The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is reaching its final days this year. The entire Epcot crew put on an amazing event and they can go home knowing they made plenty of foodie fanatics extremely happy! We’re sure the guests that visited the event at Epcot, one of the most popular Disney theme parks, went home with full tummies and plenty of pictures to commemorate the culinary event and are already busy planning for next year’s trip. But for those of you that like to call gardening your passion, you can rest assured the Walt Disney World Resort has not left you behind.

Disney just released the details for the 17th annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, and it looks like it’s going to be yet another fantastic event full of Disney magic. The event will go on for 75 days, from March 3rd to May 16th, giving you plenty of time to pick up your discount Disney tickets and come to Orlando for a beautiful park experience like you’ve never seen before. Luckily for everyone, the festival is starting earlier!

“The advantage of starting earlier is that we’ll be able to feature more brilliant color than ever, with richly hued petunias, violas, snapdragons and other hardy flowers,” says festival horticulture manager Eric Darden. “By starting earlier and going through mid-May, it allows more guests than ever to experience the festival and to plan ahead for their spring and summer gardening.”

Prepare to have plenty of events to go to and keep your camera handy. There will be beautiful topiaries of all of your favorite Disney characters. The New Victory Garden at the American Adventure will focus on veggies and topiaries of Disney’s “Fab Five” Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy. If you like butterflies you will enjoy Bambi’s Butterfly House over at Future World West. It will feature 3,500 square feet of beautiful flowers and up to 700 butterflies flitting about. Fairy fans will love the Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden featuring Tinker Bell and the rest of her Pixie Hollow friends. This is going to be a great event, so don’t forget to check back with us for all of the news about the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.

Okay foodies, you have been waiting for it and now it is finally here. Epcot is presenting its 14th annual Food + Wine festival September 25th through November 8th. For six food-filled weeks guests of the Epcot theme park in Walt Disney World Resort will be able to enjoy tapas-sized portions of foods from around the world. 25 international marketplaces will be set up representing countries from across the globe. Thailand and Brazil are new to the festival this year. They will be joining countries like Japan, India, Italy, Germany, Canada, the US and the UK in presenting incredible foods for guests to enjoy.

You can access most of the activities with your admission to Epcot, so make sure you check out the deals OrlandoFunTickets.com has to save some cash for the delicious food you’re going to want to test out! The Food and Wine Festival also has a number of special events for the crowd to enjoy. Some of these may require a reservation or carry an extra charge, so make sure you check out the Food and Wine guide you can pick up throughout the park for special events, prices and locations.

Over at the American Adventure Pavilion, you can participate in the Walk-Abouts Beer Hop. The name of the event explains it all. You’ll get to sample some of the best beers the US has to offer. If you love cheese, you’ll love The Mouse Catch over at the Showcase Plaza. This section of the festival will feature various cheese samples including Dutch Dorotha, Italian Plave and Spanish Mahon. You will also have the choice of drinking various beers and wines.

Don’t forget this is a celebration. What better way to celebrate awesome food than by pairing it with awesome music? As a special treat at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, Epcot will be featuring the Eat to the Beat concert series. Free concerts will be going on throughout the food festival from some of the biggest names in music from the past and the present. You can expect to see acts like Better than Ezra, Vanessa Carlton, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, En Vogue, Kool & The Gang, Jon Secada, Boyz II Men and Los Lobos. This is a great event that’s not to be missed, so get your Epcot tickets today!

Kris Allen - you have become the newest American Idol! What are you going to do next?

"I'm going to Disney World! WOO!" Kris Allen shoted from the American Idol stage in the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.

Moments after being proclaimed 2009's American Idol on the night of May 20, Kris Allen participated in a Disney tradition that dates back to Super Bowl XXI in 1987. Over fifty football heroes, Olympic medalists, and World Series champions have uttered the famous phrase, "I'm Going to Disney World!" after some kind of victory, with their taped declaration airing on TV as a commercial soon afterwards. And now, it seems as though American Idols will be the latest to join the campaign. Allen is the second singer in history to film the iconic commercial, following season 7 American Idol winner David Cook last year.

In accordance with tradition, the new Disney World commercial aired hours after the show's finale. It featured photos of Allen when he was young along with clips from his first American Idol audition, all set to the sound of Allen's sweet voice signing, "When You Wish Upon a Star." It concluded, of course with Allen enthusiastically announcing his future trip to Disney World.

The best part of this famous advertising campaign, however, is that Allen really will go to Disney World! The dates of his trip haven't been released yet, but he'll undoubtedly meet with park guests and star in a parade, like many athletes and celebrities before him.

When Allen does come to Walt Disney World, it's a sure bet that he'll participate in a filming session to update American Idol Experience, which currently features clips of past American Idols and contestants like Jordin Sparks, David Archuleta, and David Cook, singing and giving contestants a little stage advice.

One of the newest attractions at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the American Idol Experience captures the energy amd excitement of American Idol, and just like the show, it offers real people a chance to become stars every day. Regular park guests audition to take the spotlight on stage, and the chosen performers with the most talent compete in shows throughout the day while fellow guests in the audience cheer them on and vote for their favorites.

Hours before the American Idol finale wrapped up and the newest American Idol proclaimed his love for Disney, several past American Idols and former contestants walked the red carpet and gave kudos to the American Idol Experience.

"The American Idol Experience really will blow your mind. If you've never been to the show, you pretty much have been to the show after you've been there," said Jason Castro, season 7 finalist.

"Disney does it right, that's all I can say," added Melinda Doolittle, season 6 finalist. "Going to the American Idol Experience, I was blown away."

If you're an American Idol fan, you'll definitely want to check out this fun and musical attraction at Disney. And stay tuned to find out when Kris Allen will be heading to Disney World - it might be sooner than you think! Check out Walt Disney World tickets on OrlandoFunTickets.com to get ready for his arrival.

This Friday will coincide with a date that is nationally known as unlucky and horrifying - Friday the 13th. But instead of cowering under your bed or surrounding yourself with lucky rabbits’ feet, we have a better suggestion for spending this unholy holiday – pay a visit to Magic Kingdom, where you can have a hauntingly good time worthy of Friday the 13th at the Haunted Mansion.

This Walt Disney World attraction, located in Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square, has provided spooky gags and silly thrills for the past 38 years. The 19th century mansion, which was an original concept of Walt Disney’s first created in Disneyland, was recreated for Walt Disney World and two other Magic Kingdom parks in Tokyo and Paris – though in Paris, it’s known as Phantom Manor.

In Orlando’s Magic Kingdom, the Haunted Mansion is a replica of the original except for its exterior, which matches the Colonial architecture of the surrounding area. About the mansion’s pristine outer design, Walt Disney once said, “We’ll take care of the outside and let the ghosts take care of the inside.”

And what can you expect to find on the inside? None other than 999 grim-grinning ghosts – but the secret is that these spooky encounters are more funny than fearsome. The not-so-scary ride, which is narrated by a Ghost Host, takes guests on a “Doom Buggy” through some of the mansion’s dusty rooms, where ethereal awakenings await and ghost stories unfold. Eventually the guests are introduced to the mansion’s resident medium, Madame Leota, who eerily commands the mansion’s ghosts and ghouls to appear. The result is more than visitors bargain for, and riders just might find themselves in the company of some hitchhiking ghosts as they leave the mansion.

Here are a few fun facts about the Haunted Mansion we bet you never knew: first, there really are 999 ghosts! 95 are human figures and 45 are animal figures inside the mansion, and 13 are gargoyles on the exterior. The rest of the specters are hidden throughout the wallpaper and other adornments. Secondly, the Haunted Mansion is one of the attractions that coined the term “Imagineers,” and some of the Imagineers responsible for creating the mansion are enshrined on tombstones in the graveyard. Finally, one of the most classic details Haunted Mansion is famous for – that creepy ‘Stretching Room’ – is achieved by a pretty nifty illusion. Though passengers may think the room is moving or stretching, the ceiling is actually ascending, creating the appearance that the walls are stretching.

If you’ve never experienced the Haunted Mansion before, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate one of the spookiest days of the year. Check out this classic Magic Kingdom attraction by scoring your Walt Disney World tickets at OrlandoFunTickets.com.

With four theme parks and over 35 years of history behind it, there is so much to learn about Walt Disney World. And even if you’ve been to the parks a thousand times, chances are there’s still plenty of interesting Disney World facts you may have never heard before. So in honor of one of our favorite Orlando theme parks (or rather, several), here’s a sprinkling of Disney knowledge to brighten your day.


Spaceship Technologies

It’s no secret that Spaceship Earth at Epcot possesses one of the coolest architectural designs in the country. Designed with the help of science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, the park icon is a geodesic globe made out of more than 10,000 isosceles triangles, and it opened along with Epcot in 1982. However, did you know that when it rains, not a drop of water running through Spaceship Earth’s grooves actually falls to the ground? The cladding was designed so that when it rains, all the water is absorbed through one-inch gaps in the facets and collected in a gutter system – which eventually is channeled right into the World Showcase Lagoon. Neat, huh?

Disney’s No Dummy

When Disney was first acquiring the property for Walt Disney World as we know it today, the company used various dummy corporations to avoid a burst of land speculation. The first five-acre lot was bought in 1964 by the “Ayefour Corporation,” a subtle pun on Interstate 4. Other interestingly named and secretly Disney-owned lot purchasers included “M.T. Lott Real Estate Investments” – get it? Empty lot!

Royally Cool Construction

Cinderella’s Castle, the iconic figure of Magic Kingdom, was inspired by several French castles. Completed in 1971 after 18 months of construction, the castle reaches a height of 189 feet. However, an optical trick called forced perspective makes it look much larger than it really is. As you proceed to look up at the castle, the proportions get smaller the higher up it gets, making the castle look taller. Also, despite appearances, no bricks were used in the castle’s construction. Two of the spires, however, were built using actual gold and gold leaf.

Hidden Mickeys

Sure, you can find Mickey Mouse in any number of Disney parades every afternoon, such as the Mickey’s Jammin Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom. But did you know that Mickey’s famous round head and two round ears can be spotted all over the Disney parks in random, secret places? Called Hidden Mickeys, these little stamps can be seen in restaurants, on the sidewalk, on the art of attractions, and even on parade vehicles. Keep your eyes peeled for a broccoli Mickey in the Body Wars mural in Epcot, for a row of hidden Mickey railings underneath a window at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Tower of Terror, and for a Mickey at the center of the manhole covers at all of the parks.

If you want to learn more about your favorite Disney theme park, one of the best and most fun ways to do that is to visit! Score your Walt Disney World tickets at OrlandoFunTickets.com, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a Disney expert.

On February 14, some lucky couples will be leaving single life behind and starting a new life together on the most romantic day of the year. The flowers will be fresh and colorful, the bride will be stunning, the groom will look sharp, and in the background, notable Epcot figures like Spaceship Earth and the Japan pavilion will dot the skyline.

As Valentine’s Day unites lovers across the country tomorrow, several couples will be uniting in a much more official way at Walt Disney World. Not just for theme park fun, Walt Disney World Resort is the site of more than 1,600 weddings each year. Since September 1991, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings has hosted some 30,000 weddings. And just as Disney is known for making dreams come true, the park has made wedding dreams come true by creating the perfect day for many a bride.

Originally, weddings at Disney were limited to venues within Disney but outside the parks, such as at a gazebo or garden, at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, or within any of the Disney resorts like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or Disney’s Contemporary Resort. However, the sky is now the limit with the ever-popular Theme Park Weddings. Taking place at an intimate setting only open to wedding guests within parks like Epcot and Animal Kingdom, weddings can be staged in a memorable, magical, and uniquely Disney way.

For example, you can be the princess in your own fairy tale with a ceremony at Magic Kingdom. Dressed in a specially designed Cinderella gown, the bride can arrive in horse-drawn carriage heralded by a royal trumpeter and an elegant string quartet. Couples exchange their vows at the Rose Garden with Cinderella Castle providing a romantic backdrop. And as a cue to the classic film, a major domo can present the wedding rings in a glass slipper, truly representative of a dream come true.

If your style is more Hollywood than fairy tale, you can have your wedding at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where the bride arrives in a star motorcade down Hollywood Boulevard for an official handprint ceremony at the Chinese Theater. A reception follows in the Great Movie Ride attraction, and to cap the evening, guests can enjoy a fireworks and personalized pyro show.

Or, have a wedding in a foreign place without the hassle of traveling at Epcot. Weddings can be held at any one of the seven pavilions, ranging from an authentic pagoda in Japan to a rustic courtyard in Italy. You can also take the plunge At the Seas with Nemo & Friends in front of a 5.7 million-gallon tank featuring more than 200 varieties of sea life.

Finally, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you can embark on a marriage adventure with a safari-themed ceremony and reception. African music, food, and décor can lend just the kind of exotic and romantic touch you’re looking for in a wedding.

Best yet, Disney provides everything you need so you don’t have to run around finding different specialists. Reception halls, music, food, favors, flowers, photography, videography, accommodations, and travel are just a few of the services provided by Disney Weddings. And their wedding consultants see to every detail so that you can sit back and relish in your engagement, stress free.

So if Valentine’s Day happens to bring a special question or you’re already looking for the perfect spot to host the perfect wedding, check out Walt Disney World. Get your Disney World tickets at OrlandoFunTickets.com and you can start scoping out locations for your dream wedding at Disney.

Joining the Richard Petty Driving Experience on the one mile paved Walt Disney World Speedway track is the Indy Racing Experience, having opened on November 17th. Now race fans and thrill seekers will have the chance to drive and ride in actual Indianapolis 500 race cars for an experience like no other.

After suiting up in authentic driver fire suits and being strapped in by the Indy Racing Experience pit crew, guests will have the opportunity to drive a two-seat Indy Racing car especially customized for the experience. Stretched out in the two-seat car, guests can also experience the g-forces of racecar driving as the car is driven by a professional racer.

The four Dallara cars at the Indy Racing Experience have been fitted with 1.8 liter six-cylinder Honda engines, which are less powerful than the racing league cars, but otherwise, exactly the same. Drivers can even hit speeds close to 100 mph, since the open-cockpit cars weight half as much as a 2009 Toyota Corolla. And with the unique design of the Walt Disney World Speedway track, a tri-oval with three uniquely banked corners and elevation changes, both drivers and riders are sure to find the Indy Racing Experience a thrill.

Though this tourist attraction is pricey, fans say it’s worth every penny. For $109 plus tax, passengers can go along for a ride, and for $399, customers can get behind the wheel and feel the excitement of driving an IndyCar Series car. The ride-along experience lasts three laps, while the driving experience consists of 1 warm-up lap, 6 laps at speed, and 1 cool-down lap.

Normally, the Experience travels with the Indy Racing Leagues. And though the company will continue to do that, there’s a good chance Orlando will become its permanent home.

“Since we first began the Indy Racing Experience [in 2001], fans have traveled the globe to feel firsthand what it is like to race around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - the Racing Capital of the World. Millions of people also descend on the Orlando area annually for its renowned attractions, including Walt Disney World, so we feel our Indy Racing Experience is both a unique and fitting addition to this exciting landscape,” said Scott Jasek, co-owner of the Indy Racing Experience.

The Indy Racing Experience will be sharing the track with the Richard Petty Driving Experience, which offers rides in stock cars (discount Richard Petty Driving Experience tickets are still available at OrlandoFunTickets.com). Both attractions are open to guests on a first-come, first-serve basis, and drivers are required to be at least 18 years old. Don’t miss a chance to enjoy the rush and adrenaline of the Indy Racing Experience near Magic Kingdom!

Many may not know it, but today is the 8th birthday of Disneys Mickey Mouse. So in honor of our favorite black and white mouse in red shorts (which he’s been wearing for a really long time), we’ve compiled a short Mickey biography, so that everyone can remember how it all started with a mouse.

Mickey has come a long way since he was born in Walt Disney’s imagination. First appearing in Steamboat Willie, a short black-and-white animated musical on November 18th, 1928, Mickey’s debut was the first cartoon to feature synchronized music and sound effects. The lovable mouse was an instant hit, and Steamboat Willie was soon followed by two other cartoons. By the end of the year, Mickey was a national fad, and it wasn’t long before Walt Disney started up a line of Mickey merchandise and a fan club for children, the Mickey Mouse Club.

By 1937, Disney Studios was in full swing, producing about 12 shorts a year in which Mickey got into all kinds of mischief and fun. Walt Disney did Mickey’s voice himself and oversaw the production of 87 shorts starring the mouse by the end of the decade. As Mickey continued his rise to fame, the Mickey Mouse Club eventually got its own TV show, and soon enough, Disneyland was born. Mickey moved to the theme park as its main host, greeting visitors and shaking hands, and the success of the park led to the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. Mickey also appeared in a kimono and beret, respectively, for the openings of Tokyo Disneyland in 1983 and Disneyland Resort Paris in 1992. And as they say, the rest is history.

Now, Mickey continues to be Disney’s most popular symbol and beloved symbol. Appearing everywhere from celebrity T-shirts to Playstation video games, Mickey Mouse doesn’t ever seem to go out of style. And although Walt Disney World isn’t holding any extravagant birthday parties for Mickey this year, there’s no better way to celebrate his birthday than by enjoying all the Mickey fun at Walt Disney World theme parks.

For one amusing activity, try to hunt down all the Hidden Mickeys. What’s a “Hidden Mickey,” you ask? It started out as an inside joke among the Walt Disney Imagineers – they concealed images of Mickey (typically the silhouette of his head and ears) in the design of Disney attractions such as rides and resorts. There’s one hidden in the alien symbols on The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter at Magic Kingdom, and there are Mickeys hidden on the manhole covers at Epcot. Though Disney has no official list of confirmed Hidden Mickeys, it’s exciting to visit the park and see how many you can spot. A literal and figurative symbol of his mark on Walt Disney World, Mickey is hidden everywhere!

As a nod to Disney’s house mouse, you can also visit Mickey’s Toontown Fair in Magic Kingdom. Originally opened on Mickey’s 60th birthday as a temporary attraction called Mickey’s Birthdayland, the area was so popular with park guests that it was made a permanent attraction. Over the years, it has evolved into the Toontown Fair we know and love today, and it’s a place where you’re guaranteed to see Mickey and all his friends. Be sure to get your discount Magic Kingdom tickets here at OrlandoFunTickets.com, so you can rush out to the parks and start having fun with Mickey.

And to the most influential mouse in the world, the one and only Mickey Mouse, we wish you Happy Birthday! May you continue to warm our hearts for 80 more years.

In the continuation of our How to Celebrate at Walt Disney World series, we are dishing out all the newest products, services, and programs at Walt Disney World for celebrating a special event in Disney style.

There is no denying that Walt Disney World has a special magic about it, so imagine how incredible it would be to celebrate an engagement, anniversary, or wedding at the park. Luckily, Disney’s newest features make it a snap to commemorate love and create a moment that’s ultra-special and romantic.

With all that Disney has to offer, you can easily plan a whole day of romantic activities for you and your loved one, no matter what the occasion. Get reacquainted with each other as you enjoy a 25-minute long horse-drawn carriage ride with your significant other through the beautiful and tranquil scenery of the Walt Disney World Resorts. Then, share a moment of peace and relaxation together as you receive a romantic Couple’s Massage. You can even learn how to really relax your partner at home with a Couples Instructional Massage (both massage sessions are available at the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and the Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa).

Then after having some fun together in the Disney theme parks, you can cap your evening with an intimate Sweetheart Dinner for two, which will be available at select Walt Disney World Resort locations starting in Spring 2009. The Sweetheart Dinner includes a meticulously prepared, gourmet three-course Prix Fixe meal complete with an appetizer, a signature entrée, and a decadent celebratory dessert to share with your significant other. You’ll also be provided with a signature toasting glass so that you’ll always have something to remember that magical evening.

Or, for something with a little more flair, you can experience the Sea Ray Grand 1 Yacht Specialty Cruise at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. You’ll ride the 45-foot Sea Ray yacht for a luxurious voyage that includes private dining, and captain and butler service. And with a crystal-clear view of the fireworks as they light up the sky over the Disney waterways, you and your loved one will never forget this incredibly romantic cruise. You can also opt for the Wishes Specialty Cruise (a guided pontoon boat ride with views of the Electrical Water Pageant and Wishes Nighttime Spectacular), the IllumiNations Specialty Cruise (a guided pontoon boat ride with views of the IllumiNations: Reflection of Earth fireworks and laser spectacular), or the Breathless IllumiNations Specialty Cruise (a ride aboard a reproduction of a majestic mahogoany 1930s ChrisCraft Runabout boat with views of the IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth fireworks and laser spectacular). The Wishes and IllumiNations specialty cruises are available at select Disney resort hotels, while the Breathless cruise is available at Disney’s Beach Club resort and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.

And finally, to celebrate the ultimate romantic moment, there’s the Disney Fairy Tale Wedding, where you’ll walk down the aisle as the star of your own fairy tale wedding. Whether you want a large, elaborate wedding in Disney’s luxurious wedding pavilion or a small intimate wedding with close friends and family in front of Cinderella’s Castle, the Disney planners are determined to make your dream wedding a reality. Every detail is yours to decide, so that while the magic is happening at Disney, it’s happening according to your own style. There are several locations to choose from, from the exquisite ballroom of the Boardwalk Resort to a lush garden accented by an authentic Chinese pagoda at Epcot China. And with a Disney wedding, everything is taken care of – flowers, entertainment, food and beverages, décor, photography, videography, accommodations, special transportation, and even cosmetology and officiants. Disney also makes it easy to plan vow renewal ceremonies and even honeymoons. So no matter what style wedding you choose, you won’t have to worry about a thing, and you can be sure that your special day will be perfect at Disney.

With all the options available, there’s no doubt that Disney is the best place to celebrate special romantic moments. And you can start planning you’re a day or night that will wow your loved one by getting discount Walt Disney World tickets here are OrlandoFunTickets.com. Stay tuned for more tips on how to celebrate your special event at Disney!