Disney Offers First Look Inside New Fantasyland’s “Be Our Guest” Restaurant

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

From Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog:

“Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test!” Or so the song goes. Who doesn’t love this playful scene from “Beauty and The Beast,” in which the enchanted staff welcomes Belle to the castle in grand style?

And speaking of “style,” Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) has been busy recreating the castle’s very detailed beauty in the form of the Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park.

In this video, provided by WDI, Senior Concept Designer Ted Robledo presents our very first sneak peek inside this highly anticipated restaurant. Imagineers recently put the finishing touches on one of its major elements: a massive mural that will serve as the restaurant’s backdrop. Here, Ted shows how WDI combined digital technology with traditional artistry to create a sweeping landscape that gives guests the feeling that they really are walking into a part of the film.

First Look at Storybook Circus Without Construction Walls!

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

WDWNT reader Jessica Walker was nice enough to provide us with some photos she took at the Magic Kingdom yesterday. Just wait until you see these…

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The Fantasyland Station looks just about finished

Some final painting and it should be ready to open!

Men at work

So the walls start coming down around this end of the Station… by the way, those are copper gutters… expensive stuff!

Imagineering gets ready to hand operations over to the Magic Kingdom

We can kind of see The Barnstormer from here…

OK! WALLS ARE DOWN! The Barnstormer queue is now located on this side of the building

The queue looks to have some great props of various Goofy stunts

A small poster next to the prop better explains the stunt

You can see a smoking rocket and other props strewn about

It looks like Goofy splattered paint all over the wood railings…

The back of the tower/lift hill

We can somewhat see something Goofy crashed through off to the left side of the building

I think they’re saying “We’re done!”

Construction walls already up near the tents which will open later this year

You can now see lights and canvas hung from the Dumbo queue which will open with Storybook Circus!

It’s almost time!

While a little further down the road, Belle’s Village is looking better and better every day

Prince Eric’s castle looks great too! Thanks for the photos Jessica!

More Photos of Storybook Circus with Construction Walls Down!

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

Well, everyone enjoyed the photos we shared yesterday so much that WDWNT reader Jessica Walker decided to take another pass at Storybook Circus from the Walt Disney World Railroad, and there was plenty more to see:

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Most of the Fantasyland Station is now visible

Plenty of construction going on inside the building though

Still a little more work to be done

But the workers are excited to near completion!

Cool vest!

Even cooler vest!

Oh Goofy!

If you like behind the props in the queue, you can see the red Barnstormer plane vehicle

This queue is much improved

They were fixing the smoking rocket

Some final touches being added

We can see the front of the train!

From the other side, the detail on Dumbo is slowly appearing

I love the lighting fixtures in Storybook Circus

Well, this is what we get for making fun of DCA…

Work continues on Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

“Be Our Guest” Restaurant

Enchanted Tales with Belle

So, the Skyway is gone, clock-tower and all… Thanks again for the photos Jessica!

New Cast Costumes Send Guests Further into the Fantasy of New Fantasyland

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Some of the first areas of our New Fantasyland expansion at Magic Kingdom Park will be opening by late March, featuring a re-imagined version of The Barnstormer and a relocated Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction. When they debut, cast members working in these areas will be wearing new costumes inspired by the “Big Top” setting of Storybook Circus.

The Creative Entertainment Costuming team worked with Walt Disney Imagineering to develop these designs to bring the environment of Storybook Circus to life. The bold colors evoke the spirit of the ringmaster or sideshow barker, while the tails and detailing provide a period look of the 1930s.

In this video, you’ll see how the partnership between Walt Disney Imagineering and Creative Entertainment has produced an entire collection of unique costumes to be worn by cast members in each area of New Fantasyland, creating a rich sense of place and community.

Our First Pictures Inside Storybook Circus!

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

I’m sure you have heard by now, but Storybook Circus opened to the public this morning and WDWNT Reporter Melissa Weber was on the scene:

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We’re walking in!

Not much to see down here yet

Dumbo is back! And it looks glorious! There’s even circus trash-cans!

Circus ticket booths around the ride

Looks great!

The Barnstormer is also open

What an improvement!

This is the restrooms… yes, they are too nice to be restrooms…

A Casey Jr. weather vane at the top of the station

The last remnant of Toontown sits in the background

Fantasyland Train Station is open as well now

A neat detail: the train tracks in the ground turning into pavement

The lights and railing on the Tomorrowland path got painted and it is once again open!

An In-Depth Look at New Fantasyland’s Storybook Circus

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

While we wait for more pictures and video, I decided to post WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth’s twitter pictures of today’s Storybook Circus opening. Let’s take a closer look at the first piece of the New Fantasyland puzzle:

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Dumbo looks great in the new pastel colors!

The story scenes on the bottom of the carousel were a nice touch

Great attention to detail

The rest of Fantasyland has a long way to go…

PINK ELEPHANTS ON PARADE!

The other Dumbo spinner will take a while

Barnstormer signage

A look across the way

The back of the Barnstormer sign has a reference to Wiseacre Farm from Toontown Fair

This poster is up on the construction walls… including Humphrey the Bear eating a candy apple? Maybe he’ll be getting a food service location of some kind?

The Dumbo interactive queue isn’t open yet

Dumbo sign

Inside the queue

Lots of little popcorn lights on the queue

Dumbo looks great with the water feature!

Work continues on the tents

I can’t wait to see this at night

WATER!

Another new sign

Cool poster

I like that the flat people have now stepped into a three-dimensional scene…

Another cool poster

A magic feather!

Again, great details

You can see the train tracks that will come from the Roundhouse, where the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station will be

These restrooms are amazing…

Plenty of luggage outside the Fantasyland Station exit

Animal prints in the pavement

Carolwood Park… I don’t have to tell you what an awesome Walt reference this is…

Booth at the entrance to Barnstormer

New signage for the train

Casey Jr. weathervane

Nice LED lighting

Even though the path to Tomorrowland is open, work still to be done

Some old train tracks

Tracks run all over the place in this section

Goofy crashed

This could have just been a cutout, but they even put a fringe where Goofy went through…

A Main Street cart out to handle guest demands for spring break

Work continues on more Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid facade

NEW GARBAGE CANS

This will eventually be the FASTPASS/xPASS collection point

Love the costumes

Speakers and cameras themed nicely

I see you old Dumbo…

There are peanuts in the pavement… wow…

FASTPASS/xPASS queue ready for The Barnstormer as well

See you real soon Storybook Circus, we’ll be back for more pictures and video!

VIDEO: The Barnstormer starring the Great Goofini

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth brings us the first on-ride video of The Barnstormer starring the Great Goofini. The track is still the same, but there are two new props for guests to “crash” though and a very different atmosphere with the Storybook Circus all around:

Even More Photos of the Opening of Storybook Circus

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth took a ton of photos of today’s opening of Storybook Circus at the Magic Kingdom. As if we didn’t have enough coverage today, here’s a whole lot more:

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The entrance to Circus is still a mess of walls

Fantastic artwork up on the walls

Humphrey the Bear with a candy apple… I smell a new counter service loaction

Temporary carts from Main Street fill the walkway

There’s something weird about these outside of the area

Extended queue out for Dumbo

The Dumbo building is pretty awesome

Walls where the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak is going soon

The tents are far from finished

The Barnstormer queue uses targets to cover guests

A Rocketeer reference? Or just a coincidence?

I see Imagineer hats…

Hidden Wiseacre Farm reference

Lit fuse

A lot of extended queue

WORLD’S COOLEST RESTROOMS

They look happy in their new costumes 🙂

Peanuts in the pavement…

Walls still up along the Speedway

Taking some publicity shots

A lot of work left to go on the tents

Dumbo is on the map now

Not only is Storybook Circus on the map, but the Castle Wall and the new Pooh facade made it as well

Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station is coming soon

Duffy the Disney Bear Photoshoot

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

I couldn’t wait to take the Duffy Vinylmation over to Epcot to see all the Duffy goodness!

First he wanted to read the story of how he came to be.
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He was excited to learn all about the Duffy adventures.
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He posed next to his story book with the Epcot ball in the background.
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Oh my! This is the Epcot home of Duffy the Disney Bear!
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Welcome Duffy indeed!
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He couldn’t pass up a photo next to Mickey.
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And of course, the big bear himself.
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Sailor Duffy loves to travel the globe.
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I’m seeing double Duffy!
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I’m seeing lots of Duffy!
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Duffy overload!
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Duffy mixes it up with some pals.

Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure to Replace Kim Possible at Epcot

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

In an interview with TravelWeekly.com recently, Disney Parks chairman Tom Staggs was asked…

Q: A number of the park rides are based on movies. How about the Disney Channel shows?

To which he responded…

A: We have an interactive experience based around Kim Possible in Epcot and will be converting it to one developed around Phineas and Ferb. It’s possible that we could see other attractions that are hard assets, but we do think about what their life cycle will be.

So, it is official: the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure is to become history after just 3 years and replaced with a Phineas and Ferb experience that is rumored to have guests join Perry the Platypus (Agent P) in a mission to defeat the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz (cue Evil Inc. jingle).

No further details are available at this time, but stay tuned to WDWNT as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: Disney has since confirmed our report with official information

Greetings from Epcot!

All the would-be secret agents out there will find a great new interactive experience at Epcot this year.

Coming this summer, Disney Phineas & Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure is based on the wily secret-agent alter-ego of Perry the Platypus – faithful pet to the title characters from Disney’s animated series “Phineas & Ferb.” Although just a simple pet to Phineas and Ferb, Perry turns into Agent P in each episode to help stop the misguided plans of his nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Epcot guests will transform into secret agents to help Agent P thwart some of Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s most daring plots. Agents will use a “high-tech secret agent device” to receive clues for each case. Solving the clues will take agents to different places throughout seven World Showcase countries at Epcot – Mexico Pavilion, France Pavilion, Germany Pavilion, Norway Pavilion, Japan Pavilion, China Pavilion and the United Kingdom Pavilion. Agents will scour each country for clues, evil “Inators,” and – with a little bit of luck – help Agent P defeat Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Everyone ready to don their fedoras and help Agent P? I can’t wait!

Disney Phineas & Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure will arrive at Epcot and the current Disney Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure will close in summer.