Great tapas and beverages aren’t the only thing to look forward to at the 17th Annual Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival this fall. HGTV has announced their stars who will make an appearance at this year’s festival.

• Sep. 28-30 – The winner of Design Star Season 7
• Oct. 5-7 – Casey Noble from Design on a Dime
• Oct. 12-14 – Alison Victoria from DIY Network’s Kitchen Crashers
• Oct. 19-21 – Brian Patrick Flynn, a Design Happens contributor from HGTV.com
• Oct. 26-28 – Meg Caswell from Meg’s Great Rooms
• Nov. 2-4 – Marianne Canada, a Design Happens contributor from HGTV.com
• Nov. 9-12 – Emily Henderson from Secrets From a Stylist

Guests can expect ideas and helpful hints for party planning, catering and other food and beverage topics from their favorite HGTV Stars. The 17th Annual Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival runs from Sep. 28 to Nov. 12, 2012. Keep watching our webpage for more information on the Festival as it becomes available.

It’s not too late to experience this year’s festival! Contact your Magic Maker® today for more details.

We announced earlier this week that bookings for 2013 Walt Disney World® Resort packages would open next Wednesday, July 11th. When planning that 2013 vacation, we have some important dates for you to keep in mind as the dates for the 20^th Annual Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival have been announced!

This annual event brings Epcot® into bloom with topiary displays of your favorite Disney Characters, uniquely themed gardens, celebrity designer presentations and other special events. Included with the general admission to Epcot®, the International Flower & Garden Festival will run March 6, 2013 to May 19, 2013.

Contact your Magic Maker® today for more information on the 2013 Flower & Garden – it is never too early to plan your dream vacation!

By Magic Maker® Jennifer Bogucki

One of the most popular questions that clients ask me when visiting Walt Disney World® Resort is if they should purchase the Park Hopper® option on their Walt Disney World ® Resort park tickets. The Park Hopper® option allows ticket holders to enter multiple Walt Disney World ® Resort theme parks throughout the same day during their vacation.  There is no right or wrong answer to this, so I suggest a few simple things to consider when deciding.

• Are you planning to have marathon type days on your vacation?  Do you plan on arriving at park open and not returning to your resort until park closing?  There are many people who spend their Walt Disney World ® Resort vacation this way.  If you plan on one full, dedicated day at each park then a hopper may not be for you.

• What time of year are you visiting Walt Disney World® Resort?  When I travel during cooler months, I find myself park hopping more.  It is much easier to spend a morning at the Magic Kingdom® Park and then hop the Monorail over to Epcot® in the afternoon during a slower, cooler month like February than it is in mid- July.  This is not only due to the cooler weather, but because the parks are less crowded during this time of the year allowing the guest to experience more attractions in a shorter period of time.

• Would you like to build pool breaks into your Walt Disney World® Resort stay?  If you plan on starting your day early, visiting a park and then returning to your resort in the afternoon for pool breaks/naps you may want to add the Park Hopper® option. Chances are you will decide to head out to a park that has Extra Magic Hours or a later closing time.

• Fireworks and Parades!  If you are set on experiencing certain firework shows and parades during your stay, Park Hopper® option may be a necessity for you.  These events can change due to weather, and if the one night you had planned for fireworks becomes a rain out having the Park Hopper® option will enable you to re-visit that park on a day you may have originally planned for something else.

• Do you prefer options?  If you prefer to have the ability to change plans due to crowds, weather and simply “just because”, the Park Hopper® option may be a good option for you.  We all know what they say about the best laid plans, so having the option to leave one park in exchange for another is a good reason to have a ticket with a park hopper.

If you are still not sure whether or not the Park Hopper® option is right of your family, keep in mind that this can be added onto your existing ticket at any point during your stay- provided that you upgrade within 14 days of first use and you have additional entitlements on the ticket.  Try to have a solid travel plan and a budget.  Figure out how many days you plan to visit the parks and then ask yourself if that is all you need or if you want the “flexibility cushion.”   As always, your Magic Maker® is always available to help you make the right decision for your family!

Happy Independence Day!

The American Adventure, Epcot’s® flagship pavilion nestled in the middle of  the World Showcase at Walt Disney World® Resort, celebrates daily the spirit of America’s independence, history and diversity, and reflects the nation’s ever-changing character.

The pavilion is home to the American Adventure show, a dramatic theatrical presentation that combines the magic of Audio-Animatronics with innovations in film and special effects. Guests witness some of America’s most important stories, from the Boston Tea Party to World War II, the writing of the Declaration of Independence to the civil rights movement. The extraordinary effects and period music will make you feel like you are there, celebrating the spirit of the American people. A reminder of the resilience and breadth of the American spirit is present throughout the entire show.

The American Adventure show is a 30-minute theatrical presentation that plays several times daily. Consult your Times Guides for more details.

“To retreat from any of the principles handed down by our forefathers, who shed their blood for the ideals we still embrace, would be a complete victory for those who would destroy liberty and justice for the individual.” – Walter Elias Disney

The summer peak season has hit Disneyland® Resort in Anaheim, so we wanted to remind you of several early admission opportunities that are available. With the newly opened lands and attractions at the Disneyland® Resort, this early admission can make a huge difference in your wait times and touring plans!

Extra Magic Hour

All guests staying at a Disneyland® Resort hotel can take advantage of Extra Magic Hour* – early admission to either Disneyland® Park or Disney California Adventure® Park – every day of their stay (with valid theme park admission and active hotel room key card) before it opens to the general public.

Extra Magic Hour will allow registered Disneyland® Resort hotel guests admission into select attractions at:

• Disneyland® Park – Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Disney California Adventure® Park – Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Disneyland® Resort Annual Passholders

Annual Passholders have the opportunity to register for Annual Passholder Early Entry, which allows a valid Passholder early admission to select attractions at a Disneyland® Resort Theme Park beginning one hour prior to scheduled opening between June 18 and September 13, 2012.

Annual Passholder Early Entry is offered to registered passholders on the following days:

• Disneyland® Park on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
• Disney California Adventure® Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays

Passholders must register in advance for Annual Passholder Early Entry by visiting disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/early-entry/. Availability is limited each morning, and Annual Passholders may only use the privilege once at each park. Must be at least 18 years old to register and must have an Annual Passport that is valid for Theme Park admission at time of registration and on the date of the event. See disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/early-entry/ for more details.

Disneyland® Resort Guests with 3-Day, 4-Day or 5-Day Theme Park Tickets and 2012 Southern California CityPass

Disneyland® Resort guests who purchase 3-Day, 4-Day or 5-Day theme park tickets prior to arrival at the resort and those with valid 2012 Southern California CityPass can choose one day during the duration of their Theme Park ticket or Southern California CityPass to enter Disneyland® Park one hour prior to scheduled opening on any of the following days. This offer is valid on:

• Disneyland® Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays or Sundays

Please contact your Magic Maker® for additional information on Early Entry opportunities at the Disneyland® Resort!