Photo Finds - Lion King Wing, Epcot construction

Photo Finds from 8/20:

Work continues on the Fantasyland expansion with the "area lights" (show lighting) now visible over the construction wall at night, and final touches are added to facades and backdrops. The castle walls look to be almost finished, and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, not due until 2014, continues to change every so often in appearance. Epcot has construction projects at Test Track (Cool Wash), France bakery and something new outside Canada. The big story, though, is the opening a week ago of the third wing of Art of Animation, dedicated to Lion King. We take our customary closer look!


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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Photo Finds 6/11 - Small Additions to Legoland and Storybook Circus

It's a week full of smaller additions to the parks! We spot new trees at Dumbo, removed construction walls, a new sign for Casey Jr Splash 'n' Soak, new theming on existing luggage, and a couple of Hidden Mickeys in Storybook Circus. A Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom poster is now up in the entrance tunnels under the train, and we also spot a new costume.

At Legoland water park, they have continued to add themed elements to make the place look more "LEGO" as time goes by.

Here's the video:


You can also view the post here.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Photo Finds slideshow 6/5

My weekly slideshow video of what's new at Orlando parks and resorts, hosted by Attractions Magazine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkpt37SaNG0&list=PL6B1381A87EA427F0&index=29&feature=plpp_video

Here is the video directly:




Description:

It’s a banner week in Orlando, when that rarest of events occurred: the opening of a new full-sized Disney addition. More than a ride, a new resort hotel is a bigger deal, and it doesn’t happen often these days (compared to the 1990s). The Art of Animation replaces the second half of Pop Century, and it’s extremely well-themed. We take a look around in photos.

Snow White’s Scary Adventures closed this week, and the Disney parks saw other small changes such as new signs at Dumbo and Storybook Circus. Car Masters Weekend at Downtown Disney brought a classic car show and other goodies. And the Highland Games opened at Epcot’s rose garden to celebrate the upcoming movie Brave.

Outside of Disney, Wet ‘n Wild opened its new Blastaway Beach, a kiddie water playground that is just as welcoming for adults as it is for kids. What a week of new stuff!

Note that many of these topics will have their own blog posts later this here right here on Ultimate Orlando as well.


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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Photo Finds 5/29

I contribute a weekly column to Orlando Attractions Magazine that is best thought of as a narrated slideshow. This week's Photo Finds includes many topics covered here in this blog, such as Legoland's Water Park, Meet Merida, castle projections, new flatbread at Pinocchio Village Haus, and Haunted Mansion updates:



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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Photo Finds 5/14 - Uni's show and parade, safari's new ending, Muppet store new exhibit, more!

At Walt Disney World, the Build a Droid counter has opened, and a new Muppet display greets visitors in the Stage 1 store. More progress has been made on the castle wall in Fantasyland, and some construction and new display boxes in Adventureland hints at a rumored second interactive game (like Kim Possible) for just this land. The safari has undergone changes; there is no more narration and the campsite/truck have been replaced by grassy areas, soon to be home to zebras.

Universal Studios has added Cinematic Spectacular, a lagoon show that uses a waterfall for projecting images, colored fountains, searchlights, and fireworks to celebrate 100 years of movies. They’ve also outdone themselves with the Superstar Parade, a Disney-quality parade based around Universal characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and Despicable Me.





Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Photo Finds 5/7/12 - FastPass Plus, Tutto Gusto, Duffy, Grand Floridian

Vertical construction has begun at the Grand Floridian DVC timeshares, and little tweaks continue throughout the parks, like a Duffy push for Mother's Day and new windsocks on the World Showcase Lagoon. But the little stuff this week pales next to the big news stories. Fatspass Plus, the "ahead of time" ride reservations that will become part of the NextGen initiative, has begun limited tests in the Magic Kingdom. In Epcot, the new wine cellar Tutto Gusto has opened in the Italy pavilion. And at Disney's Animal Kingdom, a small fallen tree branch from the artificial Tree of Life has prompted lots and lots of nets overhead as you work your way through the queue to the Tough to be a Bug attraction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7mXzKr0Ugo&feature=player_embedded

Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

PhotoFinds 4/30 - More FL construction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9xlxbzFqPM&list=PL6B1381A87EA427F0&index=24&feature=plpp_video

There are incremental changes as always in the parks (more pylons for Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, a new play area for kids outside Innoventions' Vision House, railings installed at Big Thunder along the track), but the big news this week will be the test of Fastpass Plus, the reserve-rides-from-home technology previously called xPass internally. Part of the Next-Gen initiative to add interactivity and customization to the parks, Fastpass Plus may change much, but we don't know operational details yet. It is starting testing this week.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9xlxbzFqPM&list=PL6B1381A87EA427F0&index=24&feature=plpp_video

Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.