You can see the Disney Dreams Come True Parade by checking out the pictures below!

First up, Aladdin!

Next, a variety of characters from from the Country Bears, Robin Hood, Brer Rabbit, the Lion King and Stitch!

Peter Pan and Wendy ride on the next float.

Next come the Disney Princesses!  First up is Cinderella with her Prince and Fairy Godmother.

Belle and the Beast follow.

Ariel and Eric from The Little Mermaid arrive after the Beauty and the Beast float.

The final float is huge and carries many characters and crowd favorites, including Chip and Dale,

Pluto and Donald Duck,

and Goofy, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

It’s actually a very simple parade, but it’s filled with Disney characters, so children really enjoy it.  At least, I know my 3-year old triplets did!  It’s hot watching this parade though, particularly in the middle of the summer.  Grab a bottle of water, and find a shady spot to watch it!

You can follow the link to read more Walt Disney World reviews on The Disney Traveler.

Images: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Second, decide if you want to add the Park Hopper Option to your tickets so you can visit more than one of the four theme parks per day for an additional $45 (plus tax) per ticket and/or if you want to add the Water Park Fun and More Option which will also allow you a certain number of visits (depending on the length of your base ticket, you’ll get 2-10 visits in total) to Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Pleasure Island and DisneyQuest for an additional $50 per ticket (plus tax).  Add all of your choices together to get your final price.

Once you choose the parks you want to visit and your ticket length, you can pay an extra fee to add the No Expiration Option (without this option, your tickets expire 14 days after first use).  

The No Expiration Option ranges in price as follows:

•  1-Day Ticket: not offered
• 2-Day Ticket: $15
• 3-Day Ticket: $20
• 4-Day Ticket: $45
• 5-Day Ticket: $60
• 6-Day Ticket: $65 
• 7-Day Ticket: $95
• 8-Day Ticket: $130
• 9-Day Ticket: $155
• 10-Day Ticket: $180

 With those costs in mind, you might want to consider buying an annual pass instead (it just might be more economical). 

Walt Disney World Annual Pass rates for non-Florida residents are as follows for 2008:

• Annual Pass: Adults age 10 and up = $448, Children age 3-9 = $395 (under 3, no charge).  This pass includes unlimited admission for 365 days from the purchase date to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom as well as free parking.
• Premium Annual Pass: Adults age 10 and up = $579, Children age 3-9 = $510 (under 3, no charge).  This pass includes everything that the Annual Pass does plus Pleasure Island, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, DisneyQuest, and Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.

Florida Resident Annual Pass Prices for 2008:

• Florida Resident Annual Pass: Adults age 10 and up = $350, Children age 3-9 = $308 (under 3, no charge).  This pass includes the same features as the non-Florida resident annual pass above.
• Florida Resident Premium Annual Pass: Adults age 10 and up = $459, Children age 3-9 = $404 (under 3, no charge).  This pass includes the same features as the non-Florida resident premium annual pass above.
• Florida Resident Seasonal Pass: Adults age 10 and up = $230, Children age 3-9 = $203 (under 3, no charge).  This pass allows admission to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom except for blackout dates around Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, spring break, and peak summer periods.

Non-Theme Park Attraction Ticket Prices for 2008:

• Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach: 1-day pass = $39 for adults and $33 for children, annual hopper ticket = $99.95 for adults and $80.50 for children
• DisneyQuest: 1-day ticket = $37 for adults and $31 for children, annual pass = $89 for adults and $71 for children
• Disney Quest and Water Parks Annual Pass: Adults = $129, children = $99
• Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex: Adults = $10.51, Children = $7.94
• Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba: Adults $65-$114 depending on seats chosen, Children $52-$91 depending on seats chosen
• Pleasure Island: 1-night ticket = $21.95 (all ages) and an annual pass = $55.95 (all ages).  Admission to Pleasure Island Clubs is restricted to adults age 21 and over except for the Adventurers Club and Comedy Warehouse where children under 18 are allowed if accompanied by an adult over age 21.

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Post from: The Disney Traveler

More closings and refurbishments updates can be found on these pages on The Disney Traveler:

• For Walt Disney World updates, check out the Walt Disney World Closings and Refurbishments page.
• For Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure updates, check out the Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Closings and Refurbishments page.
• For Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea updates, check out the Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea Closings and Refurbishments page.
• For Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios updates, check out the Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Closings and Refurbishments page.

If you don’t want to miss any Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure closings and refurbishment announcements, subscribe to The Disney Traveler.

Photo: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

This page will be updated on a regular basis when Disney announces planned closings and refurbishments on Disney property that might affect your vacation.  If you have a favorite ride or show that you don’t want to miss during your Disney vacation, be sure to check the Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Closings and Refurbishments page before you book your trip.

More closings and refurbishments updates can be found on these pages on The Disney Traveler:

• For Walt Disney World updates, check out the Walt Disney World Closings and Refurbishments page.
• For Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure updates, check out the Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Closings and Refurbishments page.
• For Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea updates, check out the Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea Closings and Refurbishments page.

If you don’t want to miss any Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure closings and refurbishment announcements, subscribe to The Disney Traveler.

Photo: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

This page will be updated on a regular basis when Disney announces planned closings and refurbishments on Disney property that might affect your vacation.  If you have a favorite ride or show that you don’t want to miss during your Disney vacation, be sure to check the Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea Closings and Refurbishments page before you book your trip.

More closings and refurbishments updates can be found on these pages on The Disney Traveler:

• For Walt Disney World updates, check out the Walt Disney World Closings and Refurbishments page.
• For Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure updates, check out the Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Closings and Refurbishments page.

If you don’t want to miss any Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure closings and refurbishment announcements, subscribe to The Disney Traveler.

Photo: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

This page will be updated on a regular basis when Disney announces planned closings and refurbishments on Disney property that might affect your vacation.  If you have a favorite ride or show that you don’t want to miss during your Disney vacation, be sure to check the Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Closings and Refurbishments page before you book your trip.

For Walt Disney World updates, check out the Walt Disney World Closings and Refurbishments page.

If you don’t want to miss any Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure closings and refurbishment announcements, subscribe to The Disney Traveler.

Photo: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

This page will be updated on a regular basis when Disney announces planned closings and refurbishments on Walt Disney World property that might affect your vacation.  If you have a favorite ride or show that you don’t want to miss during your Walt Disney World vacation, be sure to check the Walt Disney World Closings and Refurbishment Schedule page before you book your trip.

For Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure updates, check out the Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Closings and Refurbishment Schedule page.

If you don’t want to miss any Walt Disney World closings and refurbishment announcements, subscribe to The Disney Traveler.

Photo: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

First, the Jungle Cruise is a family-friendly ride.  Your trip takes you on a slow moving boat ride through the rivers of three different continents.  Along the way, a Disney cast member will act as your guide pointing out animals, explorers, head hunters and more.  The guide will have you chuckling with many jokes and puns along the way. 

You’ll begin seeing snakes and elephants from the African region followed by the African safari.  Don’t be afraid when a family of lions is spotted eating a zebra.  Your guide will let the youngest passengers know the lions are simply playing with it.  And when a rhinocerous is spotted chasing a team of explorers up a pole, your guide will speculate that they’ll, “get the point in the end.”

The animals and people throughout the ride are all animatronic from the early days of Disney, but they’re great fun to see.  One of the highlights of the trip is when your boat travels behind a waterfall and you have the opportunity to see what your guide will refer to as, “the backside of water.” 

A word of caution for families with very young children – near the end of the ride, you’ll travel through an ancient Asian ruin, which is dark and might frighten small children.  The tunnel is filled with monkeys, hidden treasures and snakes.  Children with vivid imaginations could be scared, but gentle reassurance that the animals are pretend (and the fact that the cave is just a short tunnel that you’re out of within a few seconds) help to make it bearable for the easily frightened travelers on board.

Overall, the Jungle Cruise is a classic Disney attraction.  It’s not a thrill ride, and you won’t see real animals.  While it was cutting edge decades ago, today many guests are bored by it.  I still love it though.  I’ve heard rumors that the Jungle Cruise in Walt Disney World might be removed and replaced with a new thrill ride or more modern attraction.  I’d hate to see the Jungle Cruise go, but I can see where an updated attraction might be more interesting to new visitors to Walt Disney World who don’t have fond memories of the Jungle Cruise from their childhoods.

What do you think of the Jungle Cruise?  What do you think of the possibility of it being replaced?

Photo source: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler