PHOTO REPORT: Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios 1/3/2025 (Riding Rides, Villainous Candy, and Construction Updates)

Bryce B.

A castle with blue spires and ornate details stands under a clear blue sky, reminiscent of the enchanting Magic Kingdom.

PHOTO REPORT: Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios 1/3/2025 (Riding Rides, Villainous Candy, and Construction Updates)

Howdy! Today was a fun day. I got to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid in Magic Kingdom, I found some villainous candy, and there were a few construction updates along the way.

Morning in the Transportation and Ticket Center

Collage of four images: a parking sign, a pair of mouse ears on the ground, the monorail at a station near Magic Kingdom, and an American flag at half-mast.

Good morning from the Transportation and Ticket Center! It’s Friday! When I parked my car I saw a tragedy, a broken Minnie Ear Headband left in the parking lot. I had a second tragedy when I realized that I was not chosen as the Parking Family of the Day. I haven’t seen this clapboard out in a while so it was exciting to see that the parking cast are able to make a little magic by giving prime parking to a family.

After getting through the security line I rode the express Monorail over to Magic Kingdom to start the day.

Magic Kingdom Mornings

Crowds stroll down Main Street toward a castle in Magic Kingdom, beautifully adorned for the holidays with wreaths and flags lining the path.

The park was PACKED today. Wait times were insane and extended queues were everywhere. Still, any day in Magic Kingdom is a good day.

Magic Kingdom Spirit Jersey – $79.99

Light blue Walt Disney World sweatshirt featuring "Est. 1971" on the front and "Magic Kingdom" in colorful letters on the back, celebrating the enchanting legacy of Magic Kingdom.

I found a new Magic Kingdom Spirit Jersey in the Emporium for $79.99. I cannot believe that the pricing of Spirit Jerseys is pretty steep these days. It seems a bit absurd to me, but I suppose people are still buying them so maybe that is my problem.

Adventureland Updates

Split image: on the left, an entrance to an Adventureland-themed area with tribal decorations; on the right, a fairy-tale castle in Magic Kingdom emerges from a sea of trees.

Well… Adventureland seems to be in a state of refurbishment. The concrete work remains mostly done, however, there are a few spots that look unfinished to me. The Swiss Family Treehouse is still open but in refurbishment with the boy’s room remaining closed off from guests. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin still has three carpets that are unavailable for rides since the maintenance issues we saw in December.

The Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern Construction

A theme park entrance with a clock tower on the left and palm trees behind a wooden barrier hints at ongoing construction. The tiled roof evokes Magic Kingdom, while visitors stroll and stand nearby, capturing the lively spirit of Hollywood Studios.

The Tavern construction is certainly making progress. There are now some iron pieces on the facade of the future Pirates Tavern. I am excited but remain cautiously optimistic.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Collage of four images: the entrance to Hollywood Studios, an empty vintage birdcage, people seated on a ride from behind, and a tall construction crane against a blue sky.

I rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad this morning which is always fun, it’s the wildest ride in the wilderness after all. I noticed a birdcage with the name Rosita at the front in the queue. Rosita is a bird in the Enchanted Tiki Room, I appreciated the callback to an original park character, even if she is a very small one.

Villainous Candy

A hand holds a small jar with pink candy and a llama silhouette on the label on the left, reminiscent of treats found at Hollywood Studios; on the right, a hand holds a green apple adorned with an intricate red skull pattern.

In Fantasy Faire I found new villainous candy. I think these are so super cool. The Llama poison bottle from ‘Emperor’s New Groove” is available for $15.99. The candy inside the bottle is an Extract of Pink Llamanade Candy Bits. My inner child jumped out of my body when I saw this. I love it.

The Poison Apple from ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ was also very cool and had Bad Apple Sour Gummies inside. The Apple is also available for $15.99.

Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid

Collage of scenes from "The Little Mermaid" attraction at Magic Kingdom, featuring Ariel's statue, an underwater setting, Ariel and Eric in a boat, and Sebastian the crab. This enchanting display is a must-see for visitors enchanted by Disney's classic tales.

I was stoked to ride Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid this morning. In the finale scene, Sebastian’s eyes were glowing and blinking. During the rest of the ride, his eyes were more static like the other characters throughout the ride, and even in the finale Sebastian had static eyes up until recently.

Big Top Souvenirs Merchandise

Plush reindeer in blue pajamas on the left; a mug featuring "Walt Disney's Cinderella" on the right, reminiscent of a cozy evening after a day at Magic Kingdom.

In Big Top Souvenirs in Storybook Circus I found two particularly well designed peices. I found a new design of the sweet baby reindeer Sven available for $39.99. There was also a 75th Anniversary ‘Cinderella’ mug available for $19.99. ‘Cinderella’ will be celebrating the 75th Anniversary in March of this year, wild.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

A busy Magic Kingdom street decorated with holiday garlands and stars, featuring walking visitors and strollers under a clear blue sky with palm trees swaying gently.

I hopped over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to check out the progress made in Woody’s Lunchbox. There is very slow progress being made in what Disney says will eventually be a covered seating area.

Fun Finds in Studios

The image showcases a hoodie adorned with cartoon characters, a mug featuring an animated character exclaiming "Oh No," and a pink tumbler embellished with heart-shaped designs and cartoon faces—perfect for fans of Hollywood Studios magic.

I found some fun pieces at the front of Hollywood Studios. I found a quarter-zip sweater from the Mickey and Friends collection in Disney & Co. available for $59.99, cheaper than a Spirit Jersey.

In 5&10 across the street I found an Anxiety mug for $16.99 and a Valentine’s Day Starbucks Tumbler for $29.99.

I hope you enjoyed our adventures in Walt Disney World today. My favorite moment other than riding Journey of the Little Mermaid was finding the Yzma’s Llama potion bottle in candy form. My inner child is still so excited. Let me know if you have a favorite find from the day in the comments below, and let me know if you would like to see anything specific from the parks. Until next time!

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