Mouse Extra

It appears Disney’s Wide World of Sports is about to undergo a major change, as Disney finally puts the mega-popular ESPN brand name to its proper use in the theme parks.   According to a press release this morning, the complex will undergo a complete rebranding.  You can read the entire press release here.

Aligning the world’s No. 1 family vacation destination with the worldwide leader in sports, Walt Disney World Resort and ESPN are joining forces to re-brand Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex with the ESPN brand, creating an entertaining and immersive experience for the nearly 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators who come through the Disney sports complex each year.

Plans for the re-branding initiative – which was announced today during the ESPN upfront presentation to advertisers and sponsors – are still in the development stage, but initial concepts involve renaming the sports complex and incorporating the signature elements of ESPN throughout the 220-acre facility, which is a leading venue for amateur and professional sports in the country.  The project aims to enhance the experience of both athletes and spectators by connecting them to their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements.  It also will provide advertisers new sponsorship opportunities at the grass roots level.

It is somewhat unusual for Disney to be so upfront with things that are still at the “developmental stage”.  Usually they let it orbit the rumor world for a few months and then offer the details when they are good and ready.  Despite the longwinded press release, there is little here that says much more than a new name.  Could that really be all there is to this project?  Perhaps, but they seem to be hinting here to much more.

For one thing, I believe there still is an All Star Café over at that complex.  I can’t imagine ESPN would want a direct competitor to its own line of restaurants within their new digs.  Could this be the place where Disney puts the giant-sized flagship ESPNZone?

Many hardcore disney fans, myself included, always get a little disappointed when we see that dragon head at the entrance to the Animal Kingdom. For those of you who don’t know (and I am sure there are not many of you reading this that don’t), there was to be a land in the Animal Kingdom themed to mythical animals, like dragons and unicorns. It was to be built where Camp Minnie-Mickey currently sits. The Camp was supposed to be merely a temporary land until Asia was completed and construction of the Beastly Kingdomme could begin in earnest.  It seems the Disney execs felt another land was needed for the opening of the park to help with the anticipated heavy crowds so they threw together the idea of Camp Minnie Mickey on the fly.

But the Beastly Kingdomme was to be truly amazing. Here’s an early release from Disney as to what the land was to be:

“Beastly Kingdom is the realm of make believe animals, animals that don’t really exist, out of legends, out of fairy tales, out of storybooks. Like our legends and fair tales about imaginary animals, this land is divided into realms of good and realms of evil.

The evil side is dominated by DRAGON’S TOWER, a burned, wrecked castle inhabited by a greedy, fire breathing dragon. He hordes a fabulous treasure in his tower chamber. The castle is also inhabited by bats who speak to us from their upside down perches. The bats have a plan. They enlist our help trying to rob the dragon and fly us off on a wild chase. At last, we meet the fire-breathing dragon himself and barely escape un-barbecued.

The good side of this land is ruled by QUEST OF THE UNICORN. An adventure which sends us through a maze of medieval mythological creatures to seek the hidden grotto where the unicorn lives. There is also FANTASIA GARDENS. A gentle musical boat ride through the animals from Disney’s animated classic, “Fantasia.” Both the crocodiles and hippos from ” Dance of the Hours” and the Pegasus, fauns and centaurs from Beethoven’s “Pastoral” are found here.”

Other details have been rumored from its original concepts. It is thought that the bridge leading to the area was to be guarded by a troll underneath. There was to be a Mother Goose shop. Perhaps coolest of all, there was to be an outdoor eatery surrounding a small pond. Every so often faint bagpipes would be heard and the loch ness monster would surface from the center of the water.

Unfortunately, Disney execs wanted to make sure that Dinoland was there for the opening and before the Beastly Kingdomme could be built, the funds for it were pulled. But is it gone forever?

Maybe maybe not. The Beastly Kingdom seems to have taken over for Westcot as the project that could be announced at any moment. A few things seems to favor its possible construction. The park itself suffers from the stigma as a “half day” park. Whether or not its true, the park certainly suffers from a low number of single day ticket purchases. Disney continues to tinker with ways to increase these one day visitors. By increasing the number of attractions, the operating hours of the park could be increased going a long way to ending that stigma. Some dragons and unicorns could help.

The next question would then be the content of the area. Under current management philosophy, that seems unlikely. One rumor (which I wrote about awhile back) was the area was actually going to be redesigned into a Narnia land. I suppose if Prince Caspian becomes a hit that would be a possibility. Still, rumors are swirling in Tinseltown that Disney wants out of the Narnia business.

In this day of synergy and over pixarization, the original plans are a real breath of fresh air. Hopefully, Disney realizes this. Of course, the $300 million plus price tag for a Beastly Kingdomme as originally designed seems daunting. But who knows, Disney is ponying up over a billion to fix the California Adventure mess. And if the Wizarding World of Harry Potter starts to effect Disney attendance, they will do something. And then maybe we will get our dragon and unicorn after all.

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

WDW News Today, a terrific website for truly in-depth coverage of Walt Disney World happenings, has some tantalizingly cool information about Toy Story Mania, soon to open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  This apparently e-ticket caliber ride is nearly ready to launch and the details continue to trickle out. 

Last week, WDI canceled the cast member previews it had planned leading some to believe the ride was seriously behind schedule.  Annual Passholders began to worry if their May 10-12 previews were still going to happen.  But according to the report, cast members will have their look next weekend and so we can assume the AP previews are still a go.

But it was tantalizing details that I promised you, and WDW News Today provides just that…

It seems the original plans for a separate special track in the ride were right, as we are now being told that if you hit a certain special target, your Toy Story Tram will be sent down a secret bonus track of some kind.

The loading area for the attraction is themed to the underneath of Andy’s bed, a much more detailed experience then you will find at the Disney’s California Adventure version of Toy Story Mania. The attraction’s queue is going to take place on two levels of the show building.

The queue area sounds a little like that of The Sea with Nemo and Friends over at Epcot.  If that is true then I approve.  I know people think interactive is the way to go with queue areas, but I love the visually appealing and immersive queues like Pirates of the Caribbean, the Great Movie Ride or Expedition Everest.  They set the mood perfectly and by the time you board the ride vehicle you’ve already been reeled in.

And as far as the “secret track” goes, how long do you think it will be before detailed instructions on how to find this secret track hit the internet?  Days?  Hours?  Minutes?  It won’t be much longer than that.

Bob Iger was recently quoted on CNN Money as saying the following:

“And not everything has to be a franchise. I was recently asked whether “Ratatouille” was a franchise. I said no: “Ratatouille” is an extremely good animated film and will be a classic unto itself, but it is not a franchise. You are not going to see “Ratatouille” attractions in parks. When you look at “Toy Story,” we’re making our third film, we’re opening two Toy Story Mania attractions at parks this summer, we have a very strong consumer products line, we have a “Toy Story” musical opening on the cruise line, we have a game in development - that’s a franchise.”

Of course, this nips in the bud the many rumors of a Ratatouille “wild mouse” coaster in Disney Hollywood Studios, a clone of the Crush Coaster from the Paris park. Which is too bad, since I think a wild ride through the sewers of Paris as a rat might have been fun. I feel Ratatouille is one of the better Pixar films.

But the real problem is the reasoning behind this. I can certainly live without a Ratatouille coaster, but i don’t want all future attractions restricted to those of a franchise. Does everything have to be based on the Princesses or Toy Story? Yes, I know Expedition Everest is not a “franchise” based attraction, not a pirate to be found anywhere. But that seems to be the exception to the rule these days. I hope this is not a sign of the end of original attractions like the Haunted Mansion or Soarin’ being imagineered. Lets hope not!

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.

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.