Walt Disney Imagineering has released a new time-lapse video showing the progress of New Fantasyland. If you look close you can see the crane used to put Holiday Lights up on the castle last September. Also note that the video actually ends a few months… Read More »Time-Lapse Video of New Fantasyland Construction Progress
Click to view larger size.
Disney has announced some slight updates to the schedule for the phased rollout of the new Fantasyland. The Storybook Circus area will still be the first to start opening up, but it too will open in phases. I also had the opportunity to interview the Imagineer Art Director for the Fantasyland Expansion about how the vision for the Fairytale Forest and StoryBook Circus areas are being realized.
First here is Disney’s recent release on Storybook Circus which will now start opening in phases beginning in early 2012.
Is Dumbo spinning in the wrong direction?
Actually, Dumbo is just reversing decades of flying in counter-clockwise circles. Call it “unwinding,” if you will. And in a new location within Magic Kingdom.
Guests will board Dumbo the Flying Elephant from the lovable critter’s left side — like mounting a horse … and unlike the way guests hop aboard for a whirl at Disney parks on three continents. It is scheduled to begin happening in early 2012 when select experiences in the Storybook Circus neighborhood of New Fantasyland debut just northeast of Mad Tea Party.
Also early 2012, the existing Dumbo attraction near Prince Charming Regal Carrousel will close, be refurbished and be moved to a location in Storybook Circus next to the new Dumbo attraction. The result when completed later in 2012: double Dumbos, one going this-a-way, one going that-a-way … a real circus act, if you will.
There also will be a “big top” that serves as a queue area for the popular attraction. It will feature a variety of interactive experiences currently being developed.
Two other Storybook Circus elements planned for opening early in the year are The Barnstormer and Fantasyland Station. Guests who enjoyed The Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm will be happy to know the junior coaster thrills of that attraction are back with a thematic change: Goofy has sold the farm and is now a circus stunt pilot and magician, The Great Goofini. The completely re-imagined train station will serve as the gateway to Storybook Circus and all Fantasyland points beyond.
Below the jump is The Disney Blog’s interview with Imagineer Chris Beatty:
Read More »New Fantasyland Imagineer Shares Vision, Timeline Adjusts
Some of the ghoulish entertainment for the evening.
Thursday night my family and I joined nearly 300 other guests at the Magic Kingdom for a special Halloween Trick-or-Tweetup event. The Disney Parks Blog organized this fun, engaging, and magical event for the few lucky guests whose fast fingers got them and RSVP before the event filled up.
Imagineer Pete Carsillo gave tours of the Haunted Mansion Graveyard project he helmed.
Guests were encouraged to dress up and tweet from the event, which many did. Three special guests from Walt Disney Imagineering answered questions from the attendees and Disney Blog team go into the spirit coming in costumes. They also provided free soft drinks and desserts. Finally, they handed out gifts to some of the best costumed guests and everyone got a parting gift (two actually).
Really, I would have been happy with something to drink and the Imagineers. But this event was over the top. One of the best free things I’ve ever experienced as a guest. It’s too bad they can’t do this more often. Disney gets all sorts of great publicity (like this) and the locals get to feel like they’re appreciated.
My biggest critique was that there was so much to do, I couldn’t get it done in the time allotted. Which, if you think about it, isn’t really that bad.
More photos and another video below the jump:
Read More »Walt Disney World Halloween Trick-or-Tweetup A Great Event
Earlier today, Disney held an Imagineering press conference with James Cameron to announce that an area based on the world of “Avatar” would be added to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Fans around the world were quick to evaluate this addition. People took to message boards, social… Read More »“Avatar Land” gets early mixed reviews
Update: this is no longer a rumor. A press conference with James Cameron, Bob Iger and Tom Staggs is was held earlier today at Imagineering. From the Disney Parks Blog: James and his producing partner Jon Landau and their team at Lightstorm Entertainment will serve… Read More »Disney is adding the world of Avatar to its theme parks
The Disney Cruise Line has a very cute and popular tradition of adorning the stern of each ship with a different character, usually doing something whimsical. The Disney Magic has Goofy cleaning the ship, The Disney Wonder has Donald being ‘helped’ by his nephews, and Sorcerer Mickey is making brooms do the work on the Disney Dream. What do all 3 of those ships have in common? The main characters are part of the Fab five. So the Disney Fantasy will follow in that tradition, right?
Wrong.
The stern character for the Disney Fantasy take a bit of a departure and will feature Dumbo flying under his own power putting the finishing touches on the ship with the help of Timothy Mouse. Here’s some concept art:
The Disney Fantasy just passed a milestone with the final piece of its hull being attached, so expect to see many more details about the ship between now and its launch around March 2012.
In fact, we have two photos of the flying elephant himself below the jump:
Walt Disney Imagineer Joe Rhode moved to the Aulani project a few months into its life. Since then he’s focused on adding the sort of details that Disney’s Animal Kingdom became famous for under his leadership. With the hotel’s grand opening coming August 29th, Rhode… Read More »Imagineer Joe Rhode Video Tour of Aulani – Disney’s Hawaiian Resort
Disney has released a new video hosted by Imagineer Chris Beatty who gives us a sneak peek at the making of Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid. The video includes some never-before-seen sketches, artist renderings, attraction maps and more, and shares some details on Prince Eric’s castle and the attraction’s creative queue.
Also included is a brief talk by Imagineer Eric Miller with some behind the scenes glimpses of rock work from a few weeks ago.
Read More »Behind the scenes of Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid at Magic Kingdom