Jeff DePaoli, Author at Attractions Magazine

January 22, 2021 By Jeff DePaoli Leave a Comment

Should Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have a more fluid timeline? – DePaoli on DeParks

The Walt Disney Company has mentioned over and over again (and seems proud of the fact) that when guests are surveyed, character interactions in the parks are always among the top-rated aspects of a Disney vacation. Whether it’s seeing your favorite characters in a parade, show or for a meet and greet, this is always a delight for many Disney fans. That’s why it’s so baffling when we hear of Disney projects where classic characters won’t be found. (I’m looking at you early-years Epcot and Disney California Adventure.)

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January 15, 2021 By Jeff DePaoli 15 Comments

Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents: More controversial than it’s worth? – DePaoli on DeParks

The Hall of Presidents. All you need to do is utter those words to a Walt Disney World fan and they’ll probably have strong opinions about it. Some love this opening-day attraction and never want it to go away, while others find it to be too controversial and would love to see its demise. Regardless of where you land on that spectrum, one thing is for certain: political opinions in the U.S. are at an all-time high, causing this attraction to be problematic in current times.

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January 8, 2021 By Jeff DePaoli 2 Comments

Is it worth it to buy a MagicBand? – DePaoli on DeParks

In early 2013, Disney Parks fans first heard about the MagicBand. It promised to enhance your Walt Disney World vacation, as the wristband would act as your park tickets, room key, PhotoPass, credit card and more.

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January 1, 2021 By Jeff DePaoli Leave a Comment

Combining New Year’s celebrations of Disney’s past and present – DePaoli on DeParks

When I think of New Year’s Eve and Disney, my mind immediately goes to Pleasure Island. No, not the Pleasure Island from the Walt Disney animated feature, “Pinocchio;” rather, the Pleasure Island that was once part of the former Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World (now Disney Springs). I never experienced Pleasure Island much, other than walking through parts of it, but I look back now and wish I was able to experience more before its demise.

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December 25, 2020 By Jeff DePaoli Leave a Comment

Celebrate Christmas year-round at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando  – DePaoli on DeParks

As the saying goes, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” So, of course there are many people who wish that the holidays were available year-round. In the case of Orlando’s theme parks, there are some options where you can experience Christmas all year long. As we head toward the end of 2020, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can continue celebrating throughout 2021. Keep in mind that some of these offerings may not currently be available due to temporary closures..

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December 18, 2020 By Jeff DePaoli 2 Comments

‘A Christmas Carol’ in the Disney Parks  – DePaoli on DeParks

“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens is one of my favorite stories of all time. I’ve seen countless theatrical productions of this classic tale and have enjoyed various movie versions throughout the years. But did you know that there have been touches of “A Christmas Carol” found in the Disney Parks along with some unrealized concepts that never came to fruition?

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December 16, 2020 By Jeff DePaoli Leave a Comment

Q&A: Oh, The Horror! creators share details on new horror card game

Patrick Braillard, Nate Stevenson and Jacob McAlister all worked for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights for numerous years. With the all too common news this year of talented folks losing their jobs due to the ongoing pandemic, Braillard, Stevenson and McAlister decided to take their love of horror and gaming to create a brand new card game called Oh, The Horror!, currently running a Kickstarter campaign to become a reality.

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December 11, 2020 By Jeff DePaoli 2 Comments

If the Osborne Lights came back, where could they go? – DePaoli on DeParks

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was awesome in the truest sense of the word. Even if you weren’t a particular fan of what some may consider over-the-top tackiness, I’m sure you would still be in awe at the scale of this enormous holiday light display. Sadly, we all had to say goodbye to it back in 2015 to make way for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. But what if the lights were brought back to the Disney Parks in a different location? Where might they be displayed?

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December 4, 2020 By Jeff DePaoli 6 Comments

The confusion within Disney storytelling dark rides – DePaoli on DeParks

A lot of folks’ earliest memories of visiting a Disney Park are the traditional and iconic dark rides like the ones found in Fantasyland. They’ve been a staple of the Disney Parks since day one of Disneyland and are appropriate for guests of all ages to experience. On opening day, there was Peter Pan’s Flight, Snow White’s Adventures (later renamed), and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

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November 27, 2020 By Jeff DePaoli Leave a Comment

Bring Disney fireworks back with a bang! – DePaoli on DeParks

If you’re anything like me, you’re missing Disney nighttime spectaculars a lot, especially the fireworks. It really is the perfect end to a Disney day that many of us often took for granted. As Walt liked to call it, it’s the “kiss goodnight.”

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