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Hundreds of guests at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon on June 14 joined nearly 30,000 participants on six continents to set a record for the world’s largest simultaneous swimming lesson.

Participants at more than 70 locations across Florida took part, including swimmers at the Blanchard Park YMCA in Orlando, Celebration Lakeside Park and the Lakeland Park District’s Simpson Pool.

Olympic gold medalists Rowdy Gaines and Summer Sanders joined Disney characters Lilo and Stitch just outside the Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool for the official start to the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson. Gaines served as master of ceremonies for the second consecutive year while Sanders spoke on behalf of one of event’s sponsors, Coppertone, about the importance of applying sunscreen before entering the water.

During the 30-minute lesson taking place simultaneously all over the world, guests received instruction on proper swimming strokes, kicks and floating techniques.

“We were honored Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park served as the official headquarters location for a second consecutive record-breaking World’s Largest Swimming Lesson,” said Jean Gallagher, general manager of water parks for Walt Disney World Resort. “The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is a reminder to guests of all ages that when they enjoy the sunshine and water activities this summer, we want them to be safety smart. Sun protection and swimming lessons ensure that no one gets hurt and extends the fun for everyone.”

Tragically, drowning is the second-leading cause of unintended, injury-related death in children over the age of one. In fact, more than one in four fatal drowning victims is under the age of 14.  Research shows if a child doesn’t learn to swim before the third grade, they likely never will.

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Southern California Residents can save 25% off prevailing rates as quoted on disneycruise.com on most Mexican Riviera sailings on the Disney Wonder from October 23rd, 2011 to December 18th, 2011. Valid for stateroom Categories 9A-9D.  Call 1-866-972-6244 to book your  Disney Cruise now.

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The Eat To The Beat! concert series held in conjunction with the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival kicks off this September. The concerts are held  in the American Gardens Theater in Epcot’s World Showcase. Here’s the concert lineup and dates for performances this year.

09/30 – 10/02 – Taylor Dayne

10/03 – 10/05 – 38 Special

10/06 – 10/07 – Jon Secada

10/08 – 10/09 – Roger Hodgson of Supertramp

10/10 – 10/12 – Billy Ocean

10/13 – 10/16 – Starship starring Mickey Thomas

10/17 – 10/19 – Sugar Ray

10/20 – 10/21 – The Orchestra (starring former members of ELO)

10/22 – 10/23 – Howard Jones

10/24 – 10/26 – Boyz II Men

10/27 – 10/28 – Gin Blossoms

10/29 – 10/30 – Sister Hazel

10/31 – 11/01 – Hanson

11/02 – 11/03 – The Pointer Sisters

11/04 – 11/06 – Night Ranger

11/07 – 11/08 – Air Supply

11/09 – 11/10 – Richard Marx

11/11 – 11/13 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

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Exotic cocktails will pair like a tropical daydream with fresh new tastes from more than one island paradise at the 16th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 30-Nov. 13, 2011, at Walt Disney World Resort. The one-of-a-kind 45-day festival serves up international cuisine, culture and entertainment from six continents, with more than 25 international marketplaces featuring tapas-sized portions paired with beer, wine and inventive new cocktails.

Marketplace tasting menus offer variety and adventure for guests on a mission to tantalize their taste buds during a scenic stroll around the 40-acre World Showcase Lagoon. The adventure can take them to the festival’s first Hawaii marketplace, which will cook up Kalua pork sliders and tuna poke with seaweed salad and lotus root chips to team with a refreshing Seven Tiki Mai Tai or a Kona Longboard or Pipeline beer. A new Caribbean Islands marketplace will serve ropa vieja with rice and jerk-spiced chicken with mango salsa. A beverage menu featuring a frozen Dragon Berry Colada and frozen Rock Coconut Mojito is sure to conjure steel-drum fantasies.

With a swing across the Atlantic, guests will be transported to the new Portugal marketplace, where the Portugal Wine Bar will offer best sips to pair with calamari salad with olives and smoked paprika. The Scandinavia marketplace will return after a hiatus with a fresh new Xante Sunshine cocktail made from Xante pear and cognac liquer. And the Canada marketplace will introduce a sweet treat: apple ice wine.

Disney and celebrity chefs will team with winemakers and brew masters from around the world to get the party started Sept. 30. During the six-week festival, guests will discover:

• Three new tasting marketplaces — Hawaii, Caribbean Islands and Portugal — plus new menu offerings at popular returning marketplaces
• Celebrity chef appearances starring top culinarians like Jeff Henderson, Cat Cora, Alan Wong, Gale Gand, Suvir Saran, Jamie Deen, Rock Harper, Celina Tio, Robert Irvine, Andrew Zimmern, Buddy Valastro, Warren Brown, Art Smith, Keegan Gerhard and more.
• First-ever HGTV home entertaining seminars each Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• The Cranberry Bog display by Craisins telling the story behind the venerable cranberry’s rich agricultural heritage.
• Daily wine seminars, bottle signings, author events and culinary demonstrations at the Festival Welcome Center.
• Eat to the Beat! concerts three times nightly at America Gardens Theatre.

New Sips, Fresh Bites

Festival guests can make a day of circumnavigating the World Showcase Promenade, grazing and sipping as they go. Tapas-sized portions of regional specialties run $3 to $8 each, and recommended wines, cocktails and beers make perfect pairings at each marketplace. For quicker marketplace visits, guests can purchase a festival-themed mini-Disney Gift Card that can be worn on a wristband and loaded and reloaded at several park locations.

Live daily entertainment showcases many cultures with music, acrobatics and improv performances along the promenade. Evening Eat to the Beat! concerts at America Gardens Theatre feature acts from many musical genres. Appearing for the first time on the Eat to the Beat! stage are The Pointer Sisters, The Orchestra starring former members of ELO and Gin Blossoms. Fan favorite Taylor Dayne kicks off the festival Sept. 30-Oct. 2, and crowd pleaser Big Bad Voodoo Daddy wraps the event Nov. 11-13.

The festival attracts a diverse audience — from wine connoisseurs and epicures to novices wishing to boost their culinary IQs. Special culinary programs showcase a lineup of renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers participating in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools.

Festival highlights include:

• The Festival Welcome Center, with a Wine Bar, Authentic Taste Seminars, Authors Without Borders weekend conversations and more.
• More than 270 chefs including Disney chefs and culinary stars from across the country conducting culinary demonstrations and hosting dinners and tasting events.
• A complimentary Marketplace Discovery Passport to be stamped at each international marketplace visited for the perfect scrapbook souvenir.
• Popular returning events that include First Bites Opening Reception on Sept. 29; Kitchen Memories (formerly Celebrating Family and Friends in the Kitchen); Mixology Seminar; and “3D” Disney Dessert Discovery.
• The weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting event beginning Oct. 8 and with a new Saturday evening time of 7:30-10 p.m. featuring tempting bites from eminent chefs, more than 50 wines and beers and live entertainment presented by Cirque du Soleil.

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MOVIE MAGIC & MOTORS — With the theme park’s iconic “Earffel Tower” standing tall in the background, a professional stunt driver takes flight on the set of “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. The new, 30-minute show features cars, motorcycles and high-powered watercraft piloted by highly trained stunt drivers. Later this summer the star of “Cars” and “Cars 2” will join the cast of high-octane characters.

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As summer heats up in Central Florida, water parks of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida offer guests the chance to relax and refresh. Whether it’s Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon or Disney’s Blizzard Beach, the cooling, splashy fun is nonstop. Guests can beat the heat in myriad ways, whether inner-tubing down a lazy waterway or blasting down a speed slide.

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Fireworks light up the sky above Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando during Independence Day celebrations.  The 4th of July fireworks are exceptional and are enhanced to go along with the patriotic theme of such a special evening.  Additionally, Epcot’s Illuminations will have a special patriotic finale.

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Saturday, Universal Orlando Resort celebrated the one-year anniversary of the most spectacularly themed entertainment environment – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where the wonder, excitement and adventures of the Harry Potter books and films come to life.

Universal Orlando commemorated the anniversary at 9:23 a.m. – the exact time The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened on June 18, 2010.  After taking part in a countdown led by the Hogwarts Express conductor, guests and team members celebrated in the streets of Hogsmeade while “snow” confetti and gold streamers fell from the sky.  Guests also enjoyed complimentary Butterbeer, cauldron cakes and Chocolate Frogs.

“We’re so excited to celebrate this milestone with our guests,” said Bill Davis, president of Universal Orlando Resort.  “It’s been an incredible year for us and our guests, and we look forward to creating more exciting memories with them in the years to come.”

Universal Orlando is also creating a virtual celebration by launching today a new “Share Your Story” tab on its official Facebook page.  The all-new tab gives fans the opportunity to interact with one another and share favorite memories and photos from their visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – whether it’s tasting Butterbeer for the first time, watching their daughter as she’s selected by the perfect wand or soaring above Hogwarts with their family.

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A SPECIAL TOUCHDOWN AT DISNEY WORLD (JUNE 13, 2011): Former NFL and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Kurt Warner (right), his wife, Brenda (left), and Mickey Mouse pose June 13, 2011 with Kenny Bender (center), age 6, and Landon Smith (far right), 4, at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Representing the Kurt Warner First Things First Foundation, the Warners, in conjunction with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visited Walt Disney World Resort with a group of families from St. Louis, Arizona and Iowa. This marked the 10th annual visit by the First Things First Foundation to Walt Disney World. (Gene Duncan, photographer)

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FUTEBOL AND FOOTBALL STARS: Madrid soccer star Kaká (far right) runs ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden (center) to catch a pass from Mickey Mouse on June 14, 2011 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla. The Brazilian midfielder was at Disney in advance of the Disney Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament featuring nearly 200 teams from more than 16 countries from July 11-16. McFadden and other NFL players who are part of the Tom Shaw Performance Training Camp at Disney played football and soccer with Kaka. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

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