Tom Corless’ 12/1/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on December 4, 2013

I made a few visits to the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Downtown Disney over the last couple of weeks and have been taking quite a few photos to share with you, so let’s take a look at what’s new and exciting at Walt Disney World:

Disney Infinity store displays can now be found in the parks

The gingerbread display at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is once again “it’s a small world” themed

There’s a tiny Contemporary made of out of gingerbread

Some of the offerings have Monorails filled with children of the world

There are even 5-legged goat crispy treats…

They also have a hidden Mickey cupcake!

Belle’s Village at the Magic Kingdom has been decorated for Christmas

Gaston uses antlers in all of his decorating…

There is now a Gaston’s Tavern antler hat

Also now for sale at the parks are these Disney food magnets

Moving to Downtown Disney, the path in the front of the West Side is now closed to guests

Pleasure Island is now the Walkway to the Marketplace…

The new bridge around Pleasure Island opened recently

Disney Springs artwork can be found on the construction walls

It seems all of the buildings not staying have been removed at this point and construction should go vertical soon

Captain Jacks and the marina should be removed very soon

Some new iPhone 5 cases with a better safety bumper came out recently

Also, we found the Master Gracey lenticular phone case

Another bumper case

Starbucks is coming to the West Side, replacing Wetzel’s Pretzels

Another look at Disney Springs construction

Another bumper case featuring Mickey Mouse

The food trucks have moved…

They can now be found between Disney Quest and La Nouba

The Namaste Cafe menu

The Superstar Catering menu

Disney Confirms Disney Springs Expansion Parking Changes

WDWNT on October 29, 2013

If you’ve ever driven to the Walt Disney World, you know that having a car on property can be a double-edged sword. You have the freedom to leave the Parks when you want/need to go, but you are also dealing with parking costs and issues. I can’t think of a more difficult parking lot to navigate on property than the ones at Downtown Disney.

With the exciting Disney Springs expansion coming over the next few years and construction already starting, many guests have questions about the new parking situation at Downtown Disney. The best part is that even MORE parking spots are coming and parking will continue to be complimentary.

Construction has started on the first of two multi-level parking garages. The first will be located near the AMC Theatres and Splitsville Luxury Lanes; this garage is expected to be completed in October 2014. The second garage will be located near the World of Disney store, and is set to open in 2016. There will continue to be surface parking spots in addition to the two parking garages.

Meanwhile, if you are planning on visiting Walt Disney World and Downtown Disney any time soon, there are some parking tips for your upcoming trip:

Let Disney do the driving. Even if you have driven to your chosen Resort, take the complimentary Disney buses to and from Downtown Disney.
If you are dining at Downtown Disney, or catching Cirque Du Soleil, be sure to arrive early to your reservation. Plan on arriving 60 minutes prior to your reservation.
If you DO drive, here are some tricks to parking your vehicle:

There is additional parking across the street from Downtown Disney, which are open Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. These spaces are near the SunTrust and Casting buildings (see the map below). Be sure to use the signal lights and crosswalks when crossing to the Downtown Disney area.
Guests can also use the Team Disney parking lot. There will be a complimentary shuttle with direct service to and from Downtown Disney’s West Side, or you can walk the short distance to your destination.
To get between the West Side, Pleasure Island, and the Marketplace, you can use the Boat Transportation to get from one end of Downtown Disney to the other.
If you are not sure of where to park, ask a Cast Member. They can direct you to the best available parking options.

PHOTOS: A Closer Look at the Disney Springs Model from the D23 Expo

WDWNT on September 13, 2013

Inside the Parks and Resorts Pavilion at the D23 Expo, there was a rather large model of Disney Springs that was shared with attendees. The model clearly shows a lot of the development that will take place over the coming months and years at what is now Downtown Disney. We decided it might be cool to take a closer look at the model and at Disney Springs:

I find it hard to believe this will still be Planet Hollywood

You can clearly see the new buildings that will stand on the now clear plot that was Comedy Warehouse

A new pedestrian bridge connects the Town Center to The Landing

The Town Center buildings in the back are large and will hold many stores with interior walkways for guests

This is the area that will greet guests when they arrive via bus

Here we can see the other side of the parking structure near T-Rex and Pollo Campero

The building that houses Pollo Campero and Babycakes is clearly not there

There is however a new small building near T-Rex that might be their new home

The red roofs mark the expanded World of Disney store

An overall look shows off the new bridge in the Marketplace

It is a large project

Here we can see more of The Landing and the new buildings that will be erected on what is now Pleasure Island

Now looking towards the West Side

We can see the other parking structure

This model was built last year, so it is possible some of this will change

So, what do you think of Disney Springs? Does seeing it in this form change your opinion on the project?

Downtown Disney Plans Parking Changes To Accommodate Disney Springs Construction

WDWNT on August 7, 2013

Walls are up all around what is currently Pleasure Island and work is expected to begin in some sections of the Downtown Disney Marketplace next month, but Disney Springs construction is about to get a lot messier and Disney is ready for it.

With several of the parking areas in Downtown Disney set to close over the next few weeks, you can expect visiting any section of the area to be a hassle anytime after noon for quite some time. In fact, the first parking structure won’t even be completed and open for Disney Springs until the Fall of 2014.

The first lot that will be constructed will be on the West Side, so the amount of parking spaces on the West Side will be greatly diminished for the next year. This work is expected to begin any day now.

Disney is aware that there will be several days over the next 15 months when Downtown Disney lots will not be able to accommodate everyone who visit. The current plan is to offer overflow lots across the street at Team Disney, Casting and SunTrust on certain afternoons to allow Guests to have convenient parking. Disney will also offer a shuttle service for Guests who park at Team Disney to make it easier for them to get to the West Side.

Even with all of this planning in place, guests may still want to utilize Disney transportation to get to Downtown Disney, or even maybe a taxi cab.

In the meantime, Disney is doubling the amount of cast member parking in the Hess lot across the street, so cast members should not be affected by this construction. Disney has also added communication tools for Cast to help them know where to park, including text messaging, a parking hotline and signage along Buena Vista Drive that will let them know when Cast parking in lot P is full.

So, what do you think of this parking plan? Will you still visit Downtown Disney during this construction project or will you wait for the new parking structures to open?

Joe Hogarty’s 7/25/13 Disney Springs Construction Photo Report

WDWNT on August 7, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Joe Hogarty headed to Downtown Disney to check out the latest progress on the Disney Springs project and found quite a bit going on, so let’s take a look:

Heading into what is now still Pleasure Island

We expect concept art to go on these walls soon, but for now it is just Downtown Disney artwork

The Comedy Warehouse is now currently being demolished

Reminds me of DCA during the overhaul

Plenty of construction materials out on the Rock ‘N’ Roll Beach Clob/Motion plot

Walls up around what was Curl and Apricot Lane

The Mannequins building will remain

Walls up on the back of the building

Not much to see yet

The Adventurer’s Club building will remain as part of The Landing

A look across at what was Comedy Warehouse

They are also working on the shoreline on the West Side right now

There might be a new bridge coming…

A look at the wreckage of Comedy Warehouse

Goodbye…

They may keep the large building back there, but it is unknown at this time

Dirk Wallen’s 7/27-29/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on August 7, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Epcot, the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Downtown Disney over the last three days and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

More touch-point entrances are being installed at Epcot

The exit has been moved to accommodate this work

Work continues on Fountain View which will open as Starbucks in the Fall

This booth is once again out from behind walls… let’s see if it actually opens this time…

The latest Remember When pin is out, featuring Journey Into Jungle Book from Animal Kingdom

Walls are still up around this planter on World Showcase promenade

Hard to see, but roads have been paved for the third bus loop at the Magic Kingdom

There is some major concrete work happening outside of the Emporium

Walls are down from around this sign

White tarps up on this Main Street facade for whatever reason

Planes merchandise has landed at the Emporium

New crossword Mickey Mouse iPhone 5 phone case

These walls are still up in Liberty Square

Walls still up at the old Peter Pan restrooms in Fantasyland

This awesome sign featuring the two lines at the Mad Tea Party finally went back up this week

Still nothing to see at Princess Fairytale Hall

Plenty to see over at the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train site

You can now see hills and valleys where the trains will dive down and rise up… this looks pretty incredible…

Work has just about wrapped up on the back of the mountain

We’re still waiting for Triton’s Treasures to open

One tarp is still up on the building

FastPass+ running at Magic Carpets of Aladdin

The FastPass+ entrance is also ready to go at Pirates of the Caribbean

A new marquee and times board are up at the American Idol Experience

Signage points FastPass+ guests down to here to enter

The Hollywood Brown Derby is testing a new lunch menu right now and it looks amazing

Moving to the Studios, Planes banners are up in the Animation Courtyard

Planes and Frozen billboards up in the Animation Courtyard as well

FastPass+ at the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

Moving to Downtown Disney, one of the West Side parking lots has already been closed for construction

Demolition continues at the former Comedy Warehouse

A new bridge is being constructed from the West Side to Pleasure Island, going around the planned construction area

Dirk Wallen’s 8/2/13 Downtown Disney/Disney Springs Photo Report

WDWNT on August 7, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Downtown Disney to check out the progress on Disney Springs and has a few photos to share with us from his trip:

Still not much to see from the main entrance of Pleasure Island

From the other side, we can see that Comedy Warehouse has been leveled

All gone

Work is progressing on the new bridge between the West Side and Pleasure Island

The former site of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Beach Club is full of materials

A look from farther away

New “Good Luck/Bad Luck” pin features Constance from the Haunted Mansion

The August 2013 poster series pin was also released recently

WDWNT: The Magazine – Downtown Disney, A History

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

Downtown Disney, A History

by Nathan Bradley

Hello Humans! Today I’ll be sharing the history of Downtown Disney and venturing into what lies in its future…

Downtown Disney is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex on the south side of Disney’s property. It was initially called The Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, opening on March 22, 1975, as a shopping complex intended to serve the planned residences within the Walt Disney World property. As the target audience ultimately became all Walt Disney World visitors, it was renamed Walt Disney World Village in 1977. In 1984 came the Eisner era. His famous “keep them on property” philosophy was applied through beefing up the area. The area started to attract locals as well.

In 1986, to compete with the growing popularity of the Church Street Station clubs in downtown Orlando, Pleasure Island was announced. It was opened on May 1, 1989, the same day as the Disney-MGM Studios theme park. It was the height of Eisner’s philosophy: if someone else in the area is doing it, we’ll do it too, except better. Later that year, the original adjacent shopping complex was renamed The Disney Village Marketplace.

In 1995, major enhancements and expansions were announced for the area, with The Disney Village Marketplace and Pleasure Island being combined into a newly-branded district named Downtown Disney. Two years later, when the rebranding was implemented, major additions also came to the area. 1997 saw the addition of Downtown Disney West Side, featuring La Nouba by Cirque Du Soleil, DisneyQuest, and Virgin Megastore. The expansion of the World of Disney and the AMC Pleasure Island Theaters also came at this time. With the new West Side, a thriving Pleasure Island and a packed Marketplace, 1997 until 2004 was arguably the Golden Age of Downtown Disney.

Pleasure Island was a nighttime entertainment complex with two comedy clubs and four dance clubs. While the Village/Marketplace and West Side have always been free to enter, Pleasure Island required the purchase of admission and was closed during the day. The clubs included 8TRAX, BET Soundstage, Comedy Warehouse, Mannequins Dance Palace, Motion, Pleasure Island Jazz Company, Rock ‘n’ Roll Beach Club, and, of course, the Adventurers Club. Beginning in summer 2004, Pleasure Island became free to enter, and only those guests entering the nightclubs were charged admission. It was from then that Pleasure Island began its decline. The free entertainment was attracting large groups of local teens which was considered “undesirable.” As a teen myself who wants to go to concerts without paying the price, I can easily see why this happened.

Many repeat Walt Disney World visitors were and still are upset by the closing of Pleasure Island, which provided an escape for adults from the theme park grind and an overall fun experience. Not to mention the fact that the performers, especially at the Adventurers Club and Comedy Warehouse, were of the highest Disney quality. Although I never got to experience these clubs, being 16, people have recounted some of their most fond Walt Disney World memories to me, which were from Pleasure Island. Downtown Disney nightlife is definitely not to be underestimated on the Walt Disney World hierarchy of attractions.

All clubs closed permanently in 2008 with the nightly “New Year’s Eve” celebrated for a final time. New shops and restaurants were planned to replace the closed clubs, but the economic recession of 2009 delayed those plans. On November 18, 2010, Walt Disney World Resort announced a project named Hyperion Wharf, which was planned to replace the Pleasure Island complex. Pleasure Island would have undergone extensive renovations and re-theming to transform into the early twentieth century wharf-themed entertainment area. New shopping and dining locations would have also been added. In July 2011, it was announced that these plans had been delayed. Hyperion Wharf was later cancelled in favor of Disney Springs: a retheming of the entire Downtown Disney area.

Disney Springs, expected to be completed in 2016, will be divided into 4 main “neighborhoods”: The Town Center, The Landing, The Marketplace, and The West Side. Along with the retheming, many additions are planned for logistical purposes. The specific additions listed are based on the leaked concept art and not official Disney press releases. These additions include a bridge across the marketplace lake, a bridge from the marketplace to Saratoga Springs, and a multi-level parking structure. Right now, Downtown Disney is a logistical nightmare, so these modifications are certainly welcome. Specifically, the inability to easily walk from one side of the complex to the other is crippling to the success of the West Side and Pleasure Island. In terms of theme, Disney Springs is to “Draw inspiration from Florida’s waterfront towns and natural beauty,” according to the official Disney press release. The West Side, as per the leaked images, will have abandoned, elevated train tracks where adults can drink above the shoppers below. The whole complex is supposedly a town that evolved around a single spring during the days of the Florida pioneers. Thus, the Downtown Disney area will for the first time have a coherent backstory, something that should always sit well with Walt Disney World veterans.

Completion of the Disney Springs project can’t come soon enough for fans of the area who remember the days when Pleasure Island was a nightlife hotspot. The last five years of Downtown Disney have been devoid of an overarching theme to transform the commercial district into a truly Disney destination. Nonetheless, with the plethora of marketplace shops, DisneyQuest, and the AMC Theaters, the Downtown Disney area has long been a staple for the “off day” or rainy day for guests. With ever-improving food and entertainment choices, Downtown Disney is also a draw for locals. The Disney Springs theme will only improve the area, infusing life into the barren wasteland of Pleasure Island and making the complex more than just something to do on an “off day.” We’ve already seen additions such as Splitsville and the Fork & Screen theater that have started to draw people away from the Marketplace. With better parking, easier navigation, and more options coming with the Disney Springs project, Downtown Disney very well may enter a new golden age in the near future.

Dirk Wallen’s 6/29/13 Downtown Disney (Disney Springs) Photo Report

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Downtown Disney over the weekend to check the progress on the Disney Springs makeover currently in the earliest stages. Let’s take a look at the progress thus far:

The taco truck is still out by Fulton’s Crab House

Pleasure Island is now mostly covered in construction walls

There are new walls in the same spot as the old ones at the former Rock ‘N’ Roll Beach Club site

Walls now up across from Paradiso 37

Curl has finally moved next to Splitsville on the West Side

The Comedy Warehouse side is completely walled off

Still no walls up at the former Adventurer’s Club

There are some walls up at the very edge of the West Side

No visible progress yet, but things are about to get interesting!

Dirk Wallen’s 5/13-5/20/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on June 4, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen has been all over the Walt Disney World theme parks over the last week and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look: