After releasing a first look at the new “Encanto” and Tiana topiaries, Disney has announced the full list of topiaries that will be at this year’s EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.

Full List of Topiaries:

• Encanto, Including Mirabel, Antonio, Isabela and Luisa – NEW!
  Main Entrance
• Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Chip, Dale, and Pluto
  Bridge to World Showcase and World Celebration
• Woody, Bo Peep, and Her Sheep
  World Nature Near The Land Pavilion
• Goofy
  World Showcase
• Tiana – NEW!
  The American Adventure Pavilion
• Buzz Lightyear
  World Discovery Near Mission: SPACE
• Donald and Daisy
  Community Garden Near Connections Café in World Celebration
• Figment
  Near Imagination!
• The Three Caballeros (Jose, Donald, and Panchito)
  Mexico Pavilion
• Anna and Elsa
  Norway Pavilion
• Troll
  Norway Pavilion
• Dragon
  Japan Pavilion Near Torii Gate
• Pandas
  China Pavilion
• Simba and Friends (Rafiki, Simba, Mufasa and Sarabi)
  Between Imagination! and The Land Pavilion
• Pumbaa and Timon
  Between Imagination! and The Land Pavilion
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  Germany Pavilion
• Lady and the Tramp
  Italy Pavilion
• Beauty and the Beast
  France Pavilion
• Lumiere and Cogsworth
  France Pavilion
• Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy
  Between France and Morocco Pavilions
• Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and Tick Tock Croc
  Between United Kingdom and Canada Pavilions
• Winnie the Pooh and Friends (Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger)
  United Kingdom Pavilion
• Tinker Bell’s Fairy House Garden
  United Kingdom Pavilion
• Bambi and Friends
  Near Imagination! and Refreshment Port
• Geese
  Canada Pavilion
• Butterflies
  Main Entrance, Scentsy Garden, Butterfly House and World Showcase

We’ve already spotted several topiaries throughout EPCOT:

• FIRST CHARACTER TOPIARIES Arrive For 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival
• Topiaries of Donald Duck and Friends Arrive for EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2023
• More Character Topiaries Arrive For 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival
• Several More Character Topiaries Spring Up Ahead of 2023 International Flower & Garden Festival at EPCOT

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The post Full List of Topiaries at EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2023 appeared first on WDW News Today.

Several menu boards and Garden Graze signage are now on display at food booths in preparation for the 2023 International Flower & Garden Festival, which will begin on March 1 and run through early July at EPCOT.

Garden Graze Festival Passport

Signage throughout EPCOT explains the Garden Graze stamp-hunting scavenger hunt. To participate, guests must purchase any five of the featured Garden Graze menu items and collect a matching stamp in their festival passports. Once a guest tries five of the signature menu offerings, they can turn in their stamped passport at Pineapple Promenade near Port of Entry for a “completer prize”.

There are ten menu items at booths across the 2023 International Flower & Garden Festival at EPCOT that could earn you a stamp in your festival passport. Full menu signage for six of those food booths has also been installed ahead of the festival’s official kickoff on Wednesday, March 1.

Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market (Germany)

Food Items:

• Potato Pancakes with house-made apple sauce (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze) -$5
• Potato Pancake with caramelized ham, onions, and herb sour cream (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly) – $5.25
• Toasted Pretzel Bread topped with black forest ham and melted gruyère cheese – $5.75
• Warm Cheese Strudel with mixed berries – $4.75

Beverages:

• Bitburger Premium Pils – 9 oz: $5.50; 12 oz: $9.50
• Stiegl Brewery Radler Raspberry – 9 oz: $5.50; 12 oz: $9.50
• Flensburger Dunkel – 9 oz: $5.50; 12 oz: $9.50
• Apfelschaumwein: Sparkling wine and apple liqueur – $10
• Beer Flight – $10

BRUNCHCOT (Near Test Track presented by Chevrolet)

Food Items:

• Avocado Toast with marinated toybox tomatoes on toasted ciabatta (Plant-based) (Garden Graze) – $6
• Shrimp and Grits: Blackened shrimp and cheddar cheese grits with brown gravy and sweet corn salsa – $7.25
• Lox Benedict on Everything Focaccia with everything-spiced cream cheese, shallots, crispy capers, and hollandaise (New) – $7.50
• Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites with cream cheese frosting and candied bacon – $4.75

Beverages:

• Froot Loops Shake (Non-alcoholic) – $6.75
• Peach Bellini (New) – $11
• Joffrey’s Coffee Cold Brew Cocktail with milk, Kahlúa Rum and Coffee Liqueur, and vanilla vodka – $10.50

EPCOT Farmers Feast (Near Test Track presented by Chevrolet)

Food Items:

Early Bloom Menu (Available March 1 through April 8)

• Chilled Potato and Leek Soup “Vichyssoise” with bacon lardons, potato croutons, chive oil, and crispy leeks (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly) – $5
• Char-grilled Bison Ribeye with creamy leek fondue, red wine butter sauce, and whipped red wine goat cheese – $8.25
• Spice Cake with cream cheese icing and candied pecans and parsnip (New) – $4.50

Beverages (Available throughout entire festival):

• Hibiscus Lemonade Cocktail featuring Islamorada Brewery & Distillery Hibiscus Gin – $11.50
• Collective Arts Brewing Blueberry & Elderberry Sparkling Hard Tea (New) – $5.50 for 9 oz.; $9.50 for 12 oz.
• Ghost Mary: Translucent Bloody Mary with Boyd & Blair Cucumber Vodka, tomato water, horseradish, celery salt, and a hint of pepper (New) – $11.50

Florida Fresh (Near Disney Traders)

Food Items:

• Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with savory garlic spread and spicy corn chips (New) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze) – $5.75
• Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with savory garlic spread and plant-based cotija cheese (Plant-based) (Garden Graze) – $5.75
• Blackened Fish Slider with roasted tomatoes, watercress, and citrus remoulade on brioche (New) – $6.75
• Watermelon Salad with blueberries, pickled red onions, balsamic, and feta – $4.75
• Florida Strawberry Shortcake (New) – $4.75

Beverages:

• Cucumber Watermelon Slushy (Non-alcoholic) – $4.75
• Cucumber Watermelon Slushy with gin – $12.50

Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico)

Food Items:

• Quesadilla de Flor de Calabaza: House-made masa tortillas with squash blossoms, bacon, onion, zucchini, and cheese (New) (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)  – $8
• Taco Vampiro: Barbacoa Beef in a Corn Tortilla with crispy grilled monterey jack cheese, salsa ranchera, and esquites (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)  – $8.75

Beverages:

• Mala Hierba Margarita: Centinela Tequila Reposado, elderflower-chamomile tea, Abasolo Corn Whiskey, and UNA Flower-infused Vodka with a chile salt rim (New) – $14
• Cristal Margarita: 100% Agave Tequila Blanco, Ilegal Mezcal Joven, clarified lemon juice, and orange liqueur in a souvenir cup (New) – $16
• Craft Mexican Lager – $5.50 for 9 oz.; $10.50 for 12 oz.

Magnolia Terrace (The American Adventure)

Food Items:

• Muffuletta Panini with ham, salami, mortadella, provolone, and Swiss with olive salad (New) – $6
• Spicy Chicken Gumbo with Andouille sausage and BEN’S ORIGINAL Long Grain & Wild Rice – $6.25
• Crawfish Pie (New) – $6.75
• Bananas Foster Bread Pudding (New) – $4.75

Beverages:

• Bayou Cocktail: Bayou Spiced Rum, coconut rum, fruit punch, and orange juice – $12
• Central 28 Beer Co. Pretty Things Ale (New) – $5.50 for 9 oz.; $9.50 for 12 oz.
• Wicked Weed Brewing Day Light American Light Ale – $5.50 for 9 oz.; $9.50 for 12 oz.
• Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine Double IPA – $5.50 for 9 oz.; $9.50 for 12 oz.
• Beer Flight – $10

While these six food booths were the first to have menu boards installed, there are plenty of other choices for guests visiting the 2023 International Flower & Garden Festival at EPCOT. Check out the full menus of all festival food booths before your visit.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post PHOTOS: Menu Boards On Display at Food Booths for 2023 International Flower & Garden Festival at EPCOT appeared first on WDW News Today.

Walt Disney World has given a sneak peek at an exclusive collection of merchandise that will be offered for Annual Passholders visiting the 2023 International Flower & Garden Festival.

The AP-exclusive collection will feature iconography from the other three merchandise collections: 1970s-inspired Orange Bird, Snow White Flowers and Forest Friends, and Figment’s Cacti Garden. Each collection has been created especially for the festival, which begins on Wednesday and runs through July at EPCOT. We got the first look at a number of the items within these collections ahead of their release.

The merchandise exclusively for Annual Passholders will include apparel, Corkcicle drinkware, toys, garden stakes, trading pins, PANDORA jewelry, and Dooney & Bourke handbags.

Annual Passholder 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Raglan Shirt

As part of the announcement to Annual Passholders, Disney shared an image of a green, three-quarter-length sleeved raglan shirt. “Passholder” is written in cursive at the center of the white shirt, as stakes hold square pictures of Figment, Orange Bird, and Snow White.

This year’s EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival begins March 1 and runs through July 5, 2023, featuring topiary displays, outdoor kitchens, and live entertainment, including performances by local Orlando musicians. You can now check out the full menus for this year’s festival to help plan your visit.

New topiaries featuring Tiana and “Encanto” characters will also be displayed at the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2023. Disney has confirmed there will be a new “spectacle of light” show on Spaceship Earth for this year’s festivities, as well.

Are you excited to see more of the Walt Disney World Annual Passholder exclusive merchandise ahead of the Flower and Garden Festival? Let us know what you’re hoping to see in the comments below.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post First Look at Annual Passholder Exclusive Merchandise Collection for 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival appeared first on WDW News Today.

There are few with a resume as impressive as Burny Mattinson, a Disney Legend with dozens of film credits under his belt both old and new.

It is with sadness that we report the Disney Legend, who holds the title of longest-serving Cast Member in Walt Disney Company History, has passed away at the age of 87.

His incredible list of titles within the company included animator, director, producer, and story artist, and he worked hard to earn them. According to Disney, Mattinson passed away Monday, February 27, at Canyon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Canoga Park, California, following a short illness.

As noted in this tweet from Bob Iger, Burny got his start as a messenger on the Disney Animation lot in 1953.

Deeply saddened that Disney Legend Burny Mattinson—our longest serving employee—has passed away. Burny started as a messenger on the lot in 1953 & went on to become a true icon of @DisneyAnimation. We are forever grateful for his contributions & seven decades of service. https://t.co/mUu89g17zW

— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) February 27, 2023

His animation credits include classic films like Lady and the Tramp (1955), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), and The Sword in the Stone (1963). Disney animator Eric Goldberg shared that his friend and colleague “was the Renaissance man of Disney Animation,” and that he “literally did everything that could be done at the studio—assistant animator, animator, story artist, producer, and director of many films.”

Burny was still working with the company in recent years, serving as story consultant and mentor for films such as Big Hero 6 and Strange World. Through his 70 years as a Cast Member, he was more than happy to share his knowledge and expertise with the younger generations.

Without Burny Mattinson the Disney company as we know it would not exist today. We know he will be dearly missed by Disney fans and all those who loved him. We send our condolences to his family and friends, and want to share our appreciation for the incredible legacy he left behind.

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The post Disney Legend and Longest-Serving Employee Burny Mattinson Has Passed Away first appeared on the disney food blog.

The battle over Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) has come to an end — at least for now.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on February 27th effectively ending RCID as we know it. Many have wondered if this was a result of Disney’s response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, called the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics. At first, then-CEO Bob Chapek chose not to make a statement about the bill, but ultimately did — and according to the governor, Chapek faced immense pressure to do so.

Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District is no more, though it will retain some of its current responsibilities. Now, Reedy Creek will slowly have to begin operating under its new name — The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. After much anticipation, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill to strip RCID of its name and certain functions.

The move (which many believe to be punishment for Disney’s response to the Don’t Say Gay bill) came the day before DeSantis’ brand-new book is set to hit shelves. It’s in that book where DeSantis claims then-CEO Bob Chapek called him to talk about the pressure he was under “to speak out against the legislation,” according to Fox News.

The book reads, “As the controversy over the Parental Rights in Education bill was coming to a head, Chapek called me. He did not want Disney to get involved, but he was getting a lot of pressure to weigh in against the bill.”

Chapek reportedly said to the governor, “We get pressured all the time. But this time is different. I haven’t seen anything like this before.”

After Disney failed to respond to the draft bill initially, many began to speak out against the company for not taking a stand, with Cast Members eventually staging a walkout in protest.

Later, during a company shareholder meeting, Chapek shared that Disney was “opposed to the bill from the outset, but chose not to take a public position on it because [they] thought [they] could be more effective working behind the scenes, engaging directly with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.” Chapek shared that they were “hopeful that our longstanding relationships with those lawmakers would enable [them] to achieve a better outcome.”

Despite “weeks of effort,” Chapek noted that they were unsuccessful in changing things “behind the scenes.”

That “behind the scenes” apparently includes this conversation between Chapek and DeSantis himself, who says he warned the then-CEO that if Disney got involved, “People like [the Governor] will say, ‘Gee, how come Disney has never said anything about China, where they make a fortune?’”

Per Fox News Digital, DeSantis’ book goes on to say that Chapek “caved” to the “leftist media” and pressure from activists, which is when DeSantis “championed legislation” to dissolve Reedy Creek. Ultimately, that plan failed, and instead, a new bill was passed. For now, we’ll have to see the district function under its new guidelines.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for more updates on Reedy Creek and any news from the governor about Disney, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest.

Read More About the New Reedy Creek Improvement District Here

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What do you think about the recent Reedy Creek updates? Let us know in the comments!

The post Governor DeSantis Details Conversation With Bob Chapek Over Disney’s “Don’t Say Gay” Response first appeared on the disney food blog.

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Summer is quickly approaching, and if you turn into a mermaid when the temps heat up — now is the perfect time to grab some Disney merch.

We’ve been seeing a TON of The Little Mermaid merchandise recently, like this epic goblet, a new mug, and more. We recently spotted a pair of mermaid-themed Minnie ears at Disney World last month, but now it looks like they’ve popped up online too!

Calling all wannabe mermaids! If you watched The Little Mermaid and thought Ariel was silly for leaving the sea, these ears are the ones for you. We spotted this pair of Minnie ears in EPCOT last month, and now they’ve swum their way onto shopDisney!

You can now buy The Little Mermaid Ear Headband for Adults online, so no more having to wait until your next trip to snag these sparkly ears! They feature a gradient of purple and blue shades that any mermaid would be happy to wear.

Each ear is covered in glitter and dotted with pearls for a glitzy effect. The bow has several layers, including a purple and blue glitter fabric, a purple mesh, plus a pair of iridescent shells! It’s all finished off with a molded purple shell with a gorgeous light blue sheen.

The Little Mermaid Ear Headband for Adults are just as pretty on the back, and the headband is in a pretty shade of seafoam green. Need these for your next trip to the parks? You can find these on shopDisney for $34.99.

Click here to buy The Little Mermaid Ear Headband for Adults!

But that’s not all! shopDisney also has a brand-new MagicBand+ inspired by the 1989 animated classic. The blue band features beautiful art of both Ariel and her pal Flounder, plus the interactive puck is pink with a purple seashell (Ariel would approve.)!

The Little Mermaid MagicBand+ has a rechargeable battery and comes with its own charging cable. You can get one to match your ears for $44.99!

Click here to buy the The Little Mermaid MagicBand+!

While you’re in the shopping mood…have you checked our DFB exclusive graphic tees and merch? It’s super fun stuff to wear to the parks, or to rep your happy place at the grocery store! Click here to visit the DFB Merch Store!

Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney news!

Check Out ALL the Minnie Ears You Can Get Online Right Now

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Comment below which pair of ears in your collection is your favorite!

The post Disney’s SPARKLY Little Mermaid Ears Have Landed Online! first appeared on the disney food blog.