Top 7 Events and Festivals at Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World loves to help people celebrate many holiday's throughout the year, and many festivals and events have become a tradition. The following is a list of the top 7 events that Walt Disney World continues to put on throughout the year.

1. Star Wars Weekend - For four weekends each Spring (late May to Late June), Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios hosts Star Wars Weekends. These weekend events allow fans to come out and meet with celebrity guests, costumed characters, take part in a multitude of fun activities, etc. The biggest fan, Mickey Mouse himself, makes his rounds at these events decked out in his own Jedi outfit. One of the events most popular activities is the Jedi Training Academy, an event that tests guests under the age of 12 on their Star Wars knowledge.

2. ESPN Weekend - Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios and ESPN spend the last weekend in February every year hosting Sports Fans of all kinds in this edition of Walt Disney World events, that is filled with star athletes and ESPN personalities, ESPN Sportzone Activities, a 5k Race (new in 2009), etc. A great weekend full of events for all those sports fans that are starting to hit withdrawl from football and those that are putting together their Fantasy Baseball Leagues. Join Mike & Mike for one of the events in an ESPN Radio Live Broadcast.

3. Flower and Garden Festival - Each year Epcot hosts the International Flower & Garden Festival. These traditional festivals takes place from Mid March straight through to the end of May. These festivals are beautiful, showcasing incredible topiaries shaped as Walt Disney World Characters, children garden activities and parks, innovations on gardens and how to become more "green", and a series of concerts, called the "Flower Power Concert Series". The events are perfect for all those Disney fans with 'Green Thumbs'. More information on this festival and the events each day can be found here.

4. Night of Joy - Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios hosts Night of Joy mid September each year. The traditional festivals features events by contemporary Christian performers. In 2009, the events performers are slated to be: Chris Tomlin, P.O.D., Kutless, NewsBoys, Leeland, Superchick, NeedtoBreath, Skillet, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Flyleaf, Mandisa, Family Force 5, and Grits.

5. Food and Wine Festival - Each year, Walt Disney World's Epcot Center hosts a very popular Food & Wine Festival - from late September to mid-November. This festivals feature marketplaces from around the world serving appetizer-sized food, wine and beer, making it a great event for those that are looking to try food from throughtout the world. In the past there have been many seminars, wine tasting events, beer tasting events and specialty dinners that have been offered through reservations at Walt Disney World. More information the events at the festivals can be found here.

6. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party - Every September and October, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, hosts Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party events. These are events that are held after the park closes, from 7pm - 12am, and allows guests to trick or treat throughout the park, meet and greet with popular characters in costume, meet and greet with Villians and characters that are rare to see, an exclusive parade and fireworks show, and of course ride a select amount of rides without the massive lines. Take alook here for more information on these events.

7. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party - From Mid-November to the week before Christmas, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party events. Like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, these events takes place after the park has closed, from 7:00pm to 12:00am. During the events there are exclusive Christmas themed parade down Main Street, Mickey reads Twas' The Night Before Christmas, Belle reads a story of an Enchanted Christmas, Meet and Greets with several Disney Characters, Cookies and Hot Chocolate served throughout the parks and most beautiful of all, there is snow falling on Main Street.

What are your favorite events or festivals at Walt Disney World?

Click here for more Walt Disney World information and tips by Amanda M. Rose