• May 18-20
• May 25-27
• June 1-3
• June 8 -  10

Casting Crowns – who just won the 2011 American Music Award® for Contemporary Inspirational Artist of the Year (its second such honor) – will headline the lineup for the 30th-year history of Disney’s Night of Joy Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, 2012, along with Christian music greats MercyMe, Chris Tomlin, Third Day, Kutless and needtobreathe. Filling Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort with the sound of contemporary Christian music will be more than a dozen artists with a 20-year legacy of accolades – including multiple GMA Dove Awards, GRAMMY® Awards and numerous other accomplishments.

Here’s the night-by-night Night of Joy 2012 lineup (entertainment, event times and schedule subject to change):

• Friday, Sept. 7, 2012: Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, needtobreathe, Red, Francesca Battistelli, Brandon Heath, Royal Tailor, Disciple
• Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012: MercyMe, Third Day, Kutless, Chris August, Lecrae and Thousand Foot Krutch

Newcomers to Night of Joy include Royal Tailor, bringing the 30-year roster of artists to 150 acts.

Night of Joy is an after-hours event that requires a special ticket. Event hours are 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. each evening. While artists perform at several stages, many popular Magic Kingdom Park attractions also are available for guests. One- and two-night individual Night of Joy tickets will be put on sale in the spring. In addition, there are special benefits for groups of 10 or more. Additional information about individual and group tickets is available at www.nightofjoy.com.

The works of Irish artist Graham Knuttel have found homes among Hollywood royalty like Sylvester Stallone, Whoopie Goldberg and Robert DeNiro. On Nov. 11, 2011, one of the renowned artist’s works will find a home at Walt Disney World Resort.

Renowned Irish artist Graham Knuttel’s latest commission – a painting for Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant at Downtown Disney – will be unveiled during the opening day of Festival of the Masters, one of the Southeast’s most highly regarded juried art festivals since 1975. While the painting will be on permanent display at the pub, Knuttel will exhibit a collection of many new pieces at the Nov. 11-13 festival and will appear at Raglan Road “Meet the Artist” events Nov. 12 at 2 and 3:30 p.m.

Friday, September 9

Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage

• 7:45 p.m. – Jeremy Camp
• 9:50 p.m. – Newsboys
• 11:55 p.m. – Skillet

“Design stars from the network will talk about home entertaining,” said Michael Jenner, festival manager. “Think about the way interior decorators design a room … and imagine that same creative process brought to the dinner table. It’ll be a great way to get ready for all the holidays coming up.”

Here’s the lineup (subject to change):

• Sept. 30-Oct. 2 – Vern Yip, “HGTV Design Star” and “HGTV Urban Oasis”

• Oct. 7-9 – Monica Pedersen, “Designed to Sell”

• Oct. 14-16 – Erin Loechner, “Design Happens”

• Oct. 21-23 – Taniya Nayak, “Designed to Sell”

• Oct. 28-30 – Kim Stoegbauer, “On-line Party Inspiration”

• Nov. 4-6 – Lisa LaPorta, “Designed to Sell”

• Nov. 11-13 – Emily Henderson, “Secrets From a Stylist” and “HGTV Design Star” winner Season 5 “Design Star” 

Walt Disney World Resort will pixie dust the night skies July 4 with special pyrotechnic shows, including a patriotic display at Magic Kingdom, a rock’n’roll spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and a classic sky show at Epcot infused with an Independence Day finale. Here’s what’s in store:

• Magic Kingdom will present “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky.” This patriotic fireworks spectacular, paying homage to the hopes and dreams of America’s forefathers, will light the skies at 9 p.m. July 4 – and for guests who would like to begin the Independence Day celebration early, the show also will be presented July 3 at 9 p.m.
• At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, traditional Fourth of July fireworks take on a different spin when Mulch, Sweat, and Shears perform for the all-new “Rockin’ 4^th of July Celebration”! These resident landscapers – with serious rock and roll ambitions – take Disney guests on a musical road trip across America that will highlight each region’s contribution to rock and roll. Fireworks, lighting and special effects – backed by the driving live rock and roll of Mulch, Sweat, and Shears – combine to bring a new twist to celebrating Independence Day. Showtime July 4 is 9:45 p.m. Before or after the show, Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can thrill to Disney’s Fantasmic!, performing July 4 at 9 and 10:30 p.m.
  

• At Epcot, sky-watchers can check out  “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” bursting high above World Showcase Lagoon. IllumiNations is a 14-minute spectacular during which pyrotechnics, lasers, water and music are all used to tell a story about the past, present and future of our planet. On the Fourth of July, the show will be enhanced with "The Heartbeat of Freedom," an overture of traditional Americana themes displayed in a pyrotechnic and laser light event. The show is at 10 p.m.

In addition, Epcot guests may lend their ears to “Voices of Liberty 4^th of July Concert” and participate in meet-and-greets with Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross and Disney characters adorned in patriotic dress at American Adventure. 

Theme park hours on July 4 (subject to change without notice): Magic Kingdom, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.; Epcot, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Disney’s Hollywood Studios, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.