There’s a new map out at the Magic Kingdom…
It has taken forever, but New Fantasyland is finally mentioned, “opening 2012”:
Another interesting Fantasyland development is the Enchanted Grove. Apparently, it will be coming out of tarps as the Cheshire Cafe:
The name will be changing after 40 years, but Minute Maid will remain sponsor and the menu will be the same once the name change is in effect.
From Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog:
Watch carefully over the coming days and you may see people casting spells in Adventureland. Walt Disney Imagineering has recruited Cast Members to test a new interactive experience: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.
Early next year, Disney Guests become the heroes in this role-playing trading-card game as they try to defeat the Disney Villains who are working to take over the Magic Kingdom. Armed with magic spells in the form of special cards, players must search for the magic symbols that lead them to the animated villains’ hiding places. By casting different magical spell cards, these Sorcerers can do battle with Yzma, Kronk and other ne’er do wells hiding throughout the land. From fireballs to frantic frogs and cyclones, there are spells to bring down each and every villain, with a simple flick of the wrist.
Based on the images shown, it looks like Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom will be an interactive card game of sorts. Guests will use spell cards (looks like there will be up tom 70 of these) to defeat various Disney Villains throughout the entire park.
From the look of things, Adventureland is the only area running the game so far for these play-tests, and since these were the first displays installed, it really isn’t all that surprising. Installation of the interactive sets recently reached Fantasyland and we have confirmed that Main Street U.S.A. will be getting in on the action soon. We haven’t seen much work in Tomorrowland as of yet, but it is possible that the small walls we have been discussing for several weeks have something to do with this game.
WDW News Today will have more information on Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom as it becomes available. Stay tuned…
In this report from Josh Siegel, we check-in at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, specifically focusing on the plethora of displays for Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom that have popped up, the continuing work on New Fantasyland, and some other construction projects around the resort:
Monorail Peach!
Disneyland already has put out a press release about the changes to “The Magic, The Memories, and You!” projection show:
Those holiday memories might even appear in the nightly “The Magic, The Memories, and You!” show on the façade of “it’s a small world” in Disneyland park. A new segment of the show, specially added for the season, features a musical score filled with favorite holiday tunes and images of resort guests celebrating their holiday visits. As the presentation unfolds, the façade of “it’s a small world” Holiday is frozen in ice, decorated with wreaths and candy canes, wrapped in Christmas paper, and even turned into a giant snow globe. This new segment appears in “The Magic, The Memories and You!” beginning Friday, Nov. 18.
While the release is for the Disneyland Resort version, it finally gives us more information on the show. It is not an entirely new show, but rather just a segment, probably somewhere in the middle of the existing show. We expect the current opening and finale segments will remain, but that is still unclear. The effects described in this release should be the same for the Cinderella Castle version as the existing show is almost identical at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom.
The Walt Disney World version of the show debuts at the first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on November 8th.
11/2/11 UPDATE: Walt Disney World has released information on their version of the show today:
The Magic, The Memories and You! – The nightly light show on Cinderella Castle gets in “the spirit” throughout the holidays with a special segment that wraps the Magic Kingdom landmark in colorful bows and boughs, gift paper and ribbons, ornaments, candy stripes and multi-colored strands of lights … and gingerbread.
From Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog:
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is one of several attractions currently under construction in the New Fantasyland expansion of Magic Kingdom Park.
This is a very exciting time as various elements are currently being installed in the attraction. Walt Disney Imagineers are currently putting the finishing touches on a sweeping seaside mural that will welcome guests to the load-in area of this attraction.
This video, provided by WDI, shows how Imagineers created an experimental process using digital technology to design the mural, and then used portable tablets to guide them in the artistic process when it came time to put paint on canvas.
Well, talking Mickey Mouse made his way to Florida last night with a short test period at Town Square Theater during the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Disney has released a short video of the test:
He was only out for about 30 minutes last night, but is already causing quite a stir amongst guests. Don’t worry about missing him, rumor is that talking Mickey will be around for at least the next two weeks, if not permanently at Town Square Theater. We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available.
WDWNT Reporter Zach Larson visited the Magic Kingdom on Tuesday and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us (including a ton of New Fantasyland progress), so let’s take a look:
Caste Dreamlight installations looks just about finished
Read More about Zach Larson’s 10/25/11 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
The next best thing to attending the 40th Anniversary festivities at the Magic Kingdom on October 1st or attending WDWCelebrations Project XL has to be watching this Martin smith video. All of the day’s special activities are featured, so sit back and enjoy a look back at a very special day in Walt Disney World history:
“The Magic, The Memories, and You!” is already getting a makeover after just 11 months, a holiday makeover. Available both during regular park evenings and those where Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is offered, the new show will be holiday themed. Disney currently has the show scheduled to begin performances on November 8th. No other details are available at this time. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
You read correctly: FASTPASS service will be tested for the Magic Kingdom’s afternoon parade over the next few weeks. Don’t worry, you won’t need a FASTPASS to see the parade, it really just lets you into a prime viewing area somewhere in the Hub in front of Cinderella Castle. The location will change a few times over the test period as Disney looks to see where it would be best situated. Also changing will be the number of guests per day Disney hands the Fastpasses to, just to see what the right or wrong number of guests to let in might be.
The parade FASTPASS will be distributed starting early in the day at the Magic Kingdom by Cast Members presenting them as “Magical Moments” (Think Year of a Million Dreams prizes). The return time on the FASTPASS will be for between 10-30 minutes prior to the parade reaching the hub, around a 20 minute window.
If there was a more popular new parade or a nighttime parade running, you can see how this service may be quite valuable. Guests would have more time to enjoy the park while their viewing space is reserved. They would then only have to show up a few minutes before the to claim their space along the street. It will be very interesting to see how this works out…
The test is currently scheduled to take place October 23rd through November 12. Stay tuned to WDW News Today for more information as it becomes available.
