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John Frost

A Taste of the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival – Part II, The Drinks

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What would the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival be without the wine. Not as well attended, that’s for sure. As astute observers have noted, Disney has expanded the adult beverage portion of the festival significantly the last few years. It’s not just some great beer, although there is that, but a number of mixed drinks have been added to the menus as well.

At the recent Media Day, we had the good fortune to meet and hear from Chef Marianne Hunnel the Content Development Manager Epcot Food and Wine Festival. She gave us a run down on what’s new in the adult beverage category this year.

While at the media day, I had the very good fortune to try many of the new options. Up first, and sadly not pictured, was the Caposaldo Sweet Peach Sparkling Moscato. This is the perfect drink for a brunch or lite lunch. The peach flavor was not overpowering, the bubbles were strong, and the aroma was perfect. This Moscato is one of my new favorite drinks.

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After warming up with the sweetness of the Moscato, we moved onto a savory option. A Tsatziki Martini was available for sampling. Made with organic cucumber infused vodka, yougurt liqour, lemon juice, simple syrup, and dill, it was not at all like any martini I’d ever had before. I’m not a big fan of savory drinks in the first place, and I think this one could have used more punch and less dill. Plus the dill bits floating around led to an awkward encounter at some point in the middle of the drink. If savory drinks are your thing, give this one a try. Otherwise, you can safely pass on this Martini (try the Sake Martini at the California Grill if you’re dying for a great martini that’s tropical paradise in a glass… end plug).

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Epic Princess Rap Battle: Snow White vs Queen Elsa Throw Down

It’s time for an epic episode of Friday fun. Comedy star Whitney Avalon is out with another YouTube video skit and this one is an instant classic – A Princess Rap Battle between Snow White and Queen Elsa. Disney’s original princess throws down with Disney’s… Read More »Epic Princess Rap Battle: Snow White vs Queen Elsa Throw Down

Disney Mixology School: Krakatoa Punch

Congratulations, you made it to Friday. If you’re like me, and over the age of 21, you can probably use some adult beverages to provide the perfect end to the week. Good news, Disney has decided to open up the secrets of their Mixologists and… Read More »Disney Mixology School: Krakatoa Punch

Disney’s Big Hero 6 – New Trailer

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Get your carbon fiber underwear on, the new trailer for Disney’s Big Hero 6 is here. Baymay, Hiro, and friends all suit up for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 54th animated feature.

What did you think? I like that we get a little more backstory, and a lot more of Baymax. Would still like to see more of the friends, but there’s time for more of that in future marketing right?

Big Hero 6 opens in theatres November 7th.

Full plot synopsis below the jump:

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A Taste of EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

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To kick off the 2014 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival local media were invited to taste a few of the new selections and have the chance to meet some of the chef’s and brands involved in the festival. Executive Chef Jens Dahlmann gave the following welcoming speech sharing a little history of the event and describing not only the food we were about to sample, but the new marketplaces as well.

I was able to taste a number of the new small bites available at this year’s event. It was hard to pick a favorite, they were all so good, but there were definitely a few surprises.

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Alexander and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day – Three New Clips

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We’re now just a few days away from the opening of Disney’s next movie “Alexander and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” Disney has shared the following new clips from the movie.

Hashtag blessed? I think that’s called foreshadowing.

The day continues in another clip from the movie

and then.. things take a turn for the worse

“Anyone who says there is no such thing as a bad day, hasn’t had one.” Is that true for your family?

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College Course on Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Ladies and gentlemen of the books, check your course listings, for instead of Chemistry you could be earning credit for studying the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Right now you have to be a student at the University of Baltimore, but if you are look for “Media Genres: Media Marvels” at registration, you and your fellow classmates will soon be exploring Marvel’s modern movie legacy together. The course is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

According to the press release for the course, “you will scrutinize the intricately plotted world of Marvel films—the Iron Man, Thor and Captain America series, characters from the Avengers, and now the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, which is widely expected to be the highest grossing film of 2014 [and] examine how Marvel’s series of interconnected films and television shows, plus related media and comic book sources and Joseph Campbell’s monomyth of the “hero’s journey,” offer important insights into modern culture.”

“One thing we’ll do is dive into the impact of the Guardians of the Galaxy film, which proved two things: Mainstream movie audiences are not remotely tired of superhero movies; and Marvel Studios can now release a sci-fi adventure that actually features talking trees and raccoons,” said course instructor Arnold T. Blumberg, D.C.D. ’04, an adjunct faculty member in UB’s Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s not that they’re getting away with it—they’ve created a universe in which fans completely accept these developments, and they’re ready for even more.”
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Shanghai Disneyland Update

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Shanghai Disneyland construction is well underway and working fast to open to the public. In August it appointed Philippe Gas, previously of Disneyland Paris, as General Manager and has been building up a corp group of cast members by sending them to Walt Disney World for training in the parks.

The park itself is already attracted awards. The innovative technology behind the Enchanted Storybook Castle has won the International Architecture award from the American Institute of Architects. Walt Disney Imagineering was recognized for its successful implementation of Building Information Modeling, the process of generating and managing digital representations of structures and facilities.

“As construction of the Shanghai Disney Resort continues on its theme park and associated facility development, we’re constantly defining and redefining themed entertainment with innovation, and we do that not just in the technology behind our attractions, but also in the way we design and develop them,” said Howard Brown, Senior Vice President and Project Development Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering Shanghai. “The Enchanted Storybook Castle is designed with retail, dining, operations and theatrical spaces, and a ride system running through it which marries traditional architectural detailing with modern building technology. It would be hard to imagine designing and building such a complex structure without having one integrated, central, smart model like Building Information Modeling.”

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