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Ears the News: February 1, 2019 Edition


Welcome to the latest edition of Ears the News

Brought to you by our friends at WDWMagic.com

Frontera Cocina at Disney Springs has just launched a new limited-time menu, inspired by the diverse Mexico City.

Created by Seven-time winner of the nationally-recognized James Beard Awards for culinary excellence, Chef Rick Bayless, the Taste of Mexico City menu features four new menu items, and three featured drinks. In addition, a new seasonal menu adds three new dishes to the restaurant’s line-up.

Walt Disney Imagineering is giving us a look at testing of the upcoming Disney Skyliner transportation system in a new video they released.


Video courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog
Having trouble viewing the video? Click here to watch on YouTube.

The 2019 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is just over a month away, taking place at Walt Disney World from March 6 to June 3, 2019.

Disney has released a few more details on what's new for 2019.
  • The popular Garden Rocks Concert Series will expand to every day of the festival, featuring chart-topping artists performing three shows daily on the America Gardens Theatre stage. That’s 270 concerts – more than ever before – featuring new and returning fan favorites spanning multiple genres. Returning favorites like The Spinners and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone will be joined by artists new to the festival like TobyMac, Steven Curtis Chapman and Colin Hay of Men at Work. View the full Garden Rocks line-up.
  • Creative new culinary dishes and several new outdoor kitchens will debut this year. AdventHealth will host a kitchen along with a nearby playground where the whole family can learn fun and interactive ways to stay healthy.
  • Woody and Buzz Lightyear will welcome Bo Peep and her sheep to their Toy Story topiary near the Family Play Zone in Future World East.
  • Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration family scavenger hunt will be more fun than ever this year with new locations to discover along the garden pollination trail. Guests can also commemorate their scavenger hunt experience with select merchandise offerings featuring everyone’s favorite bee, Spike.
  • Another guest favorite returning to the festival April 5-21 (while supplies last) is the Eggstravaganza Scavenger Hunt, where guests can search for Disney character-themed eggs around World Showcase.
  • In celebration of Disneynature’s “Penguins,” opening April 17, a 9-foot-tall art sculpture made from recycled marine debris will be on display in Future World featuring an adult and baby Adélie penguin. Created by the non-profit organization WashedAshore.org, this work of art is designed to inspire Guests to keep our oceans and waterways clear of plastic pollution.
Among the returning gardens and exhibits, guests will once again enjoy the Goodness Garden Butterfly House presented by GoGo squeeZ where nearly 1,000 native butterflies will fly among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants. Additionally, several World Showcase pavilions will include gardens with floral life representative of plants in those countries, such as the Kokodema Garden and Bonsai Collection in Japan, the Urban Spice Garden in Morocco and the Alpine Container Garden in Germany.
Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com


In addition to the Outdoor Kitchens, raised-bed or in-ground gardens of herbs and produce will offer the perfect inspiration for learning to grow healthy ingredients. Several Epcot food-and-beverage locations – including Taste Track and Refreshment Port– will offer festival-themed eats and libations.

The performer line-up is now nearly complete, so here is an updated list of the acts you'll find at the festival this year.
  • March 6-8: Journey former lead vocalist STEVE AUGERI (NEW) “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” 
  • March 9-10: Glass Tiger (New to Garden Rocks) “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” 
  • March 11-12: Jon Anderson of YES (NEW) “Owner of A Lonely Heart” 
  • March 13-14: Tony Orlando “Knock Three Times” 
  • March 17-20: Simple Plan “Perfect” 
  • March 21-22: Ambrosia (NEW) “Biggest Part of Me” 
  • March 23-24: Magic Giant (NEW) “Set on Fire” 
  • March 25-27: Air Supply (New to Garden Rocks) “All Out of Love” 
  • March 28-29: Berlin featuring Terri Nunn “Take My Breath Away” 
  • March 30-31: The Smithereens (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Top of the Pops” 
  • April 1-2: Rick Springfield “Jessie’s Girl” 
  • April 3-4: Christopher Cross (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Sailing” 
  • April 5-7: The Spinners “Working My Way Back to You” 
  • April 8-9: Dennis DeYoung, original member of the group STYX “Come Sail Away” 
  • April 10-11: John Michael Montgomery (NEW) “I Love the Way You Love Me” 
  • April 12-13: Sister Sledge (NEW to Garden Rocks) “We Are Family” 
  • April 14-16: Night Ranger “Sister Christian” 
  • April 17-19: Sister Hazel (NEW to Garden Rocks) “All For You” 
  • April 20-21: Steven Curtis Chapman (NEW) “Cinderella” 
  • April 22-23: TobyMac (NEW) “The Elements” 
  • April 24-26: Lonestar “Amazed” 
  • April 27-30: The Orchestra starring former members of ELO “Evil Woman” 
  • May 1-4: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone “I’m Henry VIII I Am” 
  • May 5-7: Don Felder, Formerly of the Eagles “Hotel California” 
  • May 8-9: A Flock of Seagulls (NEW) “I Ran (So Far Away)” 
  • May 10-11: Marshall Tucker Band (NEW to Garden Rocks) “Heard It in a Love Song” 
  • May 14-15: Richard Marx (New to Garden Rocks) “Right Here Waiting” 
  • May 16- 19: STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City” 
  • May 20-21: Colin Hay of Men at Work (NEW) “Who Can It Be Now?” 
  • May 22-23: War (NEW) “Why Can’t We Be Friends” 
  • May 24-27: The Guess Who “American Woman” 
  • May 28-29: Jon Secada “Just Another Day” 
  • May 30- June 1: Blood, Sweat and Tears “Spinning Wheel” 
Garden Rocks concert performances take place at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. each night of the festival and are included in regular park admission. Guaranteed concert seating can is available by reserving a Garden Rocks Dining Package at select Epcot restaurants.

Breakfast during Disney Early Morning Magic will soon be relocating at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Currently held at the ABC Commissary, the breakfast will move to Backlot Express from February 6, 2019.

Similar to the experience that was added to the Magic Kingdom in 2016 for access to the busy Fantasyland, the Studios edition is based around Toy Story Land and includes a breakfast.

Menu items include:
  • Mexican Corn Chilaquiles and Eggs Bowl 
  • Shrimp and Southern Grits Bowl 
  • Fried Chicken and Cinnamon Sugar French Donut Bowl 
  • Smashed Avocado Toast Egg Plate 
  • Breakfast Charcuterie Platter 

The buffet also features yogurt, cereal, fruit, assorted pastries. For the little toys, they can enjoy everything on the buffet as well as a kid’s portion of the Fried Chicken and Cinnamon Sugar French Donut or Scrambled Eggs, and both come with Sweet Potato barrels.
Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com


Available on select mornings before the park opens, Disney Early Morning Magic offers exclusive, limited-time access to Toy Story Land, including Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania!, plus character greetings with Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear.

Disney Early Morning Magic takes place on select Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30am to 8:45am. Breakfast is available until 10am. The experience costs $79 plus tax for adult (age 10+) and $69 plus tax for children ages 3-9, and valid theme park admission is required.

Beaches and Cream Soda Shop at Disney's Beach Club Resort will be closing for a refurbishment later this year to make improvements to the layout.

The closure is planned for the earlyAugust 2019, with a reopening set for December 2019. During that time, there will be a temporary location at the Yacht and Beach Club Resort offering ice cream, but not the Kitchen Sink. The to-go window at Beaches and Cream will also be closed during the refurbishment.

And fans of the Kitchen Sink, don't worry. When Beach and Cream reopens at the end of 2019, it will continue to offer the super-sized dessert along with other fan favorites.

To make additional space for Beaches and Cream, the adjacent arcade will be closing.



Looking to plan your next trip to Walt Disney World? Contact the agents at Kingdom Konsultant Travel to help you plan your dream vacation. Email vacations@kingdomkonsultant.com for a free quote today.
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