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Walt Disney World Resort Pictures

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An under 4 hour flying time to Orlando from LAX this evening.
Arrived in Orlando and walking through the terminal before 5am.
Christmas decorations up throughout the airport.
Even the digital information boards have some holiday elements.
Since it is around 5am most stores have not opened for the day yet, including the EarPort.
McDonalds was having some difficulties this morning. No beverages were available except for bottled water.
At 5:36am the ground level is pretty quiet.
Almost to the Magical Express checkin. No signs of other guests.
5:40am heading out to board a waiting bus. The Magical Express buses have a new color scheme for most buses now.
We were spared the intro video and instead had a peaceful ride to Disney.
We had the bus to ourselves.
Arriving at Disney at 6:15am on a drizzly morning.
6:21am heading for check in at Disney's Boardwalk Resort.
Since we had hours until the parks opened and the room was not ready spent some time looking around. Here is a sequence of pictures taking a look at the gingerbread display in the Boardwalk Lobby.
Around 7:30am we ventured outside.
Friendship Boats had a reduced operating schedule due to Skyliner construction.
A group fishing near the pier this morning. We did not see them catch anything.
On our walk to Disney's Hollywood Studios spotted a turtle in the water way.
Before you reach the Buena Vista Drive overpass if you look to the left you can see the Disney Skyliner work (next pictures)
They were working on pulling cables through during most of my visit. Here is looking at the run from the turn station on the left to the Riviera turn/station.
A better view of the turn. To the left it goes to Epcot to the right Riviera.
This will be just a turn, no stop.
They have some initial wires on this route. The heavy duty primary load cable is not installed yet.
Off in the distance you can see the back of Epcot.
Continuing on under the road you come to Lake Hollywood and the studios. The walkway usually runs right along the water to the park, but due to construction it makes a left hand turn soon after the roadway. On the left you can see construction for the new Disney Resort bus stops and straight ahead is the Skyliner station.
Looking toward the park you can see the rock spires of Batuu, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge rising in the distance.
A closer look at the Skyliner station for Disney's Hollywood Studios. No official opening date beyond 2019 is announced.
A bus stop cover taking shape. To the right a building that houses restrooms.
Panning slightly left you can see the old walkway that you cannot use right now and beyond it several more bus stop covers and beyond them the Skyliner.
Turning left you can see the path that goes between the construction fences. It zig zags a bit.
What it looks like as you are walking. There are some mirrors on some of the corners near a crossing for construction traffic.
Continuing on.
There are signs to re-assure you that you are heading the correct way even though you are walking away from the park.
A look at the construction site. Landscaping is going in as the buildings construction moves toward completion.
These are the temporary Disney Resort Bus stops. You have to walk through/by them to get to the park. This is pleasant at 7:55am, but at park closing this is packed with guests. These first two (furthest two) are for Pop Century and Art of Animation).
The thick load cable is installed on this segment of the Skyliner. This runs from Disney's Hollywood Studios to the Caribbean Beach Resort station.
The walkway gets a bit wider to accommodate all the bus guests.
Looking across the parking lot you can see the Skyliner station (the smaller white building). The large hotel in the distance is a Bonnet Creek Hotel, not Disney's.
The temporary bus loop map.
To the right crews working on landscaping. I see a second construction fence in the distance near the buildings. So it looks like they are going to open the walkway really soon to make the walk to the park better.
The walkway.. a little wider but still a corridor between construction fences.
The Skyliner towers near the station.
One of the bus stop buildings.
Another of them.
This will be a restroom building.
The fences have some concept art on them.
Landscaping in around the Skyliner station building.
To the left here is Handicap parking as well as Golden Oak and Minivan drop off/pickup locations.
Another look at the Skyliner building and walkway work near it.
The back of the Skyliner building.
We entered on the left, you can see the lights towering over the fences.
After security time to enter the parks. They started letting guests in about 8:10am.
But you were held near the intersection with Sunset Blvd.
A quick video clip from the rope drop moment.
Around 8:40am they started to walk the mass of guests to Toy Story Land.
Some new elements added this year near the Brown Derby.. I will check them out later.
The mass of guests heading toward Toy Story Land.
Merging in with the main flow.
One guest asked which way to Toy Story Land and several replied just follow the crowd.
Passing Walt Disney Presents
On the left a new kiosk being constructed.
Making the right to head toward Toy Story Land.
This will be my 1st visit to Toy Story Land here. I have visited the other three (Hong Kong, Paris & Shanghai).
Woody greets you as you enter. It was about 8:48am.
The Slinky Dog Dash coaster ahead with Rex and Jessie.
To the left once you enter is Toy Story Mania's entrance.
This area in front of the toy box is used for meet and greets later in the day.
The queue for Toy Story.
The Pixar Ball near the Toy Story exit.
This path leads to Woody's Lunch Box which is a quick service location.
Looking back a vast majority of the crowd has started to form the queue for Slinky Dog Dash.
Here you can see guests joining the queue backed up past the entrance to the land.
A quick look around Woody's Lunch Box.
Some Christmas decorations are up near the counter.
Alien Swirling Saucers are the third attraction for the land. These are the same ride system as Mater's Junkyard Jamboree at Disney California Adventure or Woody's Roundup in Shanghai
Some Christmas ornaments nearby.
A photo opportunity.
There is no gift shop but there are two carts with merchandise. Here is one of them.
Green Army Men are throughout the land.
Slinky Dog Dash has a posted wait of 35 minutes, 7 minutes before park opening.
A quick look from the walkway at the second launch point for Slinky Dog Dash.
A Slinky Dog train coming by.
The Slinky Dog queue has some familiar graphics if you have been to the other Toy Story Lands.
The far side of Toy Story Land will connect to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge when it opens in 2019.
For now it offers some great views of the construction that you do not get of the Star Wars project in Anaheim.
Alien Swirling Saucers had a 5 minute wait posted so I decided to go for a spin.
They were sending all guests through the FastPass return to bypass the main queue.
Almost ready to go.
Video from my first voyage on Alien Swirling Saucers in Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The restroom building is across the walkway.
Buzz Lightyear overlooks the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge site and will be what greets you as you enter from that new land.
I found it really interesting to see the rock formations from ground level and relatively close with no trees blocking them. At Disneyland you can make out the tops of these from the Mark Twain just above the treeline.
A transport ship has landed on one of the buildings. Beyond it crews working on a rock formation.
The ship's doors sport numbers Star Wars fans may know (they are the years the original films opened)
Spinning around a look at Buzz Lightyear from the front.
Some of the queue elements for the Swirling Saucers.
Ham is a Christmas photo op.
The Slinky Dog Dash queue grows fast.. 95 minutes at 9:12am.
My group finished Slinky Dog Dash so we walked over to Toy Story Mania which had a 10 min wait posted at 9:16am
Some pictures from the queue
Mr. Potatohead is in the queue.
Most of the queue is the same, you just take a different path through it since you are coming from the other side of the building now.
On the ground to help you line up for the next game tram.
I was yellow and scored about my average this morning.
Which was not good enough to make the board.
You now exit out the side of the building and have to walk all the way around to the other side to reach Toy Story Land. Here are some pictures from the exit path.
It was now almost 10am.
The Swirling Saucers were up to a 40 minute wait. But I lucked out and was able to pick up a FastPass+ starting in a few minutes. So we waited in the area.
The Green Army Men drum corp arrived on the scene while we were waiting.
A video clip of the Green Army Men drummers in action.
Then used my FastPass+ for Alien Swirling Saucers.
Video from my second ride of the day on the Alien Swirling Saucers.
Woody & Jessie greeting guests near Toy Story Mania. They feature some holiday pieces on their costumes.
The second cart selling merchandise.
Some video clips of the sights and sounds around Toy Story Land from this first visit.
Buzz was out greeting guests with a Santa hat.
That wraps up my first visit to Toy Story Land.
Noticed they were close to ready to pour concrete for the new kiosk behind the shrubs.
A closer look.
Pixar Place will return with an Incredibles theme/overlay in 2019.
Work continues on Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railroad opening late 2019.
Some sort of tour/orientation going on in the courtyard.
Looks like prep work for the new marquee is done, notice the attachment points just above the center of this picture.
A closer look.
A new kiosk is taking shape along grand avenue near the exit to Star Tours.
Star Tours had a 10 min wait posted. I used a FastPass+ since I had one booked.
The gift shop as you exit has been remodeled since my last visit.
Chip & Dale were on Grand Ave (on the left) meeting guests.
Stopped by Muppet Vision 3D since I had not visited in a couple trips.
The Stage 1 Company Store, aka the Muppet store, features just about everything but Muppet merchandise now.
There are still Muppet references, props, and characters throughout though.
Mary Poppins Returns merchandise even.
Finally found a rack of Muppet merchandise.
Rizzos is closed and open seasonally.
Dale posing with guests.
Chip was also there.
Passing by Hollywood Blvd.
Sunset Blvd this morning, it was 11:47am.
The Sunset Seasons Greetings show now features lasers. They sort of blend in.
Until you look closer. Too bad a sign or something does not cover this during the day.
Took a quick walk through of the area, nothing new jumped out at me.
The trees looked a little thin.. you could see the Dolphin Hotel.
Santa was meeting guests in the Carthay Circle
Starring Rols Cafe is closed but the umbrellas still sport the name.
A closer look at some of the new decorations near the Brown Derby.
Stopped by One Man's Dream for a quick look around. Funny to see the Paradise Pier model still out.
A look at the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge model section that is on display.
The wall across from it has concept art from the Mickey & Minnie attraction.
Saving Mr. Banks items still on display.
The meet and greet and gift shop are both closed.
I went and did a second pass through Toy Story Land.
Buzz Lightyear
110 minute wait at 12:44pm
Another look at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge over the next several pages
Slinky Dog racing by.
Green Army Men have erected a lookout post.
One of the few buildings with the studio look/feel to it still visible as you walk out of the area.
A look around Echo Lake which features the Christmas tree again this year.
Minnie's Holiday Dine is the current character meal.
Pricing is $38 for breakfast and $52 for lunch & dinner for adults.
Donald Duck greeting guests near the former One of a Kind store.
Some pictures from my walk back. The former tram stop area.
The Skyliner station.
Trees and other landscaping being installed.
The restroom building.
Starting the trek..
The furthest stop away they were taking down scaffolding from this afternoon.
An Incredibles 2 wrapped bus.
Working my way back through the corridor and to the Boardwalk. This wraps up part 1. Part 2 will feature a visit to Epcot and more from the Boardwalk.