A few days late, but the Figment Epcot 35 lady’s backpack was finally released today at Epcot.
The bag retails for $75 and is made of a plastic faux leather.
The bag has a repeating Figment pattern on the outside.
Inside, the lining has a The EPCOT Center icon repeating.
The bag was found today at ImageWorks, but should eventually be available at multiple locations.
Our latest photo report brings us to Epcot in the days after it’s 35th anniversary, as the early phases of the overhaul of the park get into motion…
The Siemens sponsorship of Spaceship Earth has ended, but the signage remains, as does Project Tomorrow, which is pretty much a giant advertisement for the company.
Some new, very bright, white lights are pointed at the Fountain of Nations, illuminating the taller water features. A strange addition considering this will all be bulldozed in the park’s overhaul.
Signage was removed pointing guests towards the Universe of Energy. It now points towards what’s left of Innoventions, which is just Colortopia at this point.
A closed Universe of Energy pavilion behind walls.
Signage was already taken down for the Test Track SIMporium so they could paint the wall behind it. This is where you can now make your own Sim Car Card to take home.
Some new phone cases for sale inside of MouseGear.
A little late, but a Limited Release World Showcase pin has been released at Pin Central to commemorate the 35th anniversary. It retails for $14.99.
A large line of classic Mickey and Minnie Mouse merchandise has hit all of the parks. I’m usually not a fan of such generic stuff, but the line looks pretty nice.
There’s also a new line that evokes colors of the late 80’s/early 90’s that I’m pretty crazy about.
Outside of the park, work has commenced on the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster ride.
A series of barricades make sit hard to get too close, and security is patrolling the area to combat “corporate espionage”. Since this is a first-of-its-kind ride system, Disney will be very strict about letting guests see the construction.
Disney has announced the remainder of the celebrity narrator lineup for the 2017 Candlelight Processional, now part of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays.
Emmy and Tony award-winning Actor Neil Patrick Harris narrates Candlelight Processional Dec. 1, 2015 at Epcot. The event is one of the most beloved holiday traditions at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring a joyous retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a glorious mass choir. Epcot is located at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Mariah Wild, photographer)
Disney Legend Kurt Russell, who has starred in Disney films from the 1960s to 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” will read the Christmas story this year – as well as gold- and silver-medal-winning gymnast Laurie Hernandez. Two veterans of the event – actress/comedienne Ana Gasteyer and Jodi Benson, voice of Ariel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” – complete this year’s list.
As previously announced, new narrators for this year’s lineup include Matt Bomer (“White Collar,” “The Last Tycoon,”); Star Wars fan favorite Warwick Davis, who played Wicket the Ewok in “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi;” Daytime Television Legend Pat Sajak and TV star CCH Pounder, who was recently at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the grand opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar. And returning this year are everyone’s favorite hard-driving Dr. Bailey from “Grey’s Anatomy,” Chandra Wilson – and newly-named Disney Legend Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of ABC’s “The View.”
Here is the full list of narrators (everything subject to change, of course):
The Candlelight Processional presents the traditional story of Christmas in truly spectacular fashion – with a celebrity narrator, a 50-piece orchestra and a massed choir. The processional is performed three times per night (5:00, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.) during the holiday season at the America Gardens Theatre. These packages, available on select nights, include a delicious meal and a guaranteed seat for one of the Candlelight Processional performances. Availability is limited.
In addition to lunch and dinner packages, breakfast options are available at restaurants in and near Epcot like Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and The Garden Grill. Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are also available this year at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, with breakfast and dinner options being offered at Trattoria Al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk. Candlelight Dining Packages for breakfast start at $35 plus tax per person for adults and $21 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9. Candlelight Dining Packages for lunch and dinner start at $44 plus tax per person for adults and $15.50 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9.
As we told you a few days back, guests can now turn their Test Track custom concept vehicle into a card that they can take home at the newly named SIMporium shop at the exit of the ride. We of course had to go try this out, so here’s a video of our experience:
The cards come out to $7.45 with tax (or $5.96 with annual pass holder 20% discount). It’s not the worst souvenir, although I do dislike the ability to make a custom name of your choosing for your car, but I understand that some immature people would take advantage of that. Personally, I think the driver’s license from Tomorrowland Speedway is cooler, but these are a nice way to collect your car design.
Sadly, the cards are not RFID enabled (yet), making them useless other than something you can stare at. The hope is that the cards will become RFID enabled and will actually store your custom concept cars, allowing you to keep bringing back your older designs on later visits to Test Track. Whether or not this will happen, only time can tell.
In addition to the Epcot 35 mug released on Sunday, there is now a Epcot ceramic tumbler for sale at the Fountain View Starbucks as of today:
These tumblers retail for $21.99 each.
The mug features icons of the park, past and present, including:
The a capella music troupe known as American Music Machine that performed at the America Gardens Theater at Epcot is no more as of September 30th.
A five-member, contemporary a cappella group, American Music Machine provided “performances that conveyed the global influence of American popular music”. The group’s repertoire included a diverse range of contemporary and classic American pop hits, all presented in a unique style created by ground-breaking vocal arranger Tim Davis, whose previous credits include the hit TV series “Glee.”
The act was quietly retired over the weekend, with no replacement announced or expected.
As we have rumored on this site for some time, the Guardians of the Galaxy Ride coming to Epcot will indeed be a roller coaster attraction.
AT D23 EXPO 2017, DISNEY PARKS CHAIRMAN BOB CHAPEK ANNOUNCES E-TICKET GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ATTRACTION COMING TO EPCOT — Looking ahead to the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World, Disney Parks Chairman Bob Chapek announced exciting plans across Epcot to realize the original vision of the park while making it more timeless and relevant than ever before, including a brand-new E-ticket attraction based on the rockin’ and action-packed world of Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Vice President of Epcot, Melissa Valiquette, confirmed that the attraction is a coaster to members of the media at the Epcot 35 celebration yesterday.
According to sources, the roller coaster will load guests in the former Universe of Energy attraction, launching guests through a tunnel into a 10-story tall show building. The coaster will reportedly be a first of its kind ride system, but it remains unclear how it will differ from a conventional ride.
The attraction will mark the very first roller coaster for Epcot in its 35 year history, the last remaining Disney Park on earth without one.
Released today at the Fountain View Starbucks at Epcot, Guests will now find an Epcot 35 mug for sale.
The mugs retail for $16.99 each and are available starting today. They will be for sale for the foreseeable future.
1.5 months after it was closed, the beloved tile mural that welcomed guests to the Universe of Energy at Epcot has been removed.
A peek through the entry doors shows that the mural is being ripped off of the wall.
The Universe of Energy is being replaced by a Guardians of the Galaxy attraction.
Today, we released two new shirts on Teepublic in honor of the upcoming 35th anniversary of Epcot. For the next two days these shirts will be just $14, that’s 30% off!
The shirts celebrate the EPCOT Center of the past featuring:
Get these shirts now to celebrate 35 years of Epcot!
