailed analysis on what the crowd levels will be at the Walt Disney World resort parks throughout the year, based on historical data and statistics.  You can view the next two weeks for free anytime, or you can opt for a paid subscription for access to a years worth of data.

One other fun post is by “Kidani Kate”, author of the blog “The DVC Life“.  In her “Summer Blogtastic” post from Feb. 12, 2010, she gives some great pointers on how to survive the heat and crowds during the busy summer months.  I love her enthusiasm for Disney during summer (especially because the heat just about kills me each time we go – in Spring!), and she does a great writeup on the new Summer Nightastic! special events at Walt Disney World.  Check it out!

Also in this Episode we introduce you to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (information on www.wdwautism.com).  Although this is the smallest of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, it has several major attractions.  In this episode, we chose to highlight my favorite ride:  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, starring Aerosmith.  Check out www.wdwautism.com for additional information on Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster. Zero to Sixty in 2.8 seconds – let’s go!

We also highlight the Villains in Vogue store, for all of you who enjoy a walk on the dark side of Disney characters.  Purchase Fantasmic memorabilia and Villain merchandise at this store on Sunset Boulevard.

In Episode 4 next week, we’ll discuss the Fastpass Reservation System, and we’ll park hop over to Disneyland in California, to profile several Alice in Wonderland themed rides (in honor of the Tim Burton movie opening in the U.S. on March 5).