In part one of this week’s update we visited The Main Street Firehouse which has its firefighter badges back, Storybook Circus which is moving steadily toward a spring opening, and then the construction across from Peter Pan where new restrooms will go. We’ll pick up right there, remember the photos have larger versions if you click on them…
This brown wall is where a second access to Fantasyland will be located. I’m a bit unclear how traffic patterns are going to work in this area with the haunted mansion queue often taking up this whole space in the summer. But I’m sure they’ve thought of that… right?
That foliage clearing has made the pet cemetery decidedly less spooky.
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.
Continuing our stroll through Walt Disney World… Part one had a bunch of Fantasyland Expansion photos, let’s start with a few more:
A lot of rock work is still underway, but those trees you see in the foreground are newly planted. They’ve also been doing some other landscaping, which is behind the wall, so you can’t see it. On the left you can see that more progress has been made on Belle’s cottage.
Here’s a shot showing how close the rock work and castle wall from Beast’s castle comes to the back of Gaston’s Tavern. Note the saddle roof design. Should be really beautiful when finished.
Click image for Larger. Here’s another view where the saddle roofs are more obvious.
This week I have a three part photo update featuring interesting changes, construction, and other fun facts from my recent travels around Walt Disney World. Let’s get right too it.
Yeah, Christmas is here and so is the merchandise. There is the usual selection, and some nice new stuff like this.
More work on the Facades along Main Street. It would be nice if they did something with this space so it sees more use. Nothing major, just a small plus or two.
Props from Sorcerers in the Magic Kingdom continue to pop up around the park. Another one was added near the Frontierland Shooting Gallery. I’ve heard that they’re doing soft testing, but nothing was going on when I was there.
Click image for Larger. The new Dumbo unit is already going in. It’s the unit closer to the train tracks, which I understand will spin counter the direction of the current unit.
Took a walk around the Magic Kingdom on Saturday and noticed quite a few changes coming to the park and surrounding resorts. Part one of the update had the Fantasyland Expansion updates, and this second part contains a look at something that may make as big an impact as all of new Fantasyland. As usual, click on the photos for a larger version.
Powder blue walls surround the beach area that will soon become a noisy construction zone next to the Wedding Pavilion.
They’ve installed a gate and some construction fencing (meant to keep spills from leaking outside the construction area), but no work on expanding the plot of land that will eventually hold the tower and partially block the view of the Wedding Pavilion.
Plans are under way to divide the Magic Kingdom parking lot into two zones. Two tram loading zones will have distinct colors and names. In theory this will help guests find their cars faster at the end of the night. In practice, not so much as anyone at Disneyland can attest. Guests still find themselves in the wrong parking lot at the end of the night.
Lots more, including details on a new game coming to the Magic Kingdom, below the jump:
A quick trip through the Magic Kingdom on Saturday revealed a number of changes coming to the park. There are also a few fun new pieces of merchandise to peruse. Click on any image to see a larger version. Now, let’s get started.
The park is looking festive with plenty of Halloween decor everywhere.
City Hall joins in the fall themed fun.
There did appear to be just a bit less of the holiday themed decor this year than before. But it was still a few days ahead of the 1st official Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, so more may be coming.
As we’ve been documenting here on The Disney Blog, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is in the middle of some major changes. Most are focused in and around Fantasyland, but change is coming to other sections as well. The Storybook Circus area is scheduled to… Read More »Magic Kingdom Changes
