- August 2009 -

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party dates: September 4, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29 ; October 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31; and November 1, 2009. Tickets on sale May 1.

Sounds Like Summer concert series, which features tribute bands at America Gardens Theatre in Epcot, has revised its schedule somewhat. Concerts, which are included in regular Epcot admission, are nightly at 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. (except July 4, when show times will be 5:15, 6:30, 7:45 and 9 p.m.). The current lineup (subject to change):

July 27-August 2 – 2U – A Tribute to U2
August 3-9: Petty Theft – A Tribute to Tom Petty

July 31 - August 2, in the Norway Pavilion -- Sig Hansen, caption of the Northwestern and the star of The Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel, will be on hand daily for photos and autographs, along with deck boss Edgar Hansen and deck hand Matt Bradley. Times are: 1 - 4 p.m. and 5:30 - 8 p.m. Northwestern gear will also be available for purchase.

Bay Lake Tower opens at the Contemporary Resort on August 4, 2009. AllEars.Net's Deb Wills and Jack Spence will be staying at the resort and reporting!

Magic Meets - Friday through Sunday, August 7 – 9, 2009; held in Camp Hill, PA

The next Mickey's Pin Trading Afternoon (formerly Mickey's Pin Trading Night) will be held Saturday, August 15, 2009 from 2 to 5 p.m. This free activity is open to all ages and will be held at Disney's Contemporary Resort - Convention Center, Fantasia G Ballroom. There will not be a pin trading activity in September, but the monthly event will resume in October.

The complete (tentative) list of Eat to the Beat! concerts to be held during this year's Epcot Food and Wine Festival (September 25 - November 8) has been released. The lineup includes five performers playing the festival for the first time: Richard Marx, Better Than Ezra, Vanessa Carlton, John Waite and Billy Ocean. Concerts, which are included with Epcot admission, are held in the park's America Gardens Theatre daily and begin at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. The lineup (subject to change):

September 25-27: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy ("You & Me & The Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)"
September 28-29: Richard Marx ("Hold On to the Nights")
September 30-October 3: Starship starring Mickey Thomas ("We Built This City")
October 4-6: En Vogue ("Free Your Mind")
October 7-8: Better Than Ezra ("Good")
October 9-11: Sister Hazel ("All for You")
October 12-13: Kool & The Gang ("Celebration")
October 14-16: Spyro Gyra ("Morning Dance")
October 17-18: Jon Secada ("Just Another Day")
October 19-20: Sister Sledge ("We Are Family")
October 21-22: Vanessa Carlton ("A Thousand Miles")
October 23-25: Taylor Dayne ("Tell It to My Heart")
October 26-28: Boyz II Men ("Motownphilly")
October 29-31: John Waite ("Missing You")
November 1-2: Night Ranger ("Sister Christian")
November 3-5: Billy Ocean ("Caribbean Queen")
November 6-8: Los Lobos ("La Bamba")

Night of Joy, a contemporary Christian music festival, will be held on September 11-12, 2009, from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. each night. Tickets went on sale March 1. The line-up (subject to change) is:

September 11: P.O.D., newsboys, Kutless, Tomlin, NEEDTOBREATHE, Leeland and Superchick.
September 12: Skillet, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Flyleaf, Family Force 5, Grits and Mandisa.

One-night tickets purchased in advance (up to the day prior to the event) are $49.95 plus tax (on event day, if available, tickets are $54.95). Two-night tickets are $84.95 plus tax. Call us at 1-877-439-8747 for more information.

Animal Kingdom Villas - Phase 1 of Kidani Village opens May 1, 2009. Phase 2, which includes Pembe Savanna, opens September 2009.

Boardwalk Resort - Kouzzina by Cat Cora at Disney's BoardWalk (on the site of Spoodles) is now scheduled to have its grand opening September 17, 2009. Reservations for Kouzzina may be booked now. Call us for more information.

Disney Vacation Club's S.S. Member Cruise 2009 will take place September 13 - 17, 2009. The cruise will have two stops at Castaway Cay, as well as special onboard guests and events. Reservations begin on November 2, 2008.

Disney's Wide World of Sports

September 18-20 -- Athletes for a Cure Triathlon -- A percentage of the registration fee for the Second Annual Athletes goes to Athletes for a Cure - Prostate Cancer Foundation. This international distance triathlon will feature a 1.5 K swim (.9 miles) a 40 K bike (24.8 miles) and a 10 K run. (6.2 miles). The event will be held at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

September 26 -- Expedition Everest™ Challenge -- Race through the dark, exotic terrain of Disney's Animal Kingdom on a thrilling 5K trek in the shadows of the Forbidden Mountain. There are plenty of clues, but only a few will escape the Yeti, known as the abominable snowman! The team needs to earn all of the stamps in their Expedition Passport to conquer the challenge. Then the real excitement begins as the teams celebrate their finish at an exclusive after-hours party at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

D23 Expo - Tickets are now onsale. Disney fans will be given unprecedented access to never-before-seen movies, TV shows, park experiences, collectibles and more from Sept. 10 to Sept. 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center when Disney and D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans present the first-ever D23 EXPO.

Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 EXPO and can be purchased for single days or for the full four days of festivities. Admission is discounted for members of D23.

The D23 EXPO will be home to the 2009 Disney Legends Awards – a 22-year tradition that pays tribute to the talented men and women who have made indelible contributions to Disney entertainment. In an extraordinary exhibition designed specifically for the D23 EXPO, an incredible collection of classic and contemporary Disney props, artifacts and costumes will be accessible to the public for the first time ever. “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” brings together such amazing pieces as the fully restored, 11-foot model of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; the stunning, jewel-encrusted book used in the opening moments of Sleeping Beauty; and other rare surprises from throughout Disney's history.

Call 1-877-439-8747 for more details on any of these events!