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Mickey helps open Test Track

Test Track, with new digital design vision, Re-Opens for Multi-Sensory Fun!

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The re-imagined version of Test Track officially reopened tonight with a small ceremony and a giant party. Disney execs, VIPs, media, dignitaries, and even the lowly Disney blogger were all invited in to enter the world of automotive design as never before, creating their own virtual concept, then boarding a “SimCar” ride vehicle to race through a thrilling series of performance tests.

Mickey helps open Test Track

For the dedication ceremony, Mickey Mouse took the stage with Disney parks president Meg Crofton and Alan Batey, CMO at GM, to officially open Test Track. The band One Republic was also on hand to help the attraction get a rocking start.

The iconic Epcot attraction, a new collaboration between Chevrolet Design and the creative team of Walt Disney Imagineering, celebrates how meticulous design not only shapes the look of Chevrolet cars, trucks and crossovers, but drives their performance on the open road.

For inspiration for the project, Walt Disney Imagineers made numerous visits to Detroit, collaborating with Chevrolet designers and touring the inner sanctums of Chevrolet’s design studios.

“As storytellers, to be able to tell Chevrolet’s design story was fun for our Imagineers,” said Eric Jacobson, senior vice president of WDI. “Chevrolet designers come from the same creative roots as Imagineers. Test Track Presented by Chevrolet will become, for Epcot guests, an exciting part of their visit to Walt Disney World Resort.”

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New Test Track Queue

Inside the new Test Track at EPCOT, Non-Spoilery

Test Track, with its new sponsorship from Chevrolet, officially opens on Thursday. Cast member previews have been under way for a few days and photos have been slowly leaking out along with short reviews like “Amazing!” “Awesome” and “Lots of Fun.” I was able to… Read More »Inside the new Test Track at EPCOT, Non-Spoilery

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20th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Announces New Details for March 6-May 19 Event

epcot flower and monorail

It’s a big year for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. It runs March 6-May 19 and is celebrating it’s 20th year with a whole host of exciting new exhibits at the event. Add to that new food, new music, and new botanical delights and you have another can’t miss year.

First, let’s look at some of what’s new:

  • Epcot chefs will cook up first-time festival food and beverage fun, with special cooking stations offering exclusive-to-the-festival bites along the park’s World Showcase promenade. (This is so over due!)
  • A new circus-like “Land of Oz Play Area,” based on the Disney fantastical film adventure “Oz: The Great and Powerful” to be released in March 2013, will debut a kaleidoscope of interactive fun.
  • Disney topiary experts will grow, shape and manicure a Fab Five Disney character topiary with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck (with Daisy Duck in a cameo) featured in a celebratory floral cookout scene in living topiary color at the park’s front entrance.
  • New illuminated gardens in the park’s Future World and World Showcase will cast a colorful glow over each festival evening.

Throughout the 75-day garden party, guests will discover festival surprises around every corner including new topiary triumphs, colorful garden displays, a butterfly bounty, HGTV celebrity designers, interactive gardening seminars and whimsical children’s play areas. On weekends, top Flower Power rockers of the 1960s and ’70s will perform.

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Christmas Around The World at EPCOT

Part of the magic of EPCOT at Christmas time is the ability to visit each of the pavilions and learn a little bit about how that culture celebrates the winter holiday. Add to that the yuletide decorations and Voices of Liberty and you have a… Read More »Christmas Around The World at EPCOT

Two New Starbucks locations being added to Disney World

Announced today by the Disney Parks Blog, the next two Starbucks locations will open in the Summer of 2013. Magic Kingdom and Epcot will be receiving these two locations. The Main Street Bakery will hold the one for the Magic Kingdom (going down for refurbishment… Read More »Two New Starbucks locations being added to Disney World

New Facade for EPCOT’s Test Track

When Test Track officially re-open in December it will have a new story, a new sponsor (Chevrolet), and a new look to go with it. Disney has just released an artist rendering of how that new look will makeover the exterior of the building at… Read More »New Facade for EPCOT’s Test Track

2013 Walt Disney World Ambassador Announced in Ceremony

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Around the time that Walt Disney was first presenting the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, Mary Poppins was about to be released, and he was also trying secretly buying up land in a mosquito-ridden swamp land we now know and love, he realized he needed a little help in representing the Company at all the events where he was asked to appear. Thus the Disney Ambassador program was born and has been in place ever since, 47 years later.

Today at Epcot, a ceremony was held to choose and announce the two new Ambassadors from five finalists for the 2013-2014 season. On hand were Vice President of Epcot Erin Youngs, President of Walt Disney Parks and Operations, United States and France, Meg Crofton, current Ambassadors Norman Vossschulte and Jennifer Mason, and 65 former Walt Disney World Ambassadors to welcome the new team members.

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Ambassador Finalists 2013-2014.The five Walt Disney World Ambassador finalists with Meg Crofton

In a twist a little like a Miss America pageant, all five finalists were called to the stage and were able to say a few words about themselves and their journey, while their fellow Cast Member friends and family cheered on. World Showcase Cast Members stood behind them with giant posters featuring their faces and names as we waited with anticipation for the announcement. Mickey and Minnie joined in, carrying the Ambassador pins and scroll featuring the Ambassador pledge. The scroll was read aloud before the names were chosen, while the Voices of Liberty sang softly in the background. Meg Crofton had the honor of announcing that Tye Arnold and Richard Tamayo were to be the newest Walt Disney World Ambassadors as confetti and applause filled the American Gardens Theater.

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Highlights from EPCOT’s 30th Anniversary

The 30th Anniversary of Walt Disney World’s EPCOT Center took place on Monday October 1st. While the park didn’t get the multi-month celebration it deserved, the events on Monday were quite good in their own right. Here are a few video highlights of the small… Read More »Highlights from EPCOT’s 30th Anniversary