Mickey Gets a Facelift

WDWNT on April 18, 2009

According to D23:

Opening early May, Mickey’s Fun Wheel (previously known as the Sun Wheel) is the 150-foot-diameter Ferris wheel inspired by Coney Island’s famous “Wonder Wheel.” Located on the Paradise Pier boardwalk, Mickey’s Fun Wheel sits high above the water’s edge and is dominated by the smiling face of its namesake, Mickey Mouse. Though the attraction itself has not changed (Guests can still choose between boarding a standard or swinging gondola), the gondolas present colorful images of the Fab Five: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald and Pluto. At the entrance to the queue, Guests are now greeted by a smaller version of the image on the wheel.

Mickey’s Face-lift Postponed

WDWNT on April 2, 2009

Some of our sources have reported that Mickey’s Fun Wheel is a couple weeks behind schedule, and is now scheduled to open on May 8th, as opposed to the originally scheduled April 24th date. We’re not exactly sure on the reason of the delay, but it’s most likely due to the Mickey face, as it hasn’t even arrived at the Resort yet.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest on the Paradise Pier make-over.

On the Spot at Paradise Pier

WDWNT on December 31, 2008

One of our spy reporters was at Disney’s California Adventure yesterday & noticed 2 very interesting developments in Paradise Pier:

It’s kind of to make out, but the eyes & mouth of the sun face have been removed. We’ll have a closer up picture of this for you on Friday.

Secondly, this lenticular panel has been put up on the bridge to Paradise Pier instead of construction walls to let guests know what the construction is all about, which of course for World of Color.

Myrna Litt’s 11/5 Photo Report

WDWNT on November 7, 2008

It’s once again time for a photo report from Mrs. Myrna Litt. She visited the Disneyland Resort yesterday as Christmas decorations have started to be put up:

Anyone know why there was a conductor in this restaurant’s train?

 Christmas decorations have started to be put up in Sunshine Plaza.

Scaff-holding is up around the Sun Wheel.

I absolutely love these construction walls at the bottom of the picture! An absolutely fantastic design choice.

Read More about Myrna Litt’s 11/5 Photo Report

Walls, Walls, and More Walls…

WDWNT on October 25, 2008

We received some very interesting new refurbishment dates, & I want to take the time here to go through some of them. First up, the walls around the Plaza Pavilion are scheduled to come down on November 7th, so we’ll finally see something nice in that corner of Main Street. It’s a Small World will now re-open on November 29th, as opposed to the previously scheduled November 21st, as they probably still have quite a bit of work left to do on the attraction. Finally for Disneyland Park, Fantasy Faire Gifts over at the Princess Fantasy Faire will be closed from October 27th, through November 21st. Being closed for a month, they must be doing something pretty extensive, seeing as it’s just a small outdoor shop.

Over at DCA, the Midway Games close on Monday for their conversion over to the new Games of the Boardwalk. Both the Games & Mickey’s Fun Wheel will re-open on April 24th, 2009. The really interesting thing, is that Burger Invasion is now scheduled to be closed all the way through May 7th, 2010! That pretty much confirms that they’re doing much more than just ripping out the kitchen, & are probably re-theming it to the Beer Garden during this time. The Vineyard Room is listed as closed through October 3rd, 2009, so there’s a pretty good chance it could re-open around that time. Finally, the Orange Stinger will be closed just for November 4th, most likely so that Imagineers can look at what they’re going to do with it when time comes for the Silly Symphony Swings.

As always, keep an eye out on our Attractions Refurbishments page, as we’ll update it with any new information we get, when we get it!

MiceAge Disneyland Update

WDWNT on October 8, 2008

A treat I look forward to every other month is a Disneyland Update from MiceAge‘s Al Lutz. Al knows his stuff very well, & the articles always feature interesting information that usually comes to pass. Let’s take a look through some of the things spoken about in today’s update:

  • DCA’s upcoming re-do has been split in to 4 phases of sorts. Here’s how the phases pan out:

    World of Color, Paradise Pier     makeover, completed spring 2010
    Main Entrance     makeover, Red Car trolley, initial Hollywood work, completed mid 2011
    Little Mermaid     pavilion and E-Ticket attraction, completed late 2011
    Cars Land     attractions, shops, restaurants, completed mid 2012

    Al says that the current financial crisis in this country shouldn’t have any affect on DCA’s re-do. The first phase will actually start in just 2 weeks, with the closing of the Sun Wheel. Around Thanksgiving, the Paradise Pier lagoon will be drained in preparation for the World of Color nighttime show.

  • Plans just keep expanding for The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Adventure. This attraction is going to be so extravagant, that Ariel’s hair will actually be a seperate animatronic from Ariel herself, due to her hair flowing, as we are supposed to be “Under the Sea”. The various Ariel animatronics in the attraction are said to be some of the most sosphicated ever produced by WDI.
  • While it’s too much to explain in a short recap, Al does have a complete listing of what you will be able to find in the Blue Sky Cellar once it officially opens on October 20th. Check the second page of the linked article for that.
  • Get ready for the controversy to start. The Disney characters & the American scene (this scene replaces the old Rainforest scene before the Grand Finale scene)have both been installed in It’s a Small World. But don’t expect to see them when the attraction re-opens as It’s a Small World Holiday on November 21st. For they will both be hidden from view until the original version of the attraction debuts sometime in February (yes, there will be a 1 month long refurbishment in January, beginning January 5th).
  • Sometime this winter, all 3 Mark VII Monorails will go under the knife to fix the horrible problems that they are currently faced with. The windows will be completely ripped out, & replaced with windows like those seen on the Mark V’s.
  • An idea being thrown around for next year’s What Will You Celebrate? campaign is to “plus” a couple of attractions in the Resort, with some Celebration themed things. One such idea is for some new elements added to the Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh attraction, with similar decor around Critter Country.

There’s plenty more to be found in this article, including Disney possibly buying both the Anaheim GardenWalk & SeaWorld San Diego (of all places). Be sure to check it out.

Sun Wheel Refurbishment Pushed Back Once Again

WDWNT on September 13, 2008

It’s appears that the Sun Wheel did not in fact close down on September 11th. We had announced that the refurbishment was pushed back to start on September 29th, 2008, however the start & end date this time have both been pushed back. The refurbishment will now start on October 13rd, & last all the way through May 13th, 2009.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as things start happening over at the Sun Wheel, or should I say Mickey’s Fun Wheel…

Fun In The Winter

WDWNT on September 1, 2008

We’ve have just received official word on when the Sun Wheel refurbishment will end. It will start (as previously reported) on September 11th, & will go all the way through February 26th, 2009! This pretty much confirms that Mickey’s Fun Wheel is coming, & with the amount of time they’re spending on it, this going to be pretty impressive.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as construction on Mickey’s Fun Wheel starts!

Fun Wheel, Silly Swings, & Pixie Hollow All Official!

WDWNT on August 9, 2008

Disney officials have confirmed 3 new “attractions” for the Disneyland Resort, according to the OC Register. Mickey’s Fun Wheel (the re-theme of the Sun Wheel), Silly Symphony Swings (the re-theme of the Orange Stinger), & Pixie Hollow (replacing the Ariel’s Grotto meet ‘n greet) are all now officially coming to the Resort!

MICKEY’S FUN WHEEL: A Disney Imagineering official confirmed tonight that the Sun Wheel will join the attractions being changed in the Paradise Pier area of Disney’s California Adventure. The main change expected will be removing the current sun face in the middle of the wheel and replacing it with a Mickey Mouse face. The Mickey Mouse face is planned to be a classic wide-eyed Mickey Mouse.

SILLY SYMPHONIES: The Orange Stinger will join in planned changes for the pier-area — expected to change from the current Orange Stinger theme to a Silly Symphonies theme. Currently, the attraction is a swing ride inside a giant orange sitting lakeside and plans show that the building’s foundation will remain the same, while the orange and even round building are planned to change. The attraction will be based on the classic “Silly Symphonies” animations done by Walt Disney’s animation studio in the 1930s. The band leader, Mickey Mouse, is expected to be part of the ride.

TINKERBELL: A change is also planned for Disneyland, the Imagineering official said tonight. The current Little Mermaid meet and greet next to the Tomorrowland entrance is planned to be replaced by a fairy and Tinkerbell meet and greet. The area, as currently planned, will make guests feel like they’ve shrunk down to fairy-size and the path will be filled with pixie dust.

Disney did not give any official dates on when these refurbishments/additions are planned to take place. However rumors going around show that the Sun Wheel will close on September 11th, to be re-opened by the end of the year as Mickey’s Fun Wheel. Ariel’s Grotto should also close in September, & be re-opened as Pixie Hollow by mid-October, in time for the Tinker Bell DVD release. No strong rumors have surfaced yet on when the Orange Stinger re-theme will take place, but it should be sometime next year.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest up-to-the-minute information on these & all new refurbishments & attractions!

I’m Lovin’ It!

WDWNT on July 24, 2008

A whole load of new refurbishments during September & October have been announced. There’s so many, that I’m just gonna bullet them bellow:

  • French Market – 9/2/08-9/19/08
  • Sailing Ship Columbia – 9/2/08-10/25/08
  • Conostoga Wagon – 9/2/08-????
  • Fantasmic – 9/2/08-????
  • Harbour Galley – 9/2/08-????
  • Big Thunder Ranch – 9/15/08-9/27/08
  • Pirates of the Caribbean – 10/13/08-????
  • Jungle Cruise – 10/20/08-10/22/08
  • Gadget’s Go-Coaster – 10/20/08-????
  • Burger Invasion – 9/2/08-????

It’s interesting to note that all 3 McDonalds locations in the Resort (Conostoga Wagon, Harbour Galley, & Burger Invasion) will be closed starting September 2nd, for an undetermined amount of time. Could this be the end for McDonalds at the Disneyland Resort?

Also, the Hyperion Theater refurbishment has been pushed back to start on September 29th, instead of September 2nd. We still have no information on when it will end, but it should be in time for the Christmas season.

Finally, I just want to remind everyone of the already announced refurbs:

  • Plaza Pavilion – 1/11/08-10/10/08
  • It’s a Small World – 1/22/08-11/28/08
  • Mark Twain Riverboat – 8/25/08-8/27/08
  • The Haunted Mansion – 9/8/08-9/25/08
  • Flik’s Flyers – 9/2/08-9/12/08
  • Sun Wheel – 9/11/08-????

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!