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new fantasyland

New Fantasyland Minisite Hides Mystery

Walt Disney World is attempting to drive up a little virtual excitement for New Fantasyland via a new micro-site. The site claims there is a curse preventing all the information about the new land from being revealed and a hero is needed to remove the… Read More »New Fantasyland Minisite Hides Mystery

An Orlando Journey Into the Future

Unless you are living under a rock (which would be incredibly uncomfortable), you realize the affect that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has had on the Orlando tourism community. Everyone is filled to the brim with new projects that, they hope can match and/or topple Harry Potter in the themed and immersive environment category… or the bring in millions of people and billions of dollars category too! I thought, you can never look too far into the future… so here is a preview to what will, supposedly, make you travel to the Orlando area in the coming years!

Positive Coming Attractions:

  • This December 6th, the east coast’s Carsland equivalent will finally be unveiled in the Magic Kingdom. New Fantasyland containing: Enchanted Tales with Belle, Gaston’s Tavern, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, Ariel’s Grotto, Pete’s Silly Sideshow, and officially, Storybook Circus, will FINALLY open after years of “looking-over-the-wall” photo updates. In 2013, the Princess Fairytale Hall will open, in the former Snow White’s Scary Adventures building. And the expansion will finally be ending (unless they announce a phase 2 with Pixie Hollow…I wish!) with the opening of the Seven Dwarves Mine Coaster. Can you believe that this was all announced back at the first D23 Expo in 2009?! If feels like so long ago!
  • Test Track will re-open at the end of this year after a rather extensive rehab and rethemeing. The concept of being inside of a computer seems like a great fit for an aging Future World attraction that needed a lift (and a nip…and a tuck…). We will see how Tron-y this new Test Track looks this December.
  • Although not at a theme park, I am super excited for Spiltsville to be coming to Downtown Disney. We have one in Tampa and it is an awesome place. This incarnation will be a two story, 36-lane bowling alley version of the usual 1 story, 12-lane concept. The uniqueness of Splitsville comes from two factors, first being that while you bowl, a waiter comes to your table…as it is a sit-down (or play-up?) restaurant as well as a bowling alley (BTW, best chicken tenders anywhere!). The second factor comes from the design of the place, the lanes aren’t set up in the normal long, side-by-side fashion of the old-fashioned alleys, they are scattered throughout the building giving it a much more personal experience. Get ready to bowl your brains out in late fall of this year.
  • Seaworld has also jumped on the immersive environment bandwagon by announcing Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. This will take the place of the former penguin exhibit at the park. Not a lot of details have been announced about the project as of now, but the concept art is astounding. A publicity photo was recently released and has led to speculation that the ride in the land will be using a trackless ride system similar to the one used on Pooh’s Hunny Hunt at Tokyo Disneyland. I am really excited to check it out in the spring of 2013.

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Magic Kingdom Photo Update – Part 1

It’s been a few weeks since our last update and the construction at the Magic Kingdom has been moving at a quick pace. First, a little of the latest news:

  • Guests have actually been invited to some limited soft testing of “Enchanted Tales with Belle,”
  • the Fantasyland construction walls will be shifting this week changing traffic patterns significantly,
  • we’re hearing that the Brave Wee Lads (aka the 3 bears) will soon be leaving the Merida meet and greet. They were cute, but like their counterparts in the movie, didn’t say much and pretty much were window dressing.

Okay, let’s get on with the first part of our tour. It’s in two parts this week since we have a lot of photos to share:

The walls that separate old Fantasyland from new are nearing completion. There’s still some detail work to be done, but already there are some incredible elements leaking through. We love these ‘Coat of Arms’ that highlight classic Disney fairytales, including some that will have attractions behind the wall.

Magic Kingdom New Fantasyland

Magic Kingdom New Fantasyland Update

Read More »Magic Kingdom Photo Update – Part 1

Imagineering Reveals More of Enchanted Tales with Belle in New Video

Last week we saw part one of the the Imagineering tour of Enchanted Tales with Belle – a new meet & greet experience coming to Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom. The video ended with a peak at the magic portal coming to life. Today we… Read More »Imagineering Reveals More of Enchanted Tales with Belle in New Video

Concept art for Ariel’s Grotto – New Fantasyland Meet and Greet

It took them long enough, but Disney World has finally released a little bit of concept art for the new Little Mermaid meet & greet that will be attached to, but separate from, the larger attraction. The concept art for Ariel’s Grotto shows her seated… Read More »Concept art for Ariel’s Grotto – New Fantasyland Meet and Greet

Imagineering Offers Insider Tour of Maurice’s Cottage and Enchanted Tales With Belle

With New Fantasyland Walt Disney’s Imagineers are providing more insight and behind the scenes details on a project than ever before. In a new video they’re showing off Enchanted Tales With Belle. This attraction will be a totally re-imagined character greeting experience. The details, story,… Read More »Imagineering Offers Insider Tour of Maurice’s Cottage and Enchanted Tales With Belle

New Key Image Concept Art for Fantasyland Expansion

Walt Disney World has released three new images that capture the vision of the Fantasyland Expansion that has already begun to open at the Magic Kingdom. The first image is a new view of the whole land as it will look as it is finished.… Read More »New Key Image Concept Art for Fantasyland Expansion

Gaston Statue added to New Fantasyland – Video of the big moment

The centerpiece of Belle’s Village will be an elaborate bronze statue of Gaston and his sidekick, Lefou from Beauty and the Beast. Watch this video as Imagineers Ted Robledo and Chris Kelly walk us through the detailed process it takes to create such an elaborate… Read More »Gaston Statue added to New Fantasyland – Video of the big moment