WDWNT – Page 433 – WDWNT Archive

PHOTOS: FountainView at Epcot Re-Opens as Starbucks Location

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

FountainView at Epcot re-opened yesterday after several months of remodeling for the Starbucks takeover. Let’s take a look at this new location:

The exterior keeps the round shape, but looks very different

At night, the signage is a different color depending on where you are looking at it from

Yes, there is a big Starbucks logo in Epcot…

The menu is identical to the Main Street location, offering 4 breakfast sandwiches, assorted pastries, and drinks

The inside looks really sharp and has a feel very much like current Spaceship Earth or Test Track

An assortment of Starbucks products here as well

Overall, there is nothing really special about this location, but we think it looks really nice. Now the question is when is Starbucks coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom and where will they be going?

Hitchhiking Ghost Card Coming to Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom at Halloween Parties

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Starting the opening night of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom Park on September 10th, guests will be able to pick up an event-exclusive Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game card!

This new Hitchhiking Ghost Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom spell card, in concert with other spell cards, enables players to guests join Merlin’s quest to defeat Disney Villains who are scheming to take over Magic Kingdom Park. This limited-edition spell card lets players use their supernatural power from the Haunted Mansion’s graveyard.

When asked to “Cast Your Spell,” players can use these three ghosts to frighten away any Disney villains they come across on their adventures.

This new Hitchhiking Ghost spell card will not be available in the regular card packs distributed daily at the Magic Kingdom Firehouse. Guests will be able to pick up card packs and the Hitchhiking Ghosts card only during the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, both at the Firehouse and the Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom location behind Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. Guests will have to still register with their party ticket and event wristband to play and get their cards.

Are you a fan of the Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom game? How many spell cards do you have in your collection? Are you excited to add the Hitchhiking Ghost card to your available spells?

Max Guggenheim’s 8/30/13 Disneyland Resort Photo Report

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

WDWNT photographer Max Guggenheim was at the Disneyland Resort on Friday, August 30th and caught many newsworthy photos to share with us:

Taking a ride on Radiator Springs Racers

“Hold tight on the curves” ~Doc Hudson via car radio

It’s that time of year again… Halloween merchandise all around!

Of course, it would not be Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort without the opening of Haunted Mansion Holiday next Friday

Max takes us inside the construction site at Big Thunder Mountain which is now nearing completion

Rumors specualte that the ride will remain closed until 2014 now, but still no confirmation from Disney

Starbucks is moving into the Market House real soon…

Very similar to the retro Starbucks logo used at the Magic Kingdom location

The Fortuosity Shop is decorated nicely

Some new Enchanted Tiki Room 50th merchandise on display at the Disney Gallery

REVIEW: Garden Kiosk Opens at Animal Kingdom to Assist Guests with Allergies

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

With up to 15 million Americans having food allergies, Walt Disney World has responded with several options for guests traveling to the resorts. The newest resource for guests with dietary restrictions is the Garden Kiosk, which recently opened at the Animal Kingdom Park.

On a recent trip to Walt Disney World, I decided to stop by the Garden Kiosk and see what food options they have available to guests. While the Garden Kiosk was difficult to find, and not all Cast Members knew where to direct me, I did finally locate the Garden Kiosk near the exit to the “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” attraction and the Adventurer’s Outpost.

While visiting the Garden Kiosk, I was able to chat with the Cast Member behind the counter. She mentioned that the Garden Kiosk has three main objectives:

First, the kiosk sells pre-packaged snacks, drinks, and fruit that are allergen-free. Guests can also use their Snack Points from the Disney Dining Plan at the Garden Kiosk.

Second, guests can check with the Garden Kiosk for menu ingredients from all of the restaurants at the Animal Kingdom. Behind the counter of the kiosk, the Cast Member has several giant binders with which to refer. Guests can visit the kiosk with questions, and the Cast Member can look in the binders for the restaurant, the dish, the ingredients in that dish, and any allergens that could potentially problems for guests with dietary restrictions. The Garden Kiosk also provides a pamphlet with a listing of menu choices and allergen-free options.

Third, the Garden Kiosk’s aim is to provide Quick-Service options for guests with dietary restrictions. Guest with advanced dining reservations at Table Service Restaurants can contact the Walt Disney World Special Diets department and alert them to the guest’s dietary restrictions and have alternate menu choices available when they arrive to their reservation. For Quick-Service dining, it’s not that easy to know where to eat when a guest has a dietary restriction. The Garden Kiosk hopes to guide guests with those Quick-Service menu choices while still keeping with their dietary needs.

While I visited the Garden Kiosk, a guest came to the counter to ask about the ingredients in cotton candy at one of the snack carts. Her granddaughter had a gluten-allergy and she wanted to make sure there wasn’t any ingredients in the cotton candy that would cause an allergic reaction. The Cast Member checked the reference binders, made sure there wasn’t any allergens in the snack, and assured the woman that it was a safe choice for her granddaughter.

The Garden Kiosk is a pilot program. If guests respond well to the Garden Kiosk at Animal Kingdom, there may be more kiosks installed in other parks at Walt Disney World.

Do you have a food allergy? What has been your experience with dining within the Walt Disney World resorts? Will you visit the Garden Kiosk?

Dirk Wallen’s 8/28/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Epcot and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort on Thursday and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

The food court at All-Star Sports is closed for major renovations through December

You can catch a shuttle to the other All-Stars while this is going on

The arcade has been closed to become a temporary food court of sorts

At least guests have an option at their hotel

A number of pre-packaged options

Plenty of seats available

These new pieces have been installed in the lobby at each All-Star Resort. It’s expected they will interact with MagicBands at some point

Moving over to Epcot, the Cool Wash was closed for a few days for changes you’ll see in a later report…

Still doesn’t make them open this thing…

The new restrooms at the American Adventure are nearing completion

Work continues on Spice Road Table in Morocco

The new stage for Mo’ Rockin’ was completed and has opened on the left side of the pavilion

IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR FOOD & WINE!!!

Prep work is well underway

VIDEO: Disappointing Disney Villains Segment Invades “Celebrate the Magic” Show

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Short and sweet, and perhaps a bit underwhelming, the Villains segment debuted in “Celebrate the Magic” on Sunday evening at the Magic Kingdom. The new segment of the show is included to celebrate Halloween and does so in a very short run time under 1.5 minutes. See the segment for yourself:

Removed from the show is the seasonal summer segment, as well as the segment featuring Buzz Lightyear, Pirates of the Caribbean and Brave.

Unlike previous additions to the show, the Villains portion does little to use the castle for any novel effects. While we always appreciate seasonal updates to the show, this one seems somewhat ill-concieved

So, what do you think of this new segment?

Production Has Begun on “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Production has officially begun on the film, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”. Based upon the beloved book by Judith Viorst, this will be the first live-action film adaptation of the 1972 illustrated children’s classic. The book, originally inspired by the authors own three sons’ childhoods, has won numerous awards with over 2 million copies in print. Filming will take place in various locations throughout the Los Angeles, California area, including Arcadia, Pasadena, Melody Ranch in Newhall, and the San Fernando Valley. The film will be in theatres nationwide on October 10, 2014.

Image courtesy of Simon and Schuster, the official publisher page of Judith Viorst

This is the story of Alexander, who is having the most terrible and horrible day of his 11 year life. After telling his family about his woes, he finds little sympathy and thinks that maybe he is the only one who has ever experienced such a bad day! But he soon finds out that his mother, father, sister and brother are all indeed also having their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.

Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner star as Alexander’s upbeat parents, along with a trio of young talents, including 16-year-old Dylan Minnette as Alexander’s older brother, Anthony; 15-year-old Kerris Dorsey as sister Emily; and 12-year-old Australian native Ed Oxenbould making his big-screen feature debut as the film’s title character, Alexander.

Ed Oxenbould as Alexander; Image courtesy of www.imdb.com

Other cast members will include Emmy® winner (and Golden Globe® nominee) Megan Mullally, along with Jennifer Coolidge, and Disney Channel Star Bella Thorne.

Image courtesy of IMDb Resume site for Bella Thorne

The film is a 21 Laps Entertainment/Jim Henson Company production, directed by Independent Spirit Award-winner Miguel Arteta, adapted from a screenplay by Rob Lieber, produced by Shawn Levy, Emmy® nominee and CEO of the Jim Henson Company Lisa Henson, and 21 Laps Entertainment President Dan Levine, and executive production by industry veteran Philip Steuer and Jason Lust. The filmmaking team includes cinematographer Terry Stacey, two-time Oscar®-nominated production designer Michael Corenblith, Oscar-nominated film editor Pam Martin and veteran costume designer Nancy Steiner .

Stay tuned to WDW News Today for all the latest news from Walt Disney Studios.

Fresh Updates Can Now be Found at Harbour Galley in Disneyland Park

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Welcome to a new improved menu at the Harbour Galley, located on the waterfront in Critter Country in Disneyland park. Known for its refreshingly different quick service options, now there’s more new items to try!

One new option on the menu is a classic lobster roll, which looks pretty delicious.

Along with the Roast Beef Salad, you can now also choose a Shrimp Cobb Salad.

As far as the baked potatoes go, the Bacon & Sour Cream Stuffed Baked Potato will remain as is. The Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Baked Potato is now replaced by a Shrimp Salad Stuffed Baked Potato, with cucumbers, tomato and frisee. And the Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Baked Potato now has the addition of Creamy Coleslaw atop the Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce.

Served in fresh-made Sourdough Bread Bowls, the popular Clam Chowder and Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soups will remain on the menu.

So the menu now boasts three soups, two salads, a lobster roll, and three baked potatoes, along with fresh cut fruit, as well as the Mickey Kid’s Power Pack, loaded with string cheese, yogurt, apple slices, whole grain crackers and drink choice.

Harbour Galley at Disneyland Park now has a little something for everyone!

Images courtesy of the Walt Disney Company.

Halloween Merchandise at Disney Parks Features New Items & Returning Favorites

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Halloween merchandise has arrived at Disney Parks! The assortment includes some new items as well as returning favorites, and includes home and decorative goods, plush, pins, Vinylmations, softlines, souvenirs, and more.

This year there are new antenna toppers, featuring a scarecrow, a ghost Mickey Mouse, and pumpkins. There’ll be a Hitchhiking Ghost topper coming in October.

Another new item that looks awesome is the Singing Busts ornament set. A nice complement to the other Haunted Mansion home items that were introduced last February, this set features five stylized busts inspired by the graveyard scene, and was designed by Disney Design Group artist Costa Alavezos.

Being released September 20th are two new 3-inch Vinylmation figures designed by artist Caley Hicks of the Disney Design Group .

And starting September 10th, you can begin looking forward to a number of new pins created especially for the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom Park. Here are Chip n’ Dale, and a collection of Happy Haunts.

Following are some of the other Halloween merchandise you can look forward to.

How about a Halloween Duffy Bear?

A variety of buckets, including Halloween Ghost Buckets,

Halloween Popcorn Buckets,

and Halloween Trick-or-Treat Buckets!

Here are some Halloween Flags that look pretty cool.

And of course Halloween Ear Hats.

A number of Halloween T-Shirt designs for Kids and Adults

And let’s not forget Madam Leota Globes

You can also find many of these items and more in the Disney Parks online store. I hope you can find just the merchandise to put you in the spirit!

Continue to follow WDW News Today for all your Disney Halloween news.

Marquee & New Details Unveiled for Princess Fairytale Hall at The Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Here’s some exciting news from New Fantasyland at the Magic Kindom Park … Disney Imagineers added and officially unveiled the attraction’s marquee recently!

This beautiful character meet-and-greet is set to open this fall, and will feature stone walls and stained glass windows. There will be a large gallery with vaulted ceilings, filled with portraits of Disney princesses, where guests will have the magical experience of meeting with Disney princesses. There will be separate queues for guests to meet Rapunzel or Cinderella, each of which will be joined by an additional princess that can be Snow White, Aurora, Jasmine, or Mulan depending on when you visit.

Recently, 11 Princess icons were added to the facade as well, representing every Disney Princess to date: