Marvel “Super Hero Headquarters” Store Opening in Disney Springs This May

WDWNT on April 13, 2015

Disney has announced that today will be the final day for the United World Soccer store on the West Side of Disney Springs/Downtown Disney. In May (just in time for “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), the space will re-open as “Super Hero Headquarters”.

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According to Disney, the store will “feature popular superhero-themed merchandise”. No other details have been provided. Rumors have indicated that a Marvel store was coming to Disney Springs, but nothing in the information released so far by Disney states this is an official or Disney-operated Marvel store, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be.

Marvel merchandise can currently be found at D-Street on the West Side, but we are expecting all of the merchandise to be either removed or moved to the new store if it is in-fact Disney owned.

CONCEPT ART: Planet Hollywood at Disney Springs to Become An Observatory

WDWNT on March 19, 2015

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Planet Hollywood at Disney Springs is indeed stripping away its globe theme to become a turn-of-the-20th-century observatory, as has been rumored for some time. Planet Hollywood released the new artwork for the conversion this evening to media. The restaurant’s name is also changing to Planet Hollywood Observatory.

The restaurant will continue to feature movie and TV props, but the interior will be changed to a planetarium with stars and constellations on the ceiling above guests.

The remodel will be completed in 2016, but no word has given yet on when the work will commence.

Many establishments coming to Disney Springs are being modeled after shops and restaurants that would fill the space of abandoned businesses. Morimoto Asia will be in the Springs Bottling Co. building, while the Boathouse occupies a former waterside home (all in backstory of course, these are new or remodeled buildings from Downtown Disney).

Drik Wallen & Brian Carey’s 3/2/15 WDW Photo Report (Polynesian, Magic Kingdom, Disney Springs, ETC.)

WDWNT on March 19, 2015

Let’s catch up with what’s new and exciting at Walt Disney World with some photos from our reporters taken in the last week or so:

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The Polynesian Resort bungalows look just about ready

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Work is also wrapping up on the villas as we have less than a month until opening

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Rock work has appeared on the remodeled volcano pool

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The kids water-play area looks like a lot of fun

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Moving to the Magic Kingdom, some of the Main Street facades are still behind tarps

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Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid is still closed for a few more days for modifications

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The refurbishment of the Castle continues

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Moving on to Downtown Disney/Disney Springs, new planters and lights seem to be going in all over the place

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Beautifully Disney has closed in the Marketplace Co-Op, to be replaced with Wonderground Gallery

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A new Margarita bar is being built in the Marketplace

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Work continues on the Boathouse, which will open soon in The Landing

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They are enclosing the hangar restaurant

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St. Patrick’s Day and Easter Eachez Vinylmation now for sale at D Street

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Some of the planters by Planet Hollywood have come out from behind walls

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The escalators and stairs that will take guests out of the Orange parking structure are almost finished

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Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC recently opened in The Landing

 

This is the samecompany that operated Babycakes inside the Pollo Campero building

PHOTOS: First Pedestrian Bridge Across Buena Vista Drive Being Installed as part of Disney Springs

WDWNT on March 19, 2015

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If you drove down Buena Vista Drive this past weekend, you surely noticed all of the work happening on both sides of the road, including the giant pieces of the first pedestrian bridge to be installed over the busy roads.

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The bridge will be installed on March 19th between 1AM and 7AM. Road detours will be occurring during those hours to accommodate for the work. The bridge should open a few weeks after that.

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This will be the fist of several pedestrian bridges being installed as part of the Disney Springs project, aiming to speed-up the flow of traffic in the area by removing several traffic lights and expanding lanes.

PHOTOS BY DIRK WALLEN

Dirk Wallen’s 3/10/15 WDW Photo Report (Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom, Polynesian, Hollywood Studios, ETC.)

WDWNT on March 19, 2015

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen traveled far and wide this week, visiting Disney Springs, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Polynesian Village Resort, and the Magic Kingdom, taking plenty of newsworthy photos to share with us today:

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Starting at Disney Springs, work continues on the area outside of the AMC

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The Wonderground Gallery opened inside the Marketplace Co-Op recently

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Also new at the Co-Op is The Sign Shop, selling soem brand new Disney-inspired signage

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The finishing touches being placed on the rear facade of Raglan Road

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The Boathouse is nearing completion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The facade of the Hangar restaurant is now being worked on

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The new pier area and margarita bar in the Marketplace should be open soon

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Moving over to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, the new volcano pool area is nearing completion

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Cinderella merchandise has invaded the Emporium at the Magic Kingdom

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Even with Cinderella’s Royal Table re-opened, work continues on the castle via the infamous crane

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The Sorcerer’s Hat may be gone, but the foundation and such from it will still take a bit to remove

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The tarps are down at what we expect to be the TCM sponsored photo-op at the end of the Great Movie Ride

 

 

 

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Work has begun on the Toy Story Mania expansion we told you about last year

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St. Patrick’s Day snacks have started appearing around the resort

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HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!!!

Dirk Wallen’s 2/10/15 Disney Springs & Flamingo Crossings Photo Report

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Downtown Disney (Disney Springs) and the future site of Flamingo Crossings this week and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip:

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Signage is up for Sanuk in The Landing

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Signage up for Sound Lion as well

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Ape by Sunglass Hut has already opened

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The store specializes in sunglasses that are sportswear related

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A new section of pier being constructed in the Marketplace

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Construction has begun on the Town Center area

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The view of the construction from the Orange parking structure

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The first structure rising appears to be a pedestrian walkway over Buena Vista Drive

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The two hotels under construction at Flaming Crossings are coming up quickly

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Both hotels will open in 2016

PHOTOS: The Village Causeway (Marketplace Bridge) Finally Opens at Disney Springs/Downtown Disney

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

We’ve been watching construction for what seems like forever, but the Village Causeway, the bridge across the Marketplace section of what will be Disney Springs, opened to guests today with some small merchandise stands (Photos by WDWNT Reporter Jose Castillo):

Some really great details to be found on the bridge

Florida Both Co. sells specialty soaps

Kate and Leo doesn’t seem to be Titanic related…

They sell toys

Icon Jewelry

Flour and Sugar is operated by Basin

They have Florida inspired cookies

Different areas of Florida are represented, tying into the Disney Springs story

The store is pretty much operated on an iPad

Looking out from the Village Causeway

Some really nice views

The bridge itself is a nice architectural piece

You can now get from Rainforest Cafe to the LEGO Store in record time

The new marina is still being constructed

Brian Carey’s 2/17/15 Disney Springs/Downtown Disney Photo Report

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

One of our newest WDWNT reporters, Brian Carey, brings us his very first report today, taking a look that all that is new at Disney Springs/Downtown Disney:

The decorative panels on the outside of parking structure have started going up

What’s New? signs can now be found, helping guests find the newer additions

Sound Lion is now open

A look inside Sanuk

The Art of Shaving (not shown) and Apex (shown above) are now open as well.

Havaianas will be going in this location. For those unfamiliar, Havaianas sells flip flops and sandals from Brazil.

Chapel Hats is open

And of course the stands on the bridge (Village Causeway) are open

GHOSTS!

A look at the bridge from afar

Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC is still not open

Probably a lot of furnishing left to do based on this shot

The former Pleasure Island dead zone is now coming to life as The Landing

Still no details on Disney’s Hangar restaurant, which will be a table service location

The bar is located on a boat on the side of the building

The dock at the Boathouse is nearly complete

Back over to The Landing, inside the Art of Shaving

Shaving is expensive…

Thanks for the report Brian and welcome to the team!

WonderGround Art Gallery to Expand in Marketplace Co-Op This March, The Sign Shop Being Added

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Last summer, the Marketplace Co-Op opened at Downtown Disney Marketplace in Florida. This flexible space location serves as a testing ground for new retail shop concepts, products and guest experiences. Shortly after it opened in June 2014, a small fixture was added that featured products from the WonderGround Gallery at Downtown Disney District in California. The WonderGround Gallerysectio of the store will be expanding beginning in early March 2015, into the space that formerly belonged to Beautifully Disney.

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To celebrate this newest addition, you’re invited to attend a grand opening event on March 6-7. A few artists will be making appearances both days including Jasmine Beckett Griffith, Robert Jimenez and Jerrod Maruyama.

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Moving into WonderGround Gallery’s former space is The Sign Shop, which will carry an assortment of Disney Parks-inspired signs similar to ones offered at Disney Centerpiece and at select Art of Disney locations. Some new items will be released including a Hollywood Tower Hotel sign by Disney Design Group Artist Richard Terpstra, a mermaid image by Tony Harris, and some unique photography pieces by Michael Lewis Glover (he will also be attending the grand opening weekend).

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Make it to the Grand Opening event on March 6-7 if you can!

1/6/15 Aerial Construction Photos of Downtown Disney Conversion to Disney Springs

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

WDWNT’s own Nick LoCicero took a trip high above Downtown Disney this week and has some great aerial photos of the on-going work to share with us today:

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Even though it has opened, work continues on the Orange parking structure

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The top level appears to be far from ready

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Work has begun on the Town Center, the former parking lot for Pleasure Island

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Some new facades can already be found on this side of The Landing, the large Bottling Co. building will be home to the Morimoto restaurant

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We can see work progressing on the Boathouse, as well as the still unannounced hangar restaurant

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The Town Center will be completed by 2016

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