Category Epcot

Nov 25 2019

Holiday Cookie Stroll At Epcot

If you’ve been following this blog for awhile or read some of my posts on TouringPlans, it’s no secret that I’m a BIG fan of desserts, so I am beyond excited about the Holiday Cookie Stroll this year during the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays.

Beginning November 29 and running through December 30, 2019, pick up a Festival Passport and stroll around Epcot’s World Showcase to find the five cookie locations. Purchase your sweet treats at the designated Holiday Kitchens and get your Festival Passport stamped. Once you collect all five stamps, bring your Passport to the Sweets & Treats Holiday Kitchen (aka Promenade Refreshments) to receive a free Santa Mickey Sugar Cookie…yum!

Nov 13 2019

Epcot International Festival Of The Arts Returns In January 2020

Great news for fellow fans of Walt Disney World and the arts…The 2020 Epcot International Festival of the Arts is returning to Epcot in 2020! If you are an artist or just wish you were, this is the ultimate celebration for you. The uplifting music, exquisite works, and deliciously crafted culinary delights, will truly inspire you. Here are the latest details about this captivating event courtesy of Disney!

Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World Resort will unveil its annual global celebration of visual, culinary and performing arts January 17 and continue for 39 days through February 24, 2020. The event features visiting artists, an array of foodie delights and opportunities for guests to embrace their own inner artists.

Disney on Broadway Concert Series Returns with New Performers

The popular Disney on Broadway Concert Series returns to America Gardens Theatre with three daily performances headlined by Broadway stars who reprise favorite songs from past performances in award-winning shows. This year’s talent-rich lineup includes Kissy Simmons, who starred as Nala in “The Lion King,” and Kevin Massey of “Tarzan.” The show-stopping schedule currently features:

  • January 17, 20, 21, 24 and 25 – Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”)
  • January 18, 19, 22, 23 and 25 – Heidi Blickenstaff (“The Little Mermaid”; “Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”)
  • January 25 – Special performance featuring Simmons, White, Blickenstaff and Lee
  • January 26, 28, 29; February 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9 – Kara Lindsay (“Newsies”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)
  • January 10, 12, 13, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24 – Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”; “Beauty and the Beast”) and Josh Strickland (Tarzan)
  • Additional January and February performances still to be announced.

All shows are included with theme park admission. The best way to experience a performance is by reserving a Disney on Broadway Dining Package, which guarantees seating for one show on the day of the dining experience. Packages are available to book starting November 14, 2019, at participating Epcot restaurants; guests may click here or call 407-WDW-FEST to make a reservation.

Food Studios Serve Up the Culinary Arts

Twelve festival Food Studios plus additional food and beverage locations will take culinary arts to the next level with scrumptious, imaginative dishes – artistically sculpted and ready for camera closeups.

Festival guests will discover seven-days-a-week fun including a colorful new interactive mural, that everyone in the family can help paint, workshops, artful photo ops, art galleries and mesmerizing performance art like the daily Epcot Living Statues and Art Defying Gravity shows.

More to See, Do and Eat During the Festival

  • Indulge in new culinary fun at the Le Cellier Brunch in the Canada pavilion, a leisurely prix fixe bounty each Saturday and Sunday in the relaxing Canadian chateau. Reservations required.
  • Explore the Green Landing Family Play Zone where Wall-E and Eve invite the entire family to enjoy a lush, green environment built for exploring.
  • Jump into photo-ops located throughout Epcot, such as the Peter Pan Storybook installation by the United Kingdom pavilion where guests can flap their fins in Mermaid Lagoon or get their pirate on at Skull Rock.
  • Grab a paintbrush and add color to a wall mural along World Showcase Plaza.
  • Join Figment’s Brush with the Masters, a scavenger hunt where the friendly dragon has painted himself into famous pieces of art in each World Showcase pavilion.
  • Marvel at and purchase works by Disney’s iconic artists in displays throughout World Showcase.
  • Watch visiting artists as they create new pieces, from Disney-inspired works to creative art across diverse mediums.
  • Create festival-inspired t-shirts and candles.

Premium festival experiences that include Paint with a Disney Artist and the World Showcase: Destinations Discovered guided tour are available to guests for a fee. To book a workshop, guests may call 407-WDW-TOUR or sign up for openings still available the day of their festival visit.

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 attending the Festival of the Arts?
Please leave a comment; we 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!

Oct 28 2019

Spectacular Slushies Now At Cool Wash In Epcot

With so much construction going on at Epcot right now, we had to say good-bye to some fan favorites like Club Cool. Luckily, there is some place else where you can cool off and fill that void for now. Head on over to the Test Track exit area and stop by the recently reopened Cool Wash. This fun stop is offering yummy slushies in a variety of flavors. You can create your own custom slushy blend with any combination of the six selections: Coke, Fanta Cherry, Fanta Orange, Fanta Banana, Fanta Watermelon, and Blue Raspberry. Once you’ve chosen your slushy flavor combination, it’s time for toppings. You can choose to top your slushy with popping pearls, candy pebbles, jelly drops, or popping candy. And for anyone over 21, Cool Wash is serving up a Coca-Cola Orange Vanilla with St. Petersburg gin.

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:

Do you miss Club Cool? Will you try Cool Wash?
Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you!

Candlelight Processional
Oct 9 2019

Epcot’s 2019 Candlelight Processional Dining Packages Now On Sale

The Candlelight Processional is one of the most beloved holiday traditions at Walt Disney World, with the joyous retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and glorious mass choir. Candlelight performances take place at 5:00pm, 6:45pm and 8:15pm at the America Gardens Theatre in Epcot from November 29 through December 30, 2019.

Narrators

Candlelight ProcessionalNovember 29 – December 1: Ming-Na Wen
December 2 – 5: Neil Patrick Harris
December 6 – 7: Whoopi Goldberg
December 8 – 10: Isabella Rossellini
December 11 – 12: TBD
December 13 – 15: Gary Sinise
December 16 – 18: Pat Sajak
December 19 – 21: TBD
December 22 – 24: Steven Curtis Chapman
December 25 – 26: Edward James Olmos
December 27 – 28: Marlee Matlin
December 29 – 30: Lisa Ling

Please note that narrators are subject to change without notice.

Candlelight Dining Packages

Candlelight ProcessionalGuests may purchase Candlelight Dining Packages to reserve a seat at the Candlelight Processional. These packages include a delicious meal and a guaranteed seat for one of the Candlelight Processional performances. There are breakfast, lunch, and dinner packages available. Breakfast starts at $40 for adults and $23 for children, lunch and dinner starts at $52 for adults and $16.99 for children. Each meal includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage (or buffet depending on the location selected). Prices do not include tax, gratuity, or the required park admission. Participating restaurants include Ale & Compass, Rose & Crown Pub and Dining Room, Coral Reef Restaurant, Biergarten Restaurant, The Garden Grill Restaurant , Nine Dragons Restaurant, Restaurant Marrakesh, Spice Road Table, San Angel Inn Restaurante, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, Les Chefs de France, Tokyo Dining, Teppan Edo, Tutto Italia Ristorante, Trattoria al Forno, and La Hacienda de San Angel. Guests may call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations or book online by clicking here. Hurry – Availability is limited!

Heading to Disney World for the holidays?

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:

Have you attended the Candlelight Processional before? What did you think?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!