Disney Confirms Toontown Fair Closing February 11, 2011

An important Fantasyland expansion update from the Disney Parks Blog:

As many of you know, we’re in the midst of the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history, which will nearly double the size of Fantasyland. In order to make way for this transformation, it’s important to let you know Mickey’s Toontown Fair will close in early February.

Mickey's Toontown Fair

That doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about some of your favorite characters. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and the Disney princesses will move to Town Square in the location currently known as Town Square Exposition Hall in spring 2011. Until that location is ready, they will continue to greet guests throughout Magic Kingdom. Meanwhile, Tinker Bell will relocate to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and her other fairy friends will appear later in the spring at Epcot. The Walt Disney World Railroad will stay open, but the Toontown station will remain closed during construction.

We hope you will pardon our dust as work progresses and if you’d like to experience Mickey’s Toontown Fair, you’ll have until Feb. 11 to make those plans. Remember, there are still many other entertainment experiences throughout Magic Kingdom to delight everyone in the family.

Fantasyland construction will be completed in phases with most new experiences open by 2013. This expansion is particularly exciting because it will enable us to share treasured stories with you in a whole new way. We’ll share more with you here as our work progresses.

Date Set for CALIFORNIA Letters Removal

From the Disney Parks Blog:

As we look forward to 2011, we are excited to share that we are making great progress on the expansion of Disney California Adventure park. The year 2010 has been very exciting. In June, we made a big splash with “World of Color,” the nighttime spectacular that is wowing guests every night. On October 29, we reached an exciting milestone with Cars Land with the topping out of the Cadillac Mountain range – about 125 feet in the air. And, many of you have seen The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure and Goofy’s Sky School coming to life along the parade route. Both are scheduled to open in 2011 along with new restaurants and shops as we finish the entire Paradise Pier expansion.

Now, as we move toward a new year, expansion continues. In January, our efforts move to the front of the park.

The 'CALIFORNIA' Letters at Disney California Adventure Park

On Jan. 4, we will begin making way for a new entrance modeled after the legendary Pan-Pacific Auditorium. This means, the “CALIFORNIA” letters will be removed, and we plan to save these icons for possible future use. Now’s the time to get your photos!

Artist Rendering of the Disney California Adventure Main Entrance Area

As this work continues, we are making adjustments to the Disney California Adventure Main Entrance area, including relocation of some Guest service areas. We’ll keep you informed about those here on the Disney Parks Blog as soon as we have specific dates and locations.

Rendering of Los Angeles in the 1920s

Also on Jan. 4, we will begin the transformation of the Sunshine Plaza area into Buena Vista Street inside the Main Entrance. When complete, it will represent Hollywood as it was when Walt Disney arrived on the west coast in the 1920s.

Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more updates as the expansion continues.

Video from the 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Filming

WDWNT Reporter Banks Lee attended all of the filming for the 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade over the weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort and has videos from the festivities to share. All of these videos are embedded via our WDWNTube video site:

Don’t forget to watch the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade on ABC on December 25th. Viewers can check local broadcast times online at DisneyChristmasDayParade.com and find out more information about the parade telecast.

2011 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival Celebrate Pixar and Pooh

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The heroes of “Toy Story 3” have left the toy box. Woody and Buzz Lightyear meet arch-enemy Lotso the teddy bear on the Future World playground for the 18th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 2 through May 15, 2011, at Walt Disney World Resort.

The popular Disney•Pixar characters hit the sandbox as seven- and eight-foot-tall topiaries at the Epcot front entrance flower bed featuring a sand castle, strawberry-scented field and playground toys. Created by Disney gardeners and topiary experts with bold strokes of seasonal color, the topiary display marks the first time “Toy Story” characters have been showcased at the festival which, along with more than 100 topiaries, features seminars and gardening demonstrations, gardens bursting with millions of blooms, “flower power” music and more.

The “Toy Story” display marks the first time in seven years that the front-entrance floral spectacle showcases all-new topiary characters, says festival horticulture manager Eric Darden.

“It created unique challenges,” Darden says, “and it’s meticulous work. Woody is skinny, and it was a challenge to create his legs. The detail on Buzz is pretty daunting.” And the buzz on the pink-floral Lotso (a.k.a. Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear) is that he will smell like strawberries, just like his big-screen character, when guests stroll by.

Among the expertly crafted topiaries, another show-stopper will be the brand-new “Cars 2” display at the World Showcase plaza, Darden says. Large floral topiaries of “Cars” characters Mater and Lightning McQueen will park their colorful chassis beneath a black-and-white checkered arch. To complete the scene, gardeners will create floral flags representing Japan, France, Italy and the United Kingdom – destinations of the car characters in the sequel due in theaters June 24.

And Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and pals appear in topiary splendor among a Hundred Acre Wood wildflower display between Future World and World Showcase. They’re just in time to spread the happy news about the “Winnie the Pooh Movie” debuting summer 2011.

New in the Park!

An expanded Bambi’s Butterfly House, a new Healthy Living Garden, special gardener appearances on a new Festival Center stage and first-time Flower Power performers add fresh twists to the 18th annual festival:

· A roomier-than-ever Bambi’s Butterfly House grows three-fold this year in its new location along Imagination Walkway by Innoventions West in Future World. It’s the first time the popular garden has expanded since its 2005 debut, and guests will see more butterflies than ever, Darden says.

· The Healthy Living Garden invites park guests to join in fun activities designed for improving their health and well being. Areas of the garden, presented by Syngenta, focus on healthful eating, fitness, relaxation and meditation. An adjacent children’s play area keeps it all in the family.

· A new Festival Center stage brings nationally recognized garden personalities to the festival twice daily.

· Rapunzel lets down her hair at Rapunzel’s Tower in the Tangled Magical Garden inspired by Walt Disney Pictures’ animated film, “Tangled,” located between the Germany and Italy pavilions.

· Flower Power grows with new-to-the-festival pop acts. Melissa Manchester, March 25-27 (Don’t Cry Out Loud), Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., April 8-10 (You Don’t Have to Be a Star) and Juice Newton April 15-17 (Playing with the Queen of Hearts) are set to light up America Gardens Theatre with their timeless tunes.

· A new Festival Special Weekend is slated for May when Disney/Pixar presents a Pixar Animation Studios celebration in conjunction with the upcoming “Cars 2” big-screen debut set for June 24.

Throughout the festival, elaborate floral beds and entertaining exhibits will decorate the park landscape and showcase the extraordinary talents of Disney gardeners. A blooming Guerlain Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion returns with its never-ending “love story” of the relationship between plants and perfume. At the Japan showcase, the art of bonsai will mesmerize guests who stop at the pavilion’s vermilion torii gate.

Don’t miss:

· Flower Power concerts – Popular bands will rock the open-air America Gardens Theatre every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. Jose Feliciano is scheduled to kick off the concert series March 4-6. The Flower Power lineup also will feature pop favorites such as Davy Jones, Chubby Checker & The Wildcats, and Paul Revere & the Raiders.

· The Festival Center– Guests can shop for festival merchandise, attend demonstrations and get ideas and tips from master gardeners. Includes Disney Gardening at Home and other presentations.

· Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden –Fabulous Disney fairies alight to greet young fans who enter this whimsical garden designed with play structures for children ages 2-5.

· Disney Gardening at Home presentations – Disney horticulturists will share gardening tips and lead guests in a hands-on, take-home activity.

· Special Festival Weekend Celebrations – An Art in the Garden celebration of plein air artists is scheduled March 25-27; the popular I Dig Bugs event is set for April 15-17; and a Fresh from Florida Farmer’s Market salute is slated for April 29-May 1. A date will be announced for the May Disney/Pixar weekend celebration.

AMC Downtown Disney 24 Raises Curtain On New Refreshments

The renamed AMC Downtown Disney 24 (Formerly Pleasure Island) debuted a new lobby and refreshment area a few days ago, including gourmet popcorn, Coke Freestyle machines, and a vastly expanded menu:

 

This is only the beginning of changes for the AMC 24. In January, the entrance across from Planet Hollywood will close to be turned into the entrance for “Fork and Screen” theaters which will include theater numbers 21-24 that will be remodeled. Meanwhile, the entrance in the middle of the West Side will be used to access all “regular” theaters, numbers 1-20.

Book Opens On New Pooh Queue Overnight

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Construction of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at Magic Kingdom

After the last guest left Magic Kingdom Park one night last week, Walt Disney Imagineers unveiled some magic. While you slept, they removed construction walls surrounding The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and gave a first look at their amazing work.

The queue and exterior façade for the classic Fantasyland attraction have been completely re-imagined. You can now enjoy a fully immersive interactive adventure through the Hundred Acre Wood that includes visits to Tigger’s Bouncy Place, Rabbit’s Garden, Eeyore’s Gloomy Place and Pooh’s Hunny Hives. Here’s a peek at the work that took place. Enjoy.