Walt Disney World Resort – Page 368

“Fairies” Meet The Press

WDWNT on October 30, 2008

Walt Disney World has issued a press release, including pictures and a video, on the new Pixie Hollow meet-and-greet inside the Toontown Hall of Fame at the Magic Kingdom:

To celebrate the animated film “Tinker Bell,” Disney’s most famous fairy and four of her best friends are featured in a meet-and-greet experience in Mickey’s Toontown Fair at Magic Kingdom. To meet Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, guests enter a magical forest called “Pixie Hollow,” a special place deep in the heart of Never Land. Tinker Bell (center), made famous in the 1953 Disney animated classic “Peter Pan,” for her “hostess” role in Disney television specials and for “flying” above the Disney theme parks, is joined inside Pixie Hollow by four fairy friends: Iridessa (left), a light fairy; Fawn (second from left), an animal fairy; Rosetta (second from right), a garden fairy; and Silvermist (right), a water fairy. (Diana Zalucky, photographer)

Jose Eber’s Panoramic Photo Report

WDWNT on October 30, 2008

WDWNT Photographer Jose Eber has put together a few nice panoramic pictures for your enjoyment from the Magic Kingdom Resort area, including an updated photo of continuing construction of the Bay Lake Tower (be sure to click on the images for bigger versions of the panoramic pictures):

Festival of the Masters 2008

WDWNT on October 28, 2008

Here is a press release featuring details on the upcoming Festival of the Masters at Downtown Disney:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The lakeside setting of Downtown Disney becomes the backdrop for more than 150 artisans displaying original creations during the 33rd annual Festival of the Masters at Walt Disney World Resort, Nov. 7-9, 2008. Festival of the Masters, presented by Sharpie®, is a nationally recognized art show which is ranked among the country’s best outdoor art festivals each year.

To qualify for Festival of the Masters, artists must have earned a primary award in a juried art festival within the last three years. Prospective exhibitors submit award verification and samples of their art to a jury of art experts who select the participants. This process ensures that visitors to the festival will be treated to one of the finest collections of art in the nation.

Sculpture, jewelry, painting, photography, glass, and digital art are just some of the art genres showcased at this year’s event. Street painters from the Florida Chalk Artists Association will decorate some 6,000 square feet of sidewalk with unique drawings. Youngsters can take in the fun with live music, face painting and interactive kid’s zones.

House of Blues will celebrate the creative spirit of folk art during the 10th annual “Where the Art Meets the Soul” Folk Art Festival at Downtown Disney West Side.

To add an international flair to the festival, Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant will host the works of three artists associated with the Cherrylane Fine Arts Gallery in Delgany, County Wicklow, Ireland.

Festival hours are 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. each day of the festival. Admission is complimentary. For more information about Festival of the Masters, contact 407/824-4321 or visit www.disneyworld.com/artfestival.

Bridging the Gaps Between You and the Globe

WDWNT on October 27, 2008

Even though it has been performing in the show for a while now, WDWNT Videographer Jose Eber brings us a video of the upgraded LED-covered Earth globe from Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot:

Adam Roth’s 10/25/08 Epcot Update

WDWNT on October 25, 2008

Adam Roth was at Epcot today & has a photo report for us. So let’s get to it:

New LED lights have recently been added to the earth globe in IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.

The rest of these photos are all related to the upcoming Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, which opens to guests sometime in November… A golfball cleaner has been added to one of the shops in the United Kingdom pavilion. The little green box is a video screen.

This is the King’s Court in the United Kingdom. When the players in the game come up to it, the scene will react accordingly.

This is Duff Killingans’ (from the Kim Possible show) golf club. There’s a spindle at the bottom on top of the grass, which will spin the crest around to reveal a clue.

This is the display for the game, in the window of the Toy Soldier shop. What’s seen here is very different than that seen in the test from 2 years ago. The toy soldier is large, & far more rounded, with the original looking much more like a nutcracker.

This is a video screen, that when not used, the screen displays the logo from the store.

This is an audio-animatronic character that will speak to guests playing the game.

The difference is pretty much night & day from the original.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we continue to get more details on the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, opening sometime in November at Epcot.

Pixie Hollow Opens at the Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on October 24, 2008

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Tinker Bell and four new Disney fairies get a home at the Magic Kingdom this week when Walt Disney World opens up its new Pixie Hollow meet-and-greet attraction.

The attraction is set to open Friday in Mickey’s Toontown Fair area, just in time to preview the release, also Friday, of the first Tinker Bell straight-to-DVD movie, based on stories developed for the old Disney character and her four new friends, Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and Fawn.

Until now the four new fairy characters and their story have been known through a new line of books, toys and a Web site, introduced by the Walt Disney Co. over the past couple of years.

Tinker Bell was first introduced to Disney audiences in the 1953 movie Peter Pan. In anticipation of the new line of movies, Disney also is introducing a new line of costumes for young girls.

The Disney Fairies’ “Pixie Hollow” meet and greet will open inside the Toontown Hall of Fame at Mickey’s Toontown Fair in the Magic Kingdom tomorrow, October 24.

Celebrate Along with Mickey?

WDWNT on October 22, 2008

The very popular Dream Along with Mickey stage show that currently performs in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom will be going under the knife in January for reasons that are still unconfirmed at this time. As part of a two week long rehab, it is rumored that the show will be receiving a few minor costume and music changes to better fit the 2009 “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign (or at the least not clash with the new theme). These changes would probably have to take place since the show was designed for the Year of a Million Dreams that began in October 2006 and will be ending on the last day of this year. Because of this, it is completely possible that a totally new show may debut later in the month of January. To keep up to date on this and other refurbishments coming up soon at the Walt Disney World Resort (*cough* Space Mountain *cough*) stay tuned to WDW News Today and our fantastic attraction updates page.

9/21/08 Jose Eber’s Contemporary Resort Update

WDWNT on October 21, 2008

Work around Disney’s Contemporary Resort is really picking up with some major changes taking place over the last week. WDWNT photographer Jose Eber was there to share with us some of the new additions:

The Resort map has been updated to include the upcoming Bay Lake Tower expansion.

Officially Opens Fall 2009.

However, there is something new you can experience now: the seating area for the new quick service dining location for the resort.

What is finished of the new dining spot sports a touch of character.

The Concourse Steakhouse replacement is going to be right next door to the often loud Chef Mickey’s. The Grand Canyon Concourse is going to be very noisy.

A wall of planters separates guests from where they will buy their food when the counter service addition opens in a few days.

I’m hoping more registers than these pop up before this place opens, or I’ll be expecting long lines.

Jose even pieced together a nice little panoramic shot for us. As you can see, more of the seating area is behind walls where the Outer Rim bar once stood.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as work continues on Disney’s Contemporary Resort through the Fall of next year.

Experience A Change of Plans

WDWNT on October 19, 2008

As we reported a few weeks ago, the original plans for the American Idol Experience attraction coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2009 have been drastically changed. The ideas for the elaborate facade that were revealed in concept art earlier this year have now been scrapped, and the official attraction website now features the revised final plans for the exterior of the building. You can view the updated artwork by going HERE to the official website.

While many will argue that the problematic economy is the reason for the changes, it’s actually some much more sensible reasoning. First off, the interior of the attraction has been just about complete for a month now and there was no way they could make the originally planned exterior changes to the theater in time for a first-half 2009 attraction opening. Secondly, going through with the changes would have forced them to find an alternative route for the new Block Party Bash parade that began showing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios earlier this year. Even though the plans are now a lot less elaborate, I think we can all find a smile at the official name that the former ABC Theater will be receiving. When this attraction opens in early 2009, the home for Hollywood Studios latest production will be the “Superstar Television Theater”, a homage to the original attraction that opened in this space, “Superstar Television”.

Original Exterior Artwork Revealed Earlier This Year

At the end of the day, the fact remains that this attraction needs to open when the new season of American Idol begins on Fox and going through with the original plans would have never allowed that to happen. While many will criticize what is for what could have been, this attraction is guaranteed to keep guests coming to the Studios as it approaches it’s 20th anniversary next May. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on the upcoming American Idol Experience attraction becomes available.

New Bay Lake Tower Brochure

WDWNT on October 18, 2008

Jose Eber has sent in some pictures of a new brochure being handed out at all of the Disney Vacation Club information kiosks, on the all new Bay Lake Tower addition to Disney’s Contemporary Resort: