PHOTO REPORT: Magic Kingdom 10/31/17 (MARVEL Invasion, New Princess & Tinker Bell Merchandise, Halloween Party, Club 33, ETC.)
Our latest photo report brings us to the Magic Kingdom for one last look at the Halloween season before Christmas settles in next week.
Welcome to the Magic Kingdom
The last Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Part is on November 1st, and then it’s full speed to the Christmas season at the park.
A section of the Emporium is still behind tarps.
Items in the Vera Bradley Alice in Wonderland collection are buy one, get one 50% off at Uptown Jewelers.
The Little Mermaid collection is also available here.
A smaller version of The Dress Shop has opened towards Casey’s Corner. Many of the dresses, purses, and more from the Disney Springs shop can be found here now.
For some reason, this limited release shirt from ShopDisney is being sold in the parks concurrently. The location makes sense as this space was the House of Magic many years ago. Hopefully, more limited release shirts like this get released at the parks as well. Sadly, the matching MagicBand is online only.
The more confusing part is putting the shirt in a window that’s currently boarded up and no one can see…
Even though a few parties remain, any guest at the Magic Kingdom can now buy select items from the event.
As I said last year, I don’t agree with this. At least wait for the last party to end or send it to the outlets. It takes away one of the parks of the very expensive party ticket.
The Club That’s Made Not for You and Me
As we reported over the weekend, work has begun on what will likely be the Club 33 locations for the Magic Kingdom, the remainder of the old Adventureland Veranda.
The path into Adventureland is quite narrow right now due to the work.
Some are speculating that this work is actually for a permanent Moana meet and greet, but it seems way too extensive for something so minor.
Giant sections of awning that have been there since the 70’s have been removed. This wouldn’t be necessary for a meet and greet and could have been kept.
With a little tree clearing, the patio would offer some unique fireworks views for Club 33 guests.
This and That
All of the trees between Be Our Guest Restaurant and the village had to be removed due to hurricane damage.
In fairness, it doesn’t look terrible since all of the walls the trees covered are well-themed.
We’re still hoping they plant some new trees, at least to cover this speaker tower.
Work continues on the outdoor covered seating area at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. Should open very soon.
Pecos Bill’s has added an menu with pictures… it’s a window cling.
Splash Mountain is still closed for refurbishment.
Some new holiday plush for sale. Goofy’s sweater features bulbs that actually light up.
You can get the blown-glass Monorail ornament personalized at Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe.
For some reason, they have a Haunted Mansion merchandise cart out in front of the store selling accessories. I suppose this is to capitalize on Halloween Party guests.
Princess ApparelÂ
A number of new Princess items were released recently, including this Snow White line.
$36.99
$39.99
$36.99
$39.99
Sir Mickey’s has the new Little Mermaid line as well.
The collection also includes this hoodie, $49.99.
Jasmine top, $36.99
Aurora top, $36.99
Belle long sleeve top, $44.99
There are also 4 new Tinker Bell shirts. They range in price from $36.99-39.99.
A large section of Sir Mickey’s is now selling items from Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.
This pillow is exclusive to the parks.
It retails for $27.99.
Shop ‘Till You Drop
PHOTOS: Construction Underway at Adventureland Veranda for Likely Club 33 at Magic Kingdom
While announced quite some time ago, we have heard little about the 4 planned Club 33 locations at Walt Disney World since. While not confirmed, it appears that the Magic Kingdom location for the exclusive club is finally under construction.
The remainder of the Adventureland Veranda restaurant that wasnât utilized by the Skipper Canteen appears to getting repurposed for Club 33.
The outside portion of the Veranda has had a large section of the awning removed to be rebuilt.
This area will likely be reconfigured to offer a view of fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Some trees will need to be removed.
Disney has yet to confirm any of the Walt Disney World locations for Club 33.
REVIEW: New Pineapple Dole Whip Upside Down Cake at Aloha Isle, Magic Kingdom
A new treat has debuted over at Aloha Isle in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom for those who love Pineapple Dole Whip! Disney has started selling a delicious Pineapple Upside Down Cake topped with Pineapple Dole Whip…
Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Pineapple Dole Whip ($6.49)
This delicious dessert features the world famous Pineapple Dole Whip that you’ve been able to get at Aloha Isle for years on top of a fluffy, doughnut-like cake that is glazed with pieces of pineapple and maraschino cherry slices.
It’s sweet, but not as sweet as the Dole Whip Float. The cake isn’t served very hot as to keep the Dole Whip intact, but overall it’s a nice new way to enjoy a Magic Kingdom classic.
The one downside as of writing this review is that you can’t mobile order this item as it has not been added to the app as of yet.
Disneyland Finally Remodeling Adventureland to Deal with Crowding Issues, Several Locations Closing or Moving
If you have ever walked through Adventureland at Disneyland, you no doubt know how crazy and congested the single, narrow pathway that makes up the land can get. Well, after all of these years, Disney is finally doing something about it.
The Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost, opened in 1995, will close on June 12th, 2017.
On June 12, the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost and South Seas Traders stores will close permanently. On June 30, the adjacent Bengal Barbecue will reopen with an indoor seating area using space from these two stores. Merchandise from these two stores will be moved into the existing Adventureland Bazaar shop.
Meanwhile, the Tropical Imports fruit stand adjacent to the Jungle Cruise will be closed to become stroller parking for Adventureland, removing the strollers from the center of the pathway. Tropical Imports will open at a new location next door to Bengal Barbecue.
Tropical Imports will close to become stroller parking in Adventureland at Disneyland Park
While the crowding in the land during the day is a big part of why all of this work is happening, the expected crowds entering and exiting through Adventureland for the upgraded Fantasmic show is the main reason the work is being done right now. This likely means that we still have a few weeks until the show returns to Disneyland.
CONFIRMED: Jungle Cruise Themed “Skipper’s Cantina” Restaurant Coming to the Magic Kingdom
The Jungle Cruise may not be getting a store anytime soon, but it is getting its own restaurant…
Image courtesy WidenYourWorld.net, Adventureland Veranda many years ago
The Adventureland Veranda restaurant opened with the park in October 1971, and despite several widespread menu changes and the arrival and departure of Kikkoman as a corporate sponsor, continued to operate until 1994. Since then, it has been used for many things, mostly character meet and greets and treat stations for the Magic Kingdom’s party events. After most recently serving as home to Tinker Bell and her fairy friends before she flew on over to Town Square Theater, the establishment will finally return to food service after 21 years of being lost in the shuffle. The recent swap of Sunshine Tree Terrace and Aloha Isle was indeed a measure to alleviate traffic in front of the restaurant’s entrances and exits.
The space being used as Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook
The new restaurant will be tentatively called the “Skipper’s Cantina”, themed around the near-by Jungle Cruise attraction. The back story would revolve around Jungle Cruise skippers being paid pretty poorly by the Jungle Navigation Company (or Disney in real life, but that’s enough of that…) and needing to operate the restaurant to make a little more money. This would be significant as it would be the first restaurant at the domestic Disney Parks inspired by an original Disney attraction and not an animated or live action film.
Who’s hungry for some Jungle Cruise-inspired cuisine?
Current rumors speculate that the restaurant will operate in a similar fashion to “Be Our Guest” in that is will offer a counter service lunch and a table service dinner. With the annual Magic Kingdom park attendance continually rising, the once unnecessary establishment will now serve a real purpose in helping out the overburdened park-wide dining facilities in the Magic Kingdom of 2015.
Disney would like to have the new restaurant open by November 2015, but that is purely speculation at this time. That being said, the interior of the building was never damaged too heavily by any of the tenants over the last few years, so the conversion shouldn’t take very long.
Stay tuned for more on this breaking story…
EXCLUSIVE: Full Details on Adventure Trading Company (Including a First-Look at the Juju), Debuting at Disneyland August 1st!
Beginning August 1, 2014, Adventureland at Disneyland Park will be host (for an undesignated limited time) to the Adventure Trading company, a new interactive game. The game was play tested with guests at the 2013 D23 Expo in Anaheim and is now ready for sa formal debut in the parks. We have the full scoop on how the game will work, what the coveted Juju look like, and how you can obtain them when playing the game today, so let’s jump right in…
Here is some information currently being distributed to cast members about the game:
The Adventure Trading Company is a traveling provisions and publications company that will be in Adventureland at the Indiana Jones Outpost for a limited time! The goods sold by the Adventure Trading Company will send guests on a wild expedition!
THE STORY:
Adventureland has never had such a surplus of unsolved mysteries. Guests are invited to carry the torch of adventure and begin their journey today! By completing expeditions, Guests will discover inner strengths and collect Juju, distinct artifacts that prove they have what it takes to join the pantheon of Disney adventurers.
What is a Juju?
Juju are small, hand-carved artifacts that reflect ancient traditions of storytelling in Adventureland. They have been passed along for generations as symbols of adventurous values. Every Juju has a story attached to it, often the story of how it was obtained.
What’s Your Juju Story?
Adventureland cast members will receive a Juju and are encouraged to create their own adventure stories revolving around it. Make sure to keep the below in mind when creating yours:
- Incorporate the value of the Juju into your story
- Story must be time period appropriate
- Story must be true to the theme of Adventureland
- Story must be family friendly
Along with Guest participants, Cast Members are encouraged to create their own Adventure name. You will receive an Adventure Trading Company name tag from your leader, and it may be placed on the upper right hand side of your costume across from your Disneyland Resort name tag.
It can be as simple as adding a title to your actual name (Professor, etc.) or a nickname before or after your first name.
Here’s how the game works, in short:
- Guest buys a publication with an “adventure call-to-action” at the Indiana Jones Outpost. The cashier will notarize the publication with a stamp after purchase.
- The guest must then complete the challenge found in the publication
- After completion, guests redeem the challenge completed for a Juju and a cast member marks the paper as completed.
There are 3 Juju that are simply acquired through a food or beverage purchase:
- Tropical imports is selling a “This Side Up” Pineapple Parfait which will give you the Pineapple Juju
- Bengal Barbecue has the Venomade which will provide the Snake Juju
- Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is selling JujuJuice, which gives you the Tiki Mask Juju
Similar to Disney Pin Trading, there will also be Juju trading with cast members offered. These trades will be one for one with a cast member. The difference will be an added step in the process. The Guest needs to ear the Juju, so a short “hook” will take place before trading. These “hooks” may be a question or a request, for example, telling a joke, singing, or telling a story. Don’t be nervous though, the cast member will help you complete the “hook” if you are having trouble and will make sure the trade actually takes place.
Guests will also be wearing the Adventure name tags, similar to the ongoing Frotierland game guests can currently play at the park.
The game begins tomorrow, August 1st at Disneyland Park. Stay tuned to WDW New Today for more information on the Adventure Trading Company.
Dirk Wallen’s 6/18/13 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom on Tuesday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:
The Villas at the Grand Floridian are starting to match the Grand Floridian skyline
They are racing towards an October opening
Work continues on the third bus loop at the Magic Kingdom
The first awnings for the bus loop have started to appear
Yep…
Tarps still up on the Adventureland Veranda
It looks like A Pirate’s Adventure is going to have FastPass+ at some point
Guests can’t board at the Frontierland Railroad Station currently as they work on the stairs
Sleepy Hollow Refreshments… say it with me… IS STILL BEHIND TARPS
Walls still up on the waterfront in Liberty Square
FastPass+ entrance at “it’s a small world” ready for testing this week
You can now buy your own Gaston’s Tavern sign at Bonjour Village Gifts
Dirk Wallen’s 6/10/13 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom on Monday and has plenty of newsworthy photos to share with us, so lets take a look:
Work is still in the early stages for the third bus loop at the Magic Kingdom
A look at the Villas at the Grand Floridian from across the lagoon
An up-close look
The Main Street Bakery should re-open as a Starbucks location any day now
]The former Hall of Champions is still behind tarps
The unexplained tarps are still up on the facade of the Adventureland Veranda
Some work taking place on the second level of Grizzly Hall required the removal of the Jamboree sign
Tarps still up at Sleepy Hallow Refreshments
Columbia Harbour House is also still behind tarps
Some walls up by the boat dock as well
Nothing new over at the former Peter Pan restrooms
The absence of tarps at Princess Fairytale Hall may mean we are just a few weeks away from a soft-opening
The new signage was quickly installed and un-installed recently at the Mad Tea Party, it should be back soon
Slowly the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train facade is looking more and more complete
the section on the backside that is finished opened as a stroller parking area
HEY! Lone Ranger pins are put already if you want them. Oh, you don’t? Well, they are here if you change your mind…
Dirk Wallen’s 5/13-5/20/13 WDW Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen has been all over the Walt Disney World theme parks over the last week and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:
We begin at Downtown Disney
To Pleasure Island while it is still a thing…
While nothing is going on at Adventurer’s Club…
Walls are already up for Disney Springs at the former Comedy Warehouse
The walls from inside Pleasure Island
Work happening at the Sassagoula boat dock on Pleasure Island
It’s closed, so you have to get off at Marketplace
Soon this will be The Landing
The Truckeria taco truck is at Downtown Disney
Not sure how long this has been a thing, but there is a snow-cone cart in Marketplace
They also have glazed nuts
Some new pins are out at Pin Traders, including this Remember When Figment & Dreamfinder pin
Toy Story Mania 5th anniversary pin
The pin trading nights pins are still available
Moving over to Epcot, Character Spot is still closed, but we can see a new sign where the entrance will likely now be
I have seen the kid’s shirt before, but the adult “I conquered the world” shirt looks new to me
Some work going on in  the queue for Turtle Talk
Walls still up at the Norway pavilion waterfall
Work continues on the new, larger restrooms at the American Adventure
Work continues on Spice Road Table in Morocco
The new France pavilion ice cream parlor is set to open next month
Moving to Studios, the Monsters Inc. meet and greet is closed until the 24th to become a Monsters University meet and greet
Current progress on the Villas at the Grand Floridian
A lot of work to be done near the resort entrance still
The 24 hour day is on the Magic Kingdom times guide
The Adventureland Veranda is still behind tarps
Signage is uncovered at A Pirate’s Adventure
Tarps still up at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments
The Liberty Bell is no longer behind walls and looks great
It has seemed like forever since we have seen the facade at Columbia Harbour House…
Work continues on the former Fantasyland restrooms near Peter Pan
No visible progress on Princess Fairytale Hall
More rock-work appearing on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
Still a lot of work to be done over here
The Mad Tea Party is still closed
Tom Corless’ 5/11-14/13 WDW Photo Report
On Saturday and Tuesday I visited the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (respectively) and took some newsworthy photos to share with you, so let’s take a look:
The canopy is missing from the Haunted Mansion
Should be back soon
work progresses on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train in Fantasyland
The steak sandwich is gone from the Be Our Guest lunch menu, replaced with a prime chuck roast beef sandwich
For some reason, a Disney Visa card kiosk has been built near the Haunted Mansion
Signage for A Pirate’s Adventure has been uncovered
Pins are once again gone from Uptown Jewelers, replaced with ladies’ accessories
Moving over to Hollywood Studios, the Lightning McQueen popcorn bucket from Cars Land is being used at Backlot Express as a healthy meal bucket
Some of the new Haunted Mansion merchandise was released at Villains in Vogue, including this new shirt
New Haunted Mansion pillow
The Darth Maul face painting ad for Star Wars Weekends was turned into a t-shirt
Legends of Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard is now a store for women’s and girl’s accessories and apparel
Starting this week, there is a flash-mob with Disney characters being performed in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat daily at 3:30PM
Some new Star Wars pins came out a little early
A number of new or updated hats have been released sporting a new “Graphic Edge Collection” tag
Found a cute new tumbler at the Boardwalk
Boardwalk Bakery has some great options for breakfast
They now also have Mickey-shaped muffins!!!
I found more new hats at Beach Club
A new purchase-with-purchase watch is available featuring Sorcerer Mickey
Class of 2013 merchandise is also now available