We know New Fantasyland is stunning during the day, but just wait until you see the incredible lighting and ambiance at night. We take a video tour of New Fantasyland at night, including a look inside the stunning ballroom at the Be Our Guest Restaurant, in our latest video:
WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth was on the scene for a soft opening of New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom earlier today, so get ready for an exhaustive look at Gaston’s Tavern, Bonjour Village Gifts, Ariel’s Grotto, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, and Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt in photos:
We begin with a popcorn cart! We know this is what you waited for…
A nearby seating area
One permanent looking wall on the Mine Train side
Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Amazing…
The details are stunning
We know…
Cool sign
A full color Ariel on the front of a shipwreck
The backside of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Ariel’s Grotto had a 20 minute wait
Not working yet
Cool sign
Attraction exit for the ride
More Mine Train
The village off in the distance
Bridge to the Be Our Guest Restaurant
This is the Magic Kingdom?
It’s so purty…
The entrance to Be Our Guest Restuarant
This is detail at the Tokyo DisneySea level
Looks like this will be the check-in desk for the restaurant
Mine Train track
Enchanted Tales with Belle got signage
Lumiere Lamp!
The wait time sign is a bird house that looks like their house!
We’ve already seen this…
The backside of Castle Wall
FastPass isn’t running yet, but eventually will be distributed at Mickey’s Philharmagic along with Under the Se: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Another look at Mine Train
Big open path for guests to enter the land today
Stroller parking has to be done outside of the new area for now
We’ll be back in a few…
Work continues on Princess Fairytale Hall
Still there
Little Mermaid merchandise is now available at Sir Mickey’s
DINGLEHOPPERS!
Creepy…
Back to New Fantasyland
Over the bridge again
Amazing tile mosiac
A look across the bridge
Menu is out
Gaston greeting guests
I love this photo…
Let’s eat!
Pork shanks and LeFou’s Brew are the specialty
A look at the menu
Looks better than a turkey leg…
cinnamon bun!
You can wimp out and get your brew in a generic cup…
SHANK!
The interior looks just like the film
Bambi?
Antlers is all of his decorating!
This guy looks down in the dumps…
Antler chandelier
There are antlers made of stained glass…
LeFou is losing
Gaston’s hat
Inside Bonjour Village Gifts
Exclusive merchandise
Gargoyle candle holders and picture frames
There is a tribute to long-tim Magic Kingdom Vice-President Phil Holmes
Lots of hidden references we’ll get to…
Back to Mermaid
I hate to say this, but it reminds me of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea…
Detail!
Speaking of 20,000 Leagues… THE NAUTILUS!
A second hidden Nautilus submarine in the Magic Kingdom, the other is in the tree at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
We love themed pavement
This queue is incredible
This is the interactive queue element
We’ll keep our eyes peeled
I have a feeling we’ll be looking in these windows for something
A Scuttle animatronic in the queue for Scuttle’s Scavenger Hunt
Cool detail
The loading area
Stingrays on the moving walkway
If you want to see the full ride, we have a video available
The ride includes the recent changes to the DCA version, including Ariel’s new hair
Other than a few minor changes, the ride portion is the same
King Triton has a very different beard in this version…
We’ll be back
Exit
Back to Ariel’s Grotto
ARIEL!
The water is a little murky right now
Water features everywhere!
Storybook Circus looms in the distance
The backside of Mine Train
This might be the most beautiful queue ever made
Even with Mine Train not finished, the setting is visually stunning
Scuttle’s footprints in the pavement
We can’t stop looking at it! Apparently the song “Whale of a Tale” is in the area music loop as well…
Event the water fountains are themed…
So, here is the interactive queue element
Through projection technology, you can point out items that shouldn’t be there
The little crabs will pick up and take away the stuff if you point to it
Some old legends about the sea are written on the roof of this rotunda
The mural looks fantastic
No hidden Mr. Limpet figure in Florida… 🙁
The audio-animatronic Flotsam and Jetsam weren’t working yet
Awww…
I can’t get over his beard…
Back to Ariel’s Grotto
I love that Gaston gave the statue to the town… of himself…
Even though it wasn’t open, cast members were happy to show off the Be Our Guest menu
A themed tarp under the bridge until work is done on Mine Train
MORE FOOD!
YOU BOUGHT WATER? LEAVE!
This is amazing…
This is my favorite sign ever…
A beautiful restroom building
What a water fountain
The village is intricately detailed
We’ll be looking at this for a while…
So, the hidden details in the Phil Holmes portrait, there is a Magic Lamp, peanuts, and an apple. We assume these are nods to Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and Dumbo/Storybook Circus
He has a ring to celebrate his 40 years with the Magic Kingdom, and we assume the portrait celebrates him signing off on the New Fantasyland project
There’s a map in the book that includes Mickey’s Toontown (No Fair) and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Belle’s Village is right behind the Mermaid queue
Scuttle talks to guests while interactive crabs remove items
Wow…
PHOTO-BOMBED WITH A THUMBS UP? HOW DARE YOU!
Bonjour Village Gifts
The cast member costumes look great
Plenty of Beauty and the Beast merchandise available
Be Our Guest restaurant plates and cups
There is Phil
Gaston’s Tavern shirt!
Another one
Eco-friendly printing
A French book on display
Looks like it is Beauty and the Beast
CHEAP WEAPONS
We end as we started… WITH POPCORN!
Coverage won’t end for New Fantasyland here, we will continue to cover the preview period up until the grand opening of New Fantasyland on December 6th! We still have yet to see the Be Our Guest Restaurant, so stay tuned!
Disney released a ton of images from inside Gaston’s Tavern and around Belle’s Village in New Fantasyland today:
The statue of Gaston out in front
Poor Lefou
The Gaston’s tavern sign
Animals Gaston has hunted adorn the walls
His weapon
The antler chandelier
Gaston’s portrait
They have been playing darts, and Gaston is winning
So not only are there cinnamon buns and Lefou’s Brew, but there is a pork shank!
So, the menu is slightly more expansive then we thought, including chocolate croissants and even hummus
Even the water fountain is insanely themed…
Looks great!
This cart was out in Fantasyland for a while, but now that it is in its permanent home, I hope we are getting flavored popcorn at the Magic Kingdom!
WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday evening and has some great newsworthy photos to share with us, including New Fantasyland and our first look inside of the Be Our Guest Restaurant and how the counter service portion of the restaurant will operate. Let’s take a look:
Frankenweenie merchandise available in Caribbean Plaza
Still not selling…
A Halloween collectible cup is now available at Sunshine Tree Terrace along with that Orange Bird thing…
Lights on inside Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
Let’s check out Storybook Circus at night
Still strange…
As they need this path to move consturction items into Mine Train, it may be a long time before you can travel from Circus to Mermaid
The calliope looks great
Look closely
HA
We’re already in Storybook Circus… so this can be confusing…
Another look at Mine Train
Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid looks great at night
A great new place to watch fireworks
Gaston’s chair has arrived at Gaston’s Tavern!
Be Our Guest restaurant was open for guests to tour
The lobby
Gorgeous interior
Lots of ordering kiosks for counter service
It’s a scroll
RFID technology like the new room keys will be used in the ordering system
Touch the magic rose thing… you will get a plastic rose “puck” with an RFID chip which you will scan at your table so they know where to bring your food
It will be interesting to see how this works
Menu
Different kiosks look like different items
The ballroom
I assume this is “Be Our Guest” in French
Hopefully we will see more soon
You can see a early carving of the music box from Be Our Guest restaurant in Maurice’s workshop at Enchanted Tales with Belle, since Maurice built it and all…
I love this animatronic so much…
Plenty of Imagineers and construction workers out at Mine Train
Courtesy of Scott Keating and scottkeating.net, we once again have some fantastic aerial photos of Fantasyland to share with you:
The base of the old Dumbo is still lingering, guess it isn’t that easy to completely remove…
A lot going on here: The bridge that will serve as the entrance to the Be Our Guest Restaurant is nearing completion, the Mermaid queue entrance is out from behind scaffolding and appears mostly complete with the exception of pavement, and we can now make out a distinguishable footprint for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train
Another angle shows that Gaston’s Tavern is far behind the other buildings in the village
We can now see where the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station is going in Storybook Circus, but what lies beyond it in the tents is mostly a mystery…
Getting away from Fantasyland, the Big Thunder Mountain refurbishment rolls on with most of the queue being rebuilt, all track being replaced, and a visible fresh coat of paint being applied to the entire mountain
Work continues on the DVC wing of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited the Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney on Monday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip, so let’s take a look:
RFID turnstiles are installed and being used at the Magic Kingdom
Looks permanent this time
More track has been installed for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Looks like WDW Resort Hotel carpet on the roof so workers don’t slip
A lift hill now installed
A lot of dirt…
More rockwork is about to appear
Something interesting happened to all the new screen-based wait times signs
Yep, that’s there…
Instead of being a generic font with a black background, all of them are themed and match in color now
The Pete cut-out at Silly Sideshow now tips his hat
TA-DA!
Guests were getting confused, so Pete got an added uvula that is a sign…
WAIT! Is that a Maelstrom reference? IT IS! “… seek peril and adventure, but more often find beauty and charm.”
Mine Train track
Triton’s Treasures is coming along nicely
Work continues on Princess Fairytale Hall
Work also continues on the new Tangled area
We think there might be a small counter-service location (more of a cart in terms of size) over here that looks like the “Snuggly Duckling”
As we reported over a year ago, there will also be an area for guests to charge their electronic devices
One wall is done
Yankee Trader came out from behind tarps, this is on the Fantasyland side
You can start to see pathways taking shape
Art on Demand is now selling a ton of Fantasyland concept art under “Realms of Fantasy”
Plenty of New Fantasyland concept art available
Kodak references are still up at Town Square Theater
Should be gone soon
Moving to Gaston’s Tavern, we find a display with pastries
They are also serving Hot Cocoa
So, some names were added to the barrels behind the register
EIGERBOCK? Looks a lot like the Matterhorn too
Staggs Ale… absolutely brilliant
The Gaston’s Tavern steins are available again
I love this shirt…
More Adventureland interactive game props have been revealed
Now there is a treasure chest
And another…
Pirate skeleton under the water
Looks like the lock was busted off by a pirate
You can see the entire mechanism that raises the skeleton… hope they fix that
FastPass+ installed at Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Grand Floridian DVC wing is coming along nicely
Moving to Downtown Disney, there is now a Wreck-It Ralph area in DisneyQuest
Plenty of Fix-It Felix machines
Adam then attended the Splitsville Parks Blog meet-up
The pizza is surprisingly good
These cheesecake bites were amazing
Let’s take a look at the drink menu
Ooooooo….
The kids balls have Mickey and Minnie on them
A mual downstairs depicts artwork from the old Walt Disney World shopping bags
Spaceship Earth is a bowling ball…
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort on Tuesday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:
IT’S ALMOST HERE!
All of the Kodak picture spots will be removed soon as the sponsorship has come to an end
The Cheshire Cafe sign is missing for some reason
Work continues on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Gaston’s Tavern now has hot cocoa
The Gaston’s Tavern stein is available again at Bonjour Village Gifts
2013 merchandise can be found just about anywhere at WDW now
2013 Duffy!
The Disney Afternoon pins are now available
2013 mystery pins were recently released as well
Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure mystery pin set
FastPass+ testing was still going
It’s Christmas at the Grand Floridian!
The gingerbread house
Work continues on the Grand Floridian Disney Vacation Club wing
You can now see the roof being installed
It’s really starting to take shape now
Courtesy of Scott Keating and scottkeating.net, we once again have some fantastic aerial photos of Fantasyland to share with you:
The former site of Dumbo looks clear and more Castle Walls are rising. Also interesting is that the excess Mermaid rock-work will hide a cast access road.
Gaston’s Tavern is still far behind the rest of the buildings in the Village as some are already getting roof shingles
The old Fantasyland Skyway site has been flattened, so we should see some vertical construction soon
I’d wager that we’ll see waterways and pathways within the next 6 weeks
A special bonus: a look at the ongoing Big Thunder Mountain refurbishment. Looks like all the new track is in place and they are now re-painting the finale scene with the geysers.
WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited the Magic Kingdom yesterday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:
AVENGERAIL!
A look from the inside
The jet-black look is pretty sweet
A beautiful day on Main Street U.S.A.
Work continues slowly on the Castle Walls in Fantasyland
Supports for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train have risen
The little details on Prince Eric’s castle are beginning to emerge
The crane is still on site
It looks like they are trying to age the building a little
Looks like the Mine Train will block the view of Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Shingles going on the rooftops in Belle’s Village
Work continues on removing the Tigger Bounce area from the Pooh queue
Posters line the construction walls on the way to Storybook Circus
The extended rock-work at Mermaid is still in the early stages
It looks like the Casey Jr. Splash and Soak Station may be on a spinning platform like a roundhouse
Another look at the Mine Train supports
The remainder of the circus is coming along slowly
Another look at the Mermaid facade
There is a slight gap to correct…
Still a lot of walls…
Water level is a little low… and it’s a little green
The Adventureland Veranda was never so popular
A lot of guests want a Dole Whip
A reasonable line for a Sorcerers window? AMAZING!
The Sunshine Tree Terrace is out from behind tarps
The new sign, with a temporary sun on it
Well, it appears the Little Orange Bird is behind the sun…
Wow, they have food now
And the Citrus Swirl is back
I really want to try some of this stuff
AVENGERAIL!
MAY 4th!
WDWNT reader AJ P. was nice enough to offer us some newsworthy photos they took on their recent trip to Walt Disney World, so let’s take a look around all 4 parks and Downtown Disney:
Land clearing continues for the Grand Floridian DVC wing
the rain left some large puddles
Welcome to the Magic Kingdom
Chamber of Commerce behind tarps
The Bakery as well
On to New Fantasyland
Work being done on the facade of Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Large walls popping up on the site of the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
Supports and such for the Mine Train in the foreground, Storybook Circus tents in the background
A green and red wall will separate the forest from Storybook Circus
A look across to Belle’s Village
The remains of Dumbo right in front of an expanding Castle Wall
Dumbo is coming along quickly
The backside isn’t themed in any way, but it faces the Speedway, so it will match nicely…
The Barnstormer tower
Circus tents
Walls still up near the Haunted Mansion
The Sunshine Tree Terrace is still behind tarps
Tarps still up at Pecos Bill’s
The planters have been repaired in Tomorrowland, but they have temporary covers until plants are placed
On to Downtown Disney, work continues on Splitsville
Doesn’t look like much has happened inside yet
Rainforest Cafe is open while work is done on the exterior
Concept art shows the new exterior and the new Lava Lounge
Stitch is gone from the World of Disney sign
Work being done on the pavement outside the store
Moving over to Epcot
Flower and Garden Festival preperation
Work continues on the entrances to the Seas with Nemo and Friends
The water play areas in Future World are being fixed-up
Tutto Italia is finally being remodeled after 5 years in the former Alfredo’s building
The exterior is being ripped apart
The old waiting area is gone…
The horror… THE HORROR!
I hope they are fixing the menu here as well, because Via Napoli makes this place look silly
The other water play area behind walls
Modifications being made to the Spaceship Earth queue in preparation for the eventual roll-out of Xpass…
We’re going to animal Kingdom!
For one piece of news… they are still repairing the rock-work in the Oasis
