Disney News

Tag: Epcot

  • Exclusive Star Wars Event Coming to Epcot for DVC Members in April

    Exclusive Star Wars Event Coming to Epcot for DVC Members in April

    A one-night-only Star Wars: Galactic Gathering will turn the World ShowPlace pavilion at Epcot into an exclusive Star Wars experience for Disney Vacation Club Members and special guests on April 10 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

    During this Membership Magic event, Disney Vacation Club Members and special guests will enjoy Star Wars-themed foods and beverages, meet favorite Star Warscharacters, pose for photos with Star Wars set pieces and props, and more. (That’s a whole lot of Star Wars).

    The culinary team behind this event has developed a carefully crafted menu that promises to satisfy even a Wookiee-sized appetite. The epic lineup includes hors d’oeuvres, specialty beverages and all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet featuring a salad cone station (try the Endor Cous Cous!), a small-bites station (including a Tatooine Cheeseburger Spring Roll), a bowl action station (with Alderaan Bean Wat with Basmati Scented Rice and Cilantro among the options) and a carving station. Sweet options range from a Blue Milk Panna Cotta to Darth Vader Cupcakes to BB-8 Mousse Domes.

    When you aren’t blasting through the buffet or snapping selfies with treasures of the Star Wars galaxy, you’ll dance to the tunes of a DJ who will provide a stellar soundtrack to transport you to your favorite planet. 

    The cost per person is $225 for adults and $210 for children (inclusive of tax and gratuity), and separate Theme Park admission is required. Eligible Members can book this experience for themselves and as many as 5 guests, per Membership. Members may make reservations here. Enjoy the party, and may the Force be with you.

  • 5-Layer Rainbow Flower Cotton Candy Now at Epcot is Instgram-Worthy Yumminess

    5-Layer Rainbow Flower Cotton Candy Now at Epcot is Instgram-Worthy Yumminess

    Disney debuted their all-new Spring Fantasy Cotton Candy treat for Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival and it’s five layers of stunningly beautiful sugary goodness.

    This is a can’t-miss menu item if you’re planning a spring visit to the parks. It’s five fluffy layers of international delight are each a different color and it will be available to guests at Epcot in Walt Disney World throughout the festival.

    The trend, which originated in China, not only garnered major Instagram fame for its magical five layer flower aesthetic, but also for the near-hypnotizing process of how it’s made. The flower shaped cotton candy is the perfect fit for the festival. Take a look how it’s made below:

    It can be found at the Lotus House in the China Pavilion at the World Showcase, and if you want to get all five layers, it’s going to set you back $15.

  • Epcot’s Spaceship Earth-Inspired Mickey Sipper Arrives at Disney World

    Epcot’s Spaceship Earth-Inspired Mickey Sipper Arrives at Disney World

    Mickey already turned 90, but Disney Parks is celebrating all year long and even the merchandise at Epcot celebrates the mouse. A Mickey Mouse shaped, Spaceship Earth inspired sipper has made its way to Disney Parks.

    Mickey already has a sipper of his own, but this Epcot themed sipper also pays homage to everyone’s favorite pal as well as the classic Epcot attraction.

    The sipper retails for $16.99 and can be found in Mouse Gear at Epcot in Walt Disney World.

  • New Violet Lemonade Minnie Ears Avaiable at Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

    New Violet Lemonade Minnie Ears Avaiable at Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

    The 2019 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival is in full bloom and the Violet Lemonade Minnie Ears are super cute and your definitely going to want them on your must have list this year.

    I finally got my hands on a pair of these and they are totes adorbs. This cute set of ears have violet glittery ears and a band covered with violet flowers and lemon wedges!

    These ears go great with the “Put A Little Zest in Your Fest” merchandise, much of which features prominently the yummy frozen Violet Lemonade as you can see below:

    A lot of the merch also comes in matching violet and is adorned with the same violet flowers and lemon wedges.

    After you have the whole ensemble you want to cap it of with a Violet Lemonade Ale from Playalinda Brewing Company while you stroll the park.

    You can find festival merchandise at Mouse Gear, the Festival Merchandise area in the Odyssey Center, and Festival Markets located around the park. A selection of Festival merchandise will be available on ShopDisney.com.

  • Construction Worker Dies in Fall at Epcot in Disney World

    Construction Worker Dies in Fall at Epcot in Disney World

    A worker died after falling at a construction site behind the France pavilion in the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World, according to Orange County Sheriff’s officials.

    58-year-old George Grimes fell shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday. Deputies did not specify what the man was doing when he fell.

    “We are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of one of our team members in a tragic accident,” the company said in a statement “We are working closely with the local authorities.”

    The Reedy Creek Fire Department said the man died at the scene. No additional details were available.

  • Complete 2019 Band Lineup for Garden Rocks Concert Series at Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

    Complete 2019 Band Lineup for Garden Rocks Concert Series at Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

    Garden Rocks Concert Series is back – every single day of the 26th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and we have the complete line up of bands for you.

    For the first time since the popular spring extravaganza expanded to 90 days, Garden Rocks concerts will play seven days a week, three times daily, for a total of 270 concerts spanning multiple genres across four decades of chart-topping hits.

    Twelve brand-new Garden Rocks acts include: A Flock of Seagulls, Ambrosia, Peabo Bryson, War, Eddie Palmieri, Colin Hay of Men at Work, TobyMac, Steven Curtis Chapman, John Michael Montgomery, Magic Giant, Jon Anderson of YES and Journey former lead vocalist Steve Auger. Other new-to-this-festival acts that have performed at other Walt Disney World events include Glass Tiger, Wang Chung, Air Supply and more.

    Guests can dance in their seats each evening to classic tunes at the park’s outdoor America Gardens Theatre overlooking the World Showcase Lagoon.  An eclectic mix of Flower & Garden Festival fan favorites includes 1960s icons Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, ’70s-’80s chart-toppers Rick Springfield, Dennis Deyoung and Don Felder, and ’90s hit-makers Sister Hazel.

    Performance times are 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. and are included with Epcot admission. Guests can enjoy guaranteed concert seating by reserving a Garden Rocks Dining Package and enjoying breakfast, lunch or dinner at select Epcot restaurants. Here is this year’s lineup (subject to change without notice):

    • March 6-8: Journey former lead vocalist STEVE AUGERI (NEW) “Don’t Stop Believin’”
    • March 9-10: Glass Tiger (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)”
    • March 11-12: Jon Anderson of YES (NEW) “Owner of A Lonely Heart”
    • March 13-14: Tony Orlando “Knock Three Times”
    • March 15-16: Wang Chung (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”
    • March 17-20: Simple Plan “Perfect”
    • March 21-22: Ambrosia (NEW) “Biggest Part of Me”
    • March 23-24: Magic Giant (NEW) “Set on Fire”
    • March 25-27: Air Supply (NEW to Garden Rocks) “All Out of Love”
    • March 28-29: Berlin featuring Terri Nunn “Take My Breath Away”
    • March 30-31: The Smithereens (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Top of the Pops”
    • April 1-2: Rick Springfield “Jessie’s Girl”
    • April 3-4: Christopher Cross (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Sailing”
    • April 5-7: The Spinners “Working My Way Back to You”
    • April 8-9: Dennis DeYoung, original member of the group STYX “Come Sail Away”
    • April 10-11: John Michael Montgomery (NEW) “I Love the Way You Love Me”
    • April 12-13: Sister Sledge (NEW to Garden Rocks) “We Are Family”
    • April 14-16: Night Ranger “Sister Christian”
    • April 17-19: Sister Hazel (NEW to Garden Rocks) “All For You”
    • April 20-21: Steven Curtis Chapman (NEW) “Cinderella”
    • April 22-23: TobyMac (NEW) “The Elements”
    • April 24-26: Lonestar “Amazed”
    • April 27-30: The Orchestra starring former members of ELO “Evil Woman”
    • May 1-4: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone “I’m Henry VIII I Am”
    • May 5-7: Don Felder, Formerly of the Eagles “Hotel California”
    • May 8-9: A Flock of Seagulls (NEW) “I Ran (So Far Away)”
    • May 10-11: Marshall Tucker Band (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Heard It in a Love Song”
    • May 12-13: Peabo Bryson (NEW) “If You’re Ever In My Arms Again”
    • May 14-15: Richard Marx (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Right Here Waiting”
    • May 16-19: STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
    • May 20-21: Colin Hay of Men at Work (NEW) “Who Can It Be Now?”
    • May 22-23: War (NEW) “Why Can’t We Be Friends”
    • May 24-27: The Guess Who “American Woman”
    • May 28-29: Jon Secada “Just Another Day”
    • May 30-June 1: Blood, Sweat and Tears “Spinning Wheel”
    • June 2-3: Eddie Palmieri (NEW) “Vamonos Pa’l Monte”
  • New Annual Passholder Magnets Available At Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

    New Annual Passholder Magnets Available At Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

    We know Disney World Annual Passholders love their magnets and this year, if you happen to be headed to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, you can pick up two new exclusive designs for a limited time.

    The Flower & Garden Festival kicks off 90 days of beautiful floral fun on March 6 with two different AP magnet designs and with a valid annual pass, guests can pick up one of each. Each of the new designs are complementary for Passholders, but each one will be offered on different dates.

    Passholders can add two new event-specific magnets to their collection: a Pluto magnet will be available March 6-April 10, and Daisy will be available April 11-June 3 (both available while supplies last).

    This is the first time both of these characters will be featured on complimentary Passholder magnets. To pick yours up, stop into Mouse Gear or Port of Entry and show your valid annual pass card and photo ID.

  • New Play Pavilion to Replace Wonders of Life at Epcot

    New Play Pavilion to Replace Wonders of Life at Epcot

    The ongoing evolution of Epcot includes plans “BIG plans” and today, Disney announced several new enhancements for the park, including a new “play pavilion” set to replace area previously known as Wonders of Life.

    The new pavilion in development will include first-of-their-kind experiences devoted to playful fun, inviting guests into an innovative, interactive city bursting with games and hands-on activities. Friends and family will interact with favorite Disney characters in an energetic metropolis unlike anything ever seen before at Epcot. The as-yet-unnamed space will come to life under the vast dome of the pavilion previously known as Wonders of Life (more recently the Festival Center) and will debut to guests in time for the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary.

    “This innovative, new pavilion is beyond anything we’ve ever created and is completely unique to Epcot,” said Zach Riddley, portfolio executive, Walt Disney Imagineering. “Built on the power of play, it introduces an immersive and interactive ‘city’ where you can explore, create and interact with some of your favorite Disney characters. This is an experience worthy of our bold vision for Epcot – and another signature element of our transformation.”

    Two more exciting new projects were also revealed today:

    • Changes are coming to the Epcot main entrance, where the plaza will welcome guests with new pathways, sweeping green spaces and a newly reimagined fountain. This new design will pay homage to the original park entrance with fresh takes on classic elements. As part of this new entry experience, Leave A Legacy photos will move into a beautiful setting just outside the park’s gateway. Additional significant redevelopment will begin between Spaceship Earth and World Showcase Promenade; more details about the transformation of this area will be announced at a later date.
    • Guests will be able to visualize the exciting plans for Epcot when doors open later this year on a new Experience Center in the Odyssey Events Pavilion. They will discover engaging and interactive exhibits that showcase the relentless innovation, energy and excitement driving the future of the park all throughout this unprecedented period of transformation.

    “Epcot is beloved for its focus on imagination, innovation, fun, food and family,” said George A. Kalogridis, president, Walt Disney World Resort. “It’s a timeless place where the real is made fantastic through the magic of Disney. It has a very bright future ahead and the best part is that we’ve only just begun to dream.”

    These new announcements join other projects already underway as part of the Epcot evolution. Larger-than-life Super Heroes will descend upon the park with the opening of a Guardians of the Galaxy-themed attraction. This new experience will be one of the longest enclosed roller coasters in the world and feature a brand-new ride system when it opens in 2021.

    Other exciting new developments underway at Epcot include:

    • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction in the France pavilion, patterned after the number-one family attraction at Disneyland Paris
    • “Beauty and the Beast” sing-along in the France pavilion, showing in addition to the pavilion’s current film, Impressions de France
    • Circle-Vision 360 film for the China pavilion and updated O Canada! 360-degree show
    • Signature Dining experience inspired by the natural beauty of Japan
    • Space-themed table-service restaurant adjacent to Mission: SPACE, inviting guests to travel high above the earth for an unforgettable dining experience
    • Epcot Forever, a 2019 limited-time nighttime experience over World Showcase Lagoon set to classic Epcot tunes, followed by an all-new nighttime spectacular debuting in 2020.
  • New Redesigned Entrance Coming to Epcot at Walt Disney World

    New Redesigned Entrance Coming to Epcot at Walt Disney World

    As we previously reported, a multi-year transformation of Epcot is underway that will reimagine the park while keeping true to the original vision. Today, Disney announced that the entrance to the park will be redesigned as part of this transformation.

    There will be exciting changes to the way you come and go at Epcot. As you can see in the concept art, changes are coming to the Epcot main entrance, where the plaza will welcome guests with new pathways, sweeping green spaces and a newly reimagined fountain. This new design will pay homage to the original park entrance with fresh takes on classic elements.

    “Epcot has always been, and always will be, an optimistic celebration of the real world that is brought to life through the magic of Disney,” said George A. Kalogridis, president, Walt Disney World Resort. “The exciting plans we have on the horizon will honor Epcot’s rich legacy of creativity and innovation while continuing to exceed the expectations of our guests for decades to come.”

    As part of the new entry experience, Leave A Legacy photos will be moving into a beautiful setting just outside the park’s gateway. The Leave a Legacy program, launched during Epcot’s Millennium Celebration in 1999, giving guests the opportunity to commemorate their visit to Epcot at the turn of the last century.

    Photo-capture stations took their pictures, which were then etched onto steel tiles and mounted on one of 30 monoliths in the Leave a Legacy Plaza. Each stone ranges in height from 3 to 19 feet, and the heaviest one weighs more than 50,000 pounds!

    Additional significant redevelopment will begin between Spaceship Earth attraction and the World Showcase Promenade. More details about the transformation of this area will be announced at a later date.

  • Wreck-it Ralph and Vanellope Meet & Greet at Epcot Gets a New Home

    Wreck-it Ralph and Vanellope Meet & Greet at Epcot Gets a New Home

    Starting this week you can meet Wreck-it Ralph and Vanellope from Disney’s animated adventure “Ralph Breaks the Internet” in a brand new location at Epcot!

    The encounter opened up last fall, when their movie debuted in theaters in a temporary location inside Innoventions West. Now you can bump fists and pose for pics with this lovable video game “villain” and his adorable pal in the Imagination! pavilion.

    The staff of the Imagination Institute is now conducting a new experiment, creating a portal into other dimensions. That portal has opened a window on the internet for Ralph and Vanellope to step through, right into the ImageWorks area of the Imagination! pavilion, where you can meet with them every day.

    The hit film “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is now available on Digital and comes to Blu-ray on February 26. Available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD!