The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival returns to Walt Disney World on March 5 and guests will have a chance to "pick" some great merchandise.

The topiary artwork from 2013 returns to the festival this year with designs created by Disney's Yellow Shoes Marketing group, including a Minnie Mouse wind chime, a Donald Duck garden stake, and a Mickey Mouse garden figurine.

One of our favorite things about Disney's Hollywood Studios is getting the chance to learn about the magic behind the movies at attractions such as Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show and the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular!

[I'm also particularly fond of the exclamation points used in each show's title, just so guests know how exciting! the show are going to be.]

Walt Disney World cast members and their families recently had a chance to take part in the 4th Annual Walt Disney World Resort Holiday Bird Count guided by Disney's Animal Program experts.

During the bird count more than 24,000 birds representing 119 species were counted at the Walt Disney World Resort and surrounding areas. This number set a new record for the most birds and species observed in the last four years.

As Walt Disney World park guests pass hurriedly through Frontierland to join the queue lines for Splash Mountain and Big Thunder, many will be blissfully unaware of the history attached to this corner of the park. A conceived but unrealized attraction, Disney's Western River Expedition & Thunder Mesa have now become something of a legend amongst Disney Imagineers and officiandos.

If you're visiting the Walt Disney World Resort this month there are several special merchandise events planned.

The Pop of Minnie makeup collection from Beautifully Disney officially launches February 8 at Tren-D in the Downtown Disney Marketplace. "Minnie" makeovers are available for guests from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Disney's Festival of Fantasy Parade doesn't debut until later this spring, but Imagineers and builders are hard at work creating the parade's magical floats.

Recently the Disney Parks Blog gave fans a sneak peek behind the scenes, showing how some of the floats were created. Construction on the floats began several months ago.

Disney Cruise Line has once again ranked in the top three slots in the Conde Nast Traveler's Readers Poll of the top 100 cruise ships in the world.

The Disney Fantasy was ranked the number one large ship in the world, moving up from the number eight spot in the 2013 poll. The Disney Wonder and the Disney Dream took the number two and three spots respectively.

The Disney Magic might have been re-imagined last year, but it dropped to fifth place in the poll, falling from the top spot in the 2013 poll.

A brand new year means brand new adventures at Walt Disney World, and when "Food is a Theme Park" you need a tour guide as talented and knowledgeable as AJ Wolfe of the The Disney Food Blog. Once again her brilliant eBook "The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2014" takes its place as the definitive source for all of your Walt Disney World Dining needs.

As part of the company's ongoing Heroes Work Here initiative, Disney recently announced a new partnership with Student Veterans of America (SVA) to provide three scholarships to student veterans.

The scholarships, each worth $10,000, will be awarded to student veterans who are pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). In addition to the scholarship, the recipients will also be guaranteed an interview for an internship with The Walt Disney Company.

The Flower Power Concert Series during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is once again going to get guests grooving to the sweet sounds of the '60s and '70s.

March 7 is the first date for the Flower Power Concert Series and this year's lineup inculdes two new acts: Gary Lewis and The Playboys (This Diamond Ring) and Alan Parson Live Project (Eye in the Sky).

The Flower Power Concert Series is performed at America Gardens Theater at 5:30, 6:45, and 8 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the Flower & Garden Festival.