First Look: New Fantasyland’s Dumbo Marks Disney Parks Milestone (Video)
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It appears that Walt Disney Imagineering has begun the test and adjust phase for the brand new Dumbo attraction being installed in the Storybook Circus area of the New Fantasyland Expansion at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Photos and video captured by MouseSteps demonstrate some of the vehicles in action yesterday.
What makes this particular installation of the classic attraction is that this will be the first time in any Disney theme park that Dumbo will fly in a clockwise direction (i.e., if you were to look at the attraction from an aerial vantage point), or more simply put, Dumbo faces left. In every other installation, Dumbo flies in the opposite (counter-clockwise) direction. The attraction topper is also more ornate than previous incarnations, replacing Timothy Mouse with a bevy of storks mid-job.
Photo: Beast’s Castle in New Fantasyland Expansion at Magic Kingdom
Admittedly I don’t make it a habit to check out every over-the-fence type shot of the work being done on the New Fantasyland Expansion at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, but when I came across this photo as it was posted on Tumblr, I knew it was something worth sharing.
The photo of Beast’s Castle was taken earlier this month by Matthew Cooper and shared on his Flickr account which shares additional images from Walt Disney World and other locations worth taking a look at.
Report: Snow White Attraction to Close at Walt Disney World in February 2012
Known to be closing permanently in order to make way for the Princess Fairytale Hall where guests will be able to meet and greet with their favorite Disney princesses, we now have a potential timeline for the closure of Snow White’s Scary Adventures. According to the following tweet from Crushinat0r, notice has been posted for Fantasyland Operations that the attraction will be closing permanently in February (exact date unknown). If this turns out to be the case, it’s more likely to be towards the end of the month, after the relocated Dumbo re-opens at its new location, though the two attractions are polar opposites when it comes to ridership.
WDW Refurbs: Dumbo, Big Thunder Mountain and Liberty Belle Closures (New Fantasyland Opening Date?)
Now appearing on the official Walt Disney World calendar, we have a few key operational updates affecting guests in early 2012.
Perhaps the most riveting (if such a word could be used) is that of Dumbo, which is now scheduled to close on January 9 and re-open on February 18 March 12. Reasons aren’t generally given for the refurbs publicly, but there’s a slight possibility this may be for its move over to the Storybook Circus section of the New Fantasyland Expansion, which Walt Disney World has announced will open in early/spring 2012 with a relocated Dumbo coupled with a duplicated version that will have vehicles rotating in a clockwise direction, a first for the attraction anywhere in the world.
‘Fantasyland Expansion’ at Magic Kingdom Gets Official Site Page
Although for the most part, there’s nothing new that’s currently mentioned there, the official Walt Disney World site has now added a New Fantasyland Expansion page which details some of the additions being added to the Magic Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort.
One element that does appear to be new, however, or at least not easily found with a Google search, is the Casey Jr. Roundhouse which will be located adjacent to the Toontown Fantasyland train station and will feature a ‘circus-themed immersive’ water play area. Little ones will ‘splish and splash as Casey Jr. billows off cool steam and water squirts from playful monkeys, elephants and camels.’
New Magic Kingdom Fantasyland Expansion Plans Announced; Snow White Closure Confirmed; Hi-Res Concept Art
The largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history is underway, a project that will nearly double the size of Fantasyland and deliver a new home for Ariel, new ways to interact with favorite Disney princesses, an exciting new family coaster, a double dose of Dumbo and more.
Scheduled to open in phases beginning in late 2012, the new Fantasyland will immerse guests in Disney stories as never before. Among the highlights planned:
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, a major, all-new attraction during which guests will travel with Ariel and her friends through their exciting adventures above and below the waves – all against a musical backdrop of songs from the classic film.
First Element of Fantasyland Expansion Makes On-Stage Debut
If you’re wondering why this new snack cart at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World looks more like it was crafted by ‘crazy old Maurice’ rather than Walt Disney Imagineers, it’s because it will eventually find its home just beyond that blue wall, inside Gaston’s Village as part of the park’s Fantasyland Expansion project.
The Walt Disney World Resort recently announced that its Toontown Country Fair will be closed permanently as of February 12, 2011 to continue work on the expansion which involves the relocation and doubling of the Dumbo attraction into that area. The only remaining attractions will be the train station and Goofy’s Barnstormer, re-themed to the area.
WDW Refurb Update: Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh Closure in October thru Mid-November
The official Walt Disney World website has updated its operational calendar to include a closure for The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom from October 25 through November 14.
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Tokyo Disneyland Announces Opening Date for ‘Mickey’s PhilharMagic’
The Tokyo Disneyland Resort has announced that Mickey’s PhilHarmagic, its 43rd attraction, will open to the public on January 24, 2011.
At a cost of about $65 million US, the 4D attraction’s theatre will seat up to 454 guests per show as they thrill to the exciting adventures of Donald Duck as he finds himself face to face with many of the characters from Walt Disney’s animated classics.
The attraction, which will be located in Fantasyland, is connected to its corresponding gift shop, Harmony Faire.
WDW Refurb Update: Extended Closure for ‘it’s a small world’ — Are Disney Characters Being Added?
Thanks to a tip, we have learned that ‘it’s a small world’ at the Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom has been scheduled for an extended refurbishment beginning August 1 and ending October 22. The refurbishment is listed on the official Walt Disney World website daily view for those dates and a call to the Resort did confirm the closure.
We’re sure in time that more about the details of the refurbishment will come to light, but until then, one can only speculate. With the addition of Disney characters at first Hong Kong Disneyland and then Disneyland in 2009, could the Magic Kingdom be far behind?
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