“What’s New, What’s Next for WDW” Live Updates

WDWNT on February 10, 2010

In response to an overwhelming response from our followers, we are providing a number of ways to keep in touch with live updates from tonight’s announcements from the “What’s New, What’s Next for Walt Disney World” press conference from 5:30 PM through 6:45 PM ET. You can either follow the updates on Twitter by following us @wdwnt, by the special live interactive chat on WDWNTunes, or by refreshing this post that will be updated with information as it is provided. The updates will begin below shortly, we hope you enjoy our live coverage.

6:42 PM ET – Fireworks show at Magic Kingdom will be never seen before, not Magic, Music, and Mayhem.

6:29 PM ET – Summer Nightastic will also include extended hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom seven days a week, Main Street Electrical Parade will be the version of the parade that performed at Disney’s California Adventure in 2009

6:20 PM ET – Presentation ended, more details coming from post conference events, so stay tuned

6:10 PM ET – Tower of Terror additions may be temporary for Summer Nightastic or permanent, not sure

6:07 PM ET – Wide World of Sports talk – http://twitpic.com/12h4e8

6:06 PM ET – Disney Cruise Line stuff, not our bag 😉

6:00 PM ET – Parks Blog has info already on June 2010 MSEP return: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/02/main-street-electrical-parade-returns-to-walt-disney-world-resort-this-summer/

5:59 PM ET – Now on to Fantasyland Forest: http://twitpic.com/12h2tq

5:58 PM ET – Electrical Parade will have new floats that debuted at Disneyland in 2009 for WDW 2010 return

5:57 PM ET – Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios to get new drop sequences and effects, Magic Music and Mayhem fireworks coming to Magic Kingdom

5:56 PM ET – MSEP officially returns for Summer Nightastic: http://twitpic.com/12h25z

5:55 PM ET – Main Street Electrical Parade to return to Magic Kingdom

5:54 PM ET – Talking about recent changes

5:50 PM ET – Talking about Give a Day, Get a Disney Day

5:48 PM ET – Crofton Begins Presentation: http://twitpic.com/12h0kz

5:46 PM ET – Still waiting: http://twitpic.com/12gznv

5:37 PM ET – Another look at the stage: http://twitpic.com/12gy1i

5:35 PM ET -Meg Crofton and Al Weiss have arrived and taken a seat.

5:26 PM ET – Banks Lee has a front row seat: http://twitpic.com/12gvnp, http://twitpic.com/12gvmx

5:04 PM ET – Matt Paul intimidated by Channel 6’s equipment 🙂

4:54 PM ET – Another pic from inside the grill: http://twitpic.com/12goob

4:50 PM ET – Blurry picture of new ESPN Grill at Wide World of Sports: http://twitpic.com/12gocx

4:45 PM ET – WDWNT is checked in: http://twitpic.com/12gndc

4:40 PM ET – The event is being held at the new ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, which will be dedicated as such later this month: http://twitpic.com/12ghsy, http://twitpic.com/12gigp

Stanley Tools: Proud Sponsor of Construction at Walt Disney World

WDWNT on January 22, 2010

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World has signed up a new corporate sponsor: Stanley Works.

The New Britain, Conn.-based tool manufacturer has signed a multiyear contract making it the “official tool provider” at Disney World and ensuring its brand is on view throughout the giant resort.

Stanley’s logo now appears on construction walls in Disney theme parks (on signs that feature quotes from Walt Disney) and its tools are now part of the garage area of the Lights, Motor, Action! Stunt Show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Tools will soon be added to the queue of Test Track in Epcot, as well.

Stanley has also provided a Mac Tools truck for use by Disney technicians, and it will have access to resort facilities for employee and sales meetings.

The companies declined to disclose exact terms of the deal.

Studio Backlot Bulldozed???

WDWNT on December 28, 2009

A few days ago, we reported on an interesting refurbishment that was announced for both the Studio Backlot Tour and the Studio Catering Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, scheduled to take place between February 15, 2010 and March 28, 2010. A few days later, it was announced that the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure would be closed for refurbishment during that same period. Rumors are now circulating that these closures are for more than routine maintenance, they may indeed be permanent closures. These rumors go back to a few previous reports we had made about possible changes to the Hollywood Studios backlot area (Which can be read HERE and HERE), including rumors of a Monsters Inc. themed roller-coaster going into the vacant Soundstage 1, a smaller version of Radiator Springs Racers replacing the Backlot Studio Tour, the Backlot Catering Co. becoming a Monsters Inc. or Ratatouille themed eatery, and the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure would being re-themed to “A Bug’s Life”.

Again, this is simply a rumor at this time, but if true, these locations will permanently close on February 15th and will not return on March 29th as Disney is stating. Since this is all rumor at this point, we don’t know when any phases of the changes would be completed or if Disney will simply let the locations sit and wait for work to near completion on the huge Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom. It is very hard to believe that Disney would conduct huge expansions of both the Studio Backlot at Hollywood Studios and Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom simultaneously, but it is also very strange to see three major pieces of the backlot area go down for refurbishment at the same time. As you can see in this report, our information is limited, but we will report more on this breaking story as more becomes available. Stay tuned….

What’s Going On at Walt Disney World in 2010

WDWNT on December 22, 2009

Disney has released more information on exactly what the new year will bring to the Vacation Kingdom of the world, here are some highlights for 2010:

Disney has confirmed the Muppet pre-parade for 2010 that was first reported on WDWNT, stating that it will begin January 8:

Disney’s Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade (beginning Jan. 8) – Each afternoon just before the daily parade at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (and at Disneyland Park in California), Muppets characters and parade dancers will join special floats and vehicles celebrating volunteerism and presenting Honorary VoluntEARS serving as Grand Marshals of the parades.  Kermit, Miss Piggy and Sweetums will be part of the merriment, while the dancers will be donning outfits that celebrate the work of volunteers.

Work on the Fantasyland Expansion at the Magic Kingdom will begin in 2010. We have also heard that The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction will go down for refurbishment in early 2010 to change it’s facade and a few other items, the Walt Disney World Railroad will close for 2-3 months in 2010 to make way for groundbreaking backstage, and Mickey’s Toontown Fair will most likely close permanently in the Fall. Information released today:

Fantasyland expansion – An early-2010 groundbreaking will mark the beginning of a three-year construction project that will result in a vastly expanded Magic Kingdom Fantasyland.

Wide World of Sports will finally get it’s name change:

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex relaunch (February 2010) – A re-imagining project involving ESPN and the Disney sports complex, the leading multi-sport venue in the nation, aims to create immersive and entertaining sports experiences for athletes, coaches and fans by incorporating signature elements of ESPN in ways that will connect athletes and coaches with their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements.  Guests will discover a new welcome center, a digital center where video captured by 44 cameras across the 220-acre sports campus is edited for display on 40 video screens and two “jumbotrons” throughout the complex as part of a veritable “Wide World of SportsCenter,” and the new ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, technical staff will continue work in the Innovation Lab to develop ground-breaking ESPN on-air products – using the action throughout the complex as a real-world testing environment.

Beyond the press releases from today, there are a number of interesting attraction refurbishments already announced for 2010. Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom is rumored to receive lap bars for each log during it’s 1/3-2/27/10 refurbishment, Epcot’s Test Track is closed 1/11-1/17/10 and Living with the Land is closed 1/18-2/5/10 (both for unknown reasons), and the latest surprise has been the announcement that both the Studio Backlot Tour and the Studio Catering Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be closed for refurbishment from 2/15-3/28/10. Stay tuned for more details on all of these refurbishments as they become available.