Official Closing Date Announced For Sunshine Plaza

WDWNT on August 27, 2011

From Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:

We are reaching another major milestone in the ongoing expansion of Disney California Adventure park. On Monday, August 29, the Sunshine Plaza area will close to allow crews to start the transformation of the current park entry into Buena Vista Street, reminiscent of what Walt Disney encountered when he first arrived in California in the 1920s.

While the shops will close to make way for Buena Vista Street, guests will continue to enter the park through the new Pan-Pacific Auditorium-inspired turnstiles and follow a temporary walkway which will feature renderings of the future Disney California Adventure park and connect the turnstiles with the Condor Flats area. This area will be the temporary entrance and exit for guests during the transformation of the former main entrance stores to Buena Vista Street.

This entry and exit location will remain in place until Buena Vista Street opens in 2012. To see what’s in store when this area opens, take a look at the renderings below, which were shown this past weekend at the Disney D23 Expo in Anaheim.

Rendering of the West Side of Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure Park

The rendering above shows the west side of Buena Vista Street, including the restroom area in the top image.

Rendering of the East Side of Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure Park

The next rendering shows the east side of the street. In the center image you can see the new merchandise location, Elias & Co., rising above the other buildings.

We’ll have more details on the Disney Parks Blog as Buena Vista Street continues to develop at Disney California Adventure park.

Florida Project One of a Kinds

WDWNT on August 26, 2011

Like Trade City 2010, Florida Project will have some One-of-a-Kind Vinylmation. As Disney releases the pictures, you will see them here.


Artist: Maria Clapsis

This is amazing and perfect for this event. It is modeled after something actually done in the early days of Walt Disney World. Check out this excerpt from The Main Street Gazette:

Photo from The Main Street Gazette
From 1972 through 1973 water skiing shows featuring daring feats and character-clad skiers took place regularly on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Depending on the year, the event was known as either the Walt Disney World Water Ski Spectacular or The Wonderful World of Water Ski Show and would feature up to five shows a day, including nighttime acts. The show could be seen from near the Magic Kingdom monorail station and did have an admission cost of between 50 to 75 cents. During the latter period of the show’s short history, a “D” ticket could also be used to gain admission.



Not to mention the Florida Project Pin and Postcard some of us are picking up:

Artist: Maria Clapsis

Artist: Adrianne Draude

An Early Halloween Treat

WDWNT on August 26, 2011

Disney has shown off its 2011 Halloween Vinylmation Release.

Copyright Disney

This Trick or Treat inspired Vinylmaiton was designed by Eric Caszatt and will be released all over Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort. D-Streets and many resort stores that carry Disney Halloween merchandise will also sell this Limited Release figure for $14.95. How does this figure compare to past Halloween Vinylmation Releases?

Cars 2 Combo Release at D-Streets and England

WDWNT on August 26, 2011

The Lightning and Mater Vinylmation Combo set was released at D-Streets today. The Disney Store on Oxford Street in England also released this Cars two-figure set today. And, it should also be available as of today via DisneyStore.co.uk. US Disney Store Online gets it on September 2 and brick and mortar Disney Stores will see Cars 2 Vinylmation on September 19.

Aloha New DVC Resort Vinylmation!

WDWNT on August 26, 2011

On August 29 a new DVC resort opens in Hawaii, Aulani. To commemorate this resort, Disney will release an open window 3″ Vinylmation.

It will only be available at Kelepa’s store at the Aulani resort and will retail for $14.95.
There was no official word, but with no word on LE and now markings on the box about an LE, we assume this is a limited released. Meaning it should be on shelves for a good time to come. There is also no specific word that you have to show your DVC member card to purchase this figure.
Copyright Disney
Disney calls this figure Menehune-inspired. Menehune are said to be a people, sometimes described as dwarfs in size, who live in the deep forests and hidden valleys of the Hawaiian Islands. I like the style of this figure and the facial expression is cool, but I would have also liked an Aulani logo on the back. What are your thoughts on this newest member of the Vinylmation family?

Radiator Springs Racers Ready To Hit The Road

WDWNT on August 26, 2011

From Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:

Radiator Springs Ride Vehicle at the 2011 D23 Expo

In the normal development process of any ride-based attraction at Disney Parks, Imagineers spend weeks and even months testing the ride vehicles. Many of you may have seen one of the first ride vehicles, which was on display at the D23 Expo in Anaheim this past weekend in the Parks & Resorts Pavilion. While it might be a while before you see this or any of the other ride vehicles racing around Ornament Valley, keep checking back with the Disney Parks Blog for the latest updates.

The Great Destini Amazes at the 2011 D23 Expo!

WDWNT on August 25, 2011

While living characters in the Disney Parks is not necessarily a new thing, The Great Destini is an amazing, autonomous audio-animatronic living character that was first tested at Innoventions at Disneyland a few months ago. Destini was brought out again for the D23 Expo last weekend and we got a pretty good look at him. It is time to be amazed by a marvel of Walt Disney Imagineering, The Great Destini!

The Great Destini Amazes at the 2011 D23 Expo

WDWNT on August 25, 2011

While living characters in the Disney Parks is not necessarily a new thing, The Great Destini is an amazing, autonomous audioo-animatronic living character that was first tested at Innoventions at Disneyland a few months ago. Destini was brought out again for the D23 Expo last weekend and we got a pretty good look at him. It is time to be amazed by a marvel of Walt Disney Imagineering, The Great Destini!