- EPCOT park reservations at capacity for opening day of Annual Passholder previews for Journey of Water Inspired by Moana wdwmagic.com
- BREAKING: Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana Opening at EPCOT October 16 WDW News Today
- Disney World Moves Forward With New ‘Moana’ Attraction – Inside the Magic Inside the Magic
- Disney announces opening date for Journey of Water Inspired by Moana at Walt Disney World wdwmagic.com
- “The Best Part of EPCOT’s Reimagining” – Tom’s Honest Review of Journey of Water Inspired by ‘Moana’ at EPCOT WDW News Today
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: reservations
Samsung Galaxy S23 preorder reservations are ending, final discount call!
It’s the final call for the Galaxy S23 series preorder reservations pledging, Samsung fans! Buyers who intend to add up to $100 in store credits on top of their Galaxy S23 Ultra, S23+, or S23 preorder bonuses when the phones hit the tape, can take a nonbinding reservations now and decide later!
The preorder reservation discount is $50, just like for the S22 series last year, but this time it can be doubled via a Galaxy Book 3 laptop purchase, the new series of notebooks from Samsung that sport 3K OLED screens, discrete RTX graphics, and the newest Intel processors to go with your new Galaxy S23 line phone.
Samsung’s so-called Reservation Gift of up to $100 that you can sign up for in the next few days before the Galaxy S23 February 1 Unpacked event, has to be stacked while you are doing the preorder. It can be applied toward the price of an accessory or a service but not cut, say, the Galaxy S23 Ultra price directly.
The Galaxy S23 prices would remain the same
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra price: $1199.99 (256GB)
- Samsung Galaxy S23+ price: $999.99 (256GB)
- Samsung Galaxy S23 price: $799.99 (128GB)
Speaking of pricing, in the US the Galaxy S23 prices are likely to remain unchanged, despite doubling the S23+ and S23 Utra base storage amounts to 256GB. In Europe, however, the Galaxy S23 family will be more expensive than their predecessors.
Galaxy S23 preorder gifts and bonuses
The Galaxy S23 family (image – PhoneArena)
A free set of Galaxy Buds Pro 2 noise-cancelling earphones may await those who preorder a Galaxy S23, S23+, or S23 Ultra early, just like last year when Samsung was gifting its 2022 audio pride and joy, too.
It, however, tacked on free storage upgrades and would apparently allow you to grab a 512GB Galaxy S23 Ultra for the $1200 price of the 256GB unit, too. That’s before the generous trade-in offers which last year crept up to $500 for the oldie Note 10+ even, and more for the S-line predecessor.
Below is the trade-in amount you are likely to get for your older Samsung phone in exchange for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, based on the discount Samsung was giving last year.
Galaxy S23 Ultra preorder trade-in deals to expect
- $590 for a Galaxy S22 Ultra
- $500 for a Galaxy S22+
- $390 for a Galaxy S22
- $440 for a Galaxy S21 Ultra
Will a Galaxy S23 upgrade be worth it?
The $1200 launch price point for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, unchanged from last year, is actually pretty sweet if you upgrade from anything but the S22 Ultra, given the mighty new 200MP camera sensor and the exclusive overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy chipset.
Even then, though, if you upgrade from a base 128GB S22 Ultra it will be worth the jump to a Galaxy S23 Ultra as it will now come with 256GB from the start, and a free upgrade by Samsung will quadruple your base storage for the same amount of money.
Knock $590 off from the price for the trade-in and the Buds Pro 2 at $229.99 value, and throw in at least $50 in preorder reservation bonus for a case or a fast charger, and you will essentially be paying just $330 for a fully kitted Galaxy S23 Ultra with 512GB to store your newly smooth 8K 30 FPS video in!
Samsung Galaxy S23 preorder reservations are live, score an S23 Ultra deal!
Samsung is giving the same Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra preorder reservation bonus this year that it gave for the S22 family when its Unpacked event was announced. The $50 discount on top of all Galaxy S23 deals and preorder bonuses that will go live on February 1st, however, is increased to $100 if you get two devices, so the offer is even more generous in 2023!
The $100 discount, however, seems to be only if you reserve an S23 line handset together with an upcoming Galaxy Book device that will probably also make a cameo during Samsung’s February Unpacked event, while for reserving a Galaxy S23 Ultra right now you’d get $50 – just like last year – but in addition to all the unbeatable deals Samsung will have for early adopters who preorder by the February 17 release date.
Needless to say, that preorder reservation discount is on top of all other bonuses like the rumored free Galaxy Buds Pro 2 or gratis cases, the best trade-in offers in the industry, or exclusive colors and storage amounts you wouldn’t be able to grab anywhere else but via Samsung, and that goes for the Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T Galaxy S23 models bought from it, too.
Samsung is quick to point out all the benefits like the best trade-in values you would get by reserving now and getting an S23 phone directly from it:
- Guaranteed trade-in credit when purchasing several Galaxy phones, including trade-in credit for phones with cracked screens and the highest trade-in value for Galaxy devices.
- Samsung Offer program, which includes additional savings for eligible Students, Military, First Responders and corporate partner employees.
- 0% APR Financing with no down payment, and pay in 4 installments with Affirm
- Samsung Care+ Extended coverage including:
- Device protection for drops, spills, and mechanical breakdown
- Same-day cracked screen repairs at 700+ Samsung authorized locations
- Replacements as soon as next business day
- Samsung expert support available 24/7 for new device setup, transferring content, and connecting with other devices
The Samsung Galaxy S23 series prices may by the same
| Galaxy S23 series model | Price (base storage) |
|---|---|
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | $1199 (exp.) for the 256GB model |
| Galaxy S23+ | $999 (exp.) |
| Galaxy S23 | $799 (exp.) |
The leaked Galaxy S23 line prices in Korea that translate to $1250 for the S23 Ultra when the exchange rate is taken into account, indicate that the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra prices will likely remain unchanged in the US. Usually, the price tags in Samsung’s home turf are slightly higher in dollar equivalency than they end up being when the phones land stateside, plus there were reports in Korean media that locally the phones will cost slightly more due to component inflation.
For the S22 Ultra, Samsung tucked the S Pen in the phone’s body, and put on a better screen, but still charged the same, so we keep our hopes high for a $799 Galaxy S23 starting price, $999 tag for the Galaxy S23+, and the sweet $1199 Galaxy S23 Ultra price spot for the base storage versions. This is actually a sweet deal, given that the 128GB models may only be limited to a very few countries, and most of the world, the US included, is likely to get 256GB starting storage for the price of last year’s 128-giggers.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S23 Plus vs Galaxy S23 specs to expect
A Samsung-exclusive overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 would power all three phones, so let’s preview all rumored Galaxy S23 series specs to make it easier for you to pull the preorder reservation trigger on an S23, S23+, or the Ultra.
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | Galaxy S23 Plus | Galaxy S23 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.8-inch, 3080 x 1440 pixels, 500ppi, 1-120Hz Dynamic AMOLED, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | 6.6-inch, 2340 X 1080 pixels, 390ppi, 48-120Hz Dynamic AMOLED, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | 6.1-inch, 2340 x 1080 pixels, 422ppi, 48-120Hz Dynamic AMOLED, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Dimensions | 163.4×78.1×8.9 mm, 233g. weight | 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm | 146 x 70.6 x 7.6mm |
| Main camera | Custom 200MP ISOCELL HPX sensor, OIS, Dual PDAF | 50MP, F1.8 aperture, 23mm, 1/1.56″ sensor size, OIS, PDAF | 50MP, F1.8 aperture, 23mm, 1/1.56″ sensor size, OIS, PDAF |
| Telephoto camera | 10MP, 3.0X optical zoom, F2.4 aperture, 69mm, 1/3.52″ sensor size | 10MP, 3.0X optical zoom, F2.4 aperture, 69mm, 1/3.94″ sensor size | 10MP, 3.0X optical zoom, F2.4 aperture, 69mm, 1/3.94″ sensor size |
| Telephoto camera #2 | 10MP, 10.0X optical zoom, F4.9 aperture, 230mm, 1/3.52″ sensor size | – | – |
| Ultra-wide camera | 12MP, F2.2 aperture, 13mm, 1/2.55″ sensor size | 12MP, F2.2 aperture, 13mm, 1/2.55″ sensor size | 12MP, F2.2 aperture, 13mm, 1/2.55″ sensor size |
| Selfie-camera | 12MP | 10MP | 10MP |
| Hardware | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8GB RAM + 256GB, 12GB RAM + 512GB, 12GB RAM + 1TB | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8GB RAM + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB, 8GB + 512GB storage | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8GB RAM + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB storage, 8GB + 512GB storage |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, 45W wired, 15W wireless charging | 4,700mAh, 45W wired, 15W wireless charging | 3,900mAh, 25 wired, 15W wireless charging |
As you can see from the S23 series specs listed here, Samsung will upgrade its 2023 flagship line crop with the fastest processor and 5G modem available for Android phones, whose benchmarks put it on even keel with Apple’s A-series chipsets even.
Moreover, despite their larger batteries and more base storage, the Galaxy S23 and S23+ should launch at the same prices, too, as the LTPS display technology is expected to stay, just with wider refresh rate range.
Samsung, however, has pulled out all the stops for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and not only with the new 200MP camera, increasing the specs gap over its siblings even further to an extent that it forecasts the most sales will go to its best 2023 phone now, and with a good reason. The S23 preorder reservation bonus you can get here will certainly help offset the price difference, too.
Valve opens Steam Deck reservations in countries where handhelds rule
Valve is expanding Steam Deck shipments to some regions that could take the handheld PC-meets-console to new heights. The company just announced that reservations are now open in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan through Komodo, a site that also sells Valve’s Index VR headset for PC among other games and gaming merchandise. If you visit steamdeck.com in one of those regions, you should be rerouted to Komodo’s site soon, or you can click here and select your language.
Valve spokesperson Kaci Aitchison Boyle tells The Verge that the first batch of new reservations will be fulfilled later this year; a press release adds that shipments will begin in Japan, “with additional units planned to ship to customers in Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in the weeks immediately following.”
Pour one out for our friends in Australia, though, who are still waiting on news of a launch after Valve name-dropped the country during its November 2021 developer summit.
In Japan, the Steam Deck will be priced starting at 59,800 yen (roughly $447), ranging up to 99,800 yen (roughly $746) for the premium 512GB model. In the US, those models cost $400 and $650, respectively. Like before, you only have to pay a tiny refundable amount now to secure your reservation: 1,000 yen (around $7.50).
Screenshot by Sean Hollister / The Verge
Here are the starting prices elsewhere, according to Valve:
- NT$ 13,380 in Taiwan
- HK$ 3,288 in Hong Kong
- KRW 589,000 in Korea
Each translates to around $450 USD.
Valve credits its recent upswing in production for making this big expansion possible, and it notes that serving these additional countries will not push back delivery estimates for those who have already reserved a Deck.
If you’re in Kyoto this weekend for the annual BitSummit gaming conference, Valve will apparently have some sort of presence there with Steam Deck as well as at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2022.
Handheld gaming is popular around the globe but particularly so in places like Japan in which huge swaths of the population commute in and out of major cities every day by rail. While access to Steam is nothing new in these regions, having the option to purchase a moderately powerful, well-built, and relatively compact handheld (while huge, compared to the Nintendo Switch) where they can play those PC games is a big deal.
The past couple of months have delivered a lot of good news regarding Deck availability, most prominently that you can reserve one right now and probably get it by the end of the year. Valve announced in late June that it would begin doubling shipments of the Steam Deck, which in turn could lead to many people getting their Deck hardware earlier than anticipated. And more recently, in late July, Valve shared that it was ramping up production to better meet demand after it had cleared some supply chain issues.
Update, 8:27PM ET: Added pricing info.
Nothing Phone 1 pre-order reservations start today
You can finally put money toward the Nothing Phone 1 — provided you can join an exclusive club. Nothing has opened pre-order reservations for its first smartphone using an invitation code system. Private community members go first, and will have 48 hours to use their code, place a £20 (roughly $25) non-refundable deposit and secure an order opportunity on July 12th. Everyone else can sign up for a waiting list that will deliver invitations in batches.
If you do go ahead with an order, Nothing will deduct the deposit from the purchase and supply a further £20 credit to use toward either a Phone 1 accessory or Ear 1 earbuds. The company hasn’t yet revealed the price of the phone itself. As Nothing warned earlier, the Phone 1 won’t officially come to North America outside of a closed beta for a handful of private community investors. The device should work, but won’t have full support.
If the pre-order strategy sounds familiar, it should. Nothing founder Carl Pei’s former outfit OnePlus used an invitation system for years. The effect may be similar. Invitation-based orders help manage tight supply (by controlling sales and improving demand estimates) while creating a cachet that might spur demand. It’s not clear when you’ll get to order a Phone 1 on a whim, but don’t be surprised if you end up waiting awhile.
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Samsung to start Galaxy S22 preorder reservations with early bird bonuses
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Samsung just teased its Galaxy S22 Unpacked event for February by alluding to the potential merger of its flagship Galaxy S and Note lines. Samsung will also be opening the preorder reservations option for its upcoming Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra phones at 7AM PT/10AM ET tpday, January 21.
There would also be nice early bird discounts and bonuses to be had if you decide to hit the “Reserve now” button to buy the phones later, in the form of the usual $50 credit.
How and when to preorder the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, or Galaxy S22 Ultra
The Galaxy S22 announcement Unpacked event date is expected to be February 8, 2022, and, just like with last year’s S-line flagships, Samsung will be launching a reservation page to gauge the interest in the new phones, and prepare the supply chain accordingly.
The S21 series launch was the earliest of any S-line phone, being announced on January 14 with preorders starting right then and there. Even earlier, though, on December 28, Samsung launched the preorder reservation page that it has now set up for the Galaxy S22 series as well.
At the time, it gave up to a $60 Samsung Store credit to go towards accessories of your choice, plus an extra $10 credit for those who preorder via its own app that could be set for preorder notifications. In addition, it let you trade in an older phone and get up to a $700 discount on the new S-line handset, with rather generous terms.
Here’s how the deals looked like at the time, so you can prepare for the bonuses of the Galaxy S22 preorder reservations campaign that will launch today at 7AM Pacific/10AM Eastern time.
Japan escalates Omicron emergency as airlines halt reservations, 2nd case found
Men wearing protective suits make their way at a bus stop at Narita international airport on the first day of closed borders to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus Omicron variant amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Narita, east of Tokyo, Japan, November 30, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/file photo
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TOKYO, Dec 1 (Reuters) – Japan’s flag airlines halted new reservations on Wednesday and the government widened a travel ban amid escalating alarm over Omicron after a second case of the coronavirus variant was detected in the country.
Japan Airlines Co (9201.T) and ANA Holdings Inc (9202.T) said they were suspending new reservations for international flights to Japan until the end of December. The move came at the request of the transport ministry, which has also requested foreign airlines to halt to all such reservations.
Japan took some of the strictest steps globally on Monday by closing its borders to new foreign entrants for about a month in light of the emergence of Omicron. A day later, Japan’s first Omicron case was discovered – a Namibian diplomat who arrived in the country on Sunday. read more
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A second case was found in a male traveller in his 20s coming from Peru who landed at Narita International Airport on Saturday, the health ministry confirmed.
The government said it will prevent the reentry of those with residency status travelling from 10 southern African states from midnight on Wednesday for at least a month.
The restrictions apply to Japan residents coming from South Africa, Eswatini, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Angola, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
“From the view of prevention, we won’t just restrict new entry by foreigners but also returning foreigners with resident status, unless there are special extenuating circumstances,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference.
“We will maintain a sense of urgency and keep track of the situation in various countries to be able to respond quickly and flexibly.”
Regarding other passengers on the plane with the Namibian diplomat, he said none of the 70 people designated as close contacts and currently observing quarantine had shown signs of falling ill.
Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto later said his ministry was in contact with local governments to keep an eye on the fellow passengers.
Japanese border measures were loosened slightly a few weeks ago, but all of those changes have been rolled back in a move generally applauded by the public and accepted by business leaders, although some sectors of the economy dependent on foreign trainees could be hit if the closing is extended.
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Additional reporting by Daniel Leussink, Maki Shiraki, and Rocky Swift; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Lincoln Feast, Edmund Blair and Ana Nicolaci da Costa
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Goodbye FastPass and MaxPass, hello Disney Genie. Disney parks overhaul ride reservations
Walt Disney World and Disneyland are changing the way guests experience the parks by getting rid of their FastPass, FastPass+ and MaxPass reservation systems, which have been out of commission throughout the pandemic.
This fall, both resorts will introduce a free new planning tool called Disney Genie.
“Disney Genie will personalize their Disney day, allowing guests to spend less time planning and waiting and more time doing the things they love,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said in a statement.
While the free service will allow guests to join virtual queues, Disney Genie will not grant guests access to shorter lines like the FastPasses previously included with the price of admission.
Going forward, guests will have to pay for that perk through two new services: Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
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What’s included with Disney Genie
Every park visitor will have access to Disney Genie though the My Disney Experience and Disneyland mobile apps.
One of its highly-touted features is the ability to create custom itineraries for guests.
“Just tell Disney Genie what you want to do and it will do the planning for you,” a Disney Park press release said, noting that the tool aims to “take the guesswork out of ‘what’s next.'”
Guests can also use Disney Genie to join virtual queues, see current and forecasted attraction wait times, mobile order food, make reservations at restaurants and more.
There’s even a virtual assistant to help along the way.
►Where masks are required: Disney World changes face mask policy again
What’s included with Disney Genie+
What Disney Genie won’t do is help guests cut any lines. That’s where Disney Genie+ comes in.
Disney Genie+ will allow guests to snag the next available entry time at 40 attractions at Disney World and 15 attractions at Disneyland. Those include Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Big Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion. Guests may select one attraction at a time throughout the course of the day.
Additionally, Disneyland guests will get unlimited PhotoPass downloads. Disney World guests will get access to exclusive augmented reality photo filters.
Guests at both resorts will also have access to behind-the-scenes audio experiences throughout the park.
Disney Genie+ costs $15 per person per day at Disney World and $20 per person per day at Disneyland.
►Not so scary after all: After-hours Halloween events return to Disney World, Disneyland this year
What’s included with Lightning Lanes
Not even Disney Genie+ can snag an earlier spot at some of the parks’ most popular rides, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Radiator Springs Racers at Disneyland’s California Adventure.
However, guests can buy their way into new Lightning Lanes.
Pricing has not been released, and it’s yet known what other attractions will offer this paid option.
What is known is guests are limited to two Lighting Lanes per day, and they can’t schedule them way in advance. All guests will need to wait until the day of their park visit to purchase Lightning Lane entry, including Disney resorts guests, Annual PassHolders and Magic Key holders.
Of course, guests can still wait in line for free. All Disney World and Disneyland rides will continue to offer either traditional or virtual queues.
►What are Magic Key passes: Disneyland announces new program to replace annual passes
►Disney after dark: 9 Disney World attractions that are better at night
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney World, Disneyland retiring FastPass, MaxPass systems for rides
New Steam Deck reservations now showing ‘expected order availability’ in Q2 and Q3 2022
If you’re looking to reserve a Steam Deck and haven’t managed to secure a reservation yet, it looks like you’ll be waiting a while to actually get your device. According to Steam’s store site on Sunday, the $399 64GB Steam Deck and the $529 256GB version both have “expected order availability” dates of of Q2 2022, meaning sometime next spring. The 512GB $649 model is even later; it’s showing expected availability in Q3 of next year, which is sometime between July and September 2022.
According to Steam’s website, it plans to send order invitations by December of this year. Steam will then convert reservations to orders.
Steam’s official Twitter account posted Sunday that reservations for Steam Deck were open to new Steam accounts as well as existing accounts. Valve only revealed its handheld PC gaming device on Thursday, but when it opened up to reservations on Friday afternoon, many people got repeated error messages. According to Ars Technica, Valve got more than 110,000 reservations for the 256GB and 512GB devices in the first 90 minutes after orders opened.
Steam Deck gaming rival to Nintendo Switch sold out? Maybe not. What to know about reservations
Want to get your hands on a Steam Deck?
Valve
Valve made the surprise reveal of its new Steam Deck on Thursday. The portable device, which looks similar to the Nintendo Switch ($299 at Amazon), plays PC games and acts as a standalone computer. The company offered up basic details on its new system, saying it’ll be available in December.
The Steam Deck is Valve’s entry into the portable gaming device market. It looks similar to a Switch but with a 7-inch touchscreen, 16GB of RAM, and powered by a custom Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 graphics, which is enough power to run most AAA games. Reservations for the device went live Friday and brought down Valve’s site.
Watch this:
Valve’s Steam Deck is a portable, handheld PC
5:58
Here’s what you need to know about reserving a Steam Deck.
When can I reserve a Steam Deck?
Reservations started Friday at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on the Steam Deck reservation page. Steam’s servers were wrecked, frankly, by the vast number of people trying to get their hands on a Steam Deck. The reservation page grayed out the options, but the reserve buttons have returned.
The updated Steam Deck reservation page with new dates.
Valve
Valve didn’t respond to a request for confirmation on whether reservations were sold out.
How do Steam Deck reservations work?
A $5 fee is required to place a reservation for a Steam Deck, according to the reservation page. When a reservation is submitted, it’s put in a queue. That $5 will then go toward the price of the Steam Deck.
On the updated Steam Deck reservation page, orders for the 64GB and 256GB versions are listed to be available in Q2 2022, while the 512GB is listed as Q3 2022. This means the first batch set to release in December is already accounted for and the rest will come in the following months.
Who can make a Steam Deck reservation?
Valve set out some requirements for reservations. First off, you’ll need a Steam account. It’s free to create one and will be required to use the Steam Deck. Second, to reserve a unit on Friday, your Steam account must have been used to make a purchase prior to this June. Valve says this will help assure a fair ordering process.
Those who haven’t made a purchase prior to June would have had to wait until Sunday, July 18, to make a reservation. That seems a moot point now.
When will the Steam Deck release in the US?
This December.
What notable differences are there between different Steam Deck models?
There are three different Steam Decks being released. The starter unit is $399 and comes with 64GB of storage. For $529, the storage increases to 256GB and uses an NVMe SSD, which Valve says is faster than the eMMC storage of the cheaper model. The third Steam Deck has a price tag of $649. It has 512GB of NVMe SSD storage with the fastest read and write speed, and it will have an antiglare etched screen. All three will have a microSD slot for more storage.