Walt Disney World Resort – Page 278

The Storybook Circus Comes to Town February 2012!

WDWNT on December 8, 2011

We had already figured out that the new Dumbo spinner would be delighting guests by mid-February 2012, but now it sounds like the Barnstormer and the new Fantasyland train station will be ready as well for that date:

New Fantasyland (early 2012) – The largest expansion project in Magic Kingdom history will open in phases beginning February 2012 at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring attractions and experiences in an area that will nearly double the size of Fantasyland. Among the novelties, guests will be able to fly high with The Great Goofini or with Dumbo the Flying Elephant, “immerse” themselves in Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid and “be our guest” at the Beast’s Castle. Out of the gate in early 2012 will be The Barnstormer coaster, Fantasyland Station and – for the first time anywhere turning counter-clockwise – the first half of the Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction. Completion of The New Fantasyland is scheduled for 2014 with most new experiences open by 2013.

That’s right, we are just two short months away from the Storybook Circus! Who’s excited?

Four Seasons Finally Breaks Ground at Walt Disney World

WDWNT on December 8, 2011

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Dec. 6, 2011 – Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts kicked off construction of its luxury resort at Walt Disney World Resort today, in a groundbreaking ceremony with joint venture partners Silverstein Properties and Dune Real Estate. The 444-room resort will create about 2,000 construction jobs and hundreds of resort positions when open.

“Travelers around the world know and trust Four Seasons, and Walt Disney World is the world’s premiere family vacation destination,” said Meg Crofton, president, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations U.S. and France. “Together, our two companies offer a brand-new reason to visit and experience Central Florida.”

With an opening anticipated in 2014, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort will feature several dining venues including a rooftop restaurant with views of Magic Kingdom Park; a 14,000 square foot spa; fitness center; three pools and a “lazy river”; sports and recreational facilities; as well as meeting and event space, and a business center.

Kathleen Taylor, President and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, spoke of the relationship with Disney: “Each of us is dedicated to creating a product of the highest quality and standards, something that will become a landmark here in Orlando and a destination unto itself for travelers from all over the world. It is truly a one-of-a-kind project and Central Florida will be a valuable addition to our family of resorts, particularly since this is a destination our guests already enjoy.”

The development will encompass the existing Tom Fazio-designed Osprey Ridge 18-hole championship golf course, which will be renovated and subsequently managed by Four Seasons. The first Four Seasons in Central Florida is located within the Golden Oak residential community, created and master-planned by Disney.

Four Seasons first acquired the land from Walt Disney World in 2008 and is working closely with New York-based Silverstein Properties and Dune Real Estate Partners to develop the new resort.

Larry Silverstein, president and CEO of Silverstein Properties, recalled making the decision to back the project. “At the end of the day, it became apparent that the concept was right; that the team superb; the location first class; and the two names – Four Seasons and Disney – as good as you can get,” he said. “The best.”

Four Seasons is dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continual innovation and the highest standards of hospitality, with 85 properties in 35 countries, and more than 50 projects under development.

Silverstein Properties, Inc. is a privately held, full-service real estate development, investment and management firm based in New York.

Adam Roth’s 12/4/11 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on December 6, 2011

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Walt Disney World on Sunday, stopping at the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Let’s take a look at the newsworthy photos:

Another Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom window

There are many ways to hide a camera

The attention to detail is amazing

A window in Frontierland

These pads tell guests where to stand

Work continues on the Frontier Trading Post facade

The Pecos Bill’s facade looks great

The Adventureland/Frontierland passage is finally finished!

It looks quite nice

The buildings next door also look great

Work is now happening on the back side of Pecos Bill’s/Tortuga Tavern

A fireplace in Tortuga Tavern is a Sorcerers play area

Camera holes

Speaker

Argghhh, we found another!

The Sunshine Tree Terrace is still behind tarps

Another little mat out in Adventureland

It now looks like there is a piece of cloth in the back

The Swiss Family Treehouse re-opened a few weeks ago

Another mat…

Not so hidden cameras

They completely rebuilt the entrance canopy

Looks brand new

No visible progress on the Fire Station which will open as the main location for Sorcerers in early 2012

As we leave the Magic Kingdom, we see work on the Grand Floridian DVC wing is picking up

Adam took a trip over to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort per our request to see how construction was going

It looks like it is going great!

The Cadillac Range has appeared on the Cars buildings

Sketches of Luigi

Sketches of Guido

Finding Nemo building

Large coral outside

A look into the pool area

Another look at Cars

This hotel is going to be heavenly…

A wide shot

The Little Mermaid wing

Staircase construction

The Lion King building is far from finished

Back to Nemo

Crush is under wraps, please don’t try this at home…

A school of fish up on the building

More newly installed props

Mr. Ray is wrapped up

More Little Mermaid buildings

Construction trailers

It’s Christmas at Pop Century, so raise the roof tiles…

So, oranges under a mini-van…

WHAT?

Sayonara Yakitori House, Konnichiwa Katsura Grill

WDWNT on December 6, 2011

From Pam Brandon on the Disney Parks Blog:

Just in time for the busy winter holidays, Katsura Grill at the Japan Pavilion in Epcot World Showcase is open – a beautiful space that replaces the former Yakitori House. The new exterior is inspired by the strolling gardens at the historic Katsura Imperial Villa outside Kyoto, Japan, established in the 1600s and one of Japan’s cultural treasures.

It’s a nice respite on World Showcase Promenade, with quick-service dishes from sushi to Japanese curry, teriyaki and udon noodles – no big changes from the old menu (but they did add edamame, a favorite lo-cal, high-protein snack) and tweaked a few of the old favorites. Our new favorite addition is Okonomiyaki, a traditional Japanese pancake (sometimes described as a pizza) topped with veggies and a tangy sauce – crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Also new is a crispy, panko-breaded chicken sandwich, and a cold ramen noodle dish with shredded crab stick in a sweet soy dressing.

Sip a Kirin beer, plum wine or hot or cold sake and enjoy the gardens!

Adam Roth’s 12/1/11 Hollywood Studios Photo Report

WDWNT on December 6, 2011

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Thursday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip:

First stop: The Backlot Tour…

Posters for War Horse, John Carter, and The Muppets up

Muppets ad inside the Backlot Tour tram

Block Party Bash cones still sitting around

You’ve probably already read our story about it, but here is another look at the Beauty and the Beast statue

There appears to be a damaged or unfinished Beast statue off to the side as well

Pan-Am poster

KUNGALOOSH!

Happy birthday Walt!

It may be time to take down the TRON Legacy billboards…

Phineas and Ferb are dressed for the holidays

Lines remain long

OOOOOO, my favorite part!

“No you don’t Ethan… Ethan, no you don’t!” BANG!

If you need me to tell you where we are, you’re visiting the wrong site…

If I have to tell you this one, you might have larger problems…

I suggest a room on the 13th floor, views are sublime

Current day citizens of Hollywood were out filming

Looks like they are having fun

Time to make another flip book!

AMAZING!

The Disney difference is in the details

Plenty of alcohol available for the season

Everyone awaiting the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Duffy is hidden in this year’s holiday cup…

The only show where a switch is the star

TA-DA!

The new canopy really is stunning

Prep and Landing on TV in one of the windows

Kind of scary…

Cupcakes complete with light-up ice cubes available

Cookies!

Yes Adam, we’ll include this photo!

The window screens have not ben working nightly, but were on at this time

A tribute to Jennings Osborne

The booth by the stage in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat has a very neon glow

The stage is up already and will be until 2012

Goodnight Studios

Massive Beauty and the Beast Statue Going to New Fantasyland?

WDWNT on December 2, 2011

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios yesterday and (for some reason) decided to take a trip on the Backlot Studio Tour. Boy, are we glad he did, because he came across this “beauty” in the prop shop:

Taking a wild guess, I would imagine this still unfinished statue is going to New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom, seeing as this is the same building where the mural for Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid was created. Where exactly in the expansion will this statue end up? Possibly the Be Our Guest Restaurant, but it’s still too early to tell. Just another little preview of Fantasyland to wet your appetite for 2012…

On a side note, where is that table in the background from? Another piece of New Fantasyland, or maybe we’re just over-thinking this…

“VISION House” Coming to Innoventions at Epcot

WDWNT on December 1, 2011

Green Builder® Media Announces

VISION House® in INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®

Exhibit focuses on helping homeowners reduce their environmental impact

Seattle, WA, November 30, 2011– Green Builder Media, North America’s leading media company focused on sustainable living, recently announced its plans to construct the VISION House, a green home exhibit in INNOVENTIONS located in the heart of Epcot®.

Inspired by Green Builder Media’s VISION House demonstration home series, the experiential exhibit will highlight the major themes of whole-home automation, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environment quality, security, multi-generational design, and durability. Visitors will learn that each house is a set of interactive systems, and that proper management of those systems will maximize comfort and minimize operational costs.

“We founded Green Builder Media to create positive change in the world,” says Sara Gutterman, CEO of Green Builder Media. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Disney to demonstrate to homeowners that small behavioral modifications can make big differences in their environmental impact. Our goal with the VISION House in INNOVENTIONS at Epcot® is to deliver a powerful and inspiring message that makes sustainability personal—to help families ‘bring green home,’ literally and
figuratively.”

INNOVENTIONS cast members will lead guests at VISION House through a guided tour, featuring building science fundamentals, integrated design elements, green products, and intelligent systems that enhance the home’s sustainability. Then, visitors will be directed into a post-show area, which will contain interactive kiosks that contain further information about sustainable living.

Throughout the exhibit, visitors will be encouraged to consider how they can reduce their personal impact on the planet, as well as changes they can implement in their own
homes to make them more sustainable, healthier, safer, and more durable. As guests tour the home, they will be educated on the latest in advanced products and technologies, including:

• Electronic vehicle charging station by SIEMENS (NYSE: SI)

• Chevy Volt electric vehicle by GM (NYSE: GM)

• High efficiency heating and cooling systems and controls by Trane and innovative whole-home automation system and door hardware by Schlage, both brands of Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR)

• Durable and environmentally friendly exterior systems, including smogeating tile roofs, cultured stone, bricks, permeable pavers, and trim by Boral

• Ventilation solutions to improve indoor air quality by Panasonic (NYSE: PC)

• Water-conserving fixtures, faucets, showerheads, and home standby generators

by KOHLER

• ENERGY STAR certified home appliances by Bosch

• LED lighting solutions by SYLVANIA

In addition to the onsite exhibit, Green Builder Media will launch a comprehensive technology platform that will integrate advanced online, mobile, digital, and social media solutions to compliment and expand the onsite experience.

About Green Builder Media

Green Builder® Media, LLC is the leading media company in North America focused on green building and sustainable living. With a comprehensive suite of print and digital media solutions, demonstration projects, case studies, online training, and live events, Green Builder Media assists building professionals in preparing themselves for the new green economy and helps homeowners understand how to live more sustainably.

About INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®

INNOVENTIONS is located in the heart of Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Creativity and imagination abound as guests celebrate inspiration and the innovations that improve their lives and expand their horizons. Hands-on, interactive exhibits allow children and adults to be immersed into ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. For more information about INNOVENTIONS, visit www.innoventions.disney.com.

Health and Wellness Rooms Nixed for Disney’s Contemporary Resort

WDWNT on December 1, 2011

From Jason Garcia at the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World has dropped plans to convert a floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort into “health and wellness” suites that would have included amenities such as in-room exercise equipment and massage tables, a project company officials once hoped to use to tap into a growing market for healthy-lifestyle travel.

The suites, which Disney announced in April, were initially supposed to open last month.

A Disney spokesman said the resort still plans to renovate the 14th floor of the 40-year-old Contemporary, one of Disney World’s original hotels. But the improvements will be “in line” with conventional “high-end suite standards” at Disney’s other deluxe-priced hotels.

The renovations are now scheduled to begin in early 2013 to coincide with a planned rehab of the Contemporary’s roof. The roof-top California Grille is expected to undergo renovations at the same time. The refurbished suites are likely to reopen by the start of the summer.

Disney would not say why it decided to abandon the health-and-wellness theme. Resort executives had previously said they viewed the Contemporary project as a test that could be a precursor to more themed renovations in other deluxe hotel suites.

“We look at new ideas and concepts all of the time. It’s not unusual for changes to be made on major construction projects such as” the Contemporary suite renovations, said Disney World spokesman Bryan Malenius.

The health-and-wellness concept emerged from a broader initiative within Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to carve out more “specialty room” concepts appealing to targeted demographics. Disney World, which has approximately 22,000 hotel rooms, has already converted 384 rooms at the moderately priced Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort into pirate-themed rooms and is in the midst of remaking 512 rooms at the moderately priced Disney’s Port Orleans Resort into princess-themed “Royal Rooms.”

Disney said some of the design features from early renderings of the health suites, such as bamboo floors and low-allergen mattresses, are likely to remain a part of the 2013 renovations. But other touches, such as the in-room cardio equipment and a private yoga studio, will be jettisoned.

The original announcement of these rooms was made back in April 2011.

First Video of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom in Action

WDWNT on November 30, 2011

It’s short and the quality isn’t great, but someone has posted video of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom in action from way back on November 10th. The video looks to be the introduction to the Adventureland game being given by Kuzco and pertaining to Yzma trying to become empress of Adventureland. It’s not much, but it’s something…