November 8, 2008 at 2:37 pm
· Filed under Disney World Rumors, The View from Dave's Chair
The great John Frost of the Disney Blog, which should be on every Disney fan’s daily must-read list, reported earlier this week on an interesting rumor that we Animal Kingdom fans can only hope is true….
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the decision to shelve the “Rivers of Light” parade and the boutique themepark, means that plans are moving forward to finally re-do Camp Minnie-Mickey. Real estate is precious in that area of the park, but it’s away from any animal programs, so there is room to do some ‘thrill-ride’ type stuff.
I can honestly say that for those of us who love the concept of Animal Kingdom and have been waiting patiently for Imagineering to start building on the great foundation that is already in place, this is what we want to hear. For ten years now we have been anticipating the addition of a new “land” that amounts to something more than the complete waste of time “Camp Minnie-Mickey”.
Yes, it is time for WDI to shed the Animal Kingdom of the evidence of Michael Eisner’s stupidity and short-sightedness and make it into the gem we all know it can become. And it will take more than a parade or building a “boutique” partner park that no one can afford. We hear at Mouse Extra have offered many suggestions for the parks improvement, so if anyone at Imagineering needs some ideas don’t hesitate to drop us a line!?!
November 3, 2008 at 1:30 pm
· Filed under The View from Dave's Chair
According to the
Orlando Sentinel, Disney World’s Imagineers plan close the Hall of Presidents in the coming days for a lengthy refurbishment. It is not unusual for this classic attraction to shut down after a presidential election, as a new animatronic might be needed. But thankfully this time the work will go much further than that.
To make room for a new, robotic version of the 44th president of the United States, Disney will close the 37-year-old Hall of Presidents after today for an extended refurbishment. The show will stay shuttered for more than eight months so Disney can update the hall’s aging light, sound, mechanical, projection and show systems, just as the company has done in recent years with other “classic” Magic Kingdom attractions such as It’s A Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion.
There was little doubt that the Hall of Presidents needed the work, and this has to be considered good news for all Disney fans, even the ones that may find this attraction something of a snooze-fest. (Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of them. I love this place.) In recent weeks we have been hearing a lot about Disney tightening the purse strings in an attempt to limit any effect the down turning economy may have at the theme parks. To see an attraction like this, which could be easily ignored, get a budget for such a long refurbishment is a positive sign that Disney won’t let upkeep of its classics slip too far.
The Hallf of Presidents
But it is not just a new president and a few light bulbs that are changing…
When the show reopens next year July 4, a third figure, George Washington, will also be given a speaking part.
The only bad thing here is that Disney will not be able to capitalize on the new president’s popularity by waiting so long after the inauguration to open the doors. But that is a small price to pay for a new and improved classic.