Travel News: Disney Behind the Scenes

As Walt Disney once said, ‘we never do the same thing twice around here. We’re always opening up new doors.’

And while the parks might not have a genie on-hand to grant absolutely all of our wishes, it’s fair to say their resorts are always evolving with the times.

So from recent news to fun facts, here’s our roundup of some of the latest trends and hidden secrets from the magical world of Disney.

Easy Access

This month, Disney released information about the electronic bracelets that will soon be winging their way into Disney World theme parks. The special wristbands, which have been tested by 200,000 visitors so far, are thought to be produced in the next few months and are part of the new scheme to limit the amount of time that you spend queuing on a Disney day out. The ‘Magic Bands’, which have a microchip in them, will allow guests to enter both the park and their hotel rooms while acting as a credit card and a FastPass for the rides too.

Fit for a Prince

Princess Jasmine might be a fantasy character, but a real life Arab prince graced the grounds of Disneyland Paris in May. Prince Fahd al-Saud went for three days and hired the entire theme park – a snip at just £12.8m. Not only did he and his guests have free range of the resort, but the cost also included special entertainment and sightings of rare Disney characters to boot. If that’s the royal treatment for a prince, we bet he just can’t wait to be king.

The Bottom Line

Last week, Disney decided to drop its policy on letting disabled guests jump the queue in their American parks in efforts to adopt fairer practices across its venues. Instead, those who are mentally and physically impaired will be issued a ticket stamped with a return time. The recent rule change, which will go into effect on 9th October, aims to limit the increasing number of able-bodied customers from taking advantage of the system.

No Sticky Situations

Contrary to popular belief, Singapore isn’t the only place where you won’t find chewing gum. It’s said that Walt Disney banned his parks from selling packets of it ever since the first one opened in 1955, and the resorts have ‘stuck’ to the gum-free policy to this day.

Holiday Deals

Have you entered our competition to win a dream stay at the Disneyland Hotel in Paris yet? If you have, here are some holiday deals to keep you going while you wait for the results…