WDW Daily News

Baseball fans visiting Walt Disney World® Resort over the next five weeks will be able to experience the magic of the game up close as the Atlanta Braves hold their final spring training season at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 15, 2019, and the team will be at Walt Disney World through its final spring training game at Champion Stadium, a March 23 matchup with the New York Mets.

One of the surprise teams in all of Major League Baseball in 2018, the Braves will hold their spring training for the 22nd and final season this year. The club is moving its spring training operations to Sarasota County (North Port, Fla.) in 2020.

This year, baseball fans visiting Disney will have one last opportunity to take in some spring training action as several of MLB’s marquee teams – the Houston Astros, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals – are scheduled to battle the Braves, winners of the 2018 National League East.

Atlanta’s first home spring training game is set for Monday, Feb. 25, when the club hosts the Washington Nationals at 1:05 p.m. at Champion Stadium. Additionally, the Braves will play two games against the power-hitting Astros (March 4, 17), and will play one game against the vaunted Yankees (March 18).

Other top teams scheduled to battle the Braves this spring include the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers and the Miami Marlins. Atlanta’s 16-game home spring training schedule also includes three night games (all beginning at 6:05 p.m.).

The Braves will play their final spring training game at Disney Saturday, March 23, at 1:05 p.m. against the New York Mets.

If you are visiting Disney over the next month or so and want to catch a game, tickets are available through braves.com/springtraining, as well as through Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) and at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Box Office.

Watch the new teaser trailer from Disney’s “Frozen 2.” From the Academy Award®-winning team—directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, and producer Peter Del Vecho—and featuring the voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, and the music of Oscar®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Frozen 2” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2019.

Guests can gather with friends to enjoy an intimate and adventurous getaway at the Disney Family of Wines Weekend, May 17-19, 2019 at Walt Disney World® Resort. Crafted for those whose passion for wine is as genuine as their love for Disney, this experience allows your Clients to explore flavors and interact with a collection of curated wines produced by winemakers and wineries that have a special connection to Disney. Learn more >>

This package includes 3-days/2-nights: 

• 2-night stay at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Main Tower – Lake View on the nights of May 17 and May 18, 2019  
• 4 interactive workshops hosted by winery representatives and culinary experts 
• May 17: Opening reception
• May 18: Two workshops, luncheon and gala dinner
• May 19: Two workshops, luncheon, and closing reception
• $2,950 per person, based on adult double occupancy. Space is limited!

The number of packages available for this offer is limited. Package is available to guests age 21 and older with valid proof of age. Theme park admission is not required to attend events and is not included in this package. Cannot be combined with any other discount of promotion. Package and package components are nontransferable. 

This package is non-refundable for cancellations made 29 days or less prior to arrival or for no-shows. 

Only a few short steps away from The Art of Disney near Goofy’s Candy Co. at Disney Springs® Marketplace, The Art Corner by Artistic Talent Group is a can’t-miss destination for any creative at heart.

At this new pop-up store, you can check out the unique hands-on Artistic Marbling activity where they’ll learn the ancient art form of Suminigashi and work side by side with a professional artisan to create custom-made silk items. This unique experience debuted at the 2018 Epcot® International Festival of the Arts and continues to be a Guest favorite. The best part? There’s no way to mess it up! Each scarf design comes out beautifully.

Coffe lovers can show their love for your favorite morning java with a unique “Coffee & Canvas” piece! Florida artist, Steven Mikel, adds a touch of whimsy to the space with his unique coffee-inspired paintings designed to reveal beauty tucked away in the details of the world. 

Caricatures continue to be a Guest favorite souvenir at Walt Disney World® Resort and The Art Corner by Artistic Talent Group offers a new and innovative digital sketch version, as well as the classic watercolor style. Guests will also find another souvenir favorite, Name Works, the popular provider of personalized artwork, whipping up hand-drawn names personalized with your choice of illustrations.

Today we’re excited to share another exciting Disney Skyliner milestone – the first Guest cabins to make test runs back-and-forth between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios®!

As we’ve previously shared the state-of-the-art gondola system will begin transporting Guests at the Walt Disney World® Resort beginning later this fall. The system will conveniently connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot® to four resort hotels- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort as well as the proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney’s Riviera Resort.

The test-run gondolas recently traveled across Victory Way between the stations at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the station at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  

As you can see in the image with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in the background, the gondolas remained covered during testing. But when operating later this fall, some cabins will feature beautiful graphics based on Disney films, attractions and characters.

Last month, we shared a special sneak peek at some of the gondola art and characters.

Stay tuned as we reveal more exciting details about Disney Skyliner throughout the year.

The fan favorite “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” is currently making its way through Disneyland® Park as part of Get Your Ears On – A Mickey and Minnie Celebration!

This popular parade puts music in motion with Disney characters, performers and two new parade floats with eye-catching visuals and whimsical elements. Mickey starts the party in a larger-than-life opening as he and his drum corps kick off a lively, musical procession with Disney characters. Next, Chip ‘n’ Dale arrive with a giant new celebration cake, followed by Goofy pulling another new float, inspired by the classic and nostalgic Mickey pull toys.

Get Your Ears On is a celebration for the legendary duo that started it all! The party features new entertainment, including “Mickey’s Mix Magic,” as well as limited-time decor, food and beverage offerings and festive event merchandise.

Recently, we shared we told you the large and exotic bird known as “Kevin,” from Disney•Pixar’s “Up!,” appeared to be migrating north from Paradise Falls in the direction of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. As you can see from this exclusive footage, it looks like she’s been spotted on the park’s Discovery Island!

Did you know that one out of five birds – over 2,000 species – migrate from one geographic location to another every year? According to our friends with Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team, many of those birds pass through Walt Disney World® Resort on their travels. Nearly one-third of the resort serves as an important corridor for many species, such as purple martins who spend their entire winter here and raise a family before returning home to Brazil. To learn more about migratory birds, visit DisneyAnimals.com.

We’re also excited to share that this adorable plush version of Kevin arrives in mid-February at select merchandise locations in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, such as Island Mercantile and Discovery Trading Co. You will definitely want to pick up one of these cuties. It’d be the perfect companion on their next wildlife adventure, spotting birds and other animals – at Disney’s Animal Kingdom or right in their own backyard!

Categories: Disney’s An

From the day Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park arrived on the planet, “The Lion King” has been part of the special DNA of the park. The fantastic “Festival of the Lion King” made its debut with the park in 1998 and is still one of the highest-rated shows across Walt Disney World® Resort. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the original animated film, “The Lion King,” and now more than ever, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is alive with the magic of its story and characters.

Each day, Discovery Island jams to the Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party, a wild celebration where young adventurers can let out their inner animals on the dance floor. The party hosts engage everyone in entertaining dances and games inspired by “The Lion King” and some of the animals they’ve encountered in their travels.

A group of wildly talented musicians and a DJ provide the perfect soundtrack to the Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party, featuring animal-inspired popular songs and tunes from “The Lion King,” all performed in a World Beat style. Timon, Rafiki and their Disney animal pals Baloo, Koda, Meeko and Terk stop by, too, living their best “Hakuna Matata” life!

Be sure to tell your Clients to look for fun photo spots, including a three-dimensional scene that looks as though it leapt right out of the film. And starting this summer, the Tree of Life will awaken in the evenings with a new story, depicting moments from Simba’s journey in a beautiful artistic style, set to evocative music inspired by the score of “The Lion King.”

Encourage your Clients to come join the celebration at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, now through Sept. 30, 2019.

The popular Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival returns to the Disneyland ResortMarch 1 to April 23, 2019, with flavors and fare inspired by the Golden State. Guests of all ages will discover the beauty and celebrate the bounty of California with unforgettable cuisine, beverages and entertainment at this culinary festival in Disney California Adventure Park. With experiences happening daily during the limited-time event,* guests will always find something tasty to try and fun to do as they explore the uniquely Disney festival.

The Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival features tempting items for the whole family to enjoy, including unique food and beverage offerings at 14 different Festival Marketplaces. Each location’s menu is inspired by fresh, California-grown ingredients. Guests will also discover locally brewed craft beers, wine and spirits from all across the region. Guests may choose to purchase the Sip and Savor Pass** to get the best value as they taste their way through the Festival Marketplaces and participating locations.

 New sights, sounds and flavors of spring will envelop Walt Disney World Resort guests beginning March 6 when the 26^th 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.
• Spike’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.

Among 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 willfly 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. Dining packages are now booking at FreshEpcot.com or by calling (407) WDW-DINE.

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 Touralso 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 open January 2019. 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.

For more information about the 26^th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, call (407) W-DISNEY. As the festival nears, more details will be available at FreshEpcot.com. The festival, including all gardens and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.