A few days late, but the Figment Epcot 35 lady’s backpack was finally released today at Epcot.
The bag retails for $75 and is made of a plastic faux leather.
The bag has a repeating Figment pattern on the outside.
Inside, the lining has a The EPCOT Center icon repeating.
The bag was found today at ImageWorks, but should eventually be available at multiple locations.
Tonight! WDW News Tonight returns, we review all the news from the last month, play The Match Game, and give away some Epcot 35th prizes…
If you are in the Orlando area, you can tune in to 105.5 FM or AM 1520 WBZW at showtime. For those outside of the Orlando area, the show can be watched via video stream at listen.WDWNT.com on your computer or mobile device. You can also use WDWNT: The App to watch and chat along. The show also utilizes a live chat and the ability to call-in to interact with the show. WDW News Tonight is hosted by Tom Corless and Nick LoCicero, but also features appearances by a number of other WDWNT correspondents.
Coming up on this week’s show:
We hope that you will tune in tonight at 9PM ET for another episode of WDW News Tonight!
If you missed our last show, be sure to watch it:
New at the Magic Kingdom is a series of attraction-related t-shirts, for sale in the Emporium.
The shirts include Splash Mountain, Enchanted Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, The Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
The shirts are regularly $24.99 each, but they are running a special where you can get the shirts 2 for $40 (plus your Annual Passholer 20% discount, if you have one).
Will you be picking up any of these new shirts?
Tickets are now available for the new hyper-reality experience, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire by ILMxLAB and The VOID, an offering that will debut at Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort December 16, and at Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort, January 5, 2018.
Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire will transport guests deep into the Star Wars universe, walking freely and untethered throughout the multisensory experience with friends and family. In groups of four, teams will go undercover as stormtroopers to capture Imperial intelligence vital to the budding rebellion’s survival.
Check out the video above for a first look inside the Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire experience.
Tickets are $30 per person and appointments are available in 15 minute intervals. Find ticket information and more for Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire now at www.thevoid.com.
Artist Kristin Tercek is coming to the Walt Disney World Resort with new art celebrating Figment and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! Kristin will be available for special appearances and signings at WonderGround Gallery in Marketplace Co-Op in Disney Springs on the following dates:
Here’s a look at some of the awesome art that will be on hand:
Artist Bio
Kristin Tercek was born, raised, and continues to live in New Jersey. She began hand sewing plush characters of her own design in 2005 under the name Cuddly Rigor Mortis. In 2009, she decided to get back to her roots and start painting again. She was self-taught at the age of eleven and now paints full time. Her characters have come to life in the form of cute foods, charming botanicals, and both real and imagined animals. Her love of Disney has been constant and unwavering – the highpoint was being married at the Walt Disney World® Resort. She couldn’t think of anything better than painting Disney characters for others to enjoy.
There will be several single lane closures and overnight ramp closures in the Epcot Center Drive area now through Friday, October 13th, 2017 due to the ongoing road improvement projects.
Additionally, starting today, there will be work taking place in the roadway at the exit of the Trinidad South buildings at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort as part of the ongoing enhancement projects there. The road will remain open, but Guests should use caution in this area as the roadway will be narrowed significantly.
Our latest photo report brings us to Epcot in the days after it’s 35th anniversary, as the early phases of the overhaul of the park get into motion…
The Siemens sponsorship of Spaceship Earth has ended, but the signage remains, as does Project Tomorrow, which is pretty much a giant advertisement for the company.
Some new, very bright, white lights are pointed at the Fountain of Nations, illuminating the taller water features. A strange addition considering this will all be bulldozed in the park’s overhaul.
Signage was removed pointing guests towards the Universe of Energy. It now points towards what’s left of Innoventions, which is just Colortopia at this point.
A closed Universe of Energy pavilion behind walls.
Signage was already taken down for the Test Track SIMporium so they could paint the wall behind it. This is where you can now make your own Sim Car Card to take home.
Some new phone cases for sale inside of MouseGear.
A little late, but a Limited Release World Showcase pin has been released at Pin Central to commemorate the 35th anniversary. It retails for $14.99.
A large line of classic Mickey and Minnie Mouse merchandise has hit all of the parks. I’m usually not a fan of such generic stuff, but the line looks pretty nice.
There’s also a new line that evokes colors of the late 80’s/early 90’s that I’m pretty crazy about.
Outside of the park, work has commenced on the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster ride.
A series of barricades make sit hard to get too close, and security is patrolling the area to combat “corporate espionage”. Since this is a first-of-its-kind ride system, Disney will be very strict about letting guests see the construction.
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – Oct.12, 2017 –The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic will celebrate its eighth year October 27 – 28, the largest event to date featuring more than 60 food and beverage stations and 11 educational seminars taught by members of the resort’s award-winning food and beverage team.
Guests will delight in numerous opportunities to sip and savor along the resort’s causeway, private lake and private beach all weekend while enjoying live entertainment.
Delectable culinary offerings headline the two-night event, featuring cuisine from the resort’s own award-winning restaurants: Il Mulino New York Trattoria, Shula’s Steak House, Todd English’s bluezoo, Kimonos and more, with wine and spirits samplings from around the globe.
“One of our favorite parts about this festival is showcasing our creativity and adding new experiences each year,” said Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort Director of Food & Beverage Tony Porcellini. “Things that won’t change are the quality of our food and beverage selections and our vibrant street party atmosphere.”
New for 2017
A new seminar, the Grand Tasting Experience, will be presented by a master sommelier, highlighting the unique Nebbiolo grape of northern Italy. Master Sommelier Matthew Citriglia, one of only 149 master sommeliers in the Americas, will showcase several rare vintages from the Piedmont region. Tickets to this intimate experience will be extremely limited.
Also new this year is Bubbles Lounge, a secluded, whimsically themed area showcasing sparkling beverages including champagne and sparkling wine, inspired by Lawrence Welk and his champagne style. Guests will receive a special entrance ticket to the lounge upon check-in and can seek out the space to enjoy a light-hearted atmosphere and sweeping views of the festival while sipping champagne.
Bubbles Lounge joins the event’s other themed areas including: Carnival Corner, offering carnival food and games; Chinatown, featuring dishes and drinks inspired by San Francisco’s famed neighborhood; and a Beer Garden, offering a variety of local and seasonal brews from around the world alongside Oktoberfest-inspired cuisine. (Access to the Beer Garden requires an upgraded ticket.)
Featured Food
Highlights of this year’s menus include: Kobe beef mini burgers with truffle aioli, Applewood smoked bacon and roma tomato chutney from The Fountain; seared Yellowfin Tuna salad from Todd English’s bluezoo; ricotta gnocchi with wild mushrooms, baby spinach and fennel sausage from Il Mulino Trattoria and oven-roasted beef ribeye with mashed potatoes and sauce bordelaise from Shula’s Steakhouse.
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Executive Chef Robert Ciborowski brings back his signature barbecue at the Cib’s Smoke House station with his hand-crafted pork belly and smoked Spanish Iberico pork collar. Popular returning dishes include the dragon sushi roll from Kimonos and fish ‘n’ chips with sea salt and vinegar potato chips from Garden Grove.
World Champion Pastry Chef Laurent Branlard sweetens the evening with decadent desserts like the crunchy chocolate passion fruit truffle and key lime vanilla cream. The returning Sundae Action Station allows guests to choose their own toppings like caramelized hazelnuts and raspberry whipped cream.
Seminars and Brunch
Favorite hands-on educational seminars, taught by members of the resort’s award-winning food and beverage team, return for foodies who want to add a little something extra to their festival experience. Seminars offered this year include: wine blending, Italian wines, Argentinian wines, champagne, beer, Riesling, craft cocktails, pasta making, sushi and sake and wine and cheese pairing. All seminars require separate tickets, and space is limited.
Guests can extend the indulgence into Sunday morning with the Sunday Bubbles Brunch with J Vineyards and Winery at Il Mulino New York Trattoria, featuring a lavish menu of traditional and unconventional dishes like various cured meats and imported cheeses along with an array of sushi and trattoria-inspired entrees. The Sunday Bubbles Brunch is a separate ticket option and does not require an evening ticket or overnight accommodation to participate.
With 18 restaurants and lounges, a distinguished culinary and beverage team and unmatched customer service, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort continually receives national recognition for its food and beverage program. The culinary team has had the honor of presenting multiple dinners at the distinguished James Beard House. The resort boasts more than 70 certified wine sommeliers and 1,400 wine selections, including organic and rare vintages. The resort’s restaurants are annual winners of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence including Shula’s Steak House, a multiple-time recipient of the exclusive Best of Award of Excellence.
Tickets to the Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic are available as part of a resort package or individually. For more information or to book, please visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com or call 1-800-227-1500.
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Our latest photo report brings us to the Magic Kingdom for Fall weather and the lighter crowds of the season. I’m of course joking, it has been above 90 degrees everyday and the parks have been super crowded, but we went anyway…
Annual Passholder entrances don’t seem to be leaving anytime soon as they now have more permanent signage.
Thor Raganrok merchandise is now available throughout the resort.
The Citrus Swirl Orange Float has been added to them menu boards at Sunshine Tree Terrace. You can check out our review here.
Columbus Day Week has been particularly busy. Here, the Jungle Cruise FastPass return line stretches back almost to the entrance of the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse.
The line goes on for niles…
And niles, and niles, and niles, and if you don’t believe me, you are in…
Well, probably you’re in the standby line then, because who would believe this?
The refurbishment of Splash Mountain rolls on. For a better look at the all of the work being done (mostly repainting), check out our video below:
Permanent signage for the lines and exits at the Lunching Pad has arrived. There had been big “foamcore” signs here for the last few weeks.
Mobile Order is available there as well, which I’ve already used a few times just to order a soda with no wait on these hot and busy days at the Magic Kingdom.
While Stitch’s Great Escape is closed seasonally, it is now being used for Stitch’s Alien Encounter Character Greeting during the day.
Signage outside informs guests that the attraction is closed, since the presence of a line might lead to thoughts of the contrary.
It was so crowded… (how crowded was it?) It was so crowded that the Country Bear Jamboree show that we went to was completely full!
Disney has announced the remainder of the celebrity narrator lineup for the 2017 Candlelight Processional, now part of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays.
Emmy and Tony award-winning Actor Neil Patrick Harris narrates Candlelight Processional Dec. 1, 2015 at Epcot. The event is one of the most beloved holiday traditions at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring a joyous retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a glorious mass choir. Epcot is located at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Mariah Wild, photographer)
Disney Legend Kurt Russell, who has starred in Disney films from the 1960s to 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” will read the Christmas story this year – as well as gold- and silver-medal-winning gymnast Laurie Hernandez. Two veterans of the event – actress/comedienne Ana Gasteyer and Jodi Benson, voice of Ariel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” – complete this year’s list.
As previously announced, new narrators for this year’s lineup include Matt Bomer (“White Collar,” “The Last Tycoon,”); Star Wars fan favorite Warwick Davis, who played Wicket the Ewok in “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi;” Daytime Television Legend Pat Sajak and TV star CCH Pounder, who was recently at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the grand opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar. And returning this year are everyone’s favorite hard-driving Dr. Bailey from “Grey’s Anatomy,” Chandra Wilson – and newly-named Disney Legend Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of ABC’s “The View.”
Here is the full list of narrators (everything subject to change, of course):
The Candlelight Processional presents the traditional story of Christmas in truly spectacular fashion – with a celebrity narrator, a 50-piece orchestra and a massed choir. The processional is performed three times per night (5:00, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.) during the holiday season at the America Gardens Theatre. These packages, available on select nights, include a delicious meal and a guaranteed seat for one of the Candlelight Processional performances. Availability is limited.
In addition to lunch and dinner packages, breakfast options are available at restaurants in and near Epcot like Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and The Garden Grill. Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are also available this year at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, with breakfast and dinner options being offered at Trattoria Al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk. Candlelight Dining Packages for breakfast start at $35 plus tax per person for adults and $21 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9. Candlelight Dining Packages for lunch and dinner start at $44 plus tax per person for adults and $15.50 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9.
