Disney News

Category: Construction

  • Demolition of Primeval Whirl Begins at Animal Kingdom

    Demolition of Primeval Whirl Begins at Animal Kingdom

    Disney Parks has started demolition on Primeval Whirl at Animal Kingdom this week.

    Disney placed construction walls around the ride earlier this month, signaling that the ride’s end was near.

    The attraction, located at Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand, was one of the centerpieces of the park. Visitors noticed that several of the large archways that framed the chain lift of the ride were pulled off the starting hill. Bioreconstruct of Twitter recently posted several pictures of the destruction as you can see below:

    Primeval Whirl was a spinning roller coaster purchased from Reverchon Industries. The ride was part of Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama, which is itself part of DinoLand U.S.A. It was a roller coaster in the “Mild But Wild Thrills” category. It had cars that spun in circles while traveling on tracks, permitting the ride experience to vary greatly each time it is ridden. 

    Disney has yet to comment on what would replace the ride. 

  • Concept Model of Tokyo DisneySea’s New Land Revealed

    Concept Model of Tokyo DisneySea’s New Land Revealed

    Disney Resort debuted three videos showing parts of the exciting concept model of Fantasy Springs, a new themed port, which will open at Tokyo DisneySea Park in 2023. This will be the eighth themed port in Tokyo DisneySea, and it’s the largest ever since the opening of the park!

    Fantasy Springs will include a Disney luxury/deluxe hotel and three separate areas, each dedicated to a different Walt Disney Animation Studios film: “Frozen,” “Tangled,” and “Peter Pan.” Attractions, restaurants, and immersive spaces will lead guests into the world of each story. 

    Take a look at these videos of each new area:

    The concept model you see in the videos is one-fiftieth of the actual size of the port. During the development process, Walt Disney Imagineering uses concept art, drawings, and models to plan out the arrangement and size of buildings and area development. The model is painted and shot from different angles to provide more concrete views of Fantasy Springs.

    For the past two decades, Tokyo DisneySea has continued to evolve and offer guests even more magical experiences to enjoy. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new expansion project in Tokyo DisneySea!

  • First Look: ‘Moana’ Inspired Re-Themed Rooms at Polynesian Resort in Disney World

    First Look: ‘Moana’ Inspired Re-Themed Rooms at Polynesian Resort in Disney World

    As we previously reported, Reimagining is underway at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort at Disney World Resort! And now these new photos released by Disney take you inside a newly reimagined guest room at the resort.

    These reimagined spaces feature a new color palette inspired by the Pacific Ocean and its many islands, including details, patterns and textures from the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Moana” – look closely and you might even spot some characters from the story!

    You’ll also see all-new furnishings and fixtures. In the bathrooms, for instance, Disney Imagineers took inspiration from the sandy ocean floor for the tiles and carved details in the vanity. The colorful patterns found throughout the room bring a whole new energy to the space, evoking undulating ocean waves and tropical flowers. Take a closer look below:

    Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is now accepting bookings for late July 2021, and the next time guests pull up to the Great Ceremonial House, they’ll notice even more exciting changes we’re currently working on. The porte cochere is in the midst of a dramatic overhaul that will feature a high-pitched, open-truss roof covered in a thatch style with pops of color. Above the porte cochere, the Monorail station is receiving new wooden screens with tropical colors, adding to the open and airy vibe befitting of the South Seas.

    This popular locale joins the other Disney Resort hotels of Walt Disney World in creating the Disney Resorts Collection, where the magic found in the theme parks extends to every moment of a guest’s vacation. Disney Resort hotels offer a wide selection of fantastic settings to choose from, inspired by worlds both real and imagined. Guests are fully immersed in our legendary storytelling and guest service that extend beyond our theme parks to every moment of a stay, whether visiting an African savanna, strolling a seaside boardwalk, seeing a favorite Disney character or so much more – there’s magic seemingly around every corner.

    We’ll have more to share about the developments happening at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in the weeks and months to come. This exciting progress is part of the overall evolution of our Disney Resort hotels, as they infuse even more Disney touches across their collection – just in time for “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” beginning Oct. 1, 2021, in honor of Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary.

  • Florida Demolishing Crossroads Shopping Center to Build a New Road to Disney World

    Florida Demolishing Crossroads Shopping Center to Build a New Road to Disney World

    Florida has acquired the Crossroads Shopping Center in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, and plan to bulldoze the area to build a new road to Walt Disney World.

    The state has reached a $198 million agreement to acquire a popular shopping complex at Disney World’s front door, making it the largest eminent domain settlement in Florida’s history, according to the lead attorney representing the property owner.

    The Florida Department of Transportation’s plan is to build a new interchange for the “Interstate 4 Beyond the Ultimate” expansion project at what is now the Crossroads of Lake Buena Vista near the often congested Exit 68, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

    Attorneys for Florida Department of Transportation and Crossroad’s owner U.S. Cities Fund signed the final judgment in late 2020 that outlined payments of about $39 million for the 25 tenants — the largest going to Gooding’s Supermarkets for $15.7 million, according to Orange Circuit court documents.

  • First Look: New Entrance Fountain at EPCOT Celebrates the Past, Present and Future

    First Look: New Entrance Fountain at EPCOT Celebrates the Past, Present and Future

    As we previously reported, a multi-year transformation of EPCOT is underway that will reimagine the park while keeping true to the original vision and now crews have removed all the “progress walls” from the main entrance plaza, giving you the first full look at the reimagined entrance fountain.

    Now in front of iconic Spaceship Earth you’ll now see a reimagined fountain, standing in the footprint of the original that welcomed guests on the park’s opening day in 1982.

    While there is still more work to be done, the area is much more open and welcoming now. It features new planters, pathways, lush landscaping and a vibrant new color palette that will eventually tie into the four new neighborhoods we’re creating inside the park – World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase. Take a closer look at the new fountain below:

    “Our design team took special interest in this water feature, as we looked back to the geometry of the original for inspiration while creating some new magic of our own. In the fountain’s center is a brilliant light, a unique liquid-cooled fixture we’ve designed with new capabilities that complement the fountain’s changing colors and will coordinate with new lighting coming to Spaceship Earth and the upcoming World Celebration beyond,” Disney Parks said.

    Three acrylic pylons, each standing over 16 feet tall and featuring the park’s logo, surround the fountain and hearken back to the creation of EPCOT. Their timeless design and vertical presence draw your eye upward toward the sky – perfectly framing views of Spaceship Earth.

    This new fountain is the centerpiece of EPCOT’s entrance plaza, which we’ve designed as a welcoming area that brings people together. The greenery and use of water celebrate a harmony between humanity and the natural world. This park was built to inspire optimism, and we’re infusing this transformation with the magic of possibility.

  • Walt Disney World Entrance Sign is Getting a Makeover

    Walt Disney World Entrance Sign is Getting a Makeover

    Starting today, the iconic entrance into Walt Disney World Resort is getting a makeover.

    These magical gateways to a Disney vacation are about to get some pixie dust as they begin to adorn them with a new color palette that complements the recent royal makeover of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park.

    When you arrive at Disney world the very first bit of magic you experience is actually driving underneath these grand arches stretching over the roadways that tell you, yes, you’ve finally arrived at The Most Magical Place on Earth. You are here! 

    The rendering above gives you a first glimpse at what the entrances will look like when they’re finished; in addition, you’ll see these colors appear on the Magic Kingdom Park Auto Plaza as we bring a new shimmer to that iconic entryway.

    These refreshed gateways will continue to set the tone for all the stories you’ll tell and the memories you’ll cherish long after your visit. They’re also part of the broad tapestry of new experiences happening across Walt Disney World as part of the resort’s historic transformation that includes expansive themed lands like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, new attractions like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and new places to stay like Disney’s Riviera Resort.

  • PHOTOS: Disney World’s Star Wars Hotel Construction Still Making Progress

    PHOTOS: Disney World’s Star Wars Hotel Construction Still Making Progress

    The new Star Wars resort coming to Disney World is set to open in 2021. Construction for the massive project is of galactic proportions and these are the updates you are looking for.

    Twitter user Bioreconstruct shared some amazing aerial photos of the new resort that shows that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Hotel is still progressing throughout the pandemic.

    “Aerial look at the Porte Cochère of Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser (hotel). One of the recent changes is the walkway at [the] arrow,” Bioreconstruct tweeted Sunday, as you can see in the post below:

    You can see in the photo that has a small yellow arrow denoting the referenced walkway. “None of the show [buildings] will be visible to guests. An instant forest and the high walls will be in the sightline,” they noted.

    In another post Bioreconstruct shows “construction activity.” They wrote that lunch break tents are set up at the 201 South S Studio Drive site in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

    “Cabins are in the section at left. Decks of the ship are in the show building at center,” they wrote in another tweet that shows the entire construction site. “Guests will check in and be transported up the ship for 2 days of adventure inside the Star Wars timeline.”

    This first-of-its-kind resort will combine luxury with complete immersion into an authentic Star Wars story. Guests’ journey through space will start when everyone departs together for a multiday Stars Wars adventure by boarding a starship alive with characters and stories that unfold all around them during a voyage through the galaxy.

  • Disney World Shares First Look at Polyneisan Village Resort Make-Over

    Disney World Shares First Look at Polyneisan Village Resort Make-Over

    Walt Disney World has shared a first look of the upgrades coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and it looks amazing!

    That arrival experience is about to take on a whole new look with an enhanced entryway that will debut just in time for the resort hotel’s 50th anniversary. 

    One of the biggest changes will greet you right up front – a new porte cochere will showcase the iconic mid-20th century architecture the Polynesian is famous for.

    The team from Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney World have crafted a design inspired by colors, patterns and textures found throughout the resort. This new entry features a high-pitched, open-truss roof covered in a thatch style. There’s also a bold façade that features pops of color complementing the Longhouses found throughout the resort.

    Along the Monorail station, bold new wooden screens will be covered with geometric patterns in bright, tropical colors that complete an exciting new composition that will greet you when you arrive.

    Enhancements will also be made to the lush gardens and fountains that have welcomed guests to the resort since opening day. 

    The open and airy design of the entryway will feature dramatic lighting elements, including beautiful chandeliers inspired by glass floats, fishing nets and oversized bamboo elements. The new chandeliers will match the existing grand chandelier in the resort lobby, artfully bridging interior and exterior spaces.  

    While work is underway over the coming months, guests can still enjoy access to the Great Ceremonial House and its operating dining and retail outlets. 

    Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has been a favorite destination of guests and cast members since its opening on Oct. 1, 1971, this beloved resort hotel immerses you in an oasis straight out of the South Seas with a sense of aloha that embraces you from the moment you arrive. 

    The new arrival experience is just the beginning of what guests will discover when the resort reopens in summer 2021. All of the resort’s guest rooms are being beautifully redone too. 

  • Disney’s Polynesian Resort to Receive ‘Moana’ Inspired Re-Theming

    Disney’s Polynesian Resort to Receive ‘Moana’ Inspired Re-Theming

    The reopening of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has been pushed backed to the summer 2021 and the resort will received a make-over inspired by the recent Disney hit Moana.

    The extended closure is not only due to the coronavirus pandemic as the company will use the time to complete an extensive refurbishment to the resort in order to complete the re-theming.

    A Disney World spokeswoman on Monday said changes to the rooms will include a move to a Pacific Ocean-inspired color palette as well as details, patterns and textures from Disney’s “Moana,” an animated film that takes place partly on the Polynesian island of Motunui. Take a look at the release from Disney below:

    As we continue to reopen additional Disney Resort hotels to Guests, we are modifying the reopening date for As we continue to reopen additional Disney Resort hotels to Guests, we are modifying the reopening date for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort which will reopen next summer. This schedule adjustment also allows us to complete some refurbishment work at the Resort hotel, including enhancements to the Great Ceremonial House and Guest rooms. We expect work to begin in early October and look forward to sharing more about these changes in the future. The Villas and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will remain open during this refurbishment.

    The hotel, along with others on Disney property, has been closed since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Disney Vacation Club units at the Polynesian, including the on-water bungalows and villas, will remain open.

  • Disney World Postponing Mary Poppins Ride & ‘Spaceship Earth’ Update at Epcot Due to Coronavirus

    Disney World Postponing Mary Poppins Ride & ‘Spaceship Earth’ Update at Epcot Due to Coronavirus

    Although Disney World has reopened, Disney has confirmed that they will still be pausing work on the Mary Poppins-inspired attraction planned for Epcot’s World Showcase and the reimagining of Spaceship Earth.

    With guests once again visiting the parks it was noticed that mentions of the Mary Poppins ride and “Spaceship Earth” refurbishment had been removed from the ‘Epcot Experience preview center’ where guests can watch a video about the changes coming to the park.

    “As with most businesses during this period, we are further evaluating long-term project plans. The decision was made to postpone development of the “Mary Poppins”-inspired attraction and Spaceship Earth at this time,” Disney said in a statement.

    The new changes coming to Epcot were first announced in August 2019 at the D23 Expo, the company’s annual conference. “Every inch of every park should be magical, and that’s why I’m so excited about this transformation,” Bob Chapek, Chair of Parks, Experiences and Products, said at the time.

    During the event, Dick Van Dyke, who played chimney sweep Bert in the 1964 version of Mary Poppins, helped Chapek announce that the company’s first-ever attraction themed to the classic film would be built on Cherry Tree Lane, inside Epcot’s U.K. pavilion.

    Though the company had not yet announced an opening date for the two attractions, guests who attended Epcot’s reopening on Wednesday told the publication that the ride was still open in its previous form. 

    Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom  parks both reopened on July 11 after being closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, while Epcot and Hollywood Studios reopened on July 15.