So Long, 2013

Today was my last day at Disneyland until 2014. My annual pass is blocked until January, so I'll see you then!

This has been a monumental year. In fact, Disneyland Report didn't even exist until this past March. I never thought my material would be received by thousands of people around the world, so thank you all for your support! In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and that next year brings even more to celebrate and be thankful for.

~Josh~

MagicBand Admission at Walt Disney World

Disney World in Orlando, Florida seems to be ahead of the amusement park curve when it comes to admission technology. Before, we were introduced to thumb-print scanners that recognized and granted guest entry with forensic technology. Now, Disney World has implemented the MagicBand, a rubber wristband that allows the wearer easy park access, hotel room entry, and even Fastpass privileges.

The MagicBand is not just a band, it contains computer data not unlike a Disney World annual pass. Gates have been updated throughout the Disney World park accommodating MagicBand technology. The MagicBand also has little holes on the underside where the user can pin decorative tokens to personalize their band.

Disneyland isn't nearly as large or as populous as Disney World, so I don't expect that we'll need a hands-free technology like this any time soon. I imagine that the MagicBand cuts down monumentally on wait-times all over the park. However, it would be pretty cool to see an efficient system like this being used at Disneyland too.

You can find out more information here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/

It's a Small World Animated Series

The Series' Title Card

An animated series based on the popular Disney attraction, It's a Small World, launched today. A pilot which aired on Disney's website in November was the first look at this new series.

It's a Small World is a colorful and musical boat ride that appears in every Disney Park. The imaginative product of Walt Disney and Mary Blair, it celebrates diversity of all cultures throughout the globe, characterized by singing children and animals.

The premiere episode features a traveling group of children from all walks of life as they are introduced to the exotic customs and traditions of India. Check it out here.

Christmas 2013: Jingle Cruise Reaction

Over Thanksgiving break I managed to find time to check out some of the new Disneyland features and attractions. Anyone visiting the Magic Kingdom these next couple of months is sure to know it's winter, since the warm Southern California weather doesn't quite give it away.

As one would expect, the line for Jungle Cruise was packed. Patrons were eager to take in the holiday-themed attraction in its debut month. In terms of decorations however, only the queue showed up for the holidays. The rest of the ride seems to be exactly the same.

Don't get me wrong though, it's always refreshing to hear new jokes from the skipper on Jungle Cruise. Though they try to update the spiel every so often, frequent riders get tired of the same jokes over the years. At least for this short window of time, we'll get a new ride experience. With the minimal amount of changes done to the ride overall, I wonder if changing Trader Sam's name to Trader Santa really warranted a new poster.