it's a small world after all
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Disney's Magical Beginnings, presented by Hasbro,
Inc.’s PLAYSKOOL brand, is a new, breakthrough program devoted to families
traveling with toddlers or preschoolers. It was custom-designed based on both
consumer research and guest feedback and is aimed at reducing the hassles and
increasing the magic for parents when vacationing with toddlers and
preschoolers.
"Magical Beginnings is all about making our parks and resorts even more
accessible and appealing to a huge and important group of people -- families
with very young children," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and
Resorts. "Magical Beginnings reinforces our commitment to creating an
easy-to-plan, easy-to-navigate vacation filled with activities that allow
families to create lifelong memories."
Disney theme parks in Florida and California have always been the perfect
playground for the whole family, but new attractions, shows and amenities make
the parks and resort hotels even more welcoming to "little ones."
Timeless attractions, special kid's menus, character dining, children's
programs, length-of-stay stroller rental at the theme parks, plus kiddie pools,
play areas and in-room babysitting at Disney resort hotels were all created
with young guests in mind.
The new Magical Beginnings program offers value travel packages, captivating
entertainment, targeted planning tools and a host of services and amenities to
make navigating Disney parks with children five years and younger easier then
ever.
Recent research released by travel marketing experts Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown
and Russell (YPB&R) shows that eight out of ten families believe the ideal
age to take a first major vacation with children is when the children are five
years old or younger. The research revealed the families are seeking
family-friendly destinations that offer activities for both kids and parents.
Florida and California are the states family travelers want to visit most, with
Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort as the preferred destinations.
And nine out of ten preschool parents would consider taking their young
children on a theme park vacation as long as the park offered age-appropriate
rides and services.
"Age-appropriate activities and attractions are very important to this group of
family travelers," said Peter Yesawich, chairman and chief executive officer of
YPB&R. "That's why theme parks and, in particular, the Disney parks, are a
natural vacation choice for families vacationing with toddlers and
preschoolers."
Rekindling childhood memories and creating new family traditions is easy at both
Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts as each features myriad attractions
and entertainment options relevant to preschoolers.
"We continue to survey our guests around the world and evaluate our attractions
and entertainment to remain as relevant as possible," said Rasulo. "Magical
Beginnings is really the product of that listening and research. We think this
new Magical Beginnings season will really resonate with families with toddlers
and preschoolers."
For more information on Magical Beginnings, visit
disneymagicalbeginnings.com.
Walt Disney World Introduces a Travel Season Just for Little Ones
Walt Disney World Resort has created an exciting seven-week travel period filled
with special events ideal for youngsters and parents during a traditionally
less busy time of year.
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Throughout the special travel time Disney will showcase dynamic concerts and
special entertainment for little ones. "Playhouse Disney in Concert," presented
by Huggies and Pull-Ups brands, includes performances by Disney Channel
favorites The Wiggles, who will perform multiple shows daily, Aug. 29-Sept. 1.
The award-winning Australian foursome will rouse the crowd with songs like
"Yummy, Yummy" and "Big Red Car" as they headline a kid-friendly concert at
Disney Hollywood Studios. Youngsters can dance and sing along with other favorites
including the Doodlebops; Johnny & the Sprites, featuring Johnny Tartaglia;
Dan Zanes and more -- all scheduled to appear during the seven-week travel
time. Plus, Disney Live Family Entertainment featuring the new "Mickey's Magic
Show" created by Feld Entertainment will make its first-ever park appearance.
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During the Little Ones Travel Time, Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom will open an
hour early on select days for Disney guests and their small-fry for favorites
such as Dumbo the Flying Elephant, it's a small world and Peter Pan's Flight,
and a new play area featuring water fountains, a tree house, crawl-through logs
and more. Plus, youngsters can meet favorite characters during the Little Ones
Magic Hour. While guests must have Resort ID and valid ticketing for Magic
Kingdom, there is no additional charge to enjoy this extra time. This early
access allows families with young ones to get an early start to their day and
maximize park time before heading back to their Disney resort for an afternoon
break.
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Character dining experiences have traditionally proven to be a great way to
introduce little ones to Disney characters, with a dozen offerings throughout
Disney parks and resorts. Kids can now dine and get autographs with JoJo and
Goliath from "JoJo's Circus," and June and Leo from Disney's "Little Einsteins"
at Playhouse Disney's Play 'n Dine at Hollywood & Vine at Disney Hollywood
Studios.
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Other magical experiences for little ones include the new Bibbidi Bobbidi
Boutique at World of Disney in Downtown Disney. A little girl can be
transformed into her favorite princess with fancy hairstyles, glittery nails
and dazzling costume makeovers. Reservations for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are
strongly encouraged by calling 407/WDW-STYLE. And young adventurers can pretend
to sail the high seas and hoist the Jolly Roger in the new, interactive
Adventure Room in World of Disney. Young heroes and heroines can fill treasure
chests and skulls with pirate plunder, create their own seafaring hat and
interact with a new pirate named Rusty Blade.
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Planning a trip and navigating the parks will be easier than ever thanks to
on-line planning tools, a Magical Beginnings in-park map highlighting
age-appropriate attractions and tips from PLAYSKOOL, hassle-reducing services
and specially trained Disney reservation agents. For more information, visit
disneyworld.com
and select "Something For Everyone" and choose "Preschoolers" for more details
and travel tips.
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Guests traveling by air don't need to worry about carting their luggage and
their little ones through the airport. With the innovative and complimentary
Disney's Magical Express, guests check their bags at their hometown airport,
bypass baggage claim at Orlando International Airport and are whisked to all
the Disney fun while their bags are delivered to their hotel rooms. The Disney
magic even extends to the trip home for guests flying on many major airlines as
guests can check their bags and get their boarding passes right at their Disney
resort hotel.
For more information on Little Ones Travel Time, visit
disneyworld.com/littleones or call 407/W-DISNEY or your travel agent.
Disneyland Resort Launches Magical Beginnings, Where Disney Magic Began
The best way to introduce little ones to the magic of Disneyland Resort in
Southern California where Disney theme park magic began is with the Magical
Beginnings travel package, available Aug. 13-Nov. 21, 2006. Two-night packages
start from $239 per adult. Package highlights include:
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Accommodations at a conveniently located Anaheim-area Disneyland Resort Good
Neighbor Hotel, with complimentary shuttle service to the Disneyland Resort
Main Entrance ticketing plaza.
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3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket, valid for same-day entry into
both Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park.
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Early entry into Fantasyland in Disneyland, where families can take advantage
of a morning head-start on the most charming of Disneyland attractions such as
Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Casey Jr. Circus Train,
Storybook Land Canal Boats, King Arthur's Carrousel and it's a small world.
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One entry into Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness -- an interactive character
experience exclusive to vacation package guests. It's an opportunity to meet
and greet famous Disney characters, including the Mayor of Toontown -- Mickey
Mouse. The experience begins an hour before the area opens to the general
public, ensuring an intimate character experience for families with young
children.
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Preferred seating to "Playhouse Disney-Live On Stage!" in Disney's California
Adventure. Families get up-close seating for this smash hit show starring Jim
Henson's "Bear in the Big Blue House" and "JoJo's Circus." Families will also
receive preferred seating at a number of other shows throughout Disney's
California Adventure park.
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Optional experiences include numerous Disney character dining opportunities
throughout Disneyland Resort, including a Disney Princess-themed lunch or
dinner at Ariel's Grotto in Disney's California Adventure. Also, families can
head to Downtown Disney District for a stop at Club Libby Lu, where little
girls can become their own princesses of the kingdom with hair and costume
makeovers.
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All package guests receive a colorful Magical Beginnings guide map that
highlights all the fun for little ones, with suggestions geared towards
enjoying Disneyland Resort's two theme parks with youngsters.
Bookings for the new Magical Beginnings package at Disneyland Resort can be made
by calling 877/TOTS-DLR or your travel agent.