Disney Celebrates Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary With Art

WDWNT on June 8, 2011

Walt Disney World is celebratin its 40th anniversary early with the release and signing events for some new artwork June 10th through the 17th:

Walt Disney World® Resort
40th Anniversary Artist Celebration

Walt Disney World is celebrating 40 years of magic.  To commemorate this auspicious occasion we are pleased to offer a special pre-celebration artist signing with a few of your favorite Disney Artists who have created limited edition artwork especially for the 40th Anniversary Celebration.

Walt Disney World® Resort
40th Anniversary Original Artwork
and Artist Appearances

Alice in Tea Cups
Artist: Darren Wilson

Original Artwork
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas 
Unframed Dimensions: 28″ H x 22″ W
Retail: $3,400.00

Limited Edition Paper Giclee
Edition Size: 95
Unframed Dimensions: 20″ H x 16″ W
Retail: $400.00

Petite Print
Retail: $19.95

Darren Wilson will be appearing  at Uptown Jewelers on Main Street U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom® Park
Friday, June 10 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.


Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse Take to the Skies with Dumbo

Artist: Brian Blackmore

Original Artwork
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Unframed Dimensions: 36″ H x 24″ W
Retail: $4,600.00

Limited Edition Canvas Giclee
Edition Size: 95
Unframed Dimensions: 24″ H x 16″ W
Retail: $375.00

Petite Print
Retail: $19.95

Brian Blackmore will be appearing  at Uptown Jewelers on Main Street U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom® Park
Friday, June 10 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

 

Mickey and Pluto take Flight
Artist: Greg McCullough

Original Artwork
Medium: Oil on Canvas 
Unframed Dimensions: 24″ H x 30″ W
Retail: $5,400.00

Limited Edition Canvas Giclee
Edition Size: 95
Unframed Dimensions: 16″ H x 20″ W
Retail: $360.00

Petite Print
Retail: $19.95

Greg McCullough will be appearing  at Uptown Jewelers on Main Street U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom® Park
Saturday, June 11 from 11:00am – 2:00pm and
4:00pm – 6:00pm.

 

Mickey with Castle
Artist: Randy Noble

Original Artwork
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Unframed Dimensions: 24″H x 18″W
Retail: $1,800.00

Limited Edition Canvas Giclee
Edition Size: 95
Unframed Dimensions: 20″ H x 16″ W
Retail: $360.00

Petite Print
Retail: $19.95

Randy Noble will be appearing  at Uptown Jewelers on Main Street U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom® Park
Friday, June 17 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm.

 

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride Mural
Artist: Mark Seppala

Original Artwork
Medium: Watercolor and Acrylic
Unframed Dimensions: 11″H x 34″W
Retail: $8,000.00

Limited Edition Canvas Giclee
Edition Size: 95
Unframed Dimensions: 10.5″ H x 26″ W
Retail: $375.00

Petite Print
Retail: $19.95

Mark Seppala will be appearing  at Uptown Jewelers on Main Street U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom® Park
Friday, June 17 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm.

Soundsational Summer Highlights

WDWNT on June 8, 2011

Here is a short video edited by WDWNTube’s Banks Lee showing a quick recap of all the attractions that opened this month for Soundsational Summer including The Littler Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Star Tours, and Soundsational.
 

 

Disney Offers A Closer Look at “Enchanted Tales with Belle”

WDWNT on June 6, 2011

From Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog:

“Beauty and the Beast” was released in theaters in 1991, and to say that I was obsessed with this movie is putting it mildly. I was 12 years old when it debuted and I must’ve seen the film at least 10 times that summer. In my mind, nothing was better than spending an afternoon wrapped up in this tale of “far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!” I remember sitting in the theater, dreaming of visiting Belle’s quiet French village, exploring the halls of the Beast’s mysterious castle and whirling across the golden ballroom in a gown of the same color.

Soon fans of all ages will have the opportunity to do just that and take a trip through the world of “Beauty and the Beast” at the Enchanted Tales with Belle storybook adventure, which is currently under construction as part of the Fantasyland expansion at Magic Kingdom Park.

Walt Disney Imagineering is currently building Maurice’s workshop, which will serve as scene one of the experience. The workshop, which is modeled after a French cottage, will be surrounded by a wishing well, footbridges and lush landscaping. Once inside, guests will step through a magic mirror and find themselves inside Beast’s expansive library, which he created as a gift for Belle in the film. This room will serve as the setting for a memorable character interaction experience with Belle – which will require a little help from Lumiere, the enchanted candlestick.

Another “Beauty and the Beast” experience planned for this area is the Be Our Guest Restaurant, which will allow up to 550 guests to dine in the ballroom, gallery and “West Wing” area of Beast’s castle.

These and other Fantasyland enhancements will open in phases starting in late 2012.

Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt & Casey Jr. Roundhouse Join the Fantasyland Expansion!

WDWNT on June 1, 2011

Two new additions to the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland Expansion were announced today on the official page of the project, as well as some details on the other attractions coming as part of New Fantasyland:

Beyond the Horizon — New Expansions

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” —Walt Disney

The Fantasyland Expansion
Princesses, Dwarfs, Beauties and Beasts have all been working past midnight to unveil the grandest expansion of Magic Kingdom theme park ever! Scheduled to begin opening in 2012, here is a glimpse of the future of Fantasyland:

Storybook Circus
The sound of the calliope will lead you to the brand new carousels of airborne pachyderms on Dumbo the Flying Elephant—now with 2 Dumbos! Before taking to the skies on this Fantasyland favorite, experience an array of fun-filled family games and interactive wonders for kids of all ages inside the Big Top.

Barnstormer
Hosted by the Great Goofini, this daredevil roller coaster, which twists and turns high above the Storybook Circus grounds, is getting a bright new look.

Casey Jr. Roundhouse
Adjacent to the Fantasyland Train Station is the Casey Jr. Roundhouse, a circus-themed immersive water play area that’s fun for the little ones. They’ll splish and splash as Casey Jr. billows off cool steam and water squirts from playful monkeys, elephants and camels.

Under the Sea: Journey of The Little Mermaid
Make a splash with Ariel as you take a voyage in a clamshell into a world of imagination under the sea. This attraction features her friends Sebastian and King Triton and, of course, music from the Walt Disney Pictures film.

Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt
While approaching Ariel’s Grotto to meet The Little Mermaid, join Scuttle for this fun, interactive game! Search the seaside entrance way to find the seagull’s treasures from the Human World, like a dinglehopper or a bulbous snarfblatt. Scuttle will be on hand to help with the hunt.

Enchanted Tales with Belle
In Maurice’s workshop, a magical mirror is your doorway to a captivating storytelling experience. Transport to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive re-telling of the “tale as old as time.”

Be Our Guest Restaurant
Experience the elegant ballroom, gallery and mysterious West Wing of the Beast’s castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent dining hall will offer great quick-service meals by day and full table-service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle’s Village, discover the rousing Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour!

Princess Fairytale Hall
Greet Aurora, Cinderella and Tiana and in their new home, an elegant royal court fit for every princess.

The Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, off to work you go! Take a rollicking, musical ride through the Seven Dwarfs mine—where a million diamonds shine. This roller coaster features a first-of-its-kind train that responds to every twist and turn of the track . The journey will be accompanied by music from Walt Disney’s animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The Casey Jr. Roundhouse is not a big surprise, as we can actually see it in some early concept art (pictured below). On the other hand, “Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt” is something completely new to us. We expect this to be very similar to the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on the Fantasyland Expansion becomes available.

UPDATE:

Here is the concept art for the Casey Jr. Roundhouse released in the large overall concept back in January:

Also, multiple reports have confirmed that some early testing was conducted for Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt inside the queue of The Seas with Nemo and Friends about a month ago.

VIDEO – Disney Parks Blog “Star Tours” Meet-Up

WDWNT on June 1, 2011

This video isn’t exactly timely, but if you would like an in-depth look at the Disney Parks Blog Meet-Up that was held at midnight on May 20th to celebrate the opening of Star Tours, this is what you’re looking for. We have 22 minutes of footage for you to enjoy, including the Star Tours queue, pre-show, & exit, some of the entertainment on the stage, and some unwanted appearances by WDWNT staff:

VIDEO – Phineas & Ferb “Play & Greet” Experience Now Open!

WDWNT on May 29, 2011

The delayed Phineas & Ferb “play & greet” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios finally opened earlier today to guests. In the experience, guests help the duo in making “We’re Making a Movie – The Movie”. While they wait, smaller guests help around the set at the direction of Cletus Filmore. WDWNT Reporter Banks Lee brings us video of the experience:

First Look at the Full “Under The Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid” Ride

WDWNT on May 27, 2011

We have been previewing Fantasyland’s next “dark ride” an awful lot for it still being over a year away from opening, but that’s because Disney California Adventure has been nearing the opening of their version of “Under the Sea”, titled “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure”. Now, don’t let the name confuse you, this is the same attraction in a different location and with a different facade. Otherwise, the on-ride portion is identical to what is being constructed right now at the Magic Kingdom, scheduled to open in late 2012. The first soft openings for the California attraction were held yesterday and Disneyland News Today‘s Conner Purzycki was on the scene and has a video of the entire ride to share with us. If you don’t want this attraction spoiled for you, I wouldn’t watch. However, if you want a look at what the fine people at Walt Disney Imagineering are capable of these days, this video is certainly worth a view. Enjoy:

With the level of detail, the amount of high-tech audio-animatronics figures, and the classic story of The Little Mermaid, we fully expect this to become one of the most classic Disney attractions ever built. Even though we have now seen the ride in action, stay tuned to WDW News Today as we continue to cover the Fantasyland Expansion and our version of this ride (which I’m sure we all just can’t wait for after seeing that) coming next year!