PHOTO REPORT: Magic Kingdom 9/20/2024 (New Refurbishment, King Triton, and More)

Howdy Hey from Magic Kingdom! I found something exciting today involving a certain MerDaddy! There’s also new scaffolding in Magic Kingdom and more fun moments from the day.

Princess Parking

A mostly empty parking lot with a few pedestrians walking on a path. Some cars are visible in the distance and the sky is clear.

Today I was given Princess parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), which is always a good start. The security box tower has returned to its spot.

Resort Monorail

Covered walkway with sign reading "Resort Hotels" leading to an area with lush greenery on one side and a multilevel parking structure on the other.

Once I was through security I got in line for the Resort Monorail to get to Magic Kingdom and to see how the Polynesian DVC Island Tower construction has progressed since my last visit. Stay tuned to our website for the latest updates.

Scaffolding near City Hall

Left: A view of a theme park with buildings adorned in Halloween decorations. Right: A close-up of construction scaffolding covered with beige tarp.

There is now scaffolding and scrim near the City Hall restrooms. The two walls along either side are covered in scrim and scaffolding surrounds the tree in the center. Stay tuned to our website for more updates, but it’s likely this is a basic refurbishment.

Splash Mountain References Remain

A display of pastel blue drawstring bags and backpacks featuring Disney-themed designs, arranged on wooden shelves in a store. A mirror and part of a door are visible in the background.

The classic Walt Disney World draw-string bag has been restocked in Emporium. Brer Rabbit is seen on the front right near Cinderella and Pinocchio.

Pumpkin Spice Confectionery

The exterior of a pastel-colored building with decorative architectural details and a sign reading "Main Street Home of Mrs. Claus' Candy Haven." An open door leads inside.

One of my favorite parts of fall in Magic Kingdom is the strong smell of Pumpkin Spice scent. It is magical.

Uptown Updates

A Disney store display featuring a Mickey Mouse-themed headband on the left and a cabinet showcasing jewelry from the Disney x Pandora collaboration on the right.

The Dooney & Bourke Sketch ears have been restocked in Uptown Jewelers on Main Street. It also appears that Pandora has a new case to display their merchandise.

Halloween Popcorn Buckets

A concession stand with stacks of striped popcorn containers, a cash register, and a menu listing popcorn, bottled water, pretzels, and other snacks and beverages.

The refillable Halloween popcorn bucket is now available during regular park hours at kiosks in Walt Disney World parks. We have spotted them in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT so far.

Adventureland Themed Pavement

A roped-off pathway in a semi-outdoor area with buildings, foliage, and a few people walking in the background under a clear sky.

The Adventureland pavement theming has stretched past the Swiss Family Tree House entrance. Be sure to keep up with our updates as work progresses. I can’t wait to see how the land looks when Disney has the pavement completed.

The concrete cuts in the gray pavement indicate that more themed pavement is on the way.

Liberty Square Doll

A doll wearing a striped dress is visible through a frosted windowpane.

When I passed by the Liberty Square Doll it was still so early that the window she lives in was covered in condensation. I’m happy that she is in the air conditioning, but she still hasn’t moved since my last photo report.

Loud Speakers

Side-by-side comparison of two buildings; the left is a rustic stone house with blue shutters, the right is a whimsical, fairy-tale styled house with beige stucco and iron accents. Arrows connect them.

You’re not supposed to see where the atmospheric music is coming from! My arrows point to to two very noticeable speakers in Magic Kingdom. The left picture is from the Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square. The right image is from the Peter Pan’s Flight queue across from the “Tangled” restrooms.

King Triton Returns!!!

Three images show a close-up of a wooden trident, a close-up of a carved leg, and a statue of Poseidon holding a trident in a rustic courtyard.

After 339 days, King Triton’s statue has returned home to Fantasyland with a fresh coat of paint. I love the attention to wood grain that Disney added.

To say I’m excited is an understatement, as I have been tracking Triton’s disappearance for almost a year. Welcome home Merdaddy.

Storybook Circus Poster

A brick wall with an overhead lamp features a large "Storybook Circus" poster showing cartoon characters Dumbo, Goofini, Casey Jr., Pete, and Humphrey in a circus-themed illustration.

My new gripe with Disney World is their lack of ambition in fixing washed-out and bleached posters. Fantastic photo opportunities that are disappearing. This one is located in Storybook Circus near the train exit.

This is very similar to the billboard at Voyage of The Little Mermaid.

TRON 40-Minute Standby

People walking by the entrance sign of the TRON Lightcycle Run attraction on a sunny day, with futuristic dome structures in the background.

The morning crowds were pretty low, like most Magic Kingdom party days. The TRON standby line was only a 40-minute wait. Typically it sits closer to 50 minutes

New DTech “Up” Options

Image of colorful phone cases with designs featuring animated characters and balloons. A display screen shows customization options for choosing and personalizing these phone cases.

In Tomorrowland Launch Depot, the exit shop from Space Mountain, I found some new “Up” themed iPhone cases.

Stitch Roaming

A person in a blue and white character costume walks with a handler in a blue shirt and khakis at an outdoor attraction area with people and structures in the background.

You know it’s a low-crowd day when Stitch gets to roam around Tomorrowland and isn’t strapped to his garage door. I love watching the character attendants interact with the character they are helping. It’s so pure.

Boat Ride

Person on a Magic Kingdom boat overlooking a calm river with trees and a clear sky in the background.

I took a nice boat ride over to the Polynesian from Magic Kingdom. I love sitting on the sides of these boats taking in the views.

Grand Floridian Dock Reopened!

People stand on a wooden dock near a small building under a clear blue sky, with a boat anchored on the left side in the water.

I was surprised but happy that the Grand Floridian Dock has reopened from its brief refurbishment.

Polynesian DVC Island Tower Construction

A large, multi-story hotel building overlooks a body of water on a clear, sunny day.

Ever so slowly small additions have been added to the Polynesian DVC Island Tower. Today I noticed some very cool murals, more painting, and some roof work.

We will continue to provide detailed updates as construction continues.

Polynesian Entrance Sign

Signage for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort surrounded by tropical foliage near a road, against a clear sky.

On my way out, I saw that the scrim had been removed from the Polynesian Village Resort entrance sign. It certainly looks cleaner than it did previously, but no major changes.

Are you as excited as I am to have King Triton back in Fantasyland? Let me know in the comments below!

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