Jose Castillo’s World Wide Weekend Photo Report

WDWNT on October 2, 2008

Most of the WDWNT Crew is back from Walt Disney World (Tom will be back tomorrow), so you can expect a lot of photo reports in the coming week. Here’s the first one from our very own Jose Castillo:

Jackie Steele leading the Pleasure Island History Walk as part of WDWCelebration’s World Wide Weekend event.

A skeletal T-Rex has arrived outside the upcoming T-Rex restaurant in Downtown Disney.

 

Tom Corless,  Jason Diffendal, & Adam Roth with his head turned away.

Jackie Steele along with event attendees at the Mickey’s PhilharMagic group showing.

Construction on Bay Lake Tower is pressing along nicely.

A look around this year’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade.

The awesome looking Haunted Mansion float.

This mini-float from SpectroMagic carries a “pumpkin man”.

Nice atmosphere around the Main Street Train Station.

Cinderella Castle VERY late at night.

The WDWNT Crew were the last to leave the park on that night.

Moving on to the second day of World Wide Weekend… Here we see Marcus D’Amelio, & Matt Pezzula setting up the WDWCelebrations table at Epcot in the morning.

You gotta love free goodies.

Jason Diffendal ready for a great day at Epcot.

Turned out Saturday was the last day for the Epcot 25th Anniversary exhibit.

Jason, Adam, & Tom.

The Festival Center was open once again, with this year’s theme, Cities in Wonderland.

Marcus & Jason at the Electric Umbrella.

World Wide Weekend attendees.

Winners of the World Showcase Scavenger Hunt.

The WDWCelebrations Core Team: (L-R) Adam, Matt, Jackie, Jason, Marcus, and Tom

The first event of Day 3 was an It’s Tough to be a Bug group showing.

Then it was off to Expedition Everest.

Followed by Dinosaur.

Jim Henson’s name has been removed from Muppet Vision 3D.

The Hot Air Balloon is back up to its rightful space.

Jason & Adam waiting for Block Party Bash to start.

This was Jose’s first time seeing Block Party Bash, & he loved it!

Next up was the Star Tours group ride.

Construction on the exterior of the American Idol Experience theater.

The guys look excited on the Tower of Terror group ride.

For more of Jose’s lovely pictures (and a couple of videos too), head on over to his Flickr page. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today in the upcoming week for plenty more photo reports from Walt Disney World & World Wide Weekend, as we continue to “Bridge The Gaps Between You & the World”!

Epcot 25th Anniversary Exhibit Closed!!!

WDWNT on September 29, 2008

Hey there everyone, Jose Castillo here finally back from Walt Disney World. We had a great World Wide Weekend and expect full run down in the upcoming shows. Until Tom Corless gets back on Wednesday, I’ll be posting some updates from the parks. First up, 25th Anniversary Exhibit that Epcot had running since October 1st of 2007 is now closed, we are not sure if this is permanent, but we can’t find any reason why they would close it…could this be the end of it? It did run for a full year so who knows if it has reached the end, since it has been a year already. We will have photos of this and more coming up this week. Stay tuned to WDW News Today for more news coming from Walt Disney World as things start to get back to normal this week.

Updates Live from Walt Disney World

WDWNT on September 26, 2008

Here are some quick bits of news for you while most of the crew is down at Walt Disney World for WDWCelebrations.com World Wide Weekend:

-The Fry Wagon in Frontierland appears to now be gone for good.

-Nine Dragons Resturant in Epcot has re-opened early from its refurb.

-Test Track track appears it got a slight change to the on-ride audio, it now mentions OnStar.

News might be slow while the staff is enjoying World Wide Weekend but stay tuned as we will continue to bridge the gaps between you and the world! Also, don’t forget to visit one of our other sites by going to www.wdwnt.com !

ESPN Zone Evacuated Last Night

WDWNT on September 25, 2008

According to the OC Register’s Around Disney Blog:

Patrons and employees of the ESPN Zone restaurant at Downtown Disney in Anaheim were evacuated Tuesday evening as a precaution because of what was described as a minor electrical problem, officials said, according to the City News Service.

Anaheim firefighters received a call of light smoke in an area near a ticket booth about 5:30 p.m., a dispatcher said.

No fire was found, and there was no additional smoke after someone turned off a fan, the dispatcher said.

The last unit left the restaurant about 6 p.m., the dispatcher said, and it was not known how many people evacuated the restaurant.

Food and Wine Sizzles and Sparkles Beginning Friday

WDWNT on September 23, 2008

As most of you are aware the 2009 edition of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival will be beginning this Friday. Here are the full details released on the annual event this week by Disney:

Fine cuisine and wines from some of the best “foodie” cities in the world will take a bow at the 13th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 26 through Nov. 9 at Walt Disney World Resort. Opening weekend, eight of the country’s top chef teams will compete at the gold-standard Bocuse d’Or USA semifinals of the international cuisine contest, to be held at Epcot for the first time.

The prestigious cook-off will feature the country’s leading chef candidates, each with one assistant, cooking Sept. 26 and 27 before an audience of park guests at World Showplace pavilion. The winning team, to be selected by prominent chef judges, will be announced Sept. 27 at a grand gala. The finalist team will compete in January at the international contest in Lyon, France, founded by renowned French chef Paul Bocuse.

Throughout the six-week festival, Epcot guests can explore the culinary “Cities in Wonderland” – from trendy Cork, Ireland, to the melting pot of Cape Town, South Africa – around the World Showcase promenade while also discovering blissful bites at international and regional marketplaces brimming with exotic flavors and comfort foods. The six-week festival will showcase tastes from countries on six continents.

More than 25 international marketplaces will serve tapas-sized portions of regional specialties at $2-to-$5 each, and recommended wines and beers make perfect pairings at each kiosk. New festival flavors explore the culinary wonders of Lyon, France; Marrakesh, Morocco; Shanghai, China; Bologna, Italy; Tokyo and Mexico City. Exhibits along the promenade also will showcase entertainment and traditional crafts of several countries.

Daily complimentary wine and beer tastings serve up sips from around the world, and culinary demonstrations dish up featured taste treats. A series of special culinary programs features a lineup of renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers participating in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools. “We wanted to take our guests on a grand gustatory expedition,” says Nora Carey, festival manager. “The cities that we’ll feature are known for great dining experiences, and the ‘Cities in Wonderland’ theme will inspire our guests to enjoy great food and wine in a fresh new way.”

The Epcot festival continues to grow dramatically, attracting a diverse audience of more than one million guests each fall – from wine connoisseurs and epicures to neophytes wishing to boost their wine IQs. Beer aficionados can raise their steins at several tasting locations, including Germany’s Biergarten, which specialize in brews from light to dark.

Musical entertainment pairs perfectly with culinary fun during the nightly Eat to the Beat! concert series featuring a varied lineup of classic rock, soul, R&B, oldies, jazz and funk hit-makers. Concerts are performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre along the World Showcase lagoon. New acts to appear include Kool & The Gang, Spyro Gyra, En Vogue and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. David Sanborn, Jon Secada and Otis Day and the Knights are among returning crowd-pleasing acts.

Festival highlights include:

  • Opening weekend Bocuse d’Or USA chef competition presented by culinary stars including Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Jerome Bocuse, who runs the Chefs de France restaurant at Epcot. All park guests can attend the cook-off, where competitors will prepare elaborate fish and meat platters to be evaluated for excellence in taste, presentation, creativity and technical precision.
  • The Festival Welcome Center, with a Champagne and Wine Bar, complimentary wine seminars, celebrity chef book signings, and festival keepsakes including exclusive festival pins and an official festival cookbook.
  • New cultural experiences. At Louisiana, hosted by Louisiana Office of Tourism, guests can discover sights, sounds, flavors and crafts of the state’s seven regions. Music, dance, artistry, food and beer are featured, and complimentary culinary seminars are hosted daily. At Melbourne, Australia, hosted by Tourism Victoria, guests can glimpse Federation Square and scenes from Queen Victoria Market. A wine walkabout and tasting bar serve favorite sips.  The marketplace kiosk offers tasty bites. And complimentary wine seminars occur daily.
  • Some 250 Disney chefs and guest chefs conducting culinary demonstrations and hosting elegant dinners and tasting events. Guest chefs now booked include Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace, Rock Harper of Hell’s Kitchen, Tre Wilcox from Top Chef Season 3, plus Cat Cora, Jamie Deen, Allen Susser, Jeff Henderson, Gale Gand, Robert Irvine, Todd English, Warren Brown plus many other culinary stars.
  • New culinary programs to include French Regional Lunches at Bistro de Paris in France pavilion; City Tastes of global food and drink at World Showplace Pavilion; a Master Class Series with wines and champagnes at the Festival Center; and the Bocuse d’Or Grand Gala at World Showplace. Popular Epcot Wine Schools, Food and Wine Pairings, Kitchen Conversations and other events also are scheduled.
  • The weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting event featuring tempting tastes from eminent chefs, more than 70 wines and beers and live entertainment.
  • Family fun at Pearville Fair, a slice of Americana where pears from the great Northwest take center stage, and Behind the Seeds Greenhouse Tour at The Land fish farm and greenhouses, where guests can sample a greenhouse vegetable and release lady bugs.Festival guests also can enjoy new Epcot experiences including the re-launched Spaceship Earth attraction in Future World, with narration by Oscar winner Dame Judi Dench, new scenes, sets and costumes, updated Audio-Animatronics figures, plus a touch-screen interactive ride sequence. In World Showcase, there’s a new restaurant at the Italy pavilion, Tutto Italia, with cuisine from different regions of Italy. And the Japan pavilion just introduced its new Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo restaurants. Mexico’s new tequila bar is perfect for cool sips on a warm autumn evening.Included with Epcot Admission:

    Wine and beer seminars, cooking demonstrations, special book signings at the Festival Center, Eat to the Beat! concerts, culinary and cultural exhibits, and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.

    Special Programming by Reservation:

    The Party for the Senses grand tasting events, Food and Wine Pairings at select Epcot restaurants, Regional Feasts, Epcot Wine Schools, Cheese Tastings, Sweet Sundays, and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate admission.

Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs. Festival details are available at the Web site: www.disneyworld.com/food.

Yet Another “What Will You Celebrate?” Website

WDWNT on September 20, 2008

While there are still 3 months remaining in the long running Year of a Million Dreams at the Disney Parks, the marketing campaign for “What Will You Celebrate?” is already in full swing. If you head over to the official Walt Disney World website, you can plainly see that the mouse-ear balloons have already taken over the place. More interestingly, there is now a Walt Disney World Resort specific page for the 2009 celebration that focuses only on what guests of the Orlando Vacation Kingdom will be able to see or do when they are invited to “Celebrate Everyday!” beginning January 1st. You can see the new website by going HERE.

Did I mention that we now have an entire section for information on 2009’s “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign? If not, then be sure to follow the link in either the category section or by clicking the celebration logo located in the right sidebar of WDW News Today. We hope this will make it easier for you to follow all of the happenings for this upcoming celebration.

“What Will You Celebrate?” Press Event Video

WDWNT on September 20, 2008

Here is a video from the press event announcing the “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign that will be hitting the Disney Parks on January 1, 2009. This video also includes a brief look at what we can expect for decorations and the Street Parties that will be held during this celebration.

 

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More “What Will You Celebrate?” News To Sink Your Teeth Into

WDWNT on September 19, 2008

As I stated yesterday, news (big and small) is continuing to come out about 2009’s “What will you celebrate?” campaign at the Disney Parks. Here are some more details we have been able to gather:

The Warm Banana-Chocolate Torte with Vanilla Ice Cream-Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will be getting a “Celebrate Today!” touch-up in 2009.

Disney will be stressing the idea of getting specially made cakes for your celebrations next year.

At Disneyland, they will begin selling Birthday buckets that will include small cakes, gifts, birthday cards, and a collectible pin.

Here is yet another promotional video that has been released for the celebration. This particular video features a lot more of the official theme song that Disney will be utilizing:

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We will have a video of the New York City press event up on WDW News Today a little later this evening. In the mean time, be sure to explore our new “What Will You Celebrate?” section, that can now be accessed by either following the link in our categories section or clicking the image in the right sidebar of this site. Stay tuned for more!!!

More Information on “What Will You Celebrate?”

WDWNT on September 18, 2008

The details for the 2009 “What Will You Celebrate?” events at the Disney Parks are continuing to pour in:

-The Disney Parks website has been updated with information about the new celebration already. You can view the altered website by going HERE. There is also a website devoted to just the 2009 celebration that you can see HERE.

-Here are two versions of the logo for “What Will You Celebrate?”:

-If you want to receive a free 1-day pass on your birthday, you can register online at the website we listed above or fill out paperwork when you arrive at one of the WDW parks on that same day. To clarify a rumor posted yesterday, here are the prizes that can be accepted as an alternative to the 1-day park birthday pass:

  • A birthday fun card in an amount equal to the price of a 1-day Magic Your Way base ticket* for you to use on your birthday for merchandise, recreation or fun activities at select participating locations at Walt Disney World® Resort; or
  • A special birthday FASTPASS® badge+ for certain attractions at the Theme Park you visit on your birthday; or
  • A 1-day Magic Your Way base ticket for you to use any time until your next birthday.

-You can see two promotional videos for “What will you Celebrate?” by viewing them below:

These two videos reveal that Disney will be keeping the “Where Dreams Come True” tag-line beyond the Year of a Million Dreams and the castle in the clouds logo in some shape or form. The two videos also feature what will be the theme song for “What Will You Celebrate?”.

-You can get details about a road tour that Disney is making to promote this special celebration by going HERE.

-While we have already previewed a few of the pins coming out to commemorate this event in 2009, here is yet another that will be released:

Celebrate!

As we are sure there will be more details on the way, be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes public on 2009’s “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign at the Walt Disney World Resort.

“What Will You Celebrate?” Now Official

WDWNT on September 18, 2008

Here is a press release from earlier today on all the details for next year’s new “Disney Parks” celebration:

NEW YORK (Sept. 18, 2008) – Everyone who visits a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park on their birthday in 2009 can get in free, as Disney Parks embraces a newly identified family travel trend called “celebration vacations.”
 
In this new national trend, American families are hitting the road to mark life’s special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions and more – with a “celebration vacation.” In 2009, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts will lead this growing trend with new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences.
 
And to kick it all off – a first-ever opportunity for guests to receive a free ticket to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on their birthday in 2009.
 
“Birthdays are the one occasion that we all share every year,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at an announcement event today in New York. “We thought a free birthday ticket would be the icing on the cake as we extend this new ‘celebration vacation’ trend to Disney Parks.”
 
Disney parks provide the perfect setting for this new style of vacation that celebrates the special occasions in life, Rasulo added.
 
Whether a guest is celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, Quinceañera or any special occasion, Disney parks already are filled with favorite characters, world-class attractions and entertainment, and legendary guest service – exactly the “something for everyone” that trend-watchers say families look for in a “celebration vacation.”    

“The special moments in your life become truly magical when you celebrate at a Disney park,” Rasulo said. “Sharing a milestone at Disney connects families, friends and generations.” 

Nationwide Survey Reveals ‘Celebration Vacation’ Trend
 
A nationwide survey of nearly 4,600 adults conducted by Ypartnership – co-author of the influential National Travel Monitor – showed that 70 percent of U.S. leisure travelers have taken a vacation with the primary purpose of marking a special occasion in their lives – a “celebration vacation,” as Ypartnership President and CEO Peter Yesawich termed it.
 
Respondents mentioned a broad range of events worth celebrating with a special vacation – not just birthdays and anniversaries but a first vacation with children, a job promotion or recovery from an illness.
 
Whenever something positive happens in their lives, people seek out ways to make them more special, Yesawich said, and vacations are clearly perceived as both an appropriate and desirable way to do so.
 
Time does pass quickly and there is a growing trend to slow down our frenetic lifestyles and stop to rejoice around the things that matter,” he said. “Families on ‘celebration vacations’ are looking to truly commemorate moments in their lives – in special places everyone can enjoy.”
 
Research showed that when they take that “celebration vacation,” families are looking for destinations that provide activities for children and – better yet – activities adults and children can enjoy together.
 
Given these findings, it’s not surprising that Disney Parks topped the list of destinations where families would most like to celebrate these special occasions,” Yesawich said. 
   
Turning Life’s Special Moments Into a Personal Disney Celebration
 
“We see our parks as the ideal setting for a personal celebration,” Rasulo said. “Guests can immerse themselves in their favorite stories and their favorite characters, creating a visit they’ll never forget.
 
“And when our cast members get involved, it feels as if the entire park is celebrating along with you.”
 
At Walt Disney World Resort, guests can add on to the fun, choosing from more than 200 experiences ranging from breathtaking (magical fireworks cruises, sunrise safaris, diving the depths with undersea creatures) to mirth-making (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, character dining, kids’ pirate adventures). At Disneyland Resort, celebrants can book more than 50 magical experiences, including “My Disneyland Birthday Party” and unique Disneyland guided tours.
 
With all there is to do in Disney parks, guests can tailor their celebration with favorite attractions, favorite characters and special experiences. Maybe they have a “princess” day with themed meals, shows, attractions and perfectly princess merchandise at Disneyland. Or they turn Walt Disney World “wild” with trail riding, bass fishing and water skiing.
 
Even before the Ypartnership findings, Disney noticed the celebration trend happening in its parks, Rasulo noted. For instance, guests have visited the parks to propose marriage, celebrate a child’s passage into high school, or pull the whole family together for the golden anniversary of their parents. “But Walt Disney World and Disneyland are now poised to champion milestone vacations for families and friends in a breakthrough way,” he said. “We’re asking our guests, ‘What will YOU celebrate?’
 
“Part of the celebration is all the firsts that magically happen at Disney Parks,” Rasulo said. “Guests become the star of their own celebration. It could be a first trip to Disney or a first family vacation without the stroller. We want to make a first visit – and every visit – even more memorable.”
 
Even if they’re not celebrating, Rasulo said, guests will be immersed in a “Celebrate Today!” spirit, making every day a party.
 
Making it Easier than Ever to Plan

Planning any event can be a challenge. With Disney’s new celebration planning tools, it’s easier than ever for guests to plan celebrations large and small, customizing and personalizing each experience and tending to all the details, from a special cake to an elaborate one-of-a-kind celebration that only Disney could create.
 
Thanks to new Web tools, guests can discover magical experiences, unique events, dining enhancements and more. 
 
Disney’s planning services allow guests to stay focused on what really matters – the people closest to them. And vacation packages make celebrating at Disney right for any budget.
 
Customizing Your Celebration
 
Depending on the Disney park they are headed to, guests can order everything from special dining to princess tea parties, from yacht cruises to treasure hunting on a pirate sailing adventure, from a quiet trail ride to parasailing thrills. Or they can opt for magical experiences for their group – from dessert parties to a Magic Kingdom fireworks cruise to special entertainment.
 
Among add-on experiences guests can choose to customize their “celebration vacation”:
 
  • Custom Bakery Cakes and Signature Desserts: Disney chefs create an unforgettable finale to a special dinner with a beautifully decorated cake themed to any occasion or a new line of celebration desserts.
  • For Lovebirds: Sweetheart dinners for two in which couples can clink “Celebrate Today!” champagne flutes.
  • Family Portraits: Capture the memory with a portrait session with Walt Disney World photographers. Build a custom photo album with Disney’s PhotoPass.
  • Personalized Souvenirs: Mark your occasion with personalized Mouse ears, character T-shirts and collectible pins.
  • Decorate Your Disney Guest Room: Step into a resort room decorated to fit your celebration theme with confetti, banners, surprises and more.
  • Stay Inside a Dream Theme: Book a themed guest room at either destination – princess-themed or Mickey-inspired at Disneyland or – coming in 2009 – pirate-themed at Walt Disney World Resort.
  • Set Sail: Book a private romantic cruise on a yacht or set your party afloat on a shared magical fireworks voyage.
  • Go Inside the Magic: Behind-the-scenes tours take you inside the storytelling, adventure and history of Disney Parks.
  • Disney Story Book Experiences: Choose from pirate adventures, tea parties, princess makeovers and more – all with the magic of Disney.
  • Disneyland Parties: “Celebration Roundup and Barbecue at Big Thunder Ranch,” all-new, is a full-blown party complete with frontier entertainment, goodie bags and a surprise treat for everyone – no matter what they’re celebrating. “My Disneyland Birthday Party” features cake decorating, party hats and even Mickey and Minnie pay a visit.
Celebrating in the Parks
 
 
Disney is unwrapping all-new entertainmentwith memory-makers in mind, allowing guests to focus their celebration on favorite characters, favorite attractions and favorite stories to create a custom celebration in the park. New park experiences coming in 2009 for all park guests to enjoy: 
  • Street Parties: Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park come to life with interactive street parties. The call to “Celebrate Today!” goes out to guests, music floods the streets, dancing kicks into high gear and the parks become “the happiest party on Earth.”
  • Tomorrowland Party: A high-energy, retro-futuristic music video dance party features Stitch, an interactive dance troupe, and a DJ celebration host who’s inviting all Walt Disney World guests to come party, dance and celebrate.
  • Park Décor: The parks will be decorated with colorful banners, balloons and festive party
    hats – as if awaiting your celebration.
  • Buttons: Complimentary celebration buttons will help Disney cast members and fellow guests recognize you and your celebration.
 Memories to Last a Lifetime
Disney parks are the ultimate setting for any celebration, turning a special occasion into a magical Disney experience. And with the opportunity of free admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort theme park on your birthday in 2009, it’s even more special. All it takes is a valid ID including proof of birth date. Guests can get more details and start the process by registering their birthdays at www.disneyparks.com.

“We believe Disney parks are uniquely positioned for any celebration and offer the ultimate setting for marking a cherished milestone,” Rasulo said. “People trust Disney to make an occasion truly magical. And now more than ever, Disney will help guests seize those special moments and turn them into memories that will live forever in their hearts.”

For more information or to book a Disney “celebration vacation,” guests can visitwww.disneyparks.com, call 407/W-DISNEY or contact their local travel agent.