Tag Archives: World Showcase

Feb 27 2019

New IllumiNations Dining Package Now At Epcot

With so many changes at Walt Disney World over the last few months and years, it’s always difficult to say good-bye to a nostalgic favorite, but that’s what we’ll all have to do later this year when we bid farewell to IllumiNations. If you are planning on catching the nighttime spectacular at Epcot one last time before it ends its run, you might want to consider the new offering from Disney – The IllumiNations Dining Package.

With this package currently being offered now through late summer, you can enjoy a delicious dinner while seated at the lagoon-side patio of Rose & Crown as you take in the mesmerizing show.

Guests will dine on a prix fixe menu that includes favorite Rose & Crown dishes as well as unlimited alcoholic beverages for the over 21 crowd (valid ID required). The meal begins with your choice of a Scotch Egg or the United Kingdom Cheese Platter, followed by entrees including Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, Corned Beef and Cabbage, or Pan-roasted Scottish Salmon, and for dessert, a tasty trio featuring Sticky Toffee Pudding, Chocolate Nougat Bar, and English Trifle. The children’s menu starts off with a choice of soup or salad, followed by their choice of Fish and Chips, Cheesy Pasta, Cheese and Turkey Flatbread or Meatball Pasta, and wraps up a choice of English Trifle or fruit salad.

Pricing is $85 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $35 per child (ages 3 to 9), with tax and gratuity included. For more information or to make a reservation, call 407-939-3463 or click here.

Important Policy Information For The IllumiNations Dining Package, Courtesy of Disney:
  • Epcot park admission is required and is not included in the price of the IllumiNations Dining Package.
  • Dining plan entitlements may not be redeemed for this offering.
  • Check-in begins at 8:00 PM—60 minutes prior to the show. This dining experience will last approximately 90 minutes, ending when the show ends.
  • Advance reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 180 days prior to your visit.
  • On rare occasions, evening entertainment may be rescheduled or canceled. Please consult the entertainment schedule or call (407) 939-3463 at least 2 weeks prior to arrival to reconfirm showtime. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call.
  • It is highly recommended that Guests check the schedule again upon arrival at Epcot.
  • The venue is uncovered and outdoors. In the event of inclement weather, this experience will take place in a covered area outdoors.
  • All menu items are subject to change and the experience may be changed or canceled without prior notice.
  • Guests must be at least 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages. Please keep a valid form of identification on hand at all times to verify your age.
  • Guests who do not cancel their reservation within 48 hours of the event will forfeit the entire price of the dining package.

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Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
Feb 6 2019

First Details Of The 2019 Epcot International Flower And Garden Festival

With snow piling up here in Colorado, it is hard to believe that in just a few weeks spring will be here and along with it the 2019 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. Recently Disney gave us a sneak peek into what we can expect this time around. Here’s everything we know so far:

Epcot International Flower And Garden FestivalNew sights, sounds and flavors of spring will envelop Walt Disney World Resort guests beginning March 6 when the 26th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival bursts into bloom.

This year’s festival will be chock-full of lush new topiary whimsy, edible delights, gardens to play in and an expanded lineup for the Garden Rocks Concert Series.

The 90-day event continues through June 3, featuring dozens of Disney-crafted topiaries and beds of multi-colored blooms that will transform the Epcot landscape into a floral extravaganza. As just one example of this metamorphosis, nearly 70,000 festival blooms will surround the lakes in Future World, while on the water, hundreds of colorful mini-gardens will be set afloat.

Here is a look at some of the discoveries guests will make this year:

  • The popular Garden Rocks Concert Series will expand to every day of the festival, featuring chart-topping artists performing three shows daily on the America Gardens Theatre stage. That’s 270 concerts – more than ever before – featuring new and returning fan favorites spanning multiple genres. Returning favorites like The Spinners and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone will be joined by artists new to the festival like TobyMac, Steven Curtis Chapman and Colin Hay of Men at Work.
  • Creative new culinary dishes and several new outdoor kitchens will debut this year. AdventHealth will host a kitchen along with a nearby playground where the whole family can learn fun and interactive ways to stay healthy.
  • Woody and Buzz Lightyear will welcome Bo Peep and her sheep to their Toy Story topiary near the Family Play Zone in Future World East.
  • Disney Easter Egg HuntSpike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration family scavenger hunt will be more fun than ever this year with new locations to discover along the garden pollination trail. Guests can also commemorate their scavenger hunt experience with select merchandise offerings featuring everyone’s favorite bee, Spike. Another guest favorite returning to the festival April 5 – 21 (while supplies last) is the Eggstravaganza Scavenger Hunt, where guests can search for Disney character-themed eggs around World Showcase.
  • In celebration of Disneynature’s “Penguins,” opening April 17, a 9-foot-tall art sculpture made from recycled marine debris will be on display in Future World featuring an adult and baby Adélie penguin. Created by the non-profit organization WashedAshore.org, this work of art is designed to inspire Guests to keep our oceans and waterways clear of plastic pollution.

Epcot International Flower And Garden FestivalAmong the returning gardens and exhibits, guests will once again enjoy the Goodness Garden Butterfly House presented by GoGo squeeZ where nearly 1,000 native butterflies will fly among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants. Additionally, several World Showcase pavilions will include gardens with floral life representative of plants in those countries, such as the Kokodema Garden and Bonsai Collection in Japan, the Urban Spice Garden in Morocco and the Alpine Container Garden in Germany.

As festival-goers take in all these floral wonders, they will find fine tastes to savor along their journey. In addition to the Outdoor Kitchens, raised-bed or in-ground gardens of herbs and produce will offer the perfect inspiration for learning to grow healthy ingredients. Several Epcot food-and-beverage locations – including Taste Track and Refreshment Port– will offer festival-themed eats and libations. Additionally, guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at 15 popular Epcot restaurants and guaranteed seating for a nightly concert with a Garden Rocks Dining Package. 

Guided tours are also available for guests interested in learning more about nature’s magic. In Behind the Seeds – The Land, guests can explore the fish farm and four greenhouses that make up The Land at Epcot. Additionally, two guided experiences exclusive to the festival include:

  • The Royal Tea Garden Tour, presented by Twinings, which takes place each festival morning at the United Kingdom. For a small fee, guests can follow a knowledgeable guide through the tranquil tea garden setting to learn the history and artistry behind growing and blending tea. A post-tour treat of tea and scones is included. The shorter, complimentary English Tea Garden Tour also will be offered on select days.
  • During the Gardens of the World tour, guests will join a Disney horticulturist for a three-hour walking tour to explore the award-winning topiaries and gardens that make the festival so special. Guests will learn about the unique role landscaping plays at Walt Disney World and discover new plant materials and gardening techniques to use for home gardens.

Guided tours are offered select days throughout the festival for an additional fee. Epcot admission is required. Reservations for tours are open now. For more information or to make a reservation, call 407-WDW-TOUR.

Guests can also commemorate their visit to the 2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival with official event merchandise. They can dig up a charming array of whimsical apparel and headwear designed to capture the splendor of spring, garden tools and accessories, and magical Disney keepsakes to adorn their homes and gardens.

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Jun 19 2018

Blueberry Grass Band Now At Canada Pavilion In Epcot For A Limited Time

The next time you find yourself in Epcot this summer, be sure to stop by the Canada Pavilion to check out the fantastic new entertainment experience at The Mill Stage…the live music of the Blueberry Grass Band. Here are all of the details courtesy of Disney:

One of the greatest joys in exploring World Showcase at Epcot is discovering authentic entertainment experiences from around the world. The Mill Stage at the Canada Pavilion now comes alive with the music of Blueberry Grass Band, an accomplished group from Quebec who transform French and English Canadian hits into their own festive sound.

Blueberry Grass Band takes its name from the sweet nickname given to the people of their home region, Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean. In that beautiful part of Quebec, the residents are colloquially known as “blueberries.” The playful spirit of this nickname shows in the band’s performance as well. Every concert is an undeniably joyous occasion, with their upbeat tunes and the clearly cheerful rapport between the performers. Every member of this six-person band has a different musical background, resulting in a group that uses a variety of instruments – string bass, guitar, violin, drums, banjo and of course, voice!

Blueberry Grass Band has brought their shows to audiences in twenty countries and members of the band have performed on “Britain’s Got Talent” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Now for a limited time through August 26, you can catch them live at Epcot on the Canada Mill Stage.

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Eat to the Beat
May 24 2018

Epcot 2018 Eat To The Beat Concert Series Bands Announced

If you plan to visit Walt Disney World this fall for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, here is some exciting news! Disney has recently released the information about which bands will be appearing in the Epcot Eat To The Beat Concert Series that runs from August 30 – November 12, 2018. Here are all of the details courtesy of Disney:

Spice up your day of delicious dining with live music excitement from top-name acts. Each night during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, the America Gardens Theatre serves up performances from major recording artists. This year, our musical menu features 32 irresistible acts—our biggest and best lineup ever.

Concerts take place nightly August 20 – November 12, 2018 at 5:30, 6:45, and 8:00pm. The current lineup (subject to change and included in Epcot admission):

  • August 30 – 31: Blue October
  • September 1 – 3: Tiffany
  • September 4 – 5: NEW! MercyMe
  • September 6 – 7: NEW! Glass Tiger
  • September 8 – 9: NEW! Tauren Wells
  • September 10 – 11: Postmodern Jukebox
  • September 12 – 13: TBA
  • September 14 – 16: Baha Men
  • September 17 – 19: TBA
  • September 20 – 21: Living Colour
  • September 22 – 23: NEW! Sheila E
  • September 24 – 26: Sugar Ray
  • September 27 – 28: David Cook
  • September 29 – 30: Jeffrey Osborne
  • October 1 – 2: NEW! Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts
  • October 3 – 4: Everclear
  • October 5 – 7: Mark Wills
  • October 8 – 10: Air Supply
  • October 11 – 12: TBA
  • October 13 – 14: TBA
  • October 15 – 16: NEW! 98 Degrees
  • October 17 – 18: 38 Special
  • October 19 – 21: The Devon Allman Project
  • October 22 – 23: TBA
  • October 24 – 25: Billy Ocean
  • October 26 – 28: Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
  • October 29 – 31: Hanson
  • November 1 – 2: TBA
  • November 3 – 4: Taylor Dayne
  • November 5 – 7: Boyz II Men
  • November 8 – 9: The Hooters
  • November 10 – 12: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

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Aug 1 2017

Fun Facts About The 2017 Epcot International Food And Wine Festival

Can you believe that later this month the annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival kicks off once again? Feeling a little hungry and extremely excited about my upcoming trip to this year’s event, I thought it might be entertaining to take a look at some “Fun Facts” about the mouth-watering festivities coming up this fall. Here’s some tantalizing trivia about the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival to get you in the spirit courtesy of Disney:

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival ©DisneyWalt Disney World Resort guests are invited to join the fun when the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival turns 22 from August 31 – November 13, 2017.  On October 1, Epcot will celebrate its 35th anniversary, and this year’s festival will feature, for the first time, 35 global dine-around marketplaces. Guests will discover delicious ethnic and specialty cuisine, refreshing new beverages and more concerts and musical acts than ever.

The record 75-day festival at Disney’s Epcot theme park will include five new Future World marketplaces featuring fresh culinary concepts to pair with select wines, beers, cocktails and other beverages.  ABC’s Emmy Award-winning lifestyle series, “The Chew,” will broadcast from the festival for the third year and will again showcase dishes inspired by “The Chew” show hosts. The festival is believed to be the largest food and wine event of its kind in the world.

Here are some fun facts about the 22nd festival celebration.

  • Now 75 days long, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival began in 1996 with a first run of 30 days
  • At the 2017 festival, 35 global marketplaces will include five new marketplaces to help celebrate 35 years of Epcot –they include Active Eats, Coastal Eats, Flavors from Fire and Light Lab, all expanding into the park’s Future World area. The Almond Orchard, hosted by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, is the fifth new marketplace located along the World Showcase promenade
  • Producers of ABC’s “The Chew” will tape 5 episodes of the show before 5 festival guest audiences numbering in the hundreds for each show October 4 – 6 against a backdrop of the park’s iconic Spaceship Earth
  • The 22nd festival will feature 39 new marketplace dishes and 65 new cocktails, beers, wines and ciders
  • This year, more than 50 domestic and international wines will be offered at global marketplaces
  • More than 50 wineries and more than 35 breweries from around the world, including local craft beer operations, will be represented at festival marketplaces
  • The new “Disney Food and Wine Festivals Coast to Coast Cookbook” by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs features 50 irresistible recipes, 26 recipes from the Epcot festival global marketplaces and 24 from Disney’s California Adventure
  • 5 Party for the Senses grand tastings will take place at World Showplace during the festival run. In all, the festival will feature 177 premium events ranging from Signature Dinners and Food & Wine Pairings to “What’s Cookin’ With” and additional festival events in World Showcase pavilions and Walt Disney World resorts
  • Guest chefs and Disney chefs numbering 197 will present culinary demonstrations and will cook for festival events
  • Celebrity chefs and visiting culinarians from 11 countries and 23 U.S. states will participate in the festival at culinary demos, book signings, and special tasting events and dinners
  • 379 culinary demos, beverage and interactive seminars will take place during the 75-day festival. That’s equal to more than 6,360 hours of scheduled seminars at the Festival Center. These include the fun-filled Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! interactive events, plus more
  • During Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak festival scavenger hunt, guests can help Remy scour the park for the ingredients to make his signature dish, ratatouille. Along the way, they’ll find 15 Remy statuettes hidden throughout World Showcase and the global marketplaces.  Guests can purchase their map and stickers at select merchandise locations, then take their completed maps to Disney Traders at the entrance to World Showcase or World Traveler at International Gateway to choose a new surprise, compliments of Chef Remy
  • 225 Eat to the Beat concerts will be performed; 11 musical acts will appear for the first time at this year’s festival featuring entertainment ranging from rock and soul to funk and blues
  • The Festival Passport (previously called the Marketplace Discovery Passport) was introduced in 2010 for the 15th annual festival; today, the complimentary passport will feature pages with all 35 festival marketplaces and other outdoor food and beverage locations with special festival offerings such as Refreshment Cool Post, Fife & Drum Tavern and Refreshment Port
  • More than 1,200 fireworks will explode each night over World Showcase Lagoon in IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth nightime spectacular
  • 100,000-plus desserts, including Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Toasted Macadamia Nuts (new at Hawaii) and Sweet Olive Oil Cake with Powdered Sugar and Lemon Curd (new at Spain), are expected to be served
  • In 1997, during the festival’s second year, festival planners introduced the first Grand Tasting culinary extravaganza; in 2002, the event was renamed and moved to World Showplace as Party for the Senses, now featuring dozens of food and beverage stations and, in 2017, confirmed seating for all guests plus new and different themed entertainment and surprises for each event

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Will you be going to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival this year?
What are you most looking forward to? Please leave a comment!