Bistro de Paris will soon have a new name, Monsieur Paul. The restaurant has been closed since July 2012, and the new name has been spotted on the most recent Epcot guide maps. “Monsieur Paul” is in reference to Paul Bocuse, one of the three chefs who started the restaurant. Not one to steal anyone’s thunder…as of right now… Remy is only making appearances at Chefs de France. I think he and Chef Paul are friends however. Here is some photographic proof.
Chef Paul has been named Top Chef of the 20th Century by the Culinary Institute of America. He is also considered to be the first “celebrity chef,” because he put his name on his own restaurant way back in 1965. The newly re-named Bistro in Epcot (Monsieur Paul) is expected to re-open in early December 2012.
Before the Bistro closed, it was a little known fact that you can see Illuminations (Epcot’s fireworks) while dining there. The second floor view was said to be awesome – as long as you requested (and got) a window seat. If you’ve eaten there I hope you’ll share your experiences. Hopefully one day soon I will make it to Monsieur Paul.
Until next time…Passez une bonne journée magique! (I think that means have a magical day.)
Disney elves blend yuletide traditions and Christmas cheer to create a wintry wonderland ready for holiday revelers at Walt Disney World Resort as early as November 9. There’s an extra night of merry at the Magic Kingdom with 20 nights of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party; and at Epcot, Candlelight Processional.
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Highlights:
Magic Kingdom
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will have its longest-ever run with 20 magical nights from November 9-December 21. For a quarter century, Walt Disney World guests have been mesmerized by this must-see event, a grandly festive tradition immersing families in the holiday spirit.
Dates for 2012:
Nov. 9, 12, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29, 30
Dec. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21
Beginning at 7 p.m. (after regular park hours), guests with special event tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party can enjoy all the holiday splendor with lively stage shows, spectacular fireworks, a unique holiday parade and favorite holiday traditions including complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, and snow flurries on Main Street, U.S.A. For more information, visit http://www.Disneyworld.com/Christmasparty. NOTE: this is a hard ticket special event after regular park hours; purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended.
Entertainment, Fireworks and More: Santa’s elves have transformed the Magic Kingdom into a winter wonderland with festive wreaths, bows, garland, sparkling lights, parades and towering Christmas trees. The fun includes the Holiday Wishes nighttime spectacular: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season fireworks, plus live entertainment with Disney characters all dressed up for the holidays.
Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle: Cinderella Castletransforms into a glimmering ice palace for the holidays — thanks to a special effects spectacle bathing the castle in 200,000 shimmering white lights. Magic Kingdom guests are treated nightly to the dramatic castle celebration and stage show.
Epcot
Candlelight Processional is a timeless holiday offering at Epcot that combines seasonal music with the poignant reading of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by a mass choir performing seasonal melodies, and a 50-piece live orchestra nightly November 23 – December 30, at 5, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. Crowd favorites Neil Patrick Harris and Gary Sinise return to America Gardens Theater stage on select nights. Guests can purchase a Candlelight Dining Package, which combines lunch or dinner at select Epcot restaurants with guaranteed seating for the Candlelight Processional and VIP viewing of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. For more information and reservations: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/candlelight-dinners/
Holidays Around the World: Storytellers from around the world share traditions and lore from their homeland throughout World Showcase. The merriment continues with meet and greets with Santa and Mrs. Claus, plus the nightly “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” laser, light, fireworks display capped with a seasonal finale.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights: This massive seasonal display features millions of dancing lights, plus animated displays and 3-D effects perfectly synchronized to electrifying holiday tunes amidst snowfall. The rich tradition takes place on the Streets of America, dazzling guests from Nov. 9, 2012 to Jan. 6, 2013.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Celebrate safari style as Disney’s Animal Kingdom is wilder than ever this winter season. Mickey and his pals rejoice in traditional holiday music with a world beat twist during the daily “Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.”
Downtown Disney
Get all your Christmas shopping done at Downtown Disney during Festival of the Seasons. The shopping mecca is draped with yuletide cheer, plus live entertainment, holiday carolers, a lively street party, plus photo ops with Santa and Santa Goofy.
Walt Disney World Resorts
The resorts are dressed up for the holidays with festive décor, gingerbread houses and more.
Go to Disneyways.com on your iPhone and then look for this little square with the arrow in it (pictured above). After that you hit the option “add to home screeen” and you should see the Disneyways app (website icon) on your phone.
Now all you have to do is tap the icon and we will be at your fingertips with the latest post on top!
I frequently use the post with the all the resort addresses for my GPS – so I really like having it handy. Click the link below to be taken to that directly.
Email me if you have questions at disneyways@disneyways.com
Thanks so much for taking us with you – and have a magical day!!
The Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna will take place January 10-13, 2013. Marathon weekend is reported to have every mile filled with Disney fun. The running routes from Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo, through all four Theme Parks, and ends with a medal featuring Mickey and friends!
· Walt Disney World® Marathon – Sold Out
· Walt Disney World® Half Marathon – Sold Out
· Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge – Sold Out · Disney Family Fun Run 5K – 73% Full · runDisney Kids Races – 53% Full · Pasta in the Park Party
* The marathon relay will not return to the Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend in 2013.
— Spectator Information
As a spectator, you play a huge part in supporting your runner by cheering them on and motivating them throughout their training. Below is a guide to help you watch your runner during their magical race at the Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend.
The Online Planning Tool is designed for spectators to plan their route along the race course so they can see their runner at key milestones. The ChEAR Squad offers several spectator packages from reserved viewing areas to VIP treatment in the Race Retreat.
Make sure you read the helpful tips on arriving to the race and parking on race day as well as the additional information about viewing your runner in the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks. ChEAR Squad
Be a part of the Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend when you join the CHEAR Squad!
CHEAR Squad packages are available for purchase and include:
· Marathon Weekend E-newsletter containing information for race weekend
· Reserved viewing location at the Finish Line
· Much more!
For package details and to sign up to be a ChEAR Squad member, visit the ChEAR Squadpage in the Event Overview section.
Start Line Viewing: Start line viewing is accessible via the Wonder Lot and does not require a Theme Park ticket. There is no seating at the Start Line for spectators.
Finish Line Viewing: The Finish Line is located in the Imagine Lot of Epcot. Spectators can see their runners at the Finish Line. There will be a limited number of complimentary seats along the Finish Line available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Course Viewing: Spectators will be able to see their runner run through the Magic Kingdom Park near Cinderella Castle (Mile 5.3 for the Half Marathon). This location will be open at 5:30am. Guests do not need a ticket to enter the Magic Kingdom for course viewing, but to enter the ChEAR Zone area, they will need a ChEAR Zone wristband. A ticket is required once the park opens for the day and standard parking rates apply after 7am.
If Guests want to watch their runner in another Walt Disney World Theme Park, they will need to purchase a Theme Park ticket once that park is open for the day. Standard parking rates apply after 7am. Transportation to these parks is available through the WDW monorail and bus systems.
Runner Tracking: Runner tracking sign-up is available at runDisney.com or by visiting the Expo.
Itinerary
Thursday, January 10, 2013 · 9:00am-7:00pm – Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
· 3:00pm – runDisney Kids Races – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
· 4:30pm – Mickey Mile – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
· 6:30pm – Pasta in the Park Party – Epcot®
Friday, January 11, 2013 · 5:00am-6:00am – Bus transportation (no monorail transportation today) from Resorts to Epcot for Family Fun Run 5K
· 6:30am – Family Fun Run 5K Starts – Epcot
· 9:00am-7:00pm – Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
· 11:00am – runDisney Kids Races – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
· 12:30pm – Mickey Mile – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
· 6:30pm – Pasta in the Park Party – Epcot®
Saturday, January 12, 2013 · 3:00am – Bus/Monorail transportation begins from all Walt Disney World Resorts to Half Marathon start
· 4:00am – Racers should be on the transportation to make it to check-in on time
· 5:00am-7:00am – Transportation to Epcot is suspended due to the race start
· 5:30am – Walt Disney World® Half Marathon Starts – Epcot®
· 10:00am-5:00pm – Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo – ESPN Wide World of Sports
· 12:30pm – Mickey Mile – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
· 6:30pm – Pasta in the Park Party – Epcot®
Sunday, January 13, 2013 · 3:00am – Bus/Monorail transportation begins from all Walt Disney World Resorts to Marathon start
· 4:00am – Racers should be on the transportation to make it to check-in on time
· 5:00am-7:00am – Transportation to Epcot is suspended due to the race start
· 5:30am – Walt Disney World® Marathon Starts – Epcot®
· 4:00pm-8:00pm – Downtown Disney® After Party
It’s very popular in Tokyo, Japan, and sold at more than 650 locations. However, you can only find it in one spot in the continental U.S. and that is the Japan Pavilion at Epcot.
(It’s also sold in Honolulu). You canl find the frozen Kirin in the Garden House, the Kabuki Cafe and in the Tokyo Dining restaurant!
That swirl on top isn’t soft serve ice cream. It is actually a light frozen topping made of beer that is reported to keep the draft cold for about 30 minutes. The swirl actually tastes like beer! It actually keeps the beer cold so you can enjoy it a little slower in the Florida heat. But who wants to do that? This frozen Kirin draft beer will set you back $8.
Here’s what they had to say over at Disney Food Blog:
“While the beer underneath is completely liquid at all times, the head on the glass is essentially super aerated and chilled — a frozen foam of beer, pretty much. This protective foam works as a mini-refrigerator, keeping the liquid beer beneath colder for longer.
The head slowly melts back down into liquid beer if you wait long enough, but it does stay in tact for about 10-20 minutes in my experience.
It’s a bit hard to work around to get a sip of the liquid beer (if you’ve had butterbeer in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, you have an idea of the phenomenon); but it doesn’t alter the taste of the brew.”
English: Lea Salonga in New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Disney has announced that Olivia Newton John, the celebrity narrator scheduled to appear in the Candlelight Processional December 14-16 is no longer available to participate in this year’s performances. Award-winning singer and actress, Lea Salonga will now be the celebrity narrator for December14–16. Ms. Salonga’s credits include roles in Miss Saigon and Les Miserables. She also provided the singing voice of two official Disney Princesses: Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan.
Awww Donny – what’s a New Year’s Eve without this song?
What ARE you doing for New Year’s Eve? How about heading to Disney? Hot off the press – Disney World has announced what will be in store for those who are enough lucky enough to be there.
At Epcot, guests can expect music at select pavilions around the World Showcase throughout the evening, plus “IllumiNations: Reflections of the Earth” is scheduled for both 7 p.m. and 11:42 p.m. Hungry? How about a buffet in the World ShowPlace facility? This dinner will take inspiration from Disney’s “Fantasia” and “Fantasia 2000” films. We can make reservations to eat dinner during the hours of 4:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. with a cost of $68.87 per adult ($44.37 for kids).
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the landscaper/musicians Mulch, Sweat and Shears will make an appearance in front of the iconic Sorcerer’s Hat on a stage crafted especially for their act. The concert will feature pyrotechnics and will also play during midnight fireworks.
Outside of the main theme parks, DisneyQuest is offering up a cyber celebration from 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. featuring a DJ dance party, character meet and greets, a confetti drop at midnight and unlimited access to DisneyQuest games. Tickets are said to go on sale soon. Spring for the tickets – and you will also get a coupon for a quick service entree, side and drink. Even my husband might be into this idea!!
Some of the resorts, too, are gearing up to help guests celebrate New Year’s with music and entertainment. One example: Narcoosee’s Restaurant within the Grand Floridian has a special four-course dining experience complete with a DJ, a balloon artist and special fireworks viewing; cost is $161.85 for adults ($77.19 for kids). This one includes guaranteed weight loss afterwards for me. There wouldn’t be any grocery money left for a whole week!
Finally, for those of us wanting to get our groove on and cut a rug in 2013, the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort is planning a special New Year’s Eve party to take place from 8 p.m. – 2 a.m complete with a video DJ and partial viewing of Epcot’s fireworks. I don’t know what “partial viewing” means…do you? Are we behind a big telephone pole or something?
OK so if you could pick one or more of these events – how would YOU celebrate New Year’s Eve at Disney?
Sorcerers Hat at Disneys Hollywood Studios (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Food and Wine is here and if you’re like me, you want to make the most of every precious minute you have to spend in Epcot!
To help you with your Food and Wine plans here is a link to the Disney Food Blog’s page. This will show you where each World Showcase tasting station is located, the menu items from each one, prices, and some even with pictures and reviews of the food and libations! Click HERE to check out all of their guides.
Before you head to World Showcase, I want to recommend that you find the top 5 items that you really have your heart set on trying. Sometimes the lines are long and people are blocking the menu boards – so just knowing where you want to go and what you want to get when you get there can save you a ton of time!
Another time saver is to get a Disney gift card before you go. You don’t even have to wait until you get here, you can get themonline! It’s fun just to check out all the different designs there are! This will help you stick to your budget and there’s no fumbling with cash or change at the kiosks. They do have special gift cards at the festival that you can attach to your wrist with a rubber band – but other then that – they don’t do anything that a regular old Disney gift card can’t do. You can reload them as many times as you want. Below is a video showing the gift cards that attach to your wrist – only these were at the Flower and Garden Festival.
If you do have extra time (and money) however, you will want to read up on the special events and possibly make a reservation or two for those. There are wonderful low cost seminars and food demos too!
One other tip. If you can spare the time, take a minute to find the festival welcome center and grab a free passport. It’s a wonderful (FREE!) souvenir and you can get each country stamped by a cast member when you visit the kiosks! These have menus but not pricing, so doing your homework if your on a budget is still a good idea. If you take just a few minutes to check out the festival welcome center while you’re there – you could meet a TV star from HGTV, get a free chocolate or wine sample, do some shopping, and definitely enjoy the air-conditioning.
Do a little planning before you go and you will find there is so much more to the festival that you may not have gotten a chance to experience otherwise. If you have any questions or maybe your own tips for saving time at food and wine please post them in the comments section.
Even though I was born and raised in Orlando, I didn’t know about 3D Disney’s Dessert Discovery Party until I actually took a job booking Disney dining for guests. Most of us that are born here have heard of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival but really don’t know much about it, we only think we do. When I excitedly tell my friends and family that the Epcot food and wine festival is coming – I usually get a raised eyebrow and the same question, “Isn’t that the thing where you get to try food and wine from all the countries?”
Well… yes… but it’s also the chance to book some wonderful experiences, demos, and tastings – the way only Disney could do them. You just might even meet some TV stars, and you’ll definitely get a chance to rock out to some tunes courtesy of some of the best bands of the 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s. But these are just the Food and Wine Festival opportunities that Disney tends to focus their advertising on. There is so much more to enjoy!
You may want to book early for the Dessert Party, although there still seem to be seats available for this year. If you are planning ahead – and you enjoy this sort of thing – you will want to start studying up on what’s new, what’s popular and what’s changed…beginning in early August, and even July 2013.
Events like this one are VERY popular and sometimes sell out on the first day we can book them.
I had been reading about Epcot’s “3D” Dessert Discovery Party for years. It sounded like a wonderful experience – and being the dessert lover that I am, I thought, how could I go wrong?
“Join us for a dessert lover’s dream at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 2012! Indulge in decadent desserts and cordials, then enjoy a V.I.P. viewing of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.
Where: World ShowPlace Events Pavilion, located between the Canada Pavilion and the United Kingdom Pavilion in World Showcase.
When: Fridays, October 5, 12 and 26 and November 2 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: $55 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Epcot Theme Park admission required.
For General Admission reservations, please book online or call (407) WDW-FEST or (407) 939-3378. Space is limited, so be sure to book in advance.:”
You read that right — FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS plus tax. Whew!! Pretty steep for me. I justified it as a “research” expense for my readers and busted out my credit card on the very first day of bookings. After months of waiting, the occasion finally arrived. October 5th fell on a Friday this year. All this time I thought I would be going by myself, but I was pleasantly surprised to have my neighbor Tristan express interest in coming along. Luckily she was able to book a seat just in time – and we were off on our quest to discover wonderful Disney desserts.
We were headed to The World Showplace Events Pavilion. It is located between the Canada and UK pavilions in World Showcase at Epcot. This is where they hold many of these type of special events. I think it looks so pretty at night. This photo belongs to http://www.disneytravelbabble.com – the rest are from Disneyways.
The party didn’t start until 8PM, so Tristan and I decided to sample some of the best and most popular eats that the Food and Wine Festival had to offer. Before taking off though, I double checked with a cast member who told us we would be given a wrist band upon entrance – and they can usually just look up the reservation by last name. People were already lining up by 7pm – but Tristan and I were hungry – and we are not much for lines. At $55 a seat we figured it wasn’t a big rush, Epcot could afford to save 2 seats and some desserts for us. This proved to be a smart decision. There were a lot of people – but the pavilion is BIG, and the dessert stations are plentiful – so there was no shortage of food or seats when we got in.
After our snacks from the kiosks of the “world” we checked in at the podium and were handed some pretty cool 3D glasses. There is just no way to describe what you see through these things unless you look at these chandeliers and imagine Mickey icons being all around them.
From here we were treated to the sounds of a live band singing all your typical “sweet” and “candy” themed songs…Sugar Sugar…Lollipop…Candy…you get the idea.
I loved the music and thought the band was great. But that’s no surprise – I’m pretty cheesy like that.
The very end of this blog contains a link where you can learn more about the details, dates, and how to book the 3D Disney’s Dessert Discovery Party.
Today I wanted to take you on pictorial and video tour of my personal experience – but first – here’s a few Disneyways tips:
Don’t sweat the long line -unless you really want to be one of the first ones inside! There are plenty of food and seats for everyone – and you won’t have to be in the serving lines nearly as long if everyone else has gotten their desserts already.
Have a snack before you go – something substantial. I recommend the Coq Au Vin from the French Kiosk! There is a “Savory” station but of course that is the longest line during the first hour of the party. This is really a time where you can eat dessert first! Pace yourself and go back for the savory stuff later – you’ll be glad you did!!
Do NOT miss the donuts flambé! They are bathed in sugar are cooked in a pan of rum – right in front of you!
4. I am not much for alcohol but even I had to try the flavored vodka!
5. I mixed it with some of the blue lemon-aid and Tristan suggested I call it the Krista Cocktail. Feel free to try it OR you could mix some flavored vodka with the Chocolate or Cranberry Water they had available and create your own signature drink!
Overall, the event was fabulous, and more than I expected. One of the best parts of the party however, is the special fireworks viewing area.
We were literally right on by the water – and I got some cool video.
Watching the fireworks through the special 3D glasses they had given us earlier was pretty much the coolest thing I had ever seen. There was no way to film it through the glasses – but believe me I tried! In fact, much to my embarrassment, you can hear my reaction and see how I turned the video camera sideways – without even realizing it. Listen closely before that… and you’ll hear the Dad behind me telling his son “I SEE MICKEYS!” Awesome.
SO – if you are big on sweets, booze, fireworks, and feeling like you are getting VIP treatment – you may want to look in to the “3D Dessert Discovery Party” as I like to call it! In closing, here are some pictures of the food stations, atmosphere, and fun!
To learn more about booking your own 3D Party – including Sweet Seats click here.
October 1, 2012 we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the opening day at Epcot! It was HOT, humid, and somewhat crowded but I am chalking it up to one of my favorite Disney days in history.
The IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth fireworks show at Epcot at Walt Disney World. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Please enjoy this video that my wonderful, tall husband took of the special Epcot 30 Illuminations “tag”. Illuminations is always awesome but the tag really added something amazing, and to me, the show was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I almost cried about 5 times while watching it.
Feel free to play it over and over just to enjoy the sounds while you work. That’s what I have been doing.
One other thing…there was soot literally raining down after the show from the multiple pyrotechnics! INCREDIBLE!
Disneyways 