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Extended B-Roll – Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival | Walt Disney World News

http://wdwnews.com/videos/2018/03/02/epcot-international-fl . . .

B-Roll included:

• Establishing Epcot scenes
• Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto and Goofy – Front entrance topiaries
• Donald Duck with Huey, Dewey and Louie – topiaries
• Daisy Duck, Chip ‘n’ Dale – topiaries
• Buzz Lighyear – topiary
• Disney•Pixar’s Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez – topiaries
• Figment – topiary
• Floating gardens
• The Goodness Garden Butterfly House – exteriors, butterfly close-ups
• The How-to Garden
• Imagination Play Garden
• The Honey Bee-stro
• Butterfly topiaries
• The Three Caballeros – topiaries
• Mexico – Tropical Rainforest
• Norway – Anna & Elsa – topiaries
• China – Bromeliad Dragon
• China – Panda topiaries
• Germany – Snow White & Seven Dwarves – topiaries
• Germany – Alpine Containers
• Italy – Primavera Kitchen – dining
• Italy – Lady and the Tramp – topiaries
• Italy – Garden Italiano
• American Adventure – Disney•Pixar’s Woody – topiary
• France – Belle & Beast – topiaries
• The Berry Basket – dining
• Cider House – dining
• UK – Captain Hook & Peter Pan – topiaries
• UK – Tinker Bell (topiary) and Fairy Houses
• UK – English Tea Garden
• UK – Royal Tea Garden Tour
• Flowers
• Festival merchandise

It’s the 25th anniversary of the Epcot® International Flower and Garden Festival, and the park is once again overflowing with the brightest plants, flowers, trees and topiaries adorning both Future World and World Showcase.

Here are some of the top things you shouldn’t miss at the Festival:

• Gardens, Gardens and More Gardens: In addition to all the natural flora throughout the park, the Walt Disney World® horticulture squad has curated some truly breathtaking gardens for Guests to enjoy this year. New garden destinations this year include “The How-To Garden” and “The Imagination Play Garden” which are perfect for adults and kids to enjoy together. Returning favorites include “The Goodness Garden Butterfly House” and “The Water Wise Garden,” which showcase environmental responsibility as well as just being fun!
• Outdoor Kitchens: What would an Epcot Festival be without fun food and drinks? 15 Outdoor Kitchens this year grace World Showcase, with the newest being “The Honey Bee-Stro,” which features Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Purée; Honey Tandoori Chicken Flatbread with White Cheddar Cheese; and Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake with Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses. These dishes were created to showcase multiple honey varietals in creative and exciting ways. Returning Outdoor Kitchen favorites include “The Berry Basket” (featuring a lamb chop with quinoa salad and blackberry gastrique) and “THE SMOKEHOUSE: Barbecue and Brew” (featuring a pulled-pork slider and warm chocolate cake with Bourbon-salted caramel sauce and spiced pecans). YUM!
• Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration: One of the beloved characters from Disney animated short cartoons, Spike the honeybee, has been “pollen-nating” throughout the Festival. In this springtime scavenger hunt, gardeners of all ages can follow Spike on his pollination trail around World Showcase, where he will “bee” busy collecting nectar and pollinating gardens at Epcot. To get started, your Clients can purchase their map and stickers at Port of Entry. Available while supplies last.
• Garden Rocks Concert Series: Each Friday through Monday of the Festival (what we like to call a “Disney Weekend”), favorite artists from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s will rock out at the America Gardens Theatre. Rick Springfield, Survivor and Lonestar are just some of the popular rock and rollers in the lineup. Each night, there will be three performances – 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. – and guests can pair a wonderful meal at several of our Epcot restaurants with reserved concert seating in a nice package. Visit Disneyworld.com/dine or call 407-WDW-DINE to book today!
• Character Topiaries: Locations throughout the park feature some of the most beloved Disney and Disney•Pixar characters including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lady and The Tramp and Buzz Lightyear.
• Merchandise: Guests will find a wealth of hats, T-shirts, mugs and other fun Festival merchandise throughout Future World and World Showcase.
• Tours: One of the great ways to get the “inside track” on the Festival or the latest in gardening techniques is to take one of the tours offered during the Festival. There are tours of The Land pavilion greenhouses and the “Gardens of the World – Spring Edition.” There is also the daily Royal Tea Garden Tour at the United Kingdom pavilion that includes a tea tasting. Call 407-WDW-TOUR for more information.

Each year, Epcot hosts four different festivals that incorporate outstanding food and beverage offerings, world-class entertainment, fun family activities, exclusive merchandise and more.

Here’s a roundup of 2018 festivals and their culinary features:

Epcot International Festival of the Arts (Jan. 12-Feb. 19, 2018)

13 Food Studios located around the World Showcase Promenade, including five new Food Studios for 2018, feature artfully created food and beverage offerings

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (Feb. 28-May 28, 2018)

15 Outdoor Kitchens located around the World Showcase Promenade include raised-bed or in-ground gardens featuring produce and herbs used as ingredients in the Outdoor Kitchen food and beverage offerings

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (Fall 2018)

30-plus Global Marketplaces located in Future World and around the World Showcase Promenade celebrate cuisine from around the world.  Specialty dining events at Walt Disney World restaurants offer a variety of dining and tasting experiences during the festival

Epcot International Festival of the Holidays (November-December)

15 Holiday Kitchens that celebrate joyful holiday traditions with delicious savory and sweet offerings

On Jan. 12, the 2^nd Epcot International Festival of the Arts opened to guests with daily celebrations of art in many forms including visual, culinary and the performance arts. Guests can have their art and eat it, too, at 13 Food Studios surrounding the World Showcase Lagoon. They can view art by the masters and express themselves at multiple interactive art workshops, then see stunning performances of strength acts, Living Statues and other live entertainment.

And every Friday through Monday, guests can share the America Gardens Theatre with Broadway stars who’ll belt out tunes from beloved shows like “The Lion King,” “Tarzan” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Here’s what they’re saying about this year’s expanded Epcot International Festival of the Arts:

Epcot Leaders:

• Epcot Vice President Melissa Valiquette: “The Festival of the Arts has become a passion project for our team, and we hope our guests will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it. It’s bigger, brighter and better than ever!”

 

• Epcot General Manager Dave Kesting: “This year is all about more – more days, more artists more food . . . . There’s so much for everybody this year; it’s a festival for guests of all ages.”

Disney on Broadway Concert Series at America Gardens Theatre:

• Marsha Jackson-Randolph, Disney Entertainment, on the Disney on Broadway Concert Series: “You are seeing world-class artists, and there is something so enchanting about the intimacy of this particular theater.
  • “You feel the power of storytelling through music. This year, there really is something for everyone on the America Gardens Theatre stage alone!”

 

• Broadway singer-actor Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”) – who performed Jan. 12-15 and returns Jan. 19-22: “These audiences are ready for this! They’ve been in the park all day . . . so they’re ready to sit down and just enjoy the good old songs that they know and some new songs; yeah, they are going to have a great time!”

 

• Broadway singer-actor Jennifer Gambatese (“Tarzan”) – who performed Jan. 12-15, about the Disney on Broadway concert experience: “I would describe it as 28 minutes of pure delight! It’s just a nice little sort of half-hour journey through a few of the shows in the Disney on Broadway catalogue, and they are sort of snippets from each show, a couple of big rousing anthems . . . . It’s quite a treat to get to revisit the Tarzan material with my buddy, Kevin!”

Festival Culinary Team

• Epcot Culinary Director Gregg Hannon: “For this festival, we have redesigned our presentations to make them more picturesque, more sophisticated, so that when you get your dish, it will be something that you would want to take a picture of, like a piece of art.

 

• Rick DeCicco, Epcot Proprietor of Festivals and Events, who oversees festival beverages: “Rosé wines are very, very popular right now, and we have great offerings like the Pinord La Dama Reserva Familiar Brut Rosé. Actor-celebrity Drew Barrymore is quite engaged as a winemaker, and we’re featuring her Carmel Road Drew’s Blend Pinot Noir.
  • “Guests love our frozen drinks, and The Deconstructed Breakfast garnished with candied bacon and a waffle crisp is a stunningly beautiful drink to look at, and it’s highly Instagramable! There’s a family-friendly non-alcoholic version, and the adult libation is made with maple bourbon cream liqueur.”

Festival Merchandise Team

• David Whitaker, Disney Parks Senior Merchandiser for Art & Collectibles: “We have pulled all our creative resources together for something that is unique to Disney. This is something we can own, and a lot of artists this year have added art with international flavor – representations of scenes around the world. We have 141 artist signings scheduled, music, painting – this is a festival on steroids.”

At D23 Expo Japan, we shared a first look at Epcot’s highly-anticipated “Guardians of the Galaxy”-themed attraction –and yes, it’s a roller coaster!

With the “Guardians of the Galaxy”-inspired coaster, we’re going big. This one-of-a-kind family attraction will be one of the world’s longest enclosed roller coasters when it’s added to Future World at Epcot®. It’ll feature a unique story currently being created by Walt Disney Imagineering and include a new innovative ride system that’s guaranteed to “wow” Guests.

The “Guardians of the Galaxy”-inspired coaster is part of the ongoing work to transform Epcot into a place that’s more family, more relevant, more timeless and more Disney. “As we build upon its core mission of optimism and hope to inspire the world, the real will become fantastic and the fantastic will become real—in whole new ways at Epcot,” Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, said.

Among everything to see and do around the World Showcase Lagoon at Epcot®, a Guest-favorite that has been there since day one is The American Adventure attraction. This marvel of engineering brings together a moving stage, 35 Audio-Animatronics figures and a giant screen that together shares the story of the United States of America.

Right now, the team at Epcot is busy converting the attraction to an all-digital projection system, and installing a new screen and new speakers so the show will look and sound better than ever before when it reopens later this month.

In addition to the update from film to digital, the show’s finale will return with some notable faces from America’s recent history. Newly-added American icons include individuals such as music composer John Williams, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and noted ballerina Misty Copeland.

And that’s not all: the iconic anthem “Golden Dream” has been re-recorded with all-new orchestration that brings the beloved music and lyrics to life in a way that will resonate more than ever.

Get ready for SPRING to arrive at Epcot when the 2018 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival kicks off on February 28th!

Full Story

The popular Egg-stravaganza scavenger hunt is coming back to the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival. Today we’re sharing first details on this springtime egg-sperience as well as an ALL-NEW Spike the Honey Bee scavenger hunt.

Back by popular demand, the Epcot® International  Festival of the Arts starts on Jan. 12, 2018 and runs all the way to Feb. 19, 2018. This year’s fest is seven days per week with the Disney on Broadway series running Fridays through Mondays.

Here are some of the highlights guests can enjoy!

5. Workshops/Seminars – A plethora of different offerings spotlight this year’s Odyssey Festival Center. Guests can learn to draw Disney animated characters; get tips on taking the perfect photos; and study a host of artistic genres including acrylics, watercolors, musical composition, storytelling and even floral arranging. The seminars are included with Epcot admission and are generally 30 minutes; and the workshops have a nominal fee but last 75 minutes and include hands-on training and a cool take-away. Seminars can be reserved day-of at the Odyssey Festival Center. Workshops can be booked in advance by calling (407) WDW-TOUR.

4. Kids’ Activities – Younger Guests will discover lots of activities including “Figment’s Brush with the Masters,” a scavenger hunt through the countries of World Showcase. They can also grab a paintbrush and join in on the fun as they help create a wall mural at Expression Section in World Showcase Plaza; and there is even an interactive kids “chalk art” area this year.

3. Artful Photo Ops –Guests can put themselves into classic masterworks of art and take the perfect selfie. This year’s newest photo ops allow guests to step into Boticelli’s “Birth of Venus” and “picture” themselves in an homage to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

2. Food Studios – With more culinary options this year, guests can find edible works of art including a basil- scented salmon roulade with purple rice and Romesco sauce; wild mushroom risotto with aged parmesan, truffle shavings and Zinfandel reduction; and a deconstructed Reuben sandwich, with shredded corned beef, Thousand Island dressing, pickled red cabbage and a rye curl. And the sweets are just as tempting with my favorite being the Pop’t Art cookie with strawberry filling.

1. Disney on Broadway Series – Guests can expand their theatrical horizons with show-stopping songs from award-winning Disney on Broadway musicals. One of the best ways to experience Disney on Broadway is through a dining package. Book a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner for your Clients and they can enjoy priority seating at the show. Reservations are available through 407-WDW-DINE or 407-939-3463.

*Disney on Broadway Dining Packages are available for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner and include a 3-course meal or full buffet, depending on the location.

Expanding on its 2017 debut, the 2018 Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World Resort will present a daily, multifaceted celebration of art in many forms from Jan. 12-Feb. 19. Five new Food Studios will debut at the festival, giving park guests an expanded selection of creative and delicious new tastes to savor at a total of 13 Food Studios around the World Showcase promenade.

The 2018 festival, growing from last year’s long-weekend event schedule, will expand to seven days a week, with the popular Disney on Broadway Concert Series returning Fridays through Mondays. Also back by popular demand will be the festival’s artful cuisine, exhibits, seminars, workshops, performance art and interactive fun ranging from innovative photo ops and hands-on mural painting to drawing and food-styling classes.

As Epcot guests explore the world of talent surrounding them, they also can tempt their palates with culinary work-of-art creations at the festival’s Food Studios. Enticing tastes at stops around the World Showcase promenade will include photo-worthy fan favorites like pan-seared scallops with chorizo and roasted red pepper coulis at The Artist’s Table; wild mushroom risotto from Masterpiece Kitchen; a trio of savory doughnuts from The Painter’s Palate; plus decadent dessert delights and beverage standouts like the Pomegranate Mule featuring Van Gogh Vodka.

New Studios this year will be located at the following areas: France (“L’Art de la Cuisine Française” or “The Art of French Cooking”), Morocco (“Mosaic Canteen”), Japan (“Takumi Table”), Italy (“L’Arte di Mangiare” or “The Art of Eating”) and China (“The Painted Panda”).  A complete list of Food Studios and menus are at The Culinary Arts: Food Studios.

Daily events will include complimentary seminars at the Odyssey Festival Showplace such as “Trailblazing Ladies of Disney Animation,” and interactive workshops ($39) like “Sculpting a Mixed Media Action Figure.”

Each Friday through Monday, the hottest show at Epcot – Disney on Broadway Concert Series – will showcase the stellar talents of performers from award-winning Disney on Broadway musicals. Here’s the lineup:

• January 12-15 and 19-22: Jenn Gambatese (NEW!) and Kevin Massey Jan. 12-15; Kara Lindsay (NEW!) and Kevin Massey Jan. 19-22, who will perform songs from “Tarzan,” “Aladdin,” “Newsies” and “Frozen.”
• January 26-29 and February 2-5: Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White will perform songs from “Tarzan,” “The Lion King,” “Aida,” “Aladdin” and “The Little Mermaid.”
• February 9-12 and 16-19: Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland will perform songs from “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Tarzan,” “Mary Poppins,” “Newsies” and “Frozen.”

All Disney on Broadway shows are included in theme park admission and will take place Fridays through Mondays at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. Broadway fans can book dining packages that include guaranteed seating for one of the three evening shows.

Throughout the festival, guests can get their art on by:

• Joining in the fun of “Figment’s Brush with the Masters” Scavenger Hunt
• Popping into the frame of a masterpiece for a cleverly artful photo op (think DaVinci’s “Mona Lisa,” Leutze’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware” or new this year, Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”!)
• Watching new gravity-defying feats of strength and acrobatics featured among the festival’s scheduled performing arts
• Discovering authentic cultural artifacts along the World Showcase Art Walk – look for the Art Palette near each highlighted work of art at each country represented
• Marveling at exhibits showcasing works by iconic Disney artists, the new Chalk Gallery, the American Heritage Gallery and more
• Viewing some of 50-plus visiting artists at work and taking a drawing class at the Animation Academy
• Wielding a paintbrush to put their mark on the Hands-on-Wall Mural at World Showcase Plaza

The Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Packages, available at five participating Epcot restaurants, can be booked now online at Disneyworld.com or by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-7463.

To book a seminar or workshop, guests can call (407) WDW-TOUR or visit the Odyssey Festival Showplace during the festival.