WDW Daily News

The clock may be ticking for the 2019 Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival, but there’s still time to sip, taste and eat to the beat of some NEW jammin’ bands plus enjoy culinary experiences!  

You can sip along with the experts at a Beverage Seminar or enjoy Sunday Brunch with the Chef. They can dig in for a Culinary Demo or learn how to Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! at one of several events still available for booking during this year’s longest-ever foodie extravaganza. And remember – there are four NEW Eat to the Beat acts set to rock the America Gardens Theatre stage during the concert series’ final week – we know your Clients won’t want to miss them!

• Nov. 15-16 – BBMak “Back Here”
• Nov. 17-18 – Spanish Harlem Orchestra “Un Gran Dia en el Barrio”
• Nov. 19 – The concert series will wrap on a high note with DCappella, Disney Music Group’s a cappella singing sensation. Your Clients will definitely want to sing along!

If you want to guarantee your seats ahead of a concert, book an Eat to the Beat Dining Package(breakfast, lunch or dinner) at a participating Epcot restaurant. Don’t forget you can take the music home with you from the Eat to the Beat Concert Series available on the Epcot Festivals playlist on Apple Music^*.  

In addition to the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, there are a handful of Festival culinary events still available to book and experience:

• Oct. 31 – No need for tricks to get a Halloween treat at the “Venison & Wine” Food & Beverage Pairing! This event features Nick Martin from our own Epcot Garden Grill Restaurant and David Crane from Jarvis Estates, Napa, Calif.
• Nov. 17 – Sunday Brunch with the Chef with Food Network cooking star Aarti Sequeira will help you start your day in the most delicious way. You can enjoy a sparkling wine toast and her gourmet approach to a flavor-filled breakfast buffet.
• Nov. 21 – Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! A lively interactive culinary workshop called “Kawaii Kyaraben: Cute Enough to Eat,” will feature a step-by-step walk-through with bento artist OMGiri as guests create their own edible featuring a Japanese-inspired onigiri (rice ball) shaped like a Disney-inspired character!
• Nov. 21 – Guests can get their sparkle on at a Beverage Seminar with Brenton Blanchard of Chapel Down Winery, England, who will showcase tastings of sparkling wines.
• Nov. 22 – Guests can join a Culinary Demonstration with cookbook author and festival host Pam Smith, who will present a fish dish they  won’t want to miss!
• Nov. 22 – You can enjoy the Golden State’s finest at a Beverage Seminar with California presenter Butch Hoth of St. Francis Winery, Santa Rosa, featuring wines from the Sonoma County region.

The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival runs through Nov. 23, 2019. Reservations for special programming and premium festival events including Eat to the Beat Dining Packages can be made by calling (407) WDW-FEST.  

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Guests loved Disney Villains After Hours so much that next year it is coming back to Magic Kingdom® Park with more nights and more wicked fun for all!

In 2020, the event will take place on 24 select nights Feb. 7 through July 10! Yes, that’s 14 additional nights!  

Disney Villains After Hours is bringing back the villain-themed elements Guests loved:  

• “Villains Unite the Night” stage show. Hades and Meg from “Hercules” will set the castle stage ablaze in this exciting and villainous show which also features appearances by Jafar, The Queen, Dr. Facilier and Maleficent.
• Maleficent the Dragon, with her Steampunk style and signature wicked grin, will be let loose at night – breathing fire as she creeps through the park as a one-of-a-kind experience for party Guests.
• Dance party at Cinderella Castle Forecourt stage, where a party DJ will be spinning some sick beats, transforming the entire Central Plaza of the park into a killer club scene.
• Surprising, villain-inspired additions to Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain.
• A variety of wickedly good specialty food & beverage offerings will be available for purchase, including tasty desserts, drinks and dishes inspired by favorite villainous friends.
• Event attendees can purchase exclusive merchandise, as well as items from a curated collection of the best Disney Villains merchandise available.
• Low wait times at more than 25 attractions and experiences after the park closes to day Guests.

Tickets for Disney Villains After Hours go on sale today! You can purchase tickets in advance for $145 plus tax or $155 plus tax on the event night.

Event tickets allow entry as early as 7 p.m., which gives you time to enjoy fireworks before heading off to the attractions. Select complimentary snacks and beverages are also included in the cost of admission. 

And don’t forget, guests can show off their sinister side by dressing in attire inspired by their favorite baddie and sharing your experience using #VillainsAfterHours.

As a reminder, this event does not include character greetings with the Villains.

Two highly anticipated events are once again returning to the Disneyland® Resort in early 2020: Lunar New Year and Disney California Adventure® Food & Wine Festival! And today we’re excited to share a few details!

Lunar New Year

You can welcome another year of good fortune with 24 days of Lunar New Year celebrations at Disney California Adventure Park, Jan. 17 to Feb. 9. This year we are celebrating the Year of the Mouse with multicultural performances, fun-filled activities, beautiful décor, delicious cuisine and specialty merchandise.

Lunar New Year is a joyous celebration for all ages to commemorate traditions of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures, along with favorite Disney characters. One of the highlights is “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession,” a bright and bold performance hosted by Mulan and her faithful dragon, Mushu. 

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival

You can taste their way through California-inspired bites, wine and beer at Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, Feb. 28 to April. 21, 2020. They will also have the opportunity to enjoy live entertainment, culinary seminars and demonstrations with a distinctly Disney twist perfectly crafted for foodies. 

The popular culinary festival will feature more than a dozen mouthwatering Festival Marketplaces, featuring small plates, specialty wines and craft beers. Foodies will also appreciate the Sip and Savor Pass, which will be available for all Guests looking to try a variety of dishes. In addition, a new line of event merchandise will be offered—from festival-themed headwear and apparel, to kitchen gadgets and decor. Kids can even join in on the fun with hands-on “cooking” experiences with Chef Goofy!

Hundreds of new plant-based dishes have landed on menus at Walt Disney World® Resort! 

Just last month, we shared that all of our major quick and table service restaurants would be dishing up delectable new options at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland® Resort – accompanied by a new plant-based menu icon, a green leaf. Now, we’re excited to introduce more of these tasty offerings, including some delicious new choices.

Each one is made from plant-based ingredients like vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes – and without animal meat, dairy, eggs or honey. From sweet treats to three-course meals, and everything in between, there are more than 400 craveable creations to choose from.

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World® Resort? Be sure to check out the brand-new Guide to Plant-Based Dining on the resort’s website to learn where these dishes – and many more! – can be found during their visit.

Guests don’t have to journey to an enchanted forest to try these new treats celebrating the premiere of Disney’s highly-anticipated animated film, “Frozen 2.” All they have to do is visit Walt Disney World® Resort, where they’ll find a variety of yummy sweets across property.  While some items are coming soon, others are available now. Guests won’t want to miss these. And don’t forget,  “Frozen 2” hits theaters Nov. 22, 2019. 

Magic Kingdom® Park (available starting Nov. 8)

• Olaf’s Frozen Hot Chocolate Cake (Main Street Bakery, available all day) – gluten-friendly chocolate cake layered with chocolate crispy pearls, chocolate panna cotta, and marshmallow fluff
• Sven’s Carrot Cake (Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café, Exclusive to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) – carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting, sugar carrots, and a chocolate piece

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon® Water Park, Leaning Palms

• Elsa’s Frozen Wave – cotton candy vanilla milkshake with whipped cream, fall and winter sprinkles, and a white chocolate coin 

If you are looking for a way to celebrate and honor the Day of the Dead, el Día de los Muertos, head to Epcot® where Mariachi Cobre Presents the Story of “Coco” will return Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2019.

The beloved story of Disney Pixar’s “Coco” comes to life in this amazing show where Mariachi Cobre, joined by Folklórico dancers, tell the story of Miguel through vibrant dance and song at the Mexico pavilion at Epcot.

The show honors the movie’s theme, which celebrates the tradition of remembering friends and family members who are no longer with us, and helping support their spiritual journey.

This joyous celebration will be performed four times a day from Thursday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 2 at the Mexico pavilion in World Showcase. 

To kick off the week, we’re celebrating an exciting milestone for Disney Skyliner at the Walt Disney World® Resort – 1 million guests magically transported! 

Since opening just weeks ago, this popular state-of-the-art transportation system has offered a convenient way to get around the Walt Disney World Resort with an extra dash of pixie dust.  The beautiful Disney Skyliner gondolas glide across the sky providing amazing bird’s-eye views of the property.  

The gondolas have already become a popular way to travel to resort locations.  Disney Skyliner connects Epcot® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® to four Disney resort hotels: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (and the forthcoming Disney’s Riviera Resort,  set to open Dec. 16, 2019).

Plus, the Disney Skyliner station at International Gateway at Epcot is conveniently located just a short walk away from Disney’s BoardWalk entertainment district, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. 

We’re proud to celebrate this exciting milestone for Disney Skyliner and look forward to offering the best transportation experiences to many, many more Walt Disney World Resort Guests in the future.    

If you’re as excited about the new Disney+ streaming service as we are, chances are you’ve probably got your list of favorite movies and series already picked out. Films like Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit are all well and good, but what about some of the unsung heroes of the Disney library?

Full Story

Ways abound to simply save money at Walt Disney World, but what if you could actually level up your trip for basically no extra cost?

Full Story

“Avenger” fans assemble! Guests of all ages can now build and buy their own Super Hero gauntlet at Super Hero Headquarters at Disney Springs®.

Here’s how it works: Stark Industries has created a selection of gauntlet modules inspired by Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man and Spider-Man. You can choose four modules to add together to create their own unique gauntlet inspired by their favorite hero – or mix together modules that represent multiple heroes. The modules they choose determine the voice, sound effects and the color of light of the gauntlet. Guests can even add an optional launcher that shoots button activated projectiles.

Check out the video below, in which a few brave fans test out the process!