Disney Chefs present an elaborate fish dish, Sept. 26, 2008, created by Chef Richard Rosendale of Rosendales in Columbus, Ohio, during the Bocuse d’Or USA semifinal competition held during the launch of the 13th annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. The legendary Chef Paul Bocuse (right) and sole female Bocuse d’Or International winner — Chef Lea Linster (left) of Luxembourg, judge the platter during the competition at Walt Disney World. The rigorous competition was held before a live audience. (Gene Duncan, photographer)

A Disney balloon vendor, Mickey Mouse and a group of children join Jay Rasulo (center), chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Sept. 18, 2008 during an impromptu visit to New York City’s Times Square. The visit followed Rasulo’s announcement that Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will welcome guests in 2009 with free theme park admission on their birthday.

 Disney Parks are an enchanting backdrop to celebrate the most honorable time in a Latina girls’ life – her 15th birthday. Princess-like Quinceañera celebrations are a reality at Disney Parks during “What Will You Celebrate?”

SWEET 16 — She’s turning 16 in November but pop sensation Miley Cyrus will start the party early with a Disneyland gala event on Oct. 5. “Miley’s Sweet 16 – Share the Celebration” comes as Disney Parks gears up for “What Will You Celebrate?” a year for turning the special occasions of guests into magical Disney experiences.

During “What Will You Celebrate?” at Disney Parks, world-famous characters are always part of the fun at Disney Parks. Each character sets a magical tone, creating even more smiles and memories.

Chef Mickey Mouse and Chef Goofy are baking up fun surprises as Disney Parks embraces a new travel trend called “celebration vacations.” Disney Parks will lead the growing trend with new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn personal milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries into magical Disney experiences.

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TRICK OR TREAT: Whether its a pirate, a princess or a pixie (as seen here, with three girls dressed as Disney’s famous fairy, Tinker Bell), kids of all ages get into the Happy Halloween spirit at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. It’s all part of the fun that takes place when the Magic Kingdom hosts “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.” Activities include trick-or-treating, a Halloween parade and Disney’s “Happy HalloWishes” fireworks show. A separate ticket is required to attend. (Kent Phillips, photographer)

 
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Fine cuisine and wines from some of the best “foodie” cities in the world will take a bow at the 13th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 26 through Nov. 9 at Walt Disney World Resort. Opening weekend, eight of the country’s top chef teams will compete at the gold-standard Bocuse d’Or USA semifinals of the international cuisine contest, to be held at Epcot for the first time.

The prestigious cook-off will feature the country’s leading chef candidates, each with one assistant, cooking Sept. 26 and 27 before an audience of park guests at World Showplace pavilion. The winning team, to be selected by prominent chef judges, will be announced Sept. 27 at a grand gala. The finalist team will compete in January at the international contest in Lyon, France, founded by renowned French chef Paul Bocuse.

Throughout the six-week festival, Epcot guests can explore the culinary “Cities in Wonderland” – from trendy Cork, Ireland, to the melting pot of Cape Town, South Africa – around the World Showcase promenade while also discovering blissful bites at international and regional marketplaces brimming with exotic flavors and comfort foods. The six-week festival will showcase tastes from countries on six continents.

More than 25 international marketplaces will serve tapas-sized portions of regional specialties at $2-to-$5 each, and recommended wines and beers make perfect pairings at each kiosk. New festival flavors explore the culinary wonders of Lyon, France; Marrakesh, Morocco; Shanghai, China; Bologna, Italy; Tokyo and Mexico City. Exhibits along the promenade also will showcase entertainment and traditional crafts of several countries.

Daily complimentary wine and beer tastings serve up sips from around the world, and culinary demonstrations dish up featured taste treats. A series of special culinary programs features a lineup of renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers participating in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools. “We wanted to take our guests on a grand gustatory expedition,” says Nora Carey, festival manager. “The cities that we’ll feature are known for great dining experiences, and the ‘Cities in Wonderland’ theme will inspire our guests to enjoy great food and wine in a fresh new way.”

The Epcot festival continues to grow dramatically, attracting a diverse audience of more than one million guests each fall – from wine connoisseurs and epicures to neophytes wishing to boost their wine IQs. Beer aficionados can raise their steins at several tasting locations, including Germany’s Biergarten, which specialize in brews from light to dark.

Musical entertainment pairs perfectly with culinary fun during the nightly Eat to the Beat! concert series featuring a varied lineup of classic rock, soul, R&B, oldies, jazz and funk hit-makers. Concerts are performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre along the World Showcase lagoon. New acts to appear include Kool & The Gang, Spyro Gyra, En Vogue and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. David Sanborn, Jon Secada and Otis Day and the Knights are among returning crowd-pleasing acts.

Festival highlights include:

For Reservations and Information, contact Kingdom Magic Vacations toll free : 1-866-972-6244 or visit Kingdom Magic Vacations.com

As the central Florida temperature tops 90 degrees outside, Cecil Gordon of Walt Disney World Holiday Services touches up the face of a six-foot-tall angel tree-topper inside one of the resort’s holiday warehouses in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The angel will be placed on the top of the giant Christmas tree at the Epcot theme park during the holiday season later this year. Gordon and his colleagues are currently on round-the-clock schedules behind-the-scenes at Walt Disney World Resort, decorating more than 1,500 Christmas trees, unpacking more than 15 miles of garland, testing dozens of snow machines and repainting hundreds of animated and static holiday scenes that will be seen by guests all across the 40-square-mile resort. Gordon, from St. Mary, Jamaica, has worked for Walt Disney World for 19 years. (Garth Vaughan, photographer)