Fantasy Faire has now officially opened inside Disneyland Park and we have photos from one of the Annual Passholder previews that took place just a few days ago. Thanks to DLNT Reporter Tim Alcoser for the photos.
Beautiful Morning
In line to get wristbands for the preview
 
Things have been so crazy around here at WDW News Today lately that we’ve had some minor news stories slip through the cracks. In an effort to get you up to speed on some of the stories we haven’t covered on the site lately, here are newsworthy photos from myself and Dirk Wallen taken earlier in March:
Some new “flat” snowglobes for sale
There are some new hot sandwiches in Liberty Square
Most of the arcades at Walt Disney World are replacing their prize counters with one of these
An automated prize machine is a pretty cool concept
The new purchase with purchase item for sale is an expandable duffle
Wriost gift cards are available for the Flower and Garden Festival
Work continues on expanding the Boardwalk Bakery
The arcade next door is gone
The sign is still up and the door still enters the small ESPN shop
The arcade section is covered by a curtain
A few weeks ago, Test Track introduced a new car type guests can choose
Triton’s Treasures behind the Mine Train now has shutters on it
An ADA compliant ramp was installed on the Yankee Trader
Some of the new Haunted Mansion merchandise is for sale in Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe
Picture frame
Hourglass
Coasters
Work continues on installing A Pirate’s Adventure in Adventureland
Work continues on the exterior of the Adventureland Veranda
Rumors indicate that this may finally become a Pirate restaurant in 2014 once the Disney Fairies move out
More tarps on the front of the building
St. Patrick’s Day shirt
Spring Break and graduation merchandise out
Two new Oswald shirts for sale
Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny are in town square
Awwwwww
More Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train construction
Some trees up on the mountain
We can finally see some rock work
In preparation for FastPAss+, a large section of the Pirates of the Caribbean queue has been re-routed
Work continues on the Villas at the Grand Floridian
Thanks for reading!
Today we welcome WDWNT Reporter Joe Hogarty to the team with his very first photo report! Joe visited the Magic Kingdom to catch Splash Mountain now that it has reopened from refurbishment, but he also got some pictures of progress on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train and A Pirate’s Adventure to share with us, so let’s take a look:
The scariest opening photo of any report ever…
Don’t worry, it’s just a prop for “A Pirate’s Adventure”
Make sure to brush your teeth kids
Jack’s compass
Letter from Sparrow
We suspect this bird (similar to the one from World Showcase Adventure) will talk to guests… is it Cotton’s parrot?
Something yet to be installed?
This large shell just recently appeared
Splash Mountain just re-opened from refurbishment and it looks fantastic!
The clothes look brand new
Every animatronic is working flawlessly
Some shrubbery was added around Brer Fox
Oooooo, new lighting…
The store is pretty much unchanged
The blue shirt is new
Otherwise, a lot of the same merchandise
Work continues on Princess Fairytale Hall in Fantasyland
Work also continues on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
The track is almost done!
This side hasn’t changed much
The other side has made some major progress
It looks like this side is finally going to be covered soon
Some new steel near Storybook Circus
The backside is starting to look like a mountain
Triton’s Treasures is also coming along nicely
Chimneys now up on the shop which may open before the Summer
I see a mountain…
It’s nice to finally see rock work
Thanks for your first report Joe!
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen has been all-over the Walt Disney World Resort as of late and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:
While most of the new parking lot at the Grand Floridian Villas is open, some is still closed to accommodate construction
Work continues on the Villas at the Grand Floridian
This appears to be the drop-off area
Iron Man-O-Rail running
Moving to the Magic Kingdom, work continues on the Main Street Bakery
The new Dumbo popcorn bucket available on Main Street
Purty
Work continues on the exterior of the Adventureland Veranda
The glass canopy on the other side of the building is still missing
Some work happening at the Swiss Family Treehouse while it is open
Kodak picture spots are still up around the parks
Some new Splash Mountain shirts have come out
Work continues on Columbia Harbor House
The other side looks completely new
More rock-work appearing everyday on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
A new shirt featuring Main Street U.S.A.
Some new sports shirts
They put a cardboard popcorn bucket inside the Dumbo popcorn bucket
Moving over to Epcot, work continues on the facade of Mission: Space
Walls are already up and work has begun on the Spice Road Table restaurant in Morocco
A temporary stage is now up for Mo Rockin’
Work continues on turning the old France bakery into an ice cream parlor
Moving over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios…
Kodak signage is gone from Muppetvision 3-D
A dance party truck was rolled out on Streets of America to deal with the heavier crowds recently
The Disney Truck Shop at Downtown Disney
The latest pin in the 2013 poster collection was released last week
Huey, Dewey, and Louie are now 75 years old
Disney-PIXAR Vinylmation pins are now on sale
WDWNT Reporter Joe Hogarty visited the Magic Kingdom yesterday and has a ton of newsworthy photos (including A Pirate’s Adventure, the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train, Princess Aurora’s new costume, and more) to share with us, so let’s take a look:
Stage set for the AFV taping
I love that it actually fits Main Street U.S.A.
Beautiful day at the Magic Kingdom
Jack Sparrow What-Not?
The Crow’s Nest will be the starting point for A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas
There is a queue set up now
The sign above the entrance is covered
Tangled tower
It has become a popular photo spot
No visible progress on Princess Fairytale Hall
Work continues on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
More scaffolding going up on the west side
Meanwhile, the facade on the east side is nearing completion
It looks nearly complete from this side
The track was wrapped to accommodate other work
Triton’s Treasures should be open by the Summer
New rock work going up
Other than a few walls that were enclosed, nothing new over here
The Mad Tea Party is closed for refurbishment
IRON MAN-O-RAIL
WOOSH!
Princess Aurora has received an updated costume as well now
Looks nice
Jack Sparrow really let himself go…
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom yesterday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so lets take a look:
Work continues on the Grand Floridian DVC wing
Work continues on a third bus loop for the Magic Kingdom
The Grand Floridian Villas off in the distance
There is still a ton of construction equipment put in the Polynesian Resort parking lot
Some work being done to the planter in front of the train station
Beautifully Disney products now available in the Emporium
The Swiss Family Treehouse s being fixed up while it is open
The Adventureland Veranda facade is still being worked on
Sleepy Hollow Refreshments is still behind tarps
The exterior refurbishment of Columbia Harbour House rolls on
Tarps now up on this end of the building
On the Fantasyland side, the Peter Pan restrooms have been closed and are behind tarps
No visible progress on Princess Fairytale Hall
Mad Tea Party refurbishment ongoing
The first real details of the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train attraction are beginning to emerge
WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday and took a ton of construction photos of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to share with us, so let’s see how the last large piece of New Fantasyland is coming along:
A lot of progress
A lot of new track installed
It’s starting to look like a ride…
The loading station
A whole lot of Imagineers out at Mine Train
Pssst… Adam… they can see you…
Imagineer Chris Beatty looks mad at Adam…
We also spot Imagineer Eric Jacobson – Senior Vice President, Creative Development
The back of the mountain
Triton’s Treasures on the back side of the mountain is coming along nicely
Shingles going up on the Tangled restroom area
Almost finished…
We say goodbye to Cinderella Castle Dreamlights for this year…
And goodbye to the Christmas season…
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom earlier today and has some great newsworthy photos to share with us (including our first look at the Big Thunder Mountain interactive queue), so let’s take a look:
More RFID entrances being installed at the Magic Kingdom
Kodak references still up at Town Square Theater
Plenty of Valentine’s Day treats available already
Some of the Hall of Champions facade is behind tarps again
The Adventureland Veranda is behind tarps now
This area next to Aloha Isle is behind tarps now too. We think it might be related to the Adventureland interactive game
Splash Mountain is closed until March
The ride is drained and a lot of the ride has already been ripped up
Seemingly overnight, props have been installed in the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue
We can see a lot of things labeled “explosives”
For a queue that has always been pretty bland, it actually looks nice now
FastPass+ kiosk in the queue
A look across the Rivers of America at the new Fantasyland/Liberty Square pathway
The Tangled restrooms are looking great
Looks like they are almost done
No visible progress on Princess Fairytale Hall
The Cheshire Cafe sign is back
A new Walt Disney pin set was released with images of him on luggage
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom now has a mystery pin set
The Magic Kingdom map has changed again and for the first time in my lifetime, it does not have a Kodak logo
PhotoPass now graces the back cover instead of Kodak
An anonymous source was nice enough to send in the following pieces of never-before-seen concept art for Princess Fairytale Hall in New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom:
Here we see Princess Aurora with a backdrop from her film
Princess Tiana appears with a bayou-backdrop
Based on this concept art, what do you think of Princess Fairytale Hall?
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom on Saturday and has some fantastic pictures of new progress on the Big Thunder Mountain interactive queue, A Pirate’s Life: Treasures of the Seven Seas, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and more, so let’s take a look:
While the Main Street Bakery is closed, guests can head to the Tomorrowland Terrace
Plenty of options at Tomorrowland Terrace, including beignets!
The flowers in the hub have gone to Valentine’s Day colors and the ducks love it…
Valentine’s Day cupcakes available at Big Top Treats
I’ve heard of panning for gold…
More props and interactive elements have been installed in the queue at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The “exploding” crates are no longer under tarps
These huge machines popped up in the second-half of the queue over the weekend
It looks like guests will play some sort of game where they turn a lever
Spinning handles on the back of another machine
The refurbishment of Splash Mountain continues
Lots of painting going on
Golden Oak Outpost is closed again
Work continues on the Adventureland Veranda building
Another area of the building is also walled-off
The Crow’s Nest is out from behind tarps and it looks quite different… we expect it to play a role in “A Pirate’s Adventure”
More props for “A Pirate’s Adventure” have been installed throughout Adventureland
Jack Sparrow’s compass
This was the first prop installed a few months ago
A cannon
Ball and chains
Some props by the Jungle Cruise
Nearby, a pirate skeleton lies under the water near a treasure chest
It appears these skulls near the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance will talk
Another strange set of props
Gun powder
Sleepy Hollow Refreshments is open while the exterior is refurbished
Walls up outside of the Haunted Mansion and Yankee Trader
Tarps still up on Columbia Harbour House
The latest progress on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day lanyards are out
As is the new Test Track logo pin
Over at The Villas at the Grand Floridian, we can start to make out windows
