Adam Roth’s 2/13/12 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT on February 25, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited the Magic Kingdom on Monday to do some homework (if only we were so lucky) and he managed to take plenty of newsworthy photos to share with us in the process:

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

Let’s grab a times guide

 The parade route is back to normal

Work continues on the bakery and center street facades

The bakery is open

Plaza Ice Cream still closed

Work continues on the supports in Tomorrowland

 

This side of the Dumbo queue is finally being painted

 

Scaffolding coming down on the circus tent queue area

 

The other Dumbo centrifuge is in place

 

They are working everyday to get the attraction up and running as soon as possible

 

 

Beast’s Castle

 

 

The Mermaid rock-work is being extended to hide the show building from view in Storybook Circus

 

Rooftops and patios are appearing on Prince Eric’s castle

 


A close-up of the castle

 

 

It looks great!

 

 

The artwork is back on the great wall of Fantasyland

 

The Castle Wall is finally showing some progress

 

The Seven Dwarves Mine shop lives out a stay of execution until the wall moves this direction

 

Walkways are still tight at the moment

 

This is the first time we’ve actually seen people working on the wall

 

We can see some detail at the top of the wall

 

The Fantasyland Skyway station is gones and now we have a giant pile of dirt

 

You can clearly see The Hauted Mansion, but this will change

 

Just a lot of dirt…

 

Work on the Peter Pan’s Flight queue continues

 

 

 

 

Walls up where the pathway will go next to the Haunted Mansion

 

Hard to believe this opened almost a year ago

It has grown in nicely

 

Some things were changed…

 

 

Some things were added as less-than-capable guests walked through…

 

 

Other things that were added

 

The pet cemetary is missing some pieces while the new path is worked on

 

Time for some Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

 

 

 

Pongo looks a little angry…

Love the cards

 

What’s the best part about Sorcerers? Inclusion of often ignored characters

 

The old Fife & Drum food service location closed for decades is back in use

 

This is a second location where you can begin your quest

This card has been changed to remove Slinky Dog from the background. Apprently, Disney doesn’t have the rights to use him…

 

Frontierland Trading Post still behind tarps

 

 

The tower that the Barnstormer will now crash through looks finished

 

The Big Thunder Mountain refurb rolls on

 

Lift hill replacemtn and roof repairs being done now

 

 

Some paint has also been applied to lower level rock-work

 

 

Progress is appearing rapidly

 

The backside of the Be Our Guest Restaurant

A look at Fantasyland Station

 

Lighting fixtures installed

 

Hi there

 

Still there…

 

Roof is covered

 

The Barnstormer is just about finished

 

 

 

A fair amount of landscaping left to complete

 

The backside of the Dumbo building

Josh Siegel’s 2/23/12 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT on February 25, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Josh Siegel visited the Magic Kingdom yesterday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

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The Bakery is still behind tarps

A tarp came down in the bad weather

Some lighted effects added to another Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom window

A line building for some of the windows

A new poster inside the Fire Station

A decent amount of guests waiting

The Chapeau is still behind tarps

Some new, smaller trees planted in Town Square

Chamber of commerce (package pick-up) is also still behind tarps

A temporary wheelchair ramp installed while work is being done

Another look at the new trees everyone seems to hate

I don’t see what all of the commotion is about… they’re trees…

Another look at the Chapeau/Confectionary

They fixed the fallen tarp on Center Street

Some of the facades came out from behind the tarps and look great

The Bakery tarps in the daytime

Plaza Ice Cream is still closed

Work continues on the Main Street bridge

The Dumbo building is coming along nicely

Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid coming along nicely

One of the large tents has already been covered

Some kind of wall rising, possibly for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train

The new rock-work at the edge of the Mermaid facade taking shape

Belle’s Village

The crane! The crane!

The facade of Enchanted Tales with Belle is finally getting some detail

A better look at the new covered tent

Tigger’s Bounce Area is still closed…

This may be made into a Pooh meet and greet area in the not too distant future

Plenty of trees planted in Storybook Circus

A billboard for The Barnstormer is now up, you can spot it over the Dumbo queue

Another look at Enchanted Tales with Belle

Another look towards Dumbo and Barnstormer

The days are numbered for this store

And we all know this closes May 31st now

The unveiled portion of Castle Wall looks nice

Guests being prevented from going upstairs at Pinocchio’s Village Haus

A portion of walls near the restrooms remains

This piece of wall was already revealed

A new wheelchair ramp has been installed at Peter Pan’s Flight in preparation for the new interactive queue addition once the new restrooms open

I hope we can spare a few shields to decorate this…

Work continues on the former Skyway plot

The Haunted Mansion is clearly visible

What a mess

Work continues on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

One new roof looks pretty much finished

MAdame Leota’s cart out in Liberty Square

40th anniversary shirts

I haven’t seen this out in a while, but now it’s at the cart

Some new pavement along the parade route

Some new pavement that looks like wooden planks

Work continues by the Vacation Club booth

Work was completed on the Frontierland Trading Post facade

I assume that the missing part of the sign will return soon

This facade looks brand new

Some pieces still being worked on

Sunshine Tree Terrace still behind tarps

Some signage was recently installed at the Sorcerers station in Liberty Square

Good luck Sorcerers!

AJ P’s 2/12 Walt Disney World Resort Photo Report

WDWNT on February 25, 2012

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:

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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

Haunted Mansion Explained

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion Explained page. A 12 figure blind box series based on the classic Haunted Mansion attraction should be released sometime in the Fall of 2011. Do you have room for one more… Vinylmation set in your display? It’s not a stretch to say, this set will be a very popular series. Our tour begins here in this gallery where you see the figures we know to be in this set.


Haunted Mansion Explained
September 21 (WDW), September 22 (DLR)
$12.95
12 figure blind box series with variants designed by Casey Jones. Casey will hold a signing at each the WDW and DLR releases.

Check out the Variants here!

 Executioner


He is an imposing figure in the Graveyard scene.

Great Caesar’s Ghost


He has a robe and sandals on. Found at the end of the table in the Great Hall.

Gus


One of the 3 famed Hitchhiking Ghosts. Now part of a brilliant interactive ending inside the Haunted Mansion were the ghosts “physically” interact with guests using facial recognition mirrors.

Ezra


Inexplicably missing from the listed set? Is there a way to fit him in as a variant? Combo Topper?
Phineas


One of the 3 famed Hitchhiking Ghosts. Now part of a brilliant interactive ending inside the Haunted Mansion were the ghosts “physically” interact with guests using facial recognition mirrors.

King


His majesty is found on a teeter totter over a tombstone with the Queen on one side and him on the other.

Bride


She is found haunting the attic. She was given new “life” during recent renovations.
Master Gracey


“Master Gracey laid to rest. No mourning please, at his request.”


His tombstone is found outside the Haunted Mansion. Inside, you can find an aging portrait. 

Hatbox Ghost


Appeared in original Haunted Mansion attraction were his head would disappear and show up in a box he was holding. He was removed because the effect was not working as intended. He can be seen in paintings hanging on the walls of the hallway now. Legend has it that the Animatronic Hatbox Ghost was striped down by Disney Legend Marc Davis and used as Sam the Eagle in America Sings

Singing Bust


On the left of the Florida Project slide, you can see one of the singing busts you find in the graveyard. An easy variant.
Help with name please?

Captain Culpepper Clyne

Found on a portrait inside the WDW attraction as well as in the new interactive queue.

Mystery Chaser


Click on the ? image to reveal the chaser.

Adam Roth’s 12/26/11 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on December 28, 2011

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth recently visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom and took a TON of newsworthy photos to share with us, so strap in for a lengthy look around Walt Disney World:

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Adam caught the Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special inside the ABC Sound Studio, former home of Sounds Dangerous

In case you don’t know, Comedy Warehouse was a club at Pleasure Island

Just a sticker, but shows effort for a very temporary attraction

Control booth

The show is improv, comedy’s ugly cousin…

OK…

I’ve been running this site for five years, and this is easily the lowest moment…

Adam enjoyed it and so did guests, so we’ll see what the future holds…

Booths from the Food & Wine festival being used to meet dining demands

The Magic of Disney animation added a campus map a while ago… it’s trying to look like a real animation studio

Nothing says Italian like fast food meatballs…

The Premiere Theater is showing holiday cartoons

“Curse you Perry the Platypus!”

The daily schedule

The “italian” restaurant

It looks awful…

The stage is set for New Year’s Eve

Adam is a good colorer…

I’m so proud…

The Monsters University logo now up inside the Magic of Disney Animation

Moving to the Magic Kingdom, we arrive at Sleepy Hollow

What could we be here for?

Of course!

Here is the chicken sandwich without the usual spread

The ham, prosciutto, and swiss sandwich

The Diamond Horseshoe was open

Somewhere, a child cries…

“MICKEY!”

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is performing daily now

“Yay! We didn’t have to buy a party ticket! But this place is packed…”

Christopher Robin was added to the parade this year, but the Pooh tree float is gone

Duffy joins the fun

The skiers were new for this year

Awwwww…

Bo Creep… I mean, Bo Peep

A personal favorite

Another personal favorite

However long that is, it’s too long…

Too long!

Could we cut out this step thing!

Storybook Circus construction as seen from the TTA

The lower level rock-work taking shape at Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

The back of the Dumbo queue building was painted green

Three digits…

A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas is performing daily

Spot the Captain EO reference?

Eye did! Get it? Eye did!

Instead of having him on screen, Stitch appears on stage now

Some new props had to be made for the changes

The new tower at Barnstormer is rising up around the track

There is a lot of color on the Dumbo queue

They are pretty much rebuilding the old tents

Oooooo, I spot a dirty word…

Scaffolding up over the Dumbo queue building

The roof over the two covered queue areas is coming along

You can see the new Dumbo spinner through the queue

The train station is almost done

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

The caverns are now visible

Belle’s Village is starting to look good

Another look at the Storybook Circus train station

Back to Under the Sea

Prince Eric’s castle

Notice Mr. Stork at the top of the new Dumbo spinner

Back to Belle’s village

Maurice’s cottage

Be Our Guest restuarant

A panoramic view of construction

Some of the Storybook Circus pavement has been revealed

wagon wheel marks and horse footprints litter the path, a beautiful detail

The mountain range looks great

The sun sets on the old Dumbo…

Some work has been done on the Castle Wall

A stone wall has popped up next to it

The edge of the rock-work

A chimney through the trees

Holy Nana!

You’d have to have a hook for a brain to wait in that

“it’s a long line”

Nice sign

The new path near the Haunted Mansion is being worked on

Non-alcoholic sangria from Tortuga Tavern

YUM!

Time to light the Castle

Purty…

New details were unveiled in the Town Square Theater queue for Mickey

Notes for advertisements made by Mickey sit on a bulletin board

Gotta love these details

Mailboxes

A reference to the first attraction in this space, the Walt Disney Story

The Bill Justice character mural that used to stand in this space lives on with these rolled up pictures of it in one of the mailboxes

A great addition to a pretty bland room of the queue

A new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom window in Fantasyland

Hidden camera

Another window in Fantasyland

This appears to be Merlin’s house as you can see Archimedes’ bird house in the back

Another Fantasyland window

Not so hidden

The last reference to Tinker Bell’s Treasures has been turned into a Sorcerers window

The Main Street Electrical Parade is supposedly leaving before Summer 2012, so get in your last views while you can

The holiday edition of “The Magic, the Memories, and You!” is still performing

Some Holiday Wishes! photos

Yowza…

Quick, let’s take the secret exit out of this photo report!

Episode 047 Paint By Numbers

WDWNT on November 21, 2011

Ep. 047 Paint By Numbers
This week we have a lot of news to cover. Plenty of releases like A Very Merry Goofy, the Japanese Zodiac series, & 9″ Urban 7s. We have updates on Haunted Mansion, Star Wars and NFL series. We review Urban 8 and share some analysis of Dee Vee Award voting, giving you a break down of the big winners and what figures just missed the top spot.
Listen Now:
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Haunted Tease

WDWNT on October 31, 2011

The Vinylmation Blog posted this artwork today by Casey Jones:

Will this ghostly fisherman be in next year’s Haunted Mansion Vinylmation set? See what we know about this series here.

This figure is designed after the Fisherman that resides in the newly refurbished queue line at the Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom.

Water can be seen pouring from the tomb and the fisherman “sneezes” on guests as they walk by. Water sprouts out of the tomb misting unsuspecting guests.

Room For One More Explained

WDWNT on September 18, 2011

Room For One More is an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion. It will be held on September 30th at the Contemporary Resort. Tickets sold for $285 per person. The event will include a recreation of the Haunted Mansion cemetery inside the Contemporary Resort, a Mansion’s Feast with appearances by “restless spirits,” a Ghost Gallery that will feature first edition keepsakes up for a bid in a silent auction, meet-and-greets with world-renowned artists including Robert Olszewski, Jim Shore, and Greg McCullough among others, a panel with Walt Disney Imagineers and more. Registration has ended, but there is an impressive catalog of Vinylmation available at the event. We also do know that artist Noah will be on hand at the event. He has a few custom Vinylmation he produced for this event. Check out Noah’s and all the event Vinylmation below.

Update: 9/27/11 Artist Javier Soto has added a custom to the event. The bidding starts at $999. Take a look: (pictures from Disney)



Upate: 9/23/11 It was a long wait, but we finally have a peak at Miss Mindy’s 9/9 combo for this event:

Update: 9/18/11 Sketch art of Monty’s Grave Keeper was added below. We also added a picture of the back of the Ear Hat. Also, please check out this link for details about Noah’s participation in this event and other WDW events around the same time.


Update: 9/2/11 Here is a look at Noah’s 9″ for the event:



Update: 8/27/11 The Ear Hat that depicts the stretching room DOES stretch!!! Amazing:

BEFORE
AFTER

The portraits pull out of a sleeve to reveal the full length stretching portraits.

 3″ Gargoyle

This figure is part of a 3″ Vinylmation, Ear Hat and Pin combo (see below). The set is designed by Monty Maldovan and Quynh Kimball.

Retail: $99.95
LE 500

The Gargoyle look great! But the arms are kind of awkward because we are missing the elbows. I wonder what the profile looks like. On the back is event logo.
Ear Hat

This Ear Hat comes with the above 3″ Vinylmation and the pin below. The design of the hat really captures the colors, wallpaper and furniture inside the Haunted Mansion.
Gravestone Pin

We finally get a peak at the pin that will be packaged with the above Ear Hat and Vinylmation. It depicts a gravestone with the gravekeeper’s dog. The stone reads “The Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary.”
Ear Hat Box

All of the above will be packaged in this. If I get nothing else, I will take the box! The hat box shows the 3″ Vinylmation, Ear Hat and Pin against the backdrop of the stretching room. It also has a great looking Haunted Mansion logo on the lid.
Mummy

Quynh Kimball
Retail: TBA
LE 1

This one of a kind just has a rough concept sketch released so far.
9″ Bride
(packaged with Groom below)

Miss Mindy
Retail: TBA
LE 1

This is part of a 2 piece 9″ Bride and Groom set. Like many Room For One More items, it glows with a black light.
9″ Groom
(packaged with Bride above)
Miss Mindy
Retail: TBA
LE 1
This is part of a 2 piece 9″ Bride and Groom set. Wow, talk about a stand for your vinyls! This piece as a whole is something we have never seen before.
9″ Custom on Stand

Noah
Retail: $650
LE 13

13 makes good sense. If it’s Noah, you know it will be amazing. $650 is a bit pricier than his normal LEs.
3″ Custom
Noah
Retail: $150
LE 13
Noah’s second Room For One More exclusive piece.
9″ Caretaker & 3″ Dog

Monty Maldovan
Retail: $1000
LE 1

I’m a bit disapointed here. I really wanted to see this combo for mass retail… I called it on an earlier podcast. But seeing it here as an LE 1 makes me think we will not be seeing it mass produced with the Haunted Mansion series. As expensive as this combo is, the mixed media creation must look spectacular.