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2013 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Menu Highlights and Food Locations

Published February 1, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Yes, you read that right. Taking a hint from the huge success of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, food kiosks will be added in the World Showcase in 2013 during Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. What does this mean? Well, we will get to try some delicious new foods and beverages as we stroll around to see Disney characters in topiary, and rock out to the Flower Power Concert series (among other things!).

tea

I can’t even tell you how excited I am about this – but if a picture speaks a thousand words…

This is how I feel.

Don’t worry  – there are no squirrels on the menu.

Instead, Epcot chefs have some other things in mind.

Some highlights will include:

  • Smokehouse Barbecue and Brew in the American Adventure
  • Primavera Kitchen in the Italy pavilion
  • Hanami in the Japan pavilion
  • Florida Fresh -in the World Showcase Promenade

Menu items will include:

  • Shrimp with grits
  • Zellwood corn
  • Angel food cake with macerated Florida berries
  • Watermelon salad with pickled red onions
  • Feta cheese and balsamic reduction
  • Sweet “frushi” made with fresh fruits and coconut rice.

Specialty drinks will include:

  • Dole Whip with Spiced Rum
  • Hot Sun Tomato Wine from Florida Orange Groves Winery
  • Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade (non-alcoholic)
  • Wild Berry Slush (non-alcoholic)

 Tip: Need a map so you can plan your snack attack? Click here for a link to all of them from WDWInfo.com

What are your thoughts on these menu items?

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“MagicBands” in colors and characters – an awesome photo tour

Published January 31, 2013 by Disneyways.com

First posted on January 31, 2013

It looks as though you will not only be able to choose an armband in your favorite color – but you will get to customize it even further with your favorite character or design.

I heard from a reliable source today that Star Wars characters will also be an option, but I couldn’t find any photos to show you as an example.

All photos below are from DizFanatic.com unless otherwise noted.

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UPDATE! 

For the first time, Disney released two limited edition, retail MagicBands with pre-printed images (edition size 2,500 each) during Star Wars weekends 2014. A green retail MagicBand with Yoda’s image and a red retail MagicBand with Darth Vader’s image (colors were selected to match their light saber colors). Each retail MagicBand was packaged in a decorative Star Wars Weekends box (you could even use the free Aurasma app on your mobile device to make the box image come to life).

Photo Credit Disney

Photo Credit Disney

To see our post on Modeling a MagicBand click here
To get all of you RFID questions answered check out this post

2013 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Topiaries, Play Areas and More

Published January 31, 2013 by Disneyways.com

The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013 will feature some new topiary displays and bring back some old favorites!

Topiaries at the front entrance will welcome us to Epcot in a very special way. This fantastic first topiary “scene” will feature the Fab Five, plus one! A 14-foot-tall topiary Goofy will “goof-up” an anniversary cake while Donald and Daisy play badminton. Mickey will fire up the grill, Pluto will swipe a link of hot dogs and Minnie will chill out on a colorful blanket of blossoms. Sounds like one of my family cook outs.

      Can you imagine how cute these guys will look made out of plants??!!

fab 5

  • Illuminated Gardens – An after-dark enhancement will be given to some of the topiaries and gardens. Every night when the sun sets, many of the festival’s world-famous Disney topiaries and gardens will twinkle and shine in a new light. You can find these throughout World Showcase and Future World.

mike

  • Mike and Sully topiaries will be located on the Future World walkway.
  • Phineas and Ferb will be behind Spaceship Earth.

You will also want to look for Fawn’s Butterfly House. Eight fanciful fairy topiaries of Pixie Hollow, including Tinker Bell, Fawn, Vidia and Terrence will be located in the Butterfly House this year, and of course you’ll see real butterflies there too! I was lucky enough to get a picture of this guy last year – just as he was saying his first hello to the world.

 An interactive play area on the Test Track walkway will be based on Radiator Springs.  It will feature Lightning McQueen and Mater topiaries.

Here’s the photo of Lightning that I took last year.

A second interactive play area based on the new movie “OZ: The Great and Powerful. There will also be a  “Oz Movie Garden” full of unusual plants inspired by the Land of Oz.

Note: Don’t worry if you aren’t familiar with some of these locations. Epcot will have beautiful (free!) maps available at the very front of the park and in various places throughout.

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2013 Epcot Flower and Garden Fest Designers – What do they look like again?

Published January 30, 2013 by Disneyways.com

While some of you up north are still fighting snow and freezing weather, here in Orlando the temperature is already starting to go back up, and with it – the flowers are starting to bloom. Warmer temperatures around here are a good reminder that the it’s almost time for the 20th Annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.

The festival runs from March 6th until May 19th this year and offers a wide range of special activities. For the last few years the Flower and Garden Festival has partnered with HGTV to bring in some of their top talent for special appearances at the festival.  This year’s line-up is better than ever with a full calendar of home and garden experts.

Guests of the Festival can see their favorite HGTV and DIY stars on “The Designers’ Stage Presented by HGTV” at the Festival Center. In case this is your first visit – The Festival Center is  located between Mission Space and Ellen’s Energy Adventure in Future World. Click here to see a map of the exact location. Here is a photo so you’ll know what to look for:

festival center

2013 HGTV Stars present at Festival Center

Are you like me – and perhaps a bit better at remembering faces than remembering names? I have to admit, when I saw the lists of designers all over the internet – it really didn’t mean much to me. In an effort to make this list a little different, I have hyper-linked each name. Click on the name and you will be taken to a site with the designer’s picture. That way, even if you are just a casual watcher of the HGTV and DIY channels, or maybe not much for TV at all – you will still know a bit about each designer. As a bonus – if you run into one of them shopping for souvenirs in Mouse Gear – you will know to take pictures – and you can brag to your friends later.

Presentations will take place  Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Festival at noon and 3 p.m. and no reservation is required. Keep in mind Disney reserves the right to change the schedule and the line-up at any time. You can always check Disneyworld.com for the latest information.

Here is the schedule made public as it stands today:

March 8-10: Chris Lambton, (Going Yard)

March 15-17: Chris Grundy, (DIY Network’s Cool Tools)

Marach 22-24: Egypt Sherrod, (Property Virgins)

March 29-31: Brandon Johnson, (My Yard Goes Disney)

Apri 5-7: Meg Caswell, (Meg’s Great Rooms)

April 12-14: Jason Cameron, (DIY Network’s Desperate Landscapes and Man Caves)

April 19-21: Sara Peterson, (Editor-in-Chief, HGTV Magazine)

April 26-28: Carter Oosterhouse, (Million Dollar Rooms)

May 3-5: Casey Noble, (Design on a Dime)

May 10-12: Dan Faires, (HGTV.com’s DanMade)

May 17-19: David Bromstad, (HGTV Design Star, ColorSplash, Design Star All-Stars)

TIP: Sometimes each designer has cards available with their photo on it to ready to sign and give out on they day of their presentation – and even extra time designated to do so. When you are in the pavilion, you can ask a cast member about this, and they will usually have the day’s information for you.

Do you have a favorite celebrity listed here or are you glad we posted pictures?

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2013 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival “Flower Power” Concert line-up

Published January 29, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Garden fest

Featuring music from the 60’s and 70’s (America Gardens Theatre):
Show times 5:15 pm, 6:30 pm & 7:45 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Schedule of Performers: 

March 8-10: Micky Dolenz, formerly of The Monkees (I’m a Believer)
March 15-17: Chubby Checker and The Wildcats (The Twist)
March 22-24: The Guess Who (American Woman)
March 29-31: Nelson (Can’t Live Without Your Love and Affection)
April 5-7: The Turtles feat. Flo and Eddie (Happy Together)
April 12-14: Paul Revere and The Raiders (Good Thing)
April 19-21: The Village People (YMCA)
April 26-28: The Orchestra, Featuring Former Members of ELO and ELO II
May 3-5: Tommy Roe (Dizzy)
May 10-12: Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone (I’m Henry VIII, I Am)
May 17-19: Starship Starring Mickey Thomas (We Built This City)

 

Epcot admission is required. Disney always reserves the right to change the schedule without notice – so feel free to check with me for the latest info!

Here’s some footage of Micky Dolenz performing last year.

Thanks to Shelley of Disneymanners.com for taking the footage!

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New Movie Set to Release in 2014 Rumored to be about Disney

Published January 28, 2013 by Disneyways.com

The Walt Disney Studios has announced that its live-action release previously known as “1952″ will be titled “Tomorrowland.” The film will be released in the US on December 19, 2014. George Clooney is set to star.

Sources are not clear on whether the movie will actually relate to the Tomorrowland of Disney theme parks,  so we are still calling this is still a rumor.

However, Bird and Lindelof recently tweeted photos of a mysterious box dated “1952″ full of  items that reportedly inspired the film, including photos of Walt Disney!

What do you think? Rumor or truth? Be sure to leave me a comment!

Click here to see the tweet where these photos were posted!

1952 1

1952 2

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Next Week’s “Limited Time Magic”… LONG LOST FRIENDS WEEK! 1/21-27/13

Published January 18, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Next Week’s “Limited Time Magic”… LONG LOST FRIENDS WEEK! 1/21-27/13

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January 21st-27th, long-lost friends are returning to Magic Kingdom park and guests may have a rare chance to see classic characters in Town Square. Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, the Three Little Pigs and more will be appearing!

We will have more information on this breaking story as it becomes available.

After Dapper Drink Location Added & the PIN (Part 4 of our Dapper Day Series!)

Published January 15, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Part One – Dapper Day history 

Part Two – What to wear ideas and video from last year.

Part Three – Suggested events and meet-ups

Another location has been added for “After Dapper Drinks” in Walt Disney World. The tiki-themed Tambu Lounge in Disney’s Polynesian Resort (main building, Monorail level) AND at Mizner’s Lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian. Mizner’s Lounge is a great place to enjoy live jazz standards by the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. You will find the lounge upstairs behind the bandstand. The band is scheduled to play until 9:40pm. Just like with all Disney performances and shows, times are always subject to change.

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In other news – Disneyland made a pin for the event! I have a feeling this took the organizers by complete surprise. Disneyland should probably correct some words in the description. It’s “Dapper Day” not “Days,” and it’s the 3rd Spring event not the 2nd – but hey – it’s nice that they noticed!

PIN

Please click here for Disney’s information on how to order one for yourself.

Dapper Day organizers revealed that they will have their OWN buttons available for the public commemorating this special night. Distribution details on these are still to come. Personally, I think I would rather have one of those!

You can find more details on every thing Dapper Day at the official site DapperDay.com

Dapper Day events are independently organized social gatherings neither operated by nor associated with The Walt Disney Company.

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Food and Wine Festival 2013 Dates Announced

Published January 15, 2013 by Disneyways.com

2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

The 2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival will take place from September 27 – November 10, 2013, in Epcot, Walt Disney World. 

Just like in previous years, we can look forward to fantastic special events, culinary and beverage demonstrations, celebrity chefs, and, of course, World Showcase Marketplace tasting booths.

Photo ©DisneyFoodBlog.com

Remember Disney always reserves the right to change dates at any time.

Click here to read our blog from last year about how to save time and money at the festival.

Click here to read a review of the 3D Dessert Discovery Party and a few more fun facts about Food and Wine.

 

foodandwinedownloadnow13

Solving the Mystery Surrounding the Rapunzel Tower in New Fantasyland: January 2013 Edition

Published January 13, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Updated March 2013! Click HERE to see a video of the grand opening of the Rapunzel Tower!

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January 10, 2013 I had a chance to check on the progress of the Rapunzel tower. The photos above are from my visit that day.

Attempting to Solve the Mystery of the Rapunzel Tower rising from New Fantasyland has been fun.  The latest from our Disneyways sources have speculated that besides bathrooms, we will see charging stations for our cell phones, ECV’s, as well as a gift shop. The entire area is being built up very fast, which leads me to believe the other bit of gossip I heard, that the area is expected to completed this spring.

DaMouse.com has posted some wonderful, detailed pictures. Click this link to see what is going on behind the construction wall.

Just for fun, I thought you might like to see this picture of the Rapunzel meet and greet area in Disneyland – California. Photo credit mintcrocodile.blogspot.com

disneyland rapunzel

Please share your thoughts and any information you have heard about this area! We’d love to hear from you. Have a magical day!