PHOTOS: Trolley Car Cafe Starbucks Opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Tom Corless was at the Trolley Car Cafe soft opening today and took a ton of great pictures! On the corner of Hollywood and Sunset at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the location officially opens on Tuesday, but today guests are able to enter by obtaining a voucher. Entry is via the patio on Hollywood Blvd., with the exit through the side door onto Sunset Blvd.

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The menu is a standard Starbucks menu.

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The interior theming is spectacular!

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The utensil dispensers even have a Trolley Car Cafe logo.

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Not only does the interior look great, the food does too!

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These are the vouchers you need to get in for the soft opening.  They are handing them out at random on Hollywood Blvd.

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The Trolley Car Cafe has several different logos, all of which seem well done.

RUMOR: Echo Lake Demolition Imminent? Are Gertie the Dinosaur and Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner at Hollywood Studios History?

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

It’s certainly no secret that Disney’s Hollywood Studios is on the verge of a major overhaul, and we’ve already heard several times from Bob Iger that a Star Wars land is on the way, but does that mean we will be losing two more Studios establishments to the construction zone soon?

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Rumors are swirling that the Echo Lake area may close to be demolished by March 2015. This would include the actual lake, Gertie the Dinosaur, and Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner, all opening day features of the Disney-MGM Studios.

The obvious thought would be that this would become part of the Star Wars themed land planned for the park, but it is unclear at this time. Similar rumblings have also claimed the adjacent Superstar Television Theater and ABC Sound Studio could be the next items to go come Summer 2015. Conflicting rumors have stated the Star Wars area would expand north and replace the Muppet-Vision area, but the removal of Echo Lake may save the Jim Henson creations from extinction.

Much is still unclear, but as we have been stating for several months now, it is clear that something BIG is up. We will provide any more information as it becomes available.

Tom Corless’ 2/6/15 WDW Photo Report (Hollywood Studios, New Resort Merchandise, Cornbread Waffle Sandwich, ETC.)

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

This week, I visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Old Key West, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort to see what was new and exciting, so let’s take a look at the photos I took around Walt Disney World over the last several days:

No hat… just the Theater…

We should have an unobstructed view in a few weeks

The Trolley Car Cafe Starbucks opened this week, you can read all about that here

One of the carts near the Hat was replaced with this new shop with large luggage bags holding the merchandise

The TCM photo-op area at the exit of the Great Movie Ride is now under construction, marking the first work we’ve seen for the project

The kid’s menu at 50’s Prime Time Cafe features Miles from Tomorrowland

The show features a dad who works for the TTA, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority interestingly enough

The new Tower of Terror opene edition pins came out a few days early

New PIXAR starter pin set

Some new Villains bags were released

Pretty sweet Maleficent bag

New Toy Story MagicBand now available

Sunset at Hollywood Studios

Old Key West has some new resort merchandise

Over at Art of Animation, there’s a BBQ pork sandwich on cornbread waffles

I saw EasyWDW tweet about it, so I had to go try it

IT WAS DELICIOUS!

The waffles get cold quickly, so they make the waffle after you order it. It was worth the 3 minute wait.

Art of Animation also has new resort merchandise

New iPhone case, but only for the 5/5S so far

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Kid’s shirt

Crossbody bag

Some Cars Land merchandise has spilled over

 

KACHOW!

PHOTOS: See the NEW “Hollywood Tower Hotel Authentic” Tower of Terror Merchandise at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

 

 

The Hollywood Tower Authentic merchandise line launched today at Tower Hotel Gifts at the exit of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror:

 

The artist appearance taking place today to celebrate the launch

Many of the displays in the store were updated as well

Tin sign

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Luggage tags

We’ll share more pictures of new items as they become available.

RUMOR: The Very Latest On Possible Attractions For Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

Earlier this year, we broke the story that the Backlot Tour was closing and rumors of a third track being added to Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Since then, rumors have been swirling about what guests will actually find if and when a Toy Story Land comes to fruition in that area of the park (keep in mind we’re not even talking about the other 2/3 of the Backlot area that should be cleared for other projects yet).

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At Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland, the Toy Story Land is made up of three attractions: RC Racer, Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin, and Green Army Men Parachute Drop. If rumors are true, only RC Racer from that group will make it to Walt Disney World.

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RC Racer is that one existing attraction that will be coming over to Hollywood Studios. The steel shuttle coaster launches guests back and forth, up and down the 80 foot tall track on what looks like orange Hot Wheels track.

Since Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree has tested so well at California Adventure, and since the proposed “Cheese the Mouse” version of the ride that would have been in Pixie Hollow in New Fantasyland was nixed, Disney will bring the ride to Toy Story Land as “Woody’s Round-Up”, where guests will ride with horse-drawn carriages that whip and whirl.

Last but not least, with rumors that Luigi’s Flying Tires at California Adventure will be replaced with a trackless, dancing car ride, the rumblings are that the ride system will be re-purposed for Buzz Lightyear at Walt Disney World. Since it hasn’t been built yet, it’s hard to gauge exactly what this is, but our guess is the dancing system will allow guests to tango with Buzz Lightyear in some way.

This is what we know so far and none of this information is official or even close to official (and anything not already under construction is always subject to change) and no announcement of this project is expected from Disney until at least August 2015 at the D23 Expo.

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Closing Date Announced for The Sorcerer’s Hat

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

The Sorcerer’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be closing forever on January 7th, 2015. The final day for the icon and the store underneath is January 6th. Pins and pin related merchandise will be relocated to Sunset Ranch on Sunset Boulevard at that time.

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The Sorcerer’s Hat is being removed for a redesign of the park’s central hub. No further details are available at this time.

Live Action “Cinderella” Sneak-Peek & Photo-Op Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

Beginning January 17th, guests can see a special sneak-peek of Disney’s live-action Cinderella film at the ABC Sound Studio in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The preview will run through March 21st.

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The coach from the film,which has been appearing at the Magic Kingdom before the afternoon parade, will be moving to Hollywood Studios to provide a photo-op for guests from February 1st through April 11th, 2015.

PHOTOS: Demolition of the Sorcerer’s Hat Begins at Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

Demolition has begun for the Sorcerer’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

 

The gold spirals under the hat are the first piece to go…

 

On the walls around the hat, ads for the park’s attractions can be found

 

Also, the Earful Tower, which is now more visible with the trees in the center hub of the park coming down

 

It will be a few weeks until the hat is completely down, with work in the area wrapping up around April/May

 

This side is looking really bad, so probably best  that it comes down

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

 

Guests leaving the park in the evening will find the hat completely dark, but the Earful Tower is now in plain sight, and the Chinese Theater will follow once the hat comes down.

Upcoming Attractions from Around the World Added to Updated “One Man’s Dream” Exhibit Finale at Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

When “The Legacy Continues” section of “Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream” debuted a few years ago, we were promised that the previews of upcoming attractions and such from the company would be updated regularly. Just last week, the boards representing each Disney resort around the world were updated:

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Completed projects and the upcoming Little Mermaid show at Tokyo DisneySea are showcased

Hong Kong Disneyland focuses on the last major addition, Mystic Manor

Disneyland Resort features some recent projects, but also the upcoming 60th anniversary

Shanghai has added artwork for the Garden of the Twelve Friends and the Pirate area of the park

Some recent additions for Disney Cruise Line

Walt Disney World’s section focuses only on Animal Kingdom

The boat ride is happening…

 

Lots of exciting things on the way!

PHOTO: The Top of the Sorcerer’s Hat at Hollywood Studios Has Been Removed

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

Overnight, the top of the Sorcerer’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was removed…

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They didn’t even have time to haul the tip of the hat off somewhere

 

We’ll keep you up to date on the progress of the removal of the Sorcerer’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios every step of the way, so stay tuned!