Flower and Garden Festival

Starting from today and running until May 19th sees the return of the Disney Epcot Flower and Garden Festival!  Spring has arrived!

The Festival celebrates the arrival of Spring and presents Epcot in full bloom.  Over 100 topiaries will be on display, illuminated gardens for an after-dark experience, Bambi's Butterfly House, a circus-like play area based on the new Disney film "Oz: The Great and Powerful" and even a 'lift and sniff' fragrance garden.

Guests are also treated to more merchandise and a first time exclusive food and beverage offering. This new feature to the festival highlights the 'farm to table' trend, showing how the edible plants have been grown to form part are part of the new yummy food and drinks!  The drinks are garden influenced, including Tomato wine and Watermelon Vodka!  The food is offered at stations around the parks and includes items such as a Florida Watermelon Salad with Arugula and Angel Food Cake with Florida Berries.

The festival food also includes the 'TRYit' initiative which is part of Disney's Magic of Healthy Living, encouraging children to try new foods and activities.  A great way to experiment!

Take a look at this video of a sneaky Captain Hook topiary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Uaok6wbfjuI

So although it may still be bleak and dull here in England, at least Spring has arrived in Disneyworld.  There is still hope it will arrive here soon!

Disney Pack is on its way!

So after my blog post yesterday and then a dream last night about receiving my Disney Pack, I am obviously psychic as I received the below email today! 

I wonder what the 'surprises' will be!  The visa instructions look very long and complicated, however, a trip to London to the US Embassy, also means a trip to London for shoppppinnnngggg!  The closing of the email said 'Now the real countdown begins for your Disney Summer 2013!'...countdown definitely is on!

91 days!

3 months today!

So today is the 3rd of March, which means it is exactly 3 months today that I will be jetting off to America!

Time is flying by and I cannot believe how quickly it is coming around.  A couple of weeks ago, myself and the girls I will be travelling with booked two more of our internal flights!  These were Orlando - Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Las Vegas!  It is all coming together well.

Everyone doing the program from the UK is on tender hooks wondering when our Disney packs will arrive - it is meant to be anytime this month.  These packs provide us with all the needed information, especially about booking our appointment at the US Embassy for our VISA appointment...basically we will get questioned to make sure our reasons for getting the working visa and going to America are legitimate!... intense!

A couple of the people on the Facebook group for doing the Summer Internship program have designed a Disney hoodie which we can personalise with our name and role etc!  The online shop to purchase these has just opened up again, so I shall definitely be buying one this time around!... in baby pink colour of course :)

Wreck-It Ralph

This evening myself and my lovely friend Anna went to the cinema to see the new Disney film, Wreck-It Ralph!  I cannot remember the last time I saw a Disney film at the cinema, let alone visited the cinema at all!  Seeing the Disney film titles at the beginning and the iconic, memorable shot of Cinderella's castle gave me goosebumps as I thought about spending my summer there this year.  I cannot wait to be back in that Disneyworld atmosphere which I love.

For those of you that have not seen the trailer or heard of the film, it is based on arcade games and a particular character, Wreck-It Ralph, who is getting fed-up of always being the 'bad guy'.  Ralph sets off on a game-hopping adventure throughout different arcade games as he tries to prove his hero status....

The film was brilliant!  It had a great mix of laughter moments, 'hold your breath' moments and 'aww' moments.  I found the film so bright and enthralling, especially due to the colourful scenes in the 'Sugar Rush' arcade game.  In true Disney style it really pulled you into the story as you get to know and love the characters.  If you want to really immerse yourself into the film out of the cinema then Disney have released two smartphone app games for you to actually experience the arcade games!

The film knocked Les Miserables off the top spot and box office takings hit £4.5m in the opening weekend!....  Disney has done it again and released a winning animation film.   Will they ever release a film which doesn't do well?! I highly doubt it.

Disney Leaving Event Cake!

Going to America for 3 months means I definitely have to have a leaving event and of course it will be Disney themed!  In true Disney fashion I have found the perfect cake and put in a request to my Mum for her to attempt at making it!

Looks delicious right!?  And it's Minnie Mouse themed and pink!  What could be more yummy!

A chance to meet some long-lost Disney characters!

Who recognises these old Disney characters?

During the week of 21st- 27th January, Disney gave visitors the opportunity to relive and meet some old Disney friends as they brought back some long-lost characters as part of the Limited Time Magic.  This was a rare and special opportunity for guests to meet characters such as Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, The Three Little Pigs and Robin Hood!

Disney's Limited Time Magic during 2013 gives guests extra special experiences with new entertainment and unique events which pop up but then disappear after a limited time!  This is such a special excellent idea and makes sure that Disney is always offering their guests more and more experiences and making vacations even more special....if that is even possible!

I wonder what Limited Time Magic events will pop up when I am working there!

IBM at Disney's Epcot!

What better way for a technology company to showcase its talents and innovation and reach the younger generation, than hold an exhibition in Disneyworld's Epcot?!  That is exactly what my previous placement employer, IBM, have done!

The exhibition has just been renovated and centres around the IBM 'Think' initiative, encouraging guests to consider how they can improve the way they live and work.  It features a 40-foot video wall which tells stories of the systems around us and the movement of guests results in dynamic colours and shapes.  A theatre shows a 12 minute film about the patterns of progress and interactive touchscreens allow guests to find out different forms of technology.  To ensure IBM is focused on as being at the forefront of technology, the 'Icons of progress' game asks guests to learn about 100 of IBM innovations and try and put them into place.

I think this exhibition is a brilliant idea and very fitting for the park named 'Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow'.  This presence of IBM in the theme park and focus around the innovation and role IBM has in the technology world, is excellent for brand awareness.  My dissertation is based around the lack of knowledge and perception of IBM within the millennial generation and something like this is an excellent way of attempting to increase that awareness!

My previous employer showcased at the location of my future employer...how fitting!