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:

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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…

Studio Backlot Bulldozed???

WDWNT on December 28, 2009

A few days ago, we reported on an interesting refurbishment that was announced for both the Studio Backlot Tour and the Studio Catering Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, scheduled to take place between February 15, 2010 and March 28, 2010. A few days later, it was announced that the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure would be closed for refurbishment during that same period. Rumors are now circulating that these closures are for more than routine maintenance, they may indeed be permanent closures. These rumors go back to a few previous reports we had made about possible changes to the Hollywood Studios backlot area (Which can be read HERE and HERE), including rumors of a Monsters Inc. themed roller-coaster going into the vacant Soundstage 1, a smaller version of Radiator Springs Racers replacing the Backlot Studio Tour, the Backlot Catering Co. becoming a Monsters Inc. or Ratatouille themed eatery, and the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure would being re-themed to “A Bug’s Life”.

Again, this is simply a rumor at this time, but if true, these locations will permanently close on February 15th and will not return on March 29th as Disney is stating. Since this is all rumor at this point, we don’t know when any phases of the changes would be completed or if Disney will simply let the locations sit and wait for work to near completion on the huge Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom. It is very hard to believe that Disney would conduct huge expansions of both the Studio Backlot at Hollywood Studios and Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom simultaneously, but it is also very strange to see three major pieces of the backlot area go down for refurbishment at the same time. As you can see in this report, our information is limited, but we will report more on this breaking story as more becomes available. Stay tuned….

What’s Going On at Walt Disney World in 2010

WDWNT on December 22, 2009

Disney has released more information on exactly what the new year will bring to the Vacation Kingdom of the world, here are some highlights for 2010:

Disney has confirmed the Muppet pre-parade for 2010 that was first reported on WDWNT, stating that it will begin January 8:

Disney’s Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade (beginning Jan. 8) – Each afternoon just before the daily parade at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (and at Disneyland Park in California), Muppets characters and parade dancers will join special floats and vehicles celebrating volunteerism and presenting Honorary VoluntEARS serving as Grand Marshals of the parades.  Kermit, Miss Piggy and Sweetums will be part of the merriment, while the dancers will be donning outfits that celebrate the work of volunteers.

Work on the Fantasyland Expansion at the Magic Kingdom will begin in 2010. We have also heard that The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction will go down for refurbishment in early 2010 to change it’s facade and a few other items, the Walt Disney World Railroad will close for 2-3 months in 2010 to make way for groundbreaking backstage, and Mickey’s Toontown Fair will most likely close permanently in the Fall. Information released today:

Fantasyland expansion – An early-2010 groundbreaking will mark the beginning of a three-year construction project that will result in a vastly expanded Magic Kingdom Fantasyland.

Wide World of Sports will finally get it’s name change:

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex relaunch (February 2010) – A re-imagining project involving ESPN and the Disney sports complex, the leading multi-sport venue in the nation, aims to create immersive and entertaining sports experiences for athletes, coaches and fans by incorporating signature elements of ESPN in ways that will connect athletes and coaches with their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements.  Guests will discover a new welcome center, a digital center where video captured by 44 cameras across the 220-acre sports campus is edited for display on 40 video screens and two “jumbotrons” throughout the complex as part of a veritable “Wide World of SportsCenter,” and the new ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, technical staff will continue work in the Innovation Lab to develop ground-breaking ESPN on-air products – using the action throughout the complex as a real-world testing environment.

Beyond the press releases from today, there are a number of interesting attraction refurbishments already announced for 2010. Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom is rumored to receive lap bars for each log during it’s 1/3-2/27/10 refurbishment, Epcot’s Test Track is closed 1/11-1/17/10 and Living with the Land is closed 1/18-2/5/10 (both for unknown reasons), and the latest surprise has been the announcement that both the Studio Backlot Tour and the Studio Catering Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be closed for refurbishment from 2/15-3/28/10. Stay tuned for more details on all of these refurbishments as they become available.

An “Eggcellent” Addition to the Backlot Tour

WDWNT on September 5, 2009

Disney has made a short press release regarding the newest prop on display as part of Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Backlot Tour attraction:

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The Studio Backlot tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a new prop on display, and it’s eggcellent! Guests can see the colorful chicken coop that appeared in Hannah Montana: The Movie. In the film, Miley Cyrus’ character stays up all night to rebuild the coop for her farmhand friend Travis.

Buena Vista Construction Company, Walt Disney Imagineering, and the Scenic Shops partnered to bring the movie prop to the Studios.

“Jackie Herrera is our WDI curator, and when she saw this was available, she jumped at the chance to get it here for Studios guests.” said Wyatt Winter, Walt Disney Imagineer.

Guests can see the chicken coop, which is one of the largest props on display at the Studio Backlot Tour, as they exit the Special Effects Water Tank and enter the queue for the tram tour.