Book Updates
Since things change at Walt Disney World® Resort on an almost daily basis I want to keep your book updated for you. Here is a list of changes, sorted by page number, since the January 2008 edition of the book was printed:
Click here to order the new edition of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World® Resort.
| Page | Date | Update |
| 28 | 8/5/08 | Parking at Disney's theme parks has increased to $14 per car. |
| 29 | 1/31/08 | Best Friends Pet Care has taken over management of all Walt Disney World Kennels. New changes include pet walking and overnight stays. the cost is now $15 for day boarding and $20 for overnight boarding. On-site guests receive a $2 discount on the overnight rate. For more information visit the Best Friends Pet Care website at http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com |
| 44 | 3/25/08 | The Disney Dining Plans are now available to Annual Passholders booking a Disney resort. |
| 52 | 3/25/08 | The Contemporary's Concourse Steakhouse is closed. The space occupied by the restaurant has been converted into a counter service restaurant Contempo Cafe. A new table service restaurant, The Wave, is now open. |
| 53 | 3/25/08 | Kid's Fishing Excursions are no longer offered at Walt Disney World. . |
| 61 | 1/31/08 | The Wonderland Tea Party is now $42.60 per child including taxes. |
| 70 | 1/31/08 | The Polynesian no longer offer the Kid's Fishing Excursion. |
| 81 | 11/17/08 | The Beach Club Resort's rooms have been renovated. Chocolate and blue are the new colors with white duvets, all new furnishings, carpeting, drapery, and paint. I highly recommend them. |
| 88 | 11/17/08 | The Boardwalk Inn's rooms have been totally renovated with a nice, fresh look. White duvets, all new furnishings, carpeting, drapery, and paint have considerably improved the standards of this great resort. I highly recommend it. |
| 92 | 11/17/08 | The Yacht Club's rooms have been renovated and are looking great. White duvets with blue piping, new carpeting, flat-panel TVs, and more are a nice improvement. |
| 96 | 6/6/08 | The Breathless II is now available at the Yacht Club marina for Illuminations cruises in addition to the pontoon boats. She seats six guests. |
| 98 | 3/25/08 | The Walt Disney World Dolphin now imposes a $10 per day per room resort service fee for new reservations as of Feb 16, 2008 which includes up to sixty minutes free local telephone calls, toll free and credit card access calls (10 cents per minute after 60 minutes), twenty minutes of domestic long distance per day, - unlimited access to the resort's health club facilities, in-room high-speed internet access, and two bottles of water daily . |
| 100 | 7/16/08 | Fresh Mediterranean no longer offers a lunch buffet, only an a la carte menu. |
| 103 | 3/25/08 | The Walt Disney World Swan now imposes a $10 per day per room resort service fee for new reservations as of Feb 16, 2008 which includes up to sixty minutes free local telephone calls, toll free and credit card access calls (10 cents per minute after 60 minutes), twenty minutes of domestic long distance per day, - unlimited access to the resort's health club facilities, in-room high-speed internet access, and two bottles of water daily . |
| 105 | 6/6/08 | Gulliver's Grill is now called Garden Grove for all meals. Redesigned with a Central Park theme, it is buffet only for breakfast and dinner, and a la carte for lunch, all featuring American cuisine. Character times remain the same. |
| 110 | 8/5/08 | The Sunrise Safari Breakfast Adventure now ends with breakfast at Pizzafari istead of Tusker House. |
| 113 | 7/16/08 | The Bush Camp experience at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is no longer available. |
| 166 | 3/25/08 | Royal Pacific Resort room renovations are completed and the result is a much improved and more cheerful decor along with new furniture, carpeting, and flat-panel TVs. New Kid's Suites have been added with a Jurassic Park theme. |
| 188 | 7/16/08 | The Water Park Fun & More ticket option no longer included admission into Pleasure Island which has closed. You can now use it to play a round of golf at Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course, a nine-hole walking course designed for the entire family. |
| 189 | 8/5/08 | Disney's theme park ticket prices have increased. |
| 196 | 6/6/08 | Lockers are now $7 per day plus a $5 refundable key deposit for a small locker, and $9 plus a $5 key deposit for large lockers |
| 197 | 6/6/08 | Stroller and ECV rentals have increased. Single strollers are $15 with no deposit, double strollers are $31 with no deposit. ECV rentals are $45 with a $20 refundable deposit. |
| 206 | 3/25/08 | Night of Joy is now held at Disney Hollywood Studios. |
| 211 | 6/6/08 | Lockers are now $7 per day plus a $5 refundable key deposit for a small locker, and $9 plus a $5 key deposit for large lockers Stroller and ECV rentals have increased. Single strollers are $15 with no deposit, double strollers are $31 with no deposit. ECV rentals are $45 with a $20 refundable deposit. |
| 229 | 6/6/08 | Lockers are now $7 per day plus a $5 refundable key deposit for a small locker, and $9 plus a $5 key deposit for large lockers Stroller and ECV rentals have increased. Single strollers are $15 with no deposit, double strollers are $31 with no deposit. ECV rentals are $45 with a $20 refundable deposit. |
| 232 | 6/6/08 | CARS now have their own meet-and-greet area on Streets of America. Sorcerer Mickey is now found at Art of Animation. |
| 234 | 3/25/08 | The Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade has been replaced by the Block Party Bash parade. Fantasmic! will be held only twice weekly beginning January 4, 2009 with an increase in shows during the busier seasons. |
| 240 | 6/6/08 | The
refundable deposit for locker rentals has increased from to
$5.00. Rentals are now $5.00 for small lockers, $7.00 for
large lockers, plus the refundable $5.00 deposit. Stroller and ECV rentals have increased. Single strollers are $15 with no deposit, double strollers are $31 with no deposit. ECV rentals are $45 with a $20 refundable deposit. |
| 253 | 3/25/08 | The Bibbidi-Bobbidi Boutique in World of Disney now also offers a Hannah Montana makeover that includes a wig, T-shirt, headset, makeup kit, guitar purse, and photo shoot with a commemorative photo. |
| 254 | 7/16/08 | Walt Disney World Resort has announced that it will be
completely "re-imagining" Downtown Disney, with new
shopping, dining and other experiences, including a
completely re-imagined Pleasure Island. Over the next year,
the 120-acre entertainment-shopping-dining complex will add
a number of one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences for guests.
Downtown Disney now has a giant,
tethered balloon that will take guests 300 feet into the air
to view the amazing vistas of Walt Disney World Resort.
Other new experiences include: -- T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, is now open. The dinosaur-themed family eatery serves up pizzas, pastas, seafood and more, and features life-size animated dinosaurs that dwell among bubbling geysers, waterfalls and a fossil dig site. -- A design-your-own t-shirt store from Hanes has been added to the growing collection of merchandise guests can personalize at Downtown Disney. |
| 257 | 6/6/08 | The Cheesecake Factory at DisneyQuest has now been replaced by FoodQuest, a Disney owned and operated counter service restaurant. |
| 259 | 07/29/09 | Premium Space rentals are now available at both water parks (Polar Patios at Blizzard Beach and Beachcomber Shacks at Typhoon Lagoon) that include the personalized services of an attendant, private lockers, all-day drink mugs, cooler with bottled water, lounge furniture, and towels. These accommodate up to six guests are $250 for a full day. Call 407-WDW-PLAY for reservations. |
| 274 | 6/6/08 | The Breathless II is now available at the Yacht Club marina for Illuminations cruises in addition to the pontoon boats. She seats six guests. |
| 282 | 1/31/08 | Miniature golf fees have increased to $11.75 for adults and $9.75 for children. |
| 296 | 8/5/08 | The Magic Your Way Dining Plan is now $39.99 per adult per day and $10.99 per child per day. Disney also has a Deluxe Dining Plan which includes three full-service meals and two snacks per day for $69.99 per adult per day and $19.99 per child per day, and a Quick Service Plan for $29.99 per adult per day and $8.99 per child per day including two counter-service meals and two snacks per day. |
| 298 | 7/16/08 | Liberty Tree Tavern no longer offers a character dinner. |
| 299 | 7/16/08 | Garden Grill no longer serves lunch. |
| 305 | 1/31/08 | A photo package will now be included for all reservations at the Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. |
| 321 | 8/5/08 | Citricos is now open daily for dinner. |
| 330 | 1/31/08 | Victoria and Albert's has implemented a new policy that does not allow children under age 10 years. |
| 363 | 8/7/08 | Universal Orlando ticket prices have increased. |
| 387 | 6/6/08 | Rising Star, a karaoke club with a twist, has replaced City Jazz at CityWalk. Take center stage as the lead singer of a band with real music, back up singers, and a host. |
| 391 | 8/7/08 | SeaWorld ticket prices have increased. |
| 406 | 6/8/08 | Disney Cruise Line has introduced a pre-arrival planning service available to concierge guests. Specialists assist guests in planning every cruise detail before setting sail. Guests may contact dedicated Concierge Services Specialists 105 days prior to their sail date to begin planning their vacation. Specialists are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. via a toll-free number or e-mail. Disney Cruise Line Pre-Arrival Concierge Services joins a list of amenities available to guests sailing in suites aboard the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. Exclusive concierge functions, personalized itineraries, daily in-room amenities and priority check-in are just a few of the options at hand for those who choose to sail in the lap of Disney luxury. |
| 421 | 7/16/08 | Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends' show at Disney's Animal Kingdom has closed. |
