Disney News

On Monday, Epcot® will celebrate it’s 30th Anniversary at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Along with some special events, Epcot’s® merchandising team will make available some great items to commemorate the event.

While many of the items will go on sale starting today at various Epcot® merchandise locations located throughout Future World and the World Showcase, some items will not be available until Monday.

Much of the merchandise plays off of past designs, attractions, and characters that have been found at Epcot® over the past 30 years. How many do you recognize?

(Click a thumbnail image to load the slideshow)

Tomorrow will mark the beginning of the 17th Annual Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida. With that will come the live sounds of 18 different musical acts as they perform their greatest hits! This year’s performers cover many different genres, including pop, rock, soul and funk.

This year’s lineup includes:

•  Sep. 28-30 – Night Ranger – Sister Christian
• Oct. 1-3 – Sugar Ray – Fly
• Oct. 4-7 – STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas – We Built This City
• Oct. 8-10 – Boyz II Men – End of the Road
• Oct. 11-12 – Smash Mouth – Walking On the Sun
• Oct. 13-14 – Javier Colon, winner of “The Voice”  – A Drop in the Ocean
• Oct. 15-17 – Air Supply – Lost in Love
• Oct. 18-19 – Gin Blossoms – Hey Jealousy
• Oct. 20-21 – Survivor – Eye of the Tiger
• Oct. 22-23 – Hanson – Give a Little
• Oct. 24-25 – The Pointer Sisters – He’s So Shy
• Oct. 26-28 – Sister Hazel – All for You
• Oct. 29-31 – Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen
• Nov. 1-2 – 38 Special – Hold on Loosely
• Nov. 3-4 – Howard Jones LIVE – No One Is to Blame
• Nov. 5-6 – Blues Traveler – Run-Around
• Nov. 7-8 – Dennis DeYoung, original member of the group STYX  – Come Sail Away
• Nov. 9-12 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – Go Daddy-O

All shows will take place at America Gardens Theatre at 5:30p, 6:45p and 8 p. Shows are included with admission to Epcot® and are subject to change.

(Songs listed are for artist recognition only and may not be included in the concert play list)

The  Walt Disney World® Resort is celebrating the the upcoming opening of Disney’s Frankenweenie with a special Frankenweenie Weekend in Downtown Disney® West Side. Guests will be able to take part in special events scheduled for Sep. 28th -30th, 2012.

Special weekend plans include:

• Screenings at AMC® Downtown Disney 24of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland or The Nightmare Before Christmas with a special extended 3D sneak peek of Frankenweenie. Tickets are available for $6 and the movies will play daily as follows:
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas – 4:15 p
  • Alice in Wonderland – 6:30 p
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas – 8 p
  • Alice in Wonderland – 10:30 p
• New Holland Pet Cemetery picture spot inspired by Frankenweenie presented by HGTV
• Meet and greet with Jack & Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas – This is Jack & Sally’s first time meeting guests at the Walt Disney World® Resort
• Frankenweenie-inspired merchandise at D-Street
• Special themed food and beverages – including Franken Fusion Lemonade and Frankenweenie hot dogs

Disney’s Frankenweenie opens Oct. 5th  in theaters nationwide!

Construction walls have come down around a section of the castle walls that will be part of the New Fantasyland® at Magic Kingdom® Park. Guests will be amazed at the amount of detail that they will see in the wall and the sections that are still to come.

Click the images in the gallery below to enlarge:

Amusement Today, a publication that covers amusement park news and trends, has named Disney California Adventure® Park as the “2012 Park of the Year.” Disney California Adventure® Park was picked by Gary Slade, publisher and editor-in-chief of Amusement Today. The park just recently ended a 5-year expansion project which added many new features and attractions, including Cars Land and the World of Color nighttime show.

Also winning a Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today was IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot® for “Best Outdoor Night Show Production.”