Four Seasons Resort On Track for 2014 Opening

WDWNT on September 14, 2011

From Thomas Smith on the Disney Parks Blog:

Take a look at what’s coming to our Golden Oak community at the Walt Disney World Resort. It’s a new Four Seasons resort that’ll have a rooftop restaurant with Magic Kingdom Park views and a few other special touches Disney Parks Blog readers will want to check out.

The 444-room hotel will have three pools, a “lazy river” and of course, a spa with 18 treatment rooms. There will be several sport facilities, including tennis courts, a climbing wall and more when construction is completed.

Work begins in a few months with a target opening date of 2014. And we’ll have more to share on this in the future so keep checking the blog for updates.

Retro Weekend: The Florida Project Recap

WDWNT on September 14, 2011

Lots of things revealed this weekend. Here’s a quick rundown of all our posts from the past weekend with links to more in-depth coverage of each one.

Project Z turned out to be Park Starz. A new set that will be out this fall that features 11+ 1 Mystery chaser blind box figures. It will all be stylized figures from the parks in their own shapes.

Park Starz Preview
All 11 3″ Alice in Wonderland figures were on display. They will release in November. Two LE sets were also there.

Alice in Wonderland 3″ Set

Alice LE Walrus, Carpenter, and Cheshire Cats

Alice in Wonderland Explained

Park 7 was on display and wowed the crowed with some innovative designs. And we saw new LEs for the first time. The explained page includes all 11 known figures and the LE sets: Fife and Drum, Kitchen Kaberet, River Country and more!

Park 7 Explained

Park 8 will be out in February of 2012. We got a sneak peak at 2 figures.

3″ Park 8 Sneak Peak

Urban 7 has some cool looking 9″ LE figures. The Milk and OJ 9/3 was the talk of the event. Here is the rundown.

9″ Urban 7 Explained
We got a first look at Urban 8 at the show. Several interesting figures and two of the coolest 9″ figures ever.

First look at Urban 8

9″ Sock Monkey

9″ Boxer

Urban 8 Explained

Now, a little peak at a couple Urban 9 figures.

Urban 9

The 4th Cutesters series will be themed “At the Beach”. We saw three figures, check out the details here.

Cutesters At the Beach

D-Tour is a totally new take on Vinylmation. Find out why…

D-Tour

This and That is the theme for Jr 5. The will have words that go together like Up and Down, Pins and Needles.

This or That

But Jr 6 was on display! Snow White and Seven Dwarfs will be the theme. We confirmed 7 dwarfs and a Jr Snow White. Look for these in April 2012. More pics here.

More Nerds! We had confirmed earlier in the year that Nerd Stitch was on his way, now we know Figment will also be added to the line up.

Haunted Mansion will NOT be a surprise release at Room For One More… in fact it’s pushed back to 2012.

Haunted Mansion Explained

We had a look at Star Wars Series 2. We now know it will be designed after New Hope, the first Star Wars movie.

Star Wars 2

Nick’s favorite. An open window set of Disney Characters as Star Wars figures!!!

Disney’s Star Wars

Two brand new Holiday 3 designs were on display along with some designs we have only seen in pin form, until now. They also had a poster with the entire 9″ LE lineup on display.

Holiday 3 Explained

Holiday 3 LE 9″ Explained

A look at this years Very Merry Christmas 2011 Vinylmation.

Very Merry 2011

2012 WDW Marathon, Half Marathon and Goofy’s Race Vinylmation

Pictures here

This is a new series that was on display but not in the chat session. It’s an open box series of logos and merchandise items you would see in the stores at the parks.

Disney Parks Classics Explained

A new Honk Kong Disney exclusive.

Chinese Zodiac Explained

Another Hong Kong Disney exclusive.

Journey to the West

Nick was in heaven when he saw that soon he could own a Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics Vinylmation. 8 teams from each the MLB, NBA and NFL represented for now.

Pics of Teams

All of Animation 2 where revealed at the event. Either on display or on a poster with the set. Some great additions here. Check it out.

Animation 2

What’s New & What’s Next for Vinylmation

WDWNT on September 13, 2011

This past weekend, Epcot’s World Showplace hosted The Florida Project pin and Vinylmation event. I was lucky enough to attend the event which had several small conferences announcing the future of both collecting hobbies. The following Vinylmation Chat Session was held on Sunday afternoon and reveals some incredible new products being released under the Vinylmation label:

What’s New and What’s Next for Vinylmation

WDWNT on September 13, 2011

This past weekend, Epcot’s World Showplace hosted The Florida Project pin and Vinylmation event. I was lucky enough to attend the event which had several small conferences announcing the future of both collecting hobbies. The following Vinylmation Chat Session was held on Sunday afternoon and reveals some incredible new products being released under the Vinylmation label:

Parks & Resorts Shows “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” at Carousel of Projects

WDWNT on September 12, 2011

Our post D23 Expo 2011 coverage continues with a comprehensive video of the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Carousel of Projects pavilion. Inside the Carousel of Progress inspired pavilion, guests were given an inside look at some of the largest projects in Walt Disne Imagineering history: Cars Land, New Fantasyland, Buena Vista Street, the Disney Fantasy, the Shanghai Disney Resort, and much more. Enjoy your spin around the future of Disney Parks and Resorts around the world:

Florida Project: Star Wars 2

WDWNT on September 12, 2011

Update: 9/16/11 Star Wars 2 Vinylmation Explained page added.

The Florida Project also bought the announcement of Star Wars 2. We knew this was coming, but here are the official details.

Star Wars 2 will be based on Episode 4: A New Hope. It is scheduled to be released in August 2012. Several artist worked on this series, including Casey and Maria.

We’ve seen two characters, Greedo and a Tusken Raider. (I really like the two suns of Tatooine in the right ear)

The Carthay Circle Theater Gets Topped Off

WDWNT on September 9, 2011

From Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:

Late Wednesday night, Walt Disney Imagineering topped the new Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure park with its crowning feature – a cupola modeled after the one which sat atop the historic theatre which was the site of the 1937 world premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The Disney Parks Blog video team was on hand to catch some great footage of the cupola as it was raised into position on top of the theatre – take a look!

 

 

 

We’ll have more details on the Carthay Circle Theatre and Buena Vista Street as the area continues to take shape at Disney California Adventure park, so keep checking back!