Mouse Extra

I was very happy to see that a great little detail over at the Disney MGM Studios has returned after a long absence.  The “Singin’ in the Rain” umbrella has been reinstalled back to all its glory.  I thought it was fitting to find a group of kids taking turns getting their pictures taken with this hidden little gem of Walt Disney World.

As we reported a few months ago, the umbrella was reportedly destroyed last holiday season during the moving of some of the larger Christmas decorations used in that area for the Osborne lights display.  Months later, it was still not replaced causing many of us to be more than a bit upset with the possibility that Disney decided it wasn’t worth it to replace it.

But that wasn’t the case, and happily it has returned.  Next time you are back by the Lights, Motors, Action entrance take a look across the courtyard and give it a try.  See if you can resist the temptation to sing.

After five days at Walt Disney World, we are back.  Thank you for your patience and I promise we will make it up to you with lots of great new pictures, updates and more.  I will be bringing you a tour around Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival, the obligatory trip report, and the good and bad we experienced this past week.  All of that and more will be posted in the coming days so check back often.

But first, construction is moving along over at the Disney MGM Studios on the new e-ticket attraction Toy Story Mania.  This shot is from over by Journey into Narnia…

And this one is from the opposite side…

Also, the construction wall is covered with signs, like the one pictured below, which do a good job at hyping this one up.

I plan on being there in early May of 2008.  Even though it appears it may not open until sometime in the summer, I am hoping to have some previews or soft-openings when I am there.  This is a huge building and hopefully the ride delivers the good.

Well the rumors were half right.  Yes, the Disney-MGM Studios is going to receive a name change.  But no, it will not be the Disney-Pixar Studios.  According to a press release today, the park will soon be called Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Here’s what Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World, had to say about the reasons behind the change…

“The new name reflects how the park has grown from representing the golden age of movies to a celebration of the new entertainment that today’s Hollywood has to offer — in music, television, movies and theater,” she said.

The release continues on…

Framed by the park’s supporting cast of classic Hollywood architecture are shows and attractions straight from contemporary Hollywood, such as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show” and many more. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is also the place to meet favorite character stars of today including Lightning McQueen and Mater from Disney-Pixar’s “Cars,” Power Rangers and Little Einsteins.

The release indicates the change will go into effect January 2008.  It also confirms changes to the park such as the “Block Party Bash” replacing the current “Disney Stars and Motor Cars” parade and a new Playhouse Disney.  It also lists “summer 2008” as the possible opening date for Toy Story Mania, which indicates it has been slightly delayed.

So what do you think of the change?  Personally, I think it’s pretty good.  It does the job of encompassing most of the park and redefining the objective into something that finally makes sense with what is currently there.  It makes much more sense then the rumored Disney-Pixar Studios name which seemed to do nothing more than aggravate the purists.

So now the argument that any new attractions going into the Studios do not fit the theme is pretty much ended.  With this new name, virtually anything fits. 

I must applaud the Blue Sky Disney blog for writing one of the most tantalizing posts we have seen on the internet in quite some time.  Among the many topics discussed in today’s piece, he drops this little nugget on us…

…By early 2008 there will be some form of an announcement about Star Tours 2.0. The folks at WDI are hard at work creating a sequel to our current attraction that will be designed to mimic the lines at the Finding Nemo Submarine Ride. There will be more of a synergy between the two companies regarding the Star Wars properties, both here in Anaheim and WDW(more on that in a future post). There has been talk of having some form of promotion to coincide with the new Star Wars television show that will debut in about a year and a half.

So now that he has successfully ensured that we will all be checking his blog everyday waiting for the “more on that in a future post” to show up, what do you think?  The sentence he has about mimicking the lines at the Finding Nemo Submarine Ride is a bit confusing, but what I think he means is that Star Tours 2.0 will be a true gate-buster.  Considering the power the Star Wars franchise has, it is not difficult to see that being the case.  Everyone fears Lucas will push the prequels into the parks, but that seems unlikely at this point.

Can any of our many Star Wars aficionados tell us more about this proposed television show?  What is the premise?  Is this being budgeted to the point that I think a sci-fi series needs to be in order to really be good?

According to Jim Hill, Toy Story Mania may not be going as planned.  The under-construction e-ticket attraction coming to the Disney-MGM Studios is apparently a bit behind in its schedule and may not be ready for the summer of 2008 as planned.

The way I hear it, Imagineering management is throwing unlimited men, time and money at the “Toy Story Mania” attraction. Saying — in essence — that “I don’t care what you do. Just make sure that this attraction is fully-functional and ready to open by the middle of 2008.”

If Mr. Hill’s inside information is correct, and someone at Imagineering is actually more concerned about the date the attraction opens than the quality of this multi-million dollar investment…well, let’s just say that person needs to reevaluate their priorities.  Has this person ever read anything about Walt Disney and the attitudes that made Imagineering what it is today?  At this point in the construction phase, how could anyone care about the timing over the quality? 

                                                photo courtesy of MGMStudios.org

Let’s hope this report is not correct.  The Disney-MGM Studios is desperate for something like this, and from what we’ve heard this could be something really fun.  Let’s hope we don’t have a return to the late Eisner-era nonsense when it comes to Toy Story Mania.  Imagineering has been on a hot streak recently, and I would hate to see it ended here.

Now here’s a story this morning that will certainly have Matt Hochberg from MGMStudios.org percolating with jealousy.  Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel writes about his experience during a rather interesting backstage tour at the Tower of Terror.

The folks at Disney offered me quite the treat: to hang out outside the Tower — 13 stories up. This is what we call in the biz “CrazyTalk.” I did it anyway. Was I feeling lucky?

Those catwalks aren’t all just decoration. I was taken to the level right behind the HOLLYWOOD TOWER lettering. The walkway is a few feet wide and runs a few feet above the heads of passengers at their peeking peak, right where the doors open for a look at the park.

“Crazy Talk”?  Is he kidding?  I hate heights, can’t stand even the idea of heights.  But even I would brave it just to say I did this!  Everyone talks about their dream job at Disney, well being a reporter covering the parks for the Orlando Sentinel does seem pretty darn fun!

So, when do you think they’ll add this little excursion to the “Backstage Magic” tour?  I can see it now, blogging from a tether atop the Hollywood Tower Hotel.