Disney Cruise Line Releases Very Merrytime Cruise Details

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October 6, 2015

With Halloween on the High Seas underway, the Disney Cruise Line recently announced the details for its lineup of holiday cruises beginning next month across the fleet. During these cruises, the ships will receive a magical, holiday makeover and while onboard, you can enjoy special holiday events including:

Mickey’s Tree-Lighting Magic, held in the ship’s atrium lobby on the first night of your cruise, join your favorite Disney characters singing holiday carols and lighting the three-deck-tall Christmas tree
Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball, also held in the atrium lobby, join with your fellow cruisers in welcoming Santa and Mrs. Claus, featuring Broadway-style entertainment, your favorite Disney characters and classic holiday songs. Everyone’s favorite Anna and Elsa will also join the party and cause a flurry of fun as a magical snowfall appears in the atrium.
Beneath the giant tree, children can gather to hear classic stories of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza, along with a storytelling with Mrs. Claus as she reminisces on some of her favorite Christmas stories
Throughout the ship, you will find Dickens-inspired carolers and at the end of your cruise, the littlest cruisers will have the chance to join the carolers onstage for a special farewell production.
The entire family can enjoy holiday-themed activities, such as building a gingerbread house and meeting Old St. Nick himelf!
Crafts for kids include decorating stocking and gingerbread cookies, making holiday cards and trying their hands at animation by making holiday animation cells.
The Deck the Deck Holiday Party is a must attend! Join you Disney friends in this tropical celebration with games like hula hooping and limbo under giant candy canes, dancing the Yuletide Slide and a conga line around the pool.
On the final night of your cruise, join the special holiday edition of the farewell celebration with Disney characters and the ship’s crew in a musical finale lead by Mickey.
When the ship stops at Disney’s Castaway Cay in the Bahamas, you will be greeted by snow flurries, a decked-out Christmas tree and meet and greets with your favorite Disney characters. Also enjoy the holiday inspired island music.

Some more holiday specifics-

Thanksgiving Day– enjoy a special Thanksgiving Day feast with visits from Mickey and Minnie in their Thanksgiving attire. NFL Football games will be broadcast live on the ships’ outdoor, jumbo LED screens located near the family pool for your viewing pleasure.
Hanukkah– services will be held each day, December 6 to 14
Christmas Eve– a midnight mass will be held
Christmas Day– join Santa Claus and his helpers by the atrium lobby tree where all the kids onboard will receive a special gift. There will also be a special musical performance from the children and a traditional Christmas Dinner will be served in the dining rooms in the evening. There will also be a Christmas service held during the day.
New Year’s Eve– join a special party, complete with music, sparkling wine in commemorative flutes and a midnight countdown.
Onboard the ship, special amenities are available for stateroom delivery. Purchased in advance of sailing, these include holiday-themed gift packages and treat baskets and even mini Christmas trees decorated with ornaments, red berries, mini carnations and a bow topper. Plus, during the holiday cruises, the Disney Cruise Line holiday merchandise collection and Disney Cruise Line ornaments will be available in the gift shops.

Sailings include:

Disney Magic sails four- and five-night Bahamian and Caribbean cruises departing November 11 to December 23.
Disney Wonder sails four-, six- and seven-night Bahamian and Caribbean cruises departing November 6 to December 24.
Disney Dream sails three- and four-night Bahamian cruises departing November 9 to December 24.
Disney Fantasy sails seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises departing November 14 to December 19.

To book your magical holiday sailing and to learn more about available staterooms and itineraries, email me at [email protected]. Now is a great time to create the best holiday ever and be sure to check out our special Disney Cruise promotion we are running for the month of October HERE.

Tickets On Sale for Latin Baseball Event at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney

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Chip

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October 6, 2015

Tickets are on sale for the Latin Baseball Festival featuring Puerto Rican Baseball regular-season games at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort.

A variety of ticket options are available for the three-game regular-season series between Roberto Clemente League squads Cangrejeros de Santurce and the Indios de Mayaguez on Nov. 20-22, 2015 at Champion Stadium. Single-game tickets range from $17.50 for lawn seats to $30 for lower level seating. Two-game packages (Saturday and Sunday) are $45 (upper level) and $55 (lower level).

Group tickets are also available ($24-$27) as well as suites ($250-$2,000).

Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations and online at www.Ticketmaster.com.

Cangrejeros de Santurce, the designated home team in this series, is one of the marquee teams in Caribbean Baseball and the reigning champions of the Roberto Clemente League. The Indios de Mayaguez are the Clemente League’s sub-champion this past season. Among the marquee Major League Baseball players who played in the Puerto Rican Baseball League are Roberto Alomar, Bobby Bonilla, Ivan Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez, Juan Gonzalez, Bernie Williams, Ruben Sierra and Clemente.

The Latin Baseball Festival, which is a salute to Puerto Rico and follows National Hispanic Heritage Month, marks the first time Clemente League teams will play official regular-season games within the continental U.S. The league last played outside of Puerto Rico in the Inter-League Series in 2009 and played with the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League.

The Latin Baseball Festival builds on the rich history of professional baseball at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The complex is the long-time home of Atlanta Braves spring training and was a host site during the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006. In addition, the complex hosts a variety of youth and adult baseball events, including national elite-level youth tournaments, international amateur events as well as adult tournaments. Among the key youth baseball events is the Disney International Salute to Baseball, Disney College & High School Spring Training, Disney New Year’s Baseball Classic, Disney Turn Back the Clock Weekend and Disney Sun & Surf Baseball Bash.

Magnus Chase and The Gods Of Asgard Is Here!

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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October 6, 2015

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer is here and we here at Chip and Co couldn’t be more excited!

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. His uncle tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants, and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarök, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .

We here at Chip and Co were delighted to receive an early copy and I can’t say enough for how amazing this book is. If you loved Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series you will absolutely fall in love with Magnus and his friends. You can order the book at these links or pick it up at your local bookstore!

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Indiebound
Indigo
iBooks

Plus as little Halloween bonus for our readers we have an awesome pumpkin carving stencil! Pin it on your pumpkin, mark it, and cut then tweet us @ChipandCompany and show us how it turned out with the #ReadRiordan! As always you can follow Rick Riordan on Twitter @camphalfblood for more Magnus and #NorseCrashCourse and go to ReadRiordan.com for fun activities and more info on what Rick’s up to!

Stay tuned for more Percy Jackson!

ABC Family Changing It’s Name!

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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October 6, 2015

ABC Family will be rebranding itself this January to become Freeform a new and innovative name for a constantly changing and innovative brand! Rest assured ABC Family will continue to bring you the same great shows and content you love, now with even more creativity and new and improved shows like the upcoming Shadow hunters and Recovery Road. The relaunch, which will coincide with the channels popular “25 Days of Christmas” and winter premieres of new shows marks a continued effort to evolve the young-skewing network past traditional family viewing and toward its target audience of “Becomers,” a network-coined term defined as those in the life stage spanning ages 14 to 34.

The Becomer audience — a concept ABC Family executives introduced at this year’s Upfront presentation — reflects the network’s efforts to keep up with its millennial viewers as they grow up. “The most important question that young people ask themselves as they’re going from high school to their thirties is, ‘Who am I becoming?’ So we call the life stage ‘becoming’ and the people going through it Becomers,” Ascheim explains.
“This is a long time coming. It really is an evolution of something that started 10 to 12 years ago when this network began to focus on what were then millennials. The network built incredible strength and incredible ratings success with young people, especially women,” Ascheim tells Variety. “And then something funny happened on the way of the demographic dance where millennials were no longer synonymous with youth. The oldest ones are turning 40 in a couple of years.”

“ABC Family has had a lot of success, and it feels really good,” says Ascheim. “I think it’s going to feel even better to unite ratings strength and show strength with brand strength.”
Stay tuned for more Freeform!

5 Things You Won’t Want to Miss in EPCOT

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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October 6, 2015

All newbies, first timers and seasoned Disney goers ask me what my favorite things to do at each park are. This is one of my favorite questions to answer not only to compare notes with other seasoned guests but to get the new ones in on the trade secrets. As with any list, this is my humble opinion only. I’m going to take you through the 4 parks of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando in this series and name what I feel are good, well-rounded, excellent-for-everyone activities. No matter the age of travelers these are the best of the best that I believe everyone needs to see! Join me at EPCOT, won’t you?

1. World Showcase

This seems obvious but I’ve spoken to so many people who have not only been to EPCOT and skipped the World Showcase entirely or not even visited EPCOT at all because they think the park is boring because of the countries. I think those are both INSANITY! The World Showcase houses eleven countries and each hosts eateries, shopping, meet and greets with different characters and other shows. Just walking around the water and taking in the sunshine is breathtaking. Go try some food and browse the shops….you never know what you might love!

2. Fountain of Nations

This fountain greets you in Future World on your way farther into the park. Every few minutes there is a musical “Show” put on by the water itself! My favorite is when I catch the theme music from “The Rescuers Down Under”. What a display! The fountain is called “Fountain of Nations” in honor of the 29 countries that contributed the actual water it holds. If you pass the fountain and it’s quiet it’s worth waiting for the next round of magic.

3. Special Events

If you are visiting during the International Flower and Garden Festival or the Food and Wine Festival you will savor the specialties at EPCOT. The beautiful topiaries during the Flower & Garden Festival are shaped like very character you can fathom. There are gardens as far as the eye can see and everything is so manicured and perfect. The Food and Wine of course is for you if you enjoy the finer things on your menu! The excitement in the park during these events is tangible. If you’re lucky enough to be in Disney at Christmas you must find time for the Candlelight Processional.

4. Living With the Land

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. For those who haven’t gone on this relaxing boat ride- you simply must. It’s a nice way to take a load off those feet and get out of the sun, naturally. However, the plants, flowers and growing veggies and fruit you will see on this ride will astound you. I guarantee you will see something that makes you say “wow” and you’ll learn something new. You cannot go to EPCOT without going on this ride. You can also stop at Sunshine Seasons counter service nearby for lunch or dinner.

5. IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth

If you are a night owl and enjoy thrilling pyrotechnics this is a must-see. Over the water you’ll watch fireworks and a 350,000 pound “Earth” rotating with the world’s first spherical video display. You can dance along to the music and marvel at the world images on display. It’s a beautiful way to end your day exploring EPCOT.

These are my Top 5 for EPCOT for anyone and everyone. If you would like to discuss other options or need help planning your next magical trip, contact me today for your quote! Also find me on Facebook!

The Incredibles 2 May Include Scenes From The Original.

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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October 5, 2015

The Incredibles 2 is set for release in 2019, fifteen years after the original Incredibles blasted onto the screen. The sequel under the direction of Brad Bird who is currently working on the script, is still in the early stage. However in a recent interview, Mr. Bird shared an interesting bit of information. Stating there were, as is usually the case, left over ideas from the first film. It would seem that Brad has plans to use some of the left over scenes in Incredibles 2.

“There were little scenes and things that I was interested in. I wanted to come up with sort of an over-arching idea that connected to the first film that went somewhere different.”

New Costumes and the probability the sequel will take us years into the future is this Entertainment Writer’s hope for the storyline. Although not much else is available about The Incredibles 2 sequel, and still have a long wait until the estimated release date in 2019, fans are just excited to see that there is work in progress. Trailers, press releases and further interviews with Brad Bird will bring us updates and new exciting news. Follow us at www.chipandco.com to make sure you don’t miss one single update.

Tables in Wonderland Price Increase Started Yesterday

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Disney News

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October 5, 2015

To go along with the increase in price to the Annual Passes at both Disney World and Disneyland, now Tables in Wonderland will see an increase as well. The new price for DVC and Annual Passholders is now $150.00, the new price for Florida Residents is $175.00. That is a $50 price increase!!!

In case you were wondering, Tables in Wonderland is a program that gives you a 20% discount at certain Disney World Restaurants. Now you will have to spend around $750 in Food & Alcohol to break even on the price increase.

We want to hear what you think about the price increases in the comment box below.

Marvel Assembles in Disney Gif‏

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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October 5, 2015

Marvel fans have a new super power of their own, the ability to share moments from some of their favorite Marvel movies and shows with friends through Disney Gif, a mobile keyboard extension that lets users easily send gifs and emojis via text, email, and other messaging and social platforms.

Disney Gif debuted a new Marvel category, which features key scenes from Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron as well as Marvel’s Ant-Man. Dozens of Marvel gifs are live now, letting fans select and send clips of Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Ant-Man, Hawkeye, Hulk, and Nick Fury. The category will regularly refresh with new gifs, so check back for more fun options!

Containing hundreds of hand-selected gifs and emojis, Disney Gif also gives users access to some of their favorite moments from Disney’s “Frozen,” “Star Wars”, ABC’s “Scandal,” Disney•Pixar’s “Inside Out,” classic Disney films, and much more. Whether they’re feeling happy, sassy, or villainous, fans can find the perfect gif in the keyboard’s curated galleries, which are categorized by emotions as well as by films and shows. Keep an eye out for new additions in the featured and recently added sections. The trending category will also give users a pulse for Disney Gif’s most popular content.

Download Disney Gif: https://itunes.apple.com/app/disney-omgif/id989498339

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Maria

Pumpkin-licious Disney Desserts! (Take 3) Pumpkin Muffins

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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October 5, 2015

I don’t know about you, but to me, muffins are just plain delicious and when we are talking about pumpkin muffins it’s simply a touchdown of taste! Nothing says fall better than the enticing aroma of pumpkin and spice and this recipe has it all! Straight from Disney to your kitchen, this recipe is sure to be a winner! A new fall tradition is about to be born!

This delicious muffin is loaded with pumpkin flavor and includes a smattering of plump, tasty golden raisins and is topped with the most decadent streusel topping you will ever taste! I promise that once you try this it will become a family favorite, one that will be requested each and every fall!

This seasonal treat can once again be found on the west coast at any number of locations in Disneyland (Jolly Holiday Bakery Café and the Cappuccino Cart in the Hub), Disney’s California Adventure (Schmoozies and Pacific Wharf Café), the Disney Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (White Water Snacks) and the Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel (Surfside Lounge). It’s up to you to decide if you want to eat this tempting treat as a snack or breakfast, your call and I promise, no judgement here! Check out the recipe:

Pumpkin Muffins
(Makes 12 muffins)
Muffin Recipe
1 cup cake flour
1 cup bread flour (may substitute all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 5-ounce can pumpkin purée
1 cup golden raisins

Streusel
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

For muffins:
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.

Sift together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Set aside.
Beat together sugar and eggs until pale yellow in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend in oil and pumpkin purée until mixture is smooth.
Blend half of flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl, then stir in raisins. Add remaining flour mixture to batter, mixing just until combined.
Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan, filling about 3/4 full.

For streusel:

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mash butter with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon streusel on each muffin.

Bake 18 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 325°F and bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown.

So we need your opinion on this recipe…was it easy to make, as delicious as it sounded? Let us know in the comments below! We love to hear from you!

If your a foodie and want to head to Disneyland this fall to check out all of the seasonal specialties, I would be happy to help! Or if you prefer to take advantage of the latest holiday promotions released for Disney World, I’d be happy to help you there as well! You can shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. If you need help planning your next magical adventure, I’m your girl! Now, let the magic begin!

Why You Should Consider An “Adults Only” Trip To Walt Disney World

By

Catie

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October 5, 2015

Walt Disney World has a reputation for being the ultimate Theme Park experience for kids and families – and it really is! But the truth is – it’s not just for kids – ADULTS can have a blast at WDW too! In fact, some of the best times I have had at Disney have been with just my husband and myself, enjoying a “kid’s” paradise from an adult’s point of view! Taking an “adults only” WDW trip is something you should start planning like NOW. WHY, you might ask? Well, here are a few reasons:

The Food: There are so many places that offer innovative and sophisticated dining experiences at WDW – it’s the perfect place to try something new, like Moroccan food, or African, or New American – and you can take your time, order wine, even try the 5 course tasting menu, without having to worry about if the kids will like the food there, and without having to get up 15 times during your meal to go to the bathroom or the buffet with the little ones. Many kids these days are adventurous when it comes to dining, but if yours are not exactly ready for anything outside the chicken nuggets realm, then vacationing at WDW with adults is a great chance for you to try something non dinosaur shaded, at a place where ketchup is not the only available condiment

The Resorts: When you travel with your family, you think about getting a hotel that will suit everyone – one that has a great pool and kid-friendly décor and activities. When it’s an all adults trip, you can shift your focus more towards luxury – And Disney has a ton of amazing on-site Resorts – many of which have tons to offer for the “adult” travelers. Bigger, nicer rooms, Jacuzzi tubs, 5 star restaurants, a great area to lounge at poolside, concierge service, room service, fully stocked bars – these are just some of the things you will find at some of Disney’s Resorts. Read more about their Resort offerings here

The Nightlife: Enjoy some of the entertainment options at WDW with your adults only party – bowling at Splittsville, dine in movies at the AMC theater, live music at the House Of Blues, drinks in Pleasure Island, shopping at Downtown Disney, plus amazing restaurants are available all over the World – heck, you could even eat late and order drinks with dinner, why not, you’re an adult after all!

“Adults Only” Fun: Disney World is home to golf courses, Spas, gyms, running/walking trails, unique places to try a new drink (drink around the world, anyone?), and they even have places where you can rent boats/jet skis or enjoy para-sailing or water skiing too! The world class spas offer a range of treatments, and personally I can’t think of a better way to relax and enjoy my vacation than with a couple’s massage (maybe you could even book it as a surprise for your significant other?)

Every night’s a date night – without the kids, you’re free to reconnect and enjoy Disney with your honey – indulge in some (rare) adult conversation and interaction, and take some time to relax and revel in the fact that you’re getting the chance to enjoy Walt Disney World – and experience from a “Grown up” point of view. I think you’ll find it’s every bit as magical (if not more so!) than it was when you were a kid!

Disneyland Announces 2 New Annual Passports and Price Increase

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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October 4, 2015

Disneyland announced two new annual passports today as well as a price increase. They also eliminated the no-blackout Premium Annual Passport. If you are a current Premium passholder, you’ll still be able to use your passport but will not be able to renew.

The new passports now being offered are the Disney Signature Plus and the Disney Signature. The cost of the Disney Signature Plus is $1,049 with no blackout days, and the cost of the Disney Signature is $849, good for visits for about 350 days, excluding the 2 weeks around Christmas and New Year.

Both of these new passes come with other benefits like parking, dining and merchandise discounts, and a new PhotoPass that allows unlimited digital downloads of photos taken in the parks. Passholders will no longer have to pay separately for PhotoPass photos.

Both the Deluxe and Southern California Select annual pass prices were also increased, as well as parking fees at the parks. The new price for a Deluxe pass, with some Saturday and peak-holiday-period blackouts, went up $50, to $599. Southern California passes, which are only available for renewals, increased from $389 to $459. The cheapest pass – Southern California Select – went from $299 to $329. California residents still have monthly payment options for their annual passes. Parking at the parks is now $18 and Downtown Disney now offers just 2 hours of free parking, with an additional 2 hours with validation from a restaurant or movie. Hourly parking at Downtown Disney is now $12 rather than $6.

Walt Disney World also made changes to their annual passports. Check out that article here.

What do you think of these changes? Let us know in the comments!

Disneyland will always be the “happiest place on Earth”, even though it might be a little more expensive now. I would love to help you plan your next Disney vacation and find you the most affordable deal! My services are free and you can email me for a quote today.

Don’t miss these special amenities for Chase Card Members at the Food & Wine Festival

By

Chip

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October 4, 2015

Heading to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival? Got a Chase credit card? You don’t want to miss out on all the fun events and amenities for Chase Credit Card members. Here is what is available for you.

The Chase lounge, located on the third floor of the American Adventure Pavilion within the Epcot World Showcase, will be open daily during the Festival from 11 a.m. until Park close. This is a great place to cool off with free Coke drinks or you can pay for a few alcoholic beverages, cell phone charging stations, video games, restrooms, live video feed of the demos, photo booth, and more.
If you are a Chase Disney Visa card member you can get a special wrist band that gives you access to a special seating area for the Eat to the beat Concert. These are on a first come first served basis and located in the Chase Lounge in the main seating area.
Throughout the day they have a happy half hour where free alcoholic coupons are handed out from cast members for all guests over the age of 21. I was lucky enough to get one of these which was nice.

New this year are special dining events for Disney Visa Card members during the festival:

The Making of the Party for the Senses, October 27, 2015. Discover how the culinary team makes this popular tasting event come alive. Over lunch in the Wine View Lounge, event creators offer a glimpse at the behind-the-scenes magic.
The Creation of the Food & Wine Festival Marketplaces, November 9, 2015. Enjoy breakfast on the promenade before the Festival opens with a Walt Disney World Chef, Beverage Professional and Imagineer for a sneak peek at Marketplace creations and their menu delights.

Are you heading to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival this year? Be sure to drop by the Chase Lounge if you have a Chase Credit Card and take advantage of some of these amenities.