Dateline Disney: March/April 2014
In this edition:
Magic Kingdom: Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade dances into Magic Kingdom this March
Epcot: Bands and blooms headline the 21st Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival; “Re-Discovering America: Family Treasures from the Kinsey Collection” expands
Downtown Disney: Irish eyes are smiling at Downtown Disney’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration March 7-17
Disney Sports: Atlanta Braves return to Champion Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for spring training; Orlando City S.C. takes the field at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for the 2014 season
New Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade Debuts at Magic Kingdom this March
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - A colorful new Magic Kingdom daytime parade will make its grand entrance onto Main Street, U.S.A. in March.
Featuring seven unique units comprised of nine floats with a cast of more than 100 performers, Disney Festival of Fantasy parade celebrates the stories and characters of Fantasyland. The parade comes to life through fantastic and innovative new parade floats, vibrant costumes and an original soundtrack featuring beloved songs from favorite Disney films, including its very own theme song.
Disney Festival of Fantasy parade is the first of a new generation of parades for Disney Parks incorporating never-before-used technology on eye-popping floats adorned with Disney characters from more than a dozen fairytales. The dazzling parade floats will soar up to three stories tall with spirited performers donning dramatic costumes crafted at ten different design houses across the country.
Floats include a 53-foot-long steampunk-inspired Maleficent Dragon from the 1959 Disney animated classic, “Sleeping Beauty,” a Fantasia-themed balloon and gondola for Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a giant “Brave” bagpipe, and a “Peter Pan” float featuring Skull Rock and Captain Hook’s The Jolly Roger pirate ship.
Rockin’ Flower Power Weekend Concerts Kick Start this March during the 21st International Flower & Garden Festival
This spring, guests can boogie to their favorite “far out” pop tunes and rock ‘n’ roll classics of the 1960s and ’70s at the Flower Power concert series during the 21st Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.
The lineup will feature two new-to-the-festival acts: Gary Lewis and The Playboys (“This Diamond Ring”) and Alan Parsons Live Project (“Eye in the Sky”).
Here is the 2014 lineup (subject to change without notice):
- March 7-9 The Guess Who “American Woman”
- March 14-16 NEW! Gary Lewis and The Playboys “This Diamond Ring”
- March 21-23 The Orchestra starring former members of ELO “Evil Woman”
- March 28-30 The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer in the City”
- April 4-6 Paul Revere & The Raiders “Good Thing”
- April 11-13 Village People “Y.M.C.A.”
- April 18-20 The Grass Roots “Midnight Confessions”
- April 25-27 Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone “I’m Henry VIII, I am”
- May 2-4 Starship starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
- May 9-11 Chubby Checker & The Wildcats “The Twist”
- May 16-18 NEW! Alan Parsons Live Project “Eye in the Sky”
Performances are at America Gardens Theatre at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and are included with Epcot admission. For additional information, visit www.epcotinspring.com.
Epcot Expands “Re-Discovering America: Family Treasures from the Kinsey Collection” Gallery this Spring
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Walt Disney World Resort guests visiting The American Adventure pavilion at Epcot will see exciting new updates as part of an expansion of “Re-Discovering America: Family Treasures from the Kinsey Collection” this spring. Additional images, artwork and artifacts related to watershed moments in American history will soon be on display.
Walt Disney Imagineers, along with philanthropists Bernard, Shirley and Khalil Kinsey, have begun to add several new artifacts and display cases to the popular cultural exhibit and will continue to do so in coming months.
The new artwork and documents will be added and current pieces will be re-located to new pedestal displays during the next two months. Themed to hope, belief, courage, imagination and heritage, the exhibit provides empowering stories of American history from voices that are not commonly seen or heard. Art and artifacts pay homage to African Americans who helped build and transform a nation. Their stories of determination and courage, from the nation’s early days to the present, are at the heart of the exhibit.
New objects joining the exhibit this spring include:
- Distribution of Population in New York, 1801
- Noon Wash by artist Jonathan Green
- Slave Songs of the United States
- Tintype Photographs
- Carte de Visite
“Re-Discovering America: Family Treasures from the Kinsey Collection” is included in Epcot admission. For more information about the collection, visit thekinseycollection.com
‘Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival’ Brings Live Entertainment, Authentic Irish Food and Fun to Downtown Disney March 7-17
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Music and merriment abound when the most authentic St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the land comes to Downtown Disney March 7-17.
The celebration at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant and throughout Downtown Disney pays homage to Celtic culture with nearly 10 top Irish bands and pro dancers performing on three stages during select days of the festival. With performances starting nightly March 7-14 from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. and daily 12 p.m. until 1 a.m. March 15-17 on stages indoors and out, guests can don their finest green duds and join in a jig or two.
Also on tap: a hearty selection of beers, food by Irish celebrity chef Kevin Dundon of Raglan Road, complimentary face painting inside Raglan Road, stilt walkers, living statues, children’s activities and plenty of St. Patrick’s Day memorabilia.
New this year: the four Disney Food Trucks will serve up delicious eats each evening of the festival at Downtown Disney West Side. Guests can even purchase Fisherman’s Pie at the World Showcase of Flavors Food Truck, a favorite dish from the Ireland kiosk at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Highlights of the celebration across Downtown Disney will include:
- Performances by The Willis Clan, Elevation, Goitse, Three Dollar Band, We Banjo 3, The Raglan Rebels, The Brazen Heads and Raglan Road house bands Creel and The West Coast Trio
- The Raglan Road Dancers, seven full-time champion dancers, performing daily
- Renowned Irish dancer and choreographer Ronan McCormack of the original Riverdance cast, leading Irish Dance Workshops “From Roots to Riverdance”
- Ceili (kay-lee) traditional music and structured set-dancing event, during which host Ronan McCormack invites guest participation
Guests can order from the Raglan Road and Cooke’s of Dublin popular food and drink menus throughout the event. On Monday, St. Patrick’s Day, guests will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis with a cover charge of $10 for each guest age 18 and older. Reservations can be booked for other festival days by calling 407/938-0300.
Dreams Come True for High School Students
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The seventh annual Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence Magazine takes place at Walt Disney World Resort March 6-9, 2014. During the event, 100 high school students from across the nation are immersed in career-inspirational program that includes motivational seminars, networking events, hands-on creative experiences shared with entertainment experts, motivational speakers and business professionals who encourage them to succeed and follow their dreams at Walt Disney World Resort. More information is available at disneydreamersacademy.com.
Atlanta Braves Spring Training Returns to Walt Disney World Resort
Atlanta Braves Spring Training Returns to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort Feb. 26-March 26. Showcasing some of Major League Baseball’s marquee teams, the game lineup includes the reigning World Series Champion Boston Red Sox and National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals. This year’s schedule also will include three nighttime games and select promotional-themed games, along with the traditional Disney family-oriented fun, including in-game entertainment, Disney character appearances and on-field fan experiences. Kids will again have the opportunity to run the bases after every game.
Below is the Braves’ 2014 spring training schedule at Champion Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex:
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For more information, visit www.espnwwos.com/atlantabraves.
Orlando City S.C. 2014 Regular Season at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Orlando City Soccer Club will play its regular-season home games at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort this season. To enhance the experience for spectators, additional stadium seating is planned to surround all four sides of the main soccer field at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, bringing seating to approximately 5,200.
This will be the Lions’ final United Soccer League (USL) season before becoming the 21st Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise in 2015.
Below is the Lions’ 2014 regular-season home schedule at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex:
- Saturday, March 29 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Pittsburgh
- Saturday, April 5 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Rochester
- Saturday, April 12 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Charleston
- Sunday, May 4 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. OKC
- Wednesday, May 21 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Charlotte
- Saturday, May 31 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Charleston
- Saturday, June 7 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Impact Reserves
- Wednesday, June 11 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Orange County
- Saturday, June 28 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. LA Galaxy II
- Saturday, July 12 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Wilmington
- Saturday, August 2 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Charlotte
- Saturday, August 16 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Harrisburg
- Sunday, August 31 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Dayton
- Saturday, September 6 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Richmond
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