Giraffe of Kilimanjaro Safari

The Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom are one of the best ways to see big animals in the park. The giraffes are often around during a safari ride and it's fun to see them up close.

What to Expect When Disney World Reopens

When Disney World reopens the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11 and EPCOT and Hollywood Studios on July 15, things will look a little different. From reservations to get into the parks on a specific day, to no Fast Passes, to guests and Cast Members wearing masks, it will definitely be a new experience.

Before you go, make sure to book a reservation through Disney's Park Pass System. Reservations can be made beginning June 22 for resort guests, June 26 for Annual Passholders, and June 28 for existing ticket holders. All guests must have a Park Pass and ticket to enter the Parks and can only select one park per day, no park hopping. All guests may be subject to a touchless temperature check and must wear a mask to enter the Parks.

Once you enter the Parks, most attractions will be available including:

• Magic Kingdom - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean
• Animal Kingdom - Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, and Avatar Flight of Passage
• EPCOT - Spaceship Earth (the refurbishment has been delayed), Soarin' Around the World, Frozen Ever After, and Test Track 
• Hollywood Studios - Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

There will be characters in the Parks, although Meet and Greets have been suspended for the time being. Some characters can be seen in surprise parades while others might pop up in unexpected locations. Here are a few ways the characters will appear:

• Magic Kingdom - cavalcades down the parade route, perhaps a captive Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean queue (I've seen Cap'n Jack in the queue before and it's hilarious!)
• Animal Kingdom - characters sailing the waterways 
• EPCOT - processions along the World Showcase promenade, Queen Anna and Elsa may cross your path in the World Showcase
• Hollywood Studios - motorcades on Hollywood Boulevard, Resistance members may be hiding from the First Order in Black Spire Outpost

Several music groups will also be returning, such as Mariachi Cobre and JAMMitors at EPCOT and the Main Street Philharmonic at Magic Kingdom.

While it will be different, I can't wait to return to Walt Disney World this summer!

The Lion King Has Arrived At Disney's Animal Kingdom

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Disney's animated classic, The Lion King. To celebrate the occasion, characters and scenes from the movie have been popping up around Animal Kingdom. There's a fun photo backdrop outside the ticketing area and a scene from "Hakuna Matata" near Pizzafari.

Four new PhotoPass Magic Shots are available, too. These fun photos with favorite characters can be found at specific locations throughout the park between 10am and 5pm daily this summer.

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Get a photo with Zazu near the bridge leading into Africa.

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Chill out with Rafiki near the Harambe Market.

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Sing "Hakuna Matata" with Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa near the exit of Kilimanjaro Safaris.

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Spot Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa clowning around near the ticket windows.

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Fear the hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, in Africa overlooking the Tree of Life. Also near the Tree of Life, you can pose with themes props. These fun photo options are the perfect way to celebrate a favorite family film.

Photo of the Week

Baobab Tree on Kilimanjaro Safari

Disney World Announcement Roundup

Disney has released a flood of information about what is coming to the parks over the next several months. From Jungle Book inspired shows at Animal Kingdom to Soarin' Over the World, Frozen Ever After to new Star Wars Fireworks, a lot of exciting things are coming soon. Here's a sneak peek at what you can expect.

Animal Kingdom -
Starting Memorial Day Weekend, Animal Kingdom will stay open late. You'll be able to ride Kali River Rapids and Expedition Everest in the dark, as well as take a special sunset Kilimanjaro Safari. The Tree of Life will Awaken each night when animal spirits are brought to life by magical fireflies. Harambe will be filled with music and dancing during the Harambe Wildlife Parti. Discovery Island will host a Carnivale with music, dancing, stilt walkers, and exotic food. And speaking of food, Tiffins, the new world traveler restaurant, will be open for lunch and dinner. And while you're waiting for Rivers of Light to open, watch The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic Show. The show is full of music and special effects inspired by both the old film and the new, now with an Indian influence.

EPCOT -
Soarin' has undergone a major overhaul. No longer focusing on just California, Soarin' Over the World takes guests along the Great Wall of China, around Syndney Harbor in Australia, over the Matterhorn in Switzerland, and more.

Opening June 17, guests will glide over a dozen breathtaking views of the world, complete with spectacular sounds and scents. The interactive queue has been reimagined and a third screen has been added to cut wait times. Check out this sneak preview.

The Frozen Ever After attraction at the Norway Pavilion is set to open in June. Guests will take a boat tour through Arendelle. You'll see the "Winter in Summer" Celebration where Queen Elsa uses her magic to create a snow day for the kingdom, pass Troll Valley, go up the North Mountain to Elsa's Ice Palace, and return to the Bay of Arendelle. After the ride, meet Anna and Elsa at their new Royal Sommerhus, inspired by a Norwegian countryside cabin.

Hollywood Studios -
It's the summer of Star Wars at Hollywood Studios this year. Starting in June, you can see the new fireworks show "Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular." The new show combines fireworks, pyrotechnics, lighting effects and projections that turn buildings into the trench of the Death Star, the suns of Tatooine, and other familiar locations. A live show called "Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away" celebrates iconic Star Wars moments with BB-8, Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader. The show begins with a procession of First Order Stormtroopers, led by Captain Phasma, from the Launch Bay to the stage. The Launch Bay features movie props and character encounters, such as Chewbacca and Kylo Ren.

I'm Back!

It's been a very, very long summer. I recently returned home after spending four months helping my mom get her house ready to sell. It was a lot of hard work to get it finished, but it looks like it will sell fairly quickly, so it was worth the effort.  (Besides, once it sells, she's promised that a Disney Cruise will soon be in my future. Hooray!!) Now that I'm back, I thought I'd catch up on all of the Disney news that has come out recently and share it with you.

First up, it appears that Star Wars Expansion will happen after all. I'm so excited! Disney hasn't announced exactly what it will entail, but I'm hoping for a Cantina with the musicians from Episode IV. Additional details aren't expected until some time next year, but it's definitely a start.

The Frozen Summer has been held over and will continue until September 28. The fun starts with Anna and Elsa's Royal Welcome. Then you can join in the fun with "For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration". Stop by  Wandering Oaken's Frozen Funland to shop for all your winter needs and maybe even try a bit of ice skating or play in the snow. Finish the night with Frozen Fireworks set to music from the movie. It sounds like a lot of fun. Rumors have suggested that the event may continue until 2015, but Disney hasn't announced an extension so far.

A new night time parade will be coming to Animal Kingdom in 2017. It's called the Rivers of Light and will take place on the Discovery River between Discovery Island and Expedition Everest. The floating show will feature lanterns, live music, water screens and images of animals. This parade will be the park's first kiss goodnight. Other nighttime activities will include night safaris on Kilimanjaro Safaris and live performers. All of this will lead up to the debut of Avatar land in 2017.

It looks like there are a lot of new things planned for Walt Disney World in the next few years. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.