On July 14, Walt Disney World Resort kicked off its annual EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. The Festival not only features a ton of food booths offering all types of cuisine, but there is a ton of great merchandise, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series has returned, and Remy’s Hide and Squeak is back. On top of all that excitement, Walt Disney World is still celebrating its 50th Anniversary, so there is a bunch of specialty food and merchandise for that as well! It is truly a perfect time to visit EPCOT and all the other fantastic theme parks.
As part of the 50th Anniversary, Disney created the “Beacons of Magic” — where theme park icons undergo a magical transformation each night. There are lights and music, and Guests love to gather around and watch. The Beacons of Magic are Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park, the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom, Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios, and Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.
Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley has shared that, for a limited time, the magical show that appears on Spaceship Earth each night will be changing. Imagineers want to celebrate both the 50th Anniversary and the Food & Wine Festival. The new show will feature some incredible Easter eggs from the classic Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. Riddley shared the fun news on his Instagram page.
Our Lighting Design team at Walt Disney Imagineering continues to explore the artistic and technical possibilities of the new Spaceship Earth lighting. For our newest limited time sequence, we were inspired by the vibrant colors and strong movement in the 1991 Walt Disney Animation Studios classic, “Beauty and the Beast,” and infused both into the programming of the show. Be on the lookout for some fun subtle easter eggs such as rising champagne bubbles and the multicolor spotlights from the finale of the song, plus a special tri-color celebration to France, the setting and inspiration of this tale as old as time.
It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you to “Be Our Guest” for an amazing new sequence inspired by the Academy-Award winning song just in time for the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
For the music, we always enjoy the chance to put an EPCOT twist on the shows we create for Spaceship Earth. The lyrics from this song as known by heart to millions – I know I can recite them by heart every time the song comes on, and I’m sure I am note alone… By blending both the original English and French versions of Be Our Guest (known in French as “C’est la Fete”) we create a unique cross-cultural experience that’s a spectacle in any and all languages.
Enjoy!
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This show is even more special because Beauty and the Beast is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. This is just one special acknowledgment Disney is giving the Oscar-winning film. On December 16, ABC will release a live-action/animated special celebrating 30 years of the classic fairy tale on Disney+.
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will run daily through November 19 and your theme park ticket includes admission to the Festival. Festival booths feature a number of small plates that are perfect for sharing or indulging in by yourself! There is also a free Festival passport, so you can mark off all the delicious eats and sweets you are able to experience.
