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AROUND THE WORLD

May Weekends Abloom with Special Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Events

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is in full bloom during May with special weekend events complementing the daily showcase of blossoms, seminars, workshops and special music. Garden artists, mothers, kids, and green-thumbers in general will all be celebrated during May weekends.

Here’s the lineup:

May 3-5 - Art in the Garden: Renowned artists will delight guests by magically capturing the beauty of Epcot gardens. Central Florida garden experts Tom and Joani MacCubbin give tips on how to add style and pizzazz to personal gardens with unique garden elements.

May 10-12 - Mother’s Day Invitational Flower Show: Moms are treated to a photo and a flower on Mother’s Day (May 12) and can enjoy the Food Among the Flowers Brunch (May 11-12). Seating times on May 11 are at 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. Seating times on May 12 are at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Price for the buffet is $29.95 plus tax for adults and $10.95 plus tax for ages 3-9. Call 407/WDW-DINE for priority seating. Space is limited.

May 17-19 - Green Thumb Weekend: Garden experts reveal trade secrets to help guests turn their green thumb greener. P. Allen Smith, host of “P. Allen Smith Gardens,” demonstrates how to create beautiful mini-gardens with a simple design.

May 24-27 - Kids Weekend: The festival salutes “budding gardeners” with a weekend packed with a variety of activities specifically designed for young gardeners. Special Kid Zone activities in the Festival Center at Epcot
include seed masks and pet rocks.

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival continues daily through June 2. Except as noted, activities are included with regular Epcot admission. For additional guest information, call 407/824-4321 or visit www.disneyworld.com.

Flower Power Music Fills the Air During May at Epcot

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Fans of pop music from the '60s through the '90s will be treated to an encore of hits during May as the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presents a lineup of 13 Flower Power concert series acts at America Gardens Theatre.

Eddie Money leads off the May lineup with performances May 1 and May 2. Here’s the complete May lineup:

May 2 – Eddie Money
May 3-5 – The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie
May 6-7 – Ron Dante of the Archies
May 8-9 – John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
May 10-12 – Paul Revere & the Raiders
May 13-14 – Gary Puckett
May 15-16 – Rare Earth, Iron Butterfly, Sugarloaf All-Stars
May 17-20 – Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
May 21-23 – The Grass Roots
May 24-26 – Arlo Guthrie
May 27-28 – The Rock N Roll Fun House featuring The Knack
May 30-June 2 –The Nelsons

Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
Capture the Ultimate Disney Experience

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – It’s a Disney dream come true: Private horse-drawn carriage rides throughout Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground are now available nightly.

The excursions, which are offered from 6 to 10 p.m., are designed to appeal both to couples seeking a romantic ride in a cozy carriage and to families out for a scenic ride through the great outdoors.

Reservations are recommended and can be made up to 60 days in advance by calling 407/824-2832. Carriages depart from the area in front of Crockett’s Tavern at Pioneer Hall. The price is $30 for a 30-minute ride. Guests may pay by cash and resort room charge cards. Credit cards are not accepted.

Western Caribbean Itinerary Debuts May 11
To Broaden Disney Cruise Line Horizons

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. –A trio of tropical ports adds up to a new western
Caribbean cruise adventure that broadens Disney Cruise Line’s choice of vacation itineraries.

Beginning May 11, the Disney Magic will alternate its weekly seven-night cruises between a new western Caribbean itinerary calling on Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel and its present eastern Caribbean route to St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Both itineraries also visit Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

Seven-night cruise vacations start as low as $829 for adults. For more information call 888/325-2500 or visit www.disneycruise.com or a local travel agent.

100 Years Of Magic Celebration Arrives at Disney Auctions
May 23-June 6

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney Auctions (www.disneyauctions.com) presented by eBay is joining the Walt Disney World 100 Years of Magic celebration May 23-June 6 when items including one-of-a-kind vacation experiences at each of the four Walt Disney World parks, original attraction memorabilia from the Walt Disney World Resort and original artwork from various Walt Disney films and attractions will be up for bid.

Among the auction items: customized VIP theme park tours, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” attraction submarine portholes, several Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes, an original merchandise artwork cel from “Beauty and the Beast,” and a watercolor of the famous Mickey Mouse and Goofy golf scene.

The 100 Years of Magic celebration commemorates the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney’s birth on Dec. 5, 1901, and honors his entertainment legacy.

APRIL 2002

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AROUND THE WORLD

April Flowers Bring More Magic to Walt Disney World Resort

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Blooming bulbs, colorful gardens and more than 100 topiaries spring up during the 2002 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which kicks off April 19 and lasts through June 2. The festival features elaborate floral displays, presentations by gardening experts and fun activities for kids.

There are more new elements than ever before at this year's festival including a special topiary salute to Walt Disney, which honors his contribution as a pioneer in animation.

Specially themed weekends, such as I Dig Bugs (April 26-28), the Mother's Day Invitational Flower Show (May 10-12) and Kids Weekend (May 24-27) provide fun for the entire family.

The festival fun continues with the Flower Power concert series featuring groovy acts such as Davy Jones on opening weekend, Starship, Arlo Guthrie, Eddie Money and Mannheim Steamroller.

The 2002 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is free with regular Epcot admission.

Dinosaurs Arise From Extinction to Come Face-to-Face with Pin Pals

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Buried fossils will come alive on April 13 in the groundbreaking debut of Chester & Hester's Pin-O-Rama! -- the first after-hours special event ever at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

DinoLand U.S.A. inhabitants, including Chester and Hester, will be in attendance to make all guests feel at home. A night full of rides, games, food and fun will leave families digging the "dino-scene" in the brand new Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama!

A blind auction will allow traders to enjoy the old pins and welcome the new Artist Choice Pin Sets, which display images of original art by Walt Disney World artists. History buffs as well as future fanatics will delight in this journey of a lifetime!

Tickets are $125 per person. For reservations and more information, contact Walt Disney Event Services at 407/827-7600.

Disney pin trading started in October 1999 during Disney's millennium celebration. It continues as a part of Disney's 100 Years of Magic celebration honoring the centennial of Walt Disney's birth.

Davy Jones Kicks off 2002 Flower Power Concert Series at Epcot April 19

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Flower Power will bloom bigger than ever -- with hit music from four decades -- during the 2002 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, April 19 through June 2 at Walt Disney World Resort.

Davy Jones of The Monkees leads off a lineup of 17 musical acts that will perform daily during the festival. Shows daily will be 4:30, 5:45 and 7:10 p.m. at America Gardens Theatre. Flower Power concerts are included with regular Epcot admission.

Here's the April schedule:

April 19-21 Davy Jones
April 22-24 Survivor
April 25-28 Orleans
April 29 Gary Lewis & The Playboys
April 30-May 2 Eddie Money

Top 40, Techno Fuel New After-Hours Evening ExcitementAt Downtown Disney Pleasure Island

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Booming beats and smooth grooves feed the need for new sensations at Motion and Mannequins Dance Palace, two hot spots at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, where bold new sights and exciting new sounds await guests at Walt Disney World Resort.

From 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly, Pleasure Island partyers can join the party at two high-energy dance clubs where the beat goes on and on.

Anchoring the island's eastern edge is Motion, a brand-new sonic palace where bodies are perpetually in motion amid a swirl of cool blue lights in the two-story space. A DJ keeps Top 40 favorites pumping from high-powered speakers while videos splash on a screen above the dance floor.

Nearby, Mannequins Dance Palace has lifted the lid off a top-to-bottom renovation that brings a modern elegance and bold new d}cor to the popular club. Inside, the club's signature floor still spins beneath dancers' feet to the beat of pulsing techno music supplied by a state-of-the-art sound system. A new entrance, new lounge areas with striking, contemporary furniture, and new bars with sleek designs and dramatic lighting add to the stylish party atmosphere. Guests must be 21 or older to enter Mannequins Dance Palace.

Downtown Disney Pleasure Island is a six-acre entertainment complex boasting a world-class collection of eight themed nightclubs for all tastes and a nightly street party with music and fireworks.

Admission to all of the clubs on Pleasure Island is included in the regular ticket price of $19.81 plus tax. Annual passes are available for $54.95 plus tax. For more information, call 407/WDW-2NITE (939-2648).

Registration Up and 'Running' for 10th Annual Walt Disney World Marathon

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Registration is up and "running" for one of the most popular marathons anywhere in the world -- the 10th Annual Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon.

While the events don't happen until Jan. 12, 2003, registration is limited and tends to reach caps by mid-summer. Registration for the full marathon is 13,500 athletes; for the half marathon, 5,000.

The races, which follow a course through Walt Disney World theme parks and resort areas, are the centerpiece of the 2003 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, which also features the FamilyFun Magazine 5K and Kids Races on Jan. 11, 2003, and the two-day Disney's Health and Fitness Expo at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort on Jan. 10-11, 2003.

Registration is available online at www.disneyworldsports.com. In addition, participants may fill out the printable registration form on the Web site and submit it via regular mail, or request a race application by calling 407/939-7810. Registration fees are $90 for the marathon and $60 for the half marathon.

Orlando Rays Ready to Round the Bases At Disney's Wide World of Sports

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. The Orlando Rays, the Class AA affiliate of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, open their third season at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex with a seven-game home stand beginning April 4.

An opening four-game series against the Birmingham Barons (April 4-7) will be followed by three games against the Tennessee Smokies (April 8-10).

Other April series are: April 19-22 vs. Mobile BayBears (four games) and April 23-26 vs. Carolina Mudcats (four games).

The Rays will once again contend for the Southern League playoffs as they return to the sports complex for a 70-game home schedule through Aug. 29. The Rays will be led by new manager Mako Oliveras, who worked as a coach with the Devil Rays' AAA affiliate in Durham, N.C., for the past three seasons.

Information on ticket packages and group tickets is available by calling 407/938-3815 or 407/939-GAME. Individual tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster at 407/839-3900.

"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It" At Walt Disney World Resort

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. April 6 marks the one-year anniversary of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It!" at Disney-MGM Studios. Since the live interactive attraction opened last year, twenty-nine "millionaires" have walked away from the hot seat with a host of prizes and a free trip to New York to see Regis Philbin on the set of the hit ABC-TV game show. The live interactive attraction provides guests a chance to sit in the hot seat and play along. The show runs daily at Disney-MGM Studios.

Epcot Presents New Balancing Act of the Future

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Segway HT, the world's first self-balancing human transporter, is now on display at Innoventions, Epcot's technology playground. With dimensions no larger than the average human body and weighing about 85 pounds, Segway HT can go wherever a pedestrian can walk.

Advanced technology allows the Segway to move with a slight shift in the rider's weight. A lean to the front moves it forward and a lean backwards takes the Segway in reverse. Speed is determined by how much the rider shifts his weight.

In addition to its rotating display at Innoventions, there are interactive stations nearby to give guests a more detailed look at this incredible invention, and guests will witness how Segway HT performs while watching cast members conduct daily demonstrations.

Dreamers and Doers Make the "World" Go 'Round

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Curiosity. Confidence. Courage. Constancy. These are the four qualities that made a "dreamer and doer" in Walt Disney's mind.

April 17 marks the 19th annual recognition of Central Florida students who exemplify these characteristics in their daily activities. The Disney Dreamers and Doers program was introduced in 1984 to recognize students who exemplified those Four C's in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. The positive reaction of educators, parents and students to this program encouraged Disney to extend the program beyond the immediate tri-county area to every county in Florida.

Chosen by their superintendents, nearly 600 Dreamers and Doers each receive four tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World Resort theme park of their choice for one year, a Dreamers and Doers certificate, a special medallion, and the opportunity to visit any Disney theme park with family and friends after the ceremony concludes.

The nearly 600 talented and dedicated students who are being honored this year join the ranks of nearly 6,000 young people who have been named Dreamers and Doers to date.