Duffy the Disney Bear Photoshoot

I couldn’t wait to take the Duffy Vinylmation over to Epcot to see all the Duffy goodness!

First he wanted to read the story of how he came to be.

He was excited to learn all about the Duffy adventures.

He posed next to his story book with the Epcot ball in the background.

Oh my! This is the Epcot home of Duffy the Disney Bear!

Welcome Duffy indeed!

He couldn’t pass up a photo next to Mickey.

And of course, the big bear himself.

Sailor Duffy loves to travel the globe.

I’m seeing double Duffy!

I’m seeing lots of Duffy!

Duffy overload!

Duffy mixes it up with some pals.

Annual Passholder’s: RegisterTo Be One Of The First To Glow With The Show At Fantasmic

From Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:

On Friday, we told you that the popular “Glow With the Show” Ears would soon light up audiences during “Fantasmic!” at Disneyland park, and today we’ve got some exciting news just for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders! Registration is open right now for a special opportunity for Annual Passholders to “Glow With the Show” at a private viewing of “Fantasmic!” on August 28.

‘Glow With the Show’ Ears
Bring your “Glow with the Show” Ears and be among the first to see this magical new experience! That’s right – the premiere showing of this special technology during “Fantasmic!” will be a private viewing exclusively for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders. Register now to attend, because space is limited and based on availability!

Here are the details:

  • One night only – Tuesday, August 28
  • 10 p.m. – 12 a.m.
  • Private viewing of “Fantasmic!” will begin at 11:30 p.m.
  • Select attractions, shops and food offerings will be open for event guests until 12 a.m.
  • Attendees are strongly encouraged to bring their own “Glow with the Show” Ears. Hats are not required for event attendance, but strongly encouraged for optimal viewing experience.

And here’s how you register:

  • Registration applies to Annual Passholder and up to 3 Annual Passholder guests
  • Visit any open ticket booth in the Disneyland Resort Main Entrance Esplanade
  • Present your active Annual Passport and a valid, government-issued photo I.D., as verification of your eligibility to register for the event
  • Based on availability, cast member will complete your registration and give you a voucher, required for admission to the event. Limit one (1) voucher per eligible Annual Passholder; multiple vouchers will not be honored

Important additional information:

  • Annual Passholders must be at least 18 years old to RSVP for this event, but their guests (up to 3 additional Annual Passholders) may be younger than 18.
  • Registration will close at 10 p.m. (PDT) on Thursday, August 23, 2012, or as soon as capacity for the event is reached.
  • Registration must occur in person at a Disneyland Resort Main Entrance Ticket Booth.
  • Each eligible Annual Passholder is limited to one (1) registration voucher, and voucher does not guarantee admission.
  • Registered Passholders and each of their guests must be valid Annual Passholders on the day of the event and must use their Passports for park entry.
  • Valid Photo I.D. may be required at check-in.
  • “Glow with the Show” Ears are not provided for event participation.
  • The event is subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure to Replace Kim Possible at Epcot

In an interview with TravelWeekly.com recently, Disney Parks chairman Tom Staggs was asked…

Q: A number of the park rides are based on movies. How about the Disney Channel shows?

To which he responded…

A: We have an interactive experience based around Kim Possible in Epcot and will be converting it to one developed around Phineas and Ferb. It’s possible that we could see other attractions that are hard assets, but we do think about what their life cycle will be.

So, it is official: the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure is to become history after just 3 years and replaced with a Phineas and Ferb experience that is rumored to have guests join Perry the Platypus (Agent P) in a mission to defeat the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz (cue Evil Inc. jingle).

No further details are available at this time, but stay tuned to WDWNT as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: Disney has since confirmed our report with official information

Greetings from Epcot!

All the would-be secret agents out there will find a great new interactive experience at Epcot this year.

Coming this summer, Disney Phineas & Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure is based on the wily secret-agent alter-ego of Perry the Platypus – faithful pet to the title characters from Disney’s animated series “Phineas & Ferb.” Although just a simple pet to Phineas and Ferb, Perry turns into Agent P in each episode to help stop the misguided plans of his nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Epcot guests will transform into secret agents to help Agent P thwart some of Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s most daring plots. Agents will use a “high-tech secret agent device” to receive clues for each case. Solving the clues will take agents to different places throughout seven World Showcase countries at Epcot – Mexico Pavilion, France Pavilion, Germany Pavilion, Norway Pavilion, Japan Pavilion, China Pavilion and the United Kingdom Pavilion. Agents will scour each country for clues, evil “Inators,” and – with a little bit of luck – help Agent P defeat Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Everyone ready to don their fedoras and help Agent P? I can’t wait!

Disney Phineas & Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure will arrive at Epcot and the current Disney Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure will close in summer.

First-Look at the Exotic Driving Experience at the WDW Speedway

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth had the chance to test drive the new Exotic Driving Experience at the Walt Disney World Speedway earlier today during a media event. The experience is set to officially debut on Monday, January 16th, but we’re providing an early look for those of you interested. We’ll start off with a video of Adam driving the Lamborghini SuperLeggera on the added modified course:

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The walls are decorated to promote the new offering in the briefing room

The briefing room is now shared for both experiences

Professional racer Christian Fittipaldi talking to the media

Gary gave details about each car and the track layout

The cars were then put into a hat and drawn at random to be paired with drivers, a fair method

Audi R8

Lamborghini Gallardo 560-4

Lamborghini SuperLeggera which Adam drove

Ferrari 458 Italia

Your video is stored on a flash drive if you choose to buy it for $90

Lamborghini Aventador

Ferrari 458

A new sign up on the building

You can see where they bought the car…

Adam gets ready to drive

Not the car he drove, but you get the idea

A car in action

Signage outside has been updated

If you look closely, you can see the old signage underneath

Merchandise available

Reservations can be made at www.exoticdriving.com or by calling 855-822-0149

Fun facts:

-They are looking to expand their fleet of supercars in the future, including a dedicated car for Thrill Ride (ride along) passengers.

-Ride videos are available for purchase at the end of the experience and run around $90 for a CD copy, with an extra charge for a USB version. The video includes a program loggin statistics from your run, including lateral forces, lap data and driver speeds.

-Vehicle speedometers are covered, preventing drivers from looking at their supercar’s speed. The Exotic Driving Experience aims to bring a focus on “technique rather than speed.”

-The vehicles all feature a paddle-shift system that eliminates the need for a traditional clutch. Gear shifting is accomplished using paddles located behind the steering wheel for easy access. Onboard computers aid in the shifting of the gears to accomodate for seamless shifting without requiring a release of the gas pedal.

-For those not comfortable with the idea of shifting manual (using the paddle shift), all vehicles are capable of being placed in an automatic shifting program led by the onboard computers. This program can be accessed at the touch of a button at any point during the drive, allowing drivers to try paddle shift but to switch to automatic mid-experience.

Josh Siegel’s 1/12/12 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT Reporter Josh Siegel visited the Magic Kingdom on Thursday and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

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Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom was testing

There is a window at the head of the queue area to give guests more info

It is still a fire station, just with three added Sorcerers stations

WDWFD used instead of the customary MKFD

Package Pick-up/Chamber of Commerce behind tarps

Pooh and Tigger now greeting guests in the garden

New flowers planted for the season

Roy and Minnie await the move back to Town Square

Some of the Confectionary and The Chapeau facades behind tarps

Sign pointing guests to character FASTPASS

Waits are short

This will soon be a Sorcerers window

A well hidden window

I can’t wait for someone to ask a price on it…

Another window

Yet another… they probably should move that bench…

The WDW/DLR trains merchandise in the window

Center Street behind tarps

The Bakery as well

This will complete the multi-year Main Street facade clean-up

I want ice cream… sniff…

I want soft serve ice cream… sniff…

The Main Street bridge is being repaired

Way too many in the treehouse for a not-so-busy day…

The Sunshine Tree Terrace is still behind tarps

The restaurant is closed, but the Sorcerers window inside is still available

Pecos Bill’s behind tarps

I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am about the Golden Oak Outpost menu returning

Big Thunder Mountain is closed for refurbishment through late-May

Cool pin trading idea

Looks like they are already rebuilding this lift hill

Frontierland Trading Post behind tarps as well

Madame Leota’s cart is now close to the Liberty Belle dock

LOVE this shirt!

From far away, we can see the roof of a tunnel being replaced

Workers out on the track as well

all of the railroad ties were removed to be replaced as well

Work continues on the new Fantasyland/Liberty Square path

The pet cemetery is being moved, it should return later

Walls in Fantasyland

Some trees being removed

Peter Pan’s Flight is being painted before the interactive queue installation begins this week

This will soon be a restroom

Dumbo removal

The beginning of the new Castle Wall

This should begin to grow shortly

A look over the walls

The old gives way to the new

The circus tent top is starting to appear

Another look at the new Dumbo queue, now set to open in March

Less and less scaffolding visible on the Be Our Guest Restaurant

Some final touches of snow being added to the Beast’s Castle

Belle’s Village

Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

Storybook Circus tents

Fantasyland Station

Back to Dumbo

You can see some of the Storybook Circus pavement already

The brick facade is starting to appear and it looks spectacular!

Back to Mermaid

Back to Belle’s Village

Enchanted Tales with Belle

Wide shot

Circus tent covering should go up on these queues soon

Timothy is expected to return as an audio-animatronic living character since he won’t be on the spinner anymore

All of the racks in the Seven Dwarfs Mine store are gone

The store will either be removed or replaced during the Castle Wall construction

Say goodbye to the diamond mine theme

This stroller parking is getting out of hand

The Sorcerers window in Frotnierland has a lighted element

It’s pretty cool

PICTURES: First-Look Inside Radiator Springs Racers!

We may be just days from the opening of Cars Land’s E-ticket attraction Radiator Springs Racers, but we’re just now getting our first look inside this gate-busting extravaganza:

RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Disney California Adventure park guests will pass under a themed archway to enter Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land at the Disneyland Resort. The

The sign for the attraction

RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15, 2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

The mountain range is as close to the real thing as you can get

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15, 2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

Right out of the movie

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15, 2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15, 2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15, 2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15,  2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

Even the bridge with the waterfall from Lightning and Sally’s drive is here

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15,  2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

As day turns to night, the facade takes on a magical appearance

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15,  2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15,  2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15,  2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

ORNAMENT VALLEY -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15, 2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

DOC HUDSON IN RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

Inside Radiator Springs Racers, Doc Hudson talks you through a tire change

RED IN RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

Through a projection effect, Red is watering his plants

LIZZIE IN RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Coming to Disney California Adventure park June 15, 2012, Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

Lizzie at the Curio shop

RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

SARGE AND FILLMORE IN RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

Sarge and Filmore at Flo’s V8 Cafe

TAILLIGHT CAVERNS IN RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS -- Cars Land features three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the Disney-Pixar film,

The finale of the ride, your car rolling through taillight caverns

1/13/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT Reporter visited the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Friday the 13th, so get ready for a not-so-spooky look at what’s new in the parks:

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A new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom window has appeared under the Main Street train station

Some new wall art was added to the Town Square Theater queue

Very creative

I think we’re going to see an elephant fly!

There he goes

He seems happy about it

Moving on to Studios

A look at the wait times

The stage is still up in front of the Sorcerers Hat

A pretty long wait for Star Tours

Most of the Muppetvision posters were replaced with posters for  The Muppets

The lenticular Muppets poster was also replaced inside the pre-show area

Osborne Lights are being taken down

Some Narnia props were moved to the Backlot Tour

The Block Party Bash cones are still sitting back here

The old fire truck that used to be located near the exit of Muppetvision 3-D was restored and is now along the Backlot tour route

Some minor changes over at the Magic of Disney Animation

The animation studio theme is being embraced with new signage

There is a campus map as if it were a real studio

Josh Siegel’s 1/15/12 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT Reporter Josh Siegel visited the Magic Kingdom on Sunday to complete his Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom quest and he took some newsworthy photos from his trip to share with us:

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Pain and Panic disguised as happy woodland creatures

DEFEATED!

Merlin has statues of all of the villains

Hades has another challenge for us…

Chernabog!

Time to rest after defeating all of the villains

Ooooooo, a badge!

Hades isn’t happy

He’s trapped…

All of the Villains are stuck in a snowglobe

Progress on the old Dumbo

Mostly intact still

The Castle Wall waits to grow over this plot

The construction site is still a bit messy

The stroller parking situation is getting bad

Work ont turning the Skyway into a new path and restrooms continues

PLEASE… there will be nowhere to walk…

Land clearing for the new path

Most of the pet cemetery has been moved to accommodate the work

More Epcot 30th Merchandise

The Disney Parks Blog has just previewed more Epcot 30th merchandise. No vinyl yet, but let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Perhaps the greatest shirt ever printed… the 8-bit Figment tee. And for sure my next Disney cap. I just opened a new savings account at my bank and called it Epcot 30th Relief Fund.

That jumbo pin will find it’s way into my collection as 100 plus dollars find their way out of my wallet. And that set of Epcot logo shot glasses will be collecting dust on my shelf for years to come. There are many more pins on preview for the Epcot 30th celebration. Check them out at OnceUponAPin.com. No release date or details have been announced yet.

CONFIRMED: President Obama Coming to Walt Disney World!

Something HUGE is going to happen at Walt Disney World this week and in response Disney is preparing with some major entertainment changes. The following information was sent to cast members today:

Due to an event this week, please ensure Cast Members are aware of the information attached regarding updated operating information for this week. Note that updated Guest collateral will be delivered to operational areas beginning Tuesday evening, Jan. 17. In addition, an in-room letter is being placed in occupied Disney Resort Guest rooms starting tomorrow morning. Channel 19 (on in-room TVs) will be updated daily to reflect these changes.

The changes are for Thursday, January 19th and they are pretty significant. First off, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be running a fireworks show since Fantasmic! is not currently performing. The show is being called “Rock the Night! Fireworks Spectacular” and will perform at 7PM that evening. Three parks are also offering Extra Magic Hours that day: Animal Kingdom from 8-9 AM, Epcot from 9PM-12AM, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios from 7-10PM.

UPDATE: The Magic Kingdom’s Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade will also be moved to 3:30PM that day.

While we can not confirm it at this time, rumors are circulating of a special guest visiting the parks on that day. This news article may shed some light on the subject.

So, is President Obama heading to Walt Disney World with the family? It certainly is an interesting rumor since he admitted to having never visited when recording his lines for the Hall of Presidents back in 2009. We’ll let you know more as it becomes available…

1/17/12 UPDATE: It has been confirmed that President Barack Obama will visit Walt Disney World to “unveil a strategy that will significantly help boost tourism and travel.” Walt Disney World was chosen because it welcomes over 45 million guests a year, possible the most popular tourist destination in the world.