Jul 28 2016

Epcot 2016 Eat To The Beat Concert Series Bands Announced

Eat To The Beat Concert Series Returns To Epcot!

If you plan to visit Walt Disney World this fall for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, here is some exciting news! Disney has just released the information about which bands will be appearing in the Epcot Eat To The Beat Concert Series that runs from September 14 – November 14, 2016. Here are all of the details courtesy of Disney:

Eight new Eat to the Beat musical acts join 18 fan-favorite bands for a diverse lineup of pop hit makers who will rock America Gardens Theatre during the 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival September 14 – November 14 at Walt Disney World Resort.

New-to-the-festival acts in 2016 are Wang Chung, BoDeans, Plain White T’s, Jeffrey Osborne, Toad The West Sprocket, Living Colour, Soul Asylum and Delta Rae. Guests can tune into their favorite returning acts that will include Los Lobos, STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas, Wilson Phillips, Tiffany, Hanson and Boyz II Men. Concerts take place at 5:30, 6:45 and 8pm daily. The lineup (subject to change and included in Epcot admission) includes:

  • September 14 – 15: Wang Chung New!
  • September 16 – 18: STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas
  • September 19 – 20: Air Supply
  • September 21 – 23: BoDeans New!
  • September 24 – 25: Fuel
  • September 26 – 28: Sugar Ray
  • September 29 – 30: Los Lobos
  • October 1 – 2: David Cook
  • October 3 – 4: Wilson Phillips
  • October 5 – 6: Blues Traveler
  • October 7 – 9: Plain White T’s New!
  • October 10 – 11: 38 Special
  • October 12 – 13: Jeffrey Osborne New!
  • October 14 – 16: Tiffany
  • October 17 – 19: Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx
  • October 20 – 21: Christopher Cross
  • October 22 – 23: Toad The Wet Sprocket New!
  • October 24 – 25: Chaka Khan
  • October 26 – 27: Billy Ocean
  • October 28 – 29: Living Colour New!
  • October 30 – November 1: Hanson
  • November 2 – 3: Soul Asylum New!
  • November 4 – 6: Delta Rae New!
  • November 7 – 9: Boyz II Men
  • November 10 – 11: Sister Hazel
  • November 12 – 14: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Have you attended an Eat To The Beat Concert? Are you going this year?
Who are you most excited to see? Please leave a comment!

Jul 27 2016

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party At Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Star Wars Fireworks 4

Yoda CupcakeIf you are a Star Wars fan, you are probably already thrilled by the newest additions and upcoming changes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios including Star Wars Launch Bay, the stage show Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away, the march of the stormtroopers, the high hopes of the currently under construction Star Wars Land, and of course, the jaw-dropping new fireworks show Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. Disney is now offering another fun experience for the whole family especially the dessert lovers – the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party.

Darth Vader CupcakeTickets are $69 for guests 10 and older and $39 for children ages 3 to 9 years old. Tax and gratuity are included in the price. Separate admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is also required.

Guests will enjoy Star Wars-themed desserts, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, reserved viewing for Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, and a souvenir Chewbacca stein. The party location is inside Star Wars Launch Bay. No seating is available, and wheelchairs and ECVs can be accommodated.

Tickets are limited and will sell quickly; reservations can be made by clicking here!

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Are you a Star Wars fan? Will you be booking
the dessert party? Please leave a comment!

Jul 26 2016

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Fireworks And Projection Show At Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Star Wars Fireworks 1

Have you had a chance to check out the incredible new offering at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Every evening enjoy an out-of-this world fireworks and projection show sure to be a hit with Star Wars fans from around the globe. Here’s everything you need to know about this new nighttime spectacular courtesy of Disney:

A nighttime spectacle unlike any other celebrating a space-based saga paints the skies above Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the awe inspiring Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular at Walt Disney Resort.

With galaxies not so far away for its canvas, Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular will light the night with Star Wars-themed fireworks, lasers, projections and other amazing special effects paired with Star Wars-themed music and iconic characters and scenes from the seven-film, pop culture phenomenon.

Star Wars Fireworks 3One of many magical highlights of the four-park summer line-up at Walt Disney World Resort is one of the biggest, boldest sky shows in the 27-year history of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, according to show director Michael Roddy of Disney Creative Entertainment.

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular unfolds nightly in a series of acts in the skies and around the heart of the park. State-of-the-art effects projecting onto the Chinese Theatre and other buildings will transport guests to a galaxy far, far away.

Imagine gazing at the twin suns of the desert planet Tatooine, scavenging with Rey on Jakku, navigating through an asteroid field, soaring down the trench of the Death Star and delivering the final blow to destroy Starkiller Base.

The blockbuster show is punctuated by a tower of flame shooting tongues of fire skyward as well as powerful crisscrossing spotlight beams, creating lightsabers in the sky.

Star Wars Fireworks 5“It is a Disney sky show like none other,” Roddy said. “We are actually able to cast fireworks to tell different parts of the Star Wars story, in colors identifiable with the film whether it’s green for Yoda or creating a starfield up in the sky. Projection mapping technology allows us to dramatically overtake the buildings with images from the Star Wars saga. Custom animation delivers motion picture moments and perspectives never before experienced. And surround sound makes it seem like a TIE fighter just flew past and exploded next to you.

“So many of the things we love about Star Wars we were able to bring to life,” he said.

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular is part of Star Wars-inspired entertainment throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios including a new live stage show; stormtroopers march; Star Tours – The Adventures Continue attraction; a reimagined Jedi Training; themed food and beverage offerings; and Star Wars Launch Bay featuring themed galleries, artifacts, merchandise and Star Wars character encounters.

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular at-a-glance:

  • Produced by: Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts Creative Entertainment, in collaboration with Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic.
  • Length of performance: approximately 12 minutes.
  • Performance schedule: once nightly (showtimes vary).
  • The show incorporates music and imagery from all seven films in the Star Wars.
  • Opening projection scenes recall the Hollywood premiere of the first Star Wars film in 1977.
  • Tower of flame fires up to 140 feet in the air.
  • Custom visuals were created for some projections to fully immerse guests in sequences from the films, recreating familiar scenes in ways never before seen.
  • Audio for the show is presented in 7.1 channel surround, creating a rich sound quality and making possible such effects as the sound of TIE fighters and X-wing starfighters flying above and around the audience.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Are you a fan of Star Wars? Have you seen the new fireworks show yet?
Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you!

Jul 25 2016

Creative Countdown’s Countdown To Disney Giveaway Winner

Savor the Suspense!

The Winner

Congratulations to Cheryl who won a Countdown To Disney. Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter and be sure to follow me on Twitter and Facebook to hear about more free giveaways throughout 2016!

Review

Recently I had the pleasure of reviewing Creative Countdown’s Countdown To Disney. If you aren’t familiar with this product, this fabulous countdown allows you to “Savor the Suspense” as you tear off a page each day getting just a little bit closer to that wonderful Disney magic!

Creative CountdownCreative Countdown is the incredible company launched in 2012 by two entrepreneurial moms – Amy Gamber and Joanie Hickey. Their company gives people a fun and unique way to countdown to some of the most memorable moments of their lives such as a graduation, a wedding, the birth of a child, or a magical Walt Disney World vacation.

Through their website, Creative Countdown allows customers the ability to customize one of their many countdown designs with daily personalized messages. For my review, I was able to go on to the Creative Countdown site and customize one of the countdowns for my Summer 2016 Walt Disney World Family Vacation. I added messages to remind my family to book advanced dining reservations, to create our touring plans, to book Fastpass+ reservations, to customize our MagicBands, to check in online, and more. For a planner like myself, Creative Countdown is a dream come true!

When my personalized Countdown To Disney arrived, it was even better that I had hoped. The quality in both the printing and the binding is outstanding. My family and I will love having this daily reminder of how close we are getting to our magical Walt Disney World vacation!

Here’s all of the important information that you’ll need to get yourself a Creative Countdown:

  • Creative Countdowns are available for purchase on CreativeCountdown.com.
  • They offer a variety of styles of countdowns including standard tear-off, personalized tear off, personalized flip stand, and personalized email.
  • The standard tear-off 60 day Countdown To Disney is $9.95.
  • The personalized tear-off countdown starts at $19.95 for 30 pages and additional pages can be added for $0.25 each.
  • The personalized tear-off countdowns can hold up to 400 pages.
  • There are 31 different designs available including options for holidays, weddings, births, graduations, vacations, and more.
  • If you need help personalizing your countdown, they have hundreds of quick-fill entries available that you can use and edit.
  • Creative Countdowns are a wonderful gift idea for friends and family!

Please click this link to purchase one today!

Jul 24 2016

Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up July 24, 2016

Here’s the Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up for July 24, 2016!

Latest Disney World Enthusiast Articles

Tomorrowland PinDisney World Enthusiast Giveaway

Look for a brand new giveaway beginning Friday, July 29, 2016! Good luck, everyone!

Behind The Magic Podcast

Be sure to catch up on this season’s episodes when Zeek, Rachel, Jerry, and I discuss Disney news, rumors, and so much more while we take a short vacation from recording! We’ll see ya real soon!

For more details about our podcast and to listen, please click here!

Featured Advertiser

BitbeltHave you heard of this incredible gadget – Bitbelt? If you aren’t familiar, this handy creation secures your MagicBand so that it doesn’t accidentally become lost. Anyone that carries a child, a backpack, or wears a jacket at Disney World knows how easily a MagicBand can become unclasped. That’s where this little beauty comes in! Simply place a Bitbelt on your MagicBand and save yourself the trouble of having to search for a lost band or take the time to get a replacement. Bitbelts come in a dozen different colors and in two sizes – adult and junior. They are only $4.99 each plus they offer discounted pricing when you purchase multiple Bitbelts in one order. And if you think Bitbelts are great for MagicBands, they are also available for your fitness trackers. Never lose a pricey Fitbit again! For more information about Bitbelt, please click here!

501 WaysFeatured Book

The difference between an average and an outstanding Walt Disney World trip is in the details. Kristi Fredericks helps make your dream vacation a reality with her numerous tips and tricks to save money, time, and sanity while at the happiest place on earth in her new book “501 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Walt Disney World Vacation”. For more information, to read an excerpt, or to purchase, please click here.

Considering A Disney World Vacation

Book Your Disney VacationJennifer Hardy, a Disney Vacation Planner with Destinations in Florida, is the official travel partner of Disney World Enthusiast. She can help you book your next Disney vacation whether it is to Disney World, Disneyland, or aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Currently Jennifer has some incredible deals for discounted travel to Disney World. For more information about Jennifer’s amazing and absolutely free services or to get a free no-obligation quote, please click here!

You’re Invited

Next Disney VacationJennifer Hardy, from Destinations in Florida, and I have teamed up to create a brand new Facebook Group called Next Disney Vacation! It is the perfect place to talk about your next Disney vacation, voice your opinions, ask your questions, get them answered, and share the magic. Whether it’s Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, or the Disney Cruise Line, Jennifer and I are ready to help. Everyday you’ll find posts, photos, trivia, tips, and more that we find all throughout the Disney Universe. If you’re counting the days until your next Disney vacation or just dreaming of one, we would love to have you join in the fun and conversation! Please click here to be a part of our group!

dwe logo small size white bkgdComing Up Next Week

Next week I’ll have some dining and planning information plus all of the latest Disney World news!

Have a wonderful week!