Category Archives: Epcot

What To Do Wednesday?!?

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Welcome to the brand new segment of this blog: What To Do Wednesday!!

Everyone has their own game-plan when they go to Walt Disney World. Some people love to visit the parks and try to do EVERYTHING. All of the attractions, all of the parades, all of the shows – all of it! Others go to relax. In a day, they may visit a park for a few attractions, then relax by the pool or visit a spa, go shopping, and enjoy a leisurely dinner followed by a night cap in a cozy resort hotel lounge. I’m somewhere right in the middle. In a perfect WDW (Walt Disney World) day I would visit a theme park as early as possible in the morning, experience all of my favorite attractions, then return to the resort for a late afternoon swim and a visit to the pool bar, have a delicious Table Service dinner, and perhaps return to the parks for a nighttime fireworks show. I see nothing wrong with this day. It’s an awesome day. My husband would disagree. He claims I have TOO many favorite attractions, and TOO MANY things I want to do, and therefore my theme park days are over-packed. Fortunately for me, he’s a good sport about my theme park style and he manages to keep up with fairly little complaint. I don’t know, perhaps I am one of the pack-it-in people. I can’t help it! There is fun EVERYWHERE!!

Close-up of an envelope I purchased in WDW several years ago. Yup, I would be Donald Duck in this scene.

Close-up of an envelope I purchased in WDW several years ago. Yup, I am Donald Duck in this scene.

At any rate, by taking a close-up look at a couple of attractions each week, What To Do Wednesday is designed to help my readers know what attractions they want to make sure to see when they visit Walt Disney World . The reality is Walt Disney World offers so much to do, you can’t possibly do it all in one vacation trip and everyone has a unique circumstance when visiting. Some guests are families visiting WDW with young children, some have teenagers, and others are couples on their honeymoon. What To Do Wednesday will help you discover the fun Walt Disney World offers so you can have your own perfect WDW day when you visit – hitting as many or as few attractions as you want.

To kick of the first What To Do Wednesday, I am highlighting two of my favorite attractions, one from Magic Kingdom and one from Epcot:

Pirates of the CaribbeanYo Ho, Yo HoPirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom. You know you want to sing… “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me!” Take your pirate oath and climb into the boat! This attraction made its first appearance at Disneyland in California and was the last attraction Walt Disney personally worked on. It opened at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World in 1973, and was refurbished in 2006 where minor changes were made in the way of including some of the characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean films starring Johnny Depp. Jack Sparrow can now be seen popping in and out of the scenes as the ride progresses. I can honestly say there is nothing show stopping and amazing about this ride, but it’s just good fun and a Disney classic. As you drift along in your boat you witness pirates ransacking a Caribbean town. There’s plenty of pillaging, plundering, burning buildings, and humor as women chase pirates with pitchforks. There is one very mild drop in the boat ride, but mostly you just coast along at a very mellow pace. This is a very kid (and adult) friendly attraction. I will note that the ride is somewhat lengthy and dark, so if you have a little one who prefers not to spend extended time without lights, just be aware.

1280px-Soarin_over_California_-_Disney_California_Adventure_ParkSoarin’ at Epcot – Prepare for flight in this breathtaking attraction. Guests are lifted into the air in a hand gliding simulator over a huge OMNIMAX screen and “flown” over stunning scenes of California highlighted by vibrant orchestral music. The experience moves beyond visual and becomes amazingly realistic as your feet dangle in the air, a breeze tousles your hair and you smell orange groves, sea salt and pine forests. I can certainly say this is one of my favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World and it always makes my “Must See” list. A relatively new attraction, Soarin’ opened its doors in 2005 while I was interning at WDW on the Disney College Program. This attraction is very family friendly, but guests must be at least 40″ tall to enter.

I think you’ll be impressed with how many favorite attractions I have at Walt Disney World. Stay tuned each week to learn about all of them! Next What To Do Wednesday I will reveal a cherished attraction from both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. See ya real soon!

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is Here!

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Today is the opening of the 20th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival! Running through May19th, the festival is a treat to the senses with plenty to see, smell, taste, and hear. But what is the real star of the show? Topiaries! More than 100 Disney themed topiaries will be on display at this years festival.

DSC_0311These wonderful plant sculptures of beloved Disney Characters are on display in garden settings throughout Epcot.

Donald Topiary

It can take about a year or more to get the topiaries into shape for the festival. Disney horticulturists begin with an intricate wire frame, which is then filled with a base.  Different green and blooming plants are then planted on top. They grow fill out to become the outer layer of the form guests see. The different plants such as ficus and reindeer moss, that are used on the topiaries give the sculptures varying colors and textures that bring the characters to life with personality.

Some of the topiary displays have appeared in previous Epcot International Flower & Garden Festivals, but many are making their first appearance this year. Party with Mickey & Friends Topiary display is new this year and will greet guests in the front of the park as they enter. A brand new Phineas & Ferb Topiary will mark the entrance to Future World. Another new topiary featuring Disney-Pixar favorites from this summers upcoming Monsters University will stand before the entrance to Epcot’s World Showcase.

Princess Topiary

Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lay and the Tramp, Buzz Lightyear, and Whinnie the Pooh & Friends are a few of the many favorite topiary displays that will return to the festival this year.

Dwarf Topiary

Many of these topiary gardens will twinkle and glow as the sun sets to create a fresh experience for guests at night – a first for the Flower & Garden Festival. Others include areas where kids can play and explore such as “The Land of Oz,” themed after the upcoming Disney film Oz the Great and Powerful, and a butterfly garden featuring Tinkerbell and friends.

Another especially exciting first this year is a special small plates menu developed specifically for the festival. Different dishes featuring fresh produce will be available throughout the World Showcase at spots called “Garden Marketplaces.” Each location will have unique menu items influenced by the flavors of the hosting country. I personally would head to Mexico’s Jardin de Fiestas for Crab Tostadas with Chipotle Mayo and Valentina Salsa and a strawberry-infused Rosita Margarita. Yum. Italy’s Primavera Kitchen is offering a Limoncello flavored Pana Cotta with wild berries would make for a tasty sweet treat in my opinion! Three Garden Marketplaces outside of the World Showcase: Pineapple Promenade, Florida Fresh, and Fruits by the Glass are showcasing culinary delights such as Shrimp and Grits, spiced rum Dole Whip, and Tomato and Carrot wines that are calling my name. Loudly. Actually it’s more like they are screaming my name into a megaphone saying “I am delicious! Try me!!!”

The fun doesn’t end with topiaries, gardens, and culinary delights. There are also concert series with bands such as The Guess Who and The Village People, presentations on gardening topics, and appearances and presentations from HGTV stars such as Chris Lambton and Egypt Sherrod.

Any day at Epcot is full of fun, education, and international flavors. The Flower and Garden Festival provides an opportunity to really embrace Spring and celebrate many of the treasures mother Earth offers us.