The display area is set up to look like a circus with funhouse mirrors, pear matching games, spinning ferris wheels that provide fun facts about pears, and more.  There is also a coloring table for kids and a cold case where you can buy a variety of individual pears to try!  We sampled a super fresh and delicious Bartlett Pear – yummy!

At certain times throughout the day, pear demonstrations are given.  We didn’t get to see one, because the triplets were hot and restless (it was brutally hot yesterday with record attendance at Epcot every for October 10th), but I’m sure the demonstrations would be interesting!

Stay tuned to The Disney Traveler for more posts about the 2008 International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot in Walt Disney World!

Images: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler

If you already have park passes that give you admission to Epcot®, you can purchase a discounted ticket for Bocuse d’Or USA Grand Gala and Awards Dinner for $325.00 per person for the event – exclusive of park tickets and tax.

To get the discounted rate, tell the Disney Dining Reservation Agent that you are a Passholder or have park entrance previously arranged.

You can follow the link to read more about the Bocuse d’Or USA Grand Gala and Awards Dinner at Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival.  It sounds amazing!

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Kiosks will be placed throughout Epcot’s World Showcase where guests can pick up “Kimmunicators”.  The hand-held Kimmunicators will lead guests through missions as part of Team Possible by allowing them to receive messages from Kim Possible characters in order to save the world from a group of villains.  The devices will also allow guests to control, “top secret equipment hidden inside the World Showcase pavillions” according to a Disney press release.  No word on what that top secret equipment will be, but it certainly sounds intriguing!

Guests will communicate with a new villain from the Kim Possible series and try to solve a new mission in each of the seven pavillions in World Showcase where the game can be played – Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Japan, France and the United Kingdom.

Sounds like this is sure to be a fun activity for families to enjoy together, particularly if there is a Kim Possible fan in your family!  What do you think?  Will your family try the new Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure game at Epcot?

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

The Bocuse d’Or World Cuisine Competition is held every two years and is often referred to as the “Culinary Olympics”.  Eight semi-finalist teams will compete at Epcot for spots on the final team that will go to France.  Throughout the competition, they’ll create dishes that Disney guests can watch them prepare and even taste!  At the end of the competition, the panel of top chefs will choose the winners.  The entire competition ends with a huge dinner and awards ceremony.

Sounds very cool!  You can read all the details about the competition on the Orlando Sentinel’s cooking blog.  No word on whether Chef Tom Colicchio or Padma will be there though.

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Image: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler

My 3-year old triplets knew nothing about Wall-E when they saw this display, but they immediately gravitated toward it and wanted a Wall-E toy.  Suffice it to say, we’ll definitely be seeing Wall-E in theaters.  I think we’ll wait a week or two for the crowds to die down a bit though.  I have a feeling Wall-E is going to be very popular if my kids’ reactions to it are any indication.

How about you?  Will you catch Wall-E in theaters?

Photo: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler

Check out the scheduled events:

• Magic Kingdom: 9:00 p.m. – “Disney’s Celebrate America!-A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” uses incredible fireworks and music to honor the people and traditions of the United States.  Disney’s SpectroMagic parade will also run at 10:30 p.m. and again at 12:30 a.m.
• Epcot: 9:00 p.m. – “Illuminations: Reflections of Earth”, Epcot’s nightly lights, fireworks and music show, will include a special ending to celebrate July 4th.  Also, the American Pavillion will host special events throughout the day on July 4th including appearances by historical characters and additional performances by the acapella vocal group, Voices of Liberty.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9:00 pm. – A special fireworks show will feature music and skyrockets. 
• Downtown Disney: 10:30 p.m. – A special fireworks show will entertain guests in the Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island areas.

Where will you be on July 4th?

Image: Flickr

Post from: The Disney Traveler

You can read more about the 2008 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival in the following posts from The Disney Traveler:

Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Picture Review Part 1

Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival Review Part 2

Photos: Susan Gunelius

Tags: Epcot, Walt Disney World, Epcot flower and garden festival, disney events, Epcot events, Disney photos, Epcot photos, Disney topiaries

Post from: The Disney Traveler

I saw The Monkees in concert in the 80s during their first revival.  I didn’t even realize Davy Jones was performing at Epcot on Sunday when I was there for the Mother’s Day Brunch, so it was a great surprise to walk by the ampitheater outside of the American Pavilion and hear “I’m a Believer” through the speakers.  I couldn’t stay for the entire show, because my 3-year old triplets were bored, but I would have loved to!

I did get some pictures though, and I have to say, Davy Jones sounded great.  I was actually very impressed!  So for all you Davy Jones and The Monkees fans, here are a couple of pictures I snapped from the back of the theater.  Not too bad for snapping them while my triplets were screaming “let’s go see the trains” (our next stop was the trains in Germany).

Photos: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler

The Mother’s Day Brunch at Epcot is an event not to be missed for mothers and their families.  First, the timing of Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival always coincides with the Mother’s Day Brunch at Epcot when the incredible floral displays are at full bloom and simply spectacular.  As guests enter through the turnstiles in front of Epcot, Disney cast members greet mothers with carnations setting the mood for the celebration immediately.

Families make their way through Future World and turn right at the entrance of World Showcase for the quickest path to the location where the Mother’s Day Brunch is served (between the Canada and United Kingdom pavilions).  In fact, I highly recommend walking through the rose garden path that takes you near Journey Into Imagination for your walk into World Showcase.  The roses are unbelievable at this time of year (see the picture above that I took on Mother’s Day).

As you approach the location for the Mother’s Day Brunch, you’ll see the menu posted outside, but the printed menu doesn’t do the buffet justice.  More about the food later though.

Families enter into the banquet hall into a beautifully decorated waiting area with dim lights, black backdrops, and royal decorations, including an area where families can pose with Disney characters.  This year, Disney Princesses and their princes were available for pictures.

When it’s your turn to be seated, you’re taken through the drawbridge entry into an incredible dining area.  Again, the black background and royal decorations are used throughout the dining hall (see my review in pictures, part 1 and part 2, for all the photos), but what makes everything so fantastic is the lighting.  The lights are very low with floral decorative lighting used on all the walls and colored lights shining in different areas.  The lighting sets the magical tone for the event.

To top off the setting, a Disney cast member dressed in Renaissance attire strolls between the dining tables while playing a lute.  His music can be heard through speakers no matter where you’re seated.

Onto the food, which I don’t think I can possibly describe fully.  In true Disney fashion, the buffet was spectacular.  There were breakfast and lunch foods galore as well as a kids’ section, dessert section and more.  I can’t possibly list all the options but suffice it to say, you could never eat it all.  I sampled a lot of them though!

The cost of the Mother’s Day Brunch at Epcot was $46.99 plus tax for adults and $19.99 plus tax for children ages 3-9.  Children under 3 can attend for free.  It’s important to make a reservation in advance by calling 407-WDW-DINE because this event fills up quickly.  Another nice thing about this event is that you prepay via credit card when you make your reservation, and the tip is included.  Not only is it nice not to have to pay anything at the end of your meal, but it also means you can leave as soon as your done eating and get back out to enjoy the rest of Epcot! 

For an event that comes just once a year and is done in a very special Disney way, it’s worth the price.  I know I’ll be there again next year.

Have you been to the Mother’s Day Brunch in Epcot?  What did you think?

Photo: Susan Gunelius

Post from: The Disney Traveler