June 13, 2011
Walt Disney World Castle (c. Kay Robinson)
Effective Sunday, June 12, ticket prices have increased at Walt Disney World. The second time in under a year a price increase has occurred.
The price of a one-day ticket has risen to $85 before tax (from $82), up 3.7 percent. But that is just the start!
A five-day ticket will increase to $251 (from $237), up 9 percent. A 7 day pass has jumped 8.1% to $267. The 10-day pass has increased 11.1 percent to $291.
All this is adding an extra ‘ouch’ to your wallet this summer vacation.
February 26, 2011
(photo - Disney)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.
More blooming fun for 2011!
Epcot promises to be a spectacle for visitors to this year’s Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Thirty million blooms, half a million plants, dozens of Disney character topiaries and 1,000 butterflies add up to a wonderful world of theme park color at the 18th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, March 2-May 15 at Walt Disney World Resort.
Among this year’s fun festival facts:
- 30 million blooms blanket the park throughout the festival, which runs 75 colorful days.
- Dozens of Disney character topiaries represent the largest collection of Disney character topiary in the world and include classic film stars like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Cinderella and Tinker Bell.
- 1,000 native butterflies represent up to 10 species at the larger-than-ever Bambi Butterfly House. Among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants are Cape Royal plumbago, passion flower, coral honeysuckle, blazing star, butterfly bush, scarlet milkweed and canna lily.
- 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.
- 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 features of the festival topiaries. More color has been added to the topiaries than in any previous topiary presentation.
- More than 15 floral, herbal and spice ingredients of 8 popular perfumes are revealed in the Fragrance Garden presented by Guerlain at the France pavilion. Guests can sniff the enduring fragrance Shalimar to discover botanical notes that include lemon, Arabian jasmine and vanilla. Some components of the other Guerlain fragrances include mimosa, magnolia, rose, nutmeg and vetivergrass.
- 198 hands-on gardening demonstrations and seminars will be presented.
- Thirty “flower towers” of impatiens line Innoventions Plaza.
- 240 floating mini-gardens, each three feet in diameter, of multi-hued impatiens provide splashes of color on two ponds that border the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.
- 700 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 Flower Power concert series includes 11 artists and groups with 133 Top 40 hits, including 16 No. 1 songs. This year’s musical hit-makers from the 1960s and ’70s include Jose Feliciano, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Melissa Manchester, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone, Ricky Nelson Remembered Featuring the Nelsons, Davy Jones, Juice Newton, The Guess Who, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. and Chubby Checker & The Wildcats.
Guest information for the 18th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available at disneyworld.com/flower or at 407/W-DISNEY.
July 10, 2010
Via Napoli (Artist's renderering: Walt Disney World)
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria is scheduled to open during August 2010. Located in the Italy Pavillion at Epcot, this 300 seat restaurant expands the dining options at this multicultural part of Walt Disney World.
The Patina Restaurant Group’s CEO Nick Valenti created the authentic menu based on his travels in Southern Italy. A feature at Via Napoli is its three wood-burning ovens which are named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli.
The Walt Disney World blog gave a sneak peek at the new menu which includes
Appetizers
- Sicilian eggplant with olives and raisins
- Salad of lettuce, fagiolini (string beans), fennel and tomatoes; arancini (fried saffron risotto balls) with meat ragù, mozzarella and pomodoro sauce
- Corn-crusted fried calamari
- Minestrone with basil pesto
- A plate of arancini, mozzarella, calamari, portobella mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes).
Main course salads
- Manzo (filet of beef) with greens, red onion, gorgonzola, apple and cucumber with a red wine-mustard vinaigrette;
- Chopped salad with lemon chicken, greens, cantaloupe, cucumber, red pepper, green beans, onions, almonds and pasta crisps with honey-citrus vinaigrette;
- Calamari with arugula, carrots and fennel with orange vinaigrette.
- Pastas: candele (long, tube-shaped pasta) with sausage ragù; linguine with seafood; malfadine (ribbon pasta) with guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon) and pomodoro sauce; lasagna verde.
- Piatti alla Parmigiana: (dishes topped with Parmesan and mozzarella gratinée): veal, chicken and eggplant
Wood-fired pizzas
The pizzas will be made with caputo flour imported from Southern Italy, San Marzano tomatoes, handmade mozzarella and water from a local spring just like in Italy’s Campania region – 10-inch, 20-inch or 1/2 meter to share: a dozen choices include
- Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil
- Arciofi with artichoke, potato, pecorino cheese, prosciutto and cantaloupe.
Deserts
- Tiramisù
- Zeppole di ricotta (ricotta cheese-fried dough, whipped cream and chocolate sauce)
- Apple cake with almond sorbetti
- Gelatie
- Vanilla gelato with almond cookies and amarena cherries
Yum!
–Kay
- Providing special vacation home rentals and advice for over 5 years to families and friends wanting to make the most of their time and money while visiting Walt Disney World.
- Windsor Palms Resort Vacation Rental http://www.windsorpalmsorlando.com
- Emerald Island Resort Vacation Rental http://www.emeraldislandorlando.com
June 25, 2010
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Don’t want to miss the celebrated Party for the Senses grand-food-and-wine-tasting event? Can’t wait to attend the debut of the First Bites Opening Reception? Ladies and gentlemen, set your alarms for 7 a.m. July 20! That’s when the phone lines open to call Disney reservation specialists and book these and other events scheduled for the 15th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which presents Delicious Discoveries Oct. 1-Nov. 14 at Walt Disney World Resort.
Fans of the festival’s special programs and events can choose from among one dozen categories of special wine and culinary events scheduled during the festival’s six weeks. New programming this year includes the Sept. 30 First Bites Opening Reception festival preview, 3-D Disney’s Dessert Discovery and the Taste, Shake and Indulge Like the French Grand Marnier tasting experience. Returning events include favorites like Celebrating Family and Friends in the Kitchen, Epcot Wine Schools, Mexico Tequila Tastings and Food and Wine Pairings.
Throughout the festival, the park will present more than 25 international marketplaces where food, wine, beer and spirits lovers can sample cuisine, culture and entertainment from six continents. The new Belgium marketplace will serve Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream, and the new South Korea marketplace packs plenty of taste into its BBQ Short Ribs with Steamed Rice and Cucumber Kimchi.
At least 250 Disney and celebrity chefs will conduct culinary demonstrations and host tasting events. In addition, the Festival Welcome Center will feature Authentic Taste Seminars and Authors without Borders weekend conversations that are included with Epcot admission.
Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs. Festival details will be available at www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine before reservations open July 20.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – They span four decades of popularity. Collectively, they’ve thrilled music lovers with everything from Pop, Techno and Adult Contemporary to Southern Rock, Progressive Rock and Pop Rock. But they have one thing in common: They are seven acts playing the Eat to the Beat! concert series for the first time during the 15th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Oct. 1-Nov. 14 at Walt Disney World Resort.
Appearing for the first time on the Eat to the Beat! stage are:
- Sugar Ray (Oct. 6-8) “Fly”
- Air Supply (Oct. 11-12) “Lost in Love”
- Howard Jones (Oct. 16-17) “No One Is to Blame”
- 38 Special (Oct. 20-21) “Hold on Loosely”
- Roger Hodgson formerly of Supertramp (Nov. 4-5) “Give a Little Bit”
- Hanson (Nov. 8-9) “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’”
- Rick Springfield (Nov. 10-11) “Jessie’s Girl”
They are part of an 18-performer concert series that will bring music to Epcot each evening of the Food & Wine Festival. Concerts are included with Epcot admission.
Additional information about the Eat to the Beat! concert series will be available at www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine.
June 23, 2010
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The musical sounds of decades of summers gone by will fill July evenings at Epcot during Sounds Like Summer concert series performances featuring tribute bands that celebrate the music of Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson, U2 and Chicago.
“The key thing about tribute bands is that their intention is to reproduce, as closely as possible, the music of the artist whose work they are celebrating,” explains Senior Show Director Alan Bruun of Walt Disney World Entertainment. “It’s not an impersonation, which mimics the personality and visual aspect of a star, or a cover band that puts their own spin on a song. A tribute band goes for authenticity. Each band that performs as part of the Sounds Like Summer concert series has received written authorization from the band whose music they play.”
Performances at America Gardens Theatre are scheduled for 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. – except on July 4, when shows are scheduled for 5:15, 6:30, 7:45 and 9 p.m. They are included with Epcot admission. Here’s the schedule (entertainment is subject to change without notice):
June 27-July 3: Karin Lawson - A Tribute to Janet Jackson
July 4-10: Satisfaction - A Tribute to The Rolling Stones
July 11-17: Slippery When Wet - The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute
July 18-24: 2U - A Tribute to U2
July 25-31: Beginnings - A Tribute to Chicago
Sounds Like Summer is part of Walt Disney World “Summer Nightastic!,” which also features extra fun after the sun goes down at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
- Through Aug. 14 at Magic Kingdom, thousands of tiny lights illuminate the return of the beloved “Main Street Electrical Parade,” and the elaborate new “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular”paints the night sky more brightly than ever.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror adds new effects – and a summer-only drop sequence – to the mix for guests daring to step into the attraction’s infamous service elevator for a ride into the “fifth dimension.” And on Hollywood Boulevard, in the shadow of the 122-foot-tall Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat icon, guests are invited to the Rock n’ Glow Dance Party, where a DJ and live rock band keep popular tunes coming five nights a week.
June 22, 2010
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Just in time to add more joyous, uproarious fun to the Fourth of July weekend, “Captain EO” begins a reprise at Walt Disney World Resort July 2. The classic musical spectacular that thrilled Epcot guests from 1986-1994 will provide new Epcot audiences the opportunity to experience the original 3-D production for the very first time – and give longtime fans a nostalgic look back to see Michael Jackson in a rare performance created for the big screen.
Twenty-four years ago, Jackson joined forces with Disney, producer George Lucas and director Francis Ford Coppola to create a groundbreaking 17-minute 3-D film experience starring Jackson as Captain EO performing two original songs, and featuring Academy Award®-winning actress Anjelica Huston, and a cast of merry, mythical space characters with dual personalities who undergo magical transformations to become Jackson’s electronic band in conquering the forces of darkness.
For all its technology, “Captain EO” is first and foremost a musical spectacular and a thrilling space-fantasy adventure. The realism of the 3-D process will once again make it seem that Jackson dances right out of the screen into the theater. While it’s not possible to replicate some of the special effects elements originally in the theater, it will boast a new 70mm print of the film and sound better than ever thanks to acoustical enhancements made to the theater since the film last played there. The total effect is one of motion, color and high energy filled with Jackson’s musical brilliance and various illusions to create an exciting and realistic journey in space for the audience.
“Captain EO” will be presented multiple times daily at the Imagination pavilion at Epcot. It replaces “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience,” which is planned to return at an undetermined date.
«««
Fans of Jackson family entertainment are in for a double treat heading into July 4 weekend. Not only will “Captain EO” be returning, but America Gardens Theatre will be alive with Karin Lawson - A Tribute to Janet Jackson, an act that celebrates the music of Michael Jackson’s sister Janet, June 27-July 3. Show times each day are 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. Performances are included with Epcot admission.
May 2, 2010
Disney Parks and Resorts
Following on from the successful return of Captain EO to Disneyland, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts have announced that Captain EO will return to Walt Disney World this summer. It will also open in Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland.
Captain EO will debut on July 2nd at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT. It will replace “Honey I shrunk the audience”
Originally showing from 1986 - 1994, Captain EO is a 17 minute musical sci-fi adventure in 4D.
–Kay
- Providing special vacation home rentals and advice for over 5 years to families and friends wanting to make the most of their time and money while visiting Walt Disney World.
- Windsor Palms Resort Vacation Rental http://www.windsorpalmsorlando.com
- Emerald Island Resort Vacation Rental http://www.emeraldislandorlando.com
February 17, 2010
As part of the 2010 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World, the Flower Power Concerts are popular with visitors. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m artists play at the America Gardens Theatre. These shows are free with admission to the park.
This is the current lineup (Entertainment is subject to change without notice):
March 5-7 – Jose Feliciano
March 12-14 – Paul Revere & The Raiders
March 19-21 – David Cassidy
March 26-28 – Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
April 2-4 – Tony Orlando
April 9-11 – Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone
April 16-18 – Ricky Nelson Remembered featuring the Nelsons
April 23-25 – Atlanta Rhythm Section
April 30-May 2 –Fran Cosmo (Former lead singer of Boston)
May 7-9 –Davy Jones
May 14 – 16 – Chubby Checker & The Wildcats
Something for everyone!
–Kay
- Providing special vacation home rentals and advice for over 5 years to families and friends wanting to make the most of their time and money while visiting Walt Disney World.
- Windsor Palms Resort Vacation Rental http://www.windsorpalmsorlando.com
- Emerald Island Resort Vacation Rental http://www.emeraldislandorlando.com
February 7, 2010
Tutto Italia in EPCOT will be having a Carnival of Venice celebration beginning February 8th 2010 through to February 16th 2010. This special celebration includes an appetizer, entree and desert. Prices are $19 for lunch and $29 for dinner. Servers will be wearing amazing handmade Venetian masks and costumes. Dinner will also feature the strolling musical trio “Viva Venezia”
The chef inspired menu also features Fileto Di Pesce Al Melograno (Halibut with Pomegranate Sauce) at dinner.
http://bit.ly/CarnivalofVenice
Call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) for reservations.
FILETO DI PESCE AL MELOGRANO (HALIBUT WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE)
Serves 4
Halibut
1 3/4 pounds halibut fillet (1 1/2 inches thick), cut into 4 even portions
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pomegranate Sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup pure pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon butter
For the halibut:
1. Season the halibut with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke.
3. Carefully place the halibut in the oil and cook for 4minutes each side, turning once, until golden brown on each side.
For the pomegranate sauce:
1. Boil wine and shallots over medium-high heat in heavy small saucepan for approximately 2 minutes or until most of wine has evaporated.
2. Add heavy cream and pomegranate juice and bring to a boil for approximately 5 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup.
3. Whisk in butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon sauce over halibut before service.
Sounds delicious!
–Kay
- Providing special vacation home rentals and advice for over 5 years to families and friends wanting to make the most of their time and money while visiting Walt Disney World.
- Windsor Palms Resort Vacation Rental http://www.windsorpalmsorlando.com
- Emerald Island Resort Vacation Rental http://www.emeraldislandorlando.com
