Disney World has been filled with construction projects as all the preparations are underway for the 50th Anniversary celebrations that kick off in just under TWO months!
We’ve been watching as attractions get refurbished, snack kiosks get a new coat of paint, and park icons transform into “beacons of light,” and this week we’ve got more to catch up on! So, let’s check out all of the construction progress that was made this week, shall we?
Magic Kingdom
Jungle Cruise
It’s been almost five months since Disney began its planned refurbishment at Jungle Cruise and we’re STILL seeing new things when we ride! The updates include new characters and scenes along the journey down the Nile River and this week we noticed that some chimps have taken over a shipment of butterflies and broken into the crates!
Plus, we also spotted some chimps at the new scene where a Jungle Cruise boat is sinking into the water. Glad we weren’t on that one!
Disney previously shared that all of the Jungle Cruise updates by the end of the summer so we might not get to see something new every time we ride soon, but it sure is exciting to see just how many new things have been added!
Check Out the Reimagined Jungle Cruise Ride in Disneyland HERE!
Big Top Souvenirs
Early last month, we noticed that the sign at the Big Top Souvenir tent had been removed after being closed on and off throughout the year. Well, it looks like it was removed because Disney is doing some refurbishment! When we passed by this week, we could see construction crews being lifted to the roof of the tent to spruce up some of the fading colors.
So, hopefully, we’ll get to shop inside once again soon!
Be Our Guest Restaurant
We’ve also been keeping a close eye on construction over at the Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland and this week the work was still underway.
Previously, scaffolding was surrounding the rock structure to the left of the entrance and now the scaffolding has moved to the Beast’s Castle.
Learn More About Disney’s Be Our Guest Restaurant HERE!
Princess Fairytale Hall
Over near Cinderella Castle, another attraction has gotten a fresh coat of gold paint for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary! Princess Fairytale Hall now has a bit more color to it, though it does still remain closed as meet and greets are currently suspended in Disney World due to COVID-19.
And, if it looks like a familiar color, that’s because it’s pretty close to what it was! Here’s what it looked like before… .
A few other attractions and play areas have received some golden detailing, so it looks like Disney isn’t done just yet!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Discovery River Amphitheater
Disney’s Animal Kingdom hasn’t been home to all that many construction projects over the past year, but one thing that we have been keeping an eye out for is the work on the upcoming daytime show — Disney KiteTails! The new show will debut for the 50th Anniversary and feature HUGE three-dimensional kites in the shapes of Disney characters over the water (and more!).
A few weeks ago, we saw the first sign of construction as Disney added platforms to the water near the theater, but at the beginning of the week, those had been removed…
…and then by the end of the week, they were back again.
It’s still not clear what exactly the platforms are for, but we’ll be on the lookout for more updates!
Click HERE for More Details About the New Daytime Show Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
EPCOT
World Celebration
Over at EPCOT, we haven’t been able to see much of the construction going on behind the walls in the new area that will be deemed “World Celebration” when the EPCOT Transformation is complete. But, with the reopening of the EPCOT Monorail, we’ve got a completely new perspective!
Now, we’ve got a birds-eye view of the work being done to prepare the area for the new gardens, fountain, walk-through attraction, and Walt Disney statue of Walt Disney! And, though we know that the area will one day feature all of these exciting things, for now, it’s mostly dirt and construction machinery.
The project that seems to be the furthest along in the area is the work on the new Creations Shop, which is set to replace Mouse Gear as EPCOT’s main merchandise location this summer. From here we can see the new glass that’s been installed and the new paint job on the roof!
Of course, we’ll continue to keep our eye on this area whenever we ride over on the EPCOT Monorail, so be sure to stay tuned!
Check Out MORE of the EPCOT Construction From the Sky HERE!
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
And, while we were riding along on the highway in the sky we also got a peek behind the construction walls at the new roller coaster, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! More silver paneling has been added to the roof and we can finally see where that big Xandarian ship will be going in front of the building!
As a reminder, here’s what the building will look like once completed… .
So, the EPCOT Transformation is well underway at all the attractions, shops, and experiences near the front of the park and even more work is continuing at the other parks too!
Learn About Everything That’s Been CUT From the EPCOT Transformation HERE!
Of course, we’ll continue to keep an eye out for more changes and construction updates going on around Disney World, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for the latest!
Check Out ALL the Disney World Rides and Hotels That Are CLOSED in August HERE!
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Are they going to have solar panels providing power to the GotG ride?
It would make sense if Disney put solar panels on every attraction bldg.