Walt Disney World Resort has officially removed one of its beloved Toy Story (1995) character photo ops. The removal occurred just days after another Cinderella-themed photo opportunity was taken down a few feet away.
Last week, Disney Fanatic reported that a Cinderella statue, which stood near the World of Disney store at Disney Springs, was removed. Initially, Disney Parks fans speculated that the statue’s disappearance was due to maintenance. However, the situation became a bit more puzzling a few days ago when the exterior of the World of Disney store underwent an overhaul overnight. The sudden changes left many wondering whether the nostalgic statue would return at all.
Fast-forward to Saturday, July 19, and another familiar face has disappeared from Disney Springs. According to a report by WDWNT, the Mr. Potato Head statue has vanished from its usual spot outside the Once Upon A Toy store. In its place, a planter has been installed, following the typical approach for areas undergoing construction or refurbishment at Walt Disney World Resort.
A post from Instagram user @darwinkastle offers a glimpse of what the Mr. Potato Head statue usually looks like:
View this post on Instagram
The iconic Play-Doh tub that served as the statue’s base has also been removed, leaving only its purple foundation behind. Stanchions now surround the base, which has been freshly repainted.
Interestingly, the Buzz Lightyear statue across from Mr. Potato Head at Once Upon A Toy remains unaffected. Similarly, the Aurora statue opposite the Cinderella statue outside World of Disney is still in place. This suggests that Walt Disney World Resort may be working through a phased maintenance process, temporarily removing certain photo ops while leaving others untouched.
At this time, Walt Disney World Resort has not provided an official statement regarding the removal of these photo ops. Disney rarely offers public comments about smaller changes or refurbishments at its parks, so it’s unsurprising that no update has been issued about these changes in Disney Springs.
Should Walt Disney World Resort bring back the Mr. Potato Head statue? Share your thoughts with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
