Mouse Extra

Disney has recently announced a huge increase in the rental prices for strollers. Single passenger strollers now cost $15 per day while double strollers cost $31 per day. For those guests who want to rent the strollers for the length of their stay, it costs $13 and $27 per day respectively. If you rent a stroller at Downtown Disney, you need to fork over a $100 credit card deposit. This represents a massive increase in the price of renting strollers. For example, prior to Sunday, a double stroller cost $18 per day to rent. In other words, Disney has issued a 42% increase in the cost. A family with 2 children staying 7 days will now pay $189 to rent the double stroller.

The question is why is Disney jacking up the prices so much overnight. The official Disney word is that prices have not increased in three years and so this is an appropriate adjustment in pricing. Others theorize (me included) that Disney very well may be sick of being in the stroller renting business and might be trying to force people to not use strollers. Those folks with kids on the cusp of not needing a stroller now may just forget the idea. Of course, this hurts people who really need the things and don’t want to bring their own from home (not that big of a deal) or who find bringing their own on the Disney bus system difficult and inconvinent (which it very much is).

It seems to me that if this was just another way of milking the consumer for all they have, the increases would have been much smaller but more frequent - like a $3 increase now, another $2 in 6 months, another $3 6 months after that, so on and so forth. Plus, Disney obviously wants to phase out the double stroller since it now for the first time costs more to get a double stroller than 2 single strollers. Anyway, those folks going to the World need to be aware of this in order to make an appopriate choice for their budget.

Today’s article is from Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra

Good rumors just never seem to die.  And perhaps the longest running good rumor in Disney World history is about an e-ticket rollercoaster in the Japanese pavilion at Epcot’s World Showcase called Mt. Fuji.  Today, the blog Disney Gossip has started stirring this pot once again.

Mt. Fuji, long rumored to be a “Matterhorn”-esque roller coaster ride will be Epcots next big project. It is slated to be added to the Japan pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase and will be a very thrilling ride that will feature multiple coaster technologies along with the chance of getting wet.

Do I believe this rumor?  Do I think Mt. Fuji will finally be green-lit and construction will begin?  In a word…no.  Project is more likely dead than not.  I also question the need for a big ticket item in the World Showcase which has done perfectly well for over 25 years without one.

But it is hard to dismiss this rumor entirely because this is not the first time recently that we have heard this.  Back in November of last year the Disney Reporter also discussed a similar rumor regarding Mt. Fuji.  Could the drums be beating once again for this long shelved idea?  Don’t get your hopes up, but we’ll keep an eye on it.

I do apologize for the lack of anything…real for the past few days.  I was away for a few days and then we needed to allow Mike to show off his peculiar sense of humor for April Fool’s Day.  But there was certainly not a lack of rumors and news while we were gone, so let’s get right into it.

For those of you who are Annual Passholders or Disney Vacation Club members, there is some good news that has yet to be confirmed.  According to DVCNews.com, we may be close to an announcement regarding special previews of Toy Story Mania, a new attraction coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

According to a source, Disney will soon announce Toy Story Mania preview dates for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members.  The current dates being targeted are May 10th, 11th and 12th.

Let me just say that this would be terrifically good news if it pans out this way.  I plan on being at Walt Disney World during this time, and you can be certain that I will have my camera and pen in hand to give you the most in-depth, spoiler filled report possible.

It certainly seems as though the hype for this attraction is no where near the fever pitch of past projects, such as Expedition Everest or even the Pirates remake.  Can we conclude from this that Disney doesn’t think this will be as big a hit as those?

Over these last few months, Disney execs have been in serious discussions on how to increase cash flow from the parks. Disney counts on the parks to generate cash as ABC has struggled, with no help from the recent writers’ strike thank you, and disappointing film performances from Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Enchanted, Meet the Robinsons, and others. Not to mention the fact that Hannah Montana is set to get a big payday. This problem has led to the talks involving a high-end, boutique park on par with Sea World’s Discovery Cove. Imagineers have also turned their attention to another possible “cash cow”, a gentleman’s club somewhere at Downtown Disney.

Sources inside these meetings have told Mouse Extra that the club will likely occupy the space currently housing the Virgin Megastore, an inappropriate choice in this author’s opinion. It would seem to me that the location should be over at Pleasure Island, but what do I know?

Regardless of its placement, it seems this idea is close to getting the red…I mean, green, light. My source indicated this was intially going to be a “hard” ticket event, but now it maybe a permanent addition to the Downtown landscape. Although my insider would not go on record he did state that “this will be a classy establishment.” In other words, there will be no nudity. Plus, there will be a regular Ladies’ Night, as well, so expect Hercules and Gaston look-alikes to go with Sleeping Beauty and Belle. Furthermore, although a name has not yet been decided, the theme has. “It will be designed like the club seen in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and we have been auditioning Jessica Rabbit impersonators for the opening act”, states my unnnamed source. He did deny the rumor that Vanessa Hudgens will be there opening night.

My source goes on to state that this may just be the beginning in Disney World’s attempt to get in on the lucrative Adult Entertainment arena. “Its our understanding that Walt was 1/64th Cherokee, so we have applied for a gaming lincense. Keep your fingers crossed.”

Today’s…ummm…posting is from Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra.