Get your Disney PhotoPass CD before price goes up

Orlando Sentinel - If you're considering buying a Disney World PhotoPass CD for an upcoming vacation, you'll save if you pre-order it before Tuesday. The price goes up $20 to $149.95 on June 16.

Also, you can save an additional 20 percent if you order the CD here or at PhotoPass centers on Disney property.

Disney has stationed its photographers throughout the parks -- and even the water parks -- and it's free to have your photo taken. Just ask the photographer. Afterward, he will give you plastic card; the numbers on the card are what you will use at either a PhotoPass station on Disney property or online to view your photos.

My family has purchased many professional photos from our Disney World outings through the years and by far the best deal if you plan to purchase more than 10 photos is a PhotoPass CD. The price of the CD is for an unlimited number of photos from your vacation -- even if the photos won't actually fit on one CD. So, if you plan to buy the CD, take photos everywhere and anywhere!

You can duplicate photos by doing a "save as copy" in the edit mode on disneyphotopass.com. This will allow you to save versions of the same image with different borders, signatures and crops because the images cannot be manipulated with Disney tools once they are burned on the CD.

Remember -- the CD price is for as many photos as you have in your account.

'Pirates 4' bigger priority for Disney than 'Lone Ranger'

HitFix - Speaking to HitFix tonight in New York City, uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer broke some news regarding the fourth incarnation of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise and the previously announced big screen incarnation of the "Lone Ranger." Both pictures have superstar Johnny Depp in the mix, but Bruckheimer says "Ranger" is not the priority for his longtime home, Walt Disney Pictures.

"I think for Disney it will mostly be 'Pirates,' obviously," Bruckheimer says. "That's a great franchise for them and for us too. Beloved, with a great character and Johnny's really excited about coming back to Captain Jack. "

This past April, original "Pirates" trilogy director Gore Verbinski announced he would not helm the fourth installment due to other commitments including the movie adaptation of the popular video game "BioShock." With that project floundering, HitFix asked Bruckheimer if his former director could return to the swashbuckling seas. The Hollywood veteran clearly left the door open to a return.

"You never know," Bruckheimer says. "He created the franchise. He had a lot to add to that, but it's going to be up to him."

When asked whether Depp preferred to shoot "Lone Ranger" versus a return to Captain Jack, Bruckheimer reiterated that while Depp was interested in Tonto, but "Disney's priority is to get [a fourth] 'Pirates' made."

Additionally, Bruckheimer said he'd seen some of the early pages of the fourth 'Pirates' script, but the always cagey mogul limited his comments to that it's funny and "it's a whole new way of going."

Bruckheimer has the family friendly "G-Force" set for release Aug. 7, but will return to the blockbuster arena next summer with both "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" on May 28, 2010 and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" on July 16, 2010.

New Mobile Room Ready Notification Service for Disney Guests

Mobile Room Ready Notification Service allows Guests who arrive prior to their check-in time at Disney owned and operated Resort hotels to recieve either a text message or automated voice message when their room is available.

During the check-in process at a Disney Resort, Guests can provide a cell/mobile telephone number and request a return notification preference. When the Disney Resort room is ready, a text message or automated call will be sent to the Guest’s cell/mobile phone number with the room number.

Guests who participate in this new service can enjoy increased flexibility upon arrival at the Disney Resort as their cell/mobile telephone will notify them when their room is ready. Guests may then continue their current activities or proceed to their Disney Resort room.

Guest may of course choose not to participate in this service and will still be able to call the Resort's room availability telephone number provided to them upon arrival to check the status of their Disney Resort room, or visit the Resort Front Desk at anytime.

Mobile Room Ready Notification Service is now available for Guests staying at Disney operated resort hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort and all Disney Vacation Club resorts.

Note: if Guests opt to use the text message notification option, standard text message rates apply. Guests should check with their cell/mobile phone carrier for details on their particular plan.

What are your thoughts on the new idea...? feel free to leave a comment