Adam Roth’s 7/15/11 Epcot Photo Report
Believe it or not, the Magic Kingdom isn’t the only park with news to talk about. Adam Roth proves the point with a ton of photos from his latest trip to Epcot on Friday:
The Refreshment Port has a new menu
Pan Pacific Turnstiles Opened To Guests Today
From Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:
As we’ve been sharing here on the Disney Parks Blog, there are even more changes coming for Disney California Adventure park over the next year – especially toward the front of the park. Today guests can see the first bit of this exciting makeover as we’ve just unveiled the brand-new turnstiles that will welcome them each day.
Inspired by the iconic Pan Pacific Auditorium, the turnstiles will set the stage for the new Disney California Adventure park entrance. Buena Vista Street will transport guests to Los Angeles as Walt Disney found it when he first arrived in California, with buildings inspired by structures that existed during the 1920s and ‘30s – including the Pan Pacific Auditorium. A landmark structure in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, the auditorium was the premiere location for indoor public events until it closed after almost 40 years in 1972.
Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm Wurdeman and Becket, the auditorium itself was a modest wooden structure with seating for only 6,000 people; however, the building’s façade was hailed as one of the finest examples of Streamline Moderne architecture in the United States. The four stylized towers and flagpoles were meant to evoke upswept aircraft fins.
One of the principal architects on the Pan Pacific Auditorium, Welton Becket, was a neighbor of Walt Disney’s and went on to become very influential in future Disney projects. It was Becket who suggested to Walt that he use his own artists – not an architectural firm – to design, plan and build Disneyland, and it was this advice that led to the creation of WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering). Later, Welton Becket Associates (formed in 1949 after Walter Wurdeman’s death) designed Disney’s Contemporary Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort, though Becket himself did not live to see it completed.
On May 1, 1989, a nearly full-size replica of the Pan Pacific Auditorium façade opened as the main entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Sadly, little more than three weeks later on May 24, the original building was destroyed in a fire.
As Buena Vista Street continues to take shape at Disney California Adventure park, there are more exciting transformations that will be taking place. On Sunday, the Golden Gate Bridge, which guests now pass underneath when entering the park, will begin to make way for a re-creation of the historic Glendale-Hyperion Bridge. We’ll have more details on this project next week on the Disney Parks Blog, so be sure to check back!
Big “Mack” Hiding in Little Mermaid
We came across a photo of two imagineers working on a model for Orlando’s Little Mermaid attraction, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Well, after looking at this photo for a while, you might see a familiar face in the background.
Look closely and you will see Mack from Cars sitting behind the model. Now, we can assume that this figure will used in the upcoming E-Ticket attraction opening next year at Disney California Adventure, Radiator Springs Racers.
Pete’s Silly Sideshow Concept Art?
While preparing for this week’s podcast, I happened to come across something of interest…
What is it? That’s a good question. If you look closely, you’ll see some recognizable characters. Starting on the left, you’ll see what we think is “Lambert the Sheepish Lion” standing on a pile of other lions. The photo to the right of that has the seal from “Mickey and the Seal” blowing horns next to buckets of fish. The next photo features the penguins from Mary Poppins forming a pyramid and twirling plates. The next picture has what looks like the Big Bad Wolf blowing up Mickey balloons (Get it? He huffs, and he puffs, and he blows up balloons!). The final photo is hard to make out, but it’s like Bongo the Bear from “Fun and Fancy Free” on a unicycle. There’s another photo towards the top of the image that shows either Mickey Mouse or Oswald the Lucky Rabbit practicing the death-defying feat of sticking a limb in the mouth of a lion, but it’s too small and we can’t see enough of it to be sure.
What are these? We think these are concept art for Pete’s Silly Sideshow coming to Storybook Circus as part of the Fantasyland Expansion. The banners above each set of characters are similar to those that would label each act in a circus or carnival sideshow. Where these will be located in Storybook Circus and exactly what they are (moving dioramas or an animatronic show) remains a mystery. For that matter, these could be rejected concepts from the project. Regardless, it’s an interesting teaser for what might be on the way to the Magic Kingdom, so stay tuned…
Epcot’s MouseGear Remodel is Finally Complete!
The remodeling of MouseGear at Epcot has been something WDWNT has been tracking for several months now, as you can see in our photo reports. Well, it appears the project is complete. From Steven Miller on the Disney Parks Blog:
One aspect of working for Disney that I enjoy is the culture of continuous improvement. You may recall that I love quotes from Walt Disney and I recently found one that summarized his approach to improvements at Disney Parks: “Whenever I go on a ride, I’m always thinking of what’s wrong with the thing and how it can be improved.” A great example of this philosophy in action is now found at MouseGear in Epcot. I recently visited this merchandise location to speak with Mike Myers, Manager for Merchandise Operations at Epcot, about some of the enhancements.
“When MouseGear opened in 1999, it quickly became a top shopping destination in Epcot,” explained Mike. “Around 18 months ago, we wondered how we could improve on the shopping experience for our guests. [MouseGear] was a good location but we wanted to make it a great location.”
That challenge was met by a team of individuals representing global retail design, operations, planning, product development, facility asset management, sourcing and Walt Disney Imagineering who worked together on this next evolution of MouseGear. Construction started in August 2010 and was completed in phases until this past month.
At first glance you may not notice the improvements, as they are seamless to the experience. For me, I immediately noticed a difference as I worked in MouseGear over 10 years ago. The location felt bigger and Mike confirmed my observation.
“One improvement made was lowering the fixtures that hold merchandise,” continued Mike. “By lowering the fixtures, the location feels more spacious. We also relocated the registers to strategic points throughout the store thus making checkout easier.”
This means the “wall of registers” that I recall from my time at MouseGear is gone! Mike explained that new colorful signage and carpet were also added to the mix.
“Each product area now has a color-coded sign and label that appear on new store directional maps located at each entrance,” said Mike. “We installed new carpeting that creates a pathway to make it easier for guests to explore.”
One final detail that is easy to spot is the cast members’ new costumes. I love the nod to Spaceship Earth on the front of the shirt, and the colors look sharp (they match the colors now used in the location)! Mike explained that one item was added to the costume that may be familiar to many guests.
“During the costume review process, Gina Errico, General Manager of Merchandise at Epcot, suggested a ‘Hidden Mickey’ be added to the costume,” continued Mike. “We loved the idea as ‘Hidden Mickeys’ are found in many locations at Disney Parks. We added a small one to the back of the cast members’ shirts. But don’t tell anyone!”
Haunted Mansion Merchandise Event Coming September 30th!
On the eve of Walt Disney World’s 40th anniversary, a celebration of the 40th birthday of the Florida Haunted Mansion is taking place. From Dana Trujillo on the Disney Parks Blog:
Materialize, foolish mortals at the Room For 1 More merchandise event, which will celebrate one of our park’s most beloved attractions, the Haunted Mansion, at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Sept. 30, 2011.
We invite you to step through the graveyard gates of the Haunted Mansion cemetery, recreated with “ghoulish delight” at the resort. Here you can dine in a mist-enshrouded banquet realm hidden among the crypts. While organ music plays, restless spirits will rise to entertain you during a feast provided by our ghoulish gastronomists.
Looking for somewhere to retire? Might I suggest our Ghost Gallery in the Library, where you’ll want to keep the supernatural in suspense by bidding on priceless first editions and other creepy keepsakes in our silent auction.
Room For 1 More event – P“LOTS” includes:
- Be the first to pre-purchase limited-edition event logo products, Haunted Mansion-themed collectibles and Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary collectibles.
- A deadly silent auction that includes a performance art lot by Noah.
- Meet and greets with world-renowned artists such as Robert Olszewski, Jim Shore, Greg McCullough and more.
- A cryptic conversation with our council of Walt Disney Imagineers.
- Ghostly dinner feast with haunting sounds and full-bodied entertainment.
- A deadly departure gift … don’t forget to hurry back!
Mortals dying to attend the Room For 1 More event can request tickets through July 20. For more details and a sneak peek at the treasures that will be featured at the event, visit ArtofDisneyParks.com.
Happy haunting!
UPDATE:
More information can be found (including a look at all of the merchandise) at ArtofDisneyParks.com.
Nick Corjay’s 7/10/11 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Nick Corjay returns with an update on the Magic Kingdom taken on Sunday, so let’s take a look:
The firehouse is closed, rumors say it will either be re-purposed for meet and greets or a Magic Kingdom “quest center” of some kind… more on that later…
Read More about Nick Corjay’s 7/10/11 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
Hyperion Wharf Delayed, But Changes Still Happening
From Thomas Smith on the Disney Parks Blog:
In November, we shared plans to re-imagine Pleasure Island and bring other new and compelling experiences to life at Downtown Disney. Today, we’d like to update you on our progress.
First, we’re excited that some of the new experiences we announced are already becoming favorites, like the newly expanded LEGO Imagination Center and AMC’s first Dine-In Theatre in Florida. The great news is there is more on the way.
Recently, Orlando Harley-Davidson opened its newly expanded 3,635-square-foot store at Downtown Disney West Side. The largest and most interactive Harley merchandise store of its kind, it draws guests in with a 40-foot tower and massive LCD/LED screens showing specially produced footage of motorcycles in action. Guests are also able to see and sit on some of the latest Harley-Davidson motorcycles and a brand new production studio lets guests be pictured in their favorite riding spot or transformed into real bikers. Guests can even design biker vests of their own.
Later this summer, Apricot Lane Boutique, a specialty retail store that offers celebrity-inspired branded apparel, affordable fashion jewelry, handbags and accessories, will open in the space the Harley-Davidson store previously occupied on Pleasure Island.
*This is an artist rendering and is subject to change.
This fall, construction will begin on Splitsville, a 50,000-square-foot upscale entertainment center that combines bowling with billiards, dining, music and nightlife. To make way for this experience, RIDEMAKERZ, currently located on the West Side, will move to the Marketplace.
Over on Pleasure Island, we’ve completed removing some of the buildings that aren’t part of our future plans. During the course of this site work, we identified opportunities to further refine our master plan and are pausing to evaluate them. What does this mean for you? While we’re moving quickly, it will admittedly cause a delay in construction. But we’re willing to bet that any delay will be worth the wait once we’re able to share details about the exciting work we’ve been doing.
Adam Roth’s 7/8/11 Downtown Disney Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Downtown Disney on Friday and has a few newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip:
The new Harley-Davidson store on the West Side is now open
Read More about Adam Roth’s 7/8/11 Downtown Disney Photo Report
Take a Closer Look “Under the Sea”
Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog has posted an in-depth look at Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Notice that we get a first look at the model of the exterior, a piece of concept art from the queue area, and the official attraction logo:
I love sharing New Fantasyland updates with our readers, and this one is no exception. Our friends at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) recently created a behind-the-scenes video on the creation of New Fantasyland to feature within the One Man’s Dream exhibit at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (This attraction showcases Disney milestone projects of the past, and now includes a preview area of exciting projects WDI is currently working on atMagic Kingdom Park).
WDI also shared the following teaser video with us, which focuses on one of these exciting new projects: the Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction. The expanded video will debut at One Man’s Dream this week.
In the video, Imagineer Chris Beatty gives us a sneak peek at the making of Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid through some never-before-seen sketches, artist renderings, attraction maps and more, and shares some details on Prince Eric’s castle and the attraction’s creative queue. Imagineer Eric Miller also takes us onsite to see the current state of the attraction’s progress.
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is one of many attractions planned as a part of the Fantasyland expansion currently taking place at Magic Kingdom Park. The new Fantasyland is set to open in phases beginning in late 2012.