Disney News

The Walt Disney World® Resort will host 7 days of Gaelic fun as they kick off their St. Patrick’s Day celebration this weekend! Taking place Mar. 8-10 and 14-17, you will experience a long list of events and activities including real Irish music, folk dancing, grub and grog.

The fun starts this weekend (Mar. 8-10) from 6-11 p.m. with performances at Raglan Road™ Irish Pub and Restaurant by The Willis Clan, a family of artists and musicians who merge their Irish roots with other music genres while Nova Celtic performs popular Irish music with their own twist on a nearby outdoor stage.

Then next Thursday, be sure to hang on to your shamrocks as the spirited weekend kicks off! Beginning Mar. 14 & 15 (6 p.m. – 1 a.m.) and continuing Mar. 16 & 17 (noon – 1 a.m.) enjoy a variety of events:

• Participate in an Irish Dance Workshop Fri. – Sun. lead by renowned Irish dancer and choreographer Ronan McCormack, part of the original Riverdance cast
• Daily performances by the Raglan Road™ Dancers
• Irish Music Workshops taught by Distinguished Dublin-born multi-instrumentalist Declan Masterson
• Ceili (kay-lee) traditional music and structured set-dancing event on Saturday in which guests will be invited to participate in
• “The Electric Ceili,” Sunday evening, bringing together a host of Irish musicians and dancers
• Performances by The Willis Clan, Nova Celtic, Girsa, Celtic Wave, Wyndbreakers, Three Dollar Band, Raglan Road™ house band Creel, Johnny & Justin, and Albannach
• Performances on Sat. & Sun. by world-famous U2 tribute band Elevation
• Face painting, stilt walkers and giveaways

While the majority of events are family-friendly, access to select entertainment on Mar. 16 & 17 will require a cover change ($5-$10) and may be limited to adults.

So don your green and head over to Downtown Disney® Area for the most authentic St. Patrick’s Day this side of the Emerald Isle!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park has much more to offer its guests than most typical theme parks. With 7 enthralling lands, Walt Disney’s personal dedication to conservation can be seen in the everyday operation and commitment to animal care, education, and research that happens at the park.

Home to more than 1,700 animals across 250 species, there are educational opportunities around every corner at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. One popular spot is Rafiki’s Planet Watch®. Here, guests learn what they can do to personally to help with animal conservation efforts at Habitat Habit, watch animals receive care at the park’s Conservation Station®, and meet animals up close and personal at the Affection Section.

Outside of these everyday experiences, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park looks for special ways to celebrate and educate all year long by connecting families with nature. Here is a listing of upcoming special events throughout 2013:

• Apr. 22: Party for the Planet for Earth Day
• May 8: International Migratory Bird Day
• May 23: World Turtle Day
• Jun. 5: Pollinator Day
• Jul. 25: Tiger Day
• Aug. 1: Primate Day
• Aug.: Cotton-Top Tamarin Month
• Sep. 5: International Vulture Awareness Day
• Sep. 26: Elephant Day
• Oct. 31: Bat Day
• Nov. 12: Rhino Day

Additional educational opportunities are happening over at The Seas with Nemo & Friends® at Epcot®:

• Apr. 22: Earth Day
• May 18: Endangered Species Day
• May 23: World Turtle Day
• Jun. 8: World Ocean Day
• Sep. 7: International Manatee Day

(Dates and events subject to change)

This September, Walt Disney World® Resort will host the 31st Night of Joy inside the Magic Kingdom® Park! The contemporary Christian music festival provides guests with spiritual live performances by some of the nation’s biggest music superstars. In addition to the concert performances, select Magic Kingdom® Park attractions will also be available to guests.

Here’s a look at the bands scheduled to perform this year:

Friday, September 6, 2013

• Mercy Me
• Steven Curtis Chapman & Michael W. Smith
• Skillet
• Mandisa
• Matthew West
• Audio Adrenaline
• Moriah Peters
• We As Human
• City Harbor

Saturday, September 7, 2013

• TobyMac
• Francesca Batistelli
• Newsboys
• Britt Nicole
• Group 1 Crew
• Building 429
• For King and Country
• Jamie Grace

Entrance to Night of Joy requires a separate ticket for admission. Tickets will go on sale later this spring, so be sure to keep checking back for more details.

For the past several months, we have focused on breaking some of the most common myths our Magic Makers have heard from their clients. From how to make the most of your visit during peak travel dates to understanding passport requirements – we’ve covered it all!

Here’s a recap of our Breaking the Myths series:

• Disney’s FASTPASS® Service
• Age Is Just A Number
• Getting Around the World
• Walt Disney World® Resort Dining Plans
• Visiting During Peak Dates
• Dining at Disney Parks
• Where to Stay at the Walt Disney World® Resort
• Booking with a Travel Agent
• Traveling with Disabilities
• The Perfect Plan
• Travel Insurance and Passports
• Disney Cruise Line®
• Theme Parks and Magic Your Way Tickets

Still have a question? Contact your Magic Maker® and let them help your upcoming vacation magical!

We’re just 4 days away from the Epcot® International Flower and Garden Festival! From Mar. 6 through May 19, 2013, you’ll not only be able to see some amazing Walt Disney World® Resort horticultural masterpieces, but you can taste the season at new Garden Marketplaces throughout World Showcase!

Speaking of horticultural masterpieces, take a look at this not-so-average shrub!

Earlier this year we were excited to bring a little more ‘magic’ to your experience with Off to Neverland Travel® through the release of our mobile itinerary planner. Through our mobile itinerary planner, we’ve put your entire Walt Disney World® Resort trip  itinerary in your pocket, professionally planned by our expert Magic Makers®.

Now, we are making the ‘magic’ a little more magical with the release of our Pixie Dust Tips section!

Our Magic Makers® have years of experience visiting Walt Disney World® Resort with literally countless combined visits throughout our team! Through these visits we’ve gained a wealth of valuable tips and information that can only come from first-hand experience!

Within our mobile itinerary Pixie Dust Tips section you will find dining suggestions, parade and firework viewing tips, transportation help, FASTPASS® and Rider Swap information, overlooked experiences, rainy day indulgences and much, much more!

From the water parks and shopping districts to the four major theme parks, all of our tips to make the most of your vacation are in the palm of your hand as you plan and travel!

Don’t hesitate to ask your Magic Maker® for more information about how to use our new mobile itinerary, or to begin planning your next magical Walt Disney World® Resort trip today!

Earlier this year we were excited to bring a little more ‘magic’ to your experience with Off to Neverland Travel® through the release of our mobile itinerary planner. Through our mobile itinerary planner, we’ve put your entire Walt Disney World® Resort trip  itinerary in your pocket, professionally planned by our expert Magic Makers®.

Now, we are making the ‘magic’ a little more magical with the release of our Pixie Dust Tips section!

Our Magic Makers® have years of experience visiting Walt Disney World® Resort with literally countless combined visits throughout our team! Through these visits we’ve gained a wealth of valuable tips and information that can only come from first-hand experience!

Within our mobile itinerary Pixie Dust Tips section you will find dining suggestions, parade and firework viewing tips, transportation help, FASTPASS® and Rider Swap information, overlooked experiences, rainy day indulgences and much, much more!

From the water parks and shopping districts to the four major theme parks, all of our tips to make the most of your vacation are in the palm of your hand as you plan and travel!

Don’t hesitate to ask your Magic Maker® for more information about how to use our new mobile itinerary, or to begin planning your next magical Walt Disney World® Resort trip today!

We’re just 7-days away from the 20th Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival at the Walt Disney World® Resort. This year, there will be some new faces as well as perennial favorites returning to The Designers’ Stage inside the Festival Center.

Taking place each weekend at noon and 3pm, the designers present some expert tips and tricks to those in attendance. Each designer brings their own unique presentation to the show covering a wide range of topics from boosting your curb appeal to bringing Disney-inspiration into your backyard.

This year’s lineup and seminar topcis are:

•  Mar. 8-10 – Chris Lambton from Going Yard presenting “Going Yard for Your Lifestyle”
•  Mar. 15-17 – Chris Grundy from DIY Network’s Cool Tools presenting “Keepin’ It Green with Grundy”
• Mar. 22-24 – Egypt Sherrod from Property Virgins: presenting “Getting the Inside Scoop on HGTV’s Top Home Features for 2013″
• Mar. 29-31 – Brandon Johnson from the popular show My Yard Goes Disney presenting “Bringing More Disney Inspiration and HGTV Design to Your Backyard”
• Apr. 5-7 – Meg Caswell from  Meg’s Great Rooms will present “Discovering Design Tips to Personalize Your Space & Make a Good Room Great”
• Apr. 12-14 – Jason Cameron from DIY Network’s Desperate Landscapes and Man Caves presents “Desperate Landscapes… Where Do We Grow from Here?”
• Apr. 19-21 – Sara Peterson the Editor-in-Chief, HGTV Magazine presents “Boosting Your Curb Appeal! 25 Easy Ideas from Front Doors to Flower Pots”
• April 26-28 – Carter Oosterhouse from Million Dollar Rooms presents “Million Dollar Trends”
• May 3-5 – Casey Noble from Design on a Dime presents “Creating Luxury Hotel Floral Arrangements in Your Home”
• May 10-12 – Dan Faires from HGTV.com DanMade presents “Easy Ideas for Creating a Designer Garden”
• May 17-19 – David Bromstad from HGTV Design Star, ColorSplash, and Design Star All-Stars presents “The Power of Color”

The Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival runs Mar. 6-May 19, 2013 and is included with regular park admission.