Magical Adventures & Memories
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It’s hard to imagine a time before Epcot Festivals, especially if you just started going to the park in the last 20 years. In this week’s Up the Waterfall episode, we discuss the history of festivals at Epcot. Why they came about, how they’ve changed over the years, and what we think of all the never-ending festivals at one of our favorite parks. Times have certainly changed since 1994 and the first ever Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, in fact there are now 4 main festivals taking place in Epcot throughout the year.
Listen in, or watch as we discuss all the festivals, our favorite parts and not-so-favorite parts. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Epcot Festivals too! Do you like the festivals in Epcot? What’s your favorite part and what do you like or not like about those festivals? See what we think on this week’s episode.
Here’s a link to the EPCOT VIP Lounges I mentioned in this episode, if you’d like to see!
This is our third episode for the Up the Waterfall podcast, you can subscribe on the Apple Podcast app (we’d LOVE a review so more people can discover our little show!), watch and subscribe on YouTube.com/zannaland where you can give us a thumbs up, comment, share and hit the notification bell to make sure you never miss another video.
Thanks as always for watching, listening, and reading! We hope you enjoy and if you do, share the love so we can keep bringing you more fun topics!
D23 has just sent over some great news! Next year, 2020 will be a year to celebrate the Walt Disney Archives and its 50th anniversary. As you may know from my previous post “D23 and You (and Me!)” and our first Up the Waterfall podcast episode, the Walt Disney Archives are my favorite part of anything D23 related. This is the true reason we are Disney fans, and any and all info and treasures from the Archives are why we keep going back to D23 events and remaining members.
Along with some news about a traveling Archives exhibit, we also get some Destination D news, which will take place at Walt Disney World in the Fall of 2020. UPDATE: We now have an official date for Destination D – Fantastic Worlds in Walt Disney World – November 20-22, 2020! Destination D will honor Disney’s many magical places, from the extraordinary to the fantastical.The exhibit will include 50 iconic treasures, each representing a year that the Archives has been in existence. And Walt Disney Imagineering’s store, Mickey’s of Glendale, will once again open a pop-up shop featuring exclusive items, just for the weekend. Additional details, including special hotel rates and ticketing information, will be announced in late spring. I can’t wait to attend and peruse all of these bits of history. Keep reading below for the official press release from D23:
The Walt Disney Archives celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, and to kick off the festivities, the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Calif., will host Inside the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic, offering a rare look at some of the treasures from the Archives. The 10,000-square-foot traveling exhibit opens to the public on March 7, 2020.
- Plus, on June 22, the actual anniversary of the founding of the Archives, D23 will hold a special “birthday party” at the Bowers Museum. And next year, D23 will offer two exclusive D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experiences: A Day at the Studio Lot, for an exciting look behind the incredible work that goes on every day at the Walt Disney Archives.
Guests are invited to step into the Walt Disney Archives as they walk through a dazzling display of more than 400 objects, including original artwork, costumes, and props that tell the story of the Archives, The Walt Disney Company, and Walt Disney himself. Artifacts include never-before-displayed production art from Fantasia, Walt Disney’s office set from Saving Mr. Banks, the original pitch portfolio used to secure investors for Disneyland, maquettes from animated films such as Peter Pan and Frozen, and much more.
Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will be invited to enjoy an exclusive look at the exhibit before it opens to the general public during a special preview night where they can chat with Disney archivists while exploring the exhibit, which runs through August 30, 2020, before heading to other locations around the country (to be revealed in 2020). D23 Gold Members will also receive a discount on tickets to the exhibit, as well as a discount on merchandise in the museum store. Bowers Museum is one of Southern California’s finest museums, showcasing exquisite examples of art and culture from around the world since 1936.
In addition to the exhibit, Disney fans will be able to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Archives throughout 2020:
- The Archives will partner with the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood for special El Cap Throwback screenings during the year.
- WALT’S MARCELINE: Walt frequently cited this charming Missouri town, where he spent his early childhood, as one of his greatest influences. In fact, its lovely main thoroughfare was an inspiration for Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. D23 Members will have a chance to explore the Walt Disney Hometown Museum, enjoy local treats, and mingle with special guests during this full-day event.
- D23’s Behind the Scenes Experience: A Day at the Studio Lot events in 2020, held exclusively for Gold Members of D23, will offer a rare glimpse into how the Archives preserves the magic of The Walt Disney Company.
- All Official Walt Disney Studios Tours in 2020, presented by D23, will include a special gift for guests themed to the 50th anniversary.
For nearly five decades, the Walt Disney Archives has carefully safeguarded the most treasured items from The Walt Disney Company’s history, including original scripts, movie props and costumes, Walt Disney’s correspondence and script notes, theme park artifacts, merchandise, millions of archival photographs, and many of Walt’s personal effects. Founded by Disney Legend Dave Smith in 1970, the Walt Disney Archives is a vital resource for every part of Disney, as well as an important research center for Disney scholars, researchers, and writers. The Archives also shares its countless pieces with Disney fans everywhere through its exhibitions and close association with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.
Our friend and special guest Amanda from Vegan Disney Food joined us on the first day of the Food & Wine Festival for 2019, to bring us on grand tour of every Vegan item available at this year’s booths! Join us as we check them all out!
Follow Amanda for more vegan options and updates:
https://instagram.com/vegandisneyfood
https://vegandisneyfood.com
We were able to check out this super quick preview of Epcot International’s Food and Wine Festival for 2019, and MAY have made a very special new friend! This preview was pretty brief because we also got to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, so we will DEFINITELY be back when the Food & Wine Festival begins on August 29. Subscribe now to make sure you don’t miss it!
Disclosure: Disney invited us out to this event, but these opinions are our own!
Last night was the very first night of 2019’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and we got to check it out! As a bonus, we also got to check out the brand new add-on party, Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way. Let’s see what 2019 has to offer at these great events!
Disclosure: Disney invited us out to this event, but these opinions are our own!
At this year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Disney debuted a brand new firework show, the Not So Spooky Spectacular! This is the full show, and more content from the Not So Scary party this year will be coming to our channel VERY soon, so be sure to subscribe so you never miss a thing.
Disneyland Resort’s Haunted Mansion attraction turned 50 years old, but that doesn’t mean all the fun has to happen on the west coast! Let’s check out everything Magic Kingdom has to offer for the special occasion.
We got to preview some of the amazing festivities and events taking place this holiday season at WDW! Join us as we look at some of the new snacks, merchandise, and more!
Disclosure: Disney hosted us for this event, but these opinions are our own!
While our roving movie reviewer Christian may not have felt The Lion King2019 edition was worth spending your money on, Disney IS putting their money to good use with several initiatives sending money to where real-life lions need it the most and Protect the Pride. And while I will be the first to admit, Disney tends to go overboard with the merchandise and promotion of all of their films, in this case, it is actually doing good along with the usual profits.
Disney recently invited us out to see some of the in-park celebrations and programs they have coordinated with the July 19th release of The Lion King. They hosted us for a day in the park and treated us to lunch as we experienced some of these offerings. As always, my opinions and views are my own, and I am posting about these initiatives because animal conservation is something near and dear to my heart, as is Animal Kingdom in general (and I get a bit defensive when people don’t enjoy the park on its own!).
It’s hard to believe, but in the 25 years since The Lion King first came out, half the lion population has been lost, and only 20,000 remain. To counter these facts, Disney launched The Lion King “Protect the Pride” campaign in conjunction with the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund in an effort to double the lion population by 2050.
But this isn’t a new effort for Disney – since 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has directed up to $75 million ($13M to projects across Africa) to save wildlife and protect the planet. Disney has already donated more than $1.5 million to the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund and its partners. Now to celebrate the newest release of The Lion King, Disney is asking fans to help by taking part in The Lion King Celebration happening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and The Lion King Protect the Pride campaign.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – For every guest who rides the Kilimanjaro Safaris Expedition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Florida during opening week of The Lion King film (July 19 – 25, 2019), Disney Conservation Fund will donate $2 (up to $350,000) to the Wildlife Conservation Network in support of the Lion Recovery Fund’s efforts to help double the number of lions across Africa by 2050. (Theme park admission is required.)
Disney Stores & U.S Parks – 40,000 Special Edition The Lion King 2019 Simba and Nala plush lions are available for purchase at Disney stores across the globe. Each of the 40,000 plush represents one of the lions for which Disney and the Lion Recovery Fund are working to ensure a future. For each Special Edition lion sold, Disney will donate US $5 to the Wildlife Conservation Network in support of the Lion Recovery Fund and its local partners. Visit Disney.com/LionKingProtectThePride to learn more.
The Lion King fun doesn’t end there. In addition to Protect the Pride, there are a lot of new offerings at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to help celebrate and really commemorate the spirit of The Lion King. The Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party (which is REALLY fun and I’m not usually a dance party kind of girl), photo opportunities featuring dimensional backgrounds (some you can see in this post), and “Rivers of Light: We Are One,” which is now reimagined with familiar animals from Disneynature films and classic moments from Disney animation. I have not personally seen the new show yet, but did love the original Rivers of Light when it first debuted.
A new Dooney & Bourke collection will be available at Mombasa Marketplace and Discovery Trading Company. The collection includes a satchel, crossbody and tote with a pattern featuring beloved characters such as Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa. These handbags are available now while supplies last.
And of course, those adorable Simba and Nala collectible plush where $5 goes toward saving lions:
With the great success over in Epcot, there is a new hunt themed to, you guessed it, The Lion King. Characters from The Lion King are hidden around Harambe Village. We saw some on our visit and they are really cool but I won’t spoil their locations! Each time you spot one, add the corresponding sticker to your map. The map is available at the Outpost Shop, Discovery Trading Company, Island Mercantile, and Mombasa Marketplace for $6.99. Return your map to Mombasa Marketplace or The Outpost Shop by 9/28/19 or while supplies last for a “savanna surprise”. (which is actually a really cool hand-painted collectible!). If you just want to get the prize at the end, you can purchase the three for $6.99 a piece.
There are some snack and drink options that will really make you roar. These special drinks and snacks will be available through the end of the summer. All of the images below are ©Disney (except the first one, obviously not up to Disney quality haha). Most all of these snacks are extremely sweet, so go prepared to experience an extreme sugar rush. Not pictured are Simba and Nala waffles from Tusker House for breakfast, and the SImba Cupcake from Pizzafari.
Also recently added to Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the return of Animation Academy, which we all miss from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The “new” Disney’s Animation Experience is over in Rafiki’s Planet Watch, accessible by train from Harambe and a short walk from the station. This is now the only thing in the building, so you must wait for the next session to start before being let in to choose a seat and a clipboard with paper and pencil. The seating is very tight and cramped but if you’re lucky, they’ll let you spread out so you have a little elbow room.
During our session, we drew Simba and it was much “easier” (if that’s possible for a total non-drawer like myself) with some lines and the main face circle already printed on the paper. If you love to draw, and love to pet animals like goats and pigs and llamas, definitely head over to Rafiki’s Planet Watch and stop by the petting zoo while you’re there.
All in all, I think this is a great example of Disney synergy used for good. Yes, there are new purses and snacks and even an extra ticketed event. [Circle of Flavors: Harambe at Night – an after-hours progressive dining event where each course is themed to a different African animal, with amazing desserts, and the opportunity to enjoy a Virtual Reality experience with the resident lions from Kilamanjaro Safaris – for $125 per adult on select nights]. Despite all of that, Disney is also highlighting the importance of conservation of lions and all endangered animals. What these new offerings did was allow me to experience Animal Kingdom in a whole new way. This is always great for a jaded local who was there on opening day. If it helps Protect the Pride, all the better.
What about you? Will you experience any of these Lion King Celebration activities? If you can’t make it down for the summer, what’s a favorite memory you have from Animal Kingdom? I’d love to hear it!
Disclosure: As mentioned above, Disney invited us to this event. They provided admission to the park, lunch, and gift cards to purchase snacks. Again, my opinions are my own. I think it’s important to note that I have an annual pass. I have also paid on my own to dine at Tiffins many times. If I didn’t like something, you’d know. But I also have to assume, if you are reading this, you are probably a Disney parks fan too. Thanks for reading!
