The Disney Park Blog is teasing us with this article about the International Food and Wine Festival.
The 2010 website goes live by mid-July, but the culinary team has been working for months on this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – celebrating 15 years! We know some of you fans have never missed a single year.
What do you love most about the festival? Favorites never go away, and each year something new is added. Here’s a broad brush of what’s new for this fall:
Popular Marketplace kiosks around World Showcase Lagoon are refining menus for sipping and noshing – more than 26 this year, including new tastes from South Korea and Belgium. We’ve tried the bo ssam (lettuce wraps with slow-cooked pork and a kimchi-inspired slaw) from South Korea, and give it two thumbs up. From Belgium? Delicious waffles, of course.
It only happens once and tickets may be tough to snag for the new Delicious Discoveries First Bites ($195 plus tax and theme park admission) in the Festival Welcome Center. There will be plenty of food, wine and a sneak peek at the festival’s seminars, demos, celebs and entertainment.
Also new this year is “3D” Disney’s Dessert Discovery every Friday during the festival with sweets, cordials and wine with VIP viewing for IllumiNations. Tickets are $45 plus park admission. A wonderful way to end the day. More to come!
I can’t stress enough please don’t buy your tickets off of ebay or craigslist. Use an authorized Disney Ticket agent or someone like Pixie Vacations to help you save money on a Disney vacation.
1 arrested in fake Disneyland tickets
Selling fraudulent tickets to Disneyland led to the arrest Tuesday of a 26-year-old Yuba City man at a fast food restaurant after a detective contacted the suspect by Craigslist, Marysville police said.
Richard Carlos Hernandez exchanged the tickets and money with the undercover detective, police said.
The detective bureau began its investigation May 24 after a victim from the Auburn area contacted Hernandez via Craigslist and arranged to meet in Marysville to buy Disneyland tickets, police said. When the victim tried to enter Disneyland he learned the tickets had already been used, police said.
Hernandez was arrested without incident, police said, and booked into the Yuba County Jail for felonious grand theft from a person, and for felonious forgery. Hernandez was also booked for a no-bail violation of a probation warrant from Colusa County.
Source
“World of Color” is all about color, music, water, fun and the pleasures of Disney storytelling. To make the experience even more wonderful at Disney’s California Adventure park, it can be paired with delicious food and beverage selections. Before arriving at the park, guests also will be able to pre-purchase a meal that comes with reserved viewing for “World of Color.”
Guests may choose from several different meals-with-reserved-viewing programs. These provide a magical dining experience along with a choice vantage point from which to enjoy the new “World of Color” after-dark spectacular. Other fun treats include “World of Color” novelty drinks, snacks and accessories
Meal-with-viewing options are limited in availability, at these locations:
“World of Color” Picnic Meals at Golden Vine Winery*
Times for the prix fixe dinners and dessert party are subject to change and cancellation without notice. For information on “World of Color,” other Disneyland Resort attractions, or to plan a celebration or vacation at Disneyland Resort, visit www.disneyland.com, call 866/60-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. To explore the expansion plans for Disney’s California Adventure, visit www.DisneyCaliforniaAdventure.com.
* Reserved Viewing: Each guest entering the reserved viewing area must have reserved viewing area admission. Children (ages 3-9) must be accompanied by an adult. Guests may only enter the viewing area during designated times and no early or late admission will be allowed. Guests in large parties may not be guaranteed admission within the same reserved viewing area. Separate theme park admission is required.
This exciting news comes to us from the Disney Parks Blog:
Last month we shared details of the popular shows and after-dark entertainment that are returning for Summer Nightastic! Today, we have more exciting news. A new, high-energy experience called Glow Fest joins that line-up to light up summer nights at Disney California Adventure park.
While “World of Color” brings a whole lot of color to the Paradise Pier section of the Park, you will find bright lights and beams of color in Sunshine Plaza and the Hollywood Backlot at this summer’s Glow Fest.
Glow Fest begins with the sound of drums and powerful rhythms that will draw you to Sunshine Plaza. An electric energy fills the evening air. As the sun goes down, colors burst to life and music starts to play from a brightly-lit stage that seems to glow. Dancers and world music performers create a fun vibe that you will only find at Disney California Adventure park.
During Summer Nightastic! the daily experience takes center stage in Sun Plaza from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and continues in the Hollywood Backlot until Park closing, so it’s the perfect thing to check out with your family, or if you’re just looking for a fun way to cap your night.
Where is it? Grand Cafe at Wolfgang Puck’s, Downtown Disney
What is it? Sushi and Sashimi sampler from the Sushi Bar
Why you want it? The Salmon and Tuna just melt in your mouth. Great for sharing. Be adventurous if you have never tried sushi before! It is wonderful!
Photo Credit: lymang via flickr
If you have a Disney Food Confession email [email protected]. He is accepting Food ideas or Photos if you have them!
Need a getaway?
Create and save an itinerary using the Trip Planner between May 26th and July 7th, 2010 and you will be automatically entered into a sweepstakes for a chance to win $5,000 toward that trip!
Click the picture above to enter!
This goes out to all those people on Facebook this morning that was talking about planning a Disney vacation just for fun!
The wait is finally over! Today, Disney Alice in Wonderland ascends from the rabbit hole onto DVD & Blu-Ray disc. If the anticipation of one of this year’s most popular films coming to DVD isn’t enough to excite you, then let me tempt you with this – for a limited-time only when you purchase Disney Alice In Wonderland on DVD or Blu-Ray Combo Pack at select Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resorts merchandise locations, we will give you a free $5 Disney Gift Card!
You’d be mad as a hatter to miss this offer… so don’t be late for this very important date.
This classic Disneyworld video is just to cute for words.. When that little girl says “I will never meet Mickey Mouse” it can practically bring tears to your eyes. I don’t remember this video from the 80’s do you? Let us know in the comment section below.
Michelle asks, “What does Disney do for you or your little ones birthday? They get anything like a free cake?”
Hi, Michelle. Thanks for reading and for your question. Disney does a number of things for birthdays. When you make your reservation, you’ll normally be asked if you’re celebrating something and if so, they’ll make note of it. Often, the birthday boy or girl will have a welcome card waiting in the room; you can ask if your child can get a card “autographed” by his favorite character. You’ll also want to make note of your special occasion when you make your dining reservations. When you check in, you’ll receive a birthday pin; you can also get one at Guest Relations in the parks. Cast members will frequently acknowledge your birthday when you wear the pin. It’s not a front of the line pass, but on occasion, a child with a birthday pin will be singled out at attractions for something special. You may even be given a “Magical Moment Certificate” which is a certificate given out to acknowledge a special moment, be it a birthday, anniversary, or some other occasion. Wearing a birthday pin is not for those who are shy: You’ll likely receive birthday wishes throughout the day and even some good-natured teasing.
Often, when you order from a counter service restaurant, the cast member will acknowledge your birthday and a free dessert will be included in your order. At table service restaurants, you’ll often be given a free dessert as well, usually a birthday cupcake or if you’re ordering a dessert off the menu, you’ll receive it with some kind of addition that acknowledges your special day, like a chocolate “Happy Birthday” or some other kind of decoration. At a character meal, your cupcake may be brought out by a character, which is a nice touch. You may also be given a card “signed” by the characters. Many restaurants go all out and sing “Happy Birthday,” such as 50s Prime Time Cafe and Hoop De Doo (which highlights birthdays and other celebrations). In general, the more formal the restaurant the more restrained (a dessert and good wishes) the acknowledgement; more casual restaurants tend to decorate the tables with confetti and make a bigger deal out of it.
Here are a few other ideas you can do to make your son’s day special:
1. Order a special cake through Disney to be delivered at one of your meals or to your resort. This can be arranged by calling the Cake Hotline at 407-827-2253. As an aside, was there ever a better name for a hotline?
2. Make special matching birthday t-shirts for your group. Zazzle has a nice selection of Disney themed t-shirts that you can customize. I’ve also heard good things about ordering from Disney Direct.
3. Buy a special autograph book for that day for character meet and greets. Makes a nice memento of that birthday.
Let me just end this with one caveat: Sometimes, nothing happens at all, so go in with the expectation that anything that happens is just the extra icing on the cake that is spending your birthday at Disney World. I’ve only heard of this happening on rare occasions, but sometimes people have bad birthday luck, for lack of a better way of putting it.
If you want more information,there’s a currrent thread on Disboards right now that is essentially “Everything Birthday at WDW.” Good luck and I hope your son has a wonderful birthday!
Have a Disney question? We have answers! Write us at Chip and Co. We answer every question.
Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) expects retailers to sell $2.4 billion in “Toy Story 3” merchandise this fiscal year, potentially the company’s biggest licensing windfall from a single film.
The third instalment of the toys-come-to-life fantasy, launched in 1995 with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen playing Woody the cowboy and Buzz Lightyear, opens June 18. But Disney has plans for the franchise after its theatrical release.
Borrowing a page from its “Cars” franchise, executives said they planned to make as many as four short “Toy Story” cartoons per year for television and online, keeping the brand alive.
“Cars” has generated $2 billion a year in global merchandise sales since that movie came out in 2006.
Some analysts say that projection may be overly ambitious. The $2.4 billion Disney is expecting in total retail sales, of which the company gets a portion, would be heavily tilted to the next few months to the end of September, when the company’s current fiscal year ends. The figure is roughly equivalent to the turnover Disney’s consumer division generates every year.
“We’re more than halfway through the year so we feel pretty comfortable with that number,” said Andy Mooney, head of Disney’s consumer products division. “It would most likely be our biggest event property ever.”
Disney does not disclose how much revenue it receives from licensing, but analysts said the company could receive more than $200 million from its “Toy Story” merchandise line, based on the company’s projections.
“They’ve been waiting for this one, anticipating huge sales,” said Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of Time To Play Magazine, which examines the toy industry.
Disney’s projections for “Toy Story 3” merchandising are based on initial sales, predictions from licensing partners and the historical performance of other franchises.
In Disney’s partnership with Toys “R” Us, the retailer is creating special boutiques within its nearly 1,300 stores that will be dedicated to the movie’s products.
The first “Toy Story” movie came out in 1995 and the sequel “Toy Story 2” in 1999. Both movies and this latest instalment are from Pixar Animation Studios, which Disney bought in 2006.
Combined merchandising — from toys and apparel to stationery and books — has so far generated more than $9 billion in global retail sales, Disney said.
Doug Creutz, analyst with Cowen and Company, does not expect an automatic hit for “Toy Story” merchandising, but that it should perform strongly.
“A lot of it is going to have to do with how the movie does. If the movie is a big hit then they won’t have much of a problem,” he said.
Disney’s consumer products division generated $2.4 billion in revenue last fiscal year, or about 6.7 percent of the company’s overall revenue of $36.1 billion.
An episodic cartoon series tied to “Toy Story”, called “Buzz Lightyear Star Command”, aired in recent years. But that was focused on just one character, and Mooney said that it contributed little to the merchandising line.
“What we’ve learned is, the strength of the property rests on the relationship between the core characters, and that was missing from the original Buzz Lightyear series,” he said.
Mooney said the planned “Toy Story” cartoons of under seven minutes will be more thematically aligned with the films.
Here is a collection of videos from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. After watching these videos you will have a better understanding of what Wizarding World of Harry Potter is and want to run out and book an Orlando vacation today!
Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Dragon Challenge (Extended)
POV video of the Dragon Challenge coaster (formerly Dueling Dragons) that includes video of the revamped queue line.
Inside the shops of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando
A quick peek into the shops, restaurant and under cover resting areas of Hogsmeade Village and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. You’ll see in Zonko’s, Honeydukes, Three Broomsticks, The Owlery, Dervish and Banges, Ollivanders, and Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. Besides the ride queues, not shown are The Owl Post and Hog’s Head Pub.
A wand chooses a boy inside Ollivanders Wand Shop in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Some guests of Ollivanders Wand Shop in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will get to experience the same type of magical moment Harry had in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” when a wand “chooses them.” Watch as this young boy is fitted for the perfect wand.
Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster POV at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
A point of view ride on the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Look for Hagrid’s hut and Buckbeak.
Students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons schools perform at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Watch as the Durmstrang guys and the Beauxbatons girls perform for the crowds in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure.
Hogsmeade Village walk-through tour at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Take a stroll through Hogsmeade Village in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. You’ll walk past the Hogwarts Express train, The Dragon Challenge ride entrance, Zonko’s Joke Shop, the Three Broomsticks restaurant, Ollivander’s Wand Shop and more. Then you’ll head towards Hogwarts Castle and by the Flight of the Hippogriff ride then turn for a look back at Hogsmeade.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey queue at the Wizarding World in Universal Orlando
This is a walkthrough of the complete Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride queue, stopping just before the ride’s loading area.
Hogwarts Castle walk-through tour at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Take a tour of Hogwarts Castle in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure. First you’ll enter the castle for a bit and then exit to the greenhouse. Then you’ll enter again passing Hogwarts’ architect and other statues. In Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry you’ll see talking portraits, including the founders of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, then you’ll enter Dumbledor’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Room, the Gryffindor Common Room, up to the entrance of the Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey ride. Along the way you’ll meet Dumbledore, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
Detailed tour of Hogsmeade Village shops, windows & more in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando is filled with details around every corner. This video shows you some of the more fun aspects, taking you through shops, looking into windows, and peering at a few extra outside elements.
