PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Hollywood Studios 12/12/17 (Star Tours, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, Muppet Subtractions, ETC.)

WDWNT on December 21, 2017

Our latest photo report brings us back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to see the latest progress on this park in transition.

Welcome to Construction

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The new sections of parking lot were completed some time ago, removing greenery and palm trees in favor of more parking spaces that will be needed sorely come 2019.

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This expansion of the lot took place on both sides.

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Work continues on the Disney Skyliner station for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which you can see the concept art for here.

Welcome to Hollywood

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More stuff was thrown onto the left projection tower in the Center Stage area as Disney tries to make this thing look like it belongs there.

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It’s certainly better than it was, but these things still look completely out of place.

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For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration now features Olaf and music from the Olaf’s Frozen Adventure short. They might want to change the sign that says it is playing in theaters with Coco.

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Guests can now sit and eat in the former AOTAS Hall of Fame area, while Disney hopes the vines around the former sign grow in at some point…

Nothing but Star Wars…

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Signage at Star Tours was changed to reflect the recent additions to the ride.

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Nearby, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is taking shape. For a better look at this, be sure to check out our latest Disney’s Hollywood Studios Expansion Update video:

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Some palm trees were planted off to the side of the tunnel.

This and That

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The “Muppet Babies” section of Stage 1 Company Store has been closed for a while now, and sadly looks like it will not return. Why must Grand Avenue take everything Muppets away from us?

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Not only is it sealed off from inside, but there is a fairly permanent looking Cast Member access door now visible.

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A brick wall now separates Muppets Courtyard, I mean Grand Park from Star Tours. This will make for the most terrible crowd flow when Galaxy’s Edge opens.

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A new backstage gate has been constructed near the exit of MuppetVision 3-D. This was once a path through the Backlot, but now it will be a dead end.

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Work continues on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

Toy Story Land

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Work continues on the entrance to Toy Story Land, set to open next Summer.

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The corner of the Toy Story Mania building (where the catwalk was ripped off) is now being patched up.

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Mousecellaneous

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Both of the billboards behind the Chinese Theater are for The Last Jedi. I guess this movie needs to be advertised heavily…

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Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge looms in the distance from PIXAR Place.

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The highest point in the land was topped off with a flag and a tree.

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To help guests visiting Toy Story Mania, Disney added these rope signs. This is somewhat helpful as the average guest never seems to know where to go.

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iPhone X cases are now available from D-Tech on Demand at the Star Wars Launch Bay Cargo Bay store.

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The store was also shaken up quite a bit, removing the onstage counter where the D-Tech devices were made. Now they are just made offstage and brought to the checkout counters when they are done.

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Guests can now partake in the Droid Factory here as well.

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More 2018 pins have hit shelves at the parks.

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Despite debuting over a month ago, they are still not finished building the projection booth for Sunset Seasons Greetings…

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PHOTOS: Toy Story Land Attractions Under Testing at Shanghai Disneyland, Opening Date Announced

WDWNT on December 11, 2017

With this week’s announcement of the opening of Shanghai Disneyland’s Toy Story Land on April 26, 2018, the resort released some photos of two of the new attractions.

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The Slinky Dog Spin, a caterpillar-style ride, is currently under testing, according to the resort.

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Testing has also begun on Rex’s Racer, where guests will climb into a RC Racer vehicle that runs on the U-shaped track.

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The ride vehicle for Rex’s Racer will seat up to 16 guests.

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The half-pipe coaster is from Intamin Amusements, which also built the RC Racer attractions in the Walt Disney Studios Park at the Disneyland Paris Resort and in Hong Kong Disneyland.

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A large Rex figure being painted at Shanghai Disney Resort’s Show Production Center will be one of over 400 toys produced for the new land. In the storyline of the Rex’s Racer attraction, Rex hosts the ride along with his stegosaurus friend, Trixie.

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Concept Art & Details Released for Shanghai Disneyland’s Toy Story Land, Opening Summer 2018

WDWNT on December 1, 2017

Shanghai, November 30, 2017 – One of The Walt Disney Company’s most popular franchises will have an even bigger presence at Shanghai Disney Resort’s theme park, Shanghai Disneyland, when the park expands to include its 7th themed land. Shanghai Disney Resort today revealed details of the highly anticipated Disney Toy Story Land, the first post-opening expansion of the resort. The new land will feature attractions and entertainment celebrating fun and imagination for guests of all ages, and provide yet another reason for them to be immersed in the unparalleled storytelling and creativity of Shanghai Disneyland for multiple-day visits. Disney Toy Story Land is a sign of the early success of Shanghai Disney Resort, and demonstrates the confidence the joint venture shareholders have in the growing consumer demand for themed entertainment in China.

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Based on the Disney•Pixar motion picture series, Disney Toy Story Land will be a high-spirited, colorful world where guests will feel as if they’ve been shrunk down to the size of their favorite Toy Story toys for laughter and fun with family and friends in the backyard of Andy, the boy from the movies. Woody, Buzz and their Toy Story friends come to life and play in this fully immersive land, which features three new attractions and a uniquely themed character greeting area.

Slinky Dog Spin: Slinky Dog has been amusing the toys all day long by chasing his own tail round-and-round a giant dog dish filled with toy bones – and soon Shanghai Disneyland guests will be invited to become the “honorary toys” in Disney Toy Story Land, where they will be able to take a seat inside Slinky Dog’s springy spirals and race around a wavy roundabout.

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Rex’s Racer: Rex, Andy’s insecure Tyrannosaurus Rex toy enjoys playing with RC Racer almost as much as he likes playing video games. With help from his Triceratops friend Trixie, Rex will invite guests to climb into RC for a thrilling ride on the U-shaped track. With Rex at the controls, RC Racer, with guests aboard, zips forward and backward at ever increasing heights and exhilarating speed.

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Woody’s Round-Up: Sheriff Woody has rounded up a herd of ponies, each one pulling a cart, in a ranch set up by Andy. Guests can climb aboard the carts as the ponies start a little square dance swinging their carts to and fro in time to the lively music.

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Meeting Post: Next to Woody’s Round-Up is Old West, a town made up of a hitching post and façades for various enterprises, such as the sheriff’s office, the saloon and the bank. Here, guests can meet and pose for photos with some of their favorite Toy Story characters, including Woody, Jessie and Bullseye.

Guests can extend their Disney Toy Story Land experience with the fun, immersive shopping and dining opportunities in Al’s Toy Barn, the merchandise shop where some of Andy’s toys have been purchased, just like in the movie, and Toy Box Café, a restaurant themed to Andy’s packing boxes for Buzz Lightyear, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and Lotso Hugging Bear.

Characters and stories from the Toy Story franchise have strongly resonated with Chinese guests. Shanghai Disney Resort has the only Toy Story-themed hotel in the world, while Shanghai Disneyland is home to the popular Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue attraction, a guest favorite which features the most advanced Buzz Lightyear targeting system at any Disney park in the world.

With unique experiences guests can only enjoy at Shanghai Disneyland, the new Disney Toy Story Land is set to open by summer 2018.

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Rex & Jessie Mark First Two Characters Installed at Toy Story Land, Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on November 20, 2017

width=Disney shared a sneak peek of the first two Toy Story characters, Jessie and Rex, being installed earlier this week in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The photos and videos released by Disney show the two larger-than-life figures positioned around the Slinky Dog Dash Coaster in the new land. Both characters were lifted in by cranes and perched on top of towers of blocks that rise up around the coaster track.

According to their storyline, Rex and Jessie decided to help Andy decided to help Andy build a roller coaster using his Mega Coaster Play Kit by stringing up the lights on towers of blocks. Rex got himself tangled up in the lights, but Jessie is nearby to help out.

PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Hollywood Studios 10/28/17 (Rollaway Stage Show, Skyliner, Runaway Railway, Echo Lake, ETC.)

WDWNT on November 2, 2017

Our latest photo report brings us to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to see the latest happenings at the park.

Construction

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Walking over to Hollywood Studios from the Boardwalk, we see 5 cranes dominating the skyline.

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Parking lot enhancements and preparations for the Disney Skyliner continue outside of the park.

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Guests walk through a maze of work fences to get to the park.

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The Skyliner station for the park is under construction, with land near the bus loop currently being prepared.

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And We Are Rolling…

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Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away has returned with the new mobile, rollaway staging.

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The stage actually looks a little nicer than the one they had used before, even though that one didn’t get removed nightly.

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Following the last show of the day, the process of packing up the stages begins.

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The stage features two “green rooms” where the characters can emerge from during the show, hiding until it is their turn on stage.

Below, we have video of the stages rolling away at 7PM. Disney has made a little show of it, which reminds me of the Backlot Studio Tour quite a bit. An announcer says it is time for a scene change, followed by Gus the crew chief making the order for the stages to roll…

It is nice to see this process turned into a small show that fits the (current? past?) theme of the park. We’ll see if this sticks around once Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge open.

This and That

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Work continues on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. There is now this set of expanded construction walls near the old Great Movie Ride exit.

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There are now more work walls up by Grand Avenue, now crossing the path towards Red Carpet Dreams.

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The path from Star Tours to MuppetVision 3-D no longer exists, guests now having to walk down Grand Avenue to get there.

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A planter and a wall will fill in this former path.

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Work continues on Echo Lake.

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Scaffolding has come down on Min and Bill’s, marking that the painting is finished.

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Gertie looks shiny.

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The Holiday 2017 Droid Factory figure has been released.

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PHOTOS: PIXAR Place at Hollywood Studios Sealed Behind Star Wars & Toy Story Land Wall

WDWNT on October 25, 2017

When Toy Story Land opens in 2018, PIXAR Place will close for an entirely new guest flow in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests will go around what is now PIXAR Place to access the park’s two new lands come next year. In preparation, the wall of landscaping that will seal off PIXAR Place from guests is now in place.

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This green barrier can be seen in the Toy Story Land model. PIXAR Place and the alley behind it will be a cast member access road no longer accessible to guests.

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PIXAR Place will likely close next Summer when Toy Story Land opens to guests.

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PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Hollywood Studios 10/17/17 (Merry Christmas, Happy Star Wars & Toy Story Land, ETC.)

WDWNT on October 25, 2017

We return to what’s left of Disney’s Hollywood Studios for our latest photo report, checking out the latest progress on all of the upcoming projects…

Hooray for Horizontal Construction

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Work continues on the expansion and reconfiguration of the parking lot.

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Meanwhile, land has been cleared and work has begun on the Disney Skyliner station that will be located just outside of the park.

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The stage for Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away is down while they work on the mobile stage for the show.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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Celebrity 5 & 10 on Hollywood Boulevard is already a full-blown Christmas shop as of Friday the 13th. Makes sense…

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The new line of Little Mermaid home goods has made its way to Florida. Check out the entire line here.

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These awesome new Chip and Dale nutcrackers are available for $54.99 each.

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A lot of the items from last year which did not have boxes now come in boxes for easier transport home.

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I love the new decorations in the store which have a very 30’s vibe to them.

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But then we are brought back to modern day by an ornament which has Mickey taking a selfie.

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The new theme park related stockings are fantastic! All but one has been released already…

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The one that is missing is the Hatbox Ghost from the Haunted Mansion. They retail for $27.99 each.

Construction

For a great overview of all of the ongoing construction, please check out our latest expansion update video below:

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Work continues on the entrance to Toy Story Land…

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I’m still dying to know what this weird tiny chunk of building will be…

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Looking towards Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge construction.

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Here we see the building for the Battle Escape attraction.

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Here, we see the building that houses the Millennium Falcon attraction getting taller.

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The chicken breast strips are now also an adult meal at ABC Commissary and they’re really fantastic for what they are.

Grand Avenue

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Work continues on the very unfinished left side of Grand Avenue.

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Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge rises in the background.

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Here stands the tunnel that will transport guests to another planet.

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More Holiday Spirit

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It’s a Wonderful Shop has also stocked lots of new holiday decor items.

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Including a new Hanukkah collection.

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Echo Lake Refurbishment 

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The refurbishment of Echo Lake continues, with the race on to have the Christmas decor up by November 9th.

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CONCEPT ART: Toy Story Land’s Counter Service Dining is “Woody’s Lunch Box” presented by Mini Babybel

WDWNT on October 25, 2017

Today, Disney shared a look at a new area planned for Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Woody’s Lunch Box.

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When Toy Story Land opens in Summer 2018 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests will shrink to the size of a toy and explore Andy’s backyard. This story continues at Woody’s Lunch Box, where Andy has used his lunch box and thermos to create a walk-up quick-service window that will serve up tasty meals and old-fashioned soda floats. In the rendering above, you can see that Woody’s Lunch Box – like the rest of Toy Story Land – has been adorably strewn about with some of Andy’s favorite toys and items from his lunch. You can even spot a green army man on a nearby lookout tower, keeping watch for Andy’s return.

The Walt Disney World Resort will partner with Mini Babybel to bring this location to life.

PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Hollywood Studios 10/25/17 (Sunset Seasons Greetings, Christmas Shopping, Toy Story Land, Star Wars, ETC.)

WDWNT on October 25, 2017

Our latest photo report brings u back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios as it prepares for a transitional Holiday season, offering up a new lineup that Disney hopes will fill the void left by the Osborne Lights over the last two years.

Christmas Shopping

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Plenty of blown-glass ornaments for sale at Celebrity 5 & 10, including a new Monorail ornament.

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They’re a little pricey at $19.99 each, but they are pretty cool.

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Some new holiday apparel for sale.

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A few new Beauty and the Beast ornaments have joined the existing collection this year, including this light up rose ornament.

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Mickey and Minnie Mouse have both received their own action figures of sorts, exclusive to the Disney Parks. They retail for $14.99 each.

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The new Mickey Mouse ear baseball cap is already out.

Sunset Seasons Greetings

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As the park prepares for the new Sunset Seasons Greetings offering, a whole lot of new infrastructure is going into place on Sunset Boulevard. The old, white lights for the palm trees have been replaced with these beauties, capable of color changing for show elements.

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Some extra hardware was also installed on the star lights, likely to be used to integrate them into the show.

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The Fantasmic billboard is likely gone for good as a new billboard that can be projected onto will go in its place. Maybe it will return in some form down the road.

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Behind the billboard hides the infrastructure for the projectors that will turn the Hollywood Tower Hotel into a number of holiday items during the shows.

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The projectors sit on the stands you can see behind these windows.

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People seem confused about a new Paradise Pier billboard that appeared recently at the Studios. I don’t see the confusion as both lands exist in roughly the same time period. Sadly, Paradise Pier will become PIXAR Pier, but this will be a nice nod to the past.

Dirt Street U.S.A.

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Construction continues on Two Story Land, opening Summer 2018.

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The remnants of the catwalk above the soundstage waits to be sealed in.

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On the other side, we still have no idea what this weird, tall section of building is supposed to be.

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A dirt wall now seals PIXAR Place, which eventually will be no more once Toy Story Land opens and the entrance to Toy Story Midway Mania moves there.

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Just before this dirt wall will lie a cast access road, with PIXAR Place then becoming a backstage area.

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The construction walls behind Muppet Vision 3-D expanded outward, now coming into the attraction’s exit.

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Here we see the building for the “Battle Escape” attraction in Star War’s Galaxy’s Edge.

This and That

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Sunset Showcase courtyard was open, being used for extended queue for Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, as well as some character meet and greets.

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The show building for Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster was recently repainted blue to blend into Toy Story Land better. It’s too bad it now doesn’t blend with anything on this side of the park. Why is every “soundstage” building a different color?

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Work on Echo Lake continues, with the “logs” under the water now repainted.

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With the Coco preview coming soon, the final room of Walt Disney Presents is pretty barren at the moment. The stickers on the walls were taken down and only on display case remains in use.

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