Local news station, and NBC affiliate, WESH TV, was taken behind the walls of New Fantasyland with some of the best footage I’ve seen yet. There are two great videos on the website: One focused on costumes and another with some long looks at the… Read More »Local TV Station Goes Behind The Walls of New Fantasyland
I’ve been a bit under the weather the last few days, so I haven’t had time to make it out to the Magic Kingdom for a fresh set of photos. But I do have some photos from a few days ago, that I haven’t yet… Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – Holiday Week Photos
We’ve looked at Dumbo’s New Interactive Play Queue (twice) already this week, but it’s time to venture out into the rest of the park to check on the progress of other projects. Be Our Guest has revealed its menu and will shortly be taking reservations,… Read More »Magic Kingdom Update (Continued)
We visited Dumbo the Flying Elephant yesterday, today we’ll take a longer walk around the Magic Kingdom with photos of many changes at the park. The Dwarfs Mine Train ride show building is expanding, The New Fantasyland Wall is really taking shape, and lots of… Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – New Fantasyland, Storybook Circus, and More
Yesterday the 2nd Dumbo spinner was up and running for a soft opening as this photo from Disney World’s Gene Duncan shows. The whole attraction, including the new indoor queue, is officially set to open in July sometime. Last week Imagineering also returned Timothy Mouse… Read More »Timothy Mouse Returns to Dumbo The Flying Elephant at Storybook Circus
The Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station has officially opened at the Magic Kingdom and with it arrived a circus of fun to Storybook Circus. The Water Play area contains playful camels (what is it with Imagineering and spitting camels?), monkeys, elephants and giraffes who splash along with guests. Joining Dumbo, the Flying Elephant and Barnstormer featuring Goofy as the Great Goofini in Storybook Circus, Casey Jr. is the most recent phase to open in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland expansion.
I got to spend a few minutes watching my son run through the area and was impressed with the variety of methods for getting wet while exploring Casey Jr. During the hot months it will provide a great way to cool down and during the cold months it will still make a wonderful photo opportunity. There is a big problem with a lack of shade between Casey Jr and the Storybook Circus bathrooms. With the sun beating down it was pretty hot even with the play zone just a few feet away.
The astute observer may have caught that each car has a number on its back. Those numbers, 71, 82, 89, and 98 stand for the opening years of the four Walt Disney World parks. I haven’t yet noticed any Hidden Mickeys, but I thought that was a great tribute.
More photos of the water play area below the jump
Read More »Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station Imports Watery Fun to Storybook Circus
Yesterday I shared some of the changes to the exterior of the new twin-spinner Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction in Storybook Circus, today I’m excited to be sharing some photos of the interior of that attractions. Wait, you say. Why would a spinner have an interior? It’s all part of Imagineering’s plan to make waiting for the ride less painful.
Back when WDI first started talking about the new Dumbo queue they said rather than lining up in a switchbacks, it would be a place where kids could move freely and interact with various elements in the building. Parents would be able to wait comfortably while watching their kids run around. One’s place in line would be held virtually and an announcement would indicate when your boarding group was ready to head to the loading zone.
Looking at these pictures shared by Disney, that vision looks essentially intact. Perhaps it’s a bit more playground / obstacle course than I envisioned.
Also, Disney says that instead of an announcement to tell you when to grab your kid and head to a loading zone, some sort of paging device will be used. Disney has tested out, in theory, how this system will work during some experiments over at Rock-n-Roller Coaster. According to sources, results were mixed. So we’ll keep a close eye on how this is working out once it opens to guests.
Update: Video of the queue ‘in use’ by kids and some background on the project from an Imagineer.
Read More »Dumbo Interactive Queue Preview from Storybook Circus
There are so many construction projects going on at the Magic Kingdom that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Big Thunder just came out of rehab, while Main Street’s facade work is ongoing (rumored to be coming down any day now). But today… Read More »New Fantasyland and Magic Kingdom Photo Update