Disney introduces RFID technology to is hotel rooms

The keys to the kingdom at Disney World are changing.

The opening of the first phase of Disney's Art of Animation Resort on May 31 unveiled a new feature to the hotel rooms, "radio-frequency identification" keys. Normally hotel guests insert card keys into slots to open doors. But the new system allows people to place the card near a reader to unlock the door.

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According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Disney expects to retrofit all of 26,000 hotel rooms on property by the end of the next year. Work should soon begin at Disney's Contemporary Resort starting this month.

According to the article, the new key system also is convenient because the cards can be reprogrammed by remote control so if there is a problem or you need to change rooms, there is no reason to walk back to the front desk.

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Smile of The Day: Stuffed Mickey Mouse

There's nothing like walking into a store at Disney World and seeing shelves lined with Mickey Mouse. It always brings a smile to my face.

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Disney continues to dominate theme park business

Disney still dominates theme park attendance worldwide but it was The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios that accounted for 45 percent of the attendance increase in North America, according to the 2011 Theme Index Global Attractions Attendance Report.

North American theme park attendance in 2011 grew by 2.9 percent, but 1.3 percentage points of that increase was due to the new Harry Potter land, according to the report, published by the Themed Entertainment Association and the Economics practice at AECOM.

Without Harry Potter, North America attendance grew by 1.6 percent. "That 1.6 percent figure points to continued, slow economic recovery from the recession and modest attendance growth for most parks, in a mature market. This is seen not just in park attendance figures but also in tourism numbers," the report states.

Even with the success of Harry Potter, Disney is still the gold standard when it comes to theme parks, filling the top eight spots on the list.

Disney World's Magic Kingdom remains the most visited park in the world with Disneyland behind it, followed by the two Tokyo Disney parks.

Here's how the parks stack up.

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Disney World increases ticket prices June 3

                                © Steven Liebman

Disney World is increasing ticket prices starting June 3 by 4.5 percent for a one-day one park base ticket up to 8.5 percent for a 10-day one park base ticket.

The increase follows prices increases at Disneyland on May 20.

In addition to the base tickets increasing the Park Hopper add-on portion is increasing for 2 or more days from $55 to $57. It remains the same for one-day Park Hopper at $35.

Annual pass holders will see a $55 increase to $574.

Because Disney World has a large amount of ticket combinations with Park Hopper, Water Park and No Expiration add-ons, the amounts of the increase will depend upon what you decide.

The specific price chart can be found here.

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A time lapse tour of Disneyland

What started out as a camera test by photographer Daniel Navarrete of Disneyland ended up a year later with a 30,000 plus photos turned into a 4 minute 42 second video time lapse tour of Disneyland and the California Adventure.

The video starts you out at the entrance to Disneyland, shows you around, takes you on a few rides, let's you experience a parade and even World of Color. It's a phenomenal accomplishment.

Thanks to Micechat.com for turning us on to this.

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To the Video: Disney World Monorail slowed down by a squirrel

Disney World employees are always caring for small animals. In this home made video, a squirrel runs on top of the monorail track slowing down one of the trains.

This may have been the most direct route for the squirrel to get to the Magic Kingdom from the Ticket and Transportation Center. The boat ride is not as fast. Or maybe the squirrel was doing the conductor a favor by leading the way. Either way, you think someone would have offered him a seat on the train.

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New season of 'My Yard Goes Disney' premieres June 1

The HGTV show "My Yard Goes Disney" returns Friday, June 1, for its second season transforming homeowners' backyards into virtual Disneylands or -- if the backyard is big enough -- Disney Worlds.

The season premiere, starting at 8 p.m. on both coasts, introduce the Morales family. Parents Geo and Gwen take their twin daughters to Disney World to meet the princesses. Gwen Morales, who grew up with the Disney fairytales, wants to keep the tradition alive for her children.

Enter HGTV and Disney Imagineers who turn the backyard into a fairytale village inspired by Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom and the topiaries of the Fantasia Gardens miniature golf course. 

Future episodes include designs inspired by Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Disneyland with a rock slide and an underground viewing window for the pool and an Animal Kingdom makeover with a pool-connected treehouse zip line and sandpit for digging dinosaur fossils.

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