Fortuosity Shop – Opening October 3, 2008

WDWNT on September 19, 2008

According to DisneyGallery.com:

Fortuosity Shop features timeless treasures galore! On October 3, 2008, New Century Timepieces will re-open its doors as the new Fortuosity Shop. “The name of the shop was inspired by the opening song from The Happiest Millionaire,” says Walt Disney Imagineer and Director of Concept and Show Design, Kim Irvine. “We chose it because it is a Disney word created to express good fortune, which we hope everyone will find some type of fun fortune or treasure each time they visit the shop.”

Fortuosity is based on the One Of A Kind shop in New Orleans Square – with lots of old pieces of furniture for displays, lots of funky lights and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, all to create the feel of a shop one would find on Main Street in the early 1900’s. With its eclectic offering of accessories, apparel and gift items, this ever-changing location will continuously reinvent itself, while continuing to offer a selection of our Disney watches, clocks and ever-popular artisan watches. So be sure to take more than a moment to linger in this unique shop and discover unexpected keepsakes that you will treasure for a lifetime.

Myrna Litt’s 9/11 Photo Report

WDWNT on September 12, 2008

Myrna Litt is back with another excellent, yet small photo report. Here are a few updates from the Resort on September 11th:

The Town Square flag was held at half mast to honor the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.

A look at some of the Halloween merchandise & displays inside Frontier Mercantile.

The Golden Dreams banners have been removed from the Palace of Fine Arts.

Walls up for some reason at Carnation Plaza Gardens.

The smallest construction wall I’ve ever seen outside River Belle Terrace.

Myrna however did pass on some interesting information to me that she received from various Cast Members around the Resort. Here’s what she had to say:

They are currently testing the new boats at It’s a Small World. The Pirates of the Caribbean are not testing the new boats with the public. They may start using them in November and they are lighter boats. The concrete is being replaced in front of the Haunted Mansion (I tried to take a picture but was stopped). Also they are testing a new guest interactive exit at the Haunted Mansion. The ghosts will mimic what the guest does and react to them. We were told there will be a lot of new surprises.

Thanks again Myrna!

Interesting Boats with Interesting Views

WDWNT on September 10, 2008

Here are a couple of interesting updates from our friends over at Screamscape:

I’ve been informed that the previously listed Pirates month long rehab of Pirates one scheduled for Mid October has been delayed until sometime in early 2009. On a fun note however, the next time you in pirates see if you can spot a couple of boats that look a little different from the rest. Apparently they are currently running two new prototype boats in advance of the early 2009 rehab, trying to work out the bugs and and see what kind of effect these new boats have on the attraction.

Apparently you may be able to see the new Monorail Orange occasional on the track just outside the barn from the freeway. From one eyewitness report it looked like the windows were still covered up with plastic-wrap.

However don’t expect Monorail Orange to be up & running (even testing) for quite a while.

Goodbye Golden Dreams! Good Riddance HSM2!

WDWNT on September 9, 2008

Let’s take a look at some of the lovely photos of David “Darkbeer” Michael from yesterday, that include the last showing of both Golden Dreams & High School Musical 2: School’s Out, among other things:

The Hyperion Theater is now listed as closed on the DLR Information Board near at the security check-points (albeit being spelled wrong).

The Information Board at the Downtown Disney Monorail Station has a much more precise listing of the closed attractions in Disneyland Park.

You gotta love pins with purchase.

The area surrounding Fowler’s Harbor, the place where the Sailing Ship Columbia is docked, has walls up.

The latest Backstage Pass, Annual Pasholder newsletter offers you a free pair of sunglasses, which you can pick up at at the exit of Innoventions.

Filming of some sort going on in Paradise Pier.

Yesterday had the last ever performance of High School Musical 2: School’s Out!. There will be no High School Musical show until late October, when High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now! debuts.

Goodbye Golden Dreams, We Will Miss You!

Dateline Disneyland Construction Update

WDWNT on September 6, 2008

The latest Dateline Disneyland article on MiceAge has a fine update on construction through-out the Disneyland Resort. Let’s take a look at some of the latest happenings:

The King Triton & Ariel statues have been removed, as well as most of the current theming in Ariel’s Grotto.

This is what has become of the turntable where Ariel entered to meet ‘n greet guests. No word on if the turntable structure will remain for Pixie Hollow.

A construction wall has popped up near the old Fantasyland Skyway Station. Don’t get your hopes up though, because there’s no way the Skyway is ever returning.

Let’s take a quick tour of the new Wishing Star Crystals store, which opened August 30th.

A window display.

In the store, you can buy personalized “magic crystals”.

The Conestoga Wagon near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is still 100% in tact.

This sign is in place at Harbour Galley.

Some of the exterior Haunted Mansion Holiday decorations have already arrived, & are waiting to be installed in the queue area.

Many of the Halloween displays in the shop windows on Main Street USA have already been installed.

Finally, over at Department 56 in Downtown Disney, the new wall sectioning off the store looks to be mostly complete.

More End Dates

WDWNT on September 1, 2008

We once again have some updates to the attraction refurbishment list for you. First up, as previously reported, today is the last day for the Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries, which includes the Secret of the Stone Tiger & Random Acts of Indy shows. Various reports have been saying that the Oasis theater (home to Secret of the Stone Tiger) will not have any shows performing in it until next summer. Yet another classic example of cost-cutting!

We finally have dates for when 2 of the 3 former McDonalds locations at the Resort will open without McDonalds. Harbor Galley is planned to re-open on December 16th. Burger Invasion will re-open sometime in May 2009! But we do not yet have a date on when the Conostoga Wagon will re-open. All 3 close tomorrow.

Disney’s Electrical Parade will return on December 19th, & Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular will now return on December 12th, as opposed to December 19th, with a partial new cast.

Finally, a short refurbishment for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be conducted from December 1st to the 5th.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for updates on all attraction refurbishments. And for up-to-the-minute information on the various refurbishments, be sure to check our Attraction Refurbishments page!

Dig Up That Concrete!

WDWNT on August 31, 2008

Our sources are reporting that the planned repaving of the New Orleans Square Railroad Station, although removed off of the Disneyland.com calender, will still be happening as planned from September 2nd to October 16th. During this time, the train will not stop at the NOS Station, & will continue on to Toontown Station.

We’ve also heard talk that the area outside Star Tours may also be getting repaved. This will mean that the outside portion of the Star Tours queue will not be in use, & guests will enter on the other side of the Star Tours entrance marque. Hopefully the line doesn’t get too big, for there’s not a lot of space on that side, thanks to the Astro Orbitor! The tentative time for this to happen September 2nd through the 21st.

Also don’t forget that the area surrounding the Haunted Mansion will be repaved while the attraction is closed for it’s conversion to Haunted Mansion Holiday from September 2nd to the 25th.

Wishing Star Crystals

WDWNT on August 31, 2008

About a month ago, the Three Magic Fairies “magic crystal” store in Sleeping Beauty Castle closed, to be replaced with the disabled room for the soon to re-open Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-through. It had been rumored that it would be moving to the old home of Gepetto’s Holiday Workshop. Well that is now come true, & the new crystal store opened yesterday (with a Pinocchio theme of course) as Wishing Star Crystals.

We’ll have pictures of this new store later in the week, so stay tuned!

Mark Your Calenders!

WDWNT on August 30, 2008

It’s once again time to mark your calenders, as we have a few interesting additions to the attractions refurbishment list. First up, the Flik’s Flyers refurbishment that was originally scheduled from September 2nd to the 11th, has now been moved up to September 15th through to the 25th.

Looking at the Disneyland.com calender, it seems that the last day Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams is scheduled for is Tuesday November 11th. Remember Dreams Come True’s last performance this year will be on Sunday November 16th. Then after a week or so with no parade or fireworks, performances of both A Christmas Fantasy & Believe In Holiday Magic will start on Friday November 21st. Both Christmas offerings will stop performances on January 4th, 2009, & Parade of Dreams will return after the repaving of Main Street on February 13th. It is not yet known when in January Remember Dreams Come True will return.

Lastly, The Vineyard Room is listed as closed for refurbishment from September 29th all the way through the end of October. Perhaps it has another month left in it? We’ll have to wait & see when this Monday rolls around.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for updates on all attraction refurbishments. And for up-to-the-minute information on the various refurbishments, be sure to check our Attraction Refurbishments page!

Buzz on the Boom

WDWNT on August 30, 2008

The lovely Blue Sky Disney website put up a special world-wide Blue Sky Buzz this past Monday, which shows what Disneyland, as well as Walt Disney World & Disneyland Paris should be looking like around 2011/2012 time-frame.

As far as the Disneyland Resort goes, Honor mentions that the Maliboomer is now scheduled to be removed in 2011, as opposed to the original 2009 plan. But don’t worry, all other refurbishments, additions, & removals will still happen as originally scheduled.

Over in Disneyland, the previously talked about Stars Tours 2.0 should be up & running as the main new attraction for the 55th anniversary celebration. A complete re-do of Tomorrowland is currently scheduled to be completed for 2012, which could bring an entirely new E-Ticket attraction to that area of Disneyland.

And if you’re interested, stay tuned to Blue Sky Disney later in the week, as Honor will have up a second Blue Sky Buzz, this time looking towards the Asian Disney parks.