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Merida Meet & Greet Soft Opens at Magic Kingdom

While word of Disney’s first Scottish princess greeting guests inside a Disney themepark makes its way around the world to Scotland’s papers (she sounds Irish, they say), the Magic Kingdom has completed the transformation of the space originally created for Belle’s Story Time and subsequently used by Rapunzel and Flynn is now playing host to Merida.

Update: The Disney Parks Blog shared this photo on their Facebook page:

I didn’t have time to stand in line and get up close with Princess Merida myself, but you can get a general idea of the set up from the following pictures. Note the tartan and kilt worn by the cast member, is that a first outside of performing groups? There’s also a lot of fun new merchandise available (although I’m not too sure about the Merida sippy cup where you drink from a straw in the back of her head.. brains, I need brains… it’s Zombie Merida).

Can’t make it to the parks? Some of the above merchandise is available at the DisneyStore.com too.

Below the cut is a video from Ricky of Inside the Magic:

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Expressions – Behind The Seeds

Expressions is my series of videos where I attempt to capture some of the wonder of Walt Disney World via atmospheric footage. This new episode features scenes from the Behind The Seeds tour in The Land Pavilion at EPCOT. Disney researches a variety of techniques… Read More »Expressions – Behind The Seeds

Magic Kingdom Update – Princess Merida, New Fantasyland and more

Trying something new for the Magic Kingdom update this week. I’ve put an album of photos up over on The Disney Blog’s Google+ page. Anyone can view it. If you’re logged in, feel free to share it as well. This week we have Princess Merida’s… Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – Princess Merida, New Fantasyland and more

New Fastpass Invades Magic Kingdom, Are You Ready for Next Gen?

We’re really beginning to see the fruits of Disney’s $2 billion investment in integrating technology into the way guests experience their theme parks. According to Bob Iger one of the big changes will be how much of their vacation families will be able to make schedule from home. Instead of just dining, you’ll soon be able to schedule rides, parade viewing, show seating, and more. The first step in that is integrating a new type of RFID based Fastpass into the parks.

Magic Kingdom is ground zero for the beta-test for this advanced version of Fastpass. During the test select Disney World hotel guests are given the opportunity to schedule 4 rides a day using this new pass. Since it’s RFID, you carry around a unique identifier and the computer knows who you are, a few personal items (if it’s your birthday, anniversary, etc), and what your reservations are. If you forget the latter, you can swipe your card at a terminal and it will let you know what you next reservation is for. Eventually you’ll be able to change your Fastpass reservations at that terminal or even via your mobile device.

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Royal Guest Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Contain Hidden Magic

Part of the joy of staying on property at Walt Disney World is that you never have to leave that magic envelope. Richly themed hotels, world famous service, and well apportioned rooms keep the Disney experience going 24/7. A few years ago, Disney decided to kick that up a notch higher by bringing the immersive story telling its famous for in the parks into the guest room itself. It started with a few themed covers, some details on the walls, and a color scheme, changes that were well received. Now, with the new Pirate and Royal Guest Rooms at Port Orleans, the level has been raised again.

The Royal Guest Rooms, re-imagined accommodations fit for a prince or princess, opened at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort in March 2012. 512 themed rooms with ornate beds trimmed with dazzling crystals and gold accents, story time elements, and “magical fireworks” swirling about are now welcoming guests.

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Magic Kingdom Update – Fast & Furious

Big news in this weeks Magic Kingdom Update. NextGen makes its next big leap into the parks, new Fantasyland grows taller, and Big Thunder Mountain rebuilds, plus other great stories. So let’s get to it.

New signs have been installed in Town Square and Liberty Square directing guests toward the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game stations.

Of course, it helps if the sign points in the right direction. This one would send guests out of Liberty Square, back toward Main Street. I guess they’d get there eventually.

As you may have heard, the NextGen Fastpass+ experience has begun testing this week. It’s a temporary test to try a few ideas about the system. A few selected guests are given a card with an RFID chip in it and a fixed itinerary of rides and attractions to enjoy. Each ride on the Fastpass+ network has a terminal at the entrance of the queue and at the merge point.

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Top Disney News from April

April has been a giant month for news across the Disney spectrum. Here’s a look back at the biggest stories of the month: The New Fantasyland expansion attracted a lot of attention. Our weekly updates and the recent behind the walls video keep everyone informed… Read More »Top Disney News from April

Be Our Guest restaurant – Video of Inside the Ballroom

The Beauty and the Beast themed Be Our Guest restaurant promises to add a whole new dimension of immersive story telling as guests get the chance to be right in the memorable ballroom scene where Belle and the Beast danced together from the classic Disney animated film. Here’s a sneak peek inside the Be Our Guest ballroom with a look at the Chandeliers that will occupy much of the overhead space in the room.

The three chandeliers hang in the main dining room, the largest measuring twelve feet in length and eleven feet across with 80 lights and 100 large crystals. The two smaller chandeliers on each side measure 9.5 feet in length and eight feet across with 50 lights each. The trio of chandeliers are inspired by ones seen in the dining room in Beast’s Castle.

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