Disney News

Today marks 15 years that Off Kilter has been rockin’ the Canada Pavilion of Epcot’s® World Showcase. This 5-person, kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing Celtic rock group performs a mixture of “rocked up” traditional Celtic tunes, familiar rock and roll songs with a Celtic twist, and some original music as well.

Off Kilter is a crowd favorite and have made quite a few fans throughout their performances at Epcot®. They perform their 30-minute show most days on The Mill Stage inside the Canada Pavilion. Consult your Times Guides for more information.

Enjoy this video highlighting the unique sounds of Off Kilter

Are you a fan of Off Kilter? Click LIKE below!

Disney Cruise Line® has announced a new Signature Port Adventure for guests sailing on their 7-night Pacific Coast Cruises later this fall.

John Lasseter, creative mind and executive producer of Disney•Pixar films, is opening up his Lasseter Family Winery for a tour exclusive to guests of the Disney Wonder® Cruise Ship. In its current location since 2002, three generations of the Lasseter family continue to share their love of the Sonoma Valley through their hand crafted wines.

This signature port adventure begins with an approximate 75-minute transfer to Sonoma Valley, the birthplace of the California wine industry. During your transfer, your guide will set the groundwork  for your tour with a brief history on Sonoma Valley’s wine region and surrounding areas.

Upon arriving at the Lasseter Family Winery, you will be greeted by your host and winery owner, Nancy Lasseter. Your exclusive behind-the-scenes access will allow you into the heart of the winery to observe the different stages of the harvest process. Nancy will take you out into the vineyards to sample different grape varietals right from the vines and you will learn how they determine ripeness. Celebrated winemaker, Julia Iantosca, will join the tour to give you insight into the craft of artisan winemaking. The harvest activities tour concludes with a short walk along the vineyards to beautiful Lake Serendipity, a rarely-seen jewel of their estate.

But, your experience doesn’t end there! Mrs. Lasseter has enlisted the help of renowned chef, Sondra Bernstein, to design food that pairs perfectly with the 5 Lasseter Family wines. Nancy will talk about each wine and the delectable flavors that you will experience while Sondra prepares and serves a gourmet meal.

Your tour concludes with time to browse the Lasseter Family wines for sale and Sondra’s gourmet pantry items should you want to purchase any souvenirs. The ultimate souvenir comes as you say goodbye to your gracious hosts and receive a bottle of Lasseter Family wine, signed by Nancy and John Lasseter and winemaker Julia Iantosca!

The Lasseter Family Winery Signature Port Adventure is available on select San Francisco port days. The tour is approximately 6 hours and is available only to guests 21 years and older. Pricing for the tour is $475 per person.

Please contact you Magic Maker® for more information on Disney Cruise Line’s® 7-night Pacific Coast Cruises and the Lasseter Family Winery Signature Port Adventure.

For more than a decade, guests visiting the Walt Disney World® Speedway have been able to experience an ultimate thrill ride at the Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE). Now, junior guests will be able to take on the mile-long, tri-oval racetrack at speeds up to 140MPH!

RPDE has announced the addition of Junior Ride-Alongs to their lineup of choices at the Speedway. This program allows children (under the age of 14 & at least 48″ high) to ride shotgun with a professional driving instructor for three thrilling laps in a specially equipped two-seat NASCAR race car.

“We’re thrilled to be able to make RPDE even more family friendly and can’t wait to see the ear-to-ear smiles on these kid’s faces after experiencing the excitement of NASCAR first-hand.” says Bill Scott, General Manager of Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World® Speedway.

Junior Ride-Alongs with RPDE at Walt Disney World® Speedway are $59. Please contact your Magic Maker® for more details on how you can get your next vacation roaring.

Earlier today, the Walt Disney World® Resort gave us a “taste” of what we can expect when the Be Our Guest Restaurant opens up later this year. Inspired by the Disney Movie Beauty and the Beast, the Be Our Guest Restaurant will seat over 500 guests and will feature foods with a French twist.

Lunch will be quick-service, but a little different than what guests currently find at most counter service locations on property. Guests will order from either a touchscreen terminal or cashier and then have a seat inside the dining room. When your food is ready, it will be delivered to you at your table.

Some of the options on the lunch menu will include:

• Braised Pork
• Tuna Niçoise salad and a Croque Monsieur sandwich (carved ham, Gruyere cheese, béchamel)
• Carved Turkey on a Warm Baguette with Dijon mayonnaise
• Grilled Steak Sandwich with Garlic Butter Spread
• Loaded Vegetable Quiche
• Quinoa, Shallot and Chive salad
• Kid’s Options
  • Mickey Meatloaf
  • Carved Turkey Sandwich
  • Roasted Pulled Pork
  • Whole-Grain Macaroni topped with Marinara and Mozzarella
  • Seared Mahi Mahi

We may only be a few days into the summer season, but Disneyland® Resort in Southern California has already announced details for Halloween Time taking place Sep. 14 through Oct. 31, 2012.

During Halloween Time, the entire Disneyland® Resort area is decorated for the most be-witching time of the year. Also, two popular Disneyland® Park attractions, Space Mountain® and The Haunted Mansion®, feature special Holiday overlays.

Another part of Halloween Time at Disneyland® Resort is Mickey’s Halloween Party. This special-ticketed event allows guests young and old to don a costume and trick-or-treat in Anaheim’s ultimate neighborhood, the Disneyland® Park! Purchase of tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party include:

• An exclusive Halloween Screams fireworks spectacular show
• Admission to the Disneyland® Park up to 3 hours prior to the event’s start time
• Meet-and-greet opportunities with Disney and Pixar pals and Villains
• Trick-or-treat stations offering both yummy candy and healthy goodies
• Mickey’s Costume Party Cavalcade
• Special dance parties
• Access to nearly all Disneyland® Park attractions, including the Halloween-themed attractions such as Space Mountain® Ghost Galaxy and Haunted Mansion® Holiday
• Complimentary parking for (1) vehicle (larger vehicles may require an additional fee)

Dates and times for Mickey’s Halloween Party are:

• Fri., Sep. 28 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
• Tue., Oct. 2 – 6 to 11 p.m.
• Fri., Oct. 5 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
• Tue., Oct. 9 – 6 to 11 p.m.
• Fri., Oct. 12 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
• Mon., Oct. 15 – 6 to 11 p.m.
• Fri., Oct. 19 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
• Tue., Oct. 23 – 6 to 11 p.m.
• Fri., Oct. 26 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
• Mon., Oct. 29 – 6 to 11 p.m.
• Wed., Oct. 31 – 6 to 11 p.m.

Tickets go on sale Jul. 9 for Disneyland® Resort Annual Passholders and Jul. 16 for general public. Ticket prices range from $54-$69 depending on party dates with some discounts available for Annual Passholders on select dates. Due to popularity, some of the parties do sell out, so contact your Magic Maker® now for more details on this spooktacular event!