Meet Stella Lou: Duffy’s Brand New Friend

WDWNT on March 27, 2017

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Recently, the Oriental Land Company has let us meet one of Duffy’s new friends, Stella Lou. She is a fun-loving purple bunny who has a passion for dancing, and big dreams of performing on Broadway.

She would practice her dancing every day on the American Waterfront, and once Duffy met Stella Lou, he decided that he wanted to support his friend, to help make her dreams come true.

Most of her adorable merchandise will be available on March 30th, 2017.

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Many fun Stella Lou decorations will be going up soon, along with a photo opportunity spot for your very own plush Stella Lou! This photo spot will be located in the American Waterfront,  with the S.S. Columbia docked, and the Hightower Hotel standing tall in the background.

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Concept art for the Stella Lou photo spot

She will start greeting guests with Mickey and Duffy by her side, just in time for Disney’s Easter at Tokyo Disney Sea, on April 4th, 2017 which is quite fitting since Stella Lou herself is, in fact, a bunny. This is only going on for a limited time and is said to be ending on August 31st, 2017.

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Stella Lou with Mickey and Duffy, in the American Waterfront

Stella Lou is already part of a promotional video for Duffy and Friends that can be seen right here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay7OUeXd0Rk

PHOTOS: The Timeline of Epcot History Returns, Completely Overhauled

WDWNT on September 26, 2016

A few weeks ago, we were lamenting the loss of the Epcot park history timeline that once adorned the interior breezeway behind Club Cool, Epcot Character Spot, and Fountain View. Well, something pretty amazing happened yesterday…

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

THE TIMELINE IS BACK! Not only is it back, but it was completely refreshed from top to bottom, giving more details on park history and adding in changes to the parks made since this was introduced back in 2007 for the 25th anniversary of the park.

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

The timeline used to stop at 2007, but now continues into 2016.

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Duffy the Disney Bear may be gone, but he still gets a spot on the Epcot timeline.

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Happy to see a good explanation of the history of the Three Caballeros figures that can teach the everyday guest about their historical significance.

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

There is a pretty large section for the 2016 additions, including Frozen Ever After and Soarin’ Around the World.

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

Epcot Park History Timeline

I personally am happy to see this return. What do you think?

Walt Disney World Pulls The Plug on Duffy the Disney Bear np

WDWNT on September 3, 2015

After over 5 years, Disney seems to be giving up on making Duffy the Disney Bear the must-have souvenir at Disney Parks.

Duffys Easter Fair at Tokyo DisneySea

The Duffy the Disney Bear walk-around character will greet guests in World Showcase at Epcot for the last time on October 3rd, 2015. A Daisy Duck meet and greet will replace the current Duffy location.

The nearby Duffy store at Epcot was stripped of the bear a while back and is now a shop that sells Star Wars and Marvel franchise items.

The Disney Bear was reintroduced on both coasts in 2010 as Duffy after years of unbridled success at the Tokyo Disney Resort. Other than the Epcot meet and greet experience, other theme park experiences with Duffy were planned, but never came to fruition. Supposedly, sales of the plush were never quite what Disney expected and those cast members who launched the project were promoted within the company, leaving Duffy in the hands of those who never envisioned leading the charge for the plush bear.

There was even a media event celebrating Duffy’s arrival at the park back in 2010:

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Disney also shuttered the Duffy meet and greet at California Adventure a few months back.

Despite all of these changes, Duffy will still be sold at the parks and there are no plans to retire the nightly bedtime story on Walt Disney World Resort TV as of right now.

Jeff Lukas’ 3/25/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on September 8, 2012

We welcome Jeff Lukas to the WDWNT team with his first photo report, taking us to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot:

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Work continues on the Bakery facade

Dapper Dans

Fantasyland Woodwind Society

The roof on Prince Eric’s Castle is almost complete

More scaffolding came down at Be Our Guest Restaurant

The Fantasyland Skyway station is completely gone

The queue building at Big Thunder Mountain has been rebuilt for the most part

Work continues on the track

Site looks completely cleared for the Grand Floridian DVC

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On to Epcot

Story Time is still occupying the former Velcro exhibit in Innoventions

Still closed…

Work continues on the VISION House

Welcome to the Wonders of Flower and Garden Festival Stages and Shopping

Kind of cute…

Still cool

Welcome aboard Jeff!