22nd EPCOT Food & Wine Festival Bands Announced!

This year during EPCOT's Food & Wine Festival, a record 32 musical acts will perform as part of the Eat to the Beat Concert Series!

The festival, which runs for 75 days, will host these performances on the America Gardens Theatre stage throughout the festival. Eleven new-to-the-festival bands, including Baha Men, Kenny G., Squeeze, 10,000 Maniacs, and others, join 21 fan-favorite musical acts for a diverse lineup of pop hit makers

Guests also can tune into their favorite returning bands that will include festival opening act Delta Rae.  Concerts take place at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. daily and are included in the price of your EPCOT admission ticket.  Take a look (songs are listed to help you identify the act)! Which ones are your favorites?!

  • Aug. 31-Sept. 1         Delta Rae “Bottom of the River”
  • Sept. 2-3                  The Hooters NEW! “And We Danced”
  • Sept. 4-5                  Baha Men NEW! “Who Let the Dogs Out”
  • Sept. 6-7                  Fuel “Shimmer”
  • Sept. 8-10                STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
  • Sept. 11-12                Lauren Alaina NEW! “Road Less Traveled”
  • Sept. 13-15               Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah”
  • Sept. 16-17               Sister Hazel “All For You”   
  • Sept. 18-20              Air Supply “All Out of Love”
  • Sept. 21-22              David Cook “Light On”
  • Sept. 23-24              Everclear “Santa Monica”                   
  • Sept. 25-27              Sugar Ray “Every Morning”
  • Sept. 28-29              38 Special “Hold On Loosely”
  • Sept. 30-Oct. 1         Mark Wills NEW! “19 Somethin’”
  • Oct. 2-3                   American Authors NEW! “Best Day of My Life”
  • Oct. 4-5                   Christopher Cross “Sailing”  
  • Oct. 6-8                   Devon Allman NEW! “Ragged and Dirty”
  • Oct. 9-11                  Dennis DeYoung: The Music of STYX “Come Sail Away”
  • Oct. 12-13                Taylor Dayne “Tell It to My Heart”
  • Oct. 14-15                Jeffrey Osborne “On the Wings of Love”
  • Oct. 16-17                Postmodern Jukebox NEW! Various Hits                 
  • Oct. 18-20               10,000 Maniacs NEW! “Because the Night”
  • Oct. 21-22               Toad The Wet Sprocket “Walk on the Ocean”
  • Oct. 23-24              Kenny G NEW! “Songbird”
  • Oct. 25-26              Billy Ocean “Get Outta My Dreams”
  • Oct. 27-29              Tiffany “I Think We’re Alone Now”
  • Oct. 30-Nov. 1        Hanson “MMMBop”
  • Nov. 2-3                  Blue October NEW! “Into the Ocean”
  • Nov. 4-5                  Living Colour “Cult of Personality” 
  • Nov. 6-8                  Boyz II Men "End of the Road"
  • Nov. 9-11                 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy “Go Daddy-O”
  • Nov. 12-13               Squeeze NEW! “Black Coffee in Bed”

Festival-goers can also enjoy Eat to the Beat Dining Packages at 15 popular Epcot restaurants, guaranteeing a breakfast, lunch or dinner reservation and confirmed seating at a same-day Eat to the Beat concert. Talk to your Upon A Star Agent about the Food & Wine Festival and about booking you a dining package! 

Pandora: The World of Avatar

Well it's been about 2 weeks since my first amazing journey to Pandora -- the World of Avatar. And I've gotta say... I can't wait to go back! With all the hype about Star Wars Land, it seemed to me that things were pretty quiet on the Pandora-front.  I'm always excited to see something new, though, and so I've been not-so-patiently waiting for what was promised to be a spectacular new land in Animal Kingdom. And then... I was privileged enough to be invited to the media event! 

From the first moment we walked in, I was totally immersed. Completely and utterly amazed. Stunned.  The Imagineers truly were able to bring the Valley of Mo'ara to life.  The floating mountains, beautiful flora, and gorgeous water features were so amazing to look at.  I loved speaking to the Cast Members working with "Alpha Centauri Expeditions"... they were all truly in character, telling us details about what each plant was. 

So a bit of back story: Alpha Centauri Expeditions is the company that transports humans into Pandora, helping us to view and experience the culture of the Na'vi. In fact, they are the ones who sent me my invitation!

One of the features in this new land is "Flight of Passage".  In the Na'vi culture, riding a Banshee is a rite of passage - and so of course this is something I had to Sivako ("Rise to the challenge" in Na'vi) and experience for myself. OH MY GOODNESS.  I have to say that I have a new favorite ride.  All of the hype is absolutely true! I'm not normally a fan of screens (except Soarin' of course!)... but this was so completely different than I expected! I could literally feel the breathing of the Banshee... feel its wings... and I gasped, yelled, gazed in wonderment, and had all the feels throughout the ride.  And the queue... wow! Gorgeous!

And that's a good thing, as wait times have been reported as high as 400 minutes.  FastPass is key on this one, folks! Sadly, the FastPass queue cuts out much of the beauty of the standby queue.  So, try to wait for it sometime when it isn't 6 hours! 

The other new attraction is the Na'vi River Journey. And wow! It is simply beautiful. A gentle boat-ride lets you see much of Pandora in all of its bioluminescent splendor. And at the end, you pass the Shaman ... and that animatronic literally made me say "wow!". The realism was incredible! 

And as beautiful as it is by day, it's even more amazing at night!

And then there's the food.  The Satu'li Canteen is a quick service restaurant right in Pandora.  The restaurant itself is beautiful, and the was quite impressed with the food! I sampled a little of everything from the lunch menu during the preview, and then my husband and I went back for breakfast on opening day.

You can even order & pay for your food through your My Disney Experience app, so all you have to do is pick it up!  Right now this feature doesn't work with the dining plan, but we did see people taking advantage of it. 

There is also a refreshment area called "Pongu Pongu"... which is Na'vi for "Party Party"! I tried the Night Blossom - it was delicious! And pretty....

I also loved the Wind Trader's gift shop and all of the cool merch! And of course, I had to buy a Banshee...

This is a screen shot from the video I posted on Instagram! @uponastarjenn
Head over and check it out to meet Esmeralda!

What an amazing experience! If you can, be sure to get down to Walt Disney World to experience Pandora: The World of Avatar! Your Upon A Star Agent would love to help you and give you tips to make the most of your time there! 

New dining heading to Disney Springs

Disney Springs is bursting at the seams with awesome new dining options! Here's a sneak peek of what's to come:

The Edison will be opening later this year. Modeled after it's sister location in Los Angeles, The Edison will be a lavish, industrial gothic restaurant and bar with live entertainment. The live entertainment will include  contortionists, aerialists, DJs and more. It will include classic American Food, craft cocktails. 

Also opening later this year, Wine Bar George. Master Sommelier George Miliotes brings a wine list of over 100 different varieties. Cheese, charcuterie and small plates will be served to complement the wine selections. There will also be special events and guest wine makers conducting fun wine education. 

Portobello Country Italian Trattoria will be replaced by a new Italian concept. At the helm of this new project is Top Chef Master and James Beard Award Winner, Tony Mantuano.  

2018 will bring us several new locations as well! Chef José Andrés’ will be opening Jaleo, a Spanish inspired tapas location. Jaleo will be a multi-level restaurant which will feature Spanish-style sandwiches on the first floor storefront. 

Also in 2018, we will see a new concept by Wolfgang Puck. Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill is inspired by Puck's dishes at his world renowned Spago location. The restaurant will have a classic farmhouse look with a touch of elegance. Expect comfort food with a Mediterranean flair!

There's always so much to do at Disney Springs! Let our travel experts help you make the most of your time there. Contact us here today!

 

VIP Tour Experiences at Walt Disney World® Resort Part 2

A couple of weeks back, I posted about some of the amazing VIP Experiences that are available at the Walt Disney World® Resort.  Of course, Part 1 focused on my favorite topic - food!  Again, more detail can be found If you want even more detail, check out the Divas Dish Podcast where I shared live from my hotel at the Grand Floridian (Episode 68). Click this link, or grab it on iTunes, I Heart Radio, or Stitcher.

So today, let's focus on a VIP Tour.  Simply amazing. If you want to truly feel like a Rock Star, this is the way to roll! Your Tour Guide is a very knowledgeable Cast Member who will be your personal escort through the parks. Basically, they ensure that you see what you want, when you want, with no waiting.  They will take you into the FastPass line of every attraction - even the most popular!  You bypass bag check.  You are driven right to a special entrance, where your band is scanned and you walk right into the park with no lines.  It couldn't be easier!

Yep - I went to Tower of Terror first!

And did I mention SNACKS?! Private VIP guides really do think of everything!  Our guide, Kirk, was phenomenal.  So knowledgeable and friendly! It was fun getting to know him and fun getting to ride the rides with him! He found out that I love Hidden Mickeys, and so he spent time pointing out the hard-to-find ones.  Did you know that there are 3 of them in Soarin' Around the World™? I bet that 3rd one is the one you'll struggle to find! 

Oh you know, just your normal Tower of Terror selfie...

Kirk even helped us park hop! We went from Disney's Hollywood Studios® to Epcot®  - again no bag check line or line to use the touch point. In the space of 2 hours, we had done 4 big ticket attractions!  The amount of time saved was amazing.  

Private VIP Tours are available for up to 10 guests. If you are with a larger party, you'll just add another guide -- this ensures that the personalized experience stays, well ... personal! The cost varies based on season from $400-$600 per hour (7 hour minimum).  This cost is well-worth it, especially during those extra-crowded times of year! Your Upon A Star Agent can book this for you or even add it into your package. 

There are also half day VIP Tours available that are not private; they will, however, take you through the parks to focus on either "thrill rides" or "classic rides".  These are not personalized to your family, but they are a great way to tour if the full VIP Private Tour isn't in the budget this time around.

More to come - watch for Part 3 about "Early Morning Magic" at Walt Disney World® Resort!

VIP Disney Experiences - Dining Events (Part 1)

What a fun but crazy month! We here at Upon A Star Travel have been hard at work planning magical vacations and checking out new offerings for our clients!  I had the opportunity to check out some VIP Experiences down at the Walt Disney World Resort this past month, and let me tell you - I am super excited to share.  If you want even more detail, check out the Divas Dish Podcast where I shared live from my hotel at the Grand Floridian (Episode 68). Click this link, or grab it on iTunes, I Heart Radio, or Stitcher.

Of course, the magic of Disney is unsurpassed; but, if you are someone who likes just that extra special touch, never fear! Disney has it covered! So, let's start with one of my favorite topics ... FOOD. 

Of course, thinking of upscale, VIP cuisine in Disney, your mind may go immediately to Victoria & Albert's.  This is a 5-Diamond Restaurant located on the 2nd floor of the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. I've often heard about the amazing food, and this is a place that had always been on my bucket list.  Let me say - it lives up to the hype! WOW!

So first of all - GO HUNGRY.  This is a 7-course meal, and it can be done with or without wine-pairings. Everything was absolutely delightful. Even if you aren't sure about a particular dish, trust me - it will taste amazing. 

And they even had this really cool way of brewing coffee for dessert - and as a coffee snob - trust me when I say it was fabulous!

Looks like a science experiment, right? Very neat to watch.  

Now we ate in the dining room, but there is also the option to do the Chef's Table. 

Speaking of Chef's Tables... did you know that you can request a special Chef's Table? Whether you're heading down for business or just having a special family gathering, Disney can coordinate a beautiful experience. 

It was such a neat experience watching the chefs prepare your food at the On-stage Kitchen. The head chef then described each and every course - it really brought the food to life! Oh, and as you might imagine, it was absolutely fabulous!

I also experienced the dessert portion of the "Highway in the Sky Dine Around" on the roof of the Contemporary.  The desserts were perfection, and of course, so was the view of the fireworks!

Another fun dining experience was "Savor the Savanna" at Disney's Animal Kingdom... but that's a post for another week! Stay tuned for more of this series very soon!
 

Interested in booking one of these experiences? Contact your Upon A Star Agent today!

Make some 2018 Magical marathon memories!

It’s the most magical race on earth! The Walt Disney World® Marathon adventure is unlike anything else. And now for a limited time, your Upon a Star agent can book you a Race Registration with a Magic Your Way® Package for the 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, which takes place Jan. 3-7, 2018. Please don't delay - contact one of us to book a race package for you.

A Magic Your Way Package allows your whole family to enjoy Disney fun throughout the race weekend. We can help you pick your favorite Disney resort and the number of days for your Theme Park ticket.

Remember, when you stay at a Disney Resort hotel, you enjoy special benefits, including complimentary MagicBands and early access to Disney FastPass+ planning up to 60 days before you arrive - with FastPass+ reservations made by your Upon a Star agent, of course!

Express Transportation: Disney World

Here is a new way to make transportation even easier at

Walt Disney World!

Express Transportation service is now available to all guests with Park Hopper tickets and all everyone that holds a Walt Disney Annual Pass. Special buses will take you to a special location inside of the next Disney theme park that you choose to go to. The express buses will depart every 30 minutes and the service is available from 10:00am till park closing. Park Hopper tickets are required because you will be taken inside of next theme park and not to the front gate. Of note: the buses do not run to the resort hotels. This Express Transportation Service allows you unlimited transfers between parks for one day or 7 consecutive days if you purchase the multi day pass.

 

Express Transportation can be purchased for $15 per person for one day use or $24 per person for 7 consecutive days from the date of the purchase. The check in locations can be found at:

  • Magic Kingdom: Near Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
  • Epcot: East Side of Spaceship Earth
  • Hollywood Studios: In the courtyard of Rock 'N' Roller Coaster
  • Animal Kingdom: Near Kilimanjaro Safari

What do you think? Is this something that looks good to you?

We'd love to help you plan your next magical vacation!

Contact your agent today!

uponastartravel.com

 

 

5 Things You Don't Know About World Showcase!

1. TWEET TWEET - La Cava Del Tequila is a magical little gem hidden within the Mexico pavilion. Opening its doors in 2009, this small Mexican eatery/tequila bar offers 100+ tequilas and mind blowing margaritas (Avocado!). Show the bartender you follow the the establishment on Twitter and be rewarded with a free shot! 

2. HOLA! GUTEN TAG! BONJOUR! - did you know Cast Members working in each country around Epcot's World Showcase are actually from that country? Talk to them! Learn new words, try their favorite native snacks and drinks. Cast members in Germany even played soccer with my daughter! Cast Members are super friendly and very eager to share their stories with you! 

3. ICE CREAM MARTINIS - yes, I said ice cream martini. Check out L'Artisan des Glaces in the France pavilion for a one of a kind treat (drink?!). Currently, there are about 15 flavors of ice cream and sorbet offered, AND there's the option to add a topper of Grand Marnier, Whipped Cream Vodka or Rum! YUMMY!!!! 

4. CARAMEL LOVERS UNITE - Caramel is delicious. Maybe even better than chocolate. And maybe no one makes caramel better than the original company, Werther's. Did you know the company started in the small Bavarian village of Werther in Germany? Visit Karamell-Kuche in Epcot's Germany pavilion for a delicious array of treats including Werther's caramel popcorn, Caramel pecan clusters and my favorite, the Caramel drizzled chocolate chip cookie! 

5. SAKE TIME - while exploring Japan's Mitsukoshi department store, find your way to the back to a neat sake bar! There, you will find Cast Members eager to educate you about the variety and types of sake offered as well as single tastings and flights! Sparkling or strong; they have a taste for everyone! 

Epcot Food & Wine Festival - A Photo Tour (with some words)

OK, so maybe it isn't entirely a photo tour! I have sooooo many words I can use to describe the Epcot® Food & Wine Festival!  Delicious, fun, tasty, yummy... and many other adjectives!  But, you get the idea.  

Each fall, Epcot® transforms World Showcase into culinary wonder, adding plenty of additional kiosks.  Even the "regular" countries of World Showcase put out special kiosks, all featuring the food and (you guessed it) wine/alcoholic beverages from that country.  The flavors are amazing... and the smells just beg you to try!

When you enter Epcot®, be sure to grab a passport.  This way you can keep track of all of the amazing eats/drinks you've tried!

OK we have our passport, let's go!  The Festivities are apparent as soon as you enter!

Let's stop at the Festival Center, shall we? It's located in the old Wonders of Life Pavilion. You can check out my Periscope walking tour by clicking here.  There is a ton of merchandise here, plus this is where many of the seminars are held.  If you head to the back, there is a Ghirardelli Chocolate display.  Check out this year's Star Wars display... all made of chocolate!

It's a good idea to get a nifty wristlet gift card! Load it up with some moolah, and this makes it much easier to get your eats as you tour the world! 

Time to head back to see the food booths! I did 2 Facebook Live Walk-throughs.  Check out my Facebook Page and you can find them under videos. 

And food? Yep.  There was lots of it! And it was all delicious!  I realized that I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I would have like to... I guess I was too busy eating LOL!!

If you've never checked out the Food & Wine Festival, I highly recommend it! It's a great time of year to do an adults trip, girls' weekend, guys' weekend...  You won't regret it!

 

Tips for traveling to Disney with a 2 year old!


My daughter's name is Isabella. She calls herself Belle, which is just perfect since that's my favorite princess and Disney movie. At 2 1/2 years old, we brought "Baby Belle" to meet the real Belle at the Magic Kingdom! She was enamored by the castle from our first day, and I don't know who was more excited to meet Belle, me or the baby! 


Our visit to the most Magical Place on Earth was super fun, exciting, busy & magical...but not without its stressful moments! Here's a few tips that helped our family navigate through a jam packed week of rides, churros, naps & fireworks! 
 

1) I've now made this mistake twice, and I will not do it again! If your child needs to nap, they will not nap on travel days. Scheduling, flights, transporting to/from airport always get in the way of a regular afternoon nap (for us anyway!). Plus, just by being in the MOST MAGICAL PLACE ON EARTH, there is way too much excitement and exploring to do for our little one (or us?!). So there's no nap the first day. Then, for whatever reason I do it, I've booked a full day at the Magic Kingdom the day after we arrive. Well, baby Belle is not a peach the day after she doesn't nap so I will be planning a "low key" day exploring hotels or a day at Disney Springs the day after we arrive next time. It saves us a bunch of attitude & frustration; we can go at our own pace, it's relaxing to just walk around and explore, and we can go back to hotel to nap, no issues. 


2) Speaking of naps, we did not want to deal with bringing a stroller through the airport, on the plane, blah blah blah, BUT Belle still naps so what to do?! We rented through Kingdom Strollers and for us, it was absolutely worth the money. The stroller was at our hotel - with plenty of storage space and a cooler! - before we even arrived! We had picked out the model online and it was perfect. Much more comfortable than our awful stroller we left at home! It was easy to maneuver & fold up. And - you just leave it at the hotel when you check out! SO.EASY. Belle napped every afternoon in the stroller in the parks so we never even had to leave the magic! We grabbed a snack, found a quiet spot in whatever park we were visiting that day, and relaxed! 

3) To prepare the little one for our big adventure, we let her watch videos of the rides on YouTube before we left for vacation. This is a great way to help your child get familiarized with certain characters, rides, shows & experiences! It's fun to watch the videos after vacation as well when you're going through severe Disney withdrawal and can reminisce about Peter Pan's flight together!

4) Unless you are hands down, 100% super certain that your kid will just absolutely fall in love with life size Mickey & friends, I'd suggest not doing a character meal as your first meal, day one. Belle was horrified at the Winnie the Pooh characters at the Crystal Palace and as much as she LOVES the old Pooh classics AND ride, she just can not do the real life stuff. So that meal was a bit of a bust. After this incident, we gave her the option to "hug or wave to" the characters and this was met with much more enthusiasm when she realized she did not have to go anywhere near them . (Princesses are a different story!!) If you can, give your kids some time in the park to see and/or meet characters and gauge reactions before doing a character meal. I realize character meals book up quickly but it will save you money if you find out your little one is not in love with life size Daisy! Booking a character meal for later in the trip, after they've had a chance to see and meet characters, may work out better for you time and money-wise! 

5) BRING HEADPHONES if your kid is not used to fireworks. They are very loud (we've done Magic Kingdom & Epcot), and as cool and awesome as you think the show is, it will not be awesome if your kid is screaming the fireworks are too loud. Headphones work at home for local summer firework displays, so I'm definitely packing them for next year's trip! If you're thinking being in the park during the show will be a bit overwhelming, try watching the show from one of the nearby beaches surrounding Seven Seas Lagoon. Grab a drink, bring a snack, pack some glow in the dark wands and bracelets (hello Dollar Store!) and enjoy without the crowds! We've enjoyed the fireworks from Fort Wilderness & the Polynesian - order a Polynesian Pearl at Trader Sam's and take it all in! 

And remember - HAVE FUN!!!! 

I'd love to help you book your next Magical vacation!

Contact me today!

kyla@uponastartravel.com

www.facebook.com/kylauponastartravel

Drinking Around the World Showcase

When planning adult only trips or vacation date nights, I get a lot of, “we want to go drinking around the world”. This refers to World Showcase in EPCOT. It can be a very fun and entertaining way to visit all of the countries in World Showcase. Unfortunately, there have been many adults who have fallen victim to the effects of the “it’s vacation” attitude and had a few too many drinks a little too quickly.

TIPS:

Pace Yourself: with 11 countries, you need to take your time. The basic hours of the World Showcase are 11am-9pm. This gives you 10 hours to conquer the “world” without being tempted to climb a temple in Mexico. Go in with the mindset that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and it will help. Take your time, and enjoy the shops and attractions. There’s more to do than just drink!

Share drinks and dishes: My plan is based on sharing drinks and food. This will help you consume less so you don’t feel as full and can try more. This will also help your wallet!  Drinks run from $6-$16 each. You can blow your budget pretty quickly just on the alcohol, but you will need to eat too.

Hydrate: Not to state the obvious, but Florida is HOT! That can lead to dehydration. Alcohol can also lead to dehydration, making your feel the effects very quickly. No one wants to see you blitzed, and you don’t want to be sleeping it off in your resort before the torches are lit for Illuminations.

Start Early: This plan starts when the World Showcase opens at 11am. It factors in some rides, a dinner and entertainment.

Be Respectful: Drinking Around the World has almost become an adult past-time at Walt Disney World. You can see “teams” with matching shirts, bachelor/bachelorette parties loudly proclaiming victory, and many guests have been seen taking things a little too far. Remember- Epcot is still a family theme park. You can still enjoy yourself and be respectful of others.

MEXICO

The best location to start is Mexico, then work your way around to Canada. The food and drinks seem to make a natural progression from light to heavy going in this direction.

* Skip the kiosk outside with the pre-mixed, sticky sweet Margaritas. Head inside to La Cava Del Tequila and grab a margarita to share. The Blood Orange, Avocado, and Jalapeño Margaritas are recommended. Skip the tequila flights – shots will have you taking a siesta before your reach Italy.

* Grab some chips and salsa to enjoy with your margarita. Tell your server that you follow @CavaDelTequila on twitter and you might receive a special offer.

* Ask your server for a glass of water here. Make sure you finish it before you leave the table.

* Enjoy the Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros, as it has a wait under 20 minutes. Take your time visiting the shops in the air conditioning.

 

NORWAY

* Grab a Carlsberg from the kiosk. While it’s not actually from Norway (it’s actually from Denmark), it’s still a good beer. Avoid the Linie Aquavit Glacier shot – not just because it’s a shot, but because it’s awful! It’s a potato alcohol and reminds me of dill pickles – not in a good way.

* Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is a snack highlight. The school bread is the obvious choice and a favorite among guests. It’s also cheap.

* Ask at the bakery for another free glass of water. See if you can get it to go so you can sip it while you’re looking around Norway.

* The obvious attraction here is Frozen Ever After. You will need to get a fastpass or you will lose your touring momentum. Aim for a 11:30-12:30 window. This will give you time before or after to get your drink and dish.

CHINA

* The Joy of Tea stand in China has some of the most refreshing cocktails in the World Showcase. They are tea-based and a little light on the alcohol side. The Canto Loopy is light and really tastes like cantaloupe.

* After eating nachos and school bread, along with a poor snack selection of snack food, I would skip food here.

* Purchase a bottle of water at Joy of Tea. Sipping it over the next couple of countries will really help you feel better as you continue on your quest to conquer the countries.

* After you grab a victory picture in front of China’s pagoda, head inside to sip your beverages while looking at the clay army. Enjoy the Reflections of China in the air conditioning. If you want a personal souvenir, Good Fortunes Gifts next to the Joy of Tea will add your name in Chinese, free of charge, to a fan or parasol.

OUTPOST

This isn’t a country – skip it! It doesn’t count as an official stop on a Drinking Around the World tour. Don’t be fooled by the “exclusive” Walt Disney World Safari Amber, it’s a boring Anheuser-Busch brew.

GERMANY

* Beer Here! So many great beers to choose from. Most will go for the Schofferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefewizen. This beer is refreshing on a hot day. I prefer a glass of Riesling from the Sommerfest kiosk.

* Karamell-Küche is a wonderful sweet shop. The salted caramel is delicious but hard to share. The caramel popcorn is nothing special. Go for a cupcake! Since the shop is usually busy, they are very fresh.

* Keep sipping on that bottle of water you bought in China

* Stop at Kunstarbeit in Krystal and see the beautiful Swarovski Crystal figurines, especially the beautiful Cinderella’s Castle! Grab a pickle – a glass one – for your Christmas Tree. It’s a great tradition to start with your family.

Checkpoint: remember you have 10 hours for the tour. If you are pacing yourself, checking out the attractions and shopping, you should be about 3.5 hours in, making the time about 2:30pm (unless you got derailed at Frozen).

 

ITALY

* Italy is known for great wine. You can opt for a red or white wine flight in La Bottaga Italiana. The pours are very small, so I prefer going to Gelati and getting the Sangria or a Bellini. The drinks here are some of my favorites, so grab a drink for each of you to split; we’ll make up for it at the next stop.

* While you’re at Gelati, grab some gelato. You get 2 scoops to share!

* Make sure you get some water. If the kiosk won’t give you a cup, the sparkling Italian water could hit the spot.

* Relax and catch a street show in the piazza and a picture in front of the wonderful statues.

AMERICA

* I recommend a break in America, especially if you got that extra one in Italy. However, Block & Hans has some American crafts beers that are worth a try. Try the Angry Orchard Hard Cider.

* It’s America – Funnel Cake! There is nothing more to say….

* You can refill your purchased water bottle at the water fountains outside the bathrooms in the back of the pavilion.

* Enjoy the air conditioning inside while you watch the amazing Voices of Liberty performers. I may or may not have grabbed a power nap in the American Adventure theater. Rejoice that you have made it almost half way and your still going strong!

JAPAN

* Time to be adventurous! Head to the back of the Mitsukoshi Department Store to the Sake bar. The hot sake goes down easily. While the Ichiban beer (especially the frozen) sounds tempting, it’s bland and not very appealing.

* After that funnel cake, you’re probably feeling a bit full. There isn’t much in Japan as far as “snacks” go. A guest favorite is Kaki-Gori, which is like a sno-cone.

* San! Ni! Ichi! Participate in the pick a pearl ceremony before heading to the Bitutsu-Kan Gallery, which is filled with wonderful Japanese art. Maybe you’ll be in time to catch the Matsuriza drums.

MOROCCO

* Stop into the Tangierine Café for a coffee infused with liquor. It’s a great afternoon pick-me-up.

* Share some hummus and enjoy the air conditioning with your coffee.

* Ask for a free cup of water with your coffee and hummus.

* After you enjoy the architecture and colorful tiles in the Marketplace labyrinth, head back toward the front of the pavilion to Souk-al-Magreb for henna.

Checkpoint: Coffee and a nap! You should be feeling good! You should be 3.5 to 4 hours past the last check point. It’s around 6:30pm, so let’s grab some dinner!!

FRANCE

* The best drink in the World Showcase is the Grand Marnier & Grey Goose Orange Slush! The Grey Goose Citron Lemonade Slush and Kir Royale are also divine, so grab a drink for each of you to share.

* Before you get your drink, get some dinner, and more importantly, dessert. Head to Boulangerie Pâtisserie les Halles. Try the Bisque de Homard (lobster bisque) and Brie Aux Pommes- brie with apples and cranberries on multi grain bread. There are so many selections for dessert; it’s hard to pick just one! From the excellent Fraises Tart (strawberry tart), to the macaron collection, to the chocolate mousse, there is something wonderful for everyone.

* You can get a free cup of water at the Pâtisserie. Ask for it at check out.

* Check the schedule to see when Serveur Amusant is performing. These French acrobats are so fun to watch as they defy gravity. You can also find Belle by the lake.

ENGLAND

* There are several good beers on tap at Rose and Crown. Try one of the pub blends like the Bumblebee (Boddingtons and Guinness), Blank & Tan (Bass and Guinness) or the Golden Fox (Boddington and Bass).

* Grab some Victoria Sponge Cake from Yorkshire Country Fish Shop. The light sponge is filled with jam and butter cream and is delicious. If you’re still feeling pretty full from your desserts in France, head into the Teas Caddy and get some Shortbread Cookies.

* You can get a free cup of water with your Victoria Sponge Cake.

* Take your beer and treat to the back of the pavilion. Across from Toy Soldier is a band stand. Sit and enjoy the band as they play covers of some of the best British bands, like the Beatles and the Who. Stop in the Crown and Crest to see your coat of arms and pick up a Doctor Who or Sherlock tee.

CANADA

* To get the really good beers in Canada, you used to need a reservation at Le Cellier. Now there is a kiosk where you can grab some of the better beers on the World Tour. La Fin Du Monde is a robust Abbey Trioel that is considered to be one of the best beers in the world, not just World Showcase.

* There isn’t much in the way of Canadian snacks, but you can get some yummy popcorn and receive a special souvenir bucket.

* Ask for a cup of water with your popcorn.

* By now it’s the end of the evening. Find a bench or spot by the lake and enjoy Illuminations. It’s one of the great Disney nighttime shows. With the fireworks, lasers, and soaring music, it’s a great way to end your day.

Touring the countries this way can help you cover World Showcase and see all it has to offer. For regular Disney travelers, this could be a fun way to experience the park in a new way. For new Disney vacationers, this gives you an opportunity to experience every country, not just a few.

Stay tuned to the Upon A Star Travel & Concierge Blog and follow me on social media as my husband, Chris and I, tour the World Showcase and test this out in September. I’d love to hear your results and feedback when you give this a try. Cheers!!

You can find out more about agent Carrie at http://uponastartravel.com/agents/#/carrie/
Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @uponastarcarrie
Carrie@uponastartravel.com

Prepare for Your Next Disney Trip at The Dollar Tree!

I originally wrote this piece in October of 2015. I thought with all of my clients headed out for upcoming trips it might be nice to re-run it! I am currently planning a big extended family trip with over 15 of us - yes, I said 15! Check back with me afterwards to see if I survived! Stay tuned for my packing for kids blog post coming soon!

With a family of 6, I try to be wise when I shop. One of the wisest shopping decisions I ever made was going to The Dollar Tree for Disney supplies! Seriously, they have almost everything you need to make your trip a success and more affordable.  Here’s what I suggest buying and why:

Pop up hampers: Even at the Happiest Place on Earth, you may have to do laundry :( Toss your dirty clothes in the hamper and carry them easily to the laundry facilities. It packs easily in your suitcase, and you can throw it away when you leave (it was only $1)! Speaking of laundry, pack a few detergent pods to save on buying them at the resort.

Ponchos: Ok, I hate to say it, but it does rain in Florida. Toss a couple of these ponchos in your park bag so if it does sprinkle you can stay dry. I also like them for The Kali River Rapids at The Animal Kingdom. Again, they're easy to pack and much more affordable than the ones they sell at the parks. And if they rip who cares they were $1.00!

Hand Soap, Hand Sanitizer and Band Aids: All of the resorts have bar soaps for you to use, but I like to have a little hand soap as well. I find it to be a little less messy with kids, too. The little pocket hand sanitizers are great for the kids. When I shopped, they had Star Wars and Marvel, but I have seen Princesses and Mickey & Minnie ones too. I will say, the parks have amazing First Aid centers. We’ve had to frequent them several times in the past but it’s wise to pack a mini first aid kit with some Band-Aids, Neosporin, etc! If your kids are like mine, boo-boos appear out of nowhere, and sometimes all you need is a Disney Band-Aid!

 

Tissues and Hand Wipes: I like to toss a couple pocket tissues and hand wipes into my park bag. They are good to have on hand for messy faces and the occasional allergy and sniffle!

Magic Wash Cloths: I like to use these as little surprises before we go on our trips! I buy a couple for each kid and surprise them at bath time! Getting a bath seems more magical with a Disney washcloth!

Crayons, Puzzles & Activity Kits: I like to take some crayons and activity books and puzzles on the plane trip with us to keep the kids busy. These are perfect. I never worry about them getting lost or ruined on the trip since they only cost me $1.

Night Lights: This one can make or break your night at the resort! I learned that the hard way the 1st time we took our kids and didn’t pack one! They have a huge variety to please your princes, pirates and princesses.

 

Character Cups: We usually eat breakfast in our room, and I like to surprise them with a new character cup that they can use.

Glow Sticks: We love taking glow sticks to the park at night! They are great to break out before the fireworks. They cost much less than the glow items in the parks, plus for $1 you can afford to buy extras to sprinkle some pixie dust to your fellow Disney lovers around you. If your little ones are like mine they love to be all decked in glow items after my 4 are all decked out it looks like a Disney Rave party!

 Disney Bracelets: I love these bracelets! You could surprise the kiddos with these on the plane or one morning before you head out to the parks!

Large Pens: My administrative assistant is showcasing the large pens for autographs! Costume characters can have a hard time taking the lid off of a marker or pen, and they sometimes can’t hold them. I also recommend large retractable Sharpie markers!

Magnetic Frames: Ok, you might not want to pack these for the trip. But how cute are these for your pics from the trip!

These are just some of the great deals that The Dollar Tree has to make your trip a little easier and more affordable. I say save on what you have to take so you can spend more on what you can bring back!

If you would like assistance planning your next trip contact me, i'd love to help!

lori@uponastartravel.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/uponastarlori

Twitter: @uponastarlori

 724-630-8958

 

 

 

New Summer Dining at the Diamond Horseshoe

If you've ever walked through Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom, chances are you've noticed the building housing the Diamond Horseshoe.  Additionally, chances are that the doors were closed, and you bypassed it without much thought. 

The Diamond Horseshoe is the East Coast version of Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Review.  As the Golden Horseshoe was one of Walt Disney's favorite places to be in the park, it stands to reason that it was also included in plans for the Florida park.  The Golden Horseshoe is still going strong - and it provides daily entertainment in the form of Old-West Saloon style singing and comedy alongside down-home quick service cooking.  

While the Golden Horseshoe still provides daily shows and meals, the Diamond Horseshoe's run hasn't always been so smooth. For a time just after the park opened, it was a packed-house for the Saloon-style entertainment and refreshments.  People arrived early to get tickets on Main Street to ensure a view of the entertainment. Standby was very difficult to get in terms of viewing this show (something we experience now with Anna & Elsa, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Be Our Guest). It changed names a few times over the years - Diamond Horseshoe Jamboree, Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Revue - but in the long run, for various named reasons, the company decided to close the doors on this unique experience.  

The Diamond Horseshoe has operated only seasonally since 2003 as a Quick Service location, and it has occasionally housed meet-and-greets for Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye.  Even when it was open seasonally, it really was only during peak lunch hours.  One trip, we happened upon the doors being open, and we were excited for the opportunity to sit and dine in this really neat space! 

The food was tasty, and you could see by walking around that it would have been a fun and intimate atmosphere for a stage show.  Of course, one could never count on being able to dine there.  Until 2016... 

This year, we were excited to learn that the Diamond Horseshoe would host a 1 Table Service credit meal throughout some of the summer months! Knowing the history of this place, and of course being curious, we quickly snagged a reservation for our May trip.   We weren't disappointed. 

The service was good, and the food reminded us a lot of the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge (one of our favorites).  Food comes served family-style with favorites like baked beans, corn bread, ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, turkey, mac and cheese, and corn on the cob.  Dessert was a campfire s'mores brownie - YUM!

All-you-care-to-enjoy, including dessert! I really enjoyed my dining experience as well as the food.  The place was by no means crowded, so it was a nice escape from the heat and crowds.  Currently, this is only a temporary dining experience scheduled to end this summer.  I truly hope they decide to keep this option around, though! 

Tiffins and the Jungle Book Alive with Magic

On my recent trip to Walt Disney World, I was so excited to experience new dining experiences and shows alongside my old favorites. Today, I'd like to highlight my meal at Tiffins in Animal Kingdom.  

Let's start with the name; a "tiffin" is a light meal or packed lunch in South India.  Often, a "tiffin" is in a tin bucket.  And if you order the bread service, it comes in a replica tiffin!

Bread Service

Now look at me - I'm already into the food! Allow me to back up and show you the beauty of this new dining establishment.  You will find it tucked behind Pizzafari on Discovery Island, right near the construction for Avatarland. 

The building itself is beautiful.  As you can see, there is an outdoor area, the Nomad Lounge, which is a great place to sit and wait while your table is prepared. There is both an indoor and an outdoor area.

The decor inside is beautiful as well.

Tiffins offers a dining package that includes reserved seating at the evening show, which is currently "Jungle Book: Alive with Magic".  When Rivers of Light premieres, the package will likely continue to be offered for this experience.  When you dine here as part of the show experience, the meal comes with appetizer, entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage. 

The menu had a lot of interesting dishes, and among the four of us dining, we had quite a sampling of food!  There is a picture of the full menu above, but here is a close up of the dessert menu. :) 

And now what I know you really want to see... the food!

Everyone agreed that their meals were incredible.  None of us had complaints with the food, the service, or any aspect of our experience.  We would all go back in a heartbeat! I also have to give a shout out to the vanilla bean simple syrup - they gave that to us to sweeten our iced tea, and oh. my. goodness.  It was incredible!  Tiffins is a signature dining experience, so it requires 2 meal credits on the Disney Dining Plan.  At this time, no discounts (Annual Passholder, DVC, etc) are accepted.

Of course, we also got to see the Jungle Book: Alive with Magic Show.  While I was disappointed that Rivers of Light hadn't premiered, I must give kudos to the performers of the Jungle Book.  I love the timeless music, and the dancers and musicians did a great job. I did a periscope of the performance, which you can watch by clicking this link.

I look forward to dining at Tiffins again, and I am excited to see the new Rivers of Light show as well.  I'll be posting again about it once I've experienced it! In the meantime, stay tuned for my review of the Diamond Horseshoe next week!

Flower and Garden Festival 2016

As this year's Flower and Garden Festival draws to a close, I am thinking about how amazing it is as a whole. I simply love Epcot in the spring.  The topiaries, displays, and food kiosks are incredible, and I love just wandering around seeing all the special touches that Disney adds to one of my favorite parks.  I am excited that I will get to experience it later this week before it closes out for the year.  Rather than typing out lots of words, though, I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves. 

If you have never been, I highly suggest visiting Epcot during 2017's Flower and Garden Festival!