Archive for Walt Disney World

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Brings the Joy of the Holidays to Magic Kingdom

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and dozens of their other Disney pals help ring in the festive spirit of the holiday season during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom.

On select nights from Nov. 7 – Dec. 19, guests with tickets to this special, after-hours event can enjoy an evening filled with all the magic and wintry wonderment of the season, complete with complimentary hot cocoa and cookies, snow flurries falling on Main Street, U.S.A., as well as a jolly parade and breathtaking fireworks show.

New this year, Queen Elsa from “Frozen” uses her incredible powers to transform Cinderella Castle into a glistening ice palace for the holidays in the “Castle Dream Lights Celebration” and “A Frozen Holiday Wish” stage show. The castle, draped in 200,000 shimmering white lights, will be transformed nightly by Elsa with Anna, Kristoff and Olaf cheering her on.

Twice during party nights, guests can enjoy “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” and watch as more than 160 performers, 12 floats and catchy Christmas music light up the streets of the Magic Kingdom. New to the parade in 2014, Ralph and Vanellope from “Wreck-It Ralph,” and a processional featuring Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, along with their pals Olaf and Kristoff, join in the frosty festivities.

Festive floats, toy soldiers, gingerbread men, skiers and ice skaters bring the sights, sounds and even the smells of the holidays to life at 8:30 and 10:30 each night of the party.

Sweet aromas of peppermint and gingerbread leap out of the kitchen and onto Main Street, U.S.A. from Goofy’s Candy Company and the Bake Shoppe floats, while the scents of fresh-cut evergreens and pine trees wafts from the Christmas Tree and the Ski Shoppe float.

Jolly Disney characters come together in two live entertainment shows, both sure to please guests of all ages. Mickey Mouse gives Minnie Mouse a gift, and Goofy, Donald and others come together to perform their own version of The Nutcracker in the “Celebrate the Season Show” on the Cinderella Castle stage. Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski and Stitch fight holiday gloom and attempt to track down Santa Claus across the galaxy in the “Totally Tomorrowland Christmas” show. This jubilant show held in Tomorrowland is chock full of the season’s coolest dance numbers.

Guests can hoot and holler with the Country Bears, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar and Clara Cluck, at the “Holiday Hootenanny!” held inside the Diamond Horseshoe in Frontierland. Over in Tomorrowland at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, Club Tinsel welcomes Christmas vacation with brothers Phineas and Ferb, who are hosting a holiday dance party of their own.

To check open party dates, ticket prices, or to purchase tickets for this special holiday party, guests may purchase tickets online at disneyworld.com or by calling 407/WDW-7679.

Day guests will get to experience “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” as the parade is presented in place of Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade from Dec. 20-31.

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Holiday Activities at Downtown Disney at Disneyland Resort

In the Downtown Disney District, guests may take a break from their holiday shopping and dining to go skating on “Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink.” The rink opens for 60-minute skating sessions from 3 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 3 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This year, the Downtown Disney Winter Village around Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink is bigger than ever, offering shoppers holiday gift items such as “Frozen” plush toys, holiday crystal from Arribas Brothers, art works, clothing and accessories, all sold from the windows of the charming village houses. Hot chocolate from Ghirardelli along with coffee, sweets and baked goods from La Brea Bakery are also available at the Downtown Disney Winter Village.

The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort join in the holiday festivities with twinkling lights and ornaments, special entertainment and holiday dining with themed menus. The six-foot-high gingerbread house in the spacious lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is large enough for hot chocolate to be sold from its window. Guests also will enjoy new and favorite menu items at Napa Rose in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and at Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel, which recently debuted a seasonal Chef’s Tasting Menu.

One of the many benefits of staying at one of the hotels of the Disneyland Resort is Extra Magic Hour,* an early admission option available to registered hotel guests every day of their  hotel stay. Extra Magic Hour offers admission prior to park opening to select attractions, stores, entertainment and dining locations in Disneyland Park (currently Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) and Disney California Adventure Park, including Cars Land (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). Extra Magic Hour is only available for guests who book and stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel, and each registered hotel guest (ages 3 and older) must have a valid theme park ticket and active hotel room key card.*

Guests wishing to stay in one of the Disneyland Resort hotels will enjoy a special hotel offer** during the holiday season. When guests book through Nov. 19, they may save up to 20 percent on premium rooms Sunday through Thursday nights through Dec. 18, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.**  Weekend discounts are not available and discounts are not available Nov. 13 through 16, and Nov. 21 through Dec. 13. To book, call 714-520-6425 or visit www.disneyland.com/offers. 

For more details about Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, visit www.disneyland.com/holidays.

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Fresh Flavors, Gardens, Music and Fun on Tap March 4-May 17, 2015 at 22nd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Spring 2015 will bloom with a fresh take on lush gardens, inspired flavors and lively entertainment during the 75-day Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 4-May 17 at Walt Disney World Resort. New Disney character topiaries, including a nod to the blockbuster animated film, “Frozen,” will offer colorful selfie and family photo ops. Outdoor Kitchens will serve a fresh take on sweet and savory noshes. And guests can get “hands-on” with festival fun during Disney-led gardening seminars.

  • “Frozen” will melt hearts in the park’s World Showcase: Disney’s first Anna and Elsa topiaries will appear in a scene from the Oscar-winning film’s finale. Other brand-new Disney character topiaries will be Chip and Dale taking a star turn in two whimsical front-entrance “Goofy About Spring” floral vignettes. Topiary Goofy and friends will be in on the fun.
  • Fresh new menu items will debut at the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens where, for the third festival year running, guests can taste garden- and spring-inspired tapas-sized food and beverages and have their complimentary Garden Passports stamped as they stroll the World Showcase promenade.
  • A Southwest desert garden will premiere as a thriving ecosystem.
  • Ten new mini-gardens will surprise guests around every corner. Guests will discover a new “health garden,” a pepper garden, a dinosaur-plant garden and a Shakespeare garden, among others, each designed with a storytelling element.
  • Guests can discover the story of the Monarch butterfly’s epic journey across the continent and see butterflies emerge from their chrysalises at Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House.
  • A weekend concert series will rock audiences every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Performers will include Gin Blossoms, Pablo Cruise, Village People and a lineup of top bands representing four decades of pop music.
  • Disney gardeners will lead weekend how-to Gardening Seminars at the Festival Center, where guests also can pick up signature festival merchandise.
  • When the sun sets, illuminated topiary and play gardens will glow brightly for an after-dark festival experience.

“This is one of our most ambitious festivals ever,” says Eric Darden, festival horticulture manager. “We’re telling stories we’ve never told before. You’ll get a fresh taste of spring — it’ll be like the first spring farmer’s market for America.”

As park guests nibble on inspired Outdoor Kitchen goodies, they can wander among multiple themed gardens and children’s play areas. Nearly 100 expertly crafted topiary characters, including Snow White, Bambi, Mickey Mouse, Simba and Peter Pan, will animate the landscape when Epcot transforms to a vibrant wonderland of sweeping garden beds and exhibits.

The “Frozen” topiary vignette at World Showcase Plaza will pop with color as Anna’s and Elsa’s icy world, illustrated with white and silver blooms of delphinium, alyssum and other floral varieties, transforms to a brilliant spring palette featuring Gerbera daisies, petunias, Sweet William and other flora.

A Health Garden near The Land pavilion in Future World will display ancient medicinal plants including garlic, aloe, chamomile, fennel, mint and others. Plants used to develop modern prescriptions will be papaya, periwinkle, turmeric, yew, thyme and valerian. And the new Shakespeare Garden at the United Kingdom pavilion will feature roses to represent Romeo and Juliet: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Also in the garden: rosemary from Hamlet, lavender from The Winter’s Tale, plus representations featuring poppy, lily, honeysuckle and willow.

Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House will return with hundreds of winged beauties fluttering above and lighting upon their favorite nectar-producing plants. Dozens of Disney-crafted “flower towers” and beds of multi-colored blooms will add to the floral splendor of the park’s landscape.  At least 70,000 bedding plants will surround the Future World east and west lakes alone; on the water, 220 mini-gardens will be set afloat.

Several special weekend happenings will include Art in the Garden Weekend (March 27-29); Florida Fresh Weekend (April 24-26); and Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Weekend (May 8-10).

For more information about the 22nd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639).  As the festival nears, more details will be available at epcotinspring.com. The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.

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Video – Walt Disney World Resort Transforms Main Street For The Holidays

Walt Disney World cast members recently decorated Magic Kingdom Park with holiday decor – just in time for the park’s 1st Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the season!

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Celebrate the Holiday Season at Downtown Disney Marketplace

The holidays are always a magical time at the Walt Disney World® Resort. And Downtown Disney® Marketplace is no exception. From holiday shopping to unique dining experiences, there’s something for everyone. With over 70 venues, the opportunity to meet Santa during Festival of the Seasons (Nov. 14-Dec. 30, 2014), as well as new “uniquely handcrafted” holiday décor, Downtown Disney is a must-do during this festive time of year!

Here are a few tips for guests to keep in mind when visiting Downtown Disney during the holiday season:

  • Arrive earlier in the day for a more leisurely shopping experience.
  • Guests staying at select Disney Resort hotels, should take the complimentary Disney transportation, as parking may be limited.
  • Guests should follow the signs to available parking, which may be located in adjacent lots across the street.
  • Guests should allow extra travel time for reservations or showtimes; we suggest 60 minutes in advance.
  • When driving via I-4, guests should take exit 67 for the most efficient route to Downtown Disney.

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A Feast of Disney Tastes Featured on Thanksgiving Day

Walt Disney World Resort guests can indulge in a fresh take on an American tradition by enjoying their Thanksgiving feast Nov. 27 with a bounty of Disney tastes. With more than 30 different dining choices at the theme parks and resorts, families and friends can gather around a variety of Thanksgiving lunch and dinner offerings.

Special holiday menus include roasted turkey breast with all the trimmings plus traditional Norwegian meatballs and pan-seared salmon at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, poppy seed lavash, house-made naan, and apple-cranberry achar at Sanaa, roasted heirloom beets with candied walnuts and mulled apple cider at Artist Point, and other unique dishes to enjoy with the holiday classics.

At Epcot, guests can dine on Thanksgiving menus during lunch and dinner seatings at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, Biergarten Restaurant, Coral Reef Restaurant, Le Cellier Steakhouse, and Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room, as well as quick service at Sunshine Seasons.

Holiday menus also are offered at Be Our Guest Restaurant and Tony’s Town Square Restaurant in Magic Kingdom, Hollywood & Vine and The Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and in resort hotels throughout Walt Disney World Resort.

Availability is limited and dining events are subject to change. For information and reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE.

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Video – Seven Dwarfs ride at Disney’s Magic Kingdom catches fire

Firefighters have extinguished a fire at the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride at the Magic Kingdom park, Saturday night.

Full Story & Video

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“A Frozen Holiday Wish” at Walt Disney World Resort

This holiday season, your Clients can enjoy the magical wonder of winter with “A Frozen Holiday Wish,” an all-new show coming to the Castle Forecourt Stage at Magic Kingdom® Park.

“A Frozen Holiday Wish” features Anna and Elsa, and includes appearances by rugged mountain man Kristoff and loveable snowman Olaf. This festive show culminates as Queen Elsa uses her powers to transform Cinderella Castle into a glimmering ice palace for the holidays.

“A Frozen Holiday Wish” will be performed nightly Nov. 7-Dec. 31, 2014.

Frozen-holiday-walt-disney-world

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Exciting enhancements coming to Disney PhotoPass Service

All Guests wearing active MagicBands will now have their attraction photos automatically associated to their My Disney Experience accounts. All unexpired photos are visible, so attraction photos taken within the previous 45 days will be included.

In addition, Guests without MagicBands can now associate attraction photos with RF-enabled media (e.g., park ticket, Memory Maker card) via new touch points at the photo preview walls. This functionality is currently available at:

  • Magic Kingdom® Park (Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin®, Space Mountain®, Splash Mountain®)
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios® (Rock ‘n Roller Coaster® Staring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™)

Implementation is scheduled to be complete at Epcot® (Test Track® Presented by Chevrolet) and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park (Dinosaur and Expedition Everest®) by mid-November.

Guests can also now see videos in their accounts that previously only Memory Maker Guests could access. All Guests wearing active MagicBands will have attraction videos automatically associated to their accounts. Attraction videos are currently available for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

And, all Guests are eligible to have animated magic shots automatically associated to their accounts. Animated magic shots are special videos that appear in the Guest’s account after having their photo taken by a Disney PhotoPass photographer in select locations (locations and content subject to change). They feature a still photo of the travel party overlaid with a video appearance by an animated character.

All unexpired videos will be visible. Therefore, attraction videos and animated magic shots taken within the previous 45 days are included. All Guests are able to view their videos via their My Disney Experience account, but a Memory Maker entitlement is required to download them.

The Twilight Zone® is a registered trademark of CBS, Inc. and used with permission pursuant to a license with CBS, Inc.

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Experience “Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It!” Street Party at Walt Disney World Resort

“Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It!” – a new version of the popular Magic Kingdom® street party – showcases new music, characters and ways for your Clients to become part of the show.

The fun starts as giant gift boxes make their way down Main Street U.S.A. towards the front of Cinderella Castle. Then, the party begins! Your Clients can take to the street and join Mickey Mouse and friends as the celebration erupts. Plus, they can capture all the fun with their cameras, and use the tag #MoveitShakeitPics on their posts to keep the party going online!

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