Dirk Wallen’s 5/14-16/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on December 31, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Walt Disney World theme parks over the last three days and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip. We’ll take a look at New Fantasyland, Star Wars Weekends preparation, and more from around the Vacation Kingdom of the World, so let’s get started:

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The Main Street Bakery is still behind tarps (I’m starting to think this has something to do with Starbucks moving in)

Facade work continues on the Confectionary and Chapeau

The temporary Tangled meet and greet rolls on

Work was completed on the Main Street bridge

Work on the Princess Merida meet and greet has been completed

A nearby cart has Brave merchandise

I find it hard to believe that they will sell much before the movie is released

I fully expect to get shot with arrows by smaller guests on a regular basis now…

The second Dumbo spinner is rapidly nearing completion

If I were a betting man… and I am…

I’d wager that the second spinner will be open by Memorial Day

The official opening is July, along with the interactive queue

The Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station looks nearly complete

We’re still not entirely sure if the center portion will spin at a slow speed like a roundhouse

98? An Animal Kingdom reference? We think about these things too much…

A look at Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

Near the construction of what we assume is a new Pooh meet and greet, a mysterious box has appeared

The Castle Wall is rising…

More scaffolding finally went up on the detailed portion near Village Haus

This steel frame should be covered soon

This side is further along

Some walkway work being done near the Carousel as well

I had to stare at this for a while to realize what I was seeing… this is the view from the Haunted Mansion across the old Skyway site. I assume this will be addressed as construction moves forward.

Construction of the Grand Floridian DVC wing continues

A new parking lot being built across the way

Going up!

Star wars Weekends preparation underway at Studios

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

You can still become an unwanted action figure… ZING!

The Droid Factory recently opened at Tatooine Traders. You can make your own R2 unit toy!

Scott Smith just died

Brave banners up in the Animation Courtyard

Work was completed on the Disney Junior queue

Looks like they just replaced the awning

The same seems to be happening to the meet and greet area

Goodbye Kim…

Work continues on the new, separate Turtle Talk entrance at the Seas

Fantasyland Character Shuffle Moves Rapunzel Out and Merida In

WDWNT on September 8, 2012

As announced on the Disney Parks Blog earlier today, Merida from Disney-PIXAR’s Brave is going to be taking over Rapunzel’s current home in Fairytale Gardens in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom.

Merida’s Fairytale Garden meet and greet will be a a setting inspired by her Scottish Highlands home, where young guests will be invited to engage in archery lessons and other activities until it’s their turn to meet her. Joining Merida will be the three bear cubs from the film, who will no doubt be up to plenty of mischief.

To prepare for Merida’s arrival, Rapunzel will be moving from Fairytale Garden April 15, to a new spot at the outskirts of Adventureland where she will continue to do meet and greets, possibly along with Flynn Rider once again.

With the Tangled characters remaining so popular, it is apparent that the move to Adventureland won’t be permanent and that the rumors we reported a few months back of the Fantasyland Skyway replacement including a new meet and greet experience are true. When work is done, we expect to see a new Tangled meet and greet, complete with Rapunzel’s tower from the movie, open in Fantasyland later this year.

Stay tuned for more information on this story as it becomes available.