Disney has announced that the Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park will be re-opening this fall with buffet style dining and a character breakfast. In response to this change, Donald’s Breakfastosaurus will no longer be provided, but Restaurantosaurus will continue to provide counter service dining during its normal operating hours.
First off, as most of you know, Patina Group Restaurants will be taken over Alfredo’s in Italy at the world showcase under the name Tutto Italia for a few months. After that, Patina will completely rmodel the restaurant and open under a new name in fall 2008. In the Japan pavilion at Epcot, two new dining locations are opening entitled Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo. In the Mexico pavillion, a bar will be opening in place of a small merchandise area in the middle of the large indoor market. Also at Mexico, the outdoor eatery Catina De San Angel will e undergoing expansion and menu changes that will be completed by Summer 2008.
The Epcot wand continues to shrink, as it losses more of height everyday. The wand is fading fast into Yesterland and may be the most welcome loss in the history of WDW.
My sources have once again provided an interesting rumor that I haven’t heard anywhere else. It appears Walt Disney World is not only interested in refurbishing their older attractions, but actually in improving a newer one. These changes may be a way off, but in the near future there is going to be a meeting between some employees from Animation and Imagineering on possibly adding new effects to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction at the Magic Kingdom. It appears WDW management is attempting to try to keep up with Tokyo Disneyland’s Pooh’s Hunney Hunt, but don’t expect any changes that big. There is no more information than that right now, but i expect to have some details on this and a few other projects shortly.
The Epcot wand has now lost all its signage and is really nothing more than the wand with a metal beam coming out of it. The process is happening very fast and I expect the process to be done by the first day of September.
There are some interesting rumors going around the net today and I just wanted to take time to address some of them. The big one floating around right now is the refurbishment of the Star Tours attraction. Yes, it is true, but i have heard others say it would be opening next year. The earliest time a new Star Tours would be opening is Spring/Summer 2009, it will not open anytime before that, but it will happen.
Another big rumor has been the Block Party Bash coming to the Disney MGM Studios in the spring of 2008, which is also true.
Then there is the biggest and most rediculous of them all, the talk that Playhouse Disney would be moving to a tent in the parking lot behind Rock N Roller Coaster. I have heard some crazy rumors in my time, but this one takes the cake. The show will be refurbished sometime this winter, but it most certainly isn’t moving anywhere.
As most of you are aware, the north wing of Disney’s Contemporary Resort was demolished a few months ago so that a new, possibly Disney Vacation Club, building can be added to the resort. I just wanted to let in some inside information on the project. The project may or may not be a DVC resort, but it is most certainly a major addition to the hotel. The new building will be connected by an elevated walkway to the Grand Canyon Concourse of the main building, connecting where the old pin shop used to be. When you go on this level to the new building, you will find some high end shopping and dining which is a welcome addition to the Magic Kingdom area. This new concourse inside the new U shaped building will outshow the Grand Canyon Concourse in detail, but not in size. On the very top of the new structure will be a small, very exclusive dining spot that will be probably the most expensive dining experience at the World. This is all about the project that has been leaked to me, but i should have more information shortly.
Over at the Disney MGM Studios, it appears we have seen the last of Mickey Avenue. The street from the end of the Narnia exhibit to the Backlot Tour is completely closed to become a Pixar themed street rumored to be called “Pixar Place”. The street will host the new Toy Story Mania attraction scheduled to open in Spring 2008. The construction walls feature a map of the park saying that Toy Story Mania is coming soon and giving guests directions to go around the wall to get where they want to go. Rumor has it that after the completion of Toy Story Mania, the area will become home to Cars attraction and perhaps a Pixar character stage show. The Block Party Bash parade, starring all Disney-Pixar Characters, is slated to debut at the park this spring in an attempt to add more Pixar to the studios.
As most of you are probably aware already, the Soarin’ standby queue has recieved some motion sensored screens on which large groups of guests can play games together and against other groups of guests. Games include piloting a bird, growing grass, and other activities. The motion sensor technology used here is unlike anything I have ever seen and is certainly a welcome addition to a queue that often has waits over an Hour or two.
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, work on the Yak and Yeti restaurant is picking up as the rush is on to be finished by the original October deadline. Don’t be surprised if the restaurant doesn’t open until November/December of this year.
