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MAGICBAND 2 & MAGICKEEPERS NOW AVAILABLE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT
Recently, we introduced the new MagicBand 2, which offers more versatility and customization to guests as they unlock the magic of their Walt Disney World® Resort vacation.
We’re also excited to share that solid-color MagicBand 2 are available for purchase in the current eight colors – pink, blue, red, green, orange, gray, yellow and purple – wherever MagicBands are sold throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
With the MagicBand 2 solid-color bands, guests have even more options to customize their MagicBand. They can mix and match different-colored bands to create their favorite multi-colored band because with MagicBand 2, the center icon is removable and linked to their My Disney Experience account. MagicBand 2 is also available for purchase in a variety of graphic designs.
Guests can also customize their solid-color MagicBand 2 with the new MagicKeepers accessories. They can put the center icon into a sliver carabiner to wear on a purse, diaper bag or belt loop; or into a Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse lanyard clip to wear around their neck. A mini-screwdriver is included with each MagicKeeper to make changing the icon easy.
2017 Raglan Road Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival Runs March 16-19 at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant
Celtic rock’s hardest-working band and an extraordinary family of Irish musicians will headline the 2017 Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant in Disney Springs.
Running March 16-19, the most authentic St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Central Florida will feature a round-the-clock lineup of talented musicians, award-winning Irish dancers and authentic cuisine by Irish celebrity chef and PBS/Create TV personality Kevin Dundon.
Guests can enjoy a mighty selection of beers, spirits and craft cocktails with Dundon’s exceptional Irish fare while musicians and dancers perform on multiple stages, indoors and out, from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. daily. Guests can accent their Irish holiday attire with complimentary face painting available for the occasion from noon to 8 p.m. throughout the festival. The stellar music lineup includes:
- Young Dubliners – Quite possibly Celtic rock’s hardest working band, playing hundreds of shows to thousands of fans across the United States and Europe every year. Known for their exciting live performances, the Young Dubliners bring their hearty rock and Irish-infused tunes to the Raglan Road stage.
- The Byrne Brothers – An exceptionally talented traditional Irish music family from Donegal. They are Luca, 12, on button accordion; Finn, 10, on banjo, mandolin and whistle; and Dempsey, 7, on whistle and bodhran (percussion). Their show combines exciting traditional Irish tunes with modern dance beats, and they’re known for their fun interaction with their audience.
- HanaLena Band – A sister duo based out of Nashville, Tenn. Hannah and Caroline grew up in the heart of Mississippi and were surrounded by bluegrass, country and the Delta blues. Their unique blend of acoustic instrumentation, moving lyrics and tight vocal harmonies make for an entertaining show.
- The Raglan Roots Coalition – More than 10 years down the road, Raglan Road felt it was time to shake its boogie – Roots style, with this popular Irish house band. Think soul-rocking Celtic bluegrass with some hip-swingin’, knee-shakin’ funky roots beats.
- Swingin’ On the Gate – This four-piece band of multi-instrumentalists with roots in legendary Lisdoonvarna in County Clare have serious crossover credentials and musical pedigree including traditional and classical training. They are multiple medal winners at Fleadhs music competitions and have toured in Italy, Switzerland and the United States.
- Rollickin’ Rua – A fresh and exciting four–piece traditional Irish music ensemble from Ireland and Scotland. Each of the accomplished musicians brings a wealth of musical talent and experience to their vibrant live show of music and song.
- The Raglan Road Irish Dancers – Plucked from the cast and stages of the world’s greatest Irish dance shows, the Raglan Road Irish Dancers perform throughout the Mighty Festival. You can even learn some traditional Irish dance steps – no experience necessary!
The entertainment schedule will be posted at raglanroad.com. Festivities at Raglan Road will run from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. daily throughout the Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival.
If you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like the Irish, here’s our primer:
- Please don’t call the holiday “St. Patty’s.” It’s either “St. Patrick’s Day” or “St. Paddy’s.”
- A shamrock has three leaves (not four – that would be a clover).
- Americans invented the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737 in Boston.
- Most Irish pubs do a full month’s business on St. Patrick’s Day.
- Guinness sell 13 million pints on St. Patrick’s Day versus the usual 5 million daily.
- Raglan Road is America’s #1 Irish Pub.
- Green beer is an American invention. Raglan Road does not serve green beer.
Guests can order from Raglan Road’s popular brunch, lunch, dinner and bar menus that include new dishes recently introduced by Master Chef Dundon. The dinner menu features loin of bacon and cabbage, the authentic Irish dish of St. Patrick’s Day, plus other Irish classics created with Dundon’s modern twists. Throughout the event, the restaurant’s Cooke’s of Dublin counter-service eatery will offer Irish favorites, as well, including fish and chips.
On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, guests will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis with a cover charge of $10 for each guest age 18 and older. Reservations can be booked for other festival days by calling 407/938-0300.
VIDEO: ‘PLACEMAKING’ PANDORA – THE WORLD OF AVATAR
Today, we’re excited to share another look inside Pandora – The World of Avatar, which opens May 27, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park at Walt Disney World® Resort.
In this video from Walt Disney Imagineering, several members of the Pandora project team explain just how important research has been in bringing Pandora – The World of Avatar to life. Culture plays a huge part in the park’s other lands, like Asia and Africa. Therefore, researching a realistic culture that would exist on Pandora has been a priority.
In addition to culture, placemaking has also extended to designing what you will hear when you enter the new land. Get a closer look in this video!
ENCHANTED EVENING OPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE FOR WALT DISNEY TRAVEL COMPANY PACKAGES
Are you celebrating a honeymoon or romantic getaway at Walt Disney World® Resort? Make it even more special with one of the limited-time Enchanted Evening Honeymoon or Romance package options.
These additional options for Walt Disney Travel Company packages include:
- Two exclusive honeymoon or romance-themed MagicBands
- Two exclusive romance-themed keepsake luggage tags
- Two admissions to the Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party at Magic Kingdom® Park, plus a small celebratory treat
These Enchanted Evening package options can be added to Walt Disney Travel Company Magic Your Way Packages. The Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party is available only on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings. Magic Kingdom Theme Park admission is required and is not included. If Guests wish to visit other theme parks on the same day their Magic Your Way ticket needs to include the Park Hopper Option. Enchanted Evening option must be booked a minimum of 7 days prior to arrival. There is no commission available for this product.
Contact Travel Agents, Scott and Becky Donahue, of Wish Upon a Star With Us to plan and book your vacation.
Six Ways to Step into the Magic of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at the Disneyland Resort – Fact Sheet
Guests are discovering new ways to celebrate the tale as old as time, “Beauty and the Beast,” at the Disneyland Resort. For a limited time, Fantasyland in Disneyland Park will bring the animated feature to life in new ways, and Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure Park will offer guests a spectacular sampling of the new, live-action film set to make its premiere in theaters March 17, 2017.
Six enchanting experiences now await guests visiting both theme parks.
- Red Rose Taverne: For a limited time, the Village Haus Restaurant in Fantasyland transforms into the Red Rose Taverne, a lively French tavern inspired by the tale as old as time. Each room of this quick-service eatery showcases a different chapter of the beloved story with wall paintings, beautiful décor, crimson drapery and intricate stained glass. Guests will enjoy new food items inspired by the film, such as the Enchanted Cauliflower Sandwich, Poutine Flatbread and Lemon Rose Cake.
- Royal Reception: Conveniently located next to the Red Rose Taverne, guests will find special treasures to take home – such as toys, collectables and clothing – inspired by both the animated feature and the new, live-action film.
- What a Guy! What a Beauty!: Guests may visit with the haughty Gaston as he preens around the Fantasyland area. The devilishly dashing villain is sure to be admired by friends and foes alike. Belle herself may also be found visiting with aspiring royalty in Fantasyland.
- Maurice’s Treats: In nearby Fantasy Faire, new dipping sauces paying homage to “Beauty and the Beast” are available at Maurice’s Treats. Guests can order a special sauce to complement existing tasty snacks, including Marinara, Strawberry and of course, the Grey Stuff – it’s delicious!
- The Royal Theatre Presents “Beauty and the Beast”: Whimsical storytelling characterizes this comical performance of the classic tale presented daily by the thespian duo Mr. Smythe and Mr. Jones. Guests can enjoy daily performances of the show at the Royal Theatre in Fantasy Faire
- Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Sneak Peek: Through March 26, guests can experience an exclusive sneak peak at the new retelling of the classic tale at Sunset Showcase Theater in Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure. The live-action adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” opens in theaters March 17 – more than 25 years after the animated feature debuted.
Watch – B-Roll Video: 24th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
B-Roll included:
- Scenic shot with monorail
- Front entrance topiaries – featuring Mickey Mouse & Pluto
- Belle & Beast topiaries in the France Pavilion
- Figment topiary in Future World
- Scenic shots – styled flowerbeds
- Road to Florida 500 play garden, Cruz Ramirez and Lightning McQueen topiaries – based on the upcoming Disney•Pixar Cars 3
- Three Caballeros topiaries in the Mexico Pavilion
- Anna & Elsa topiaries in the Norway Pavilion
- Plant dragon in the China Pavilion
- Snow White topiary in the Germany Pavilion
- Buzz Lightyear topiary in front of Mission Space
- Butterflies On The Go garden
- Music Garden Melodies play garden
- Outdoor Kitchens throughout World Showcase
- Flowers, Bonsais and Vertical Gardens
- Festival Center – gardening workshops & festival-themed merchandise
Disneyland Park Salutes Pirates of the Caribbean with Limited-Time Entertainment and Special Offerings
Nearly 400 million guests have embarked on this swashbuckling adventure at Disneyland Park. It has inspired a highly popular film franchise, and the lyrics to its theme song–“Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)”– are recognized around the world. It’s Pirates of the Caribbean, of course, an attraction that celebrates its 50th anniversary on March 18, 2017.
To celebrate this special occasion, guests are invited to enjoy pirate-themed entertainment, merchandise exclusives and special food and beverage offerings beginning March 16. Disneyland is sure to be filled with pirate-talking mates for this limited-time, rollicking fun.
- Beginning Thursday, March 16: Guests may feast upon special, pirate-themed food at French Market Restaurant, Mint Julep Bar, Harbour Galley, Royal Street Veranda, Cafe Orleans and Blue Bayou Restaurant. Blue Bayou also celebrates its 50th anniversary on March 18. Food items vary by location and will include:
- Buccaneer Pulled Pork Sandwich: Jerk-spiced Pork, Sweet and Tangy Barbecue
- Sauce, Pineapple Caribbean-style Slaw and Fried Yucca
- Lost Treasure Beignets: Lemon-flavored Beignets with gold shimmer dust
- Jolly Roger Punch: Spiced Tropical Juices with hints of Pineapple, Orange and Mango
- Calypso’s Caribbean Chicken Stew: Caribbean-seasoned Chicken stewed with Onions, Carrots, Celery, Tomatoes, Potatoes and Yucca
- Golden Churro: Gold-dusted Churro
- On Friday, March 17: Pirate-themed entertainment comes alive throughout New Orleans Square, including performances by the Bootstrappers and Lucky the Pirate.
- Saturday, March 18: Even more entertainment will be added on the attraction’s official anniversary, including appearances by the legendary pirate himself, Captain Jack Sparrow. Guests may purchase limited-edition, anniversary merchandise in New Orleans Square, while supplies last. Pirate Speak! collectible cards will be available for guests who wish to talk like a pirate.
Guests may discover additional special surprises on March 18.
The original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction set the bar for future theme park attractions with masterful storytelling and technology that introduced approximately 120 Audio-Animatronics characters. The popular attraction has inspired five films and the fifth, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” is set to open in theaters May 26, 2017.
VIDEO: MAGIC FOR DAYS AT DISNEY RESORT HOTELS
Discover the magic of staying at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel – where moments and memories have no limits!
Fun Facts! New Topiaries and Outdoor Kitchen Eats at 24th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Disney guests can enjoy 90 days of fresh festival fun during the 24th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 1-May 29, 2017. Thirty million multi-hued blooms, 100-plus whimsical topiaries, nearly 1,000 native butterflies and dozens of new Outdoor Kitchen food and beverage tastes add multi-sensory festival fun to the “Fresh Epcot”-themed Walt Disney World Resort event.
Among this year’s fun festival facts:
- 30 million blooms blanket the park throughout the festival, which runs 90 colorful days and requires two complete crop rotations to keep floral displays fresh and seasonal.
- 15 Outdoor Kitchens (2 more than last year) include the new Northern Bloom and The Berry Basket kitchens and gardens. Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market returns at the Germany pavilion and La Isla Fresca returns for a second year. Dozens of new sweet and savory food and beverage menu items add tasting fun and variety to the festival. Each marketplace will feature a garden planted with select produce and herbs to represent more than 70 overall beverage choices and more than 40 food items featured.
- The festival’s front-entrance Welcome Spring Fun, Food & Flowers topiary maypole scene celebrating a rite of spring with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy and Pluto is inspired by a vintage Walt Disney short film. More than 30 varieties of flowers, plants, and other garden materials are used to create the scene.
- A brand-new 5-foot-tall Figment topiary of the feisty dragon mascot of the Imagination! Pavilion greets guests from atop a bright yellow floral ball of Joseph’s Coat, brightening the landscape behind Spaceship Earth with purple petal power. A brand-new, next-generation Belle topiary with sculpted facial features will join Beast in France – her yellow ball gown is crafted using Joseph’s Coat and Creeping Jenny plants.
- Music Garden Melodies with musical note topiaries, a themed playground for children complete with innovative play systems featuring interactive musical gadgets, is one of the largest festival gardens created at nearly one-third acre. The garden includes a collection of plants with features that resemble musical instruments as part of the ambiance.
- Anna and Elsa in cool floral splendor grace a wintry topiary vignette straight from the hit Disney film, “Frozen” and the Norway pavilion attraction Frozen Ever After. In the scene that’s wired to sparkle by night, Elsa works her magic to conjure a snowy garden filled with flowers of lavendar, white and silver. More than a dozen varieties of flowers evoke the scene and include white Dianthus, Diamond Frost Euphorbia, Dichondra Silver Falls, lavender Pentas, blue Delphinium and white Cleome, Pentas, Alyssum and Nicotiana. Anna and Elsa topiaries are each about 6-1/2 feet tall and are created with plants that include variegated Ficus, green Ficus and the succulent Sedum Coral Reef. But Elsa will look taller because she’s standing closer to guests than Anna by about 8 feet.
- At least 25 different plants, grasses and mosses of various colors, including pink and red begonias, dusty miller, palm fiber, palm seeds, ficus and lichen, are used to create and define facial and other features of festival character topiaries. The topiary team uses about 200 one-pound boxes of hairpins to attach plants and flowers to the topiaries.
- Nearly 1,000 native butterflies represent up to 10 species at the expansive Butterflies on the Go butterfly house presented by GoGo squeeZ. Among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants are passion flower, coral honeysuckle, lantana, butterfly bush, blue porterweed, scarlet milkweed and canna lily.
- 240 extra playground hours add extra festival magic for children and their families with the illuminated garden playgrounds staying open through park closing.
- More than 500,000 plants, trees and shrubs are planted for the festival; 250,000 of those are annual blossoms installed for the festival.
- Festival plants include 60 different species of trees, 47 types of palms, and 48 varieties of bedding plants.
- 78 hands-on gardening demonstrations and seminars will be presented
- More than forty 8-to-9-foot tall, multi-hued “flower towers” make colorful statements across the festival landscape.
- More than 200 floating mini-gardens, each three feet in diameter, of multi-hued New Guinea impatiens provide splashes of color on two ponds that border the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.
- Nearly 500 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables in clay pots, barrels and urns enhance the landscape throughout Epcot.
- 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists are needed to install the festival landscape, topiaries and many exhibits; 100 Epcot horticulturists maintain topiaries and other festival displays.
- It takes more than one full year and about 24,000 cast member hours to prepare for the annual festival.
- The festival’s weekend Garden Rocks Concert Series includes 16 bands known for their Top 40 hits across five decades. This year’s musical hit-makers from the 1960s through 2000s include new-to-the-festival acts Simple Plan, Exposé, Berlin featuring Terri Nunn and Plain White T’s.
