🍷 Come for the wine, stay for the pirates
Will you attend a special event at Disney or Universal this year?
According to a study by travel app TripIt*, 40% of Americans are planning a pop-culture-inspired trip this year. Concerts, sports, and movie/TV destinations are all driving us to hit the road for new experiences.
Of course, theme parks also fall into this category. But not just because they are pop-culture icons themselves.
If you’re looking for a concert destination, or a unique sporting venue, or an unusual culinary experience, the Disney and Universal parks offer a wide array of special adventures that are travel-worthy in themselves.
So today let’s look at some less-conventional reasons you might find yourself in a theme park this year.
*I use TripIt for every single trip I plan, whether it’s around the world or just an overnight getaway. Here’s the list of my favorite travel apps:
Special events at Disney and Universal parks
Run Disney
If you’ve ever thought about doing a destination run, Disney should top the list. From marathons to 5K’s, almost anyone can earn a coveted medal on a RunDisney weekend.
Running events take place at both Disneyland and Disney World throughout the year. Courses often include backstage areas and Disney characters cheering along the way.
You’ll want to register early to get in on the action. Here’s the official RunDisney website.
Music festivals
Both Disney World and Universal Orlando host well-known touring bands throughout the year, included in standard park admission.
At Disney World, you can catch acts like Rick Springfield, The Commodores, and Modern English. These lineups happen several times a year during the Epcot festivals. If Broadway is your scene, the Festival of the Arts features big stars performing Disney classics.
During Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida this year, shows included Queen Latifah, DJ Khaled, and Barenaked Ladies. Universal also hosts an annual Christian music festival called Rock the Universe.
Food and wine festivals
Today’s theme park culinary experience has become quite sophisticated. On any given day, guests can enjoy specialty cocktails, authentic international cuisine, and fantasy treats like Butterbeer and Jabba Juice. And a couple of Disney parks have taken things further with seasonal food and wine festivals.
Epcot is Disney World’s festival hub, with special offerings almost all year round. Even though only one of the festivals is actually called “Food and Wine”, each of Epcot’s events includes a multitude of tasting options. In spring, it’s Flower & Garden; in summer/fall Food & Wine; in winter, the Festival of the Holidays, and then Festival of the Arts.
Each festival is a travel-worthy event on its own. Besides plenty of tasty treats, these events feature special entertainment, decor, merchandise, and exhibitions. They take place all day during regular park hours and all you need is a ticket to Epcot.
On the west coast, Disney’s California Adventure plays host to a number of culinary festivals. Check out Lunar New Year in January and February, the Food & Wine festival in spring, Plaza de la Familia in fall, and the Festival of the Holidays in winter.
Like at Epcot, California Adventure’s festivals include plenty of special food booths, entertainment, and exhibits.
Dress-up days
Besides all the official events, theme park fans have created their own special days too. Probably the best-known, especially at Disneyland, is Dapper Day.
From “Sunday best” to bespoke gowns, guests arrive in all their finery to enjoy a day in the park. If you love dress-up, this is a fantastic time to visit either Disneyland or Disney World.
The next Dapper Days are April 7th in Anaheim and April 20th and 21st in Orlando. Here’s the “official” Dapper Day website.
Next-level Halloween Horror
No list of special theme park events would be complete without mention of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. If you and your friends are fans of haunted houses and horror movies, this needs to be on your calendar.
Both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando have Halloween Horror Night events. These take place most nights in September and October every year, and they make a great reason to plan a trip.
Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights is such a huge event that I’ve written a 1400-word post and done three podcast episodes about it! Get everything you need to know here.