News & Rumors 6/1/09 - 6/7/09

News and Rumors are gathered from various different websites. One particular website is not favored over another. All rumors are rumors and are to be taken with a grain of salt.

News

• There are two new "upscale" places to go at both of Disney's Water Parks. They are called the Beachcomber Shacks at Typhoon Lagoon and the Polar Patios at Blizzard Beach. Guests can rent these areas out (on a first come, first serve basis and there are four in each park) and will receive all day drink mugs, bottled water, tables, towels, lounge furniture, private lockers, and the service of an attendant. The cost is $250, but each spot can hold up to 6 people.
• Disney has signed a contract with Cirque du Soleil to continue having a show in Downtown Disney for another 5 years.
• Here is the actual schedule now for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series that will take place during Epcot's Food and Wine Festival:

Sept. 25-27 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (“You & Me & The Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)” Sept. 28-29 Richard Marx ("Hold On to the Nights") Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Starship starring Mickey Thomas (“We Built This City”) Oct. 4-6 En Vogue (“Free Your Mind”) Oct. 7-8 Better Than Ezra ("Good") Oct. 9-11 Sister Hazel (“All for You”) Oct. 12-13 Kool & The Gang (“Celebration”) Oct. 14-16 Spyro Gyra (“Morning Dance”) Oct. 17-18 Jon Secada (“Just Another Day”) Oct. 19-20 Sister Sledge ("We Are Family") Oct. 21-22 Vanessa Carlton ("A Thousand Miles") Oct. 23-25 Taylor Dayne ("Tell It to My Heart") Oct. 26-28 Boyz II Men (“Motownphilly”) Oct. 29-31 John Waite ("Missing You") Nov. 1-2 Night Ranger (“Sister Christian”) Nov. 3-5 Billy Ocean ("Caribbean Queen") Nov. 6-8 Los Lobos (“La Bamba”)

• Paridiso 37 in Downtown Disney is now officially open.
• The Hall of Presidents will have a AP Passholder preview on June 28th. Passholders will not need to sign up for this preview, they will just need to show their AP and photo ID at the door.
• Disney is now able to notify guests by phone that their room is ready. If a guest arrives prior to check-in time and their room is not quite ready yet, instead of calling the hotel to check on the availability, now Disney will get in touch with them. Guests staying at a Disney owned resort can either opt to receive a text message or a automated voice message when they're room is ready by leaving a cell phone number and requesting a notification preference.
• The Treehouse Villas opened up this week...they look fabulous!
• Of course, as I mentioned in my previous blog post, Disney and Southwest Airlines are conducting a trial run of the Resort Airline Check In Service at Pop Century resort. For more information, please read Wednesday's Blog entry.

As a side note: It is officially now my one year anniversary doing this blog each week! That's what I should be celebrating this year when I go to Disney in September! :)