Today Only - Jan 19th - EVERYONE can park hop at Walt Disney World with a valid theme park ticket. Even if you have a one park ticket - today only you CAN park hop! Remember President Obama will be at the Magic Kingdom and Main Street will be closed.

Obama's plan for tourism
According to a White House official, the president will unveil a strategy that "will significantly help boost tourism and travel, an important sector in the U.S. economy."

And what better place to address tourism and travel than in front of Cinderella Castle, the iconic centerpiece of the world's most visited theme park?

The plan is part of the president's "We Can't Wait" agenda to aid job growth, with a focus on Central Florida's most crucial industry.

Gary Sain, president and CEO of Visit Orlando, said he hopes to hear Obama address his No. 1 question: "How do we make it easier for international visitors to come to the United States, to come to Florida, and certainly to come to Orlando?"

Easier? Don't people just hop on a plane and come to Orlando?

As local tourism officials like Sain know, it's not that easy, and that's the problem.

Visa reform is one thing officials have been working to improve, so international visitors can more easily gain permission to travel to the U.S.


Important info for Disney guests
While President Obama is at the Magic Kingdom, guests should plan for heavy security.

Main Street USA will be closed Thursday for the duration of the president's visit. Guests will instead be re-routed to other sections of the park.

The president's speech is not open to guests. Invitations were handled by the White House.

Cast members are prohibited from using their passes to get into Magic Kingdom while Obama is there.

Walt Disney World has cancelled Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom Thursday. Guest at Disney's resorts will be able to use their Extra Magic Hours at Disney's other parks Thursday.

The park's "Celebrate a Dream Come True" parade has also been pushed back from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Source

Wow, with all of this rearranging, we can hope that something good will come out of this speech.

Really? I mean, really? Something good you say?

I have friends from church who are there this week. I will have to see what they say about it.

Its true, according to the source, its a plan to get people more jobs. Seems pretty good to me.

giving speeches doesn't make for new jobs wishful thing though

Living near Washington DC and hearing his speeches about more jobs opening etc & nothing comes of it.

Oh well, I just don't even have a desire to listen to what will spill out of his mouth. I am just not interested in learning how much MORE of my kids future will go to the Government.*

All that aside, my friends went to DHS today, but I have not heard how the crowd has been affected by the chaos.

According to Obama, the increase in tourism will provide more jobs. So why are you laughing?

Sorry Quinn, you obviously like the man, so I apologize. This is not the forum for this conversation. My bad.

No need to say you are sorry Tammi, it is your right to say how you feel.

Quinn, not say it is wasn't good and he was trying to get more people to come to the U.S. to visit & spend their money & many opening up more jobs. Giving speeches doesn't mean more jobs as it is up to the companies to do so & most of them rather save money. Disney is no different to any other company. They are in it for the money & last time I was there this past Dec they cut back on the CM & most of them are working part time hours. Which made the parks busy & jammed.

Last time I looked Disney parks are up in guests coming in. You see many tour groups there each month. They are not hurting it is the other parks in other parts of the country that need the tourists to come. Most either go to Florida or Ca.for theme parks.

It is great that you like the president but we all on this boards are entitled to their views. Just my two cents.

I get where you coming from, how you get your opinion. But what im saying is that he is trying to find a way to get jobs, and that i think this is a good way. I merely meant that i hope that his speech would lead to more jobs.

I agree with you Quinn but I not sure it will lead to more jobs. It is up to the companies to hire. Here lies the problems, big companies like Disney shouldn't be given tax breaks to hire workers since they are laying off workers or cutting their hours. Not to mention raising the rooms rates & tickets costs which is normal. But sometimes it way too much for the average person to take their families to Disney or other parks.

He has given this sorta speech in Washington DC and it hasn't lead to more hiring more gov't workers for the returning war vets who need jobs. It is a country wide problem no work..

Like all I hope more jobs open up not just low paying jobs but jobs that will help with all the layoff that is happening throughout the country.