Peek at PassPorte's Festivals & Celebrations

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PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World Page 1


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PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

PassPorter’s® Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World® by Thomas Cackler

©

2009 by PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint of MediaMarx, Inc.

P.O. Box 3880, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 • 877-929-3273 Visit us on the World Wide Web at http://www.passporter.com PassPorter® is a registered trademark of MediaMarx, Inc. Photographs MediaMarx, Inc., unless otherwise noted

©

PassPorter’s® Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World® is not affiliated with, authorized or endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with The Walt Disney Company, Disney Enterprises, Inc., or any of their affiliates. While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in this book, the passage of time will always bring changes, and consequently, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors that may occur. The author and publisher of this book shall not be held liable for any information (valid or invalid) presented here and do not represent The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney World® is a registered trademark of The Walt Disney Company. This book makes reference to various Disney copyrighted characters, trademarks, marks, and registered marks owned by The Walt Disney Company, Disney Enterprises, Inc., and other trademark owners. The use in this guide of trademarked names and images is strictly for editorial purposes, and no commercial claim to their use, or suggestion of sponsorship or endorsement, is made by the author or publisher. Those words or terms that the author and publisher have reason to believe are trademarks are designated as such by the use of initial capitalization, where appropriate. However, no attempt has been made to identify or designate all words or terms to which trademark or other proprietary rights may exist. Nothing contained herein is intended to express a judgment on, or affect the validity of legal status of, any word or term as a trademark, service mark, or other proprietary mark. PassPorter’s® Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World® is edited by Carrie Hayward. The information presented is for entertainment purposes. Any stated opinions are ours alone, unless otherwise noted, and do not represent The Walt Disney Company or anyone else. Materials submitted and credited by persons other than ourselves are used here with their permission, and any associated rights belong to them. Any and all written messages, suggestions, ideas, or other information shared with the authors in response to this guide shall be deemed and shall remain the property of PassPorter Travel Press. Special Sales: PassPorter Travel Press publications are available at special discounts for bulk purchases for sales premiums or promotions. Special editions, including personalized covers and excerpts of existing guides, can be created in large quantities. For information, write to Special Sales, P.O. Box 3880, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48106. Resale of this guide is strictly prohibited without the copyright holder’s permission. If you purchased this publication from someone other than PassPorter Travel Press, please call 877-929-3273.

ISBN-13: 978-1-58771-064-3 ISBN-10: 1-58771-064-1 Version 1.1 (6/8/2009)

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All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be store in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act.


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PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

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PassPorter’®s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World Authored by Thomas Cackler Edited by Carrie Hayward

PassPorter Travel Press An imprint of MediaMarx, Inc. P.O. Box 3880, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 877-WAYFARER


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PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

Party People

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Acknowledgments Thomas thanks his ‘ohana for their encouragement during the writing of this book. You’re the best! Carrie thanks her husband for sacrificing their “Muppet Show” nights so she could work on this book! A special thanks to these very important folks “behind the scenes” at PassPorter Travel Press: Publishers: Jennifer and Dave Marx Layout and Design: Jennifer Marx Office Managers: Nicole Larner and Chad Larner Proofreader: Sandy Livingston Online Coordinator and Newsletter Editor: Sara Varney

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About the Editor Carrie Hayward has edited newspaper, magazine, and web copy since 1994, but she’s been a fan of Disneyland all her life. She and her husband, Patrick, try to visit the park monthly, and they especially enjoy date nights at Disneyland for swing dancing at Carnation Plaza Gardens. Carrie and Patrick also love Walt Disney World, where they were married in Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion.

Nathan Root

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Thomas Cackler

About the Author “I’m going to Disney World!” That’s what author Thomas Cackler said after returning to college and earning his bachelor’s degree. Little did he know that this trip would kindle a new passion. Since 2002, Thomas has ventured to Walt Disney World three more times with his wife, Julie, and once with his nephew Joey. These trips, along with the constant planning and visits to popular Disney-related message boards, have made Thomas a certified Disney nut! Thomas lives in Des Moines, Iowa, where he works as a web support technician and frequently asks anyone near a Disney park to say hi to Stitch for him. In addition to writing articles for PassPorter’s weekly newsletter, Thomas has appeared on the Mouse Guest Weekly podcast to share his knowledge and love of all things Disney. As someone who looks for any excuse to party, Thomas hopes that this book will help bring a little extra magic to your next visit to Walt Disney World.


PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

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Table of Contents Chapter 1: Let’s Party ................................................................................................................. 7 Charting Your Course ............................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 2: Serious Partying: Multiweek & Ticketed Events ..............................................11 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival ............................................................................ 12 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival ......................................................................17 Magic Kingdom Seasonal Parties .........................................................................................20 Disney’s Pirate and Princess Party ................................................................................ 21 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party ...................................................................... 23 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party .......................................................................... 25 Chapter 3: Weekend & Multiday Events ...................................................................................27 Star Wars Weekends .............................................................................................................. 28 ESPN The Weekend ...............................................................................................................31 Sounds Like Summer Concert Series ...................................................................................34 Disney Grad Nites ................................................................................................................ 35 Gay Days� 37 Night of Joy ........................................................................................................................... 38 Festival of the Masters ........................................................................................................ 40 MouseFest ............................................................................................................................. 41 Chapter 4: Special Sporting Events ............................................................................................43 Atlanta Braves Spring Training ........................................................................................... 44 Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships ........................46 Competitive Running ............................................................................................................48 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend........................................................................49 ESPN The Weekend 5K ..................................................................................................50 Disney’s Princess Half Marathon ................................................................................. 51 Expedition Everest Challenge ........................................................................................ 51 Race for the Taste 10K & 3K .......................................................................................... 52 Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K & 5K ........................................................................ 52 Other Endurance Events ...................................................................................................... 53 Children’s Miracle Network Classic .................................................................................... 55 Other Sporting Events .......................................................................................................... 56 Chapter 5: Holidays ........................................................................................................................ 57 Christmas at Walt Disney World .......................................................................................... 58 Valentine’s Day at Walt Disney World ................................................................................. 61 Easter at Walt Disney World .................................................................................................62 Mother’s Day at Walt Disney World ....................................................................................62 Father’s Day at Walt Disney World ...................................................................................... 63 Fourth of July at Walt Disney World..................................................................................... 63 Halloween at Walt Disney World..........................................................................................64 Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World.....................................................................................64 New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World .................................................................................. 65 Other Holidays at Walt Disney World.................................................................................. 66 Chapter 6: Your Special Day .........................................................................................................67 Birthdays, Graduations, and More! ..................................................................................... 68 Engagements, Weddings, and Anniversaries...................................................................... 69 Grand Gatherings .................................................................................................................70 The Party Never Ends! ................................................................................................................. 71 PassPorter 30% Discount ............................................................................................................ 72 “Free” E-Books .............................................................................................................................. 73 What Is PassPorter? ..................................................................................................................... 74 More PassPorters ......................................................................................................................... 75 Even More PassPorters ................................................................................................................ 76 Register Your PassPorter ............................................................................................................. 77 PassPorter Online ........................................................................................................................ 78


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PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

About This E-Book Unlike other e-books you may have seen in the past, this e-book was created to look the same as a regular print guidebook ... but with added features and interactivity! Here are some tips on making the most of this e-book:

Hyperlinks We’ve created clickable hyperlinks for every web address in this book. Just click and you’ll instantly be connected to the particular web site (assuming you’re online). Printing We’ve carefully formatted this document so it can be printed easily. There are a variety of ways to do it, depending on your needs. Here are the details: Simple Print—Just press the Print button or select Print from your File menu while you’re in Adobe Acrobat. What you see is what you get. Print for PassPorter—To print this e-book so it can be placed into your deluxe PassPorter, you’ll want to be sure that the pages print at the correct size (5.5” wide by 8.5” tall) and back-to-back. This can be tricky. To print pages at the right size, bring up your Print settings in Adobe Acrobat and look for a “Page Scaling” option—make sure it is either turned off or set at “None.” To print pages back-to-back (on both sides of the sheet of paper), print only the odd pages of the book, take those pages and place them back in the printer, and then print the even pages of the book. This may take some time to get just right. Once the pages are printed, trim them to 5.5” x 8.5” and then use a hole punch to punch out the six marked holes (for insertion in a deluxe binder) or trim the pages on the dotted line (to insert them in the PassPocket of a spiral edition). Print and Bind—If you want this book printed and bound for you, consider using a local Kinko’s, which will print a PDF file sent to them electronically—you then pick it up in your local store. For details, visit http://www.kinkos.com. Also check the PassPorter Store at http://www.passporterstore.com/store, as we plan to begin offering print versions of our popular e-books. If you have problems printing in Adobe Acrobat Reader, visit this web page for tips: http://www.adobe.com/support/products/acrreader.html. Sharing We know it is tempting to simply e-mail this file to a friend or family member, but we encourage you to instead send them to a link to purchase the book. Without support, we won’t be able to keep this e-book updated or produce future e-books. Here’s the link you can give others: http://www.passporter.com/wdw/festivals-celebrations.asp

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Bookmarks We’ve bookmarked each festival and celebration so you can go right to the place that interests you. Look for the Bookmark section in Adobe Acrobat, which will act as a sort of electronic table of contents.


PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

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Chapter 1

Let’s Party!

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Every day is special to someone, and that alone is a reason to celebrate! The cast members at Walt Disney World know this quite well, and they roll out the red carpet for their guests daily. However, even Mickey and the gang like to celebrate extra-special events throughout the year. Whether it is an official festival that spans months or a quiet commemoration of a personal milestone, many revelers from around the globe choose to celebrate at Walt Disney World. In addition to hosting holiday festivities and official events like Disney’s Pirate and Princess Party, Walt Disney World partners with other organizations to host gatherings such as Atlanta Braves Spring Training and the Pop Warner Super Bowl. With festivals and celebrations that span both the calendar and the resort, there is something for everyone every month of the year. And the unique fireworks, parades, and entertainment that accompany seasonal events give even frequent visitors something new each time they come to Walt Disney World. Yet all those options present a challenge to the average vacationer. Depending on the time of year, several extra events add to the already overwhelming selection of activities available at the Walt Disney World Resort. In December alone, more than a dozen special parties, festivals, and activities celebrate the holidays from just about every perspective. You may wonder, is this event included in my normal park admission? Will the parks be crowded? It can be quite a chore to work through this information and arrive at the resort prepared to have a good and relaxing time. PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World will help you choose the events that will make your upcoming vacation more magical or help you pick just the right time to visit the resort to participate in the party of your dreams. This book will break down events by type, ranging from exclusive, hard-ticketed parties to more casual celebrations. Each chapter includes information on what to expect (and what you might spend!) during each celebration, along with tips, tricks, and suggestions on how to maximize your experience. Over the next few pages, we offer a calendar of events at Walt Disney World before diving in to detailed descriptions of each celebration. It is important to remember that while the calendar is a guideline, event dates and times are subject to change and will vary from year to year. Every effort is made to keep this book up-to-date, but for the very latest information, you should visit the PassPorter web site (http://www.passporter.com) along with the official Walt Disney World web site (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/index) for updates on times, dates, and prices. Grab your silly hat and noisemaker—it’s time to party!


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PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

Charting Your Course

One important thing to remember is that while Disney is generally consistent with event dates from year to year, there are exceptions. For example, in 2007 Star Wars Weekends occurred entirely in the month of June, rather than in the traditional mid-May to mid-June time frame, due to a large Star Wars convention over Memorial Day Weekend that prevented appearances by the film’s stars. While most of the major festivals are now annual occurrences, it is important to double check PassPorter’s web site or the official Walt Disney World web site for the latest information (see links on page 7). The following pages contain a monthly list of seasonal events and festivals at Walt Disney World. Each entry includes the event’s home location and directs you to additional information within this book. When Disney makes a big deal out of a holiday, the calendar will note that as well. Feel free to skip around and compare events as you plan your perfect Walt Disney World celebration!

©

Patrick Johnson

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party runs from September through October

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Most vacation veterans will tell you that there is an ideal time to go to Walt Disney World. The same holds true if you want to experience the resort beyond the Tower of Terror and turkey legs. Just as some months are better for touring than others, some months are better for experiencing seasonal events. For example, many people will tell you that October is a great month to visit because of low crowds and cooler weather. However, October is also a great time to visit because of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival and the multitude of Halloween happenings. This is perhaps the best feature of these events: Disney offers them during less-crowded times of the year to entice people to visit.


PassPorter’s Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World

January Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Resort-wide, page 49) February Atlanta Braves Spring Training (Wide World of Sports, page 44) President’s Day Soccer Festival (Wide World of Sports, page 47) Valentine’s Day (Resort-wide, page 61)

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March Atlanta Braves Spring Training (Wide World of Sports, page 44) Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (Epcot, page 17) ESPN The Weekend (Disney’s Hollywood Studios, page 31) Saint Patrick’s Day (Resort-wide, page 66) April Disney Grad Nites (Disney’s Hollywood Studios, page 35) Easter (Resort-wide, page 62) Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (Epcot, page 17) May Cinco de Mayo (Resort-wide, page 66) Danskin Orlando Triathalon (Resort-wide, page 54) Disney Grad Nites (Disney’s Hollywood Studios, page 35) Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend (Resort-wide, page 51) Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (Epcot, page 17) Florida Ironman 70.3 Triathlon (Fort Wilderness, page 53) Mother’s Day (Resort-wide, page 62) June Disney’s Pin Celebration (Epcot, page 39) Father’s Day (Resort-wide, page 63) Gay Days (Unofficial event; resort-wide, page 37) Sounds Like Summer Concert Series (Epcot, page 34) Star Wars Weekends (Disney’s Hollywood Studios, page 28) July Fourth of July (Resort-wide, page 63) Sounds Like Summer Concert Series (Epcot, page 34) August Sounds Like Summer Concert Series (Epcot, page 34) September Athletes for a Cure Triathlon (Fort Wilderness, page 54) Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (Epcot, page 12) Expedition Everest Challenge (Animal Kingdom, page 51) Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (Magic Kingdom, page 23) Night of Joy (Disney’s Hollywood Studios, page 38) Trek Women’s Triathlon Series (Fort Wilderness, page 54)

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