Walt Disney World Park Update

…President George W. Bush is expected to attend a Republican Party fundraiser at the Contemporary Resort on February 17. Traffic in and around that area on that date will be a good thing to avoid.

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Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

• Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress – has been returned to the list of "seasonal" attractions, so its open status may change at any time.
• Liberty Square Riverboat – is not operating due to refurbishment through April 1.
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin – is closed through February 8 for refurbishment.
• Pirates of the Caribbean – is expected to close from May through mid-September for the addition of characters from the movie that was inspired by the ride.
• Timekeeper – open seasonally.
• Cinderella's Surprise Celebration – reportedly returns after the 18-month “Happiest Celebration on Earth” festivities end.

Epcot

• Test Track – will be closed for refurbishment through February 14.
• The Wonders of Life pavilion – has closed again following its holiday 2005 season run, and is thought to be closed for good.

Disney–MGM Studios

• No current refurbishments.

Animal Kingdom

• Expedition Everest – is scheduled to open in Spring 2006. The official opening press event is scheduled for April 7, just before the peak season of the two weeks surrounding Easter. Soft openings for the general public may begin as early as this weekend.

Resorts

• All–Star Movies Resort – The Fantasia pool will be closed through early February for refurbishment. Guests can use the Mighty Ducks pool or take a complimentary shuttle service (10 a.m. – 10 p.m.) to the other All–Star resorts to use the pools there.
• Wilderness Lodge – Roaring Forks Snacks will be closed through March 8 for refurbishment. Whispering Canyon Cafe and Artist Point will remain open, and grab-and-go items will be made available elsewhere during the refurbishment.
• Polynesian Resort – Work is now underway on the complete refurbishment and upgrading of rooms and hallways in all buildings, which is expected to be completed by June.
• Contemporary Resort – The South Garden Wing is partially-open during refurbishment through September, 2006. Rumors indicate that the buildings may be completely gutted and rebuilt as Disney Vacation Club villas. However, another rumor states that new DVC lodgings will be built on the current site of the Disney Tennis Center at the resort, and there is no confirmation of the either rumor yet. Renovations on the rest of the resort are also underway, with the tower building being done one floor at a time and the North Garden Wing to follow, and are expected to run through October, 2006.
• Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa – Phase I's four buildings and Phase II's eight units are complete, Construction on Phase III is underway, with the six units expected to open between June and December, 2006.

Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon – Closed for its annual refurbishment through February 25.

Elsewhere

• Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – performs Tuesdays – Saturdays.

Park Events

February 2006

• National Dance Team Championship. February 3–6.
• National High School Cheerleading Championship. February 10–13.
• Atlanta Braves Training Camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex (link). February 17 ? March 29.
• Twirlmania. February 17–20. Twirlers, auxiliary guard, pom, and dancers descend on the Wide World of Sports (link).
• Cheer & Dance National Championships. February 25–26. School & Youth Rec Cheer February 25, All-Star Cheer & Dance February 26 (link).

March 2006

• Cheer & Dance National Championships. March 3–5. All Star/Studio March 3, School Dance March 3–5 (link).
• ESPN The Weekend. March 3–5. Corporate synergy brings the cable channel back to the Studios for its third go-round (link).
• World Baseball Classic. March 3-11. Baseball's best players from Australia, Domincan Republic, Italy and Venezuela square off in the first round of the international tournament (link).
• National All Star Cheerleading Championship. March 10–13.
• National Kidney Foundation of Florida Gift of Life 5K Run/Walk. March 19. The seventh annual event to raise money and promote organ and tissue donation awareness (link).

April 2006

• Disney's All-Star Kids Classic. April 1. Registration is now open for the kids' inline race (link).
• Walt Disney World Inline Marathon. April 2. Registration is now open (link).
• Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. April 21 – June 11. Epcot comes alive with topiaries, other floral displays, gardening demonstrations and the “Flower Power” concert series (link).
• Grad Nite. April 28-29, May 5-6. High school seniors take over the Magic Kingdom after an early closing and party all night (link).

May 2006

• Disney's Minnie Marathon Weekend 5K and 1 Mile (link). May 6. The short runs of the ladies-only running weekend take place at and near Downtown Disney.
• Women Run the World 15 K (link). May 7. The ladies-only run starts at Animal Kingdom, goes through the Studios and ends at Epcot.
• Epcot Teddy Bear and Doll Weekend. May 18–21. Collectible bears and dolls at Epcot (link).
• Star Wars Weekends. May 19-21 and 26-28, and June 2-4 and 9-11. The popular event is slated to return to the Studios in 2006 (link).

July 2006

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex (link). July 29 – August 17. The NFC South champions prepare for the 2006 campaign, with practices open to the public.

September 2006

• Tom Joyner Family Reunion. Sept. 1–4. The radio host's annual gathering returns for another year (link).
• Night of Joy. Dates TBA. Disney's annual Christian music festival (link).
• Walt Disney World Triathlon. Sept. 24. Athletes compete in a 1.5K swim, a 40K bike ride, and a 10K run (link).
• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Sept. 29 – Nov. 12. The annual celebration of things gustatory, plus the Eat to the Beat concert series (link).

October 2006

• Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Dates TBA. Get your costumes ready. The Disney characters will certainly be wearing theirs. (link).
• Disney's Race for the Taste 10K. Oct. 8. The annual Disney 10K race continues its association with the Epcot Food & Wine Festival (link).
• ABC Super Soap Weekend. Dates TBA. Your favorite ABC soap opera starts converge on the Disney-MGM Studios (link).
• Funai Classic at Walt Disney World. Oct. 16–22. Lucas Glover will try to defend his title at the 36th annual fall golf classic on the Palm and Magnolia courses (link).

November-December 2006

• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Dates TBA. Snow on Main Street, free hot cocoa and cookies. What's not to like? (link).

December 2006

• Pleasure Island New Year's Eve. Dec. 31. Pleasure Island celebrates the actual New Year (link).
• New Year's Eve at Cirque du Soleil. Dec. 31. Cirque puts on special New Year's performances (link).
• Atlantic Dance Hall New Year's Eve. Dec. 31. Ring in the New Year at the BoardWalk's own dance club (link).

January 2007

• Walt Disney World Half-Marathon. Jan. 6. Registration now open (link). [Read our WDW Marathon Guide.]
• Walt Disney World Marathon. Jan. 5. Registration now open (link).

Current Discounts & Promotions

Passholder Best Rate Program gone, regular passholder discounts return

The Passholder Best Rate program apparently received a cold reception from annual passholders that like to plan their trips on the spur of the moment. The program has been discontinued and been replaced by straight discounts available up until the last minute. Passholders can see discounts for multiple months in advance on the passholder web site (link). Currently, discounts are available through April 8.

Radisson announces exclusive Disney Fan Rate specials

The Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration (formerly the Radisson Resort Parkway), a MousePlanet sponsor, has announced special exclusive rates for MousePlanet readers through the end of February. These rates are lower than those that you'll receive through Hotels.com, Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, Radisson.com, or anywhere else on the Internet.

The rates are as follows:

Now through February 2 - $85.00 weekdays / $95.00 weekends
February 3-9 - $95.00
February 10-26 - $105.00 weekdays / $115.00 weekends (EXCEPTION: 2/16 - 2/21 at $135.00 due to Daytona 500 Race)

Click here for more information, or here to make reservations now.

Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration releases rates through the end of 2006

The Radisson Resort Parkway is now the Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration! The resort, a MousePlanet sponsor, has announced their standard rates through the end of 2006. Note that the nightly rates do not include a $7 per night resort fee.

Click here for more information, or here to make reservations now.

Magic Your Way ticket price guide

Walt Disney World's entire ticket price structure changed as of January 2, 2005, to the new “Magic Your Way” passes, and prices increased on January 1, 2006.. Advance purchase discounts are only available on tickets above the base ticket of at least 4 days, with higher discounts on those tickets with both options.

Park Hours

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through July 2006.

Entertainment Schedule

Hours and entertainment schedules are currently available through July 2006.

Theme Park Events

Downtown Disney Entertainment

(Separate admission required)