Epcot Food & Wine Festival: 2019

May 20, 2019May 20, 2019 WDW Dreams Into Memories

Details announced for the 24th International Food & Wine Festival!!

This is one of my favorite festivals all year at Epcot and I am so glad I will be able to check it out once again! This year, the Festival will run from August 29-November 23. This is the longest running Food & Wine Festival yet. It tops out at 87 days and each one will be packed with tasty bites and delicious sips.

Here are some great things we know so far:

Due to the popularity of the “Disney Du jour Dance Party” in Future World, it will now take place 7 days a week.
Ratatouille Hide & Squeak will return this year. This is a great activity for the kids while the grown ups enjoy a tasty bite or two.
There will be a candy sushi interactive experience again this year
Eat to the Beat concert series returns again this year through November 19th
There will be a “Party for the Senses” featuring chefs and vintners from all over the world
Sunday Brunch will be available with celebrity chefs
“Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It!” is a hands on workshop you can be a part of alongside famous chefs, bakers, and mixologists

Stay tuned for further details such as returning food booths, new booths, as well as menu’s and more!

With all the returning favorites and all of the new wonderful experiences being added, now is definitely the time to book for this fall and take full advantage. Grab your spouse, best friend, or a group of buddies and let’s get you reserved to eat & sip around the world!

Characters/Meet & Greets · Disney Characters · Disney Shows · Extra Magical Events · Magic Kingdom · New for Magic Kingdom · Walt Disney World

New Fireworks Spectacular for Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween Party

April 29, 2019 WDW Dreams Into Memories

Hallowishes was a fantastic Fireworks display and was one of my favorite parts about the Disney World Halloween party. Disney has decided to replace it this year with an all new Spectacular and I think it is going to be amazing.

For those of you who have had the opportunity to see “Happily Ever After”; the Magic Kingdom night time show that leaves guests with goosebumps and the happiest kind of tears, this will be modeled after that. It will add projections on the castle as well as the lasers, special effects and of course, a beautiful fireworks display. The story will be about Mickey and his friends as they go on a Trick-or-Treating adventure and some of the not-so-scary things they can encounter. We are attending in early September so I will report back about the new show!

In addition to the new show, your favorites will return including the famous “Boo to You” parade, character dance parties, meet & greets with rare characters and of course, trick-or-treating!

Here is more information on the party: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

California Adventure · Characters/Meet & Greets · Disney Characters · Disney Shows · Disneyland · Extra Magical Events · New for California Adventure

New Halloween Party Coming to California Adventure

April 18, 2019 WDW Dreams Into Memories

The Oogie Boogie Bash will be spooking guests from September 6th – October 31st. This is a separate ticket event that will treat guests to all new entertainment & character interactions. This includes a special version of “World of Color”, “Villainous!”.

Other Halloween “treats” include:

Treat Trails: New immersive trails that will contain characters, possibly even Oogie himself! At the end of the trail, guests will emerge to great big cauldrons of candy to pick from.
DescenDance – A great new interactive Dance Party! The best dancers from Isle of the Lost come to teach us some moves. Groove to all your favorite songs from the Descendants movies!
“Frightfully Fun Parade” – Mickey, Minnie, several other characters, and some of your favorite Villains will delight and cause mischief along the parade route!
Mickey’s Trick and Treat Show – Targeted towards the littles at the party, Mickey and his pals tell stories and enjoy a Halloween Party. Plenty of dancing and candy at this show!
Meet & Greets – Meet with some of your favorites and look for special encounters with villains!
Tickets are limited per party so enjoy shorter wait times at your favorite attractions.

Tickets go on sale April 30th, however if you have an Annual Pass, Disney Visa, or are a DVC member, you can get tickets on the 23rd of April.

Early park entry will be available. The party starts at 6pm but you can get in 3 hours early on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 4 hours early on Sundays. Guests will also be able to get into the party’s 4 hours early on the 29th and 31st.

Animal Kingdom · Characters/Meet & Greets · Disney Characters · Extra Magical Events · New for Animal Kingdom · Walt Disney World

Disney Updates & Circle of Flavors

April 9, 2019 WDW Dreams Into Memories

I have spend the last week in Walt Disney World and while I was away, several important things were released. I wanted to catch up on a few important items before I start my trip report. I learned SO much and I am excited to share it all with you.

Circle of Flavors: Harambe at Night comes to Animal Kingdom

This new dining adventure begins on July 24th, 2019. It will honor and showcase several beautiful animals and will celebrate “The Lion King”. This event is both fun and educational. While on this culinary journey, you will learn about the importance of certain African animals, the daily challenges they face, and what Disney is doing to protect them.

Start your journey at the Wildlife Express Train Station. Here, you will have hors d’oeuvres and beverages – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

After a short ride to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, you will be greeted by some great friends – Timon & Rafiki. The characters will meet, greet, and interact as well as provide some fun activities. More light snacks and beverages will be served here as well.

From there, guests get back on the train and head to Harambe Market which is where the main part of this event takes place. Once in Harambe, you will be able to enjoy many dishes, both savory and sweet. They will be paired with unique beverages.

Reservations are recommended! Contact me for more information or to add this to your vacation package.

Epcot · Extra Magical Events · Walt Disney World

2019 Food & Wine Festival and International Festival of Holidays

April 4, 2019 WDW Dreams Into Memories

Disney has announced the dates and details for the 2019 International Food & Wine Festival as well as the International Festival of the Holidays.

This year, the Food & Wine Festival will run the longest it ever has; starting August 29th and running through November 23rd. The Eat to the Beat Concert will offer artists from August 29th to November 19th.

The festival will continue to offer culinary delights from countries all around the world. You can also expect to see the return of top celebrity chefs as well special events and dining packages.

The International Festival of the holidays will return again this year. It will run November 29th to December 30th. We experienced this event last year and we really loved it. It was similar to the Food and Wine festival with an emphasis on the holidays each country celebrates. We loved it! It was a great way to get in the holiday spirit. We traveled the first and second week of December so we experienced low crowds which made it easier to tour!

Several countries will return with their holiday specialties. There will be special entertainment, storytellers, kid’s events, and of course, the return of The Candlelight Processional.

I will update as more details are released, including the Eat to the Beat schedule as well as the schedule for Candlelight Processional Celebrity Narrators.

These are great events that guests rave about and return each year to take advantage of. If you are interested in visiting during one of the wonderful Epcot Festivals, contact me and we can get a vacation package set up for you and turn you Dreams into Memories! Ask about the Minnie Box!

Characters/Meet & Greets · Disney Characters · Disney Shows · Extra Magical Events · Magic Kingdom · New for Magic Kingdom · Walt Disney World

It’s a Villainous Takeover!!

April 3, 2019April 4, 2019 WDW Dreams Into Memories1 Comment

Remember the After Hours we discussed here and how they are extending the events into the summer? Well the Disney Villains just decided to take over all of the After Hours at the Magic Kingdom from June 6th-August 8th.

The After Hours will take on a wicked theme (wicked but not scary!) and the Magic Kingdom will offer special merchandise, entertainment, food & beverages, and more! New additions for these Villainous evenings:

A new Villain Stage Show – Hades will star in this awesome new entertainment and will be joined by Jafar, The Queen, Dr. Facilier, and Maleficent.
Maleficent the Dragon – This alone excites me tremendously. Maleficent in her dragon form will be out for the first time at night! I cannot wait to see how amazing she will look when she breathes fire in the dark.
Ride Enhancements – Experience how some of the rides will be different – Pirates of the Caribbean & Space Mountain.
Food & Beverage – Try new and fun evil options inspired by the Villains themselves.
Merchandise – There will be new logo merchandise avaialble for these special After Hours in addition to a great display of their typical Villain merchandise.
You!! – You can dress up as your favorite villain – just be sure to adhere to Disney’s Costume Policy

Planning to vacation this summer or already have a trip planned? Let’s get this awesome event added to your trip. Contact me for a no-obligation quote today! Already reserved through Disney? We can have your reservation transferred so I can assist you with all the fun steps of planning and make it all go smooth.

Animal Kingdom · Characters/Meet & Greets · Disney Characters · Disney Travel Tip · Extra Magical Events · Hollywood Studios · Magic Kingdom · Star Wars · Walt Disney World

Disney World After Hours Extended

March 31, 2019March 31, 2019 WDW Dreams Into Memories1 Comment

Disney has added more “After Hours” evenings to the calendar.

After Hours is a great ticketed evening that allows you to enter the park as early as 7PM. Once inside, you are permitted to stay in the park 3 hours after park closing. Only a limited number of tickets are sold so seeing your favorite attractions and meeting your favorite characters will have short wait times. In addition, ice cream, popcorn, and some beverages are included with your admission.

This is available at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.

Animal Kingdom: May 7, 14 and 21; June 4, 11 and 18
Hollywood Studios: May 1, 4, 10, 17, 24 and 31; June 14, 21 and 28
Magic Kingdom: May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

Two of the additional After Hours Events that will be offered at Hollywood Studios will be special-

May 1 – Celebrate Disney’s Hollywood Studios 30th Anniversary. There will be special merchandise, character greeting opportunities, food to celebrate.

May 4 – May the 4th Be With You! – Dress up as your favorite Star Wars Character (Be sure to check guidelines) and be a part of the celebration. any characters will be out for meet & greets and there will be special food & merchandise offerings.

Contact me for any questions or if you would like to purchase a package so you can be a part of some of the magic!