Walt Disney World News | Off to Neverland Travel

Disney Junior – Live on Stage

Disney Junior - Live on Stage As parents of a preschooler, we are very familiar with Disney Junior! Our three year old daughter has always loved heading to Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ (or in Disney California Adventure®) and now we can’t wait to check the updated show, Disney Junior – Live on Stage. She loves jumping up off the floor to dance, clap, catch bubbles. It is the perfect place to go for energetic preschoolers!

This 24-minute spectacle is geared toward families with preschoolers and takes them on a journey through some of the most popular Disney Junior programming. A host of characters from “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Little Einsteins,” “Handy Manny,” take the audience along as they plan a surprise party for Minnie Mouse, participate in a space ship race, and fix a bubble machine.

A new scene that was added to the show earlier this month features characters from “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” – a young pack of friends who encounter Captain Hook and Smee during their search for treasure. During this scene, families can help Jake, Izzy, Cubby and Skully, get back their Team Treasure Chest full of gold doubloons.

Don’t forget to meet some of the Disney Junior characters, like Handy Manny and the Little Einsteins, outside of the theater!

Meet Mickey Mouse with FASTPASS

Mickey Mouse now reigns at a new location in Magic Kingdom® Park to meet and greet his friends at Walt Disney World® Resort. Guests can now go backstage at Town Square Theater for photos and autographs with Mickey — without waiting in a standby queue!

Mickey’s new location in the park also heralds the first-ever use of Disney’s FASTPASS Service for a character meet-and-greet experience. FASTPASS allows guests to reduce waiting by designating a window of time when they can return for a theme park experience.

The fun takes place at the Town Square Theater presented by Kodak, located just inside the Magic Kingdom® entrance. Previously known as Town Square Exposition Hall, the venue has been re-imagined as a turn-of-the-Twentieth-Century theater where posters proclaim Mickey Mouse as the star of a magic show.

A glistening marquee with gold-leaf trim and sparkling lights beckons guests to enter a lobby that serves as a hub for character meet-and-greet queues, the Box Office Gifts merchandise shop and Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. Lush curtains with gold rope tie-backs, polished-brass chandeliers and a huge tile floor mosaic of the Town Square Theater logo adorn the space.

Just beyond the lobby, guests pass through an ornate arch and enter a queue to meet Magician Mickey Mouse — or a queue to meet the Disney princesses, for whom Town Square Theater will be a meet-and-greet location during New Fantasyland construction.

The meet-and-greet experience begins when magical posters featuring Mickey’s various magic acts come to life, enhancing guests’ journey through queues into the backstage corridors of the theater. Mickey greets guests in a rehearsal-room environment amid posters, steamer trunks and stage props. It’s a classic backstage area with a wood floor and ceiling. One wall is brick, the others are papered in red and black — Mickey colors.

During the Princesses’ limited engagement at Town Square Theater, they will greet guests in an area fit for royalty — replete with plush carpeting, lush velvety-blue drapes with gold tiebacks, and a large mural backdrop of a chateau amid green, tree-covered hills and fields.

Exiting the meet-and-greet areas, guests pass through Curtain Call Collectibles, a shop with design elements suggesting a backstage area used for theater shipping and receiving — with large, barn-like doors through which props and set pieces could pass.

Guests wanting to meet Mickey or the Princesses can either obtain a Disney’s FASTPASS ticket or get in standby queues. FASTPASS tickets, which are available near Town Square Theater, designate an hour window of time during which the guest can return to the theater and have their “magic moment” with Mickey or the Princesses without joining the standby queues.

**Photo not taken at Mickey’s new location.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:58-05:00April 12th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Disney Princesses Meet and Greet, Disney World Characters, Fantasyland Expansion, Magic Kingdom Characters, Mickey Fastpass, Mickey Meet and Greet|0 Comments

New Characters coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

New character experiences are coming your way at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ next month. Phineas and Ferb Meet and Greet Experience

Beginning May 16, Winnie the Pooh will be the spotlight character at The Magic of Disney Animation attraction in honor of his upcoming feature film, “Disney’s Winnie the Pooh,” (in theaters July 15). In addition to meeting Pooh, you also can take a look at the making of the film inside the attraction.

Also on May 16, Disney Channel animated stars Phineas and Ferb will arrive at a new movie-themed play ‘n’ greet experience. Here, the duo are making a movie about their crazy adventures. With the help of the Guests and Cletus Filmore, the greatest movie Director in the Tri-State Area, Phineas and Ferb will recreate some of their favorite moments…unless they are taking a break to meet with their fans – signing autographs and taking pictures.

Changes are also taking place over at Luigi’s Garage in preparation for the release of “Cars 2.” Lightning McQueen will launch a meet-and-greet opportunity, and in June, he’ll make his debut at the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show in a cameo that will replace the Herbie the Love Bug scene in the show. Herbie fans will still spot the lovable little bug during their journey through the Studio Backlot Tour.

Be sure to check out your old favorites like Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald and Daisy around the Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat. They are showing off brand new outfits that capture the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood Heydays from the 1930s and 1940s as much as the decor of Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ theme park.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:58-05:00April 11th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Cars Meet and Greet, Disney Characters, Phineas and Ferb meet and greet, Winnie the Pooh|0 Comments

Le Cellier now Signature Restaurant

Le Cellier Steakhouse, one of the most popular Epcot® World Showcase restaurants, has a much-anticipated new chef and new dinner menu that debuts this week. The steakhouse concept remains and now this new dinner menu elevates this restaurant to the top tier of Disney dining. The lunch menu is not changing.

“We’re now serving Canadian raised beef,” said Chef Al Youngman, who took over the helm after working with the Epcot® International Food and Wine Festival. “Cattle is raised in all the Canadian provinces, and we’re very excited to showcase the great flavors to our guests.”

Among starters are an artisan spicy chicken and chipotle sausage with roasted corn polenta, black and blue beef steak tartar, grilled jumbo asparagus gratinée with Hollandaise, and a lobster chopped salad. And the guest favorite, the Canadian Cheddar cheese soup, is remaning on the menu.

Beef takes center stage for entrées with a filet mignon with wild mushroom risotto and white truffle butter sauce, grilled bone-in rib-eye and prime New York strip steak. Roasted venison medallions with celery root mousseline, forest mushrooms and Brussels sprouts; roasted duck breast and leg confit with Cheddar bread pudding, and pork tenderloin with maple polenta and warm bacon vinaigrette are other savory selections. Fish fans can choose from seared “Gooseberry” cod with braised oxtail ravioli, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy and consommé, or Pacific King salmon with parsnip puree and braised greens. Vegetarians get a rich, creamy potato-leek and goat cheese quiche with truffle butter sauce. Wine pairings are suggested for each dish.

Sides include “poutine” fries (a classic Canadian rendition with Cheddar cheese and truffle salt), creamed spinach, truffle crushed potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, maple-glazed carrots and sautéed mushrooms.

For sweet endings, maple crème brûlée stays on the menu. A crowd pleaser is the trio of chocolate: mousse, sorbet and warm chocolate almond cake. Seasonal sorbet, lemon cheesecake and a semi-frozen white wine sabayon with chilled fruit soup and a no-sugar-added chocolate mousse with fresh berries offer something for everyone.

For a savory ending, go with the interesting cheeses: a Woolrich goat Brie from Ontario, Canada, paired with honeycomb; Petit Agour French sheep’s milk cheese with apple-cranberry chutney, Smokey Oregon Blue paired with walnut brittle, and Bandage Wrapped Cheddar from California (aged 30 months) with pear jam.

Le Cellier Steakhouse now wraps up the dining experience with eight varieties of hot tea; five dessert wines, including our favorite Inniskillin Vidal Icewine; three kinds of Port; chocolate martinis; Grand Marnier, Courvoisier VS…Le Cellier Steakhouse has, indeed, arrived.

This new signature menu will be served at dinner and will require two dining credits on the Disney Dining Plan. The lunch menu will not change and still will only require one credit for guests on the Disney Dining Plan.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:58-05:00March 5th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Disney World Signature Dining, Le Cellier Signature Menu, Le Cellier Steakhouse|0 Comments

FASTPASS to meet the Mouse

For the first time, guests will have the opportunity to reserve a time for a face-to-face meeting with Mickey Mouse at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Beginning this spring, guests will be offered FASTPASS® for Mickey at his new permanent home, Town Square Theater, located inside the current Exposition Hall area at the entrance of Magic Kingdom® park.

Once open, it’ll be more than just a new greeting space for Mickey. Imagineers are creating new elements and surprises for Magic Kingdom® park guests, including an interactive queue with an extra touch of Disney magic. Also, during the New Fantasyland construction, royalty will be visiting as the Disney Princesses will be in Town Square Theater to meet and greet their loyal subjects this spring.

Magic Kingdom® guests will be able obtain a FASTPASS® specifying a one-hour window when they can return to see the popular character for hugs, photos and autographs without waiting in the standby queue. This marks the first time the complimentary, computerized service has been used for a character meet-and-greet at any Disney Park.

Photo is from ‘Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast with Lilo and Stitch at Disney’s Polynesian Resort.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:59-05:00February 24th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Fastpass Mickey Mouse, Meet Mickey Mouse, Mickey at Magic Kingdom|0 Comments

Disney Junior-Live on Stage! opens in March

To celebrate the premiere of the new television creation Disney Junior – which launched Monday – “Disney Junior — Live on Stage!” will debut at Disney Parks in Florida and California. Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ will present this show beginning March 4, and Disney California Adventure® park will open the show March 25.

“Disney Junior — Live on Stage!” debuts with a new marquee, new characters and a new segment based on Disney Junior’s newest series, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.” It is scheduled to run daily.

This new production, which brings back three audience favorites from “Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!” (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins) and also introduces the adventures of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.”

“Disney Junior — Live on Stage!” continues the imaginative, family-based fun that comes from being part of a live audience. The entertaining show pops to life with bright visuals and whimsical scenery that fill the stage, while guests enjoy four mini-episodes of playful Disney storytelling, fun songs and interactive moments.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:59-05:00February 21st, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Disneyland News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Disney Junior, Disney Junior Live on Stage, Disney World Preschoolers, Disneyland Preschoolers|0 Comments

The Treehouse Villas

Question:

We are staying at the Treehouse Villas with a group of friends the end of February. What is the best way to get to the Treehouse Villas? We will also be staying at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa for two nights.

Answer:

The Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa will be a wonderful vacation for you and your family. Check in for the Treehouse Villas takes place in the lobby at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. There is a walking path between the two areas and cast members will use an electric vehicle to transport your luggage. You may also be able to catch an internal bus to the Treehouse Villas.

Transportation is provided by bus that makes rounds between the main resort of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa and the Treehouse Villas. For transportation to the theme parks there are two bus stops located among the Treehouse Villas. For transportation to the Downtown Disney® Area there is a dock on the Sassagoula River for a leisurely boat trip.

Traci Elswick, Navigator

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:59-05:00February 18th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Navigators Panel, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Disney World Transportation, Treehouse Villas|0 Comments

Diabetic Options at Wishes Dessert Party

Question:

Are there diabetic options at the Wishes Dessert Party?

Answer:

I am so glad that you are considering the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party at the Magic Kingdom® Park! Taking place most nights, the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party includes a self-service buffet offering an array of tempting sweets and beverages as well as an amazing view of Wishes® Nighttime Spectacular in a private viewing area.

Disney Dining does a great job of catering to many different dietary needs. They offer a variety of no sugar added desserts at the Dessert Party including chocolate dipped strawberries, Mango Shooters, Sweet Snow, Chocolate / Peanut Butter Tarts, and Mini Éclairs. Menu items can vary. It is important that you work with your Magic Maker® to fill out the correct forms so that Disney’s Chefs will be expecting you and have appropriate desserts made to fit your dietary needs.

Kip Dennis, Navigator

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:59-05:00February 17th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Navigators Panel, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Disney Dietary needs, Disney World Diabetic, Wishes Dessert Party|0 Comments

Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

Star Designers Bring Expertise to New HGTV Stage

HGTV kicks up the “curb appeal” of the 18th Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival March 2 through May 15 with a first-time sponsorship featuring weekend appearances by its acclaimed designers and landscaping experts. The star-studded lineup includes Genevieve Gorder, Lisa LaPorta, Kim Myles, Brian Patrick Flynn, Taniya Nayak, Ahmed Hassan, Patti Moreno, Michele Beschen, John Gidding, Frank Fontana, and Vern Yip.

The country’s leading home and lifestyle television brand brings an addictive blend of design, decorating and landscaping inspiration to the enduring, 75-day gardening extravaganza at the Walt Disney World® Resort.

At the Festival Center presented by HGTV, popular celebrity experts will appear each Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the festival on the HGTV Stage. The HGTV hosts will deliver valuable tips to Disney guests on topics including “Mobile Gardens,” “Secrets to Bringing Indoor Style Outside” and “Gardening with Kids.”

“We are thrilled to welcome HGTV and so many of the network’s great Talent to Epcot® this spring,” said Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot. “HGTV’s design and gardening personalities add an exciting, and entertaining new element to a festival that reinvents itself year after year.”

As part of the sponsorship, HGTV also will present a new, twice-its-previous-size Bambi’s Butterfly House along the Future World Imagination Walkway. Inside this popular festival stop are hundreds of native butterflies and character topiaries from the timeless Disney classic film, “Bambi.” This year’s display celebrates the upcoming release of “Bambi” Diamond Edition, for the first time on Blu-ray Hi-Def.

“People visit Disney for a memorable experience where they are inspired, enlightened and entertained,” said Jim Samples, president, HGTV. “Our star designers will provide just such an experience for the Disney guest during The Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV. Disney is the ideal venue and destination for us to connect face-to-face with our passionate viewers.”

The HGTV celebrity lineup includes:

Genevieve Gorder, HGTV Design Star and Dear Genevieve (March 4-6)
The Art of Sculpting Space

Lisa LaPorta, Designed to Sell (March 11 – 13)
Design It Yourself: Easy-to-follow Tips for Designing Your Favorite Rooms

Kim Myles, Myles of Style (March 18 – 20)
The 5 DIY Secrets That Can Transform Any Space

Brian Patrick Flynn, Design Happens, HGTV.com (March 25-27)
Mobile Gardens

Taniya Nayak, Designed to Sell and Destination Design (April 1-3)
Adding Value to Your Home Without Breaking the Bank

Ahmed Hassan, Yard Crashers (April 8-10)
Life, Love and Landscaping

Patti Moreno, Garden Girl, HGTV.com (April 15-17)
Gardening with Kids: Fun Seed Starting Projects

Michele Beschen, B. Original (April 22-24)
When Nature Calls: Creative, Back-to-Basics Style for All Things Natural and Decorative

John Gidding, Curb Appeal: The Block (April 29-30, May 1)
The Design Process: Curb Appeal Projects from Concept to Construction

Frank Fontana, Design on a Dime (May 6-8)
Beautiful on a Budget: High Style, Low-Cost Secrets to Bringing Indoor Styling Outside

Vern Yip, HGTV Design Star (May 13-15)
Top Design Trends Made Affordable and Accessible
In addition to its own celebrity stage appearances, HGTV will present the popular twice-dailyDisney Gardening at Home series, where guests can join a workshop and take home projects ranging from hanging baskets to water garden features. The Festival Center’s HGTV Theater will present a special-engagement film featuring tips and hints from HGTV shows.

Dozens of Disney character topiaries are back by popular demand at this year’s festival. Woody, Buzz Lightyear and chief villain Lotso of the Oscar-nominated Disney blockbuster, “Toy Story 3,” make their first topiary appearance in front of Spaceship Earth at the park’s front-entrance garden. Topiary craftsmen also will debut floral versions of Lightning McQueen and Mater, stars of “Cars 2,” to be released in theaters this June.

Flower Power concerts will rock the open-air America Gardens Theatre stage three times each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening with popular acts like Davy Jones and Chubby Checker & The Wildcats. New-to-the-festival performers will include Melissa Manchester, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:23:59-05:00February 16th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Epcot Flower and Garden|0 Comments

Flower Power Concert Series

The lineup for the Flower Power Concert Series has been announced! The concert series is part of the Epcot® International Flower and Garden Festival held every spring in Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the festival, you’ll be able to enjoy music from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s during the Flower Power Concert Series at the America Gardens Theatre. Here is the latest lineup of performers*:

3/4-6 Jose Feliciano (Light My Fire)
3/11-13 The Guess Who (American Woman)
3/18-20 Chubby Checker and the Wildcats (The Twist)
3/25-27 Melissa Manchester (Don’t Cry Out Loud)
4/1-3 Starship starring Mickey Thomas (We Built this City)
4/8-10 Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. (You Don’t Have to be a Star to be in My Show)
4/15-17 Juice Newton (Queen of Hearts)
4/22-24 Ricky Nelson Remembered featuring The Nelsons (Poor Little Fool)
4/29-5/1 Paul Revere & The Raiders (Good Thing)
5/6-8 Davy Jones (I’m a Believer)
5/13-15 Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone (I’m Henry VIII, I Am)

Epcot® theme park admission is required for the Flower Power Concert Series. The Epcot® International Flower and Garden Festival will operate March 2-May 15. Showtimes are at 5:15, 6:30 & 7:45 p.m.

*Entertainment is subject to change without notice.

By Off to Neverland Travel|2017-06-27T10:24:00-05:00February 15th, 2011|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: Epcot Flower and Garden, Flower Power Concerts|0 Comments