Three Tips for Making the Most of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
posted on October 24th, 2011 by Pam Brandon, Disney Parks Food Writer
We’re about halfway through this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – you have until November 13 to sip and taste your way around the World Showcase Promenade. We have our favorites, but Chef Gregg Hannon from the Epcot culinary team shares his three top tips for navigating the festival with my pal John Graham. Take a look.
Do you have your own tips to share?
What’s My Line? Can You Place These Disneyland Resort Attraction Quotes?
posted on October 24th, 2011 by Erin Glover, Manager, Social Media and Print
With Halloween fast approaching, it seems like the right time to quote some of my favorite spooky, creepy and terrifying Disneyland Resort attractions. Which attractions get your skin crawling?
- “Nothing here was forgotten, it all looked so pleasant …” (bonus points if you can finish the line)
- “Stop! My poor sheep!”
- “With this disguise, I’ll fool them all!”
- “Wave goodbye to the real world.”
- “It grabbed me with its giant forked tongue!”
UPDATE: Did we quote any of your favorite spine-tingling attractions?
- Haunted Mansion Holiday (“… a coffin, Jack says, makes a fine Christmas present!”)
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
- Snow White’s Scary Adventures
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
Making Halloween Memories With Duffy the Disney Bear at Epcot
posted on October 24th, 2011 by Gene Duncan, Photographer, Walt Disney World Resort
As I waited to get my first view of Duffy in his “pumpkin” Halloween costume this morning, a gentleman who spoke little English approached me and pointed to Duffy’s gazebo with a quizzical expression. “Eleven-thirty”, I responded, which was the time of Duffy’s first appearance. He smiled and joined his wife, and the two of them became the first guests in line to have a photo made with Duffy. Mr. and Mrs. Noriake Sakata were enjoying their very first visit to Epcot today, far away from their home in Osaka, Japan. I took note that Mr. Sakata was sporting a Hong Kong Disneyland hat, a Donald Duck shirt and a tiny Duffy was attached to his camera strap. Disney magic knows no bounds…
Here are a few more ways to make Halloween memories at Disney Parks:
- A Spooktacular in the Sky at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts
- Trick or Treat with Mickey or Minnie at Walt Disney World Resort
- New Disney Character Meet-and-Greets This Year at Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Park
Disney Parks Blog Weekly Recap
posted on October 23rd, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
Did you see? Filmmaker James Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment producing partner Jon Landau were in town this week touring Disney’s Animal Kingdom – the future home of the first AVATAR-themed land at Disney Parks. Both explored the park with Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Imagineer Joe Rohde. And you can check out what they had to say during the visit in our original post.
We also shared the secret to making an attention-grabbing “stackable” Mickey pumpkin display this week. David Caranci, manager of Resort Enhancement at the Disneyland Resort, showed us how to do it and demonstrated how you can use the Disney Halloween pumpkin templates – found right here on the Disney Parks Blog – to transform your pumpkins into your favorite Disney characters.
Keep checking the blog this week for a few new Halloween season surprises. Here are some of the other stories we worked on this week.
Mater Looks for Lightning McQueen at Walt Disney World Resort – With some Disney magic and the help of RIDEMAKERZ at Downtown Disney, watch as Mater drives through Walt Disney World Resort in search for his best friend Lightning McQueen.
Benefit Sale Returns to Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort – Back for a second year, the Benefit Sale at Downtown Disney will offer shoppers with discounts of 25% off select merchandise at participating Downtown Disney locations, special doorbusters and more.
The Most Popular Disney Parks Halloween Costumes – Rapunzel and “Cars 2″ characters are this year’s most popular halloween costumes at Disney Parks; take a look at the other Disney characters that made the list.
Painting With Light at Disneyland Park – Disneyland Resort Photographer Paul Hiffmeyer “painted with the light” at Disneyland park to capture this magical look at Sleeping Beauty Castle.
A Spooktacular in the Sky at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts – From Happy HalloWishes at Magic Kingdom Park to Halloween Screams at Disneyland park, our Halloween fireworks tricks are sure to give you a treat!
Restaurant Changes on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park – We gave readers the inside scoop on some of the big changes coming to Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Resort.
Sights & Sounds at Disney Parks: Happy Birthday, Queen Annette!
posted on October 22nd, 2011 by Greg Ehrbar, Writer/Author, Disney's Yellow Shoes Creative Group
She was one of the original Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers, the onscreen love of Frankie Avalon in the megahit “Beach Party” movies, the chief proponent of Skippy peanut butter on TV and, of course, the Queen of Walt Disney World Resort plus one of the nicest people ever in show business.
Wait a minute though, you might be thinking. What was that thing about Annette being Queen of Walt Disney World Resort? Allow me to make my intricate, airtight case for how America’s Girl Next Door inadvertently helped to build the Vacation Kingdom.
Not long after the Mickey Mouse Club premiered, Annette was getting tons of fan mail. Upon singing “How Will I Know My Love” on the show, the Disney studio was bombarded with fan requests for a recording. The record did so well, songwriters were asked to submit tunes for the fledgling singer.
The Sherman Brothers gave Annette a top ten hit with “Tall Paul.” More Sherman/Annette hits brought then to Walt’s personal attention. This led to their writing songs for The Parent Trap. Richard and Robert Sherman were put on staff and, between numerous songs for TV, films and attractions, they wrote the story-driven score for the Oscar-winning blockbuster, Mary Poppins.
A new company division, “MAPO,” was financed with a chunk of the huge MAry POppins box office revenue. MAPO built Disney attractions and theme parks, including Walt Disney World Resort.
See how it all fits so seamlessly together? It all began with a sweet, unassuming pop culture icon named Annette. That’s my logic, and I’m sticking with it. Am I too emotionally attached to be subjective or am I just strikingly insightful?
And sure, we just opened Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, in Ko Olina, Hawai`i – but Annette was the “Pineapple Princess” four decades earlier and celebrated it on her album Hawaiiannette (now on iTunes). Hmmm. Did she somehow know? Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch.
Take 5: Halloween Costumes at Disney Parks
posted on October 22nd, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
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Whether our guests are dressing up for a Halloween meet-up or Disney marathon, it’s obvious that anything is more fun when done in a costume! In case you haven’t figured out what you’ll be dressing up as this year for Halloween, check out the posts below featured on the Disney Parks Blog to see some great costume ideas.
Take 5: Halloween Costumes at Disney Parks
- The Most Popular Disney Parks Halloween Costumes – Are your little monsters still deciding what to be for Halloween? Check out the top girls’ and boys’ costumes this year.
- Let Creative Costuming at Walt Disney World Resort Help You Design a Great Halloween Costume – If you’re still debating what to be this Halloween, check out this video, in which Creative Costuming’s Glen Howard and his team give insider tips on how to create a great pirate Halloween costume using only thrift store clothing and art supplies.
- Scaring Up Fun at the Walt Disney World ‘Trick or Meet-Up’ – Take a look at the great costumes guests wore to our first ever “Trick or Meet Up” at Magic Kingdom Park.
- Frightful Fun at Disneyland Resort! – Here are some fun costume ideas whether you have a little princess or a rock star wanna-be.
- Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Attracts a Host of Characters – This year’s Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon featured some of the most lavish and awe-inspiring costumes we’ve seen here at Disney Parks. Which is your favorite?
HGTV Celebs Share Party Tips at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
posted on October 21st, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
Taniya Nayak from HGTV’s “House Hunters on Vacation” and “Designed to Sell” is a featured speaker this weekend at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the festival’s end on November 13, HGTV designers and personalities are offering their expertise to guests – tips on parties or home décor or homemade gifts.
If you’re visiting Walt Disney World this weekend, Taniya’s seminars are in the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Welcome Center and are included with park admission. The list of HGTV stars still to come is always subject to change:
- October 28-30 – Kim Stoegbauer, “On-line Party Inspiration”
- November 4-6 – Lisa LaPorta, “Designed to Sell”
- November 11-13 – Emily Henderson, “Secrets From a Stylist” and “HGTV Design Star” winner Season 5
Two Great New Items Together from Disney Theme Park Merchandise
posted on October 21st, 2011 by Dara Trujillo, Manager, Merchandise Synergy, Events, and Communication
New merchandise releases at Disney Theme Parks are all in a day’s work, and it seems like Steven, Michelle and I are constantly discovering new products to divulge. We recently came across one (actually its two items for the price of one) that were just too good to keep to ourselves.
The newest arrival to Disney Theme Park Merchandise can’t be found in stores or even at DisneyParks.com/Store. It’s a brand-new merchandise opportunity that allows you to shop ‘til you drop and gives you something special (and collectible) to add Disney magic to your home.
Created especially for Disney Theme Park Merchandise, the Disney Parks Shopping Card and Deluxe Framed Castle Pin Set for $1,000 gives you two great items to enjoy. The Disney Parks Shopping Card allows you to shop for merchandise items at Disney Parks with ease! Use your $1,000 Disney Parks Shopping Card at Disney owned and operated merchandise locations at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts, and Disney Vacation Club Resorts located in the U.S.
The elegantly framed Deluxe Framed Castle Set features as many as 60 authentic Disney pins that have been framed and double matted to create a whimsical image of Cinderella Castle. The stylishly framed pin set measures 24”H x 20”W and is truly a stunning piece of art. The Deluxe Framed Castle Pin Set cannot be found in stores or online it’s only available with the purchase of the Disney Parks Shopping Card.
There isn’t a better way to get started with your holiday shopping than with the Disney Parks Shopping Card and Deluxe Framed Castle Pin Set – you can shop for gifts to give and you’ll get a great framed piece of art to keep for yourself! There are a few terms and conditions that apply to the card, you can read all the terms and purchase the Disney Parks Shopping Card and Deluxe Framed Castle Pin Set by clicking here.
Restaurant Changes on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park
posted on October 21st, 2011 by Pam Brandon, Disney Parks Food Writer
We love it when our favorite spots expand, and as Erin posted in August, there are some big changes coming for Main Street, U.S.A., in 2012. Here’s what you can look for:
The Blue Ribbon Bakery is moving and getting a new name: Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, from the “Mary Poppins” song, “Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with Mary …” The bakery moves to the Plaza Pavilion (at the top of Main Street, U.S.A.) with plans to open in early January. In addition to the bakery and espresso offerings, the new menu has some delicious new tastes, such as an Angus roast beef salad with blue cheese; a Caprese sandwich with tomatoes, Buffalo mozzarella, basil, butter lettuce and garlic aioli on toasted focaccia bread; and a classic pastrami reuben on rye.
Carnation Café is expanding with more indoor seating – the Blue Ribbon Bakery move is part of that expansion plan, as Carnation Café spreads out to take over the space and offer more air-conditioned seating. Work starts in January, and they’ll have a new menu that will showcase longtime favorites (and we’ve heard it includes milkshakes).
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor is getting a little makeover, too, and adding root beer, Coca-Cola and orange cream floats to the menu. And the block makeover wraps up at Refreshment Corner – construction starts early next year. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for details.
Downtown Disney is WonderFall this Time of Year
posted on October 21st, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
Disney guests can enjoy a season of fall fun at WonderFall Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort throughout the month of October.
Fall festivities that guests can enjoy during this time include photo opportunities at larger-than-life pumpkins, fall-themed entertainment and special merchandise offerings. Also be sure to check out special dining options, including pretzels dipped in pumpkin sweet glaze frosting at Wetzel’s Pretzels, holiday turkey sandwiches at Earl of Sandwich and fall-themed beers at House of Blues and Wolfgang Puck Café.
(Note: There are no trick-or-treating opportunities at this location.)
