Walt Disney World News | Off to Neverland Travel - Disney Vacations

Details On 2013 Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival

Preparations for the 2013 Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival are well underway, and it looks like the 20th installment of this annual event will be better than ever! Presented by HGTV, the festival will run Mar. 6 – May 19, 2013 at the Walt Disney World® Resort.

Along with the beautiful blossoms around every corner of the park, guests will find several “firsts” at next year’s Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival.

Festival-themed flavors: Spread throughout the World Showcase promenade, discover culinary creations and refreshing libations at themed food and beverage locations. Menu items will have backyard barbecue, garden-inspired, and global tastes.
Land of Oz Play Area: This interactive new children’s play zone on the Imagination walkway will feature giant play systems, Midway-style games, an “Oz Movie Garden” of intriguing plants, and photo opportunities. Capturing the spirit of the upcoming “Oz: The Great and Powerful” movie, the play area will be a perfect place for your kids to burn some of that extra energy!
Fab Five topiary barbecue: This year’s front entrance display will be full of “character” when the Fab Five host an Anniversary barbecue! A 14-foot-tall topiary Goofy will bobble an anniversary cake while Donald and Daisy play badminton, Mickey fires up the grill, Pluto swipes a link of hot dogs and Minnie chills out on a colorful blanket of blossoms. The pure artistry of Disney’s topiary experts will amaze you!
Illuminated Gardens: Every night when the sun sets, many of the festival’s topiaries and gardens will twinkle and shine in a whole new light. The colorful glow of Illuminated Gardens will be something you don’t want to miss!

But that’s just the beginning! Throughout the 75-day festival, guests will also enjoy presentations by HGTV celebrity designers, interactive gardening seminars, more than 100 topiaries including new designs like Mike and Sully from the hit Disney-Pixar film Monsters, Inc., and a butterfly house hosted by the fairies of Pixie Hollow.

And on weekends, Epcot® will feature some of the top Flower Power rockers of the 60s and 70s. This year’s Flower Power Concert Series schedule includes:

Mar. 8-10 – Micky Dolenz
Mar. 15-17 – Chubby Checker & The Wildcats
Mar. 22-24 – The Guess Who
Mar. 29-31 – Nelson
Apr. 5-7 – The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie
Apr. 12-14 – Paul Revere & the Raiders
Apr. 19-21 – The Village People
Apr. 26-28 – The Orchestra, Featuring Former Members of ELO and ELO II
May 3-5 – Tommy Roe
May 10-12 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
May 17-19 – Starship starring Mickey Thomas

Contact your Magic Maker® now to start planning your trip during the 2013 Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival.

2013 Flower Power Concert Series Lineup Announced

Flowers from Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival The Walt Disney World® Resort has announced the lineup for this year’s Flower Power Concert Series. As part of Epcot’s® International Flower & Garden Festival, some of the top Flower Power rockers of the 1960s and ’70s take the stage at America Gardens Theatre to perform favorite tunes from generations past!

New to this year’s lineup is ’70s top disco band The Village People and 1960s singer-songwriter Tommy Roe.

Scheduled to appear this year:

Mar. 8-10 – Micky Dolenz
Mar. 15-17 – Chubby Checker & The Wildcats
Mar. 22-24 – The Guess Who
Mar. 29-31 – Nelson
Apr. 5-7 – The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie
Apr. 12-14 – Paul Revere & the Raiders
Apr. 19-21 – The Village People
Apr. 26-28 – The Orchestra, Featuring Former Members of ELO and ELO II
May 3-5 – Tommy Roe
May 10-12 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
May 17-19 – Starship starring Mickey Thomas

The 20^th Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV will be in bloom Mar. 6 – May 19, 2013! The concerts are 3-times per day (5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM) and are included with general admission to Epcot®.

Contact your Magic Maker today to find out how you can experience Epcot’s® International Flower & Garden Festival for less by saving with the current Spring discount!

Entertainment is subject to change without notice.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:53-05:00February 5th, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: 2013 Flower and Garden, 20th Annual Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, Epcot, Epcot Flower and Garden, Flower and Garden, flower and garden festival, Flower Power Concerts|0 Comments

What’s Next Campaign: “I’m Going to…”

I'm Going to Disney World Tonight after the big game, one player will stare into a TV camera and shout these famous words – “I’m going to Disney World!”

Started in 1987, New York Giants’ quarterback Phil Simms was the first to participate in Disney Parks’ “What’s Next?” campaign after his team’s triumph in Super Bowl XXI. Since then, this groundbreaking concept has been used to produce commercials for Disney Parks that air shortly after many current events.

Here are a few “What’s Next?” Fun Facts:

While the Super Bowl has been the catalyst for the most “I’m going to…” commercials over the years, other athletes and celebrities have participated in them after winning these events:
- America’s Cup
- NBA Finals
- World Series
- Miss America
- Stanley Cup
- Brickyard 400
- Olympics
- Worlds Cup
- American Idol
Some “I’m Going to…” repeaters include Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith, John Elway, Eli Manning, and Tom Brady
Since its start in 1987, the only year the “What’s Next?” campaign wasn’t used after the Super Bowl was 2005
The players chosen to participate in the “I’m Going to…” commercials are not always the Super Bowl MVPs
Most of the ads have featured the song “When You Wish Upon A Star”
The athletes and celebrities always make good on their promise – often participating in a special ticker tape parade inside the Parks days later

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:53-05:00February 3rd, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: I'm going to Disney World, Super Bowl, Super Bowl MVP|0 Comments

‘Limited Time Magic’ Celebrates ‘Super Sunday’ and ‘Lunar New Year’

New “Limited Time Magic” events have just been announced for Disney Parks!

Walt Disney World® Resort

Countdown to Super Sunday – Goofy is hitting the streets of the Magic Kingdom® Park for a special Super Sunday celebration. A preparade will be held daily Feb. 1 – Feb. 4, 2013, right before the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade. And on Monday, the parade will include a special MVP appearance! And through Feb. 9, stop by Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe and try out some of their special Super Sunday menu items!

Disneyland® Resort

Lunar New Year – Disney California Adventure®Park will be celebrating Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese culture during a special Lunar New Years Party. Enjoy cultural performances and even participate in Mulan’s Chinese New Year Procession! No Disney Party would be complete without Character greetings – meet Mulan, Mushu, Mickey and Minnie dressed in traditional Chinese outfits!
A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue – This is your last weekend to experience a musical variety show inspired by the original show Walt enjoyed himself! Performances continue through Mon. Feb. 4th. For more information, click here.
Bayou Bash and Mardi Gras – Disneyland® Park’s New Orleans Square will come alive when Princess Tiana and Louis the Alligator host the Bayou Bash! Events include jazz music, street performances, authentic Cajun cuisine, and a special Court of Angels Photo location with Disney characters in their finest Mardi Grad fashion! Only two more weekends remain, so be sure to join the celebration Feb. 1-3 and Feb. 8-12, 2013.

And on both coasts, the “Year of the Ear” continues with the introduction of some Glitzy Ear headbands!

Off to Neverland Travel® will continue to bring you details on future ”Limited Time Magic” events as they become available!

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:53-05:00February 1st, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Limited Time Magic, Limited Time Magic 2013|0 Comments

A Look Inside the New ‘California Grill’

The California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort as you know it now is about to become a part of Disney history! Closing on Feb. 1st for an extensive refurbishment, it will reopen in late Summer 2013 with a new decor and kitchen along with a new menu!

As one of Walt Disney World® Resort’s Signature Dining locations, the California Grill provides exquisite cuisine and a spectacular view of the Seven Seas Lagoon from the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. While the refurbishment will bring change to the menu and the appearance of the restaurant, guests will still delight in the tastes of their gourmet meal.

Enjoy this sneak peek of the “New” California Grill by browsing these recently released renderings and menu previews.

: View of the New California Grill Dining Room from the Lobby

: The Napa Room at the New California Grill

: New California Grill Dining Room looking towards the entrance and bar area

: New California Grill Dining Room looking towards the kitchen and wine room

: New California Grill Dining Room looking towards Magic Kingdom Park

: “Pork Two Ways” – wood-fired tenderloin with goat cheese polenta, and braised lacquered pork belly with country applesauce

: New Sushi offerings will be available at the California Grill

: 24-hour braised beef short rib with truffle whipped potatoes, vol-au-vent with roasted vegetables and natural jus

Once a reopening date has been announced, we will let you know!

All renderings and menu previews are subject to change

By Off to Neverland Travel|2013-01-31T15:42:10-05:00January 31st, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: adult dining disney world, California Grill, Dining, Disney Dining, Disney World Dining, New California Grill, Signature Dining, Walt Disney World dining|0 Comments

A Tropical Escape at Walt Disney World® Resort

Article_TropicalEscape By Magic Maker®: Julie Paolino

I’m enjoying the breeze as I swing on a hammock nestled between two palm trees. My husband has gone off to fetch me a frozen tropical drink and my kids are exploring the beach. I can’t get over the beautiful scenery that is laid out before my eyes. The reflection of the pink cottages of Aruba, in the waters of Barefoot Bay, is breathtaking. I could stay here forever. Oh wait…..I am at Walt Disney World® Resort! In a little while I’ll be hanging in midair on Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ instead of this hammock!

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is definitely a tropical retreat not to be overlooked if you are considering a stay at a moderately priced resort right in the middle of all the magic that is Walt Disney World® Resort. Just a short bus ride from each of the parks, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is an island themed resort that is spread out around the 45 acre Barefoot Bay. A stay in a room situated in Trinidad South will delight guests with a fun pirate theme for just a little bit more than a standard room. Meanwhile, guests staying in rooms directly on either side of Old Port Royal Towne Center, in Trinidad North or Martinique , will find quick and easy access to the food court, restaurant, gift shop and pool. The close proximity to the Towne Center puts these rooms in a preferred category, but it is definitely worth the slight increase in price to be near the food court and pool where you are guaranteed to spend most of your time while at the resort. Guests staying in rooms situated on the other side of Barefoot Bay in Aruba, Jamaica, and Barbados will enjoy a scenic walk across the Barefoot Bay Bridge as they make their way to the Towne Center.

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is bustling with activity at any time of day. In the mornings you may see walkers and joggers on the many scenic paths around the bay or families enjoying a leisurely surrey bike ride. In the afternoon you will definitely see swimmers enjoying pool time, complete with water cannons, water slides and dumping buckets, in the recently refurbished pirate themed pool near Old Port Royal Towne Center . Out on the bay is where you will find boaters enjoying a leisurely sail on the calm waters. And inside Old Port Royale Town Center you will find guest enjoying their food from the quick serve restaurants of Market Street or Shutters, the resort’s table service restaurant. And don’t fret if you have forgotten something or want to pick up a special souvenir. Shoppers will find plenty of necessities and Walt Disney World® Resort themed merchandise at the Calypso Trading Post and Straw Market. Evenings at this resort will bring you roasted marshmallows on the beach and movies under the stars. Need I say more?

So, when you are ready to book your next Walt Disney World® Resort vacation don’t forget about this charming, tropical paradise called Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. And don’t forget to call on one of Off to Neverland Travel’s® Magic Makers® to help you to make the most of your Walt Disney World® Resort vacation by utilizing their expert planning services.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:53-05:00January 31st, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Walt Disney World|1 Comment

‘True Love Week’ Comes to Disney Parks

Disney Princes and Princesses As part of their “Limited Time Magic” offerings, Disney Parks has announced “True Love Week” just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Love will be in the air as “True Love Week” hits the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida and the Disneyland® Resort in California. Taking place Feb. 11-17, 2013, romance will be the theme of the special “Limited Time Magic” events happening around the Resorts. Whether it be a romantic dinner for two or a photo opportunity with one of Disney’s “sweethearts,” these events are something you won’t want to miss!

Walt Disney World® Resort

Magic Kingdom® Park will be adorned with special Valentine’s Day decor and signage while Cinderella Castle is bathed in hues of pink, red, lavender and blue.
Special “Dinners for Two” with prix fixe menus will be available at Artist Point, The Wave…of American Flavors, Hollywood Brown Derby, and Yachtsman Steakhouse. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact your Magic Maker®.
Limited Edition merchandise like pins, plush, apparel, and Vinylmation will be available at select merchandise locations.
Enjoy several Royal Gatherings where Disney Princes and their Princesses will greet guests. You may run into other Disney “Sweethearts” like Mickey & Minnie and Mary Poppins & Bert around the Magic Kingdom® Park as well!
Pose with those you love in several Romantic Photo Locations throughout Magic Kingdom® Park. Cinderella’s Glass Coach, Cinderella’s Wishing Well, and The Rose Garden in Central Plaza will all serve as enchanting backdrops for a cherished photo.

Disneyland® Resort

Disneyland® Park turns into the ideal place to celebrate Valentine’s week with heart-shaped signage and sweetheart-themed décor. Hues of red and pink will be cast upon Sleeping Beauty Castle along with projections of flowers and hearts.
Photo opportunities will be plentiful at Disneyland® Park. Pose in front of a giant floral heart on Main Street, U.S.A.® or in front of Snow White Wishing Well near the castle. Disneyland® “Sweethearts” Mickey & Minnie and Donald & Daisy will greet guests inside Town Square. Disney’s Royal Princes will be meeting guests with their Princesses at The Royal Walk in Fantasyland and over in New Orleans Square.
Enjoy a romantic “Dinner for Two” with prix fixe menus at Blue Bayou, Café Orleans, Carthay Circle Restaurant, Steakhouse 55, or Napa Rose. Contact your Magic Maker® for more details or reservation information.
Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café, Pacific Wharf Café, and Disneyland Hotel Coffee House will feature a special Valentine’s dessert – a chocolate cupcake with raspberry mousse filling and dark chocolate mousse frosting!
Purchase limited-edition pins, plush, apparel, Vinylmation, and a glitz Disneyland® ear hat.

Off to Neverland Travel® will continue to bring you details on future ”Limited Time Magic” events as they become available!

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:54-05:00January 29th, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Limited Time Magic, Limited Time Magic 2013, True Love Week, Valentine's Day|0 Comments

Sing, Dance, and Munch at the Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch

Looking for a fun way to start off your Sunday morning at the Walt Disney World® Resort? Well, the new Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch at the spirited Raglan Road™ Irish Pub and Restaurant in the Downtown Disney® Area just may be your ticket!

The popular high-energy restaurant now pairs delicious authentic Irish breakfast with Irish dancers and live music every Sunday morning. Take your tastes “across the pond” and delight in the classic Full Irish Breakfast complete with sausage, black and white pudding, bacon, roasted tomato, mushrooms, fried eggs and potato roasties. Or try a Ham Schnitzel, Eggs Benedict, or a stack of pancakes with mixed berry compote. Popular drink options include a Bloody Mary topped with Guinness and a bubbly Elderflower Fizz with St. Germain and prosecco.

The Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch is available every Sunday from 11am – 4pm. Entertainment from the Raglan Road™ house band and Dancers runs from noon – 4pm. For reservation information, please contact your Magic Maker®.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:54-05:00January 27th, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Downtown Disney, Downtown Disney Dining, Raglan Road, Raglan Road Sunday Brunch, Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch|0 Comments

Video Mashup: Walt Disney World® Resort – “It’s Magical”

Whether you realize it or not, chances are that you’ve seen some of DJ Steve Porter’s work. As one of the top DJs in the country, Porter recently expanded into video mixing in which he makes videos by combining sound bites and musical scores to create new songs. Some of his prior work includes a Tim Tebow-themed remix called “All He Does Is Win” that he created for ESPN and a Muhammad Ali mix that was shown in London.

Enjoy this amazing video created for the Walt Disney World® Resort called “It’s Magical.” After the first few beats, you’ll realize why he was named one of “The 100 Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company magazine.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:54-05:00January 25th, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: DJ Steve Porter, DJ Steve Porter Mashup, It's Magical, Its Magical Mashup, Video Mashup of Its Magical, Walt Disney World Resort|0 Comments

Two New Interactive Experiences Coming to the Walt Disney World® Resort

The Walt Disney World® Resort has announced the addition of two new interactive experiences to their Theme Parks this spring.

In Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, guests will be able to become Wilderness Explorers and share Russell’s (from Disney•Pixar film Up) love for the adventure organization. Guests will use field guides to help complete challenges and earn badges throughout the park. With over 30 different badges, Wilderness Explorers will be a fun way to experience the park!

Inside the Adventureland® Area of Magic Kingdom® Park, guests can soon take part in A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas. Using their pirate map and magic talisman, participants will complete five different pirate raids to help locate the missing treasures. A place in Captain Jack’s new crew is awaiting anyone who is successful in helping him fight off pirate enemies like Captain Barbossa and Royal Navy. Unlike the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom® game, this new adventure will not be a card-powered game.

Wilderness Explorers and A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas are planned to open this spring, although no official dates have been announced.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:21:54-05:00January 23rd, 2013|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas, Animal Kingdom Attractions, Animal Kingdom Park, Magic Kingdom attractions, Magic Kingdom Park, Wilderness Explorers|0 Comments