What Will You Celebrate?

Jay Rasulo, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks & Resort announces
"What Will You Celebrate?" at Disney Parks in 2009

In 2009, Disney Parks will help guests commemorate special moments in their lives in a what that the whole family remembers together!

Celebration buttons at Disney Parks will enable Cast Members and Guests to join your celebration!

New in-park decor will invite guests at Walt Disney World and Disneyland to "Celebrate Today!"

NEW YORK (Sept. 18, 2008) – Everyone who visits a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park on their birthday in 2009 can get in free, as Disney Parks embraces a newly identified family travel trend called “celebration vacations.”

In this new national trend, American families are hitting the road to mark life’s special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions and more – with a “celebration vacation.” In 2009, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts will lead this growing trend with new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences.

And to kick it all off – a first-ever opportunity for guests to receive a free ticket to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on their birthday in 2009.

“Birthdays are the one occasion that we all share every year,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at an announcement event today in New York. “We thought a free birthday ticket would be the icing on the cake as we extend this new ‘celebration vacation’ trend to Disney Parks.”

Disney parks provide the perfect setting for this new style of vacation that celebrates the special occasions in life, Rasulo added.

Whether a guest is celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, Quinceañera or any special occasion, Disney parks already are filled with favorite characters, world-class attractions and entertainment, and legendary guest service – exactly the “something for everyone” that trend-watchers say families look for in a “celebration vacation.”

“The special moments in your life become truly magical when you celebrate at a Disney park,” Rasulo said. “Sharing a milestone at Disney connects families, friends and generations.”

Nationwide Survey Reveals ‘Celebration Vacation’ Trend

A nationwide survey of nearly 4,600 adults conducted by Ypartnership – co-author of the influential National Travel Monitor – showed that 70 percent of U.S. leisure travelers have taken a vacation with the primary purpose of marking a special occasion in their lives – a “celebration vacation,” as Ypartnership President and CEO Peter Yesawich termed it.

Respondents mentioned a broad range of events worth celebrating with a special vacation – not just birthdays and anniversaries but a first vacation with children, a job promotion or recovery from an illness.

Whenever something positive happens in their lives, people seek out ways to make them more special, Yesawich said, and vacations are clearly perceived as both an appropriate and desirable way to do so.

Time does pass quickly and there is a growing trend to slow down our frenetic lifestyles and stop to rejoice around the things that matter,” he said. “Families on ‘celebration vacations’ are looking to truly commemorate moments in their lives – in special places everyone can enjoy.”

Research showed that when they take that “celebration vacation,” families are looking for destinations that provide activities for children and – better yet – activities adults and children can enjoy together.

Given these findings, it’s not surprising that Disney Parks topped the list of destinations where families would most like to celebrate these special occasions,” Yesawich said.

At-a-Glance: 'Celebration Vacations' Come to Life at Disney Parks

WHAT: Beginning Jan. 1, 2009, Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will invite guests to celebrate their lives’ special moments – large and small – with family and friends at the place where dreams come true. New research shows that families are planning trips around life’s special moments, memories and milestones to celebrate with loved ones. It’s a newly identified, national trend dubbed by experts as “celebration vacations.”

WHEN: Beginning Jan. 1, 2009, for guests at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts.

‘CELEBRATION VACATION’ TREND: A national study by a leading travel research firm – Ypartnership – reveals a widespread new trend. The study shows that consumers are taking more and more “celebration vacations” as a way to mark milestones and other special moments in their lives with a family vacation. Some of the study’s key findings include:

o 7 out of 10 revealed they have taken a vacation primarily to celebrate a special occasion.
o Most people taking “celebration vacations” are looking for: a variety of activities for everyone, kids’ activities and activities that adults and children can experience together.
o Disney parks topped the survey of destinations for a family “celebration vacation.”

BIRTHDAY FUN FOR FREE: Crowning the celebration is a Disney Parks first: Guests can receive free admission to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on their birthday in 2009. All it takes is a valid ID including proof of birth date. (Guests who already hold a multi-day ticket or an annual pass that they will use on their birthday can choose an alternate birthday treat instead, but will not be entitled to a cash refund or credit.) Guests can get more details and start the process by registering their birthdays at www.disneyparks.com.

HOW DO I CELEBRATE? MAGICAL EXPERIENCES APLENTY: At Walt Disney World Resort, guests can add on to the fun, choosing from more than 200 experiences ranging from breathtaking (fireworks cruises, sunrise safaris, diving the depths among sea life) to mirth-making (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, character dining, kids’ pirate adventures). At Disneyland Resort, more than 50 magical experiences can be selected including “My Disneyland Birthday Party” and unique Disneyland guided tours.

PLANNING NOW EASIER THAN EVER: New Web planning tools will make it easier than ever for guests to create celebrations large and small, with opportunities to customize and personalize their experiences.

PUTTING ‘SPECIAL’ IN SPECIAL OCCASION: Disney advance planners can custom-order cakes, flowers, balloons and more. The fun even extends to table-service restaurants where celebrants can make special dining arrangements.

PERSONALIZE YOUR RESORT ROOM THROUGH IN-ROOM CELEBRATIONS: Have you thought yet about what you will celebrate in 2009, Mickey Moms? One big surprise has already been announced for Disney Parks' "What Will You Celebrate?" initiative: free admission to a Walt Disney World® Resort or Disneyland® Resort theme park on your birthday in 2009.* But did you know there are more fun ways you can immerse your family in the celebration – whatever that celebration may be?

At Walt Disney World®, one of the new ways you can personalize your special occasion is through In-Room Celebrations – new experiences designed to "wow" you the moment you enter your resort hotel room. Suppose you are celebrating your son's or daughter's birthday. With one call to the Disney Florist, you can have your Walt Disney World® Resort room magically transformed with celebratory in-room décor. Imagine the surprise when your child discovers that Mickey and the Gang knew about his or her special occasion and left personalized gifts, a birthday banner, splashy wall decorations and even Mickey's footprints leading the way into the room, and a little bit of pixie dust! Prices vary for décor packages based on the different add-ons and modifications requested.

The décor packages are not limited to birthdays. Celebrate romance, milestones, and holidays. Or maybe the celebratory adornment is "just because." Regardless of the reason, the looks of surprise and joy on your family's faces will be a treasure in your memory.

It's that extra magical touch that only Disney can deliver. To discover more about the In-Room Celebrations, click here or visit www.disneyflorist.com. Or you can call the Walt Disney World® Florist at (407) 827-3505.

IT'S A PARTY IN THE PARK!: A celebration street party invites guests of all ages into the heart of the castle parks to join Disney characters and dozens of performers in a celebratory song and dance party at the Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Park in California.

Coming to Your City!

WHAT: Disney Parks “What Will You Celebrate?” Tour

BACKGROUND: In a new national trend, American families are traveling in celebration of milestones in their lives – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions, triumphs. Disney parks in the U.S. embrace “celebration vacations” in 2009 with new experiences that turn milestones into memories. The new parks-wide party poses the question “What Will You Celebrate?” To get the party started early, Disney is taking “What Will You Celebrate?” on the road.

DETAILS: Disney Parks brings the “What Will You Celebrate?” message in a magical and interactive way to 30 cities this fall and winter. Colorful vehicles – a party on wheels – roll out the fun from town squares to Times Square, featuring thousands of free Mickey Mouse balloons, a chance to win a “celebration vacation” to a Disney park and the opportunity to register for a special birthday celebration surprise. Disney characters and ambassadors also go on-air with fun celebration moments.

WHEN: Sept. 24, 2008-Feb. 20, 2009

WHERE:
Central Eastern Western
9/25 Minneapolis 9/24 Toronto 1/19 Vancouver
9/29 Chicago 9/29 Boston 1/21 Seattle
10/1 Milwaukee 10/1 Providence 1/23 Portland
10/3 Detroit 10/3 New York 1/26, 1/27 Sacramento
10/6 Pittsburgh 10/6 Hartford 1/30, 2/2 San Francisco
10/8 Cincinnati 10/8 Philadelphia 2/4, 2/5 Fresno
10/10 Indianapolis 10/10 Wash. DC 2/9 Las Vegas
10/14 Dallas 10/13 Baltimore 2/11 Salt Lake City
10/16 Houston 10/15 Charlotte 2/16 Denver
10/20 New Orleans 10/17 Atlanta 2/19, 2/20 Phoenix

FOR MORE: www.disneyparkscelebrations.com

Tips and Insights from the Walt Disney World Moms Panel to Create Your Own Magical Celebration

When it comes to “celebration vacations,” a new travel trend identified in a recent national survey, who better to suggest ways to make the Disney Parks experience over the top than the Walt Disney World Moms Panel?

Formed in December 2007, the 12-person Moms Panel brings together park-savvy moms – and one dad – to help vacation-planning families map out the perfect Disney vacation. Panelists offer personal insights and advice in an online forum – www.disneyworldmoms.com.

As Disney Parks prepares to ask guests “What Will You Celebrate?,” Moms panelists were asked how they would celebrate a special occasion at America’s favorite vacation destination. Their answers were as varied as the Moms Panel – from spas and surprise floral arrangements to special underwater messages and character surprises.

For guests who are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, reunion or another milestone, here’s a Moms Panel sampling of ideas, aimed at putting the “special” in special occasion.

Darcie Maranich, Vail, Ariz., mother of four:
“There are a million and one ways to celebrate at the parks. When our family decided to hold a big reunion down in Walt Disney World, one of the best activities we planned was renting surrey bikes and riding along the boardwalk [at Disney’s BoardWalk]. All four generations of our family were on one bike; it was hilarious! The memories of that bike ride have kept us laughing.”

Laura Spencer, Boston, Mass., freelance writer, married with one child:
“My husband and I are celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary at Walt Disney World, along with our family. It is going to be unforgettable, mainly because we are dressing up as Cinderella and Prince Charming…glass slipper and all! We are having dinner at Victoria & Albert’s [the premiere restaurant at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa], but the real surprise is for our daughter. While she is having dinner with her grandma at Chefs De France [Epcot], we have arranged for a special floral arrangement to be delivered to the restaurant complete with light-up headbands to wear when they see ‘IllumniNations’ later that evening.”

Bret Caldwell (first dad on the Moms Panel), Chicago, Ill., married with three children:
“Our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary is coming up and when I thought about how to celebrate, I immediately thought – Disney. My ideal plan would be to schedule a lunch at the Coral Reef [Epcot] and prearrange for a DiveQuest diver to swim by our table with a sign reading ‘Happy Anniversary, Honey.’ Since the Coral Reef lets you create a custom menu for your celebration, I would also have our wedding picture and vows featured – my wife would be so surprised.”

Bret on celebrating his son’s birthday at the Parks:
“We let him choose which park he wanted to visit… he picked the Animal Kingdom. I had special T-shirts made up for all of us; his shirt said it was his birthday and featured Animal Kingdom designs. We also picked up a birthday button from Guest Services, which often gets you special recognition from cast members that day.”

Erin Foster, Scarsdale, N.Y., married and mother of three:
“My husband and I want to do something really special when our daughter graduates from eighth grade – we would love to take her to Walt Disney World with her best friends and her sisters. Knowing my girls, a day of pampering at a Disney spa would be the perfect prelude to a night out in Epcot, where they could sample a special dessert in each country. It would be really fun to have a PhotoPass photographer accompany us around the park and take pictures of our family and friends enjoying the day.”

For more tips and insights from the Walt Disney World Moms Panel on ways to celebrate special milestones in the parks, visit www.disneyworldmoms.com. To date, the Moms Panel has answered nearly 10,000 vacation questions from guests looking to plan the perfect Disney vacation for their family.

Fun Around the Table a Delicious Part of ‘Celebration Vacations’ at Disney Parks

At dining tables around the world, life is shared over a meal, a joyful part of any celebration with friends and family. And more than ever before, American families are hitting the road to mark birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions and more with “celebration vacations.”

In 2009, Disney Parks isembracing this growing trend with a parks-wide party with the theme “What Will You Celebrate?” that includes free admission to a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park for everyone who visits on their birthday.

As so many festivities take place around a table, culinary treats are a delicious part of the celebration. From your own birthday cake to appealing sweets to sip, here’s a sumptuous sampling of food and beverage options that can be purchased to put the “extra special” in special occasions:

Happy Birthday
For an impromptu party, guests can order the Magical Pop-Up Party Pack, goodie bags filled with fun activity sets and a surprise pop-up centerpiece. Character dining and buffet locations at Walt Disney World Resort offer the treat; at Disneyland Resort, they are available at full-service restaurants, character dining restaurants and through room service.

A magical way to enjoy your big day is “My Disneyland Birthday Party” at the Plaza Inn on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Park. Featuring guest appearances by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, the daily celebration is hosted by Pat E. Cake, a wacky character who has everyone singing and dancing. There are plenty of sweet treats to decorate your own “mouse-terpiece” mini-cake, along with a souvenir party hat and cup. Park admission is required plus cost per person for the party.

Sweets to the Sweet
Make any occasion special with A Sweet Ending to Your Celebration dessert, from indulgent to delicious low-fat and no-sugar-added treats. Available at most Walt Disney World table-service restaurants and all Disneyland table-service restaurants.

My Mini-Cake Surprise includes your own mini celebration cake with a special treat, packaged one of three ways: in a Sorcerer Mickey Celebration Bucket (Disneyland Resort only), Disney Princess Jewelry Box or Disney Pirate Treasure Chest. Available at Walt Disney World character dining and buffet locations; at Disneyland Resort in full-service restaurants, character dining and through room service.

Guests who prefer a Disney Custom Bakery Cake can order at least 48 hours in advance of their celebration. Choices include a custom cake (6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch and quarter sheet), an 8-inch Mickey Mouse cake or a themed cake with enhanced inscription and edible decorations (8-inch,
10-inch and quarter sheet), available at most Walt Disney World table-service restaurants and all table-service restaurants at Disneyland Resort. To order at Walt Disney World Resort, call the cake ordering hotline at 407/827-2253.

At Walt Disney World Resort, create an instant party with the Celebrate Today! Cake, a 6-inch vanilla cake with vanilla icing and fun confetti sprinkles. No notice necessary, just order at the podium in most of the table-service restaurants.

Sweetheart Dinner for Two
For romantics, Disney’s three-course, prix fixe Sweetheart Dinner for Two is the perfect way to create a memorable evening, ending with a shared dessert. Includes a specially selected beverage in a souvenir toasting glass to commemorate a special moment. Dinners available at all Walt Disney World signature restaurants except Victoria & Albert’s; available at Disneyland Resort at Napa Rose, Steakhouse 55, Yamabuki and Blue Bayou.

Guests who prefer an in-room romantic dinner can check with their Disney resort hotel’s front desk.

Fun for Any Reason
At Disneyland Resort, the festive “Celebration Roundup and Barbecue at Big Thunder Ranch” features family-style service with barbecue chicken and ribs with all the fix’ns. The party includes live “frontier” entertainment and goodie bags, plus a special treat for everyone.

Cheers!
Appealing sweets to sip at most Walt Disney World table-service restaurants include the Magical Star Cocktail with X-Fusion Organic Mango and Passion Fruit Liqueur, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum and Minute Maid pineapple juice, cooled by a multicolored glow cube. For an apéritif or sweet ending, Magicale, Brachetto Piemonte DOC is an off-dry rosé with fresh red berry and Bing cherry flavors – perfect with chocolate. Or pop the cork on a bottle of bubbly Fairy Tale by Iron Horse, Celebration Cuvée, festively crafted by Disney’s sommeliers exclusively for Disney parks and resorts.

For more information, visit www.disneyparks.com.