Brandon Struve took a short trip to the Magic Kingdom on Monday to check out the new audio playing on the TTA and has some photos to share of his day in the park:
A new merchandise location shaped like the tip board has replaced the merchandise cart near the Plaza Ice Cream parlor
Read More about Brandon Struve’s 10/5/09 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Matt Paul was able to record video of both the “Imagineering the Future of the Disney Parks” presentation and the follow-up press conference at the D23 Expo, and now has both videos available for your enjoyment. Both videos are embedded below courtesy of the WDWNTube:
Hopefully these videos have answered some lingering questions about the exciting upcoming Walt Disney World projects. We still have many questions to ask as well and will try to get them answered as soon as possible, so stay tuned.
I know it’s a few days late, but here is the full press release we were given at the D23 Expo concerning these two exciting new projects for Walt Disney World and other on-going “Parks and Resorts” projects:
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo detailed plans for future lands, attractions and adventures that will be delighting Disney guests for years to come, at the first D23 Expo. Most notable among the announcements were the confirmation of an all-new Star Tours attraction and the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
“Storytelling is the DNA of Disney dreams and we’re always exploring new ways to tell new stories in new places,” Rasulo told a crowd at the Anaheim Convention Center in California before taking them on a “behind-the-magic” tour of their favorite Disney destinations.
Rasulo announced that a new 3-D version of the tremendously-popular “Star Tours” attraction will debut at the Disneyland Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2011. Based on the iconic Lucasfilm “Star Wars” films, the attraction will include immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the Star Wars galaxy.
For Walt Disney World in Florida, Rasulo outlined plans for the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom, vastly increasing the size of Fantasyland by 2013. Guests will soon be able to:
-Visit their favorite Disney Princess in her castle, cottage, or chateau to share a dance with Cinderella; celebrate Sleeping Beauty’s birthday with the Good Fairies; or join Belle in an enchanting story performance in the Beast’s castle library.
-Be Our Guest and dine in one of three enchanted rooms inside the Beast’s castle.
-Fly with Dumbo high above brand new circus grounds, twice the size of the existing attraction with a new interactive, three-ring circus tent.
-Journey under the sea with Ariel, The Little Mermaid, in her very own attraction – also opening at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim in 2011.
-Meet Tinker Bell and her friends in the magical world of Pixie Hollow.Rasulo provided updates on the multi-year expansion of Disney’s California Adventure including the new “World of Color” attraction slated to open in the spring of 2010 and the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land scheduled to open in 2012 where guests will literally step into the town of Radiator Springs and its six acres of hand-carved rockwork.
Rasulo noted the progress of several other recently-announced projects including the three new lands coming to Hong Kong Disneyland by 2014; the Disney Dream, the new ship being built by Disney Cruise Line; the many diverse itineraries being offered by Adventures by Disney that take guests on 19 unique, once-in-a-lifetime guided vacation experiences; and Disney’s first family destination resort on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
Here is our first photo report provided by WDWNT’s Head Technician Jose Castillo. Here is what he saw during his first day trek through the world:
The gingerbread display at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
A cool monorail tree inside the Fantasia shop
Some work being done on top of the BVG store
The tree outside the Contemporary
The latest Dateline Disneyland article on MiceAge has a fine update on construction through-out the Disneyland Resort. Let’s take a look at some of the latest happenings:
The King Triton & Ariel statues have been removed, as well as most of the current theming in Ariel’s Grotto.
This is what has become of the turntable where Ariel entered to meet ‘n greet guests. No word on if the turntable structure will remain for Pixie Hollow.
A construction wall has popped up near the old Fantasyland Skyway Station. Don’t get your hopes up though, because there’s no way the Skyway is ever returning.
Let’s take a quick tour of the new Wishing Star Crystals store, which opened August 30th.
A window display.
In the store, you can buy personalized “magic crystals”.
The Conestoga Wagon near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is still 100% in tact.
This sign is in place at Harbour Galley.
Some of the exterior Haunted Mansion Holiday decorations have already arrived, & are waiting to be installed in the queue area.
Many of the Halloween displays in the shop windows on Main Street USA have already been installed.
Finally, over at Department 56 in Downtown Disney, the new wall sectioning off the store looks to be mostly complete.
For those of you who are fans of the Three Fairies Crystal Shop in Sleeping Beauty Castle, that closed this past Saturday for conversion into the disabled room for the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-through, don’t dread. For the store will be moving in some form or another to the shuttered Gepetto Holiday Shop next to the Village Haus.
While this isn’t confirmed yet, I see no reason for it not to happen. Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today to find out the “final verdict”.
