Walt Disney World Resort Update for August 13-19, 2019

Walt Disney World Resort Update for August 13-19, 2019

 

Writer's note: The major news around Walt Disney World this week was the opening of the NBA Experience at Disney Springs. Beyond that, like last week, not unexpectedly, it was a very quiet week for news around Walt Disney World Resort as we await the Disney D23 Expo in Anaheim a few weeks from now when the "Ultimate Disney Fan Event" will certainly yield lots of news.

Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger attended the Grand Opening of the NBA Experience at Disney Springs and was accompanied on stage by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Also in attendance during the ceremony but not on stage was Bob Chapek, Chairman Walt Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

My latest appearance on The Garry Meier Show podcast is now available for download and streaming. Starting at 21:17, Garry and I discuss Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Halloween parties, Christmas parties, and, as you might guess, this week's lead news item: NBA Experience. A little off the usual Disney discussion, just before that time index, we discuss the latest Quintin Tarantino film, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood that is now playing in theaters. (We did not discuss it during the show, but do you remember that back in the day, Tarantino's Pulp Fiction was distributed by a Disney subsidiary and it was one of the company's highest grossing films at the time?)

News and Views

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NBA Experience Opens at Disney Springs

Yesterday, August 12, 2019, the NBA Experience, a brand-new venue on the West Side of Disney Springs celebrated its grand opening and welcomed its first official guests. The venue was developed by Walt Disney Imagineering in collaboration with the NBA, and to celebrate the opening, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger was joined on stage outside the building by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, several current and former WNBA and NBA players, including Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame NBA inductees Kareem Abdul-Jabar and Grant Hill, plus, of course, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

The Grand Opening Celebration, including looks inside NBA Experience and its activities, was streamed in #DisneyParksLIVE show that you can replay. If your player doesn't advance automatically, note that the program starts at time index 11:06. Video ©Disney

During the Media Event following the Grand Opening Ceremony, Minnie Mouse made a few appearances showing off her basketball uniform. Character meet and greets are not a regular part of the venue. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Built on the former site of DisneyQuest (which closed in July 2017) in a new purpose-built building that will also house City Works Eatery & Pour House (currently scheduled to open this Winter), the NBA Experience spans 44,000 square feet and two floors. The family-friendly venue includes 13 basketball-related activities intended to immerse guests "in the world of professional basketball, both as a fan and a player."

The building's entry has been designed to give guests the feeling that they are "walking through the players' tunnel at an NBA or WNBA arena" which, if you have visited a modern arena like Orlando's Amway Center or even the Arena at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, is akin to waking under the concrete seating bowl on to the floor of playing level of a sports stadium. Guests continue across the arena's center court to visit the various activities located on both floors, as the $34/guests ages 10 and up (plus tax) or $29/child ages 3-9 admission charge includes all the activities in any order (and even repeatedly). All adults and the guardians of minors must sign a participation waiver to enter as well.

Disney describes the 13 activities as follows:

• Dribble! – Test ball-handling skills with an interactive coach who leads a variety of dribbling routines
• Dunk! – Execute the perfect slam just like a superstar, captured by cameras surrounding height-adjustable baskets
• Slingshot – Use an oversized slingshot to launch balls at hoops of varying heights, making as many baskets as possible before the clock runs out in this thrilling timed challenge
• Shoot! – Step onto the court and hear the roar of the crowd while maneuvering through a series of last-second shots before the clock expires
• Combine – Compare wingspan and vertical leap to NBA or WNBA players with this series of tests that replicates NBA Combine drills
• Draft – Experience one of the biggest milestones for a basketball player at the NBA Draft with a photo moment that re-creates the electric atmosphere of the Draft stage
• Replay – Take a seat at an interactive, multi-screen module to watch replay clips from NBA games and use tools at the station to make the right calls
• Players – Enter the off-court sanctuary of the locker room and explore current team rosters, records and highlights
• Champions – Be immersed in the rich legacy and history of NBA and WNBA championship teams and take a photo with replicas of the NBA championship and MVP trophies
• "Game Time" – Watch a heartwarming film about the in-arena game experience and the impact it has on a young woman and her father
• "Together" – Discover the amazing on- and off-court story of an NBA superstar in this inspirational, 180-degree cinematic presentation
• Arcade – Play interactive games, from the fan-favorite Pop-A-Shot to the latest NBA video games
• Trivia – Demonstrate knowledge of the NBA and WNBA – past and present – during a multi-player, real-time contest

During Cast Member Friends and Family previews last month, with a low crowd level, my group completed nearly all the activities in around two hours. With more people in the facility and wait times for attractions, and, perhaps, more time reviewing player statistics and memorabilia, a full visit could conceivably last 3 or 4 hours. (During the Media Event inside the venue following the Grand Opening ceremony, it was not possible to experience all of the activities as guests will.) Certainly, for avid NBA and WNBA fans, there is ample content and activities to explore. As Bob Iger said at today's Grand Opening, "NBA Experience lets everybody who loves the game, live it."

During the Grand Opening Media Event, activity areas were used for interview opportunities. Here, #DisneyParksLIVE host Mark Daniel (right) asks questions to NBA and WNBA players about their thoughts about NBA Experience. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

For visitors who may not be avid basketball fans or players, but are interested in how Walt Disney Imagineer adopts technology in creating new venues, there are quite a few unique, interactive things to see here. The interior of the venue has a sleek, state-of-the art look and vibe, with lots of digital and video displays, touch screens and high-tech lighting effects. In terms of the interactivity itself, Dunk! for example, provides users the ability to adjust the height of the basket on demand; Combine uses infrared cameras to capture user data and then projectors that show graphically and in data the physical information captured during the experience. Indeed, Walt Disney Imagineering itself was responsible for producing the "Game Time" film, while "Together" was produced by ESPN. (I have not yet had an opportunity to view either film, as my schedule did not permit it during the Cast Members Friends and Family Preview, and the films were not being shown during the Media Event following the Grand Opening).

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

This venue will naturally appeal to many of the young athletes that come to Walt Disney World Resort to participate in events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. For the more casual Resort guest, who does not want to physically exert him or herself, the low impact activities are limited to the trivia, photo opportunities, memorabilia displays, the interactive touch screens and the films, though (at least during my two visits) there appear to be very few places to sit down if that is important to you. Frankly, of course, if a visitor is not interested in basketball and not open to learning about it, this venue may offer no more than its air conditioning, high-energy lighting and video displays, and shelter from a Central Florida thunderstorm.

Watch our social media channels later today for a video discussion with NBA Legend Nick Anderson who played for the Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, and Memphis Grizzlies, about the NBA Experience, and more highlights of the venue showcased by Walt Disney Imagineer Sarah Ramos during the media event. (And, yes, Nick Anderson is, in fact, also a fellow former Chicagoan!)

NBA Legend Nick Anderson was on hand during the Grand Opening Media Event to show off a few skills and to talk about his thoughts about the venue. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney, Universal and More Partners Support Critically Ill Children at Give Kids The World Village

Give Kids The World Village is the Kissimmee-based nonprofit, that fulfills wish vacations for critically ill children and their families. It has an 84-acre storybook resort that first opened in 1989, where children and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations, complete with accommodations, donated attraction tickets, meals, and more, including unlimited ice cream available from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. daily. We often include notice of its events in our Updates (where ticket sales proceeds benefit the organization), have been hosted media guests of the organization for some events, and MousePlanet has donated use of its Facebook Live stream for fundraising for the organization (and I, personally, have donated funds to the organization). Many Walt Disney World cast members donate their time to the organization, as to Universal team members and others in the community at large.

Last week, we were invited to take a hard hat tour of the construction site where Give Kids The World is building a $2 million ice cream parlor for its visiting children and their families slated to open later this year called Henri's Starlite Scoops. It merits inclusion here in the Walt Disney World Update for numerous reasons, including, interestingly and uniquely enough, it is actually a project where a Disney creative team cooperated with Universal Creative to design and develop the space, and Buena Vista Construction Company is acting as the project's general contractor.

Give Kids The World Village says that its new parlor is possible through the help of twelve community partners and countless individual donors who contributed specifically to the new venue. Henri's Starlite Scoops honors the organization's late Founder, Henri Landwirth, who managed the Starlite Motel in Cocoa Beach during the Apollo era.

"The entire building is designed with our guests' needs in mind," said Michael Bausman, project manager at Give Kids The World. "One accommodation we're particularly excited about is our accessible ice cream chest freezers. The traditional ice cream chest is 34 inches in height, making it difficult for children in wheelchairs to see in to pick out their ice cream. We custom-built ours at 28 inches so everyone can choose their flavor."

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

The organization's legacy of providing unlimited ice cream dates back to its opening as part of its mission of wish fulfillment. "Unlimited ice cream is an important part of giving wish families a week of 'yes' where they can forget the worries of critical illness,” said Pamela Landwirth, president and CEO of Give Kids The World. "Henri's Starlite Scoops is our next chapter and we're so grateful to the partners who are helping us turn this page."

Give Kids The World accepts donations for operational support and added experiences. To donate to the organization (including this project) visit its website. It lists the participating partners on this project as follows (acronyms are those attributed by the organization):

• AECOM – Architect, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing
• WDW – Original Design Concept
• Universal Creative – Creative input
• BVCC – General Contractor
• Ardaman and Associates – Original surveys and NESHASP
• WCCI – Estimator
• Kern Studios – Flying saucer
• Cemex – All block and concrete
• Lo-Temp – Donated HVAC Install, Freezer and Install
• Peninsular Engineering – Updated mechanical design for HVAC
• American Panel of Ocala – Freezer
• Trimark Gill Group – Food Service Equipment
• Western Florida Lighting Inc. – Donated light fixtures

Epcot Concerts & Candlelight Processional News and Calendar

This summer's five times daily performances of the the Guardians of the Galaxy – Awesome Mix Live! on the America Gardens stage concludes this coming Sunday, August 18. Passholders can enjoy reserved seating on a first-come, first-served basis for concerts when entering the theatre on the Japan pavilion side and showing a valid annual pass and matching photo ID. Star-Lord and Gamora, along with an "alien" band, take the audience on a "musical journey" that showcases hits from Star-Lord's Awesome Mix tapes. It is the same show that was performed last summer, and each live performance includes the same set list. Check the Times Guide and the My Disney Experience app for the daily schedule.

File Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

As Labor Day weekend approaches, this year's edition of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will debut on August 29 (yes, the very same day that Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios). Disney Parks Blog provides details about some of this year's marketplaces and in next week's Update, we will report on this year's Media Preview. We already know that reservations are open for the Tailgate Tastings hosted by ESPN's Monday Football (on select Sundays Starting September 8), some of the Radio Disney headliners coming to this year's edition of the Disney du Jour Dance Party have been announced, and the calendar is nearly complete for the three-times-nightly Eat to the Beat Concert Series which runs until November 19. Only the act(s) performing November 12-14 have yet to be announced. Concert showtimes on Sundays through Thursdays will be the usual 5:30, 6:45, and 8:00 p.m., while on Fridays and Saturdays, the showtimes shift an hour later to 6:30, 7:45, and 9:00 p.m. The Concert Series wraps up on November 19 to allow the America Gardens stage to be prepared for the 2019 edition of Epcot's Candlelight Processional. Get even more details and make reservations by visiting TasteEpcot.com or calling (407) 939-3378.

Candlelight Processional combines a live orchestra, massed choir and celebrity narrator in the retelling of the traditional Christmas story three times per night (5:00, 6:45, and 8:15 p.m.) during the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays (November 29 to December 30). Neil Patrick Harris, Gary Sinise, Whoopi Goldberg, Pat Sajak, Steven Curtis Chapman, Edward James Olmos, and Lisa Ling are all scheduled as celebrity narrators. Guaranteed seating is available by booking a breakfast, lunch, or dinner Candlelight Processional Dining Package at select Epcot eateries. Availability is limited and advance reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 180 days prior to your visit. Bookings for Candlelight Processional Dining Packages opened on July 3. EpcotHolidays.com is the page where you can find Festival information and Candlelight Processional Dining Packages (or call 407-WDW-DINE).

Neil Patrick Harris is scheduled to return to Epcot to narrate Candlelight Procession for the 12th year. File photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

For the convenience of our readers, all of the scheduled Eat to the Beat Concert Series performers and announced Celebrity Narrators for Candlelight Processional at America Gardens Theatre are shown in our Google Calendar of Epcot Events. All of the Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! dates are noted as well. You can add the whole Event calendar to any calendar that supports the iCal format (like iPhone and Mac) by copying this link and, as we get additional information and update the calendar, the calendar will update on your subscribed device as well.

While our Google Calendar of Epcot Events lists announced performers, it is still always best to check the My Disney Experience app, Times Guide, and, yes, sometimes even signs posted at the park entrances and at the theater noting any last minute changes. The calendar is provided as a courtesy "as is, where is" without any guarantees. We do respectfully request that you do not post our entire calendar on another site without first asking our permission. Walt Disney World Resort does provide schedules in the My Disney Experience app, but does not allow you to add dates to calendars outside the app itself.

Views Around the World

Beyond what we included in the News, we have just a couple of interesting views to share this week.

First, we noted that the exit from the Resort Monorail and the entry's security bag check area in the Grand Canyon Concourse of Disney's Contemporary Resort continues to change. At the end of the elevator corridor that at one time (more than a year ago) led to the Monorail Station, construction walls close the corridor entirely, and those construction walls continue on the other side (the right side) of the elevator ban behind the security stations, leaving just a small pathway leading to and from the escalators and elevator to the platform above. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

At the nearby Magic Kingdom, construction at the future site of the TRON-themed rollercoaster now includes many new concrete footings. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That…

…As the August 29 opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge approaches at Disney's Hollywood Studios, this past week reservations opened for three of its venues: Droid Depot, Savi's Workshop, and Oga's Cantina. If you have been following along our Disneyland coverage of the opening of its version of the new land, you know that these three venues sported quite the wait times out West with same day reservations schemes and then advanced reservations programs being rolled out as the situation warranted. While limited walk-up availability may be available, Disney recommends reservations if you wish to build your own droid or lightsaber, or to visit the Cantina (which will have a 45 minutes and 2-drink per guest limit maximum). The My Disney Experience app or DisneyWorld.com are the places to go for the reservations (which have deposit requirements), and on the day reservations were announced, virtual waiting rooms quickly filled and, as the day went on, spots for the opening day and many others filled. Nevertheless, like all advanced reservations, it never hurts to check more than once in advance of your planned visit to see if there have been cancellations or added availability.

…Speaking of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Disney held a special preview for Orlando-area Boys & Girls Clubs last week at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Disney also used the opportunity to note that to bring the planet of Batuu to life in Florida contributed more than 7,000 jobs to the region since 2016, including 1,7000 operational roles (such as leadership positions, entertainment performers, attractions engineers, food and beverage and merchandise hosts and hostesses). Disney says that over 5,500 additional local jobs were created at the small and large Florida-based companies that also worked on the project.

…Walt Disney World Resort will host the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games with presenting partner Jersey Mike's Subs from June 5-11, 2022. Last week, the Games Organizing Committee unveiled its logo during a special ceremony at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. For the first time in Games' history, the logo was inspired and designed by nine artistic and talented Special Olympics athletes. "Special Olympics athletes provide inspiration to millions of people around the world,"" said Rena Langley, Senior Vice President, Walt Disney World Public Affairs and Communications. "Competing at this level is an incredible achievement, one that requires tremendous commitment, dedication and leadership skills. As the presenting partner of the volunteer program, we're honored and proud to support the friends, families and fans that will be here cheering on the athletes, and we’re excited to host the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort." Orlando Health and Orange County have committed as Platinum Partners. The Games will feature more than 4,000 athletes, 10,000 volunteers, 1,500 coaches, and 125,000 fans from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, participating in as many as 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports, and as many as five demonstration sports.

…Disney Parks Blog has published its August 2019 "Best Bites" around the Resort and shows off the recent grand opening of Takumi-Tei, the new signature table-service restaurant at Epcot's Japan Pavilion. As always, browsing the food photos on the Blog is calorie free, but your mileage varies when you choose to dine on the bites.

…REMINDER: Lots of restaurants around Walt Disney World Resort will again participate in Visit Orlando's Magical Dining 2019. Including more than 120 restaurants around the Orlando area, the program in its 14th year, runs from August 23 through September 30, 2019. Participating restaurants offer special prix-fixe dinners for $35 per person, and $1 for each meal served benefits local charities. Visit the official website for Magical Dining 2019 for the list of participating restaurants and more details.

…As the countdown continues to the December 16, 2019, opening of Disney's Riviera Resort, the next Disney Vacation Club property, Disney Parks Blog has begun showing of the creative efforts that have gone in to creating the new accommodations. If you visit ArtofRiviera.com, in particular, and watch the on-demand show available there through October 8, you can enter for a chance to win a Disney vacation including a five-night stay at Disney's Riviera Resort. (Be sure to see the rules for the sweepstakes which are available online as well - MousePlanet is in no way connected with the sweepstakes, we mention it as part of our effort to bring you the news you can use to plan a Disney Vacation.).

Watch a Behind-the-Scenes video of the creation of the "Tower Slide" which will be a focal point of the feature pool at Disney's Riviera Resort. Video ©Disney.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your email in the box below.

New & Coming Soon at Disney Springs

This section collects all of the Disney Springs retail and dining events we are aware of in one place along with our most recent views of the area (including those immediately under this paragraph). Event items NEW to the Update are marked accordingly. For even more of the latest news around Disney Springs, follow its official Twitter Feed: @DisneySprings.

NEW Beatrix

Longtime readers of this Update know that I was a long-time Chicagoan before moving to Central Florida and taking over the digital ink in this space. As a long-time Chicagoan, I was well-familiar with the many Chicagoland restaurants (and some in other cities, including Las Vegas) owned by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and have often dined at several of them. This past week, Disney Parks Blog announced that the group's Beatrix restaurant will open a new venue at Disney Springs West Side (at an unspecified date or location).

Beatrix is your neighborhood restaurant, coffeehouse and grab-and-go market featuring healthy food options including vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan along with fresh-squeezed juice cocktails. The restaurant will also offer a bakery and full-service bar with a selection of all-American beer and wine.

There are several existing Beatrix restaurants in Chicagoland which you can read about at Beatrixrestaurants.com.

Wine Bar George

NEW Master Sommelier George Miliotes leads a Champagne toast to the start of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Wine Bar George featuring samples of five different sparkling wines including Ruinart Rosé, Dom Pérignon and more alongside cheese and charcuterie on Thursday, August 29, from 4-6 p.m. Tickets are $75/person (must be 21 or older) plus $4.22 EventBrite fee. Visit this EventBrite webpage for more information and tickets.

NBA Experience

As we noted in the News above, the new interactive venue held its grand opening yesterday, Monday, August 12, 2019. You can also visit this page of DisneyWorld.com for the official venue description and for ticket sales which are $34 plus tax for ages 10 and up. The NBA Store has been open to the public for several weeks, but there have been a few changes in recent weeks (see first photo).

Inside the NBA Store, a large overhead piece of decor now spells with basketballs. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka. These samples of merchandise available at the NBA Store were displayed for media invited to cover the Grand Opening of NBA Experience on August 12, 2019. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

File Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant

The 8th annual Raglan Road Great Irish Hooley boutique music festival will run Friday, August 30 through Labor Day, September 2. Headliners this year include Billow Wood, Strings & Things, High Time, TradGad, Maca, The Rolling Wave, and Atlantic Bridge. Of course, the Raglan Road Irish Dancers will appear throughout, and the event has no cover charge.

Jaleo

Jaleo offers "Sangria Hour" each day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sangria Hour includes happy hour-style discounts on selected tapas and $6 beverage specials on draught beer, draft wine (white and red), and sangria roja.

NEW ALMUERZO RÁPIDO is Jaleo Disney Springs' new lunch offer available Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. It is lunch in an hour the José way, choosing one item from four sections on a special menu, for $25 per person. Add a glass of Red sangría for an additional $5 or a Cava sangría for $7.

The Edison

The Second Annual "A Gatsby Evening at The Edison" will be held on Sunday, September 1. Guests are invited to get "dolled up in your best flapper attire, donning your 1920s style suits" to celebrate the great novel by "dancing the night away in style." A few glasses of complimentary Moet Champagne will be served and a selection of passed signature appetizers will be available for attendees. The evening's entertainment includes a red carpet arrival, live music, stilt walkers, an aerialist, dancers, a crystal balancer, a magician and a complimentary photo station. Doors open at 7 p.m. but only to guests 21 or older. Tickets are $79/person (plus tax and gratuity) with more information at this Patina Restaurant Group web page.

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Resort Events

Check here to see if a park event might fall during your next trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an email. More runDisney event information

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2019 Resort Events

2020 Resort Events

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Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. All refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit DisneyWorld.com or use the MyDisneyExperience App on your iOS or Android device.

View the different areas of the Resort by scrolling horizontally and selecting the one you want to read about.

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Current Discounts and Promotions

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the intended audience. Check out the category that best matches you, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers.

Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Florida or eligible for U.S. Military Personnel benefits. It is increasingly true that non-Florida residents tend to benefit the most by purchasing tickets in advance (and, of course, being mindful of the rules relevant to those tickets). As prices go up, it becomes even more important to pay heed: Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside Disney property stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Walt Disney World Theme Park admissions, and may result in denial of entry. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or a travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today.

 

 

Be sure to move the calendar to at least seven (7) days out, to see what ticket options and discounts are available for your planned visit.

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