This post has been updated. Please see the new post here: CORRECTION: What is Happening with Entertainment Aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser – WDW News Today (wdwnt.com)
Despite Disney first reporting that the “Princess and the Frog” inspired Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee would only run at the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park until January 3, 2010, it appears WDW will get to keep the well-received procession down the Rivers of America a little longer. According to the official Walt Disney World website, Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee will be running past January 3 and performing up to 5 times a day. While it is a possibility that this is a mistake by the Walt Disney World website, it seems unlikely since the show is listed to perform at least through June 2010. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on this breaking story.
A few days ago, we reported on an interesting refurbishment that was announced for both the Studio Backlot Tour and the Studio Catering Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, scheduled to take place between February 15, 2010 and March 28, 2010. A few days later, it was announced that the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure would be closed for refurbishment during that same period. Rumors are now circulating that these closures are for more than routine maintenance, they may indeed be permanent closures. These rumors go back to a few previous reports we had made about possible changes to the Hollywood Studios backlot area (Which can be read HERE and HERE), including rumors of a Monsters Inc. themed roller-coaster going into the vacant Soundstage 1, a smaller version of Radiator Springs Racers replacing the Backlot Studio Tour, the Backlot Catering Co. becoming a Monsters Inc. or Ratatouille themed eatery, and the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure would being re-themed to “A Bug’s Life”.
Again, this is simply a rumor at this time, but if true, these locations will permanently close on February 15th and will not return on March 29th as Disney is stating. Since this is all rumor at this point, we don’t know when any phases of the changes would be completed or if Disney will simply let the locations sit and wait for work to near completion on the huge Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom. It is very hard to believe that Disney would conduct huge expansions of both the Studio Backlot at Hollywood Studios and Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom simultaneously, but it is also very strange to see three major pieces of the backlot area go down for refurbishment at the same time. As you can see in this report, our information is limited, but we will report more on this breaking story as more becomes available. Stay tuned….
Disney has released more information on exactly what the new year will bring to the Vacation Kingdom of the world, here are some highlights for 2010:
Disney has confirmed the Muppet pre-parade for 2010 that was first reported on WDWNT, stating that it will begin January 8:
Disney’s Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade (beginning Jan. 8) – Each afternoon just before the daily parade at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (and at Disneyland Park in California), Muppets characters and parade dancers will join special floats and vehicles celebrating volunteerism and presenting Honorary VoluntEARS serving as Grand Marshals of the parades. Kermit, Miss Piggy and Sweetums will be part of the merriment, while the dancers will be donning outfits that celebrate the work of volunteers.
Work on the Fantasyland Expansion at the Magic Kingdom will begin in 2010. We have also heard that The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction will go down for refurbishment in early 2010 to change it’s facade and a few other items, the Walt Disney World Railroad will close for 2-3 months in 2010 to make way for groundbreaking backstage, and Mickey’s Toontown Fair will most likely close permanently in the Fall. Information released today:
Fantasyland expansion – An early-2010 groundbreaking will mark the beginning of a three-year construction project that will result in a vastly expanded Magic Kingdom Fantasyland.
Wide World of Sports will finally get it’s name change:
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex relaunch (February 2010) – A re-imagining project involving ESPN and the Disney sports complex, the leading multi-sport venue in the nation, aims to create immersive and entertaining sports experiences for athletes, coaches and fans by incorporating signature elements of ESPN in ways that will connect athletes and coaches with their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements. Guests will discover a new welcome center, a digital center where video captured by 44 cameras across the 220-acre sports campus is edited for display on 40 video screens and two “jumbotrons” throughout the complex as part of a veritable “Wide World of SportsCenter,” and the new ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, technical staff will continue work in the Innovation Lab to develop ground-breaking ESPN on-air products – using the action throughout the complex as a real-world testing environment.
Beyond the press releases from today, there are a number of interesting attraction refurbishments already announced for 2010. Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom is rumored to receive lap bars for each log during it’s 1/3-2/27/10 refurbishment, Epcot’s Test Track is closed 1/11-1/17/10 and Living with the Land is closed 1/18-2/5/10 (both for unknown reasons), and the latest surprise has been the announcement that both the Studio Backlot Tour and the Studio Catering Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be closed for refurbishment from 2/15-3/28/10. Stay tuned for more details on all of these refurbishments as they become available.
WDWNT Photographer Matt Paul braved the large crowds at the Walt Disney World Resort on Sunday and has some photos and videos to share with us from his trip:
As we enter the Transportation and Ticket Center we can see the Holiday crowds have already arrived. The line for the Monorail and Ferry were both over an hour each
From Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel:
Walt Disney World has a new executive in charge of theme-park operations — as well as new technology.
Disney has appointed Jim MacPhee to the position of vice president, next generation experiences and Walt Disney World parks.
MacPhee, 51, is a former vice president in charge of Epcot who earlier this year was moved to vice president for “special projects,” and the chatter is that he has been involved in developing new interactive technologies that can eventually be deployed in the parks.
Regarding the new “next generation experience,” Disney would say only that “we are constantly exploring new ways to deliver high-quality immersive experiences to new and existing audiences. Our goal is to take every element of the vacation experience to a new level.”
MacPhee will report both to Nick Franklin, the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts executive in charge of global business development who is also getting a new title of “executive vice president, next generation experience,” and to Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World.
It is believed that this new position may have something to do with the resort’s transition to using new, innovative technologies such as RFID tags and the next generation of the Living Character Initiative program. Only time will tell.
WDWNT’s own Chris Lastrapes attended the opening of the new D Street store at Downtown Disney earlier today and has some video and pictures to share:
Right before the store opened, they were still decorating the windows
Read More about Chris Lastrapes’ 12/15/09 D Street Opening Report
Chris Lastrapes of the WDW News Today Podcast is still visiting the west coast and made another trip to the Disneyland Resort earlier today. Chris took a few photos of the D Street store at Downtown Disney that is scheduled to open tomorrow:
Signage is up on the exterior. You can see many Vinylmation banners up in the store’s atrium
At look at the store’s sizable Vinylmation selection
Another Vinylmation display
Looks like Vinylmation plush will still be available
More of the store
Stay tuned for more photos from the opening of the store tomorrow!
Disney stated at the D23 Expo in September that 2010 would be the year of the Muppets. Not only are the Muppets the stars of the Disney Parks “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” campaign in 2010, but their presence in the parks might be a bit greater. Along with the refurbishment of Muppetvision 3-D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios scheduled for next year, the Muppets will be proceeding down Main Street U.S.A. in a daily pre-parade. Starting January, The Muppets “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” themed pre-parade will come down the Magic Kingdom parade route, preceding the 3:00 PM Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade. The Muppets guests will be seeing in the park will not be the giant Muppet characters that appeared at Hollywood Studios a few years ago, but ACTUAL Muppet characters.
Other changes to the Magic Kingdom parade in early 2010 may include the permanent removal of the show stops that were added to the parade during the name change from the Disney Dreams Come True Parade in January 2009.
As usual, anything not announced yet by Disney should be taken as a rumor, but these reports are from reputable sources inside the company. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on this breaking story.
Brandon Struve stopped over at Epcot earlier today to check out the festivities for Holidays Around the World and has plenty of photos to share with us from his trip:
The D’Vine Voices are now performing in Future World central behind the Fountain of Nations stage
