Monorail No Longer To Run for Evening EMH

Beginning July 11, the Epcot loop of the WDW monorail will stop operation one hour after regular closing hours. Likewise, beginning August 1, the Magic Kingdom monorail will stop operation one hour after regular closing hours. What this means, of course, is that guests staying for evening EMH (Extra Magic Hours) will be forced to take either a bus or boat (if available) back to their resorts after EMH. At this point morning it appears that the monorail will continue to service morning EMH. Sadly, this appears to be a permanent change--not just something Disney is testing temporarily.

As someone who is scheduled to stay at a monorail resort (Grand Floridian) in September, this is very disappointing news.  (Did I mention that this is my 40th birthday trip, and that it was a major splurge? And Epcot--the park I plan to celebrate my birthday in--has EMH scheduled until midnight on my birthday? Boo.) I can't imagine that Disney won't hear some major complaints on this one, especially considering that most guests book monorail resorts specifically because they are, in fact, monorail resorts. It kind of makes EMH not quite as appealing for those staying in a monorail resort, don't you think? Knowing you're going to face a long wait and ride on the bus (vs. a short hop on the monorail) might make some choose NOT to stay late in the parks (or choose NOT to stay at a pricey monorail resort).

Here's hoping the backlash causes Disney to reconsider!

Fairies Moving Back to Magic Kingdom

Beginning July 28, the Disney Fairies will be greeting guests at the Adventureland Veranda in the Magic Kingdom. Until then, you will still find your favorite Pixie Hollow friends in Epcot, where they have been hanging out since Toontown closed. (Anyone else sad that they scrapped the rumored plans for the big Pixie Hollow area in the new Fantasyland? I would love to see the Fairies get a more permanent home.)

Friday Photo

Is it just me, or do these life jackets, hanging up at the Y pool, look a lot like Mickey ear hats?

Thursday's Tip

This morning I've been thinking about the things we pack for a WDW vacation that are somewhat unique--things we might not need on a "regular" vacation to the beach or somewhere else. And that led me to thinking about what we actually take into the Parks. If you're a long-time reader, you know of my fondness for the clear backpack we take into the Parks. But what do we put in it? The list has evolved over the years--partly due to the age of our children and their needs, but also based on things we've learned that we do/don't really need.

So...today's Thursday's Tip is really more of a list...but I hope you'll find it helpful nonetheless. Besides the normal/expected items (camera--duh!), here's what goes into our big clear backpack:

• Ponchos for the whole family. (If there's no rain in the forecast, we pack the super cheap kind you get at the dollar store. If the chance of rain is high, we take our heavy-duty ponchos. They take up more space, but they're much more effective and comfy.)


• Several shiny pennies and a roll of quarters. We enjoy collecting pressed pennies around the World, and these cost 50 a pop. It's a cheap souvenir!


• Shout Wipes or a Tide to Go pen...'cause we eat a lot of Mickey ice cream bars and someone inevitably ends up wearing theirs.


• Autograph books and pens. We love character meet-n-greets!


• A few Ziplock bags of various sizes. We put everything--cameras, autograph books, etc.--in these, but we keep a few extra in case we buy a souvenir or have a leftover snack we want to save for later.


• Glow bracelets. We buy a pack at the dollar store and crack 'em open when it's parade time.


• A princess costume or two. My girls like to dress up for character meals, but they don't necessarily want to wear their costumes all day.Believe it or not, the Disney Store costumes will squish into a gallon-size Ziplock with ease. Take 'em out and shake, and you're good to go.


• Water bottle. We've typically done the disposable bottles in the past, but this year I'm looking into using a filtered reusable. We can share one or two, and not have to carry so many extra bottles. The water quality at Disney has greatly improved  over the years (no more sulfer smell!), so we typically drink tap water at most restaurants. We've been known to bring single drink mixes too (Crystal Light or Kool-Aid), but we don't end up using many of them.


• Hand sanitizer...but that's a given, right? Am I the only germaphobe out there?


• Mini can of Lysol. See the previous bullet point. Great for sanitizing table tops!


• Purel wipes. Do you see a pattern here? I really am normal. Really.


• Small bottle of sunscreen.


• Snacks--peanuts, peanut butter crackers, goldfish...you name it.

Those are the highlights...I'm sure I'll think of more

This Day in Disney History

Ever so often I take a glance at a site that offers a bit of Disney history for every day of the year. Today, I noticed, was a very big day for actors and voice actors from Disney films. Here's what happened on July 6 in Disney history:

• In 1911, Laverne Andrews, one of the popular Andrews Sisters, was born in Minneapolis. These ladies lent their voices to Disney recordings Make Mine Music (1946) and Melodie Time (1948).


• Sebastian Cabot, the actor who narrated several Winnie the Pooh movies, was born in London in 1918. He also voiced roles in The Jungle Book and The Sword in the Stone.


• Bill Shirley, who voiced Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty, was born in 1921 in Indianapolis.


• Ned Beatty, veteran actor who voiced Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear in Toy Story 3, was born in 1937 in Louisville.


• In 1938, Luana Pattern was born in Long Beach, CA. She played Ginny in Song of the South, as well as several other roles in Disney films.


• Geoffry Rush, known for his role of Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, was born in Australia in 1951.

• Jeremy Suarez, the voice of Coda in Brother Bear, was born in Burbank, CA in 1993.

Refurbishment Update

There are several ongoing and upcoming refurbishments to tell you about. Many of them affect our upcoming trip (boo), but most are not on our "must-do" list, so we're not too sad. Here's the list, by park:

Magic Kingdom

• Fantasyland construction continues through 2012.


• The Enchanted Tiki Room remains closed through 8/15/11.


• Frontier Shootin' Arcade remains closed through 9/30/11.


• Casey's Corner (restaurant) will close 8/30 and re-open on 9/15/11.


• The Lunching Pad (restaurant) will close 8/29 and re-open 9/14/11.


• The Swiss Family Tree House will close 9/8 through 11/17/11.

Epcot

• No reported refurbishments at this time

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Voyage of the Little Mermaid will close on 8/15 and re-open 9/3/11.


• The Studio Backlot Tour will be closed 9/4 through 9/24/11.

Animal Kingdom

• Primeval Whirl remains closed through 9/14/11.


• It's Tough to Be a Bug will close on 8/15 and remain closed until 9/30/11.

Last Week of DisneyStore.com Warehouse Sale

This is the final week of the Warehouse Sale at www.Disneystore.com, with savings up to 70% off. Merchandise is going fast, so log on to make your purchases ASAP! I am seeing a few new markdowns--items that weren't in the mix a week or so ago. Last week, I purchased several bathing suits and sleepwear for my girls at great prices. Discounts this deep are only offered at DisneyStore.com about twice a year, so stock up now!