Category Disney Springs

Raglan Road
Mar 12 2020

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day 2020 In Walt Disney World

If you will be visiting Walt Disney World around St. Patrick’s Day and are looking for a fun place to celebrate, look no further than Raglan Road Irish Pub in Disney Springs. This year’s Mighty Festival runs from Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 17. Here’s the scoop, courtesy of Disney:

The Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant is returning to Disney Springs this week! Break out your green and celebrate for five days of fun March 13-17 with non-stop Irish-infused entertainment from morning until night, a mighty selection of beers and cocktails and of course, the most authentic Irish pub grub around.

The regular menu will be available during the event featuring your favorite go-to dishes like the Guinness-infused Bangin’ Bangers and Mighty Mash. Planning to stop by over the weekend? The Rollicking Raglan Weekend Brunch will be served March 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 pm.

Guests who dine on Monday, March 16 can enjoy a new whiskey pairing dinner from 3-11 p.m. featuring a special prix fixe menu with locally sourced dishes like Whiskey Cured House Smoked Salmon and Apple Baked Dumplings paired with the finest Irish whiskey cocktails.

One of the most thrilling highlights of this annual event is the amazing live entertainment hand-picked straight from Ireland. Here’s a look at this year’s line-up:

  • Strings & Things will bring their contemporary Irish Trad/Folk/Roots crossover talent from Tipperary and Galway to the festival stage. Their unique sound and powerful stage energy promise a raucous evening of music and song.
  • TradGad features three talented musicians from Kerry, Dublin and Galway charming guests with their vibrant performances on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, uilleann pipes, tin whistle, banjo and bouzouki.
  • Maca an Irish sister duo dubbed “Ireland’s next big thing” will rock the Raglan Road Pub stages with their extraordinary talent.
  • Fia Rua featuring band members from Ireland and Scotland, will blend their musical backgrounds to perform and wow guests with a unique Celtic sound.  
  • Mike Waters, from the southeast of Ireland, will perform Irish songs and ballads from traditional to contemporary with a good measure of chat and humor. 
  • Emily Furlong an extraordinary singer and entertainer from Wexford, Ireland will captivate guests with her stunning voice. 
  • No Half Measures an exciting, fresh and vibrant four-piece band from Scotland, Cork and Kilkenny will spin their youthful, contemporary sound for the Mighty Festival audience.

Of course, don’t miss the popular Raglan Road Irish Dancers plucked from the cast and stages of the world’s greatest Irish dance shows! They’ll be performing intermittently during the festival and ready to teach you an Irish jig – no experience necessary! Kids will also have a blast at this family-friendly party so be sure to bring everyone dressed in their best green garb and enjoy complimentary face painting.

For those planning to celebrate on St. Patrick’s Day, be sure to plan ahead for the fun! On March 17, guests will be seated on a first-come, first-serve basis with a cover charge of $10 for each guest 18 and older. Reservations can be booked online for other festival days, including brunch by calling 407-938-0300.

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:

Will you be visiting Walt Disney World for St. Patrick’s Day?
Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you!

Disney World Valentine's Day
Feb 6 2020

Celebrating Valentine’s Day 2020 In Walt Disney World

If you are one of those lucky people who will be celebrating your love in Walt Disney World this year on Valentine’s Day, you have lots of romantic options available. Here are just some of the many possibilities available courtesy of Disney:

Valentine’s Day is the time to celebrate being together with loved ones, and Walt Disney World Resort is the perfect destination for those seeking memorable moments to share with someone special. Couples and friends alike can commemorate the occasion with spectacular dining options and unforgettable experiences throughout the theme parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs at The Most Magical Place on Earth.

Special Valentine’s Day Offerings

Dining is the quintessential way for couples to spend quality time together, and Walt Disney World Resort has an unmatched selection of restaurants with special menus for Valentine’s Day.

  • Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada pavilion at Epcot provides plenty of romantic ambiance with a cozy wine cellar setting and a mouthwatering menu of savory steaks and seafood. This signature dining experience will be serving a Valentine’s Day special, Chateaubriand for Two, for lunch and dinner on February 14.
  • Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort features two new restaurants perfect for couples seeking an intimate dining atmosphere. Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood in the new Gran Destino Tower is offering a special menu for the holiday. Here, rooftop views of Walt Disney World Resort complement a menu of delectable dishes and small plates inspired by the flavors of Spain. For a charming waterside experience, guests can visit Three Bridges Bar & Grill and indulge in a delicious three-course Valentine’s Day meal in an idyllic open-air setting.
  • Jiko – The Cooking Place is a signature restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge that offers guests an upscale dining experience featuring an authentic blend of traditional African, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. On Valentine’s Day, in addition to the normal menu, guests will have the option to enjoy a special appetizer, entrée and featured dessert for a fixed price.
  • Narcoossee’s, a fine-dining location nestled along the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, is offering a select three-course, prix-fixe menu alongside their normal menu on Valentine’s Day. This romantic waterside eatery boasts panoramic views, delectable seafood and steaks, and an ambiance perfect for couples celebrating love.

Select quick-service locations at Walt Disney World are serving an array of heartfelt confections for a limited time:

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom is serving a decadent array of Valentine-themed sweets during the month of February. For a cool treat, guests can find a double chocolate strawberry ice cream sandwich at Dino Bites or strawberry soft-serve ice cream at Anadapur Bus. Kusafiri classics including the Mickey Cinnamon Buns and Elephant Ears are dressed up in their Valentine’s Day best, with special sprinkles and colored icing fit for the occasion.
  • Gasparilla Island Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa offers heart-shaped crispy treats, an “Enchanted Rose” strawberry milkshake topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and heart sprinkles, and a chocolate-dipped strawberry latte.
  • Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will be the perfect place for guests to find a specialty cupcake for their Valentine. Starting February 9, Roaring Fork will serve a delightful chocolate cupcake with strawberry filling, topped with ganache icing, a lattice chocolate heart and crispy pearls.

Throughout February, Disney Springs is an excellent source for Valentine’s Day goodies that make sweet surprises for loved ones. Classic Disney romance-inspired desserts from Amorette’s Patisserie include a Bella Notte Petite Cake and sour cherry ganache macaron, while The Ganachery offers a Conversation Heart Piñata.

Throughout Disney parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs, guests will already find an adorable selection of themed merchandise perfect for a celebration of love. Couples planning a Walt Disney World Valentine’s Day date can step into the parks in style with matching couples’ t-shirts and a limited-edition, heart-adorned MagicBand. New pin sets featuring favorite Disney couples will be the perfect gift for pin traders, and a selection of precious plushes will be available as an excellent way to commemorate Valentine’s Day 2020.

A special Valentine’s Day activity at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort is the perfect date night for crafty couples. Significant others will be guided in painting two halves of one whole picture that features a classic Disney couple. The evening also includes light appetizers and a beverage. To book a reservation for this experience, guests may call 407-WDW-PLAY.

Valentine’s Day turns into “Villaintine’s Day” at Magic Kingdom Park the night of February 14. Couples and friends can have a wonderfully wicked time at Disney Villains After Hours, a separately ticketed event at Magic Kingdom filled with villain-themed fun and entertainment. This fan-favorite experience is returning this year for 24 select nights February 7 – July 10, including a sinister celebration on Valentine’s Day.

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:

Will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day in Disney World?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Feb 4 2020

First Look At Drawn To Life In Disney Springs

If you are a fan of Cirque du Soleil and Disney, I have some exciting news for you. In March, previews for the eagerly awaited, Drawn to Life, will open at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World. Tickets are on sale now. Here’s a first look at what guests can expect from this unique show, courtesy of Disney:

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products are thrilled to announce Drawn to Life, the highly anticipated, new family friendly show coming to Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Written and directed by Michel Laprise and with Fabrice Becker as Director of creation, this collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering will open for previews March 20, 2020, and officially premiere April 17, 2020. The show will take residency at Disney Springs. 

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group President and CEO Daniel Lamarre, says, “For Cirque du Soleil, this is a beautiful way of celebrating Disney’s legacy in the art of animation. This new and exciting production is most certainly the best way to highlight the privileged relationship we have with our colleagues at Walt Disney World and our joint commitment to continually bring audiences new experiences that surpass their expectations.”

The show is a result of years of research and extraordinary collaboration that included extensive visits to Disney theme parks, Walt Disney Archives, Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, The Walt Disney Family Museum, as well as hands-on work between Disney animators and Cirque du Soleil. In fact, the Cirque du Soleil teams collaborated extensively with legacy animators to create the show.

‘’What fascinates us is that moment when life appears in drawings. Just like in an acrobat’s body, the visceral physicality of animation. The way they perform, the way they create the illusion of life,’’ says Michel Laprise Writer and Show Director.

”In creating this show, we’ve brought to life an extraordinary new entertainment experience for the whole family,” said Josh, D’Amaro, president, Walt Disney World Resort, “It blends all the heart, humor and joy of Disney storytelling with new acrobatic performances and effects never before seen in a Cirque du Soleil production.”

This new show follows the story of Julie, a courageous and determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her late father: an unfinished animation piece. Guided by a surprising pencil, she embarks on an inspiring quest sprinkled with her Disney childhood memories. Through this journey, she learns to imagine new possibilities and animate the story of her future.

Drawn to Life will transport guests of all ages into the world of Disney animation in Cirque du Soleil’s signature style. This entirely new experience will wow Walt Disney World guests and Cirque du Soleil fans, while bringing timeless Disney stories to life in an unforgettable new way.

‘’It has been a fantastic collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. We had the chance to work with some of the animators that have worked on iconic Disney movies. You’ll get to meet some of your favourite characters, but maybe in a very different way,’’ says Fabrice Becker, Creation Director.

With an international cast of more than 65 artists, the Cirque du Soleil theater located in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort, will welcome up to 1,580 spectators for each show, five days a week.

Tickets are on sale now, please click here for more information.

Heading to Disney World soon?

501 WaysIf you are planning a vacation to Disney World during the holiday season, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Are you excited to see Drawn To Life?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Nov 20 2019

Ron Jon Surf Shop Now Open In Disney Springs

If you have ventured outside the Disney bubble on one of your Walt Disney World vacations, you may have checked out one of my all-time favorite destinations…Cocoa Beach. And one of the landmarks of this surfers’ paradise is, of course, the massive Ron Jon Surf Shop on North Atlantic Avenue. If you love this shop and all of its fantastic merchandise as much as I do, you will be excited hear that you no longer need to make the drive to the coast. A brand new 10,000 square-foot Ron Jon is now open in Disney Springs! Here’s the scoop, courtesy of Disney:

The 10,000-square-foot store, which marks Ron Jon Surf Shop’s 12th location in the U.S., is situated in the Town Center at Disney Springs, the shopping, dining and entertainment district at Walt Disney World Resort.

According to Debbie Harvey, president and COO of Ron Jon Surf Shop, the company selected Disney Springs as a location for its new store because of the shopping destination’s immense popularity with visitors as well as locals in the Orlando market, many of whom are familiar with the Ron Jon brand.

“We are thrilled about the new Ron Jon store located at Disney Springs,” Harvey said. “This is an extremely popular shopping destination for local residents and the millions of visitors coming to the Orlando area, and we feel it’s the perfect location for a new Ron Jon Surf Shop.”

Ron Jon Surf Shop was founded in 1959 on the New Jersey shore out of an appreciation for the sport of surfing. Two years later, “The Original” Ron Jon Surf Shop opened in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. The lifestyle-apparel and board-sports-equipment retailer has since opened stores in Cocoa Beach, Fort Myers, Key West, Panama City Beach, Clearwater Beach, and Pensacola Beach, Florida. The flagship store in Cocoa Beach is the world’s largest surf shop.  It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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:

Will you be checking out the Ron Jon Surf Shop?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Christmas
Nov 8 2019

Festive Fun Facts About Walt Disney World

No place does Christmas quite like Walt Disney World, and this year the resort has plenty of festive fun in store for resort guests. I am eagerly counting the days until my visits in anticipation of all of the seasonal experiences and decorations. Here’s a brief run down of some festive fun facts to get you in the holiday spirit, courtesy of Disney:

Magical holiday experiences and beloved traditions await Walt Disney World Resort guests during the most wonderful time of the year. Starting today, theme parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs come to life with holiday charm and excitement as dazzling décor and a flurry of fun immerse guests in a festive fantasy.

Check out these holiday fun facts and discover how Walt Disney World Resort becomes a winter wonderland!

Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration TV SpecialWalt Disney World Resort

  • The Walt Disney World Holiday Services team provides décor for 780 locations within 41 different properties, including Disney theme parks, resorts, Disney Springs and recreation and shopping areas. The team also decorates Disney Cruise Line ships and Disney Vacation Club resorts in Florida and South Carolina.
  • 41 cast members work year-round to make the holiday transformation a reality, with an additional 119 cast members added during the installation period.
  • Décor installation begins Halloween night and is finished by Thanksgiving.

Magic Kingdom Park           

  • During the holidays, Magic Kingdom is home to 40 trees, 147 wreaths and 590 garlands that measure a total of 5,188 feet.
  • Guests can celebrate the season at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on 23 select nights from November 8 to December 22. This year’s celebration welcomes the dazzling new nighttime spectacular, “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.”
  • Tomorrowland Speedway joins in the merriment of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for the first time this year with a new holiday overlay that glimmers with thousands of lights and stylized décor. It’s one of 4 Magic Kingdom attractions to feature holiday overlays.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom will celebrate the holidays in full for the first time in its history, with enchanting entertainment and décor in 3 new locations.
  • 148 animal-inspired luminaries will cast a warm and festive glow throughout Discovery Island as a merry menagerie of 10 artisan-sculpted puppets resembling winter animals roam and interact with guests throughout the land.
  • 2,600 light bulbs will adorn the DinoLand U.S.A. water tower, giving the land a festive new look for the holidays.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

  • The Christmas tree on Echo Lake is 65 feet tall, with a 25-foot-wide base.
  • Sunset Seasons Greetings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios includes 12 high-definition projectors used to visually transform the façade of the Hollywood Tower Hotel with holiday scenes.
  • 21 palm trees along Sunset Boulevard illuminate with programmable, color-changing LED fixtures.
  • Dinosaur Gertie is dressed in her finest holiday attire. Her hat is so big, four people could stand inside it!

Epcot

  • Epcot International Festival of the Holidays takes place November 29 through December 30 and celebrates holiday traditions from around the world through storytelling and music presented throughout World Showcase.
  • Holiday treats are also part of the festival, which includes 13 Holiday Kitchens serving more than 50 bites from around the world and 60-plus specialty
  • The Candlelight Processional will be performed 96 times at Epcot this holiday season with a 50-piece orchestra, mass choir and 12 different celebrity narrators.
  • The Candlelight Processional stage at America Gardens Theatre features 2 Christmas trees that are each 18 feet tall.

Resorts

  • Guests will find a life-size holiday gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This elaborate 10-foot-wide,15-foot-long and 14-foot-tall structure is covered with more than 10,000 pieces of gingerbread and is the perfect place to pick up holiday sweets and treats.
  • Disney’s Contemporary Resort is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its iconic gingerbread Cinderella Castle. This 18-foot-tall display is crafted from more than 5,000 gingerbread shingles, 47 pounds of rolled fondant, 38 pounds of modeling chocolate and much more!
  • This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Holiday Carousel gingerbread display at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. This life-size spinning carousel features 20 “Hidden Mickeys,” 5 Peter Pan-themed horses and handcrafted gingerbread shingles.
  • Disney’s Contemporary Resort is home to the tallest Christmas tree at Walt Disney World. This 70-foot-tall tree is adorned with 16,000 lights and more than 200 custom ornaments.
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is home to a 45-foot-tall tree featuring authentic African décor and reproductions of traditional African masks.

Disney Springs

  • Disney Springs is the epicenter of holiday shopping at Walt Disney World. It’s also the largest of all of the decorated Disney locations, with more than 2,000 pieces of individual décor, including a 45-foot-tall tree.
  • Each piece of décor was custom designed to fit the classic Florida town theme that carries throughout the entirety of Disney Springs.
  • Disney Springs is also home to the Christmas Tree Trail, a walk through wonderland featuring 23 unique Disney-themed trees.

Merry Christmas, and I hope to see you there!

501 WaysHeading to Disney World this holiday season?

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

Will you be visiting Walt Disney World this holiday season?
Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you!