PHOTO REPORT: Disney Springs 3/24/16 (STK, Souvenir Mason Jar, Edison, ETC.)

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Disney Springs earlier this week and took a few newsworthy photos to share with us during his trip:

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A look at the construction of The Edison and STK from across the water

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Some walls up outside of La Nouba

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There is a The Good Dinosaur photo-op on the West Side

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United World Soccer will be staying where they are on West Side as they now have permanent signage

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Not much visible progress on STK Steakhouse

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Some walls outside of Earl of Sandwich as well

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The new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique should open soon

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Dockside Margaritas now has a souvenir mason jar

Nick and Judy from Zootopia Coming to Disney Parks This Weekend

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

While not ever announced, it seems Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps of Disney’s Zootopia are coming to the U.S. Disney Parks this weekend.

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Judy and Nick with co-director Rich Moore at a media event

At Walt Disney World, guests will find Nick and Judy in the Move It, Shake It, Dance and Play It! Street Party starting Saturday, March 26th.

Nick and Judy will also appear on Hollywood Boulevard in a meet and greet at Disney California Adventure starting on the 26th as well.

VOTE & WIN: Round 2 of Jedi, Hero, Princesses Bracket That Pokes Fun at the Fact That Everyone Has to Have a Bracket to Vote On Bracket

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

Vote in Jedi, Hero, Princesses Bracket That Pokes Fun at the Fact That Everyone Has to Have a Bracket to Vote On Bracket as many times as you like, and each vote enters you in a random drawing for a Tsum Tsum, Star Wars & Marvel prize pack! Here is a look at the full prize pack that we revealed today.

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It includes Series 2 Tsum Tsum, Trading Cards from the D23 Expo, Hanger Bar coasters, an LE Age of Ultron Avengers pin and a Star Tours Pin. (mobile device users, click here to take poll)

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Rivers of Light Floats Begin Testing at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

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Rivers of Light will debut at Animal Kingdom on April 22nd, but some of the animal floats that will be a part of the show are already traversing the waterways by Expedition Everest:

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These floats and others will debut in Animal Kingdom’s first nighttime spectacular, Rivers of Light, debuting April 22nd, 2016.

Stay tuned for more information on this new show as it becomes available.

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Nick & Judy Characters from Zootopia Arrive at Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

On Saturday, Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps from Zootopia were added to the Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It! Street Party at the Magic Kingdom (replacing Stitch and Genie in the show):

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During the interactive portion, guests even picked “Try Everything” from Zootopia for the duo to dance to. Here are some highlights of the show:

Nick and Judy also ended up appearing in the Magic Kingdom Easter Parade later in the day as well:

Are you excited to see Nick and Judy appearing at the Magic Kingdom? Would you rather see them in a meet and greet opportunity?

BREAKING: D23 Expo Returns in 2017, Moves to July Dates

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

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All the magic and excitement of the past, present, and future of Disney entertainment will come together once again D23 presents D23 Expo 2017 at the Anaheim Convention Center the weekend of July 14–16. Each of Disney’s magical worlds will unite under one roof to celebrate what’s new and what’s on the horizon from theme parks, television, music, gaming, and films, including Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel. Advance tickets for D23 Expo 2017 will go on sale at D23Expo.com beginning July 14, 2016.

D23 Expo launched in 2009, and since then the biennial event has attracted tens of thousands of Disney fans from across the country and around the world.

Highlights planned for the fifth D23 Expo include the Disney Legends Ceremony, which honors the talented men and women who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy; an all-new exhibit curated by the Walt Disney Archives; D23 Expo’s costume contest, Mousequerade, showcasing the most creative designs by fans; the D23 Expo Emporium, where Disney fans can buy, sell, and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia, merchandise, and more; and the D23 Expo Design Challenge. (Details on the Design Challenge and Mousequerade are coming soon.)

The 2017 Expo will feature a massive show floor full of immersive experiences and special opportunities to see what’s next for Disney around the world—and guests may run into their favorite Disney stars, characters, Imagineers, animators, and filmmakers. StagePass, the popular ticket distribution system that allows attendees to obtain guaranteed seats for some of Expo’s most popular presentations, and StorePass, which allows priority entry to select shopping venues at the event, will once again enhance the guest experience. Hall D23, the popular presentation and performance venue featuring more than 7,000 seats, will return, as will Stage 23, Stage 28, and Center Stage.

The fifth event follows the success of D23 Expo 2015, where guests were treated to appearances by such celebrities as Johnny Depp, Harrison Ford, Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Evans, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Dwayne Johnson and watched performances by Ne-Yo, Sabrina Carpenter, the cast of Teen Beach 2, and stars of Disney’s shows on Broadway. Fans previewed costumes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and were the first to hear about the new Star Wars-themed lands coming to Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. They also enjoyed a look back at Disney’s rich history through extraordinary panels, presentations, and exhibits and discovered the newest entertainment, technology, and products coming from Disney.

D23 Members will receive special pricing on both one- and three-day tickets to the event, which is open to the general public. D23 Gold and Charter Members will also be entitled to special benefits at the 2017 Expo. Gold Members will also have an opportunity to purchase the Sorcerer Package, which provides a host of special benefits and amenities. Ticket prices will be announced this summer.

Writer’s Stop to Become Sci-Fi Dine-In Lounge Starting April 3rd

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

For a limited time starting April 3rd, guests waiting for their table at Sci-Fi Dine-In will be able to enjoy some appetizers and drinks in the relaxing atmosphere of the Writer’s Stop next door.

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While the Writer’s Stop was originally set to close on April 2nd, it will instead begin operating from 11:30AM until one hour prior to closing time at the Dine-In on April 3rd.

The new menu at the lounge will include a warm pretzel with spicy mustard and cheese sauce, sugar spiced nuts, and a cheese platter, as well as a selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Somehow, the Writer’s Stop will still also function as a shop when it reopens on April 3rd, but it remains to be seen how.

VIDEO: New Clips And Featurette Released For Disney’s “The Jungle Book”

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

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Walt Disney Studios has released two brand new clips and a featurette for Disney’s “The Jungle Book”.

This featurette shows how director Jon Favreau was inspired by the original Disney animated classic. Favreau is also joined by the cast as they discuss what it was like to bring the Disney classic to life.

“Legacy Featurette”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFshLh8xSz0&feature=youtu.be

“Mowgli Leaves The Pack”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgGOcEgRh7k

“Hibernation”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpZIeo4oIoA&feature=youtu.be

Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire. The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world. The wild adventure swings into theaters in 3D on April 15, 2016.

PHOTO REPORT: Animal Kingdom 3/30/16 (Rivers of Light Testing, Finding Dory, AVATAR, ETC.)

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

I visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom over the weekend to see the latest progress on all of the upcoming projects, so let’s take a look at what’s new and exciting around the park:

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Preferred parking testing has expanded to Animal Kingdom

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It’s $15 above the regular parking charge, but it is fairly close to the front entrance

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A permanent structure is finally being built for the non-Disney bus stop at Animal Kingdom

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Pandora: The World of AVATAR is still chugging along

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Disney Outfitters has reopened as the Discovery Trading Company

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Gone is the central register

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You’ll also find a subdued paint scheme throughout

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Work continues ont eh gazebos at Falme Tree BBQ

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The viewing area for Rivers of Light looks ready for the April 22nd debut

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As we posted earlier this week, we caught them testing some of the floats

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A closer look

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Walls finally came down around the north side of the River

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It’s nice to have this section of the park come back to life

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Some speakers and assorted new items for the show can be seen around the river, not sure if they will move or be covered

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The Everest shrine is finally back!

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Work continues to enclose the Flights of Wonder theater facade

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Not much visible progress on the former trails behind the Tree of Life

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A strange wall up in Harambe Market

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We rode Kilimanjaro Safaris to see if there was any visible prep for the new nighttime version

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If you look closely through the trees, you can see the screen that will raise up over the savannah

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A giraffe walking by…

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We spotted some new poacher-relate props near the elephants, so maybe the poacher storyline will return for the nighttime ride?

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Work continues on Tiffins and the Nomad Lounge

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With Finding Dory being released soon, lots of new Finding Nemo items are being released

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PHOTOS, VIDEO: La Nouba Trapeze Artists Practicing For Historic Trick

WDWNT on March 31, 2016

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On Thursday, March 31ST, Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba, in partnership with Experience Kissimmee, will stream LIVE via Facebook Live and Periscope as the energetic Trapeze troupe attempts two rarely performed tricks that only a handful of Trapeze artists have accomplished. The “Double Double & ½ Layout to the Legs” is an extremely skillful maneuver that includes a 2 ½ backward layout with a twist, all performed within seconds before the artists is caught by his legs. The second trick will be a “Quadruple” layout, which is rumored to be completed less than 20 times in the 150 year history of Trapeze.

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On Tuesday afternoon, I was able to attend a special behind the scenes performance that showed the trapeze artists practicing for this Thursday night’s record breaking performance.

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Not only was I able to witness their performance from the audience seats, but I was also taken seven stories above the arena for a amazing view from the rafters and actually above the performers themselves.

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After the practice was over, I got to meet the trapeze artists and I was stunned to find out that most of them were second and third generation trapeze performers with the art-form being a passion that was shared with them at a very young age by their families. Only two member will try to break the record but they all are confident and have no doubt that a record will be broken Thursday night.

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If you happen to be at Disney Springs this Thursday (or watching the worldwide live stream which La Nouba will be providing) be sure to check out Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba and cheer on the amazingly talented team of trapeze artists as they look to become a part of history!