Disney World And Beyond with The Gold Key Adventurers Society The Gold Key Adventurers Society

 
 
Disney World/Travel News May 2023
 
We just wrapped up the month of May, which means it’s time to take a look back at all the biggest news stories that made the last few weeks so interesting. Here are the stories we’re discussing this week:
Disney announces that the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser will make its final voyage this September, citing high operating costs and failure to meet expectations for booking performance. https://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/star-wars-galactic-starcruiser/news/18may2023-star-wars-galactic-starcruiser-at-walt-disney-world-to-permanently-close.htm 
Disney Dining Plan is returning to Walt Disney World in January 2024!https://www.keytotheworldtravel.com/disney-world-dining-plan-returning-2024/
Also, no more theme park reservations (for most guests)!
Disney Parks head Josh D’amaro says theme parks will look for more ways to simplify the theme park planning experience after hearing numerous complaints that the experience is too complicated. This comes after Disney announced they are working on a way for guests to make Lightning Lane selections in advance so they don’t have to work so hard in the morning before going into the parks. https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/disney-genie/news/22may2023-disney-parks-head-josh-damaro-says-disney-will-continue-to-simplify-the-park-experience-following-criticism-of-being-overly-complex.htm 
We take some time to discuss how the increasingly complicated process of planning a vacation at Walt Disney World Resort, as well as the increasing removal of free added-value perks for on site guests, has seriously hurt bookings. 
The lineup for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series at EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival has been announced, including some exciting new artists for 2023https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2023/05/first-look-2023-eat-to-the-beat-concert-series-at-epcot/ 
New restaurant alert! Shiki-sai:Sushi Izakaya opening this summer in EPCOT’s japan pavilion, will give guests a taste of authentic sushi,traditional japanese-style pub food, and monthly menu specials to reflect the many religious festivals of Japanhttps://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/new-shiki-sai-sushi-izakaya-restaurant-opening-in-japan-pavilion-at-epcot/ 
On the other side of Orlando, the Minions are set to bring mayhem to Universal Studios, as Minions Land will be opening this summer. Recently, the theme park shared details on what guests will find in the new landhttps://blog.discoveruniversal.com/news/just-announced-illuminations-minion-land-grand-opening/ 
Also coming to Universal Studios Orlando is an epic celebration of the 30th anniversary of the first Jurassic Park movie, including one of Universal’s famous Tribute Stores, special menu items, and morehttps://www.insideuniversal.net/2023/05/universal-parks-to-celebrate-30th-anniversary-of-jurassic-park/ 
Travel news:TSA has expanded the ages of children who can accompany parents with Pre Check, making air travel a little bit easier for families this summerhttps://www.travelandleisure.com/tsa-precheck-teens-family-air-travel-7501614 
Passing through TSA will be a little bit easier with other new technology being rolled out at security checkpointshttps://www.travelandleisure.com/tsa-screening-technology-summer-travel-7498954 
As well as expanded deployment of upgraded equipment at bag checks
This airport was ranked the “Angriest in America”https://www.travelandleisure.com/angriest-airport-ranking-us-7499493 
Dreamline overnight luxury “hotel train” could soon take passengers from Los Angeles to San Franciscohttps://www.travelandleisure.com/dreamline-overnight-hotel-train-los-angeles-to-san-francisco-7495541 
 
As always, a huge thank you to our sponsor, Key to the World Travel. For all your travel needs, Key to the World's expert travel advisors are standing by. Make sure you tell them the Gold Key Adventurers sent you!
 
Proud to be a Feedspot Top 100 Disney Podcast! https://bit.ly/GKASFeedS

Universal Orlando+
 
We can’t let Disney World have all the fun! This week we’re taking a look at Universal Orlando Resort, to find all the ways you can “plus” your stay and make sure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck! “Plussing” is a term used by Walt Disney and his Imagineers to describe the process of taking something that’s already great, and making it even better. The concept can be applied to your vacation as well, and we know all the best ways to have the best stay possible, no matter the size of your budget.Topics we cover include:
Hotels- which from each price category gives most “plus” feel? Sapphire Falls, Premier hotelsfor free Express Pass, kid suites, upgraded room categories,Spa at Portofino.
Outside the theme parks, including Volcano Bay, experiences at City Walk, etc.
Experiences inside the theme parks- VIP tours, Harry Potter package, HHN VIP experience, Express Pass

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsor, Key to the World Travel. For all your travel needs, Key to the World's expert travel advisors are standing by. Make sure you tell them the Gold Key Adventurers sent you!
 
Proud to be a Feedspot Top 100 Disney Podcast! https://bit.ly/GKASFeedSpotDisney 
 
Thanks to Outer Vibe for the use of their song Hoka Hey off of the album Hoka Hey as the intro and outro of our show. For tour dates, merch, music and more, check them out at www.outervibe.com.
 
Don’t forget to  subscribe to the show to make sure you don't miss a single week of adventure. While you're at it, how about leaving us a rating and review?
 
Word of mouth is the best way for us to grow our society of intrepid adventurers-if you have a friend or two who might enjoy our particular brand of adventure and silliness, send them our way.
 
The Gold Key Adventurers Society is always looking for new members! Find all our episodes, links and info at https://www.goldkeyadventurers.com. Make sure you follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldKeyAdventurersSociety, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gkaspodcast, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GKASPodcast. 
 
Show The Gold Key Adventurers some love by buying the hosts a coffee (or two or ten?) at https://bit.ly/KofiDonateToGKAS
 
Better yet, try one of Expedition Roasters’ delicious theme park and pop culture inspired flavored coffees! Using our affiliate link will help keep the Gold Key Adventurers caffeinated and making great content for you! https://bit.ly/ExpeditionRoastersGKAS 
 
Remember, life is short and the world is wide. So go have an adventure!
 

Summer Vacation Ideas 2023
 
The school year is winding down, and we’re all getting antsy for summer vacation! The good news is, there’s still plenty of time to plan a sunny getaway. This week, we’re going to talk about some ideas for beating the crowds, heat, and expensive airfare so you can focus on relaxing and enjoying that perfect summer vacation. 
Discussion topics include:
Road trips
Domestic destinations-popular spots, off the beaten path, and beaches (especially alternatives to the mainstream, popular locations)
Last minute cruise deals
Amusement parks
Pick a theme-history, food, bourbon, whatever your interest, and develop a trip to a city or region around it. 
Flightless tourism - trains are hot this year!
Set-Jetting:Travel inspired by locations on your favorite TV series or movies. Adventures by Disney has just announced a set-jetting trip to Colombia inspired by the sights, sounds, and tastes of Encanto:https://www.travelandleisure.com/adventures-by-disney-new-encanto-trip-7487617 

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsor, Key to the World Travel. For all your travel needs, Key to the World's expert travel advisors are standing by. Make sure you tell them the Gold Key Adventurers sent you!
 
Proud to be a Feedspot Top 100 Disney Podcast! https://bit.ly/GKASFeedSpotDisney 
 
Thanks to Outer Vibe for the use of their song Hoka Hey off of the album Hoka Hey as the intro and outro of our show. For tour dates, merch, music and more, check them out at www.outervibe.com.
 
Don’t forget to  subscribe to the show to make sure you don't miss a single week of adventure. While you're at it, how about leaving us a rating and review?
 
Word of mouth is the best way for us to grow our society of intrepid adventurers-if you have a friend or two who might enjoy our particular brand of adventure and silliness, send them our way.
 
The Gold Key Adventurers Society is always looking for new members! Find all our episodes, links and info at https://www.goldkeyadventurers.com. Make sure you follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldKeyAdventurersSociety, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gkaspodcast, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GKASPodcast. 
 
Show The Gold Key Adventurers some love by buying the hosts a coffee (or two or ten?) at https://bit.ly/KofiDonateToGKAS
 
Better yet, try one of Expedition Roasters’ delicious theme park and pop culture inspired flavored coffees! Using our affiliate link will help keep the Gold Key Adventurers caffeinated and making great content for you! https://bit.ly/ExpeditionRoastersGKAS 
 
Remember, life is short and the world is wide. So go have an adventure!
 

Disney World/Travel News Roundup - April 2023
 
It’s been a long time since we had a good old fashioned news roundup! Strap in, it’s time to take a look at all the latest, greatest, and weirdest stuff that’s been going on in the world of travel and theme parks, then laugh as I fumble to improvise a decent segue between stories! Our first story is comin’ in hot!
Dragon at Disneyland's Fantasmic! destroyed by massive fire
The next hot story that we very well might have to cut by the time this episode releases, Walt Disney World Annual Passes went back on sale April 20, and shockingly all 4 passes remain available for sale https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/ticket-annual-pass---disney-incredi-pass/news/22apr2023-virtual-queue-removed-from-walt-disney-world-annual-pass-website-and-update-on-pass-availability.htm 
It’s officially half way to Halloween, and Disney is full of news, including tickets for this year’s Not So Scary Halloween Party go on sale May 2!https://www.keytotheworldtravel.com/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party-2023-update/ And they also teased (again) the arrival of the Hatbox Ghost at Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion later this year! https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/haunted-mansion/news/21apr2023-disney-teases-the-hatbox-ghost-materializing-later-this-year-at-walt-disney-worlds-haunted-mansion.htm 
Harmonious barges are not only being removed, but scrapped with a vengeance on WDW property:https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/harmonious/news/21apr2023-latest-aerial-photos-show-harmonious-being-scarapped-backstage-at-epcot.htm 
Disneyland’s Splash Mountain to close in late Mayhttps://www.wdwmagic.com/wdwmagic-plus/disneyland-resort/news/12apr2023-disneylands-splash-mountain-to-close-in-late-may-to-begin-the-transformation-into-tianas-bayou-adventure.htm 
Lucky guests on the July 10-19 Adventures by Disney expedition to the Arctic Circle will be joined by former Imagineer Joe Rohdehttps://www.wdwmagic.com/other/adventures-by-disney/news/12apr2023-join-former-disney-imagineer-and-creator-of-disneys-animal-kingdom-joe-rohde-on-an-adventures-by-disney-expedition-to-the-artic.htm 
Capture Your Moment photo sessions in Magic Kingdom expand to include locations around Fantasylandhttps://www.wdwmagic.com/other/photopass/news/11apr2023-capture-your-moment-photo-sessions-expand-to-fantasyland-at-magic-kingdom.htm 
Delta says International flights are already 75% booked for the summerhttps://thepointsguy.com/news/delta-summer-flights-international-booked/amp/ 
Virgin Voyages’ third ship, the Resilient Lady, launches in May! The “Mermaiden” Voyage launches May 15 from Athens. Its maiden season will feature two round trip itineraries- , then in October she heads to Australia and New Zealand for her regular route, after stopping in Cairo, Dubai, Bali, Mumbai, Phuket, and Singapore during her repositioning journeyhttps://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/virgin-voyages-welcomes-resilient-lady-its-fleet 
This Ohio City Will Have a Perfect View of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, and is giving away a trip to see it!www.travelandleisure.com/cleveland-free-trip-see-2024-total-solar-eclipse-7483311 
WizzAir now offering flight  subscriptions for select European routeshttps://www.travelpulse.com/News/Airlines-Airports/Wizz-Air-Is-Now-Offering-Flight-Subscriptions 
Vienna Nudists oppose plans for cable car over popular beachhttps://apnews.com/article/nudists-austria-privacy-cable-car-3fac6bf2d5d28a51715c9524aa6042a9

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsor, Key to the World Travel. For all your travel needs, Key to the World's expert travel advisors are standing by. Make sure you tell them the Gold Key Adventurers sent you!
 
Proud to be a Feedspot Top 100 Disney Podcast! https://bit.ly/GKASFeedSpotDisney 
 
Thanks to Outer Vibe for the use of their song Hoka Hey off of the album Hoka Hey as the intro and outro of our show. For tour dates, merch, music and more, check them out at www.outerv

TRON Lightcycle/Run and Disney World Trip Report
 
Greetings users! We recently spent an epic weekend in Walt Disney World, where we got uploaded to the grid for a spin on Tron Lightcycle/Run, saw the return of beloved nighttime spectacular Happily Ever After, and experienced some more of the thrills Disney has in store for this spring and summer. Let’s dig in and talk about our trip!
TRON Lightcycle/Run is high speed thrill ride through a computer world, and we want to ride it over and over again.
Happily Ever After still hits all the Disney magic feels, and boy are we glad that it’s back!
EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival is beautifully delicious, blooming with flavors and colors everywhere. We highly recommend you check it out for yourself!
Toy Story Land’s new Roundup Rodeo BBQ restaurant at Disney Hollywood Studios is cute, fun, and most important, downright delicious!

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsor, Key to the World Travel. For all your travel needs, Key to the World's expert travel advisors are standing by. Make sure you tell them the Gold Key Adventurers sent you!
 
Proud to be a Feedspot Top 100 Disney Podcast! https://bit.ly/GKASFeedSpotDisney 
 
Thanks to Outer Vibe for the use of their song Hoka Hey off of the album Hoka Hey as the intro and outro of our show. For tour dates, merch, music and more, check them out at www.outervibe.com.
 
Don’t forget to  subscribe to the show to make sure you don't miss a single week of adventure. While you're at it, how about leaving us a rating and review?
 
Word of mouth is the best way for us to grow our society of intrepid adventurers-if you have a friend or two who might enjoy our particular brand of adventure and silliness, send them our way.
 
The Gold Key Adventurers Society is always looking for new members! Find all our episodes, links and info at https://www.goldkeyadventurers.com. Make sure you follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldKeyAdventurersSociety, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gkaspodcast, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GKASPodcast. 
 
Show The Gold Key Adventurers some love by buying the hosts a coffee (or two or ten?) at https://bit.ly/KofiDonateToGKAS
 
Better yet, try one of Expedition Roasters’ delicious theme park and pop culture inspired flavored coffees! Using our affiliate link will help keep the Gold Key Adventurers caffeinated and making great content for you! https://bit.ly/ExpeditionRoastersGKAS 
 
Remember, life is short and the world is wide. So go have an adventure!
 

Universal Studios Hollywood Trip Report
 
Recently we were lucky enough to visit Universal Studios Hollywood to experience Super Nintendo World first hand. Last week we talked about our adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom. This week, we’re going to talk about what visiting the rest of Universal Studios Hollywood is like, how it compares to Universal Orlando Resort, and why it’s definitely worth a visit when you’re visiting the Los Angeles area. Since it’s so close to Hollywood and other famous LA landmarks, we’re also going to talk about some great spots to visit nearby that are sure to be exciting if you’re interested in the glitz and glam of Hollywood, as well as some hidden gems for Disney fans.
Discussion topics include:
Universal Hollywood- Hilton Universal City is super close to the park and a great place to stay, Universal Hollywood is a smaller park- one day with Express Pass, why I like City Walk and the “city streets” area better, Secret Life of Pets is an amazing example of a classic dark ride,only one Wizard area, and it’s the same as Orland, Springfield is slightly smaller but more fully imagined with favorite locations from the Simpsons, Water World
stunt show is amazing. Studio backlot tour is an incredible look at Hollywood film making magic and history,why you should consider the VIP
Experience.
Los Angeles- there’s history everywhere!You can see the highlights of the Walk of Fame and “Hollywood” in a couple hours- El Capitan, Dolby theater, TCL Chinese Theater, Capitol Records building, Roosevelt hotel.Crossroads of the World is an interesting stop for fans of Walt Disney World. Tail o’ The Pup is a fun stop for world class hot dogs and fries served from a hot dog shaped building. Hollywood Forever cemetery is the final resting spot of many familiar stars, as well as a popular site for viewing movies and concerts during the summer, Paramount and Warner Brothers offer popular studio backlot tours, Disney Brothers original studio is a fun quick stop for Disney history fans, Griffith Park-Merry Go Round, Walt Disney’s train shed is located in Travel Town at Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory is popular for spectacular views of the Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, and as a piece of film history, Tam O’ Shanter is a famous LA restaurant and one time favorite haunt of Walt Disney and his Imagineers.

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsor, Key to the World Travel. For all your travel needs, Key to the World's expert travel advisors are standing by. Make sure you tell them the Gold Key Adventurers sent you!
 
Proud to be a Feedspot Top 100 Disney Podcast! https://bit.ly/GKASFeedSpotDisney 
 
Thanks to Outer Vibe for the use of their song Hoka Hey off of the album Hoka Hey as the intro and outro of our show. For tour dates, merch, music and more, check them out at www.outervibe.com.
 
Don’t forget to  subscribe to the show to make sure you don't miss a single week of adventure. While you're at it, how about leaving us a rating and review?
 
Word of mouth is the best way for us to grow our society of intrepid adventurers-if you have a friend or two who might enjoy our particular brand of adventure and silliness, send them our way.
 
The Gold Key Adventurers Society is always looking for new members! Find all our episodes, links and info at https://www.goldkeyadventurers.com. Make sure you follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldKeyAdventurersSociety, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gkaspodcast, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GKASPodcast. 
 
Show The Gold Key Adventurers some love by buying the hosts a coffee (or two or ten?) at https://bit.ly/KofiDonateToGKAS
 
Better yet, try one of Expedition Roasters’ delicious theme park and pop culture inspired flavored coffees! Using our affiliate link will help keep the Gold Key Adventurers caffeinated and making great content for you! https://bit.ly/ExpeditionRoastersGKAS 
 
Remember, life is short and