Epcot International Festival of the Arts is set to return for 2020. It will kick off on January 17 and run through February 24. This festival is a celebration of Art and how different cultures celebrate it through many different expressions including visual, culinary, and performing arts.
During this event, guests can experience art through the Broadway Concert Series, different culinary kiosks where food seems to jump right off the painters palate, view many different Disney artist’s work, as well as let their inner artist show. It is a fun event and entrance is included with your admission.
Disney on Broadway
The Disney on Broadway Concert series starts off with the beautiful music from “The Lion King”. The talent for this year is bountiful. Here is the schedule:
Jan. 17, 20, 21, 24 and 25 – Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”)
Jan. 18, 19, 22, 23 and 25 – Heidi Blickenstaff (“The Little Mermaid”; “Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”) Jan. 25 – Special performance featuring Simmons, White, Blickenstaff and Lee
Jan. 26, 28, 29; Feb. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9 – Kara Lindsay (“Newsies”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)
Feb. 10, 12, 13, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24 – Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”; “Beauty and the Beast”) and Josh Strickland (Tarzan)
Additional dates & artists still to be announced so stay tuned!
New for 2020
A new Brunch will be offered at Le Cellier in the Canada Pavilion. Reservations are required.
Purchase beautiful art throughout World Showcase
Visit and observe artists that are creating right in front of you
Family Fun
The “Green Landing” Family play zone where guests of all ages can explore an area dedicated to Wall-E & Eve
Several different photo opportunities where guests can “jump right in” to some of their favorite stories
Add color to a beautiful wall mural located along World Showcase Plaza
Take part in a fun scavenger hunt featuring my favorite; Figment! Travel through World Showcase and find Figment. Hint: He has painted himself into some very famous paintings
Create your own artwork!
If you are interested in visiting Disney World and any of Epcot’s wonderful festivals, contact me today! I would be happy to assist in planning your amazing vacation and my services are always free. See ya real soon!
Thanks to a very busy October with the gift card giveaway I ran, I have been crazy busy dedicating my time to new and current guests and unable to update my blog as much as I like. I wanted to do a little recap of all the things I would have posted about.
Disney Villain After Hours
The Disney Villains are returning to the Magic Kingdom in 2020 for more Evil Evenings at After Hours. This Extra-Ticket event is a fantastic time in Magic Kingdom. Lines are short, entertainment is fabulous, merchandise & food is themed after your favorite villains and you never know who you may run into! Treats such as popcorn & soda are all-you-care-to-eat at this event as well so you will not go hungry!
Hades & Meg will be leading a stage show that will showcase some other Disney greats. Hades & Meg! Where else do you get to see these guys?!? So exciting. With this After Hours ticket, you can enter the park as early as 7 pm – this means you can catch the fireworks before heading off to enjoy attractions and Villainous fun! The events will take place select evenings from February 7th – July 10. This is a great add-on to any vacation package. You can get SO much done in the time you have because of the lower crowds.
If you are traveling during this time and would like to discuss adding it to your vacation package, contact me today!
After Hours
After Hours dates for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have been released for next year. Here are the dates that are currently available –
Magic Kingdom
January 23, 27 & 31
February 3, 10, 17 & 24
March 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
April 5, 13, 20 & 27
May 5, 11, 18 & 25
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
April 1, 7, 14 & 22
May 2, 9, 16, 19 & 26
This event also allows guests into the parks at 7pm, has lower wait times, and provides complimentary ice cram novelties, popcorn and select beverages.
runDisney Race Calendar
Dates have been released into 2021 for your favorite Disney Races. Below you will find Disney’s graphic with dates including when they go on sale.
These race entries can be added to a Disney vacation Package. If you are interested in an upcoming race, contact me and we can discuss putting this together with a resort stay & ticket package.
Disney Wonder Update
The Disney Wonder has added new spaces for guests to enjoy and they look fantastic. The French Quarter Lounge is a new space for families to enjoy. This lounge brings your favorite Bayou Princess to life and has several nods to “The Princess and The Frog”. If you are looking for an “adult only” area, cafe cove is the newest spot added to the ship. In addition, Disney’s Teen guests will enjoy a club exclusively to them at Vibe. Here is a short video that discusses these wonderful new enhancements:
In Holiday New, Disney World & Disneyland both came out with some great announcements:
Mickey’s very Merry Christmas Party is a truly magical event that begins in just a few short days. This year, a new Fireworks show will debut! “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmas Fireworks” will have you swept up in Holiday magic with an amazing projection show set to some of your favorite holiday classics. This is a great way to get into the Christmas Spirit!
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will take place select nights in November and December. Let me know if you would like to add this event to your vacation!
In just a few short days, the Festival of Holidays will begin at Disney California Adventure. This festival celebrates the holidays by sharing the festive culture of Southern California. There will be dance parties, a Holiday Foods Marketplace, Live Music, and so much more. This runs through January 6. I will be visiting this weekend and will be sure to report back!
Lunar New Year and Food & Wine Festival – Returning in 2020
This year from January 7 – February 9, come celebrate the Year of the Mouse with beautiful decor, delicious cultural cuisine, multicultural performances, and a crowd favorite; “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession”.
February 28 – April 21, Guests can experience Food & Wine Festival at California Adventure. Live entertainment, culinary seminars and delicious bites & sips await you at this annual festival. Kid’s can get in on the fun with a “hands-on” cooking experience with chef Goofy!
If you are planning a trip to Disneyland, these dates are a great time to travel there. One of the many festivals or experiences can just add that much more magic to any vacation!
October Gift Card Giveaway
Drum roll Please!!! Miss Kristen Mayle, you have won a gift card for your vacation in 2020. Thank you for trusting me to reserve your trip and help you plan!!
That is all for today! I will be traveling to Disneyland this weekend with the Agency I work for and look forward to sharing all that I learn and see with you!
Disney After Hours has added several dates to both the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom calendars.
After hours is a time for guests to enter the parks when most guests are heading out. The park is open late for just these specific ticket holders. Guests will have access to many of their favorite rides and will also receive unlimited ice cream novelties, popcorn, and fountain beverages. Here are the dates as posted directly from Disney:
Magic Kingdom Park
November 18, 2019
December 9, 2019
January 6, 2019
January 13, 2020
January 17, 2020
January 20, 2020
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
October 5, 9, 19, 26 and 30, 2019
November 5, 13 and 19, 2019
December 7, 14 and 18, 2019
January 9, 16, 22 and 30, 2020
February 6, 13, 19 and 27, 2020
March 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2020
If you have a trip planned during this time, this is an excellent way to see a lot of a park in a short period of time. We experienced it in the spring and we did every ride the kids wanted to and also several meet and greets. At one point, it felt as if we were the only guests in the park. It was truly awesome.
If you do not have a Disney Vacation Package scheduled yet, contact me today! I would be happy to assist you in getting your trip planned and reserved. My services are free of charge and I can save you lots of time and money too! Contact me today!
Yes, it is only August but the Winter Holiday Season will be here before we know it – especially at Disney where the Christmas Season starts before Thanksgiving!
We are a big fan of the parties offered in Magic Kingdom. It is often difficult for me to answer which is my favorite when guests ask. I truly do love them both for very different reasons. Either way, I highly recommend both if you happen to be at Disney World when they are taking place.
The Very Merry Christmas Party is a beautiful and fun way to ring in the season. The entertainment, decor, music, and characters will have you feeling like it is Christmas Day. One of the very special offerings is set to return again this year – a Christmas Party at Tony’s Town Square.
This Holly, Jolly Christmas Party offers tasty food, holiday beverages, festive music & decor and entertainment – including a visit from Tony, himself. Guests are free to come and go as they please throughout the night. With admission to this party, you will also receive reserved seating for the 11 P.M. showing of “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade”. This is a great advantage and lets guests enjoy shorter wait times on favorite attractions while the earlier, more popular showing of the parade is performed.
This party runs from 9:30 PM 12:30 AM (a half hour after the Very Merry Christmas Event closes!!) and reservations are open now! Contact me today to add them to your Disney Holiday Vacation Package.
Since I shared what is new in Disney World this Halloween season, I wanted to also relay what would be new in Disneyland!
Disney California Adventure Park will present Oogie Boogie Bash! This will be a separate ticket event that offers special entertainment, food, characters, and trick or treating.
An awesome new version of World of Color will be shown. “Villainous!” will be hosted by Oogie Boogie himself and is sure to provide some screams. Other Halloween entertainment will include a Descendants Dance Party, Mickey Stage Show, Frightfully Fun Parade, Trick or Treating on immersive treat trails and a new interactive trail provided by Disney Villains.
Guests are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween Costume. This Bash will start on September 17th and take place on 20 select nights. Get your tickets now, as they will sell out!
To plan a trip to Disneyland and add this Spooky event to your itinerary, contact me today!
On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, The Pirates of the Caribbean Gave to Me::
Traveling for the Holidays
There are so many corners of the world to see and the Holidays are always a great time to do that. There is a Disney Destination for you that can take you to 3 different countries, experiencing 3 different types of traditions during Christmas. The Danube River Cruise with Adventures by Disney can take you on a luxury River Cruise to three countries and 7 different destinations within those countries. Highlights include-
8 Days/ 7 Nights
Germany, Austria, & Hungary
Amazing accommodations
20 meals
Stops at local Christmas Markets for shopping & gifts
See historical landmarks including the rolling Hills from “The Sound of Music”
Meet real Hungarian Cowboys
Private Sightseeing
Insider Access Opportunities
Personal Adventure Guides
and more!
Adventures by Disney can take you to almost any corner of the Earth. I can’t think of anything more magical than visiting during the holidays!
Giving a Disney Destination as a Gift for the Holidays
There are so many ways to gift a Disney Destination for the Holidays. A very simple way is just to have an invitation sent to your loved ones from their favorite Disney Character – you can go crazy with all different types of fun stationary and stickers or you can keep it simple. There are many different types of stationary that can be printed out on or you can just use plain paper and decorate on your own. Have fun with it! Let them know that their favorite character can’t wait to see them on such-and-such a date and it will be a magical time. Enjoy!
On the Seventh Day of Christmas in July, Br’er Rabbit Gave to Me::
Traveling for the Holidays
The Disneyland Resort is a wonderful destination any time of year but they do put on a bit of Holiday Magic if you are able to attend during the Winter Holiday Months. In addition to beautiful lights and amazing holiday decor, California Adventure has a fun holiday festival, amazing treats & sweets, holiday entertainment, ride overlays, and more. Here is what you can expect when you arrive at California Adventure during the holidays-
Buena Vista Street Holiday Tree Lighting
Holiday Ride Overlays – Mater’s Jingle Jamboree & Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl are waiting for you!
Disney Viva Navidad – A beautiful Holiday celebration featuring the Three Caballeros, music, dancing, decor, and more
Disney Festival of Holidays – Very Similar to Epcot’s Holiday Festival. You will be able to enjoy culture, traditions, food, music, and more all from different countries around the world.
If you are planning on heading to Disneyland, the Holidays would be a great time to do that because of all the extra magic and excitement!
Giving a Disney Destination as a Gift for the Holidays
If you are looking for a more low-key way to gift a Disney Destination this Christmas, maybe a gift certificate is the way to go. For a spouse, a significant other, an older child, perhaps glitter and glam and cardboard Cinderella Castles are not the way to go. In this instance, the agency I work for, Magical Vacations, does offer gift cards. You can book a trip with a deposit and purchase gift cards for the balance due to give to a loved one to show that they are going on a Disney trip. We always think it is fun to put them in stockings.
Trivia
In Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas, what type of animals skate with Minnie & Daisy?
Contact Me
If you would like assistance reserving a trip to a Disney Destination
for the 2019 Holidays or if you would like to beat ALL the Holiday
Shopping crowds and book a Disney Destination to gift to your loved ones
this year, contact me today!
I would be delighted to help you find a great way to wrap up your
gift to surprise your family! I look forward to hearing from you and
helping you plan your Holiday Magic soon!
