Future World – Page 5 – WDWNT Archive

Tom Corless’ 7/25-26/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on December 3, 2012

I don’t often get to contribute with a photo report, but I took a short two day trip to Walt Disney World stopping at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom so I took some photos. Let’s take a look at a rare Tom Corless photo report:

Work continues on the separate entrance to Turtle Talk

One of the exhibits in the Turtle Talk pre-show is being fixed up

Some work happening between the Refreshment Port and the Canada pavilion in World Showcase

On to the Magic Kingdom, work continues on the former Skyway site, expected to soon be home to restrooms, a new pathway, and the Tangled meet and greet

The castle walls are coming along nicely

This section looks nearly complete

A beautiful lighting fixture has been installed in the passageway

If you were worried about being able to see the corner of the show building for Enchanted Tales with Belle, don’t be, they have covered it with rock-work

More castle wall work

The work to remove a planter in back of the Carousel is complete

The walls have expanded and scaffolding has gone up on the former Snow White’s Scary Adventures, soon to be Princess Fairytale Hall in late-2013

Despite 101-degree temperatures, construction workers are out and about

Work continues on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train

Be Our Guest Restaurant off in the distance

More Mine Train

Heading into Storybook Circus, you get plenty of notice that Dumbo FASTPASS is available near Philharmagic

With a little paint, the facade for Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid will be complete

The backstage entrance is pretty much done

Big Top Souvenirs

I decided to check out the Dumbo queue

Pictures don’t do it justice, it’s really nice inside

Pull the string and it sets off LED fireworks!

This lights up above the box

Your “ticket”

Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak was awesome!

I took these photos early on Wednesday, but on Tuesday afternoon there was at least 100 guests playing in here

Even the little merchandise cart is intricately themed

These work walls have been here since Storybook Circus opened

I don’t think it is anything of substance as it is simply on the back of the storage shed for the Barnstormer trains

LED Lighting Enhancements Added to Journey Into Imagination with Figment

WDWNT on October 30, 2012

So, while we have been tweeting a lot over the last 10 days or so, Disney’s wonderful wifi at their resorts (Pop Century and Art of Animation) have kept us from posting some news. Apologies for the long gap without stories, but there is about to be a flood of news coming you way over the next week or so starting with this interesting tidbit.

If you thought that Epcot may soon replace the Journey Into Imagination with Figment attraction (just now celebrating its tenth anniversary), you may be in for a surprise. Another significant investment in the ride has just been made, this time in the attraction lighting. A few months ago we showed you the installation of new screens and projectors through the ride, but now two scenes have added dramatic LED lighting and effects.

The smell lab scene now changes between two colors before blasting you with an unpleasant odor, while the finale scene becomes a rainbow of rotating colors. I hate to say this, but this makes a dramatic difference. Not only does the finale actually stay completely hidden until the walls explode, but the reveal is actually a “wow” moment. So while no replacement is on the way yet, it’s nice to see time and effort spent on a forgotten attraction. Here’s video of the changes:

So, what do you think?

Adam Roth’s 9/24/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on October 29, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Downtown Disney, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios yesterday and has a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us from this trip, so let’s take a look:

Work continues on Splitsville at Downtown Disney

Spotted construction workers

Still looks nothing like the concept art…

The Phineas and Ferb topiary from Epcot is now near the Phines and Ferb & You attraction

Guests were waiting for it to open

Blink has been open for a while now, don’t think we have shown it yet…

John Carter Vinylmation is now at D Street

Adam is probably the only person who has bought them

They had better hurry up…

Moving over to Epcot

Some work going on at both ends of the turnstiles

A great Epcot 30th anniversary display is up in the window at Art of Disney

They are pretty much ready for the Food and Wine festival, starting Friday

You can still buy these

The Cool Wash near Test Track is out from behind walls and now features the new “Sim Car”

The area got fixed up nicely

The dummy sports the new logo

A large hole is now in the front of Test Track

Goodbye old entrance

A new chimney installed at the Norway pavilion… we assume Agent P related…

The work on the Norway waterfall is done

Some other roof work is wrapping up

The new American Adventure cast costumes have debuted… these ones are pretty bad. Did somebody say McDonald’s?

The attraction host costumes are actually very nice

The Festival Shop actually has real doors this year…

Chase seems to be a sponsor ready to burn cash

All of the booths are ready to go

The DVC booth near Canada is just about complete

Told ya’ it was a DVC booth!

Work going on next to the Refreshment Port as well

Display at the front of World Showcase

Framing props…

WATERMELON PATCH

Apparently the cranberry bog is coming back

Moving over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Celebrity 5 & 10 is behind tarps

FastPass+ installed at Indiana Jones

Adam Roth’s 10/12-14/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on October 29, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth has been all over the Disney Parks this weekend. Here are some assorted photos (that don’t include his 400 from New Fantasyland) he took at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot:

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom shirts available at Sir Mickey’s

Work continues on the restrooms going in at the old Skyway site

Yankee Trader still behind tarps

Weird…

Rock-work appearing

FastPass Plus still installed at Haunted Mansion

The Magic Kingdom is getting ready for RFID park entry

We believe that the purpose of the steel truss at the park entrance is a test for a new possible exit

Cast members have been routing guests leaving the park through wider gates in the center and counting off the guests exiting

A weird test, but they want to see if it allows better guest flow

The Grand Floridian DVC wing off in the distance

The Magic Kingdom parking entrance has been completely repainted

Looks nice, but the letters are still missing

Moving to Epcot, FastPass Plus installed at Turtle Talk with Crush

FastPass Plus installed for Seas with Nemo and Friends ride

Hops and Barley got a sign to help guests find it

It’s hidden in the back of the American Adventure

Disney Parks wine is celebrating 1 year

Work continues on Test Track

Neat…

We can start to make out changes in the facade

A circular shape is starting to jut out from the existing facade

COOL WASH!

Looks like new banners are about to be hung up on the canopy

Here’s what is left of the Epcot 30th anniversary merchandise

Some work going on in Innoventions central

I don’t think they are taking down the canopy

It doesn’t reach The Electric Umbrella

Kim Possible was here…

Habit Heroes is still closed

FastPass Plus installed at Spaceship Earth

Seems like overkill for a merge point

We end with the friendliest buildings on earth… they share a door…

Robert Ashburn’s 3/9/12 Epcot Photo Report

WDWNT on September 8, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Robert Ashburn visited Epcot a few days ago and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

I LOVE this topiary

This needs Xpass…

Whatever queue modifications were done in the middle are complete

PEACOCK

See ya’ later Kim…

Still closed…

They are still testing with some guests though…

The VISION House is coming in April to replace the former House of Innoventions

The Festival Center is open once again

I don’t think you can call most of those anymore…

Another Disney Vacation Club booth sporting new signage

Some awesome new shirts available at Mouse Gear

They are still finishing up this sculpture

The remodeling of Tutto Italia continues

A temporary booth open while Tutto Italia is closed

A Haiti exhibit open for Flower and Garden… doesn’t fit the festival very well

It’s more of a Food and Wine booth that a Flower and Garden exhibit

The Toy Story characters are at the American Adventure

When was this menu changed? Southwest Blackbean Flatbread?

Flowers being projected on to the monorail station

Adam Roth’s 3/23/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on September 8, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Magic Kingdom on Friday and has a TON of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

Flower and Garden Festival in bloom at Epcot

IF ONLY WE HAD XPASS!!!!

Queue modifications are done… it’s a completely different queue experience now…

Peacock

Cool graphics on the Epcot tip board

Enjoy Kim Possible while it lasts

Habit Heroes and the VISION House now on the list inside Innoventions East

Habit Heroes is still closed

I’m offended…

Work continues on the VISION House

Habit Heroes now has a sign on the entry wall

Goodbye

VISION House will be added soon as it opens in April

Phineas and Ferb now have an entire section at MouseGear

AGENT P!

The light-up Vinylmation lamps and Baseball figures now available

Let’s Go Yankees! (Personal bias)

These are buy 1, get 1 50% off

Shouldn’t the Knicks be on the bottom? (I actually am a fan… but I’m realistic)

Let’s go Dolphins! (Please pity me)

2012 dated Vinylmation

Zodiac series

Flower and Garden merchandise

Cool magnets

This is too cool…

If your imagination features Captain EO, seek help

Bambi’s Butterfly House is back

The play area for this year’s festival is called “Let’s Get Moving”

Chimpanzee is coming… before Earth Day?

Can’t imagine why they are changing this…

Exterior work continues at the Seas with Nemo and Friends

A new entrance being worked on, possibly for Turtle Talk

There’s a new path in the queue…

It leads to Seabase

The mural is surviving the work

A new company has taken over the chromakey photo area at Imageworks

It’s pretty empty right now

Amazing Pictures (who you may have seen at Universal Studios) is now here

Hey, why don’t we just start the demolition…

On to the Festival Center

The Flower and Garden, Food and Wine Festival?

A touch-screen map of the Festival available

Body Wars is back there somewhere

The Odyssey has been painted blue

Well, at least the roof

This exhibit is weird…

Tarps are now up for the Tutto Italia refurbishment

FREE SAMPLES!

Another play area

Let’s take a boat over to Studios

We can’t get enough of these

The outline of Roger Rabbit has seen better days

The entrance at Tower of Terror had some pavement replaced

The Star Tours name is on some of the merchandise tags now

On to the Magic Kingdom, Skyway demolition continues in Fantasyland

The Tigger Bounce area being removed from the Pooh queue

Yes, more Dumbo photos…

Storybook Circus sure is something at night

HA!

I love restrooms… there, I said it…

I’ll tell you what I don’t love… the Club 626 Dance Party

A sad not to end on…

Melissa Weber’s 2/27/12 Walt Disney World Photo Report

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

It’s time to start playing catch up with all the news from the last week, and we start with a photo report from one of the newest members of our team, Melissa Weber:

Art of animation sign near the road being installed

The Spaceship Earth queue layout has been modified for future changes to FASTPASS

Some queue modifications being made at the Seas with Nemo and Friends as well

Even though it is closed, cast members are still being staffed at Habit Heroes

New Animal Kingdom shirts available

Park specific plates and mugs have been released, a neat idea!

First Look at the 2012 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Melissa Weber stopped by Epcot earlier today to find that the park is just about ready for the Flower and Garden Festival which officially begins tomorrow:

Everything hasn’t completely grown in yet, but the Fantasia display already looks spectacular

This might be my favorite display ever!

Too cool…

Hyacinth Hippo, Ben Ali Gator, Lady Upanova, and friends make up the back portion

The princesses are out near International Gateway again

Woody and Buzz near the American Adventure

Beauty and the Beast in France

Lady and the Tramp in Italy

Mater and Lightning McQueen in Japan

Garden at United Kingdom

Pooh and Friends also in the U.K.

Piglet riding Eeyore

Peter Pan characters between Future World and World Showcase

China

Don’t forget, the festival starts tomorrow!

Concept Art & Details on Innoventions VISION House Revealed

WDWNT on July 27, 2012

Inspired by Green Builder Media’s VISION House demonstration home series, the experiential exhibit will highlight the major themes of whole-home automation, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environment quality, security, multi-generational design, and durability. Visitors will learn that each house is a set of interactive systems, and that proper management of those systems will maximize comfort and minimize operational costs.