By: Disney Destinations
March 30, 2021

Beginning today, guests at Walt Disney World Resort will be able to enjoy a convenient and contactless new option for entering the theme parks and more, as part of the rollout of Disney MagicMobile service!

Available now on iPhone and Apple Watch and coming soon to other smart devices, Disney MagicMobile service is a fun, easy-to-use new way for guests to experience The Most Magical Place on Earth. The service is offered in addition to other options such as the MagicBand, the colorful, all-in-one bracelet, which will continue to be available and introduced in even more colors, designs and limited-edition fan favorites into the future.

Here are a few helpful tips to get started with Disney MagicMobile service:

• Create A Customized Digital Pass: Guests can create a Disney MagicMobile pass through the My Disney Experience app and add it to the Wallet app on iPhone or the digital wallet on other smart devices. Guests can customize their pass by choosing from several Disney-themed designs that animate upon use (including special designs just for Annual Passholders and DVC Members)! For added ease, they may also store multiple passes on a single device, a great option for families.
• Easily Enter the Parks and More: Guests can simply hold their iPhone, Apple Watch, or other smart device near an access point when entering the parks or using other available features, just like they do with a MagicBand. With Express Mode on iPhone and Apple Watch, guests do not even need to wake or unlock their Apple device, or open up the app, to use their Disney MagicMobile pass. As a reminder, valid park admission and a park reservation are required for park entry and must be linked to an account.
• Discover Other App Enhancements: We’ve also added a new feature in the My Disney Experience app that allows guests to automatically link their Disney PhotoPass attraction photos and videos to their profile through a smartphone. Just confirm the settings in advance of riding at participating attractions. The My Disney Experience app also enables Disney Resort hotel guests to unlock their room door using our current digital room key feature.

Guests may use Disney MagicMobile service, a MagicBand or a card interchangeably for added flexibility. Disney Resort hotel guests can purchase MagicBands at a special, pre-arrival price. Guests can also pick up a Key to the World card at their convenience at the front desk.

Download the My Disney Experience app today to check out these latest updates!

*Please note Disney MagicMobile service requires iOS 14.4 or later and watchOS 7.3 or later.

"While Disneyland Park has been closed, Walt Disney Imagineering has been putting the finishing touches on this cherished attraction, which will be ready to welcome Guests when we reopen our theme parks at a later date." While your guests may recognize some familiar elements in the attraction, they’ll be surprised to discover enhanced story details and all-new scenes. 
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​Learn more about the magical transformation of this attraction at Disney Parks Blog!
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In an unusual timeline, Disney Cruise line announced Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy itineraries for late April and May 2022 that are now available to book.

Mark your calendar! Beginning January 5, 2021, a new special offer on a room-and-ticket package will be released:
"Get 2 extra days added to your ticket when you buy a 4-night/3-day room-and-ticket package at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for arrivals most nights January 8, 2021 through September 25, 2021."
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​This special package can be booked beginning January 5, 2021. Contact Carrie at Adventurers Navigation Co. to book! Email carrie.adventurer@gmail.com for more information!

On Christmas Eve Day, the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Celebration debuted a brand-new video of the Disney Wish, which sets sail in summer 2022.
From Disney Destinations, "This never-before-seen digital clip showcases new details of the dazzling Grand Hall and a first look at the stunning character statue at the base of the grand staircase, an iconic Disney princess whose faith in her dreams has inspired generations to believe in the power of their own.
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Who is she? You don’t have to wait until the clock strikes midnight to find out..."

The article continues, "Inspired by the beauty of a fairytale castle, the Grand Hall makes a bold welcoming statement, setting the tone for an enchanted family vacation from the moment your Clients step onboard the Disney Wish. It is an idyllic setting for Cinderella, whose timeless story is the perfect example of magic transforming wishes into dreams and dreams into reality – very fitting for a vessel named the Disney Wish, don’t you think?"
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Some fun facts about the Disney Wish:

• The Disney Wish is the first of three new ships joining the Disney Cruise Line fleet through 2025.
• All three ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas. 
• At approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

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Disney Destinations notes, "there is still more work to be done here in the future, the area is much more open and welcoming now. It features new planters, pathways, lush landscaping and a vibrant new color palette that will eventually tie into the four new neighborhoods we’re creating inside the park – World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase. "

As guests approach the front of iconic Spaceship Earth they will now see a re-imagined fountain, standing in the footprint of the original fountain that welcomed guests on the park’s opening day in 1982. Disney emphasized, "Our design team took special interest in this water feature, as we looked back to the geometry of the original for inspiration while creating some new magic of our own. In the fountain’s center is a brilliant light, a unique liquid-cooled fixture we’ve designed with new capabilities that complement the fountain’s changing colors and will coordinate with new lighting coming to Spaceship Earth and the upcoming World Celebration beyond. 

Three acrylic pylons, each standing over 16 feet tall and featuring the park’s logo, surround the fountain and hearken back to the creation of EPCOT. Their timeless design and vertical presence draw the eye upward toward the sky – perfectly framing views of Spaceship Earth."

This new fountain is billed as the centerpiece of EPCOT’s entrance plaza, having been designed as a welcoming area to bring people together.  As the article shares, "The greenery and use of water celebrate a harmony between humanity and the natural world. This park was built to inspire optimism, and we’re infusing this transformation with the magic of possibility."

Stay tuned for more updates about EPCOT, as the work here is far from done!

On Friday, November 20th, 2020, Walt Disney World Resort announced three more in-park dining locations would be returning to service!  

• November 25th -  Woody’s Lunch Box, at Disney's Hollywood Studios, will re-open with classic American fare, old-fashioned soda floats and other “Toy Story”-themed specialties.  
• December 13th -  Magic Kingdom's Crystal Palace will reopen its doors, but sadly without our friends from the Hundred-Acre Wood.  The restaurant will be offering a family-style dining experience instead of buffet, with new a new menu featuring individually plated entrées including crispy fried chicken with honey pot drizzle, fire-roasted prime rib of beef, fried cauliflower and more.  ​Reservations will open for this location on December 1st, 2020.
• December 17th - Tomorrowland Terrace, will also reopen. This quick-service location will feature a refreshed menu of seafood favorites, including lobster rolls and fried shrimp.
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Park Hopping is coming BACK!  This long awaited announcement quietly dropped into our inboxes this morning, and we couldn't be more excited!  At the re-opening of The Walt Disney World Resort in July, we enjoyed a restricted park capacity of 25%.  It was AWESOME!  Reminds me of how it was when I was a kid in the late 80's and early 90's.  No rush, no crush of crowds, and no need for FastPass+ ... we didn't even feel the need to Park Hop!

Our return visit in late October found a bump in capacity to 35%.  While it still was thoroughly enjoyable, and very laid back, there were moments I found myself wishing I could take advantage of the Park Hopping system.  Park Hopping has traditionally been our tool to escape a crowded park in favor of a less busy one.  I pined for the ability to Park Hop in October as it could have helped rescue my family from poor choices for our Park Pass Reservations on particular days (ahem ... Disney's Hollywood Studios on a weekend was a "goofy" decision).  

It is important to note, all other "enhanced health and safety measures remain in effect, including face coverings required for all guests ages two and up."  The return of Park Hopper® benefits for guests with Park Hopper tickets/package, or Annual Pass with these privileges, will indeed go far to provide the chance to see and do more during their visit!

As mentioned the return of Park Hopping does come with the modifications as described earlier, and a caveat for those hoping to snag the coveted Rise of the Resistance Virtual Boarding Group. Disney Destinations shared in their press release, "Please note that the ability to visit another park will be subject to the park’s capacity limitations. And, to help us manage attendance, upon the return of the Park Hopper option in January, only guests with a Disney Park Pass reservation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be able to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Guests visiting from another theme park will not be able to request to join the virtual queue."

Guests should also take note with capacity restrictions in place, holding a dining reservation at a Park they wish to hop to, does not guarantee admission to that park if it is at capacity.  Guests will need to rely on the My Disney Experience app to determine ahead of hopping, if the park they were planning on is at capacity or welcoming Guests.  Ultimately this means that the only guaranteed park access will be to the park a Guest has made a Park Pass Reservation for the day. 

Lastly, while we get used to this new normal, it was uplifting to read, "Park-to-park transportation is also planned to resume in 2021, with operations beginning each day shortly prior to the start of Park Hopper® hours."  Official operating times will be established based on various park openings and closings, but we anticipate that it will mirror the general rule of thumb 45 minutes prior to Park Hopping opening, and run through after closing of the park.  Guests can expect park-to-park transportation, for parks that reach capacity, to pause until a later time when more guests can be welcomed.

Just as Disney Destinations noted in their press release -- Adventurer's Navigation Co. is also excited for the return of these fan favorite options in the New Year!  Considering a Disney vacation? Contact us today to receive a no obligation quote from an agent experienced in Walt Disney World Resort trips during the pandemic! 

While I would normally endeavor to make every trip to Walt Disney World 6 nights or longer, I sometimes have to accept I don’t have the luxury of time. I often run into clients who wonder, is it really worth going to Disney if you only have a couple days available? Is it even possible to enjoy Disney for such a short time? My answer is always — YES! Whether it’s last minute or planned in advance, a short visit can be just as memorable as a long one.

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Tip #1 - Take Advantage of ParkHopping
To park hop or not is a constant dilema for Disney vacation planners.  With the prices increasing each year, guests most certainly are looking to shave off expenses where they can.  For a short visit, at approximately $85/person to add the perk, I can certainly understand why some question if it is worth the expense.  In the case of a short visit - don't second guess - in most cases it is a MUST!  Park hopping will allow guests to pack in the maximum amount of park experience as is possible.

Tip #2 - Use Extra Magic Hours to Your Advantage
Especially if morning Extra Magic Hours are available - guests on a swift touring plan need to be there!  If another park offers later hours, or night Extra Magic Hours, this too will come in handy to get the most bang for your buck out of your park tickets.

Tip #7 - Consider Special Events if Available
Extra Morning Magic tickets can afford guests an additional 3 hours, with little to no crowds.  Plus, you receive a breakfast at your leasure within that time frame.  You must still have general park admission in addition to the special event ticket, but in the long run it's a nice compliment to your day.

Disney After Dark/After Hours/Special Party event tickets can easily take the place of a 1 day ticket/parkhopper.  This nearly 5 hour experience gives you unique entertainment, the run of the park with limited attendees, and often free treats!  Who needs a Premium Mickey Bar?  (everyone!)

So, to put it all together, my all encompassing advice when considering a short stay at Disney - be prepared to compromise! Expect that your time is after all still very limited. You will have to pick and choose what handful of experiences mean the most to you. And... plan to come back!

​If you know you are in the market for a short stay, but not sure where to start, give us a call -- we will get you on track in a jiffy!

Just over a month ago our small agency celebrated our 1 year anniversary of our re-branding ... or as I prefer to think of it, our "re-birth".  A short search through our Travel Journal will lead you to the article where I discussed what I now consider a milestone in our agencies journey.  As we have made the transition, our client loyalty has swelled.  We continue to be very thankful to our clients and the numerous referrals they regularly make.  

I would be lying however if I didn't admit that I had been dragging my feet on the re-branding.    A friend whom makes her living in Marketing would every now and then nudge about a logo.  With her expertise in online presence, including website design and social media utilization ... I knew she was right.  As she pointed out several times, the sad picture of a wilting Dole Whip, sitting aside a Mickey Balloon Popcorn Bucket, was not exactly going to draw in the billions of people scanning through the internet ... nor was it going to be memorable!  The absence of a new business logo weighed heavily on my mind.  Last spring I peeled the old vinyl logo off my car.  For months I had the constant thought when walking to my car, "I should really figure out a new logo."  Most business conversations with Colleen included a reminder from her that I really really need to do something about a new logo.  It was holding so much up, business cards, website clean up, etc. 

What was my problem you ask? Perhaps it took a year of "grieving" the loss of invested funds and time to our old name, in order to fully embrace our new name? Undoubtedly that played a part in the procrastination.  In my life I try to do things with purpose and meaning as I dislike wasted energy, or settling for mediocre.  With the name change, I put a lot of thought into what represents the agency and the team of ladies best.  We have always been a full-service agency that prioritized helping our clients achieve vacations they dreamed of, but with the honesty of keeping their budgets as the priority.  Our agency has never been about sales goals, and we are never concerned about how much commission we earn.  Beyond those values however, as I said a year ago, our agency offers so much more than just booking vacations ... we offer to be your guides to adventures of a lifetime!  With this thought I realized that Adventurers Navigation Co.  was the right fit for a new name ... but, how did that LOOK?  Just as the name has vivid meaning, I felt strongly the logo needed to as well.

I am excited to share that I have finally hit on a design that pulls together our core beliefs as travel planners and an agency, with a "hidden Mickey" to boot!

The base value of our agency is to show our clients the best way to a vacation that balances value and experience.  The ​Compass represents how our travel planners are first and foremost committed to guiding our clients to the best vacation for their budget. 

The next layer to our service is always about design.  When planning vacations for our clients we cognizant each client is different. Therefore each vacation plan will need a different design to help clients achieve an enjoyable experience. The circle of design is a symbol that our agency will create a custom adventure that considers each clients needs, tastes, and desires.   

Last, but certainly not least, is the value of Time.  We each are granted just one lifetime to go and do; to explore and learn; to enjoy this wonderful world.  Colleen and I talk often about time ... how now is the time, because life will not wait.  We do not know when the clock will run out on life.  As travel planners we believe that our service is priceless.  Just as clients are encouraged to take the time to vacation now, their time spent planning can be consuming.  We believe it is our job to save clients that time (and often frustration) spent on detail.  Our travel planner have the adventure laid out, ready for clients to just go and enjoy.

I am excited to share with the world the new *look* for Adventurers Navigation Co. As I said just a short year ago, we are a Travel Team of professional travel planners. Our team of specialists is ready to help you navigate your next adventure!  Whether it be Disney or Europe, we will be there for you every step of the way! To our faithful following - thank you for being the backbone of our business! To those who are just discovering us, welcome!  To everyone reading this post -- Let's ADVENTURE Together!

For most, if not all of our clients, it will be a surprise that we are changing who we are known as... changing what our business name has been.  That surprise will likely be in the form of, "Wait ... aren't you just [insert the name of beloved travel agent you have been trusting for years now]", rather than "Why are you changing your name?" 

Several years ago we started out in the travel business, inspired and encouraged from our loved ones. Colleen and I love to travel, and so many of our friends and family relied on us to help with their travel details.  Eventually someone said, "Why aren't you getting paid for doing what you love?" hmmm ... I wondered ... perhaps they have a point. And so, I did my research, found a name, filed the government and IRS paperwork and set off the ground running!   Eventually Colleen and I became a team, a really great travel team.  After all this time, I have to giggle though at the very small number of our treasured clients that actually know our business name!  (Hi-5 to anyone that remembers it!)

For many years we existed completely by word of mouth.  Referrals at that time, and to this day, was our life breath! Looking at our client roster today, 100% of our bookings have come from friends, family, and those they referred us to!  Since our start it has been like a Christmas Tree explosion.  First it was close friends and family, then it was their friends and family, and then their friends and family!  It just kept going! I mean I have a recent client that has made well over 5 referrals in less than a year!  Now those referrals are making referrals! I can't thank our clients enough for your faith and trust in us!  YOU! You my friends have made our dreams possible.

Along the way my husband encouraged me to do more -- he said, "Take it serious now, you could really do something with this travel thing."  Colleen and I agreed, and decided -- let's go online!  A little less than 2 years ago our website and facebook page were born.  Funny thing is we still were living and breathing on those valued referrals. In fact that online presence hadn't yielded anything other than 'likes', 'follows', and website visits from those we already know ... or of course had been personally referred to us. (Thanks again friends!)

What we never expected was that our little backyard agency would attract the attention and bullying from an online website. 2018 started with us having to decide if we wanted to battle to keep our business name of [words we may never breathe again as we are in something like a Harry Potter-esque situation due to our country's trademarking allowances and what I perceive as fuzzily gray governance of such], all because someone else used that phrase as a moniker for their agents ... They didn't have the same business name, but boy they are very very serious about that moniker.  

I won't lie, Colleen and I have cried some tears over the situation.  At the time I established myself there was nothing out there (ok, other than a toy manufacturer of magic tricks, and a fishing bait company) ... we had done our due diligence.  For awhile it was doom and gloom as we researched our rights, and sought opinion on our chances of winning the argument. The other company fears client confusion.  Though I contest that there would ever be a chance of such a thing.  This brought me to two conclusions: Money talks, and when consulting with my pocket book, it replied back, "You don't really make enough to fight this." Sadly, the pocket book was right.; and through reflection I realized that I have no interest in wanting to ever be mistaken for this other company, no matter the slightest of chance. So, I then started the journey to change our business name.  

As I sit here writing this little novella, I realize this is not really a sad time after all - rather it is a time to embrace what's to come.  Since the day Colleen and I set out as a Travel Team, we have grown and changed.  We are more than just Disney, and more than just Cruising ... in fact, we are more than just Carrie and Colleen!  We are growing, and becoming even better at what we do, and have added some really great people to our team like Tiffany, Michele, and Ashley!  We offer so much more than just booking vacations ... we offer to be your guides!  We are a full-service agency that is more concerned about helping our clients achieve vacations they dreamed of, but with the honesty of keeping their budgets as the priority.  We aren't about sales goals, and we are never concerned about how much of a commission we earn. WE don't need a cutesy moniker, we are professionals, and will always remain so.

My friends after months of work I  welcome you to the new US!  We are Adventurers Navigation Co. We are a Travel Team of professional travel specialists ready to help you navigate your next adventure!  Whether it be Disney or Europe, we will be there for you every step of the way!  Though our name has changed, our mission has not!  To our faithful following - thank you for being the backbone of our business!  To those who are just discovering us, welcome!  To everyone reading this post -- Let's ADVENTURE Together!