Due to a family vacation, I’ve not yet found my way to this year’s Flower & Garden Festival at EPCOT. But after watching this behind the scenes video of the installation of the Sorcerer Mickey Topiary at the park’s entrance. Looks grand.
Do you feel that? It feels…sticky and humid, or as us Floridians call it, the indication of the return to summer weather. Do you know what else that means? Water Parks! One of the best things about Florida is the abundance of water parks in Orlando and across the state. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some great water parks not on Disney property, (Try Adventure Island, Wet N’ Wild or Aquatica!), but Disney Water Parks are piece de resistance. Two highly themed worlds that transport you into a world of liquid goodness. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are wonderful additions to the Walt Disney World Resort that should NOT be ignored while you are on a vacation to the area. Here is a brief synopsis of the two parks “back stories” (Those imagineers…always wanted to tell a story!).
Typhoon Lagoon is how it is now after a (shockingly) typhoon ripped though a tropical paradise… well… used to be a tropical paradise. Boats, Cargo, everything was thrown all over the area, creating the rides and landmarks seen throughout the park. For example, Miss Tilly is the name of the shrimp boat atop Mount Mayday. (P.S. Remember, every half an hour, Miss Tilly shoots a 50 foot water geyser!) It opened in 1989.
Blizzard Beach has a more detailed story behind its creation. On this tiny sliver of the Disney property, a freak snowstorm hit. This, of course, launched the creation of Florida’s first ski resort. Amazingly, (That was sarcasm) the snow melted. The entrepreneurs had no idea what to do with themselves, until they saw an alligator (The park’s mascot, Ice Gator) sliding down one of the old slopes. They decided to turn the area into a water park…the smarter choice. The park opened in 1995.
Typhoon Lagoon has the world’s largest wave pool, while Blizzard Beach has the world’s tallest and fastest water slide. Typhoon Lagoon has a free to swim in Shark Reef, while Blizzard Beach has a really cool ski lift. They both have their own unique style.
Yes, believe it or not, I’m at the Magic Kingdom for Leap Day 2012. The park is open for 24 hours (6am to 6am) for the One More Disney Day bi-coastal event. I don’t know if I’m going to make it all 24 hours, but you have to be here early, like I was this morning, in order to give it a try.
My main goal is to get as much of the Sorcerers of The Magic Kingdom finished as possible. I’m not the only one with that idea. The queue for Space Mountain was shorter than SotMK for a while this morning.
As I go through the day I’ll come back and add any commentary or breaking news to this thread. I’ll be in the park overnight (at least that’s the plan). If you’re in the park and you see me tweeting as @TheDisneyBlog, please come over and say howdy.
Mickey & Minnie look like they just woke up. Or are those Light Magic costumes?
The newest exhibit in EPCOT’s Innoventions was subjected to attacks from various groups for presenting the subject matter in a rude and offensive manner. That exhibit is Habit Heroes, an attraction that aimed to teach kids and their parents new habits that would leave to… Read More »Attacked EPCOT Attraction Habit Heroes to Close?
Matt over at StudiosCentral.com has the first look at some new technology that Disney’s Hollywood Studios Brown Derby restaurant is experimenting with. If you have a food allergy, you’ll now be presented with a cleverly disguised iPad contain an interactive menu that lets you select… Read More »New Interactive Menu Being Tested at Brown Derby
With Part three, we’ve reached the end of this week’s Magic Kingdom update. See part one and part two if you missed them. But there was some breaking news today about New Fantasyland that will help fill up our calendar over the coming months.
First Disney World announced the closing date for Snow White’s Scary Adventures in Fantasyland. May 31st is the final day to ride this 1971 original attraction. It will be replaced later this year with “The Princess Fairy Tale Hall.” Snow White will still have a presence in the park when the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opens in late 2013 or early 2014. I’m very sad to see the dark ride go, particularly to make way for a meet and greet, but I am excited about the new roller coaster.
Another major timeline update was released today. The plan has always been to open New Fantasyland in stages, even Storybook Circus will open in stages. But now we know that late in March 2012 Storybook Circus will open with one of the two new spinners at Dumbo, the Great Goofini (formerly Goofy’s Barnstormer) and the Fantasyland Train Station. This should help with the flow around Fantasyland and add some much needed kid friendly attractions back into the mix at the Magic Kingdom as summer approaches.
Notice the trees. These new skinny trees replaced the more round ones that have been there for at last 8 years. It’s definitely a different aesthetic, doesn’t look as ‘home town’ as I would hope.
Facade work is still going on here and on the Main Street Bakery.
Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – Rolling in the Park (Part 3)
We’ve started our tour of the Magic Kingdom in part one of this photo update, but today we get to see even more. Let’s get right to it.
Yeah, so this still happens. When is WDW going to do something with all these bricks? They’re starting to age poorly. Might be time to gear up for a 50th anniversary effort to replace the bricks with new ones… with RFID chips in them so you can find your brick by pointing your phone at it.
Click to embiggen. Not too much more demolished here, except for one unfortunate change.
Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – Rolling in the Park (Part Two)
Have a long photo update from Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World this week. At least two parts, possibly three. So let’s get right to it.
Click to Embiggen. Cinderella Castle is looking particularly lovely after the holiday lights have been removed and some touch up done. But what really has my attention is in the lower right corner.
Click to Embiggen. The serpent is in extra fine form. Love how the blue flowers make that water effect. Trivia Question: At what resort in Orlando can you find another Disney serpent?
Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – Rolling Through The Park (Part 1)