Yesterday we saw a few of the changes coming to the Magic Kingdom in part one of the update. Today we dive deep into Fantasyland and the expansion we’re all waiting to explore. Dumbo’s courtyard home is almost a memory now. The construction walls now… Read More »Magic Kingdom Weekend Update – Part II
Had a great time in the Magic Kingdom today (once I got into the MK at least). There are plenty of noteworthy changes at the park: the new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom was open for guests in testing mode, construction was going full bore, and a few surprises were in order. This is a long update with 28 pictures. So I broke it up into two parts. But it might become three or more, who knows. Stay tuned.
Alright then. On with the show.
We arrived at the TTC only to find the Express and Resort monorail lines down. Everyone was being directed to the ferry boats. Without knowing how long the monorails would be down for, we decided to take the ferry.
A giant crane hanging over Cinderella Castle is not really what you want to see when you’re arriving at the Magic Kingdom.
However, when you’re arriving via ferry boat, this is an even worse sight — a ferry still in the dock. We didn’t have to wait as long this week as we did last week (about 6 minutes of waiting this time, about 12 minutes last week). But even more frustrating was the fact that both monorail lines came back to life while we were stuck in the middle of the lake and started delivering guests from TTC to the main entrance ahead of us.
With both a monorail and a ferry arriving at the same time bag check lines were long. I chose a shorter queue, but ended up waiting even longer than most as the Security Guard actually found something prohibited in a bag a few people in front of me. A small glass bottle of alcohol (serious, sneak it in in your pockets or a plastic container if you have to people. You’re not frisked, just your bags) and a mid-sized kitchen knife. There was also a little bit of a language barrier. Everything was handled professionally, but with only limited bag check lines open, it was just upping my frustration level to stuck in a line that was not be moving.
I know we hit the trifecta of bad luck, but I have to think that a guest’s arrival at the park is an area of the show still in need of much work. Starting off with a frown on your face is a bummer, you know.
Finally, we saw this sign and I mentally prepared myself for immersion in the magic.
Let’s get into the magic below the jump:
With the holiday rush officially over, it’s time for the Magic Kingdom to expand the walls for its New Fantasyland expansion and start the placemaking that will transform the area behind the castle into a forested wonderland. Part A of that plan is to dismantle… Read More »Dumbo Moving to New Home in Storybook Circus
A few years ago you could fire a cannon down any pathway in Islands of Adventure and have little risk of hitting a soul. But a big change swept into the park and with it a ton more visitors, all opening their wallets to take… Read More »How should Universal Maximize Harry Potter Potential
Big news from Universal Studios theme parks division was just announced. Not only is the rumored Universal Studios Hollywood Wizarding World of Harry Potter clone official, the expansion in Universal Orlando Resort has been officially confirmed. Here’s the official press release: Warner Bros. Entertainment and… Read More »Universal Studios Wizarding World of Harry Potter Officially Expanding in Orlando, Coming to Hollywood
Jason Garcia at the Orlando Sentinel has bit more background on Disney’s decision to cancel the National Harbor hotel. Disney claims that DVC was not going to be a part of the hotel and that Aulani’s troubled start had nothing to do with it. analysts… Read More »Disney’s Stand-Alone Hotels On Hold or Over?
While this isn’t coming from an official Disney representative, there was some interesting news made at the International Academy of Tourism expo in Shanghai. Construction is just underway on Shanghai Disneyland, it won’t open until 2016, but expectations are already pretty high. According to Alastair… Read More »Tourism Official – Shanghai Disneyland Expected to Draw Big
The first major tree was added to the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland Expansion earlier this week. It’s the first of many as the whole area is supposed to have a forested feel. Here’s a photo shared by Walt Disney’s Imagineers. According to the Disney Parks Blog:… Read More »First Tree Planted in Fantasyland Expansion