Darren Wittko 5/4/22 Darren Wittko 5/4/22

Meta Quest Virtual Reality Experience Now Opened at Disney Springs

Star Wars fans can enjoy a new limited time experience at Walt Disney World: Meta Quest 2 Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.

Star Wars fans can enjoy a new limited time experience at Walt Disney World: Meta Quest 2 Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge. This new venue is located at Disney Springs West Side in the former NBA Experience building.

This limited time venue runs from May 2 through July 21, 2022. There is no cost to play but reservations are highly recommended.

You can make an appointment for Meta Quest 2 upon arriving at Disney Springs by scanning a QR code.

Meta Quest Virtual Reality Experience featuring ILMxLAB’s Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge — Meta Quest Virtual Reality Experience featuring ILMxLAB’s *Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge*

Meta Quest Virtual Reality Experience featuring Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge is located in Disney Springs West Side, near House of Blues.

There is no cost and admission is first come, first served. Children must be age 13 or older to participate.

Appointments were still available when we arrived at 5 pm. We booked 8:30 pm which was the first available appointment we could select.

Standby is available during the day. By 6 pm, they had stopped taking standby guests for the evening.

Only those with appointments were able to go in.

You can make an appointment to go inside by scanning a QR code at the entrance. You should do this as soon as you arrive at Disney Springs.

You’ll be asked for the number of people who want to try it out. If you have 2 people that want do it, be sure you make an appointment for 2. Do not include people who just want to observe.

You’ll need to fill out a waiver before you can begin. It takes only a minute to complete.

There’s a few minutes of set up and a brief tutorial on how it works. You are free to stop at any time.

The mission takes about 15 minutes to complete. You can trade off with other people in your party if others want to try it out.

In my son’s mission, we had to go on an galactic adventure through a forest in search of a crate of ingredients. There’s more to the quest, but no spoilers here, sorry!

Darren is a Disney-focused travel agent with Magical Vacations Travel and has over 13 years of experience. Readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World rate him as a ***Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent***. Darren is also an Orlando-based travel writer with topics ranging from theme parks to cruise lines.

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Disney World's 3rd Generation Magic Bands, Hey Disney! and Dining Plans Delayed

What happened to Hay Disney, the Disney Dining Plans, and 3rd Generation Magic Bands?

There are many great experiences returning to Walt Disney World Resort like being able to hug the characters again, daytime parades, and entertainment but there are still a number of projects that were promised in “early 2022” that we don’t talk about anymore.

3rd Third Generation Magic Bands — 3rd Generation Magic Bands

At the Destination D23 event in November, Josh D'Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products shared some new things we could look forward to in 2022 during a high-energy presentation, complete with characters and Cast Members joining him on stage. To anyone who was in the room, it was incredibly inspiring.

While more experiences and opportunities are coming back very soon (I’m looking at you Minnie Vans) I can’t help but notice that some “early 2022” items seem to have fallen off the radar.

We are halfway through April so I think it’s fair to say it’s not “early 2021” anymore.

Hey Disney!

In November 2021, we learned that Hey Disney! is going to be a unique version of Amazon Echo.

Also Hey Disney! devices were to be installed in 30,000 hotel rooms across Walt Disney World in early 2022 plus they could be purchased for home use.

Hey Disney! would be able to handle requests, such as asking for more towels or requesting Bell Services.

Hey Disney! would answer questions about your Disney World hotel, give you Disney transportation tips and wait times, provide park hours, tell you what time the fireworks would be at Magic Kingdom and more.

I was supposed to receive a complimentary home version of Hey Disney! but it never arrived. Recently I sent an email to Disney asking when it might be sent out. The Cast Member explained that the project is delayed but will be available sometime in 2022.

The Return of the Disney Dining Plans

Last August, Disney World sent an email to travel agents stating that the Disney Dining Plans would be returning “soon.” I don’t know how Disney defines “soon” but I assume 8+ months could be considered soon by some comparisons.

I believe Disney wants to offer this product again but there are a still a number of operational concerns that need to be addressed.

Not all the restaurants at Disney World have reopened and most are still not operating at full capacity due to staffing issues. This is why it has been somewhat difficult to secure dining reservations.

At Epcot alone, we’re still waiting for Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway, Takumi-Tei Restaurant in Japan, Monsieur Paul in France, and Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco to reopen. Hopefully as the Cultural Representatives begin to arrive this summer, these restaurants will reopen…um…soon!

Staff shortages are still a major factor but I’m not so sure Disney is in a hurry to hire more people right now.

Currently the demand for leisure travel is very high. But if the economy makes a downward trend, Disney World could easily be over staffed in 2023.

There are a few more issues that need to be addressed before the Disney Dining Plans can be brought back. But let’s hope they come back “soon.”

3rd Generation Magic Bands

On September 30, 2021 we learned that 3rd generation Magic Band would be arriving at Walt Disney World in early 2022. If you have been paying attention to this article, you know how that went!

Last fall I began advising my clients who booked 2022 travel to hold off on purchasing Magic Bands in anticipation of the 3rd generation bands being released.

Generation 3 Magic Bands are pretty cool, I had a chance to see a test band in action. They come alive at various times as you move about the parks and resorts with color-changing lights, haptic vibrations and gesture recognition.

These wristbands will allow you to engage in new interactive experiences resort-wide. There is no official word on when they will be introduced at Walt Disney World. I just know they’re running late.

As always, stay tuned to OrlandoParksGuy.com/blog for more information about Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.

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Guides

Tips for Avoiding the Crowds

Renting Scooters in Orlando

Using Uber/Lyft at the Parks

Easy Guide to Disney Skyliner

Tips for Renting a Car in Orlando

How to Save Money on Flights

Guide to Free Dining Offers

Disney Visa Perks

Guide to Disney Dining Plans

Disney Travel Protection

Disney Cruise Line to Require All Passengers age 5+ to Be Vaccinated

Disney Cruise Line has updated its COVID-19 Policies. All passengers who are eligible for a vaccine must be fully vaccinated prior to sailing. Plus updates for those who are not vaccine-eligible. Read more…

Disney Cruise Line continues to require all vaccine-eligible Guests (based on U.S. eligibility requirements) to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Disney Cruise Line will require all Guests ages 5 and older to be fully vaccinated for sailings beginning on and after January 13, 2022.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines fully vaccinated as 14 days after receiving:

a single-dose of an accepted 1-dose vaccine
the second dose of an accepted 2-dose vaccine
the full series of an active (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.-based AstraZeneca or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trials
the second dose of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines (administered at least 17 days apart)

Pre-Trip COVID-19 Testing:

Guests who are not vaccine-eligible, because of age, must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (paid for by the Guest) taken between 3 days and 24 hours before their sail date.

Guests ages 5-11 may show a negative COVID-19 test in lieu of being fully vaccinated for sailings that depart before January 13, 2022. The test must be taken prior to sailing taken 3 days and 24 hours before their sail date.

Guests 4 years of age and under must show a negative test prior to sailing taken 3 days and 24 hours before their sail date.

COVID regulations change frequently in the cruise industry. This is why you want to book your cruise with a travel agent who will keep you updated and answer any questions you have.

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