We got some new information on Spice Road Table, the exciting new waterfront restaurant coming to the Moroccan World Showcase Pavilion in Epcot! I wrote a story for Chip & Company with all the details! You can check it out HERE. I can’t wait to see the new restaurant, how do you feel about it?
In an MmmBop they’re gone – but hopefully they will be back next year! Back in 1996, when Mmmbop was first released, many teenage girls swooned over Hanson, myself being one of those. Finally adult me got to see them in concert at Eat to the Beat at Epcot, and yes, I did swoon some more. Those boys grew up to be good-looking men who sounded just as great, if not better, then when they were teenagers.
Hearing them in concert was amazing. They played a variety of music from their 5 albums, and one song off of their new album that has yet to be released. Of course, Mmmbop was played and the crowd went wild! I did not know they still had such a hard-core fan base still. People waited in line up to 5 hours ahead of the concert just so they could be in the front row, with their hand made ‘I love Hanson!’ signs.
The boys put on a great show and I would highly recommend seeing them if you ever get the opportunity. The chance to see Hanson play was fantastic and my teenage self jumped with joy! Eat to the Beat scores again!
We would like to thank Nicole for the guest post. Here she is posing with the “Big Cheese” himself!
Are you ready to find out what’s new at this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? New information about offerings and changes for this year’s party are exciting and I couldn’t wait to share them with you. Our thanks to WDWNewsToday.com for this information!
New This Year:
Jingle Cruise! That’s right – Disneyland is no longer the only place you can see cool attraction “overlays” themed for the season. Check out all that’s coming to the Jungle Cruise (I mean JINGLE Cruise!) beginning this Friday.
Mary Poppins, Bert, and Penguins will meet guests in Fantasyland!
This year treat stations will be marked with new giant, inflatable Candy Canes. They won’t actually talk, but they will look something like this:
Never before seen merchandise.
A new Photopass Option is coming too! The Rose Garden Photopass Stop will have a real red Christmas Ornament with the event name on it. Below you will find concept art, but at the party the ornament will actually be real.
For the first time ever – the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas backstory!
Check out the least crowded dates to visit the party HERE. Dates and pricing for the party can be found HERE.
There’s a new baby at Animal Kindgdom Lodge. A rare Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra…the proper term for her is a “filly”…and she was born in October 2013. I am hearing through the grapevine that her name is Prima, although this has not been confirmed by Disney. Her photo is below, isn’t she a cutie?!
Photo credit: Disney Parks Blog
Prima’s mom was pregnant for a whole year, so you know she is probably as overjoyed as the rest of us for this new arrival. The filly and her mother are bonding well and doing fine.
Typically found in mountainous regions of southwestern Africa, the Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra is characterized by a striking pattern of narrow vertical stripes covering its head and body. They can weigh up to 800 pounds and grow up to eight and a half feet. This species is considered endangered, with only 50 of Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra in the United States and an estimated 7,000 throughout the world. Disney’s Animal Programs team is actively involved in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for this critical species. The team is proud to have a successful birth of a rare species.
It might be fun to head over to the mara and celebrate the new baby with a zebra dome – or by doing some of the free activities that Animal Kingdom Lodge offers! I know I can’t wait to head out there to see if I can get a photo of Prima.
Photo property Disney
Some fun zebra facts:
There are three species of zebra, two of which live on the savannas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. You can see plains zebras as well as Hartmann’s mountain zebras during your stay. The Hartmann’s Mountain zebras (Prima and her mom) have thinner stripes that don’t extend around the belly.
Just like snowflakes, no two individual zebras look exactly alike.
Most scientists believe that the zebra’s stripes may serve to break up the outline of the zebra’s body in the herd and provide some camouflage when the zebra is standing in tall grass.
Mountain zebras eat mostly grass, bark, leaves and tree and shrub shoots. Though they prefer mountainous regions for their habitat, they are known to move to lower elevations to graze in cold weather and seek shelter in caves or wooded areas.
To read more about Epcot’s Eat to the Beat Series during the International Food and Wine Festival – click HERE.
Get ready for some changes at Club Cool in Epcot! Starting October 30th 2013 Club Cool got some new flavors! I was in Club Cool the other day and noticed many sodas were out of order or no longer available (including my favorite…Smart Watermelon.)
Sadly, I never even got to say goodbye. (sniff sniff…)
Please click HERE to read my post at Chip & Co. all about the new flavors that are coming… what’s staying…and what’s gone for good! Follow Chip & Co. on Instagram and Twitter for live photos from the parks today and all month long!
At last, fall is in the air, and the 38th annual Festival of the Masters is back November 8-10 in 2013. Festival of the Masters is one of the premier gatherings of artists in the Southeast with it’s one-of-a-kind and limited-edition paintings, photography, sculptures, jewelry and more.
Listen to the live music and enjoy hands-on fun for all ages. And this year, artistic cocktails take a front seat with a new twist called “Mixers and Masters,” with dining locations featuring specialty drinks for sipping and strolling. Look for feather banners to indicate which restaurants will be participating, with each cocktail priced separately.
Three times a day you can stop by “The Art of Mixology” at the Waterside Stage, with experts showing what goes into making an artfully delicious cocktail during each 10-minute demo.
Festival hours are 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. November 8 and 9, and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on November 10. Admission and parking are free. Valet parking will be offered for $15 or if you are a Tables in Wonderland cardholder, you can valet for free with a qualifying meal receipt. Don’t forget to tip your valet!
FESTIVAL OF THE MASTERS ACTIVITY TIMES AND LOCATIONS:
CHALK ART: Chalk Artists will transform more than 1,000 square feet in the Marketplace and West Side into a colorful display of art.
FINE ART MASTERS: Throughout Downtown Disney® West Side, you’ll find over 150 award winning Fine Artists, including original, one of a kind, and limited-edition painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, glass, wood, and more.
Emerging Masters: Come see more than 20 up-and-coming artists located in the Marketplace.
HOUSE OF BLUES FOLK ART FESTIVAL: “Where the Art Meets the Soul” Featuring more than 30 local and national folk artists, located on the West Side near House of Blues®. In addition to the art displays, guests can enjoy live musical performances by regional blues musicians Friday and Saturday night in the restaurant, as well as a variety of Southern dishes whipped up from the House of Blues kitchen daily, opening at 11:30am.
ART OF DISNEY: Come visit the flagship art gallery at the Marketplace full of art from the Disney Masters! Artist appearances will be scheduled throughout the weekend.
DISNEY ARTIST VILLAGE: Visit Disney Artist Village on the West Side where you will find a wide array of art featuring your favorite Disney characters. Meet the artists behind these works of art throughout the weekend. The Disney Artist Village is located between Cirque du Soleil® theater and House of Blues®.
D STREET at Downtown Disney® West Side: Celebrate the 5th Anniversary of Vinylmation™ all weekend long at D Street with the new, limited edition figure celebrating this milestone event. Disney Design Group Artist, Thomas Scott, will appear on Friday, November 8, from 10:00am – 12:00pm to sign the latest Vinylmation™ figure.
ART CHATS at the WATERSIDE STAGE!: during the day at the Waterside Stage, located in the Marketplace, there will be fun interactive chat shows about art and what art can be. Get exclusive behind the scenes details on the design development of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort with a Disney Artist.
LIVE PERFORMANCE ARTISTS!: Art comes alive as artists create a masterpiece on stage before your eyes, bringing their inspiration to life! Live shows with Disney Artists will be performed throughout the weekend at the Waterside Stage, located in the Marketplace.
CHILDREN’S CHALK ART: Back by popular demand, Children’s Chalk Art. Visit the Marketplace to find a section of walk to creatively chalk.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES: Enjoy family friendly activities provided by: Michaels®, LEGO®, Little MissMatched™, Rainforest Café®, Disney Interactive, and Festival of the Masters Children’s Chalk Art.
MICHAELS: The Michaels Design Team is excited to entertain and inspire you with fun interactive art and crafting experiences for the whole family located on the West Side.
PERFORMANCE TIMES AND LOCATIONS
BONGOS CUBAN CAFÉ® – WEST SIDE
Friday- 2:30pm-4:00pm and 5:00pm
Saturday- 11:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-3:30pm, and 4:30pm-5:30pm
Sunday- 11:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-2:30pm and 3:30pm-4:30pm
LA NOUBA BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL® – WEST SIDE
Enjoy appearances on the plaza between DisneyQuest and Cirque du Soleil by performers from La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil on Friday and Saturday between 4:00pm-4:15pm
HOUSE OF BLUES® – WEST SIDE
Live Entertainment on the Front Porch throughout the Weekend
SPLITSVILLE™ LUXURY LANES
Live All Day Entertainment on Outdoor Patio throughout the Weekend
RAGLAN ROAD® IRISH PUB AND RESTAURANT
Live Entertainment Saturday and Sunday from 12:00pm-4:00pm on the Outdoor Patio and inside the restaurant on the Main Stage
BONUS TIPS:
Can MyMagic+ and MagicBands really be explained in just 3 minutes? Built to make things simple and streamlined – MagicBands are one of the most ambitious steps Disney has taken in more than 30 years. Imagine using a single source for tickets, room keys, credit cards, FastPASS tickets and even PhotoPass cards while you’re vacationing at the Walt Disney World Resort. Are you ready to learn more? Let’s add some magic to our day – shall we? Check out this video for an awesome 3 minute overview of Disney World’s MyMagic+ and MagicBands!
Sid Gray is an award-winning freelance producer-director with a list of credits that includes ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, CNNfn, CNBC, Bloomberg, The Walt Disney Company, ITT, Kodak, Yahoo and numerous other organizations. I met Sid through Mouskejournals, a wonderful group of Disney bloggers and a fun site to check out when you want to get all your Disney fun, from many different perspectives, in one place. In addition to all of his professional credentials, Sid is an amazing, first-class kind of guy who truly cares for people. Thank you Sid, mostly for just being who you are, but also for creating this wonderful video for the thousands of Disney fans who have enjoyed it!
Last night was the very first official night that guests were able to try the “Glow with the Show” Mouse Ears on Disney World property. “Glow with the Show” Mouse Ears illuminate in sync with the show! It is really a gorgeous and amazing thing to see – so instead of trying to explain it – here is an AWESOME video from the event. Video credit goes to the fantastic BigFatPanda.com
It was perfect timing because the Fantasmic show at Hollywood Stuios also celebrated it’s 15th anniversary – so debuting these ears was s a GREAT way to do it with a bang! The hats cost $25.00 including tax. They are improved over the California version but to me they were still pretty heavy and the strap was not super comfortable. This is just my opinion though. My reccomendation is if you know someone that has some – try them out before buying to see what you think! Soon the hats will debut at Magic Kingdom for the Wishes fireworks show – and during Celebrat the Magic – our castle projection show. I can’t wait to see how guests will embrace this technology here in Florida as time goes on.
What do you think? Will you be buying a pair of these ears and giving them a try?
Today Disney released a first look at the brand new Disney by Vera Bradley collection called “Where’s Mickey?” If you recall, back in August we predicted more Vera by Disney patterns would be released.
Photo credit Disney
Photo credit Disney
I am happy to announce that Steven Miller of the Disney Parks Blog informed us that the new “Where’s Mickey” pattern was release at the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney Marketplace on Tuesday, October 29th! I have seen photos on social networks of the bags in the stores already. No information yet on when the new pattern will be available to purchase on the Disney Store Online. It will be featured on several familiar and popular styles such as the hipster, backpack, large duffel, Smartphone wristlet and more. In addition to a future release at the World of Disney Store in Florida, the “Where’s Mickey?” color will also be available on Disney Parks online store and at select Disneyland Resort locations in the coming months.
Depending on what style you choose, most likely, measurements will be the same as the previous line . You can click either of the pictures below to see those numbers.
In other exciting news, you can visit DisneyStore.com/VeraBradley starting October 21, 2013, to get the “Just Mousing Around” and “Midnight With Mickey” colors online!
Disneyways 