Learn All About The New "Princess Fairytale Hall" AND Enter To Win Two Lithographs!

The newest character greeting location - Disney's Princess Fairytale Hall - opened last week in New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom. Here, guests can choose to meet either Cinderella and a visiting princess or Rapunzel and a visiting princess.

Here's what you need to know:

1. Where's it located? Princess Fairytale Hall is located behind the castle where Snow White's Scary Adventures used to be.
2. How does it work? Cinderella and Rapunzel each have their own line - so choose your favorite and then switch lines.
   (Hint: Word on the street is Rapunzel's line grows longer throughout the day, so visit her first!)
   
   Hot Tip! You can use FASTPASS at this attraction! Stop by the FASTPASS distribution station near Peter Pan's Flight to get your return time ticket, or use the MyDisneyExperience app.
    
3. What can you do there? Meet the princesses, get autographs and take pictures. Due to slightly lower light levels, you might be better off having the Disney photographer take some shots with the Disney PhotoPass. 

Meet Cinderella

Meet Rapunzel

Don't miss Cinderella's famous glass slipper!

ENTER TO WIN!

Three winners chosen at random will receive a set of two beautiful lithographs of scenes from New Fantasyland! They measure about 9" square and come with a mat border. Here are the scenes depicted in each lithograph:

TO ENTER: Just comment on this blog post with the name of the princess you'd most like to meet!

Winners will be chosen at random and announced on the blog and on our Facebook page at noon EST on Thursday, September 26, 2013.

NEW MOBILE APP: "My Disney Experience"

Everywhere you look, people are on their phones. It's become the primary way we get our news and communicate with friends and family. 

You probably bring it with you on vacation, and now there's a good reason why you'll want to have your phone with you on your next Disney vacation: The MY DISNEY EXPERIENCE app (free download on the app store and Google Play). 

My Disney Experience - on your laptop or Smart Phone

You can do so much with this app:

• Explore Walt Disney World with the interactive GPS
• View your FASTPASS return times 
• Get wait times for attractions, shows, fireworks and parades
• Find Disney character greeting locations and times
• Browse restaurant menus and making dining reservations
• Share your plans with others through "Family & Friends"
• Keep all your reservations and activities in one spot

Your Disney vacation will literally be at your fingertips.
So what do you think? Will you use this app?
 

MagicBands at Walt Disney World

What are MagicBands?

MagicBands are waterproof devices worn on your wrist. They are all-in-one bands that serve as your theme park and water park tickets, your Disney Resort room key, FastPasses and more. 

How Do You Get MagicBands?

Right now, Disney is in a testing period, so if you're invited to participate, our agents can walk you through the Disney website (StartYourDisneyExperience.com) to "link up" your MagicBands with your resort reservation and the theme park and/or water park tickets you've already purchased. Eventually, the test period will end and all Disney Resort guests will use MagicBand.

*TIP* You can choose the color of your MagicBand and the name that appears on the band. Pink, blue, green...your kids will love it. 

When Will The MagicBands Arrive?
 

Once you've requested MagicBands, they'll arrive at your home at least three days prior to your Disney Resort arrival date.

IMPORTANT! 

Don't pack your MagicBands in your luggage! You'll need the MagicBands as soon as you arrive to be able to ride the Magical Express from the airport to your Disney Resort. So, be sure to wear them while you travel and all throughout your stay.

What Are MagicBands Used For?

1. As your Disney Resort Room Key. You don't need to remove the band, simply hold the band against the door reader to enter.

2. They work as your Theme Park and/or Water Park Tickets, depending on which ticket package you've purchased. 

(*TIP* MagicBands are waterproof - great feature when you visit the water parks!)

3. If you set up Charging Privileges with a credit card, you can use your MagicBand to buy food and merchandise at the parks or resorts.  

4. FastPass+. This is such a cool feature! You can select FastPass+ attractions and shows in advance, or if you've already made your selections, you can update your selections at any time.

How Do MagicBands Work? 

Hold your MagicBand up to the "Mickey" reader to enter the parks, your resort room or to access the FastPass+ queue line at your favorite attraction. 

 

How Can I View My Dining Info, Check or Change FastPass Times and More?

View and make changes to your information on the MyDisneyExperience.com home page on your laptop or SmartPhone. The app is free to download so you can have the world at your fingertips on your vacation!

This is a lot of information to comprehend - so feel free to ask us any questions. Many of our agents are in Walt Disney World right now using the new MagicBands, so they'll have the latest news, tips and tricks to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

What would YOU like to know about MagicBands?

"Glow With the Show" Comes to Walt Disney World

Earlier this year, we posted on our Facebook page about the "Glow with the Show" ears at Disneyland. 

These magical Mickey ears light up and interact with the World of Color nighttime spectactular at Disney's California Adventure and at various spots in Disneyland. 

And now, they're coming to the Walt Disney World Resort!

 

Take a Look at How They Work:

This October, "Glow With the Show" comes to Fantasmic at Disney's Hollywood Studios and to the nighttime show "Wishes" at the Magic Kingdom. 

And this holiday season, there will special surprises for guests who wear their "Glow With the Show" Ears during the Osborne Spectacle of Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios and during the Holiday performances of "Wishes."

Just one more way to make your visit to Disney even more magical!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

And of course there's monorails, FriendShip boats, buses, and trams. 

What's your favorite way to get to and around Walt Disney World? 

I took a quick poll on Twitter to see if people preferred using their own car while visiting the Disney parks or using Disney transportation. The overwhelming winner? Disney transportation. 

Honestly, it's my preference too. You don't have to worry about finding your way around the huge Walt Disney World resort property and you can literally leave the driving to someone else. Also, you don't have to pay the parking fee, which starts at $15 per day, per car (more if you have an RV). 

It's a wonderful perk of staying at a Disney resort - no need to rent a car!

But for those that drive to Disney in their own car or in a rental car, here are a few tips to minimize any frustrations:

1. Get a map. This may seem obvious, but a map of Orlando and a detailed map of Disney are handy tools.

2. Remember where you parked! Write it down or snap a photo of the parking sign with your camera or phone...trust me, you'll be happy you did. (*Note - if you forget, Disney security can assist you)

3. Park in the lot of the last park you want to visit that day. For instance, if you want to end your night with IllumiNations at Epcot, but want to spend the day at Hollywood Studios, park your car at Epcot and then take the bus to the Studios. At the end of the night, your car will be waiting for you at Epcot. 

Disney buses and boats generally run every 10 - 15 minutes or so. The monorail is more frequent.

There are pros and cons to both scenarios.

Which do you prefer? Driving your own car or riding on Disney transportation?

How Can You Reinvent Your Disney Experience?

If you've been to the Disney parks a few times, you probably have your plan in place. Up early and on the boat or bus or monorail. Sunblock, tickets, picture in front of the castle, FastPasses, popcorn, ice cream, the parade...

It all happens so fast. But do you ever get SO into your routine that you feel like you've been there, done that?

One way to break out of your routine is to try something new. Shake things up a bit! 

All of us at Magical Travel visit the Disney parks and cruise ships as often as we can. This keeps us up to speed on the latest tricks and tips so can share them with you. (We know it's a tough job, but someone has to do it!) 

One of our agents, Tammy, is at Walt Disney World right now with her family. For as many times as she's been to Disney, she's always looking for new ways to experience some magic.

She recently shared a snapshot of how she and her family spent a magical day at Disney:

"We had so much fun today! We rode our bikes all over Fort Wilderness and we saw three deer, a rabbit, and a squirrel. We stopped and visited the Magic Kingdom horses, too, during their bath time!
(*NOTE - Didn't bring your bikes? You can always rent bikes at Fort Wilderness or other locations on Disney property)

We went to the Magic Kingdom around 8:30pm. We took the boat over and with that full moon beaming on the water it was nice!
 

It was close to parade time, but it seemed a lot less busy tonight. You could get right through by Casey's and the Crystal Palace. You don't see that often.

Anyway, we wanted to get a few things in so we hurried over to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, then Splash Mountain, the Haunted Mansion and Belle's show. We were able to meet Ariel in New Fantasyland and then we rode Space Mountain - we were the last guests to "fly" on Space Mountain tonight!

It was a super fun night at the Magic Kingdom! The boat ride back was close to empty, too. We sat on the front and enjoyed the moon again. This time we had a great cast member who came out and talked with us most of the ride back. Great cast members like this with so much knowledge can really make your day. Take time to get to know these people. I thought I knew everything there is to know about Disney but I learned some new things from him tonight.

Our family is ALWAYS on the lookout to try new things at Disney. You really have to reinvent the Walt Disney World experience every time you visit - especially when you visit a lot like us!"

Taking a late night boat ride, talking trivia with Disney cast members, going for a bike ride...these are just a few ways to shake up your routine.

You can also ride the monorail and get off at a different resort each time. Relax on a hammock at the Polynesian Beach Resort. Listen to the grand piano in the beautiful lobby of the Grand Floridian Beach Resort. Sit in front of the cozy fireplace at Wilderness Lodge...

So how will you reinvent your next Disney vacation?

Need more ideas? Our agents are the experts!

How Loyal Are You?

Wanna play a game? It won't take long, I promise. Just run through this list of brand names and see which ones you prefer. 

Target or Walmart?
Coke or Pepsi?
AMC or Regal Cinema?
Hershey or Nestle?
United or JetBlue?
Home Depot or Lowe's?
McDonald's or Burger King?

How quickly were you able to do this? I'm guessing pretty fast because like most people, you know what brands or products you prefer. But have you ever thought about why you like one over another?

BRAND LOYALTY

Brand loyalty is what marketers strive for. So they try fancy packaging, prettier colors, prettier faces, flashier graphics, etc. That might work for a little while, but what really determines customer loyalty is the emotional connection they make.

I was lucky enough to work at Walt Disney World for many years. And I've got many lessons I could share with you. But really, the one big lesson that I and every other cast member was taught is if you're not providing exceptional guest service, you're not doing your job.

I was a tour guide at Disney. First at the Backstage Studio Tour in those long, red shuttles. And then in Guest Relations, at what was then known as Disney-MGM Studios. I loved working for Disney and I loved my job. 

But in the bigger picture, my job title was kind of irrelevant. Why? Because everyone at Disney has the same job: to provide exceptional guest service. Not just really good guest service, but exceptional guest service. 

Granted, it doesn't always happen. Disney is a company run by humans. Humans who make mistakes sometimes and don't always handle things well. But Disney has a term for that, too: "Service Recovery." It's basically fixing what went wrong as best as you possibly can. 

The Disney movies and songs trigger good feelings and smiles in people, for sure. And that's all part of the brand, too. 

But I believe that the reason people visit Walt Disney World, Disneyland or any other Disney property not just once but over and over again throughout their lives is because of the emotional component. 

People enjoy being greeted by the smiling gentleman who's been welcoming guests at the entrance of the Grand Floridian for years. They love visiting a family "brick" on the pathway near the Polynesian Resort. And they marvel at how Snow White or the Fairy Godmother remembers meeting their child earlier in the day...and then waves and calls their child by name from the parade float hours later (true story).

It all boils down to exceptional customer service. Successful brands or companies or small businesses are ones that consistently exceed expectations and leave an indelible imprint on their customers. They make their customers - or guests - feel welcomed, appreciated and most important, they make them feel valued. 

Chances are, the brands you chose at the beginning of this post make you feel the same way, too.

So what brands did I miss? Which ones are you most loyal to and why? What is it about them that makes you loyal to their products?