PHOTOS: Epcot Tests Strange Paint Scheme on Innoventions Buildings

WDWNT on May 12, 2014

If you’ve been to Epcot over the last few days, you probably couldn’t help seeing this…

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

When this strange pattern started to appear on the exteriors of the Innoventions buildings, we assumed they were testing paint schemes they might be interested in. It seems this may actually be the desired result…




It’s definitely on the odd side, but I don’t think it looks terrible. It will certainly be interesting to see what the final product looks like…

What do you think?

Garden Grill at Epcot to Begin Offering Breakfast and Lunch Character Dining in November

WDWNT on April 3, 2014

Beginning November 8, 2015, Garden Grill Restaurant inside The Land at Epcot will begin serving breakfast and lunch in addition to dinner.

The new Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Breakfast Harvest Feast will have all the fixin’s served in an all-you-care-to-enjoy family style. The menu includes breakfast favorites like biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, Mickey waffles, and Chip’s Sticky Bun Bake.

At lunch, look for the all-you-care-to-enjoy favorites from the dinner menu, like “Living with the Land” Harvest-inspired Farmer’s Salad (which utilizes greens from the attraction), char-grilled sliced filet of beef, roasted all-natural sliced turkey breast with freshly-harvested vegetables and various side dishes. The sustainable fish will only be offered at dinner.

For reservations, visit DisneyWorld.com/dine or call 407-WDW-DINE.

“Colortopia” to Open at Epcot This Fall

WDWNT on April 3, 2014

Glidden will be a new exhibitor at Epcot’s Innoventions starting this Fall. Guests to the Colortopia exhibit will be greeted and guided by a narrator, who will encourage unique interactions through fun hands-on activities. Guests will then be able to extend their experience throughout Epcot and at home with a mobile app that will launch later in the year. The exhibit replaces the Test the Limit Labs in Innoventions East.

Glidden of course licenses with Disney to provide a line of paints sold at Wal-Mart stores.

PHOTOS: New Super-Realistic Character Topiaries Make Early Debut for 2014 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

WDWNT on March 31, 2014

If you have visited the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival before, you’ve undoubtedly seen the famous character topiaries that are the highlight of the annual event. Well, prepare to see them in an entirely new way in 2014…

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

Unlike years past, the details of the character will not only be made completely from greenery, but they will be incredibly accurate to every character detail. We were anxious to see the changes to the topiaries when Disney promised they would have a “computer generated look” this year, but I can honestly say, we were not expecting anything like what we saw at Epcot yesterday. These Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs topiaries arrived a little early and give us a great look at what to expect from all of the characters this year.

Just look at the detail in Snow White’s shoe!

Here is what the display looked like last year:

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug


Lady and the Tramp also debuted early and were looking much better this year

So, what do you think of the new look for the character topiaries in 2014?

Hayley Nance’s 2/13/14 WDW Photo Report (Flower & Garden, FastPass+, ETC.)

WDWNT on March 31, 2014

WDWNT Reporter Hayley Nance visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot on Monday and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us from her trip, so let’s take a look:

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

The Etch-A-Sketch screen in the Toy Story Mania queue is now on and displays puzzles for guests to solve

A billboard for Muppets Most Wanted has gone up


The tip board area is currently being refurbished, so a temporary board has been rigged on the construction walls

We think this is related to FastPass+

The pin station behind the building is also closed

The legacy FastPass machines at Tower of Terror are now being removed

Moving over to Epcot, Flower and Garden Festival preparation is in full swing

If you haven’t seen it already, here is the amazing new Snow White topiary installed for 2014

All of the new topiaries have a computer generated look so they look more like the characters

Lady and the Tramp

Woody

The dancing couples were not updated

Only some of the Winnie the Pooh topiaries were upgraded

Eeyore was upgraded!

Tigger as well!

Crocodile from Peter Pan

New look Captain Hook

Mary Poppins

Dirk Wallen’s 2/24/14 WDW Photo Report (Flower & Garden, Monsters Inc. Meet and Greet, Mine Train, ETC.)

WDWNT on March 31, 2014

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Monday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip:

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

An extra ferry boat dock is being added to the Transportation and Ticket Center

Work continues on the Disney Vacation Club wing at the Polynesian

A piece of roof for the new buildings is being assembled towards the Wedding Pavilion

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

Work continues on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Plenty of greenery to be found

A King Triton statue that looks like it was carved by hand can now be found across from Ariel in New Fantasyland at the Disney Vacation Club kiosk

Walls are down at Mickey’s Philharmagic and more FastPass+ kiosks have gone up

Facade work taking place on Pinocchio’s Village Haus

Some facade work in Adventureland by Magic Carpets

Work continues on the Confectionery facade

Moving over to Studios, he Monsters Inc. meet and greet is back, but some elements from the Monsters University meet and greet remainder

Some of the lockers have fraternity stickers from MU

There’s also a note from Celia

The screens are now used to show the scarer cards, just like those that appeared in Monsters University

Some bulletins related to both movies can now be found

Billboard for Muppets Most Wanted up on Mickey Ave.

Moving to Epcot, the bakery in France has Beignets for Mardi Gras

Mmmmmm….

March 5th is still a few days away, but plenty of topiaries are up at Epcot already

The Cars display is starting to go up

Sulley can be seen over the fences at the Monsters University playground

A new Little Green Men shirt for sale

Dirk Wallen’s 3/1/14 WDW Photo Report (Hub, SpectroMagic, Flower & Garden, ETC.)

WDWNT on March 31, 2014

WDWNT Reporter Drik Wallen visited three of the Walt Disney World theme parks on Saturday and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

The latest progress on the Polynesian Vacation Club wing

The Magic Kingdom moat has been drained to start work on the new hub

The latest piece of Spectromagic history pin is out and features the Mickey float

Another look at the drained moat

Moving over to Epcot, the Flower & Garden Festival starts Wednesday and it looks like the park is just about ready

Is Mickey cross-eyed?

Moving over to Animal Kingdom, the Festival of the Lion King theater is progressing nicely

One Kodak picture spot remains…

New Walt Disney World t-shirt

New Gaston t-shirt

Frozen Meet and Greet with Anna and Elsa Moving to Magic Kingdom April 20

WDWNT on March 31, 2014

It’s no secret that the meant-to-be-temporary Frozen meet and greet in the Norway pavilion at Epcot ended up a huge success with lines ranging anywhere up to 4 or 5 hours in length sometimes, so with the hotter months in central Florida coming up fast and the lengthy queue being outdoors, Disney seems to have decided a move to the Magic Kingdom is the best solution to the problem…

Screen Shot 2014-03-12 at 8.56.57 PM

Starting April 20th, Walt Disney World’s website has listed that you can meet Anna and Elsa as well as a visiting princess at Magic Kingdom’s Princess Fairytale Hall.

Screen Shot 2014-03-12 at 8.57.17 PMIt appears Rapunzel and Cinderella will be paired off in the second meet and greet inside the hall. Obviously, Disney has not entered any more information on the meet and greet as there are not even pictures or a description of the attraction on the site yet, but it seems they are getting ready by adding it to the entertainment schedule.

Now, whether or not this is a permanent addition remains to be seen. Rumors indicate further modifications could be on the way to Norway to make room for a larger Frozen meet and greet with an indoor queue (as well as a Frozen attraction somewhere down the line). So, for just how long Anna and Elsa take over a room at Fairytale Hall remains to be seen.

It’s also worth noting that Princess Fairytale Hall features nods to all 11 Disney princesses that existed prior to its opening in 2013. There are currently no references to Frozen’s 2 princesses anywhere in the building. I’m curious to see if some decorative shields or portraits of the sisters end up there sometime soon…

Until any announcement from Disney, this meet and greet is purely speculation, but this slip by the official site makes it highly likely.

UPDATE: Disney has confirmed these changes will be taking place starting April 20th, 2014. The Norway meet and greet will be discontinued at that time, but it is unclear what will come of the shop space that was converted for the meet and greet.

Epcot Adds IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party on Select Evenings

WDWNT on March 31, 2014

Starting March 15th, Epcot guests can now add a night of delicious desserts and sparkling wines to their day at the park with a new ticketed party.

0715BZ_1771GV38058136

The IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party offers a sampling of treats and drinks from around World Showcase along with premiere viewing of the nightly Epcot fireworks on select evenings, namely Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The party lasts from 7:45PM until 9:20PM. The price is $49 for adults and $29 for children.

Menu (subject to change):

  • Italy: Tiramisu
  • France: Vanilla Pot de Crème
  • United Kingdom: Shortbread Cookies
  • Morocco: Traditional Baklava
  • American Adventure: Sugar Dusted Cronis with Strawberry Sauce and Whipped Cream
  • Disney Parks ice cream novelties
  • Lemonade, coffee, teas
  • Sparkling wine from Washington State and Prosecco from Italy