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“GARDEN ROCKS” CONCERT SERIES RETURNS TO 2017 EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FLOWER AND GARDEN FESTIVAL

The America Gardens Theatre will once again come alive with some of the best music from the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s as the 2017 Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival presents the “Garden Rocks” concert series at Walt Disney World® Resort. And, for the first time this year performances are scheduled not just Friday through Sunday, but every Monday, too!

“Garden Rocks,” brings  favorite stars from the rock and pop history to Epcot. Returning favorites like Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone and The Spinners join brand new artists like Berlin featuring Terri Nunn.

Poised to be one of the best ever, this year’s line-up shakes out like this:

  • March 3-4 – Jon Secada – “Just Another Day
  • March 5-6 – Dennis DeYoung – The Music of STYX – “Grand Illusion
  • March 10-13 – Pointer Sisters – “I’m So Excited
  • March 17-18 – Simple Plan – “Welcome to My Life” – NEW
  • March 19-20 – Plain White T’s – “Hey There Delilah
  • March 24-27 – Night Ranger – “Sister Christian
  • March 31-April 3 – Little River Band – “Reminiscing
  • April 7-10 – Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring Bo Bice – “Spinning Wheel
  • April 14-17 – Gin Blossoms – “Hey Jealousy
  • April 21-24 – The Orchestra starring former members of ELO – “Evil Woman
  • April 28-29 – Exposé – “Point of No Return” – NEW
  • April 30-May 1 – Berlin featuring Terri Nunn – “Take My Breath Away” – NEW
  • May 5-8 – STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas – “We Built This City
  • May 12-15 – The Guess Who – “American Woman
  • May 19-22 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone – “I’m Henry VIII, I Am
  • May 26-29 – The Spinners – “Working My Way Back To You

“Garden Rocks” concert performances are held each Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Festival. Show times are at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. & 8 p.m. each night. Concerts are included with regular park admission to Epcot.

Stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more details about this year’s Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival!

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DISNEY TWENTY-THREE GOES BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE STUNNING NEW ADAPTATION OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Transforming one of the most beloved animated films of all time into a live-action feature, complete with elaborate sets, extravagant costumes, vibrant musical numbers, and dazzling special effects, is no easy task. But that’s exactly what director Bill Condon has done with Beauty and the Beast, which arrives in theaters March 17. “When a musical works and you feel that kind of thrill of taking off, I think it’s like nothing else,” says Condon who, along with stars Emma Watson (Belle) and Josh Gad (LeFou), reveals to Disney twenty-threethe unique challenges they faced and the heartfelt moments they experienced when creating this sumptuous new film.

The spring issue, exclusively for Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, also features a look behind the scenes with Chris Pratt and Kurt Russell at the making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, as well as an interview with Walt Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde, who describes in detail the thrills and excitement that await guests on Guardians of the Galaxy—Mission: BREAKOUT!—coming to Disney California Adventure later this year.

Plus, actors Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi talk exclusively with Disney twenty-three about Tangled: The Series, and the hair-raising good time they’ve had stepping back into the roles of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider (now known as Eugene). Disney twenty-three looks at five incredible decades of Pirates of the Caribbean, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer offers readers a sneak peek at May’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. And the Mouseketeers from The New Mickey Mouse Club come together 40 years later to look back on their fun and funkadelic ’70s-era show.

Also included in the spring issue of Disney twenty-three:

  • A celebration of the Main Street Electrical Parade’s 45th anniversary, as it returns to its original home at Disneyland Park
  • The wonder and beauty of Disneynature’s newest film, Born in China
  • A peek at what’s to come during the 25th anniversary of Disneyland Paris
  • Eleven cool experiences you may not have known about at Walt Disney World Resort
  • A look inside the newly renovated Walt Disney Animation Studios headquarters
  • Regular features including A Walk with Walt, D Society, and Ask Dave

And readers will get a look at the 2017 D23 Gold Member Gift, “Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men.” The gift, sent to D23 Gold Members who join or renew for 2017, includes 23 meticulously reproduced items—including beautiful artwork—that represent the work and legacy of the nine animators who created some of Disney’s most enduring characters. More on the gift is available at D23.com/NineOldMen.

Disney twenty-three, which is delivered directly to fans’ doorsteps, is offered exclusively to D23 Gold and Gold Family Members as a benefit of their membership. The latest issue will begin arriving in mid-February.

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Wizard World Relaunches WizardWorld.com Website

Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) today announced the relaunch of its website, www.wizardworld.com, with a fresh redesign providing users more relevant information on its nationwide tour of pop culture conventions and associated business units, in a highly intuitive and sleek format. The all-encompassing new look and feel is in line with the Wizard World brand’s standing as a leader in the industry and the company’s expansion into other areas of the entertainment world. The website was designed in partnership with and under the direction of Charles Bell of Tool Studios, a leader in creative custom solutions.

“Our website is the front facing look of the company and a critical component of how our fans discover and experience all that Wizard World has to offer,” said John D. Maatta, Wizard World President & CEO. “That’s why it is so important for us to have a professional, easily navigable site that highlights our shows and entertainment options, but that also has the ability to seamlessly include two very important and transcendent new Wizard World business units which will be announced in the coming days. Wizard World is shedding its old small-time skin and is aggressively moving into the vanguard of the pop culture event and entertainment space.”

Maatta added: “Charles Bell’s team at Tool Studios was instrumental in helping the Wizard World Team design an improved user experience that will allow us to better connect digitally with consumers. We are very proud to showcase Wizard World on the new site as we progress forward into new verticals.”

On the refreshed wizardworld.com site, fans are able to more easily:

  • purchase tickets and VIP packages for Wizard World Comic Con, SocialCon, Touring and related events across North America

  • discover which celebrities, comic creators, hosts and other guests will attend shows

  • find information and schedules of entertainment, special events, photo ops, autographs and other attractions at each convention

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. The 2017 Wizard World Comic Con schedule continues in Portland, February 17-19, at the Oregon Convention Center, the second event on the 16-convention slate.

About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)

Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming and entertainment takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A’s, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com), a premium subscription-based monthly box service, SocialCon™ (www.socialcon.com) and Wizard World Touring. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The Wizard World 2017 schedule is available at: http://www.wizardworld.com.

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MULAN BRINGS HONOR TO DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

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This past weekend marked the celebration of the Lunar New Year, and, while it’s celebrated by many different Asian countries, those in the West so associate the occasion with the region’s largest nation that many refer to it as “Chinese New Year.”

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RESERVATIONS NOW OPEN FOR DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL PREMIUM EVENTS

When the Disney California Adventure® Food & Wine Festival returns to Disneyland® Resort March 10-April 16, 2017, the festival will host hundreds of events, seminars and demonstrations. Here’s a look at the superstar chefs, wineries and breweries that will be partaking in the 2017 premium events.

The popular “In the Kitchen with…” series debuts for the 2017 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. Guests can catch favorite celebrity chefs Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Cat Cora, G. Garvin, Graham Elliot and Jet Tila demonstrate their skills in the kitchen, try a tasting menu created by the chef and even get an autograph! Cost is $99 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

The popular Sweet Sundays events are back! Celebrity pastry chefs Duff Goldman, Emily Ellyn and Keegan Gerhard will demonstrate how to make some of their delectable desserts. Cost is $79 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

Winemaker Dinners highlight wines from California vintners Duckhorn Vineyards and Flora Springs Winery, with a four-course meal carefully selected to enhance the flavor of the wine. While guests dine, they will enjoy insights and inspiration behind the pairings by a knowledgeable winemaker. Cost is $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

A special Winemaker Dinner featuring Disney Family of Wines includes Fess Parker Winery, GoGi Wines, Lasseter Family Winery and Silverado Vineyards. The wineries at this event each have a special connection to the Disney legacy. Cost is $200 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

New to this year’s festival, Brewmaster Beer Dinners feature prix fixe dinners where hand-selected beers from California-based breweries will be paired and served with a four-course specialty menu prepared by Disney chefs. Knowledgeable brewmasters present each beer and describe the chef’s inspiration for the pairing. Cost is $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

There are plenty of other ways to take part in the 2017 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival! Your Clients can learn cooking techniques and get sample tastings during informative Culinary Demonstrations by talented local, visiting and Disneyland Resort chefs. Plus, they can quench their thirst for knowledge with engaging Beverage Seminars, which feature informative, guided tastings of wine, beer or spirits. And, lids ages 3-11 can partake in the return of a complimentary, hands-on experience called Jr. Chef, which will take place daily.

Events taking place March 10-April 1, 2017 are now available to book, and reservations will continue to become available 60 days prior to each event’s date.

Separate admission to Disney California Adventure Park is required and is not included with the cost of signature events. Space is limited for all ticketed events; advance reservations are recommended. Full payment may be due at time of booking, and cancellation fees may apply. No refunds, credit or date or time changes. Guests must be 21 years of age or over to consume alcohol; valid photo ID required. Events and demonstrations are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

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NEW CHARACTER BREAKFAST TO DEBUT AT TRATTORIA AL FORNO AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK

An all-new character dining experience will debut this spring at Disney’s BoardWalk, with appearances by adventurous royal couples from beloved Disney films! A delicious breakfast awaits guests at Trattoria al Forno, as they get ready to set out for a day of endless magic at Walt Disney World® Resort. It’s a hearty “bon voyage” celebration, featuring popular characters from favorite Disney stories like “Tangled” or “The Little Mermaid.”

This unique, new character breakfast is slated to begin in late spring. Stay tuned for more details, including the opening date.

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MAKING WAY FOR THE NBA EXPERIENCE: DISNEYQUEST AT DISNEY SPRINGS TO CLOSE JULY 3

Disney’s multi-year transformation of Disney Springs™ is continuing, as they bring new experiences to the West Side Neighborhood, including The NBA Experience at Walt Disney World® Resort. To make way for this basketball-themed experience, the West Side area will be undergoing changes – beginning with the closure of DisneyQuest on July 3, 2017.

Until July 3, DisneyQuest will continue to offer a great interactive experience for guests. Disney fans of classic arcade game favorites and virtual worlds featured at the indoor theme park are invited to come out and enjoy the experiences.

The NBA Experience at Walt Disney World Resort will be a one-of-a-kind basketball-themed experience featuring hands-on activities that put guests of all ages right in the middle of NBA game action. There will be immersive NBA video productions and numerous interactive experiences, as well as a restaurant and a retail store.

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FLORIDA RESIDENTS ENJOY 3 DAYS OF THEME PARK FUN FOR $139 PLUS TAX WITH THE DISCOVER DISNEY TICKET

There is a world like no other world…full of new adventures and beloved classics. And now for a limited time, Florida Residents can experience endless magic in a Walt Disney World® Theme Park for 3 days with the Discover Disney Ticket—just $139, plus tax! Visit one Theme Park per day now through June 9, 2017.

Contact Travel Agents, Scott and Becky Donahue, of Wish Upon a Star With Us to order tickets and book your vacation.

Ticket valid 1/4 – 6/9/17. Not valid 5/27 – 6/9/17 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. One Theme Park per day. Proof of Florida residency required. Ticket is nontransferable and excludes activities/events separately priced. Must be purchased by 6/5/17.

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Watch – ‘Beauty and the Beast’ – Final Trailer

The final trailer for Beauty and the Beast is here 🌹 On March 17, rediscover a tale as old as time. Get your tickets now at BeOurGuest.com.

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Walt Disney World in St. Louis? City says no to Mickey’s dome

Decades before the city rejected paying millions for a new football stadium, St. Louis leaders rankled entrepreneur Walt Disney by refusing to pay the bulk of costs for a domed theme park in downtown St. Louis.

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