Artist Cesar Diaz Giveaway!

Before we get to the free stuff, Cesar wanted to share this custom with everyone.

It is Mr. Incredible and his car! People sure are doing amazing things with that Vinylmation 95 platform. OK, Giveaway time! This week Cesar is giving away a custom 3D pin of Stitch disguised as Mickey.

To win this little guy you have to do the following…

1. You must like his Facebook page to be eligible for the giveaway
2. You must leave a comment under the picture that says….
“I would like to win a Stitch 3D pin” (one comment per person please)

Giveaway starts now and will end next Saturday Jan 5th at 10am PST. Cesar will then use a random generator to pick one winner. Good luck everyone!

Holiday 1 Photoshoot

Here are photos of the first Holiday series taken around Walt Disney World. Can you tell where they were each taken?

Disney Announces Official Epcot 30th Events Taking Place on October 1st!

For all of those who thought Disney wasn’t going to mark the 30th anniversary of Epcot on October 1st, well, you’re in for a surprise…

The Disney Parks Blog announced today that there will be informative presentations, a “special moment” at the American Garden Theater, and even a special anniversary tag at the end of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth on October 1st, 2012.

The panels are expected to be the same as some panels being offered at the D23 event the day before, but these will be open to all Epcot guests with limited availability:

  • 1-2 p.m. – Designing the Future – Past and Present: A panel of Disney Imagineers remembers 30 years of building tomorrow!
  • 4:30–6 p.m. – Epcot: How it Changed the World with Marty Sklar
  • 6:30–8 p.m. – Epcot: How it Changed the World with Marty Sklar

An anniversary moment will be held at the American Garden Theater at 3PM EST featuring the Voices of Liberty, Mariachi Cobre, and special Disney dignitaries as well.

At this time, we are not sure if the special tag at the end of the 9PM Illuminations: Reflections of earth will be the same as the one presented at Epcot’s 25th anniversary or something completely new.

There will also be special event commemorative merchandise available, but we will preview that in a later post.

If you’re going to be attending Epcot’s 30th anniversary, why not do it with some friends and fellow Disney fans? Registration is still open for WDWCelebrations’ Celebration 30 event. Just a helpful plug…

Stay tuned for more information on Epcot’s 30th anniversary as it becomes available.

New, Moved and Head Scratching Release Dates

This update, not going to lie, hurt my brain a little bit to process. Disney certainly does not make it easy for us. By the way, side note, and probably why I am in a bad mood while writing this… Did anyone else see that the WDW Premium Annual Passholder discounts will drop to 10% as of January 1, 2013? So as my discount gets cut in half, I can tell Disney that not only will they be getting less money from me at renewal, but I’ll be sure to purchase at least half as much merchandise as I normally do. Anyway, how about those release dates… They changed some days. Changed some locations. Added new dates and even duplicated some. Take a look.

The Disney Vacation Club Exclusive 3-inch figure (Open Edition / Retail: $14.95 ) was moved from a January 11th release date to February 15th in the parks only. It is still supposedly set for a January 11th online release. The design of this figure is not known at this time, but is presumed to be from this this concept art.

As I have been presuming for a few weeks, the January 10th release of the 3″ Run Disney figure (Commemorative / Retail: $12.95) and WDW Marathon Weekend Mini Medals (Open Edition /Retail: $1.95) will be at the Clubhouse Store at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex during the Expo that takes place before the races. How do I know these releases better than Disney itself? The odd part is, they kind of took away the part about it also being available at D-Street in Orlando. I say “kind of” because, well here is the exact wording: “ESPN Clubhouse Shop, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex t Downtown Disney West Side in Florida”. Um, ya, ESPN is not at Downtown Disney. However, there is a later posting on the Events page about the Mini Medal accessories being released at D-Street Orlando on January 22nd. But that still still leaves the 3″ figure. I presume it will also end up at D-Street, if not on the 10th, then by the weekend. The 3″ Run Disney figure remains on the release slate for January 10th at D-Street Anaheim  The January 13th signing with artist Maria Clapsis also remains in place for 5-7pm at D-Street Orlando.

On February 1st, the February 2013 Poster Art 3-inch figure by Patty Landing (Edition Size: 2,013 / Retail: $14.95) will be released at both D-Streets. In an exciting turn of events, the exact same figure is also listed for a February 11th release… but only in Anaheim  Sorry Orlandonians, you only get it once. Here is a look at the calendar art and Vinylmation figure.

On February 22nd, both D-Streets will receive a new 2013 Easter 3″ figure designed by Billy Davis (Commemorative / $14.95). No photos of this design as of yet.

The left coast D-Street will also get a Mad T Party, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, 3-inch figure set (Edition Size: 1,500 / $24.95). No photos of this design as of yet either.

Photo from  Loren Javier’s flickr

Lastly, the Disney Vinylmation Facebook page store will get the Fantasia Series # 5, Baucchus & Donkey from The Pastoral Symphony, 3-inch figure set (Edition Size: 1,500 / $24.95). We did not know until this posting what characters were in sets 5 through 8. I wish they accompanied this release info with a photo, but they did not. So here they are from the movie itself.

A Closer Look at New Fantasyland’s Princess Fairytale Hall Concept Art

Disney shared the concept art for Princess Fairytale Hall in New Fantasyland earlier today, one piece you probably have seen and one you probably haven’t:

The new home for visiting royalty in the Magic Kingdom, Princess Fairytale Hall will feature walls of stone and stained glass windows, a spacious gallery adorned with portraits of Disney princesses and elegantly finished rooms where guests can meet Aurora, Cinderella and other princesses. Set to open in 2013, Princess Fairytale Hall will be located in the Castle Courtyard in the center of Fantasyland. (Disney)

 The first is the previously seen concept art of the facade

The new home for visiting royalty in the Magic Kingdom, Princess Fairytale Hall will feature walls of stone and stained glass windows, a spacious gallery adorned with portraits of Disney princesses and elegantly finished rooms where guests can meet Aurora, Cinderella and other princesses. Set to open in 2013, Princess Fairytale Hall will be located in the Castle Courtyard in the center of Fantasyland. (Disney)

This new piece show what the interior may look like when the experience opens in Fall 2013. If it stays true to this artwork, we can expect to see each Princess below a portrait of themselves and in front of a stained-glass window that represents something from their respective films. If you look closely, you’ll also see statues representing characters from Cinderella, Princess and the Frog, and Sleeping Beauty.

Dirk Wallen’s 9/16/12 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen took a short trip to the Magic Kingdom on Sunday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

A look at the former Fantasyland Skyway site construction

Storybook Treats remains open during pathway work, but the Seven Dwarfs Mine shop is gone

Track is being installed on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train roller-coaster

The second level of Village Haus that has been closed for some time is now being refurbished

The former Crow’s Nest in Adventureland is still closed

Tinker Bell is now in her winter clothes in Adventureland

Her sister Periwinkle is now doing meet and greets

Halloween cups are now being used for drinks

Frankenweenie merchandise has hit stores

Light-up trick-or-treat baskets now available

Some neat seasonal treats available at the Confectionary

Dirk Wallen’s 9/14/12 Downtown Disney Photo Report

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen went to check out the progress on several projects happening at Downtown Disney right now, so let’s see what’s going on:

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Characters in Flight is still down

Phineas and Ferb and You is running currently at the West Side

Guests get super-imposed in the cartoon

A nearby merchandise cart

Work continues on Splitsville… does it seem like they are a bit behind to anyone else? They are supposed to open sometime in the Fall.

Not sure if these are new but these carts are located between Marketplace and Pleasure Island

Work moving slowly on the new exterior and bar at Rainforest Cafe as well

Some work is also being done on the exterior of T-Rex

Ads are already up for the D-Tech Me princess experience at World of Disney

Monorail Sightings Confirmed in Trade Boxes

A few Walt Disney World guests have been finding a surprise in some clear trading boxes around Downtown Disney.

As rumored last week, some of the unreleased Monorail Urban Vinylmation are being made available for trade in clear trading boxes. The photo above was found on Vinylmation Exchange. You can trade a Mickey shaped 3″ figure for the Monorail if you wish. No word on how or why these are being made available. A lot of unreleased Monorails from this series were sold via silent auction at Mickey’s Circus in September.

A number of questions do arise from this development. Is this how they decided to get rid of a certain amount of inventory from a series they decided not to sell? How many of these are sitting back there? Are these just production samples or actually from a larger quantity produced? Is this a test to see if further Monorail series will be produced? Send us your pictures of Monorails inside trade boxes or ones you pick up!

Alcohol Comes to the Magic Kingdom Along with the Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland

Walt Disney World not only previewed some of the delicious dishes for the Be Our Guest restaurant opening November 19th as part of New Fantasyland today, but they actually revealed that assorted wines and beers will be served as well. This will make Be Our Guest the first restaurant in the 41 year history of the Magic Kingdom to serve alcohol.

“More than ever, we’re using storytelling and creativity as we develop our menus,” says Maribeth Bisienere, vice president of Food & Beverage and Merchandise for The Walt Disney Company. “We’re continually creating magical experiences, and Be Our Guest Restaurant at New Fantasyland is the next step in the evolution.”

As guests dine amongst either the Ballroom, Rose Gallery, or the West Wing, here are some of the offerings they can choose from:

Mussels Provençal

Grilled Strip Steak with Garlic-Herb Butter and Pommes Frites

Layered Ratatouille

Mousse-Filled Cream Puffs

Gourmet Cupcakes

Pan-seared Salmon with Leek Fondue and Saffron Potatoes

Assorted Cured Meats and Sausages

Lunch, Dinner, and Drink (complete with prices) menus are currently available online through the Walt Disney world website.

I’m sure you would like an explanation as to why they are serving beer and wines with dinner, so here is what Disney provided:

“As part of the overall theming, we wanted to offer wine that enhances the guest experience and complements the French-inspired cuisine,” says Stuart McGuire, Beverage Director, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “The wines focus primarily on France’s famous wine-growing regions, including Champagne, Alsace, Loire, Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux.

“We’ll also offer the leading French beer, Kronenbourg 1664,” says McGuire. “And, staying in the general region, we’ll also offer Belgian beers.”

So, what do you think of the menu and the bombshell announcement regarding alcohol in the Magic Kingdom?