REMEMBERING the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Pixar May 13-15, 2011
In 2011, if you planned to attend Pixar’s 25th Anniversary Weekend May 13-15 at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival in Orlando Florida, you would have most likely visited this website to register for the “Presenting Pixar” sessions. The site included lots of information about the speaker sessions, Disney-Pixar character meet-and-greet experiences, kids’ activities, as well as pictures of amazing Pixar themed topiaries. Once the Weekend activities were over the site remained live until its domain registration expired.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PAGE CONTAINS SELECTIVE ARCHIVED CONTENT FROM THE ORIGINAL SITE.
Since the site will not be exactly as you remember it, please be indulgent.
Now let's take a nostalgic stroll back to 2011.
Revisiting the 2011 the The 25th Anniversary Celebration of Pixar
AT THE EPCOT® INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVAL
Celebration of Pixar coming May 13-15
Immerse yourself in the world of Pixar films at Pixar’s 25th Anniversary Weekend. As the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida wraps, celebrate Pixar with exciting activities, special character appearances and a speaker series with Pixar insiders.
Observation:
We are all Pixar fans in my family, so of course we registered here and went to as many activities that we could fit in for those three days. Recently I discovered that the domain for PixarWeekend.com was available, so I bought it with the goal of recreating some of its content from archived pages. I definitely didn't want someone else purchasing the domain and re-purposing it for something that had nothing in common with the original website. My kids loved the idea of keeping the memory of that weekend alive. They looked for themselves in each of the pictures I uploaded to the site. I told them we had plenty of our own pictures. The following week after this site once again was live on the web, I was filling out the form on my favorite lens replacement site. I actually discovered this site which allows you to get new lenses for both regular eyeglasses and sunglasses without making a trio to your local optician. For folks like myself, who live way out in the boondocks it is a really convenient service. The transaction is via the mail. Since the online site offer all kinds of replacement lenses, including single vision, progressive, bifocal, and trifocal lenses in materials that run the gamut from plastic and polycarbonate, to high index, Trivex and even glass, you are bound to find what you want. I have even ordered replacement prescription sunglass lenses which they offer in custom tint, Transitions technology, polarized, and even mirror coated. So my youngest came into my study. I was on the page where you make your own eyeglasses lens choices, and design them to fit your particular lifestyle, preferences, and bank account. She looked at what I was doing and then asked. "Dad when this site disappears from the computer, will you also make it appear again?" I told Sophie that I hoped it would not go away for a long, long time since I make use of its services. I think they are doing OK as a business since they have been installing mail-order eyeglass lens replacements for more than 16 years. "Well" she said, "you know what to do if they do disappear." and walked out of my study playing with her soft stuffed Ratatouille Emile and Remy rat toys.
Update: a decade later.
Boy, a lot has changed in the past ten years. My daughter has graduated from college, we survived four years of Trump and made it through the Covid pandemic, although that has not disappeared as the former President had assured us it would, and Governor DeSantis of Florida signed a bill stripping Disney World of its status as an "independent special district," fulfilling his request to punish the Disney company for its liberal stances on social and education issues. Democracy is hanging on by its finger tips, the weather has become totally crazy and I am now in the midst of helping my mother move into an assisted living residence in Harford County, Street, Maryland, called Hart Heritage Estates. The last event is actually wonderful. The facility is located on 6.5 acres of park like woodlands where wild life is still seen. Bird watching is terrific, and the Ma & Pa hiking trail, well known here in Maryland, actually goes through the property. My mother has several friends already at the facility who rave about the staff and activities. I like the fact that it is a licensed dementia care facility that provides round the clock care and supervision in a safe environment. Not that my mother needs it right now, but just in case. Hart Heritage is only an hour+ drive from Philadelphia where we live, so it will be easy to visit her on a regular basis. Don't think we will be visiting Florida again in the near future, but our 2011 trip to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival still brings back fond memories.
Special Pixar Meet and Greets
Pixar films come to life! Meet your favorite Pixar characters in exclusive meet-and-greets held throughout Epcot®.
Future World
- Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story at Mission: SPACE
- Mater from Carsand Cars 2 at Test Track
- Living Coral Stilt Walkers at The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Crush at Turtle Talk with Crush
World Showcase
- Woody, Jessie and Bullseye from Toy Story at the American Adventure
- Flick, Atta, Gypsy Moth and stilt walking Slim from A Bug’s Life at the Art of Living Garden
- Remy and Emile from Ratatouille at France
Pixar Celebration Headquarters
World Showplace, located between the Canada and United Kingdom pavilion, will serve as the celebration weekend headquarters.
Here, you can meet even more Pixar favorites:
- Mr. & Mrs. Incredible and FroZone from The Incredibles
- Lotso from Toy Story 3
- Mike, Sully, Boo and Smitty from Monster’s Inc.
- Carl, Russell and Dug from Up
PLUS… Browse a photo gallery that reveals some of the best “Easter Eggs” from Pixar films, and explore the art gallery for a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible creative work that goes in to Pixar films.
Presenting Pixar Speaker Sessions
Get the inside scoop from Oscar®-nominated Pixar producer Jonas Rivera, Oscar®-winning composer Michael Giacchino and Cars Franchise Guardian Jay Ward at the speaker series held inside World Showplace Saturday and Sunday.
Daily Speaker Session Schedule: May 14 – 15, 2011
Presenting Pixar” Speaker Sessions at Pixar Weekend
- Noon: Jay Ward
- 2:00 PM: Jonas Rivera
- 4:00 PM: Michael Giacchino
- 6:00 PM: Special Presentation by Jay Ward, Jonas Rivera and Michael Giacchino
Update: The Sunday May 15 session will feature an appearance by Cars 2 Supervising Animator Shawn Krause in place of Michael Giacchin
There is no additional charge for the Pixar Speaker Sessions at Pixar Weekend but admission to Epcot® is required.
Jonas Rivera
Producer
Pixar Animation Studios
Jonas Rivera joined Pixar Animation Studios in 1994 as a production office assistant on the studio’s first feature film, Toy Story. Working on almost every Pixar feature film to date, Rivera’s ability and expertise has enabled him to advance in his role on each of the studio’s subsequent productions.
Progressing to art department coordinator for A Bug’s Life, Rivera then served as a marketing and creative resources coordinator for Toy Story 2. His heart always in the art and creativity of filmmaking, Rivera returned to the art department, this time as a manager, on Monsters, Inc.
Rivera then went on to serve as production manager on Pixar’s Golden Globe® winning feature, Cars. Rivera’s most recent credit is as producer on Disney•Pixar’s recently released feature film Up, for which he was awarded Producer of the Year in Animated Features by the Producers Guild of America and is an Academy Award® nominee for Best Picture.
For as long as he can remember, Rivera has always loved films, particularly animated ones. His first childhood memories consist of the Tiki Room at Disneyland and going to the theater to see films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Star Wars. Inspired at a very young age, Rivera was enthralled with the medium of filmmaking and dreamed of making films himself someday.
Prior to Pixar, Rivera’s diverse professional background includes working in music stores, toy stores and playing in hard rock bands – what he jokingly refers to as ‘the perfect training for working at Pixar.’
A Bay Area native, Rivera grew up in Castro Valley and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Film Production. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife and their children.
Michael Giacchino
Oscar-winning Composer Michael Giacchino began studying music composition at Julliard and UCLA, eventually becoming a producer for Disney Interactive Division, writing music for video games. His work grabbed the attention of Television Producer JJ Abrams, who hired him to write the score for ABC’s “Alias,” and “Lost,” the latter of which Michael earned an Emmy.
Michael’s more recent composition credits include Disney•Pixar’s “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille,” as well as “Up,” which earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and two Grammy Awards. He’s currently working on Disney•Pixar’s “Cars 2.”
Jay Ward
CARS Franchise Guardian
Pixar Animation Studios
Jay Ward came to Pixar Animation Studios in December 1998 to work as an art department production assistant on the 2001 feature film, “Monsters, Inc.” He was soon promoted to coordinator, and in 2001 began early development work on the 2006 film, “Cars.” During the production of “Cars,” Ward’s knowledge of the automotive world let him to play different roles on the film, including character team manager and consultant to the film’s director and co-director, John Lasseter and Joe Ranft. Ward continues to contribute his enthusiasm for cars and his artistic passions to the creation of any and everything within the “Cars” Franchise.
Ward is currently working on Disney•Pixar’s upcoming feature film, “Cars 2,” scheduled for release on June 24, 2011.
Prior to Pixar, Jay served in the U.S. Naval Reserves and attended California College of the Arts where in 1993 he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. His diverse professional background includes bussing tables in high school, working as a signalman in the U.S. Navy, aircraft fueler, Harley Davidson parts department manager, and freelance illustrator. Those disparate experiences have collectively given Jay an opportunity to utilize his people, collaboration, and creative skills to great success at Pixar.
Ward currently resides in Oakland, California with his wife and their two children.
Activities
Fun activities abound, including the Cars 2 Race Around World Showcase. Journey through World Showcase pavilions in search clues that lead to a special reward at the end.
All of these exciting experiences are included with Epcot admission. Sign up below to be notified when more information is available, or check back here for updates.
Entertainment subject to change.
Thanks!
Thanks to everyone who attended Pixar’s 25th Anniversary Weekend at The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. If you have any feedback, we would love to hear it!
