The American Idol Experience Set To Close at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2015

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

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Typically, some hardcore Disney World fans will make up a rumor every now and then that the American Idol Experience attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is closing. For once, it seems the rumors are true and the attraction will close forever at the very beginning of 2015 in early January. Starting in July, the show will be decreasing the number of daily performances offered as well.

The American Idol Experience opened to mixed reviews in early 2009 amidst a tremendous amount of hype. The attraction was a first of its kind as everyday park guests could compete for a front of the line pass to any American Idol audition around the country. Many American Idol Experience golden ticket winners went on to be finalists on the actual television program, making it hard to argue that the attraction managed to find some really great talent and serve its purpose during its nearly 6 year run.

The American Idol Experience holds a special place in our hearts here at WDWNT as we were the very first website to post photos and a review of the show during the short soft-opening period in January 2009.

While Disney and Freemantle Media have quietly confirmed the closing of the attraction, there has been no word on the future of the Superstar Television Theater. Rumors indicate that somewhere down the line the building will be demolished for the long-rumored Star Wars land project, but the proximity to the center of the park and Hollywood Boulevard leads us to believe otherwise. This theater was vacant for seven years prior to the opening of the American Idol Experience, so there is always the possibility that it will remain dormant. Only time will tell…

6/16/14 Walt Disney World Photo Report (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs)

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

In an effort to best keep you updated with what is going on at Walt Disney World, we will be providing a comprehensive photo report every Monday. Should we attend anything of note during the week, we will of course continue to post videos and smaller photo reports on other weekdays, but Monday will offer the largest and most detailed on a weekly basis. With that being said, let’s dive in and see what’s new as of June 16th, 2014:

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Avatar construcvtion is in full swing at Animal Kingdom and you can clearly see the cranes over the tree-line from the parking lot

A Lion King musical “ocarina” mug is now for sale at the Harambe Popcorn cart

It comes with sheet music to show you how to play a few Disney songs

Some work happening by this gate between Africa and Asia

Walls also up by Creature Comforts on Discovery Island

Moving on to Disney Springs, work continues on Food Truck Park on the West Side

More of the elevated area that is supposed to be abandoned train tracks has appeared in the park area

A soccer store called United World Soccer has opened on the West Side, just in time for the World Cup

The store was quite busy on Saturday, but it was Car Masters Weekend

Pleasure Island continues its conversion into The Landing

Construction finally happening in the old Harley-Davidson location

The waterway between Pleasure Island and Marketplace is behind walls, also, one of the old PI train ticket booths is gone

Work continues outside of Fulton’s and Portobello

The latest progress on the new Marketplace bridge

The area between T-Rex and the LEGO store is a mess right now

Reminds me of 2010 at Disney California Adventure

The former site of Pollo Campero

Looking towards World of Disney

If you go this way, you will be funneled into LEGO

A look at the lake from the LEGO area

I hit Marketplace Co-Op to pick up some things and also tried my hand at creating a phone case. The process is fairly simple…

Moving over to Epcot, removal of the Flower and Garden Festival is still taking place… more on that later…

The Odyssey is actually open and hosting World Cup viewing all-day long

Come on in!

The interior is nicely decorated

There’s even a physical board they will update through the rounds of the World Cup

Tables and chairs are set-up inside, but there are also some cushy leather chairs in the first two rows in front of the big screen

The side pockets of the room are also filled with chairs and smaller screens

Some modest food offerings inside as well

There’s even a store filled with Epcot World Cup merchandise!

So, where the butterfly garden was located, apparently the workers hit a water main and now the entire area is being excavated…

No Figment comics remaining at Imagination!, they sold out pretty quick

As a result of the damaged water main, the Imagination! waterfall is off

Some ponds in the area have been drained as well

Olaf carrot cake cupcake for sale at the Main Street Bakery

There’s also a Frozen cupcake

We had dinner at the Be Our Guest Restaurant last night…

It had been a little while since we had been here, but the menu again had some new additions and price hikes

The current kid’s menu

The grey stuff is now offered as a dessert, served on top of a chocolate cake. It was still delicious!

Magic Kingdom’s “The Yankee Trader” To Become Haunted Mansion Store

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

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It’s one of those rumors seemingly as old as the internet, but come October, it seems likely that The Yankee Trader in Liberty Square will become a store selling just merchandise themed to the Haunted Mansion attraction. The store is scheduled to be closed from July 7th until September 30th, 2014, opening just in time for some new Haunted Mansion merchandise that will be arriving at Walt Disney World.

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Just last year, a line of very popular Haunted Mansion home décor items were released as a test to see if guests would buy more-expensive luxury items based on attractions. The test was a huge success and for several months, Walt Disney World had a hard time keeping any of these items in stock. The success of the line inspired most of the merchandise you’ll find at Centerpiece in the Marketplace Co-Op, but also over 100 new Haunted Mansion items set to arrive at Disney Parks this Fall.

In order to showcase and sell over 100 items, every square inch of the Yankee Trader will be needed. 100 items is a lot considering this one display in the store pictured above is holding just 6 different items…

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Just a few weeks ago, Disney teased the art styles for some of this new merchandise on the Disney Parks Blog. Maybe we’re reading into the Disney post too much, but the store may have a heavy Madame Leota theme…

Nothing has been confirmed and all of this is pure speculation at this time, but it seems highly likely. Stay tuned as we receive more information on this story as it develops…

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UPDATE: On July 28th, 2014, Walt Disney World confirmed that the Yankee Trader would become a Haunted Mansion-themed store. The store will indeed have a theme mostly focusing on Madame Leota as we had speculated. No further details have been made available at this time.

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So, what do you think? is a dedicated Haunted Mansion store a good idea?

Limited Edition Star Wars “Vanity” MagicBands To Be Released This Weekend

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

Some time ago, we told you that Disney would eventually sell “vanity”, or character/movie themed MagicBands to guests at some point in the future. Well, that point will be the final weekend of Star Wars Weekends 2014 June 13th-15th:

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The bands come in a special Star Wars Weekends box and are a limited edition of 2500 each. Yoda and Darth Vader are the two styles that will be available to guests. No retail price has been provided at this time.

VIDEO: #1 Criminal Steals Scenes from #1 Pre-Show at Muppetvision 3-D

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

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In promotion for Muppets Most Wanted, some changes were made to the beloved pre-show film at Muppetvision 3-D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure. Constantine, the villain from the new film, has been added in some snippets that interrupt the existing pre-show several times before leading to a lengthy interlude with the world’s number 1 criminal mastermind. to make room for this, some beloved segments have been removed, including Gonzo dancing with a potted plant on his head. Hopefully these missing sequences will return soon, but until then, here is what guests will see:

Starbucks to Open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2015, Replacing L.A. Cinema Storage Shop

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

The L.A. Prop Cinema Storage shop at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is closing on June 16th for what is expected to be a conversion into a Starbucks location. The store is scheduled to be closed until March 2015, which would be about 8 months until we would see the Starbucks location completed, but it may be done a few weeks earlier than that. There’s no word of if the exterior Red Car Trolley Barn theme of the building will remain, but we are hopeful.

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Starring Rolls was rumored to be the new Starbucks location for the park, but the space was deemed too small to handle the amount of guests expected daily. L.A. Cinema Storage is a fairly large location and is conveniently placed at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, which should be a easy-to-find location for guests especially when entering the park.

Disney has not confirmed Starbucks will be taking over this space, but it seems highly likely at this time. This would be the 5th Starbucks to open at Walt Disney World with locations at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and 2 at Downtown Disney/Disney Springs.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” Preview Coming to Disneyland, Walt Disney World

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

Starting July 4, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is coming to Disney Parks with an exclusive sneak peek, offering guests an extended look at the film before it opens in theaters.

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At Disneyland park in California, you can catch this limited time intergalactic preview in 3D with special in-theater effects at the Magic Eye Theater in Tomorrowland, where Captain EO is typically shown. Captain EO is expected to return in August.

For those visiting Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, you’ll be able to experience the cosmic adventure of “Guardians of the Galaxy” at the ABC Sound Studio at Disney’s Hollywood Studios presented in RealD 3D. This will be replacing the current Maleficent sneak peek attraction in that space.

It’s no accident that there is no Marvel logo in the image Disney is using for this preview, the logo and all mention of the company will be missing at Walt Disney World thanks to the existing theme park rights deal Universal has in place with Marvel.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” finds space adventurer Peter Quill the object of a bounty hunt after stealing an orb coveted by a treacherous villain, but when Quill discovers the power it holds, he must find a way to rally the quartet of ragtag rivals hot on his trail to save the universe.

“Guardians of the Galaxy,” releases in U.S. theaters on August 1, 2014.

VIDEO: Mark Hamill Recalls Memories of Playing Luke Skywalker & The Joker at Star Wars Weekends 2014

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

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For one weekend only, a bit of Star Wars royalty dropped-by Star Wars Weekends 2014 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A special “Conversation with Mark Hamill” was held in the Premier Theater on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and we were lucky enough to catch the very last presentation of the show yesterday afternoon. Please enjoy our video of the entire presentation:

Pretty cool, huh?

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Highly Anticipated Marketplace Co-Op Store Opens at Downtown Disney

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

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Earlier today, the Marketplace Co-Op store at Downtown Disney we have been reporting about anxiously for several months finally opened to the public:

Our first stop inside is Centerpiece

Plenty of Polynesian and Adventureland inspired pieces

So much glassware

There’s an entire rack of Little Orange Bird merchandise

Plates

Some new, smaller signs were introduced

Tiki Room coasters

Trophy Room is pretty much the remains of Team Mickey

D-Tech on demand features pre-packaged electronics and cases, as well as 125 pieces of art that you can make into a new phone case

So many choices

Seems easy enough

On to Beautifully Disney…

Plenty of spa products, including some previously only available at Aulani

Zoey and Pickles is items focusing on tweens

Our last stop is Cherry Tree Lane

If all of this wasn’t enough to excite you about the Marketplace Co-Op, we also have a full video walk-through:

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Tinker Bell Moves to Town Square Theater at the Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

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A few weeks ago, Tinker Bell’s Nook in the former Adventureland Veranda restaurant at the Magic Kingdom was closed and Tinker Bell has now flown on over to Town Square Theater on Main Street U.S.A.. Tinker Bell’s new home replaces the Princess meet and greet area in Town Square Theater which was shuttered in the Summer of 2013 when Princess Fairytale Hall opened in New Fantasyland.

The journey begins with a cast member initiating a magical Pixie Dust effect, shrinking you down to the size of a pixie…

It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it doesn’t appear to be a permanent home for Tinker Bell either. If there are plans to move the meet and greet again at some future time, it is unclear where or when that would be,

Rumors indicate that the meet and greet was moved so that the Adventureland Veranda could once again become a restaurant (since the Magic Kingdom constantly has table service restaurants that are completely booked for reservations at busy dinner times). Only time will tell if this rumor comes to fruition.