After the recent alligator attack, we figured Disney would do something, and we speculated on what exactly it would be on this week’s WDW News Tonight show on Wednesday night. Well, now we know: permanent rope fences have been installed along the waterfront at the Grand Floridian and Polynesian beaches. The signs warn of alligators and snakes in the area.
After what seems like an eternity of waiting, Soarin’ at Epcot is finally taking us around the world as of this morning. Take a look for yourself in our full ride video:
I would be lying if I didn’t say it was an improvement over the original and probably the version of the ride Epcot always should have had. That being said, there is a lot of CGI elements which may pull you out of the realism of the ride for a moment, but there are so many new “WOW” moments that I’m willing to forgive them. The ride programming pushes the technology to the limits, swooping and swaying like Soarin’ never has before. New scents and scenes make the attraction almost an entirely new experience, and one I think Epcot guests will enjoy for a long time to come.
Soarin’ Around the World is now open at Epcot and Disney California Adventure, and as Soaring Over the Horizon at the Shanghai Disney Resort.
With Shanghai Disneyland’s grand opening comes a new exhibit in the China pavilion in Epcot. The exhibit is located next door to the Reflections of China film, accessible from outside doors and from the lobby of that attraction. Enjoy this photo preview of the gallery, now open to all guests (video to come):
Reports are coming in from the Twitterverse that Patrick Warburton is indeed hosting the preshow at Soarin’ Around the World! Cheers of joy can be heard in this video clip posted by one of the first passengers this morning.
@WDWNTNow @WDWNT I can confirm, I was one of the first riders let in this morning. pic.twitter.com/qtzMhfLuf7
— Skipper Cameron (@skippercameron) June 17, 2016
After a cryptic tweet from Patrick Warburton yesterday, it was unclear whether he would be returning when the ride reopened today.
Lotsa love. Nice work pal. Signing off…..#Disney #SoarinOverCalifornia
— patrick warburton (@paddywarbucks) June 16, 2016
Many Disney fans were rather upset with the notion that Patrick might not return this morning.
— WDW News Today (@WDWNT) June 17, 2016
It appears that the preshow is the same, with the only change being the “Soarin’ Around the World” appearing in the text. It is unclear whether Patrick Warburton’s tweet yesterday was simply saying goodbye to the original film, or whether he actually thought he was being replaced with a new flight attendant in a new preshow. My theory is that Disney never asked him to record a new preshow, so he just assumed that someone else was doing it. He may have assumed, just as most fans did, that there would be a new preshow. None of us really considered the possibility that Disney might just use the old preshow as-is with some minor text modification. But in hindsight, this makes perfect sense! Why replace something that isn’t broken!
Soarin’ Around the World will open at both Epcot and Disney California Adventure tomorrow morning, and while guests will still be able to soar in a familiar surrounding, Chief Flight Attendant Patrick may not be welcoming guests to Soarin’…
Lotsa love. Nice work pal. Signing off…..#Disney #SoarinOverCalifornia
— patrick warburton (@paddywarbucks) June 16, 2016
Patrick Warburton portrayed the character in the preshow of the attraction which operated for 15 years in California and 11 in Florida, becoming a beloved theme park icon by fans. The loss of the character is already being met with sadness from fans around the world, despite the tweet being quite cryptic.
On a bright note Warburton’s voice now graces the queue and pre-show of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, so he will continue to be a part of the Disney Parks for a long time to come regardless of what happens tomorrow.
So, what awaits us tomorrow in Soarin’ Around the World? You will have to tune in to find out…
When the Disneyland Forever fireworks show was introduced as part of the Diamond Celebration in May 2015, we assumed it would stay beyond the anniversary event, just as “Remember, Dreams Come True” did ten years earlier during the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. Well, it seems the show will conclude along with the Diamond Celebration come September 5th, 2016.
Why discontinue Disneyland’s biggest fireworks show ever? It is drawing record crowds and has proven ever-so-popular. Well, the show is big and expensive and Disneyland doesn’t seem to think they need it anymore.
Now, Disneyland does have two seasonal shows that they can slot in following the departure of Forever in September, the preexisting Halloween and Christmas fireworks shows. Certainly these two shows could carry the burden on select nights until the beginning of 2017, but instead of bringing Forever back at that point, Disneyland may reinstate the Magical fireworks show or introduce a new, smaller scale show in comparison to the current offering.
Unfortunately, this cancellation is part of a trend at the Disneyland Resort. In addition to budget cuts that have closed various restaurants around the resort, the spending constraints have left the long-standing Mad T Party staging and such over the Hollywood Land area in place, simply because it would cost $200,000 to restore the area to its former state.
Hopefully the completion of Shanghai Disney Resort will lift these budget constraints for Disneyland Resort, otherwise it’s going to be a long road to Star Wars land…
Audio Descriptive Narration Available in Theaters for the First Time
Via Disney Movies Anywhere App
As Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory” swims into theaters this week, low-vision and blind fans are invited to enjoy the film alongside family members in theaters, thanks to a breakthrough in independent moviegoing. Smart-syncing audio description, a new feature introduced to in-home audiences four months ago on the Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) app, heads to theaters nationwide for the first time with the release of “Finding Dory.” Accessed via one’s own iPhone® or iPad® and a set of ear buds, the feature provides users with free audio description that elegantly narrates important on-screen action for those who can’t always follow along visually.
More than 21 million people in the United States are blind or visually impaired. While all feature films include a track for the blindness community, until now, these tracks have been accessible only by utilizing special gear provided by a limited number of individual theaters. The DMA app, downloaded via iTunes onto an iPhone® or iPad® running iOS 7 or above, accesses the mobile device’s microphone to “listen” to the big-screen presentation and syncs the audio descriptions accordingly so users can hear both the descriptive narrative and the film’s original audio. Pixar has invited members of the visually impaired community to focus group screenings for more than eight years in an effort to craft the narration in the most effective and enjoyable manner possible.
Earlier this week, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler included Disney Movies Anywhere among five winners of its Advancement in Accessibility Award, which recognizes achievements in communications technology for those with disabilities.
“Finding Dory” is the 17th Disney•Pixar film to feature the complimentary audio accessibility via the DMA app, which is currently only available in the U.S. Audio synchronization technology is provided by Audible Magic.
In 2017, dessert will be removed from all eligible counter service meals on both the Quick Service Dining Plan and the Basic Disney Dining Plan Packages. Replacing the dessert on both the Quick Service and Basic Plan will be the addition of a second snack credit daily. Overall this proposed change has the most effect on the Quick Service Plan who lost its second snack a number of years back and now loses two desserts and gains back a single snack. Other major changes include elimination of the rarely used Platinum and Premium plans.
These changes come no doubt to bring better balance to the plan after last May when Walt Disney World began allowing dining plan patrons to swap drinks and/or desserts for any snack eligible item at quick service locations and allowed desserts to be swapped at table service locations for a fruit place, small salad or cup of soup.
The Deluxe Disney Dining Plan is not expected to experience any changes.
Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler issued a statement just a short while ago saying “we are conducting a swift and thorough review of all of our processes and protocols. This includes the number, placement and wording of our signage and warnings.”
This leads us to believe the beaches should return in the next few days with signage that will include some sort of alligator warning for guests. No other information as provided at this time.
In light of the recent events in the Seven Seas Lagoon area, beaches near the Magic Kingdom remained closed today. Disney has even gone so far as to remove all of the lounge chairs from the beaches as well.
The Magic Kingdom ferryboats are back in operation on the Seven Seas Lagoon today, but all smaller watercraft are still being kept out of operation. Additional buses continue to be offered today in reaction to the decreased watercraft service.
There is no word as of yet on when or if these changes will be reversed.
