Disney Provides a Detailed Look at the Storybook Circus!

WDWNT on June 14, 2011

From Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog:

I know it’s going to be a great week on the Disney Parks Blog when I get to start by posting a new Fantasyland update. Today I’m happy to share new details on the Storybook Circus area that’s planned as part of the new Fantasyland expansion at Magic Kingdom Park.

With all the updates we’ve done on the “royal” side of the Fantasyland expansion – Beast’s Castle, Maurice’s Cottage and Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid – the plans for Storybook Circus seemed to be a bit more mysterious. Until now.

Storybook Circus will be based on our animated film, “Dumbo.” Here, Casey Jr., the famous locomotive from the movie, has rolled into town and brought the grand Storybook Circus with him. The area will be filled with colorful circus tents and nods to the famous film. For example, guests – especially little ones – are welcome to cool down with Casey Jr., who can be found near the train station, getting splashed by playful circus animals.

Just past Casey Jr., guests will encounter big-top circus tents that lead to a “double” version of Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Also, in the tradition of classic air shows, Barnstormer will take on a new look and theme, becoming a spiraling stunt plane built by The Great Goofini.

What do you think? Will you be there when the circus comes to town?

UPDATE – Some quick observations about the concept art that we posted on Twitter:

-The large tent is Big Top Souvenirs, we’re not sure what the red Hall of Fame tent in the background is being kept for, maybe Pete’s Silly Sideshow?

-The new yellow tent in the back may be a counter service location, meet and greets, or even something else at this point…

-The Fantasyland Train Station is part of the Casey Jr. Roundhouse building, GREAT THEME!

-A new structure is visible out in the middle of the Barnstormer area, looks like a themed tower of some sort…

-With Timothy not on top of either Dumbo ride, we expect him to show up in audio-animatronics form somewhere in the interactive queue area

-Dumbo will finally have the water feature that is featured at the Disneyland and Disneyland Paris versions of the attraction!

Overall, it looks great! What do you think of the Storybook Circus?

Disney Offers A Closer Look at “Enchanted Tales with Belle”

WDWNT on June 6, 2011

From Jennifer Fickley-Baker on the Disney Parks Blog:

“Beauty and the Beast” was released in theaters in 1991, and to say that I was obsessed with this movie is putting it mildly. I was 12 years old when it debuted and I must’ve seen the film at least 10 times that summer. In my mind, nothing was better than spending an afternoon wrapped up in this tale of “far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!” I remember sitting in the theater, dreaming of visiting Belle’s quiet French village, exploring the halls of the Beast’s mysterious castle and whirling across the golden ballroom in a gown of the same color.

Soon fans of all ages will have the opportunity to do just that and take a trip through the world of “Beauty and the Beast” at the Enchanted Tales with Belle storybook adventure, which is currently under construction as part of the Fantasyland expansion at Magic Kingdom Park.

Walt Disney Imagineering is currently building Maurice’s workshop, which will serve as scene one of the experience. The workshop, which is modeled after a French cottage, will be surrounded by a wishing well, footbridges and lush landscaping. Once inside, guests will step through a magic mirror and find themselves inside Beast’s expansive library, which he created as a gift for Belle in the film. This room will serve as the setting for a memorable character interaction experience with Belle – which will require a little help from Lumiere, the enchanted candlestick.

Another “Beauty and the Beast” experience planned for this area is the Be Our Guest Restaurant, which will allow up to 550 guests to dine in the ballroom, gallery and “West Wing” area of Beast’s castle.

These and other Fantasyland enhancements will open in phases starting in late 2012.

Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt & Casey Jr. Roundhouse Join the Fantasyland Expansion!

WDWNT on June 1, 2011

Two new additions to the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland Expansion were announced today on the official page of the project, as well as some details on the other attractions coming as part of New Fantasyland:

Beyond the Horizon — New Expansions

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” —Walt Disney

The Fantasyland Expansion
Princesses, Dwarfs, Beauties and Beasts have all been working past midnight to unveil the grandest expansion of Magic Kingdom theme park ever! Scheduled to begin opening in 2012, here is a glimpse of the future of Fantasyland:

Storybook Circus
The sound of the calliope will lead you to the brand new carousels of airborne pachyderms on Dumbo the Flying Elephant—now with 2 Dumbos! Before taking to the skies on this Fantasyland favorite, experience an array of fun-filled family games and interactive wonders for kids of all ages inside the Big Top.

Barnstormer
Hosted by the Great Goofini, this daredevil roller coaster, which twists and turns high above the Storybook Circus grounds, is getting a bright new look.

Casey Jr. Roundhouse
Adjacent to the Fantasyland Train Station is the Casey Jr. Roundhouse, a circus-themed immersive water play area that’s fun for the little ones. They’ll splish and splash as Casey Jr. billows off cool steam and water squirts from playful monkeys, elephants and camels.

Under the Sea: Journey of The Little Mermaid
Make a splash with Ariel as you take a voyage in a clamshell into a world of imagination under the sea. This attraction features her friends Sebastian and King Triton and, of course, music from the Walt Disney Pictures film.

Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt
While approaching Ariel’s Grotto to meet The Little Mermaid, join Scuttle for this fun, interactive game! Search the seaside entrance way to find the seagull’s treasures from the Human World, like a dinglehopper or a bulbous snarfblatt. Scuttle will be on hand to help with the hunt.

Enchanted Tales with Belle
In Maurice’s workshop, a magical mirror is your doorway to a captivating storytelling experience. Transport to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive re-telling of the “tale as old as time.”

Be Our Guest Restaurant
Experience the elegant ballroom, gallery and mysterious West Wing of the Beast’s castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent dining hall will offer great quick-service meals by day and full table-service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle’s Village, discover the rousing Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour!

Princess Fairytale Hall
Greet Aurora, Cinderella and Tiana and in their new home, an elegant royal court fit for every princess.

The Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, off to work you go! Take a rollicking, musical ride through the Seven Dwarfs mine—where a million diamonds shine. This roller coaster features a first-of-its-kind train that responds to every twist and turn of the track . The journey will be accompanied by music from Walt Disney’s animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The Casey Jr. Roundhouse is not a big surprise, as we can actually see it in some early concept art (pictured below). On the other hand, “Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt” is something completely new to us. We expect this to be very similar to the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on the Fantasyland Expansion becomes available.

UPDATE:

Here is the concept art for the Casey Jr. Roundhouse released in the large overall concept back in January:

Also, multiple reports have confirmed that some early testing was conducted for Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt inside the queue of The Seas with Nemo and Friends about a month ago.

First Look at the Full “Under The Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid” Ride

WDWNT on May 27, 2011

We have been previewing Fantasyland’s next “dark ride” an awful lot for it still being over a year away from opening, but that’s because Disney California Adventure has been nearing the opening of their version of “Under the Sea”, titled “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure”. Now, don’t let the name confuse you, this is the same attraction in a different location and with a different facade. Otherwise, the on-ride portion is identical to what is being constructed right now at the Magic Kingdom, scheduled to open in late 2012. The first soft openings for the California attraction were held yesterday and Disneyland News Today‘s Conner Purzycki was on the scene and has a video of the entire ride to share with us. If you don’t want this attraction spoiled for you, I wouldn’t watch. However, if you want a look at what the fine people at Walt Disney Imagineering are capable of these days, this video is certainly worth a view. Enjoy:

With the level of detail, the amount of high-tech audio-animatronics figures, and the classic story of The Little Mermaid, we fully expect this to become one of the most classic Disney attractions ever built. Even though we have now seen the ride in action, stay tuned to WDW News Today as we continue to cover the Fantasyland Expansion and our version of this ride (which I’m sure we all just can’t wait for after seeing that) coming next year!

First Look at Nearly Completed Pieces of “Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid”

WDWNT on May 10, 2011

The video from this post on the Disney Parks Blog gives a great look at some of the figures and scenes from the Disney California Adventure version of “Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid” which will be a part of new Fantasyland in 2012:

I know “The Little Mermaid” fans have been eagerly awaiting the opening of The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure park. I’ve been waiting since I first saw the movie back in 1989! There are three other people who’ve also been hoping that someday a Little Mermaid attraction would open at Disney Parks: legendary Disney animators Glen Keane, Mark Henn and Andreas Deja. These three talented men are some of the creative minds behind all those lovable characters in the movie.

Recently, Walt Disney Imagineers Larry Nikolai and Chris Crump gave the animators a tour of the new attraction. I was lucky enough to also be on this tour, along with a crew from D23 magazine. You can read their extensive article in this month’s issue and here.

In this video you get to see a rare Disney moment: animators seeing their work come to life in a Disney Parks attraction. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And remember, The Little Mermaid~Ariel’s Undersea Adventure opens at Disney California Adventure park on June 3.