Tonight on WDW News Tonight, the Dating Game returns, we talk about the overuse of projections in nighttime shows, and we armchair Imagineer a better concept for Wreck-It Ralph
Wreck-It Ralph ride based on Sugar Rush might be coming to the Magic Kingdom, but we can do better!
If you are in the Orlando area, you can tune in to AM 1520 WBZW at showtime. For those outside the Orlando area, the show can be heard (and now watched via video stream) at Listen.WDWNT.com on your computer or mobile device. The show also utilizes new interactive avenues for our audience, including a live chat, the ability to call-in to the show, and live polling.WDW News Tonight is hosted by Tom Corless and Nick LoCicero, but also features appearances by a number of other WDWNT correspondents.
Coming up on this week’s show:
A recap of the week’s news (with a WDWNT comedic twist)
Tom & Nick Are Angry About Things
“What Did We Just Eat?” – Tom’s Birthday Night Recap
Disney today announced “YesterEars” coming to the Disney Parks Online Store on August 18. This collection was inspired by a shop with the same name once found at the former Downtown Disney Pleasure Island area when it first opened. During the next three months, you’ll find limited release apparel inspired by classic Walt Disney World Resort attractions and locations. Here’s a look at what you will find from August 18-25, 2016 at DisneyStore.com/ParkEvents.
Journey Into Imagination t-shirt
The first shirt in this collection is inspired by the original Dreamfinder and Figment shirt that was sold at EPCOT Center in the 1980’s.
Walt Disney World Preview Center Raglan
There is also a Raglan with artwork inspired by a Walt Disney World Preview Center advertisement. The Center was open from January 10, 1970, until September 30, 1971. At the location, guests could learn about the project firsthand through displays of models and drawings, and a short filmed presentation. There was also a snack bar and merchandise shop. The original Preview Center building can still be found on Hotel Plaza Boulevard near Disney Springs.
Alien Encounter X-S Tech T-Shirt
Finally, you can “seize the future” with this X-S Tech shirt inspired by ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. This classic Tomorrowland attraction was open from June 20, 1995 to October 11, 2003 in Magic Kingdom Park. Housed in the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center was the laboratory of X-S Tech, a corporation from a distant planet intent on demonstrating its interplanetary teleportation apparatus. But the demonstration was marred by difficulties and an alien creature was accidentally teleported into the laboratory.
Additional apparel from the “YesterEars” collection will be released over the next 3 months.
During EA’s livestream at GamesCom, it was announced that the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront VR mission will be getting a bit of a Rogue One facelift.
Star Wars Battlefront VR
The experience will now be called Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: X-Wing VR Mission. Short and sweet, right? James Svensson, producer at Criterion Games, went on to discuss the new changes, “Rogue One is in the same time period the base game covers, so to be relevant in the ever-evolving Star Wars universe we’ve since been able to work with Lucasfilm to make the connection here.”
The VR mission will put players in the cockpit of a X-Wing as they take on TIE fighters and a Star Destroyer. The Rogue One theming will be quite fitting since the game already takes place during the events of the originally trilogy.
For those that do not remember, the VR mission is an expansion coming to the PS4 version of Star Wars Battlefront and can only be used with the PlayStation VR headset. The VR experience is expected to launch sometime this Holiday season, while PlayStation VR will release on October 13.
Have you ever noticed that Steven Tyler’s hand in the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster pre-show video kind of looks like something that could be considered an “obscene hand gesture”? For the sake of any younger members of our audience, I won’t write the name of it here, but you likely know what I am talking about if you have been on this attraction. Well, Disney has now digitally removed the gesture after 17 years…
Here is how it used to look:
Steven Tyler Hand Gesture on Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster
It does seem kind of odd to remove it digitally 17 years later, but enough of the world has noticed it by now. From time to time I’ve ever heard guests yell out the name of the hand gesture, so I can somewhat understand Disney’s decision to keep the attraction family friendly.
What do you think? Is it ridiculous that Disney removed it? Or was it the right decision?
Menken and Miranda are working on the live action version of The Little Mermaid for Disney
“Hamilton’s” Lin-Manual Miranda is joining forces with legendary Disney composer Alan Menken to compose additional songs for an upcoming live action version of the Disney animated classic, “The Little Mermaid”.
From Deadline:
Disney is pairing Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda with iconic songwriter Alan Menken for a live action feature adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid. Miranda and Menken will write the music together. Marc Platt will produce the film along with Miranda, in a configuration just set by Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. Deadline revealed in May that Disney was figuring out a way to add the classic title to a slate of films based on the studio’s animated films. This one is being orchestrated as a mix of pre-existing songs from the 1989 Disney animated classic movie, for which Menken won two Oscars, sharing Best Song with Howard Ashman, and winning Best Score on his own. Menken has eight Oscars in his storied career.
According to the latest Unofficial Guide’s Disney Dish podcast, Stitch’s Great Escape will be removed in favor of a VR racing game Wreck-It Ralph attraction based on “Sugar Rush”:
Is a Wreck-It Ralph Sugar Rush ride set to replace Stitch’s Great Escape?
If the rumor is to be believed, the two theaters inside Stitch’s Great Escape would be gutted (they have been basically the same in layout since 1971’s Flight to the Moon with minor modifications over the years) to make room for a number of simulator based racing carts which guests could board wearing virtual reality headsets that would transport them into the video game world of Wreck-It Ralph. Guests may even get to design their cars in the pre-show area, similar to Test Track presented by Chevrolet.
If it comes to pass, guests will be racing virtually with Ralph and Vanellope in the Magic Kingdom
The investment would make sense with a sequel to Wreck-It Ralph on the way in 2018 and the box office for the original film was quite strong worldwide. Also, Stitch’s Great Escape has been one of the least popular attractions in Disney history, often testing negatively with guests who experience it.
The Stitch theater has been pretty much the same since Alien Encounter opened in 1995
The project would be part of a larger overhaul of Tomorrowland expected over the next few years leading into the 50th anniversary celebration for the Magic Kingdom park (which would be in 2021 for those not willing to do math), which could include an E-Ticket attraction the likes of the TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland next door to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress or Space Mountain. Tomorrowland has recently undergone a number of cosmetic upgrades including the repainting of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress and the currently ongoing entrance area rock-work, all of which could be just the first phase of this overhaul.
Disney of course has said nothing about this project as of yet, so we will have to wait and see if we will be getting a virtual Sugar Rush at the Magic Kingdom, or if we will just have to settle for a Plaza Ice Cream sundae…
On Friday, August 19, the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort will celebrate the first-ever #DisneyPhotoPassDay, a one-day celebration that will feature special one-day offerings and experiences for guests.
Disney PhotoPass Day
Special Character Experiences At Magic Kingdom Park & Epcot
Enjoy special character experiences at Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot, where Disney PhotoPass photographers will capture your encounter with Pinocchio, Gideon and Foulfellow in Storybook Circus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Foul fellow and Gideon will appear for World PhotoPass Day
At Epcot, a friend or foe will join some of your favorite Disney characters around World Showcase, including Mushu and Mulan in the China Pavilion; Snow White and Dopey in the Germany Pavilion; and the Queen of Hearts, who will join Alice in the United Kingdom Pavilion. Check the My Disney Experience app or the Epcot Times Guide on August 19 for these Disney characters’ schedule.
Disney PhotoPass Day
Complimentary Photo Locations at All Disney Parks & Disney Springs
There will be one location at each of the four theme parks (and Disney Springs) at the Walt Disney World Resort and at both parks at Disneyland Resort where a Disney PhotoPass photographer can capture your special moment. That photo will be available in the My Disney Experience app at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland app at Disneyland Resort to download and share at no charge as part of the #DisneyPhotoPassDay celebration. (Normal My Disney Experience registration is required to access the image). Check out Disney’s PhotoPass Service Facebook page on Tuesday for a list of participating photo locations.
Participate in a Disney PhotoPass Challenge
Complete a Disney PhotoPass Challenge at any of the four parks at the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort to get a Disney PhotoPass photo for free. All you need to do is get your photo taken by a Disney PhotoPass Photographer at each of the designated challenge locations on August 19. Once you’ve stopped by all of the locations, visit a Disney PhotoPass Sales Center to claim your Disney PhotoPass photo. At the Walt Disney World Resort, participants will receive a voucher for one Disney PhotoPass download. Participants at Disneyland Resort will receive one 5×7 print of a Disney PhotoPass photo. Challenge locations and details will be posted on the Disney’s PhotoPass Service Facebook page on Wednesday.
A new post on the FCC shows some pictures of a prototype MagicBand puck that would, in theory, fit into an interchangeable strap or other items. This would allow guests to simply keep this puck and interchange different straps and accessories to their pleasing. The change would decrease pricing in custom “On Demand” straps, and mean Disney would have to buy less devices with RFID chips in them. This would also better control the number of linked ticket media east guests would have on their MyDisneyExperience account, as new their is no real limit.
When or if these will ever be rolled out remains to be seen, but it is at least being kicked around by Disney.
Well, the moment has finally arrived. Walls and other items are starting to vanish from New York Street, part of the former Streets of America at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as construction continues on the Star Wars themed land. Also, work continues on PizzeRizzo in the Muppets Courtyard in our latest video update on the expansion of the park:
I made a short trip over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios thsi weekend to see what was new and exciting around the park, and honestly, a lot more had changed in a week than I had expected. This trip, we’ll take a look at the Halloween merchandise the Disney Parks will be selling this year (yes, it is mid-August), some new Star Wars merchandise, the latest progress on the Muppets Courtyard overhaul (including the Muppets eatery, PizzeRizzo), and the rather earnest start to the demolition of the Streets of America area.
Halloween 2016 Merchandise Arrives at Walt Disney World
Halloween 2016 merchandise has landed at the Walt Disney World Resort
A rather large assortment of Halloween merchandise can already be found in the Celebrity 5 & 10 store on Hollywood Boulevard.
Halloween 2016 merchandise has landed at the Walt Disney World Resort
Stitch vampire antenna topper
Stitch vampire antenna topper
Hanging Trick or Treat sign
Halloween 2016 mug
Halloween 2016 mug
Halloween 2016 merchandise has landed at the Walt Disney World Resort
I don’t even really know what this is…
How is this $19.99?
New for 2016 Mickey Mouse Halloween Plush
New for 2016 Minnie Mouse Halloween Plush
Mickey Mouse spider antenna topper
Large metal Mickey Mouse Jack-O-Lantern
Halloween 2016 plate
Halloween 2016 bowl
Halloween 2016 bowl
Halloween 2016 countdown calendar
Halloween 2016 ceramic jack-o-lantern
Halloween 2016 headwear
Oasis Canteen Tries to Dig Up Some Customers
Oasis Canteen
Oasis Canteen, near the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, might have the most reprinted menu in all of Walt Disney World.
Oasis Canteen
The menu was remade once more, this time with pictures of most of the offerings. As good as it might look, stay away from the Mickey Brownie…
New Star Wars Merchandise
New Star Wars toys
All 4 of the Star Wars wind up toys are now on sale at Tatooine Traders.
New Star Wars toys
New Star Wars toys
New Star Wars toys
New Star Wars toys
Streets of America Demolition & Muppets Courtyard Overhaul
Streets of America demolition
Much of the New York Street facade has been gutted of anything useful at this point and is just an empty shell.
Streets of America demolition
Speakers that play the Muppets Courtyard music were ripped from the structure, so they now rest on temporary speaker stands behind the Star Wars construction walls.
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
MuppetVision 3-D
Gone are posters for the ABC television series The Muppets and back are the original MuppetVision 3-D posters.
Railings were installed on the second level patio this week.
PizzeRizzo
The faux fire escape was also installed above the main entrance.
PizzeRizzo
Streets of America demolition
The pile of rubble behind MuppetVision 3-D remains.
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
Streets of America demolition
A rather large wall from a New York Street facade is now missing, likely meaning that the removal of the area has finally begun.
Streets of America demolition
Watch Disney’s Hollywood Studios Expansion Update #8
If you prefer your update in video form, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube for the now-weekly Hollywood Studios Expansion Update, as well as some other fantastic videos and shows:
