“Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom” Announced

WDWNT on September 6, 2011

From Thomas Smith on the Disney Parks Blog:

Today, we’re thrilled to share plans for a new role-playing adventure coming to Walt Disney World called Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. This is going to be fun – and it’s all happening inside the park. Merlin the magician will recruit guests to become apprentice sorcerers and then help them with maps and clues that show where and how to defeat an army of Disney villains.

Looks interesting, right? Work on this new adventure is already underway. You may notice a few giant crates and even some new spaces showing up throughout Adventureland. They’ll provide early clues to the challenge you’ll face while trying to save the Magic Kingdom.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is scheduled to debut in early 2012. And we’ll be sharing more details in the future so keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for updates.

VIDEO – Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

WDWNT on September 4, 2011

Lost in the shuffle of the incredibly busy month it has been in the world of Disney is the opening of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room at the Magic Kingdom. Here is a video of the main show from WDWNT Reporter Coral Rivera:

What’s New & Notable at Not-So-Scary 2011

WDWNT on August 29, 2011

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom is a perennial guest favorite for the character meet and greets, special entertainment, and of course, the candy. If you are planning on attending any of the parties this year, you’ll want to check out this nifty guide we’ve compiled. We’ve even included a few things you won’t find on any Disney provided guide:

Treat Trails (Candy Stations)

  • Trader Sam’s Tiki Treats – Jungle Cruise Landing
  • Louis Gator’s Bayou Goodies – Riverboat Landing
  • Pirate’s Booty Treats – Pirates of the Caribbean queue
  • Woody’s Happy Harvest – Diamond Horseshoe
  • Peter’s Candy Flight – Peter Pan extended queue
  • Br’er Rabbits Laughing Place Candy Patch – Splash Mountain queue, features 3 candy stops
  • Pinocchio’s Candy Closet – Pinocchio’s Village Haus Patio area (Werthers)
  • Max’s Pit Stop Treats – Speedway between the Merchandise cart and the Tea Cups
  • Town Square Theater – Exit of Mickey & Minnie meet and greet
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Candy Blast – Buzz Lightyear meet and greet area
  • Tour Guide Gardens – Exit of Duffy meet and greet
  • Stitch’s Spaceport Snacks – Tomorrowland Plaza (by Space Mountain FastPass)
  • Stitch’s Great Escape Treats – Stitch’s Great Escape (not advertised)
  • Turnstiles
  • Tomorrowland Terrace – Kellogg’s and Disney Interactive
  • Kiss Goodnight Treat Trough – Available after first parade

Special Event Entertainment

  • Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade – Magic Kingdom Parade Route – 8:15pm and 10:30pm
  • Happy Hallo’Wishes’  – Park Wide – 9:30pm
  • Villian’s Mix & Mingle – Castle Stage – 7:45pm, 8:50pm, 10:05pm and 11:15pm
  • Stitch’s Club 626 Dance Party – Rockettower Plaza Stage, Tomorrowland – featuring: Goofy, Pluto, Chip, Dale and Stitch – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Woody’s Happy Harvest Dance Party – Diamond Horseshoe, Liberty Square – featuring: Woody, Jessie and Bullseye – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am

Character Meet and Greets

  • Mickey and Minnie – Town Square Theater, Main Street – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Disney Princesses – Town Square Theater, Main Street – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Duffy the Disney Bear – Tour Guide Gardens, Main Street – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Pooh and Friends – Flag Pole Planter, Town Square, Main Street – Cntinuous (except for Parade times) 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Disney Villian’s – Castle Hub – Continuous (except for Parade times) – featuring: Captain Hook, Step Sister & Lady Tremaine, Lotso, Jafar, Hades, Gaston
  • 7 Dwarfs – Splash Mountain Exit, Frontierland – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Madame Carlotta and Rinotta (back to back) – Haunted Mansion lawn -Liberty Square – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Tiana and Naveen – Enchanted Glade, Liberty Square – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Tinker Bell and Disney Fairies – Adventureland Veranda, Adventureland – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Donald and Daisy – Gazebo outside Veranda, Adventureland – Continuous (except for Parade times) 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Timon and Rafiki – next to Swiss Family Treehouse, Adventureland – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Tarzan, Jane and Terk – Veranda Porch, Adventureland – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie and Abu – Next to Carpet ride, Adventureland – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Alice and Mad Hatter – Mad Tea Party, Fantasyland – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am
  • Buzz Lightyear – Galaxy Gate, Tomorrowland – Continuous 7:00pm to 12:00am

D23 Expo – Parks and Resorts Presentation: Fantasyland Videos

WDWNT on August 20, 2011

From Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog:

Ever wonder how Disney develops new attractions and experiences for its theme parks and resorts? Today, Tom Staggs, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Bruce Vaughn, chief creative officer, Walt Disney Imagineering, took us on a behind-the-scenes look at the creative design process for the Magic Kingdom Park New Fantasyland expansion at Walt Disney World Resort.

When Imagineers start building a new park or a land, they first create a detailed scale model to help visualize what the project will look like when it’s complete. Models like the one in this Magic Kingdom Park New Fantasyland flythrough video are not only works of art, but they’re also an invaluable tool that helps Imagineers visualize sight lines, analyze guest traffic patterns and get an overall sense of the design and aesthetics.

Some of the attractions and restaurants coming to New Fantasyland that you saw in that video include:

  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid where guests will get to experience what it’s like to go under the sea with Ariel and her friends.
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle where families and children will have the opportunity to meet Belle with a whole new degree of interactivity and personalization.
  • Dumbo The Flying Elephant, complete with an interactive queue under the Big Top and not one but two Dumbo attractions.
  • Be Our Guest Guests can dine in three separate dining rooms in the Beast’s castle. The main dining room is the Ballroom, where Belle and Beast had their first dance, in the West Wing or in the Castle Galley during lunch hours.
  • Gaston’s Tavern, a place where guests can dine in splendor and pay tribute to the manliest of men…Gaston himself!

Tom also gave D23 Expo attendees even more detail around the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train where guests will take a journey through the diamond mine of the Seven Dwarfs in a new ride system designed by Walt Disney Imagineering. The ride system allows each mine car to swing back and forth individually as the train twists and turns along the track. But don’t take my word for it – see for yourself.