Dates Announced for Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2021

Via wdwnt.com

It may be chilly outside now, but a hint of spring is in the air as EPCOT prepares for the Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival beginning March 3, 2021, at Walt Disney World Resort. With garden-fresh cuisines, creative gardens and unforgettable topiaries, this vibrant festival combines the freshest flowers and flavors from around the world. 

Guests will be delighted to hear their favorite Character topiaries are coming back – from Mickey, Donald and friends, to Remy, Anna & Elsa, Lady & the Tramp, Figment and more. Our Disney Horticulture team is busy planting, pruning and planning now for the kaleidoscope of bright blooms and floating gardens scattered throughout EPCOT, with each one making a perfect backdrop for family photos.

With more than 20 delectable stops, World Showcase will play host to the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens and other food & beverage locations, offering a smorgasbord of flavors and beverages. 

Gardeners of all ages will be invited to participate in Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration – a springtime scavenger hunt starring Spike, the buzzzz-iest honeybee at Walt Disney World. And, guests will “bee” on the lookout for festival-specific merchandise throughout the park. 

Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will run through July 5, and is available with valid admission and a park reservation for the same date. Remember to check for Disney Resort package and hotel offers for your travel dates! 

Disney Announces The Electrical Water Pageant to Return Soon

Via DisneyFanatic.com

Exciting news! Walt Disney World’s Electrical Water Pageant will return soon to the Seven Seas Lagoon! We previously shared that the barges were spotted on the water. Well, now we know why! Check out the announcement and quick video below as shared by Disney Parks via Twitter.

Disney Announces New Package Offer – Two Extra Days of Park Tickets

The year 2021 is almost here and Disney has released a new Walt Disney World resort sale that includes a special bonus! 

From a Disney Cast Member;

We’re all ready to turn the page on 2020, right? If you’re thinking about how great it would be to take a Walt Disney World Resort vacation next year, I have some excellent news to share.

Today we’re announcing a special new offer available to book beginning January 5, 2021: when you buy a non-discounted four-night/three-day room and ticket package at select Disney Resort hotels for arrivals most nights January 8 through September 25, 2021, you’ll get an additional two days of theme park tickets! I wanted to let you know about this great offer now so you have a couple weeks to start planning … and dreaming of all the fun you can have at The Most Magical Place on Earth.

Like what, you ask? Well … plenty! You could check out the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, which begins January 8 and runs through February 22. We have all sorts of new character experiences throughout the theme parks and Resort hotels. And there are incredible attractions galore, from Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Avatar – Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and so many more. Cinderella Castle even has a royal new makeover at Magic Kingdom Park – perfect for that new family portrait! 2021 will also mark the return of the guest-favorite Park Hopper option, which will be available for purchase as an add-on with this package.

As a reminder, Walt Disney World continues to operate with enhanced health and safety policies so everyone can enjoy the magic responsibly. To manage attendance, guests are required to have valid theme park admission and make a park reservation for each day of their visit through the Disney Park Pass system. Please visit Disneyworld.com/Updates for more information. There are also some other excellent offers available right now for booking into 2021, so there are plenty of options to get your new year started off right. Disney Vacation Club Members, learn about a special Member Offer at Disneyvactionclub.com. Here’s to a great big beautiful 2021!

Beef Bourguignon Recipe from Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

It’s time to try another Disney Park recipe at home! This time we’re looking forward to Beef Bourguignon from the Canada pavilion offered during the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays!

From a Disney Cast Member;

Beef Bourguignon debuted at Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays this year and has quickly become the dish “not to miss” for festival-goers. Offered at Yukon Holiday Kitchen located at the Canada pavilion, this hearty classic dish has it all – fork-tender beef brisket with savory flavors of bacon-infused wine sauce over crushed buttery red potatoes. What’s not to love?

The EPCOT chefs gladly shared the recipe … it is one of their favorite dishes as well!

Check out our Foodie Guide to the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays for a list of all the delicious offerings at this year’s festival through December 31.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON
Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
Serves 6

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 6 ounces smoked bacon, diced
  • 3 pounds beef brisket, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces, or stew meat
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 1 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 cups red wine (Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Chianti)
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
  • 12 small fresh or frozen pearl onions, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, divided

CRUSHED RED SKINNED POTATOES

  • 1 tablespoon salt, plus more, to taste
  • 3 pounds red-skinned potatoes, washed
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • White pepper, to taste

FOR BEEF BOURGUIGNON:

  1. Heat butter and bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until bacon is brown and beginning to crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  2. Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Sear in Dutch oven with butter and bacon fat, 1-2 minutes per side, until browned. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
  3. Add garlic, onion, carrots, and mushrooms and sauté 6 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in rosemary and thyme.
  4. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, until paste begins to caramelize, but does not burn.
  5. Return beef and bacon to pan. Add flour and stir constantly for 5 minutes. Add wine, beef broth, and vinegar and stir to deglaze pot. Add pearl onions and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender and sauce is thickened.  Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Keep warm until ready to serve.

FOR RED SKINNED CRUSHED POTATOES:

  1. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the potatoes and boil for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Drain potatoes.
  2. Return potatoes to pot and mash with a hand masher or electric mixer until just broken. Add butter, sour cream, vinegar, and mash until potatoes are mashed, but still lumpy.
  3. Season with additional salt and white pepper, to taste.

TO SERVE:

Divide potatoes among 6 bowls. Ladle beef bourguignon on top of potatoes and garnish with remaining chopped parsley.

NoteAlways use caution when handling sharp objects and hot contents. Please supervise children who are helping or nearby. This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version. 

“Flamingo Crossings” Will Have a Target, Five Guys, Ben & Jerry’s, Hotels & Much More

Exciting news on the Walt Disney World retail and dining front! Walt Disney World has a new retail and dining location in the works called “Flamingo Crossings Town Center”. An update to the project shows a list of more retail and dining options to join the project on in west Orange County.

As shared via Orlando Business Journal: The theme park revealed nine more tenants lined up for the 200,000-square-foot retail hub. The center is already expected to be anchored by a Target store, as well as various nearby hotels to accommodate travelers of all types. The theme park giant also shared new renderings.

Here are the new tenants announced:

  • Wendy’s
  • Five Below
  • Domino’s
  • Ellie Lou’s Brews & BBQ
  • Firehouse Sub
  • Persimmon Hollow Brewing Co.
  • Pieology Pizzeria
  • Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
  • UPS store

“These brands will join a stellar lineup of previously announced shops and restaurants including Target, which will serve as the primary anchor, PDQ, Five Guys, Ben & Jerry’s and Dunkin’. Walgreens is also currently under construction on an outparcel,” said Disney, via a release.

A timeline for the new shops was not included, but many other amenities — including the Target — have been slated to be done by 2021, based on past reports. The development will be home to several hotels — totaling about 1,750 rooms — that are completed or under development, including:

  • SpringHill Suites by Marriott and TownePlace Suites by Marriott, which are both open and operating.
  • Four additional resorts under construction, including Fairfield and Residence Inn by Marriott, and Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites by Hilton. These properties are expected to be operating by next year.
  • These hotels remain under development: Hampton by Hilton scheduled to be completed later in 2021.