Disney has released a few bits of information about what you will be able to find in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. One of the first previews of merchandise was put out:
This first set of merchandise is for the Resistance Supply and First Order Cargo. There are badges, pins, key chains, bags, cups, and more. It all looks so official, I cannot wait to see it in person.
While the merchandise looks fantastic, I may be even more excited about the theming around the restaurants and food. Lucasfilm Ltd., Coca-Cola, and Disney all got together to make these fantastic beverages –
How incredibly fun!!??! I want one right now and my Son would flip over these. Being able to purchase and drink from these while in the land is just one of the many immersive ways Disney will have us feeling like we are right there at Batuu. They will be limited to Batuu so if you are looking for one, they will be available there starting this Summer at Disneyland and this August at Hollywood Studios.
After two decades, we are sadly saying goodbye to the Epcot Nighttime Spectacular Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. September 30th will be its last show. If this was a favorite of yours, be sure to catch it one more time this Summer!
Coming October 1st, “Epcot Forever” will make its debut. While I am sad to see Illuminations go, I am super excited for this new show. I hold a special place in my heart for a lot of the past attractions of Epcot (Horizons & Kitchen Cabaret!!!) and that is exactly what this new show will celebrate. It will focus on the past, present, and future of Epcot. Our favorite Epcot tunes will be played through the show as well.
Epcot Forever will run into 2020 and then the new, more permanent Nighttime Spectacular will begin. Not much has been announced about it but stay tuned for details.
Wanting to go see Illuminations one last time? Contact me for a no obligation quote and lets turn your dreams into memories!
I spent the last weekend in Walt Disney World getting caught up on all the wonderful new things and the “limited time Magic” offerings. WOW was I busy but I learned so much. Since 2009, I have been to Walt Disney World once without children. That visit was brief and dictated by my lovely sister whose bachelorette party we were there for. This was the first time in ten years that I have been to Disney and was able to see and do “Adult” things. It was fantastic and I cannot wait to do it again in June.
Blinded by my children’s joy and all the things they want to see and do, I had forgotten how much was offered for crowds 21+. I want to share what I had experienced and learned so that those of you looking for a couples retreat, girls weekend, or fantastic group of friends getaway can see what a great option Disney Word would be.
I touched down in Orlando right around 8am and headed for the Magical Express. They grabbed my luggage for me, put me on the correct bus and I was off to my hotel – Port Orleans French Quarter. There are not many hotels that I do not like but for #Adulting purposes, I suggest staying in a Moderate or higher. The reason being the night time entertainment that Moderates and Deluxes offer. If you choose to do a day at the pool/hotel, you have a great choice of entertainment right there between the movies and live entertainment they offer in the evenings.
I love the resorts on the monorail. They are incredibly convenient, have a tremendous amount of amenities, and they have many #Adulting opportunities. This weekend, I participated in the Highway in the Sky Dine Around. It is a 5 course experience of bites and beverages. All of the stops are at the monorail resorts:
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
It does culminate with the perfect viewing spot for Happily Ever After Fireworks. I was with a group of friends for this and we had a blast. I could also see how it could be incredibly romantic.
In addition to this experience, the monorail resorts have several bars and lounges that have live entertainment, great food & beverages, and each has at least one table service restaurant.
Boardwalk Resorts
The Boardwalk Resorts are also in a great area that have so many #Adulting opportunities. They are within walking distance to Epcot (they also offer the Friendship boats) so during all of the Epcot Festivals, they are a great option. You can also find great eateries and entertainment on the boardwalk including the Dance Hall and Jellyrolls Piano Bar. The resorts located at the Boardwalk are:
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Disney’s Beach Club Resort & Villas
In addition to the Boardwalk entertainment, each specific resort has several options for entertainment including live music, lounges, bars, and golf courses.
Both the Boardwalk Resorts and the Monorail Resorts are on bodies of water. This is a fantastic advantage because of all of the marinas. Guests can charter private bass fishing outings, arrange dinner for a couple or a group out on one of the pontoons and sail during fireworks. You can even just arrange for a dessert and bring your own beverages on board. So many fun and romantic possibilities! Fort Wilderness also has boat rentals.
In addition to the Boardwalk & Monorail Resorts, several other resorts have great options for adults:
Stay “Club Level” for wonderful perks and service
Signature Dining Experiences (Jiko has the largest selection of South African wine in North America)
Chef’s Table
Spas
Bars & Lounges
Rent a Surrey Bike
The Beignet Dash (5k)
Shopping
Live Music
Movies under the Stars
Fire pits
Archery
Horseback Riding
Wagon Rides
Horse Stable Tours
Adult Pools (at select hotels)
Cabana Rentals
Canoes & Kayaks
Golf Courses & Mini Golf (Clubs for rent)
Espn
Luau at the Polynesian
If you are looking for a specific resort offering from the above list, let me know and I can help you find which Resort has it. The Disney Resorts have the perfect ingredients to make an amazing Adults Only Trip. Put a few of these options together for a group of friends or a romantic getaway and you will have the vacation of a lifetime! I am happy to help turn your Dreams into Memories!!
Next in the #Adulting Series will be #Adulting in Disney Parks
Disney offers several different packages that you can have delivered to your room while on your vacation. There is a package for many different celebrations and they really add a wonderful touch and some extra magic. They have birthday celebrations, anniversary/couples celebrations, and your every day celebration.
They just came out with four new options. These options are super cute and double as room decor for your trip. Then once you leave, you have some really great keepsakes to take with you!
The four new celebrations:
A Frozen Warm Welcome – Welcome package for the whole family
Dreaming of a Disney Holiday – A Very Merry Christmas welcome celebration
Mickey’s Halloween Celebration – A Not-so-Spooky Celebration
My Magical Triumph – A celebration for achieving goals or celebrating triumphs for any reason at all!
Adding one of these celebration packages will make your trip extra magical and will bring smiles to your whole family. Contact me to add one of these to your reservation!
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.
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!
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.
Later this year, Illuminations will be retired and Epcot will be getting a whole new Nighttime Spectacular. It is very exciting but I know that many will miss Illuminations, myself included! As a treat and to celebrate this long time running show, Disney is going to stream Illuminations live.
Tune into Disney Parks Blog on April 9th to see this stream. Stay tuned for more details, including the time. I will update here once it is posted. If you are a big fan of this show, be sure to head over to Epcot before the show is gone forever!
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!
Disney World & Disneyland will celebrate Spring’s arrival with the return of the Eggstravaganza!
From April 5-21, these fun eggs will be hidden through Epcot in Walt Disney World and Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney District. Get your map and stickers and join in the hunt! These can be purchased at select merchandise locations for $6.99.
Search for eggs designed as some of your Disney Favorites and then place the corresponding sticker on the map to show where you found it. Show your completed map to Cast Members at select locations and receive a prize!
We found this so entertaining for our littles and it allowed us some extra adult time when walking “around the world”. It may buy the adults a little extra time to enjoy the Flower & Garden Festival.
Turning Dreams Into Memories 