In Case You Missed It…

WDWNT Author on April 17, 2010

Since there have been a few minor news stories in last week that have gone without posting, I figured we should just share all of them in one giant post:

Night of Joy moves back to the Magic Kingdom this year:

Past Christian music “Artists of the Year” Third Day, mercyme and Chris Tomlin and 2010 “Artist of the Year” nominees Casting Crowns and Francesca Battistelli head a star-powered 15-act lineup set for Disney’s Night of Joy 2010 Sept. 10-11 when the long-running Christian music event makes its return to Magic Kingdom.

Also part of the two-night event (when specific acts play one evening each): David Crowder*Band, Family Force 5, Red, BarlowGirl, Group 1 Crew, Day of Fire, Smokie Norful, Lecrae, 10th Avenue North and Sidewalk Prophets.

Tickets for Night of Joy 2010 will go on sale May 1. For more information about the event, visit online at nightofjoy.com.

Wishes! Desert Parties returned after the refurbishment of the Tomorrowland Terrace was completed:

The Wishes Dessert Party has returned to the Tomorrowland Terrace in Magic Kingdom, providing treats and sweets to eat along with a prime viewing location for the popular “Wishes” fireworks spectacular.

For $25.99 ages 10 and older, $13.99 ages 3 to 9, guests can settle in an hour before “Wishes” and enjoy a wide range of sweets with coffee, tea and other beverages. Magic Kingdom admission is required. Advance reservations are strongly suggested and can be made by calling 407/WDW-DINE.

Star Wars Weekends are almost here:

Once again, the power of the Force and the magic of Disney combine in May and June for Star Wars Weekends, a sci-fi fan-fest inspired by the popular film saga. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 21-June 13, 2010, Disney’s Hollywood Studios becomes the galaxy’s home for out-of-this-world characters including Sith, Bith, droids, bounty hunters, Twi’leks and Rodians.

Dates are May 21-23, May 28-30, June 4-6 and June 11-13. This year’s event will celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back,” which first appeared in theaters May 21, 1980.

More than 50 Star Wars characters will roam the streets of Disney’s Hollywood Studios for meet-and-greets and photo opportunities. Also featured: the chance to purchase special- and limited-edition Star Wars memorabilia, Star Wars trivia contests, Jedi Training Academy, Star Wars parades, rides aboard Star Tours and the popular “Hyperspace Hoopla” dance party.

Celebrities from the Star Wars films and creative geniuses who helped create the saga will be on hand each weekend for star conversations and autograph sessions.
(*Talent subject to change)

The celebrity hosts for each weekend are Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett in “Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back” and “Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi”)and Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano from “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”).

Special guests making weekend appearances include:

· May 21-23: Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in “Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones”), Daniel Logan (Boba Fett in “Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones”), and Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Captain Rex in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”)
· May 28-30: Matthew Wood (voice of General Grevious in “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”), Lorne Peterson (model-maker who worked on all six Star Wars live-action films) and Tom Kane (voice of Yoda in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”)
· June 4-6: Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian in “Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back” and “Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi”), Ray Park (Darth Maul in “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”) and Dave Filoni (director of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”)
· June 11-13: Ray Park (Darth Maul in “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”), Peter Mayhew (who played everyone’s favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca, in four of the live-action films) and James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”).

Event activities are included in theme park admission.

Press release featuring the three new restaurants coming to Walt Disney World:

During fall 2010, new culinary adventures coming to the Vacation Kingdom include an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria and a Latin chicken restaurant, while a popular Mexican restaurant reopens with a fresh menu and expanded seating:

In Italy at Epcot World Showcase, Via Napoli, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria operated by the Patina Restaurant Group, will feature wood-burning ovens – and will import water from a source that most resembles the water in Naples, Italy, home of some of the world’s best pizza dough. This 300-seat pizzeria will feature a menu inspired by the famous pizzerias of southern Italy. The menu also will feature pastas, salads, sandwiches and Italian wines. The Patina Restaurant Group also operates Tutto Italia Ristorante at the pavilion.

At Downtown Disney Marketplace, Pollo Campero, an international Latin chicken quick-service restaurant chain, has partnered with franchisee Levy Campero to deliver a new restaurant concept. The restaurant will showcase Pollo Campero’s signature Latin chicken (which features the taste of lime and orange juices, red bell peppers and a special blend of Latin herbs and spices) as well as a new fresh concept named Fresh A-Peel (featuring fresh salads, sandwiches, fruits and healthy snacks) plus vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free, low-sodium or organic offerings.

In Mexico at Epcot World Showcase, an expanded Cantina de San Angel restaurant will feature 400 combined seats with al fresco seating for quick-service meals plus a new, air-conditioned table-service restaurant featuring authentic specialty dishes from Mexico created by the talented culinary team at San Angel Inn, LLC., which has operated the food service at the Mexico pavilion for more than 25 years.

The luxury “pet resort” is finally opening later this year:

Slated for a late-summer opening, a full-service luxury pet care facility on Bonnet Creek Parkway across from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort will provide a comfortable home-away-from-home for Fido, Frisky and all their pet pals! The one-of-a-kind facility will be able to accommodate up to 270 dogs in a variety of standard and luxury suites, some with private outdoor patios and play yards. The separate “Kitty City” pavilion will be able to house up to 30 cats in two- and four-story cat condos. A special room is also available for the boarding of “pocket pets,” Including pet hamsters and birds.

The facility, to be operated by Best Friends Pet Care, will comprise more than 17,000 square feet of air-conditioned indoor space plus 10,000 square feet of covered outdoor runs and play areas. It will replace the five existing pet care facilities throughout Walt Disney World Resort and will be open to both Walt Disney World Resort guests and visitors staying off-property.

It’s never too early to talk about the Food and Wine Festival:

When Walt Disney World Resort turned 25 in 1996, it popped the cork on a concept that has grown to become one of the Vacation Kingdom’s signature events: The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The 2010 festival, presented by Vanity Fair Napkins Oct. 1 through Nov. 14, is celebrating “15 years of delicious discoveries” with a focus on outdoor marketplaces where everyone from neophytes to epicures and aficionados can nibble and sip their way around the Epcot World Showcase promenade and across six continents of food and beverage adventures.

While specific details are still in development for the 15th annual festival, expect talented culinarians from across America and around the world to be involved with the marketplaces as well as with specialty dinners, tequila tastings, seminars featuring cooking demonstrations and wine tastings, and the popular Saturday night grand tastings – Party for the Senses. The festival also will feature the popular Eat to the Beat! concert series each evening.

Details about the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will be available this summer online at www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine.

D23 Announces 2010 Member Events!

WDWNT Author on January 15, 2010

D23 announced today on there official website some planned events for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Here is what they had  to say:

D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans today unveiled a host of special events that have been designed especially for its growing worldwide membership base.

D23 Days at the Walt Disney Studios, D23 First Anniversary Parties at Disneyland and Walt Disney World and Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks With a Circus, the first film in our new “50 and Fabulous” screening series are just some of the magical experiences D23 Members have a chance to enjoy in 2010!
Among the exiting offerings for 2010 are exclusive D23 one-year anniversary parties at the Disneyland® Resort and Walt Disney World® Resort, free “50 and Fabulous” film screenings at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank and a special 40th anniversary celebration event to honor the Walt Disney Archives.

“In our first year, D23 created some truly memorable event opportunities for our members, and this year we plan to outdo ourselves with a mix of all-new events and encores of fan favorites,” said Steven Clark, head of D23. “D23 Members are going to have more opportunities than ever to be part of the Disney magic through the events we have planned in 2010, and we hope they’ll be as excited as we are to experience them alongside their fellow members.”

D23 Members will receive notification of special events and reservation times via e-mail, and all events are offered on a space-available basis.

D23’s special-event lineup includes:

January 22, 2010: A Practically Perfect Night of Surprises with D23 and Mary Poppins
D23 Members will attend a performance of the critically acclaimed Mary Poppins at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles — plus an exclusive post-show experience with the Mary Poppins cast… and a top-secret surprise guest. (Hint: It’s an actor from the classic 1964 film.) D23 Members will receive 20 percent off select tickets for the January 22 performance (in various seating locations and price ranges). Click here for more information.

February 13, April 10, August 14 and November 13, 2010: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives
D23 Members will get a behind-the-scenes look at the legendary Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank and at the Walt Disney Archives on a two-hour tour hosted by D23 and Archives staff members. Three tours will be held on each date, and each tour can accommodate 50 people. In D23’s Charter Year, these special tours sold out almost immediately. Tickets for the February 13 and April 10 tours will be available at 10 a.m. Pacific time Tuesday, January 26 and are $50 per person. Click here for more information about the February 13 D23 Day. Click here for more information about the April 10 D23 day.

March 5, 2010: D23’s First-Anniversary Party at the Walt Disney World® Resort
Hundreds of D23 Members are expected to gather from around the country — and around the world — for a once-in-a-lifetime night of magic and memories. The evening’s festivities include a private dinner inside the Magic Kingdom’s Diamond Horseshoe Saloon, followed by an exclusive D23 viewing of Mickey’s PhilharMagic. Afterward, guests will hear insider details about the upcoming Fantasyland expansion from Walt Disney Imagineering. The celebration will also feature a sumptuous dessert party, a special commemorative pin for everyone attending and a host of surprises. Check back here for more information, including reservation availability and pricing.

March 10, 2010: D23’s First-Anniversary Party at the Disneyland® Resort
D23 will hold its one and only West Coast anniversary celebration in the most magical land at the Happiest Place on Earth: Fantasyland. D23 Members will take over all of Fantasyland for one amazing night filled with classic attractions, familiar characters (as well as a few you may not have seen in a while!) and a chance to see rare pieces of Disneyland history up close. Plus, D23 Members and their guests will enjoy an array of delicious Disney-inspired desserts, a special commemorative pin for everyone attending and other surprises. Check back here for more information, including reservation availability and pricing.

March 27, 2010: “50 and Fabulous” Screening of Toby Tyler
At last year’s D23 Expo, Disney fans had a chance to see Disney masterpieces that were celebrating their Golden Anniversaries… a new D23 tradition that continues in 2010, this time in the recently renovated, state-of-the-art, 400-seat Studio Theater on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank. Tickets to the “50 and Fabulous” screenings are free for D23 Members and their guests, and the series kicks off with a movie that hasn’t been seen on the big screen since its first release in 1960: Toby Tyler, or 10 Weeks with a Circus. D23’s screening of this lighthearted, live-action comedy will combine with special D23 surprises and the opportunity to enjoy a movie in this exclusive cinematic venue. Reservations may be made beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, January 26. (A $5 processing fee for each ticket will apply.) Click here for more information.

As with all live events, dates and times are subject to change.

Additional D23 special events are planned throughout 2010, including:

  • May 8: “50 and Fabulous” screening of Pollyanna at the Walt Disney Studio Theatre;
  • May 29-30: “Flowers and Fireworks” event at the Walt Disney World Resort, adding all-new elements as D23 expands the festivities to two days;
  • June 26: A special celebration at the Walt Disney Studios marking the 40th anniversary of the Walt Disney Archives;
  • July 10: “50 and Fabulous” screening of Swiss Family Robinson at the Walt Disney Studio Theatre;
  • October 15-16: “Sip & Stroll” at the immensely popular Epcot International Food and Wine Festival;
  • October 23: “50 and Fabulous” screening of The Sign of Zorro at the Walt Disney Studio Theatre;
  • December 11-12: “Magic and Merriment” weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort;

D23 is in the planning stages for even more exciting 2010 events, details of which will be revealed in the coming months.

Eat to the Beat 2009 Concert Line-Up

WDWNT Author on June 4, 2009

Disney has released the dates and groups performing during this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – A platinum lineup of popular music acts, including several Grammy-winning bands, will unleash an eclectic mix of classic and current tunes during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 25-Nov. 8 at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Eat to the Beat! concert series will bring 17 acts – showcasing everything from rock to jazz, funk to pop – to the America Gardens Theatre stage during the 45-day festival. The lineup includes five performers playing the festival for the first time: Richard Marx, Better Than Ezra, Vanessa Carlton, John Waite and Billy Ocean.

Concerts, which are included with Epcot admission, begin at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. daily. The lineup (subject to change) includes:

Sept. 25-27
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (“You & Me & The Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)”
Sept. 28-29 Richard Marx (“Hold On to the Nights”)
Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Starship starring Mickey Thomas (“We Built This City”)
Oct. 4-6 En Vogue (“Free Your Mind”)
Oct. 7-8 Better Than Ezra (“Good”)
Oct. 9-11 Sister Hazel (“All for You”)
Oct. 12-13 Kool & The Gang (“Celebration”)
Oct. 14-16 Spyro Gyra (“Morning Dance”)
Oct. 17-18 Jon Secada (“Just Another Day”)
Oct. 19-20 Sister Sledge (“We Are Family”)
Oct. 21-22 Vanessa Carlton (“A Thousand Miles”)
Oct. 23-25 Taylor Dayne (“Tell It to My Heart”)
Oct. 26-28 Boyz II Men (“Motownphilly”)
Oct. 29-31 John Waite (“Missing You”)
Nov. 1-2 Night Ranger (“Sister Christian”)
Nov. 3-5 Billy Ocean (“Caribbean Queen”)
Nov. 6-8 Los Lobos (“La Bamba”)