Help re: new attractions (please)

[mom_to_2]

Hi!!! My DH and I haven't taken our kids to Disney since November 2010 *sniff* and we are in serious withdrawal! We are planning to go for a week this December- yay!!!- but everyone keeps telling me that so much has changed; I'm not sure exactly what they mean. I have two children DS (7) and DS (4). Any help or suggestions about changes to any of the parks would be VERY appreciated!!!

TIA!!!

 

[2Tiggies]

I'll give you a few right off the bad, since we have been going every year for a while - once a year gives long enough between trips to notice the changes so hopefully I can fill in some of the blanks and soon others will be along to add to it

The new Fantasyland! With the ages of your children I think it's a must do

Some no more Ariel's Grotto or Toontown as you will know, no doubt (not sure how early in 2010) you were there.

FP's must be used within the return window, although there is a non obligatory 15 minute grace period (unofficial however)

EMH at night have been cut from 3 hours to 2 hours

AK no longer does evening EMH but does morning ones twice a week

CRT does character breakfasts, lunches and dinners (so its easier for you to get a reservation than it was a few years ago)

Probably the biggest change is the current roll out of the RFID and MDE system. There are a lot of threads on the topic on the main Theme Parks board.

 

[mom_to_2]

I'll give you a few right off the bad, since we have been going every year for a while - once a year gives long enough between trips to notice the changes so hopefully I can fill in some of the blanks and soon others will be along to add to it

The new Fantasyland! With the ages of your children I think it's a must do

Some no more Ariel's Grotto or Toontown as you will know, no doubt (not sure how early in 2010) you were there.

FP's must be used within the return window, although there is a non obligatory 15 minute grace period (unofficial however)

EMH at night have been cut from 3 hours to 2 hours

AK no longer does evening EMH but does morning ones twice a week

CRT does character breakfasts, lunches and dinners (so its easier for you to get a reservation than it was a few years ago)

Probably the biggest change is the current roll out of the RFID and MDE system. There are a lot of threads on the topic on the main Theme Parks board.

We will miss Toon Town, my son actually got to open it one year; it was fantastic for him! With two boys, we never really spent any time at Ariel's Grotto, though...

What are RFID and MDE???????????

 

[mom_to_2]

Oh, and other than the Dumbo carnival-like area (at least that's how it was described to me), what's new at FantasyLand???

 

[mlips09]

Oh, and other than the Dumbo carnival-like area (at least that's how it was described to me), what's new at FantasyLand???

Well the new dumbo added a new queue with play area and a place to sit! And goofy's barnstormer was rethemed as the great goofini. There's also a Casey jr water play area.

They have also added beast castle which contains the new be our guest restaurant serving lunch and dinner. Gaston's tavern is a nearby quick service restaurant. They have also added belle's cottage which served as the entrance for enchanted tales with belle which is a very sweet attraction where kids help belle tell her and beasts story.

Lastly they added prince Eric's castle which houses ariel undersea adventure which is a dark ride where you ride shells through the building as audio animatronic characters retell the little mermaid.