With Character Greetings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, guests of all ages can meet and greet some favorite Disney Characters. The newest characters to join the fun are Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope Von Schweetz! Have a look at Wreck-It Ralph and Vallenope in their new meet & greet area in our video.

Imagine a place where around every corner you have the opportunity to meet and greet your favorite Disney Characters. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, you can do just that.

Say hello and shake hands. Share warm hugs and hearty laughs with Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc. Receive one-of-a-kind autographs from the likes of Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story. Pose alongside some familiar faces—and snap pictures so you can be sure to remember your special time together after you’ve left the park.

Look out for these Disney Characters during your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park:

• Jake from Jake and the Never Land Pirates
• Cars stars Lightning McQueen and Mater
• Mr. Incredible
• Buzz and Woodyfrom the Disney·Pixar Toy Story movies
• Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc.
• Phineas and Ferb, stars of their self-titled Disney Channel show
• Wreck-It Ralph, the star of the self-titled Disney film

And be sure to be on the lookout for other newly added Disney Characters in addition to Wreck-It Ralph.

Character Greetings are available throughout the day. Be sure to check the Times Guide at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park the day of your visit to find out where and when your favorite Characters will be appearing

Disney’s Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World is a relaxing tropical paradise, featuring lush vegetation, thatched roofs, koi ponds and white-sand lakebeaches and offering a warm, welcoming world that celebrates the spirit of the South Pacific and ensures “Ho’Onanea”—the passing of time in languid tranquility. Hawaiian traditions and culture are celebrated here, including traditional hula dancing. You can even receive a hula lesson in the lobby of Disney’s Polynesian Resort! Take a look at our video:

Disney’s Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World
With eleven 2-story and 3-story village longhouses that flank the Great Ceremonial House—built to resemble a royal Tahitian assembly lodge—the Resort has 847 luxurious rooms, decorated with rich tropical colors and furnished in traditional bamboo and rattan.

Inside the Great Ceremonial House, water cascades over craggy volcanic rocks, while coconut palms tower over more than 75 different indigenous species. Also inside is shopping, dining and an awe-inspiring torch-lighting ceremony—a Polynesian welcoming of the night that includes a traditional fire-knife dance, accompanied by authentic drumming and chants.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort offers a variety of recreation, including the Nanea Volcano Pool, featuring a 40-foot high volcano with a waterfall and tubular waterslide, fishing, boating, waterskiing and parasailing on Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon. Also on the Seven Seas Lagoon, a dazzling, musical Electrical Water Pageant is held nightly. Guests of the Resort also have access to nearby Senses — A Disney Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian, the flagship resort of Walt Disney World.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort has been designated by the Florida Green Lodging Program, recognizing the Resort’s environmentally responsible practices.

Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Presented in an open-air dining theater in Luau Cove, Disney’s Spirit of Aloha dinner show is a Polynesian luau feast. This exciting celebration combines traditional music with more contemporary ditties from the animated Disney film Lilo and Stitch, and features dancing that is considered some of the most authentic this side of Hawaii.

Activities for Children at Disney’s Polynesian Resort in Walt Disney World
In addition to all the activities mentioned above, there are bike rentals, a 24-hour, high-tech game room and a children’s wet-play area located near the Nanea Volcano Pool. Children ages 3-12 can also enjoy the Never Land Club, a supervised activity center that affords parents a carefree night on the town. And children are sure to love a Character Dining breakfast hosted by Lilo & Stitch at the ‘Ohana restaurant. (Additional fee required)

Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Tinkerbell and Winnie the Pooh, this is what most people think about when they hear the word, “Disney”.  Maybe for you it’s Thunder Mountain Railroad, It’s A Small World or even Chef Mickeys.  To us Disney World and Disneyland fanatics, a smile immediately comes across our faces and we begin telling stories of vacation memories and happy times.  We get that warm, fuzzy feeling that only the magic of Disney can give.  It makes us feel like kids again.  But believe it or not, there are some, not so enthusiastic people, that cringe when they hear anything about Disney.  These people think that Disney is associated only with castles, princesses, fairy tales and cast members wearing over-stuffed character costumes.  If this is what you think when you hear the word Disney, my friend, let me take you on a journey that you didn’t even know existed.

Many people do not realize that Disney offers exquisite vacation destinations that have nothing to do with parks and overstuffed costumes.  It does however, have a lot to do with castles, wild animals, mountain climbing and white water rafting.  From the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania, Australia; to Saigon, Hoi An and Luang Prabang, Cambodia; to the wonders of the Western World, Destinations By Disney can take you anywhere you want to go.  You can travel to France and experience museums, wine tasting and walk the beaches where brave American soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy.  How about zip lining through the canopy of a rainforest, or viewing unique animals in the Galapagos Islands such as blue-footed boobies, sea turtles, iguanas and sea lions?  How amazing is that?  Destinations By Disney offers a plethora of wonderful destinations.  The hard part is deciding which one of these grand adventures you will take.

No need to worry about the logistics of your trip.  Airfare, lodging, dining and all accommodations are taken care of by your Disney travel agent.  Just think of all the time and effort you would put into planning such an adventure.  Why spend your valuable time trying to determine which hotel to stay at, or the restaurant in which to dine or the task of trying to keep up with your luggage?  When you book an adventure with Destinations By Disney, you are guaranteed such amenities as being greeted at the airport upon your arrival, transportation to and from your hotels, snacks are provided while en route, travel taxis and much, much more.  From your accommodations, to dinner in the evening, each travel element will always meet the Disney standards of quality and comfort.  You will also have your very own Disney trained, travel, adventure guide.  You will be saturated with cultural activities and community events that will help you better understand the way of life of others.  Private tours and backstage access to special entertainment is also provided during your adventure.   All tickets to attractions are included and there is no waiting in line.

Why wait?  If you want to travel the world and see the most spectacular scenes and do it in style, then Destinations By Disney is the way to go.  Hopefully, after reading this article when someone says, “Disney”, you will think of France, Cambodia, Egypt and all that Destinations By Disney has to offer.

“Done on your own, traveling the world can be a challenge. With Adventures by Disney, It’s as much about the things you don’t have to do, as it is about the things you get to.”

Mickey Mouse helps officials start Test Track Presented by Chevrolet back up after its re-imagining on Dec. 6, 2012. Walt Disney World President Meg Croften and a GM official join Mickey Mouse to count down to the grand re-opening of Test Track at Epcot theme park in Walt Disney World.

Get revved up for the exciting, re-imagined Test Track Presented by Chevrolet—the exhilarating driving experience, now designed by YOU! Feel like you’re part of the Chevrolet design studio as you create your own virtual custom-concept vehicle. Then, put your design through its paces (at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour) on the exciting hills, hairpin turns and straightaways of the Test Track circuit.

Take a look at what our Point of View (POV) camera captured on the newly re-opened Epcot attraction at Walt Disney World!

One Fun Ride
Buckle up in a 6-passenger “simulation car” and put a virtual vehicle that you created to the test.

Stroll into a gleaming, state-of-the-art facility and cruise past eye-opening exhibits illustrating the forward-thinking innovation and technology of Chevrolet. Steer your way inside the Chevrolet Design Center and—working at an illuminated station—design your own virtual custom concept vehicle based on the following test criteria:

• Capability (handling)
• Responsiveness (maneuverability)
• Efficiency (fuel-saving and environmentally friendly)
• Power (speed)

Add some finishing touches to your design before boarding a special “SIM Car” and taking off on a fun-filled driving evaluation. This attraction is exclusive to Epcot in Walt Disney World.

The Test Drive
Discover how your custom concept vehicle performs thanks to easy-to-read visual charts as you rev through rough terrain and surprise obstacles along the winding Test Track circuit. Fly through straight-aways, maneuver switchbacks through inclement weather, hug curves banked at 50-degree angles and scale hills that are up to 3-stories high!

At almost a mile long, with peak speeds of 65 mph, Test Track Presented by Chevrolet is a thrilling ride you’ll want to take again and again!

A Second Spin
Afterward, participate in even more interactive experiences with your vehicle design. Hands-on exhibits include:

• What’s Your Score?
  Discover how well your newly-designed vehicle scored during the test drive.

• Showroom Showoff!
  Make a 15-second commercial of your design and then email it home to share with family and friends.

• Give It a Spin!
  Steer your vehicle over challenging terrain, through a variety of obstacles and conditions at this smaller, virtual test ground.
• Photo Finish
  Pose for a picture with a Chevrolet dream car or your concept vehicle against a dramatic backdrop, including a snowy mountaintop, an underwater scene or even a lunar landscape.

Test Track Post Show Area at Epcot in Walt Disney World

Located in the Belle’s Village portion of New Fantasyland is Bonjour Village Gifts. The store is themed after the favorite book shop of Belle, but the items for sell in the store are plates and glasses (inspired by the new Be Our Guest Restaurant), artwork and apparel. The great thing about this store is the majority of the items are only available in the park at this location. Make sure you stop in to get your souvenirs today!

New Fantasyland is NOW OPEN in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World! Home to exciting new attractions, delicious eateries and fairytale theming that goes beyond anything ever done before, New Fantasyland allows you to experience Disney storytelling at its finest, giving you the chance to interact with characters in ways they never dreamed possible.

Enchanted Tales with Belle
Enchanted Tales with Belle is an interactive character meet-and-greet location. Guests start in Maurice’s workshop, then they step through a magical mirror straight into the Beast’s library, where they meet Belle and Lumiere and experience an interactive fairytale. Guests play the parts of the characters to really become part of the story.

Be Our Guest Restaurant
Be Our Guest Restaurant is on the Disney Dining Plan, as a quick service credit for lunch and a table service credit for dinner. The restaurant’s three dining rooms serve 550 guests in the elegant ballroom setting, the mysterious West Wing of the Beast’s castle or the stunning Rose Gallery. Counter service is available during the day, and the restaurant becomes table service at night. However, lunch is unlike any other quick service location on property in that you order your food and then have it delivered to your table on china plates instead of the usual paper.

Gaston’s Tavern
The manliest of manly places, Gaston’s Tavern serves up satisfying snacks such as breakfast, fruit, carrots and celery, and hummus. Plus, enjoy refreshing beverages, like LeFou’s Brew—the restaurant’s signature non-alcoholic drink.

Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Ariel and her friends take guests along on all their adventures — both under the sea and above! This is a classic “dark-ride” type attraction where guests sit in clam-shaped vehicles along an Omnimover track moving through the different scenes of The Little Mermaid film. There are a number of special effects with lighting and temperature changes making guests feel as though they have actually gone under water into Ariel’s world. In addition, state-of-the-art audio-animatronics bring some of the classic characters such as Ariel, Sebastian, and Ursula to life. All of this is set to a musical score that will have everyone singing along.

NASA has officially released the details of its newest astronauts spacesuit prototype, with the real ones expected to be used in 2015 expeditions. This spacesuit is unlike any other, however, for it looks oddly familiar to many Disney Pixar film fans as NASA based this suit off of the attire of Toy Story’s original space ranger Buzz Lightyear. There are many purposes to this recreation, but to many it seems it is the best method to get children interested in space travel of the future.

Buzz Lightyear-inspired NASA spacesuit

 The new “Z-1” suit was specially designed to be more flexible, maneuverable, and lightweight compared to previous designs such as the Apollo A7L (1969-72) or the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) (1982-Present). All spacesuits must be designed for the hardships faced before, during, and after the endeavours to the moon or mars.

NASA will continue testing this suit to ensure that it is able to maintain stability in a multitude of environments in order to keep astronauts safe. Desert research is the most common form of testing for the variety of suits in order to deem them safe for space travel. In the desert, subjects are asked to pick up rock samples to ensure that the suit is flexible enough to allow for bending and reaching.

The Z-1 has many new exciting features that definitely allow it to stand out including:

• A bubble helmet to allow for a larger range of degree measure.
• A new shoulder design to allow for greater mobility
• An upgraded life support system that actively removes Carbon Dioxide from the suit and replaces it with oxygen to keep a steady stream of breathing air supplied to the astronaut, therefore ending the need for canisters of CO2-absorbing lithium hydroxide.
• A Buzz Lightyear design with a white background and neon green stripes on the suit itself to resemble the space ranger himself.
• Reduces the chance of injury due to lighter equipment, therefore less pressure, and enhanced mobility in the legs and shoulder.
• One of the biggest improvements this suit acquires is its one-piece design that allows for easy access through a rear-entry hatch. This way, instead of being worn like clothing, the Z-1 is entered through its hatch in the back, as though it were a piece of spacecraft.This hatch can then be docked to an external port on a rover or space vehicle which makes switching between these two items easy and efficient.

Unlike many of the other prototypes now being tested at NASA, the Z-1 can be used by astronauts both on no-gravity surfaces such as the moon, but also in space itself. The suit port allows astronauts to slide directly into the spacesuit from within the space rover or other vehicle with ease. Along with the astronaut now situated within the suit, the suit detaches and brings along with it a hatch cover and portable life support system (PLSS). Earlier prototypes required that the astronauts pull on many separate parts and then manually attach them all together. This, however, was difficult, slow, and very risky. The suit appears to be very heavy according to many specialists in NASA, but once inflated it helps to support itself.

Written by Miranda Suhrbier, Teen Writer.

Splash into fun in AquaLab! This new addition to the Disney Fantasy is located on Deck 12, Aft on the Disney Fantasy near the entrance to the AquaDuck water coaster. This 1,800-square-foot water play area is designed to delight young Guests and their families, and features:

• Unique design details depicting Donald Duck’s nephews
• Pop jets, geysers, bubblers and other interactive elements

The Story of the AquaLab
As the story goes, AquaLab was created by Donald Duck’s nephews—Huey, Dewey and Louie—and features a variety of water “experiments” designed to drench the entire family. Children entering the AquaLab will see that the nephews are away for the time being, leaving the young cruise Guests in charge of AquaLab!

Interactive Experiences in AquaLab
AquaLab features exciting, interactive touches at every turn, including:

• Moving wheels and levers at 3 wacky aqua stations, which allow kids to “control” the speed and temperature of the AquaDuck water coaster
• Pop jets and geysers, which offer hands-on fun for little ones
• Pipes that can be used to manually control the water supply—and stop Uncle Donald’s row boat from filling with water
• The excitement is seemingly endless during this splashtacular experience!

Other Pool Amenities Near AquaLab
Also on Deck 12, Forward, Guests can enjoy additional pool amenities, including:

• A wading pool with a fountain water feature
• Shaded lounge chairs
• Whatever poolside pleasures you seek, Deck 12, Forward offers something to satisfy every age and interest.

Animator’s Palate on the Disney Fantasy is a wondrously themed, Rotational Dining restaurant located on Deck 3, Aft that serves contemporary Pacific Rim cuisine with an American flair for dinner and features 2 amazing shows, “Animation Magic” and “Undersea Magic.”

Animator’s Palate Dinner Shows
Celebrate the magic of Disney animation in a whole new way, surrounded by favorite Disney•Pixar characters, with the following dinner shows:

• Animation Magic: An experience that’s exclusive to the Disney Fantasy, Sorcerer Mickey leads the fun as black and white explodes into color and “Be Our Guest” reaches new heights. Don’t be surprised if your own hand-drawn characters join the colorful production!
• Undersea Magic: Guests are transported to the underwater world of the Disney•Pixar film Finding Nemo. As you dine, enjoy a visit from favorite Finding Nemo characters—and even converse with Crush!

Design
Animator’s Palate is a spacious, stylized restaurant filled with everything you’d expect to find in an animator’s studio, including:

Tools of the animation trade, like character sketches, maquettes, light boxes, paint brushes, colored pencils and computer work stations
Wall art of scenes and characters from popular Disney films

Dinner
Dinner is part of the Rotational Dining that occurs nightly during your cruise. Check the dining tickets that can be found in your stateroom for assigned seating time, restaurant schedule and table number.

Although the menu at Animator’s Palate is currently being finalized, you can be sure the restaurant will feature a selection of culinary delights that are sure to appeal to the palates of everyone in your family.

Dress Code
The dress code for dinner at Animator’s Palate changes nightly. Check the Personal Navigator—the Disney Cruise Line daily newsletter detailing all there is to see and do—for more information while onboard. However, you are requested to not wear tank tops, swim wear or shorts for dinner.

Child’s Menu
For the most discerning child’s palate, Animator’s Palate is proud to offer a large selection of classic children’s food favorites.

Beverages
The following beverages are available at Animator’s Palate for an additional charge:
Bar drinks/Cocktails
Bottled Water
Specialty Coffee
Wine

The following beverages are complimentary at Animator’s Palate and require no additional charge:
Coffee
Soda
Fruit Juice
Tea (Iced/Hot)