From the sound of the article, looks like the majority of the "leaked" plans have been approved and are moving forward. The princess section and Ariel ride are to open in 2012, with Pixie Hollow and the Dumbo area to open in 2013...
Great news for MK and DHS... no love Epcot or DAK (at least not yet)... _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:59 am Post subject:
A few more details on the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland expansion
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo says the money for the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland expansion will come out of the division's ongoing capital budget, rather than extra spending on top of that.
"We look at our capital spending over the long haul and we have a general idea based on our own history and based on our own plans about how much capital we're going to spend every year. And, of course, we allocate it to the different parks depending on our expansion plans," Rasulo said at a press conference following Saturday's Fantasyland and Star Tours announcements. "And obviously, in the next few years, some of that will go to the Magic Kingdom/Fantasyland."
Video from the press conference is available at www.wdwdailynews.com. Click here to watch it.
A few more tidbits:
-- The Beauty and the Beast-themed Be Our Guest restaurant will be housed in the Beast's castle and will feature three-distinct room: The ballroom, the west wing and the castle gallery. The restaurant will be quick service during the day but will shift to a sit-down seating at night.
-- No word yet on when Mickey's Toontown Fair will close.
-- The interactive queue for the expanded Dumbo the Flying Elephant will be themed as a circus under a big-top tent, where there were be physical play areas for kids to run and burn off energy. There will be bleacher-style seating for adults to rest and watch their kids play.
-- The entrance to the Little Mermaid ride will be themed to represent Eric's castle, which rises on cliffs overlooking the ocean. Riders will walk down through grottos and tide pools before boarding ride vehicles that take them "underwater."
Still no official word on when work is supposed to start, BUT... I have read some rumors on other sites, we could see construction walls starting to go up as soon as this November.
While it is possible, I don't see Disney closing off portions of Fantasyland (and ToonTown Fair) at least Jan 2010. Mainly because Disney is getting ready to enter the second busiest time of the year for them (Christmas holiday season), Space Mountain closed, and portions of Tomorrowland already covered by construction walls... I don't see them close off parts of Fantasyland (and ToonTown Fair) until the crowds lighten (late Jan/early Feb)... But that's just speculation on my part... _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
It will at least bring some new stuff in regard to more princess stuff. It's typically the land to pass on thru for me. With the occasional shaking of my fist at the Pooh ride. Once in a great while I'll hit up some of the attractions, but it's basically a pathway to Tomorrowland (which at least has TTA again). I don't mind the fact that there is more princess stuff in the works for the girls since a lot of the attractions seem to be more appealing to boys (PotC, HM, Thunder Mtn, Buzz...). Here's to hoping the new restaurant serves up some good food!
As one who was just down there, and spent more time in Fantasyland then I think I ever have, I think this is a pretty cool idea. And now just because I happen to have a little girl. Any new rides/experience is pretty much a welcome one. There is just so much land there that can be used, I'm surprised it's taken this long. While is is very princess heavy, I do think the BatB eatery's sound top notch. Would I love to see 20K back, of course. Mr. Toad, obviously. But, as sad as it is to say, I doubt we will ever see them again. These new fangled meet & greets and Mermaid ride do sound like they could be pretty sweet. And by sweet, I mean totally cool.
Hazzah, I say!
Now as to just were they are going to squeeze in Mr. & Mrs. Mouse on or around Main St, hmmmm. That should prove to be interesting.
onecutemoose Bouncing Between Wonderland & Neverland
Joined: Nov 09, 2005 Posts: 6730
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:17 am Post subject:
I'm really not all about the meet and greet...a lot of money on theming an area that could house an attraction (actual attraction--not attractive princesses)
I always love to see things spruced up with new additions...
Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:51 am Post subject:
From what I've read and watched (the presentation), these are going to be more indepth than the standard meet & greet. From the sounds of them, it sounds like it is going to be a mixture of meet & greet, kidcot stops, and pirates league all rolled together... It sounds like they are moving towards the next generation of meet & greets....
Although I do agree about the whole thing being played towards girls... _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
onecutemoose Bouncing Between Wonderland & Neverland
Joined: Nov 09, 2005 Posts: 6730
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:31 pm Post subject:
daguru wrote:
From what I've read and watched (the presentation), these are going to be more indepth than the standard meet & greet. From the sounds of them, it sounds like it is going to be a mixture of meet & greet, kidcot stops, and pirates league all rolled together... It sounds like they are moving towards the next generation of meet & greets....
Although I do agree about the whole thing being played towards girls...
...Princess Fantasy Faire... ??????
What a sad use of the space that is a fine theatre at DL. This is what I'd be sad to see. Good theming or not, I'd much rather that kind of money be spent on an attraction.
the new image and the blueprint seem to disagree in the location of pixie hollow. Maybe it is artistic license or timing, but it seems to be north of dumbo in 1 and south in the other.
onecutemoose Bouncing Between Wonderland & Neverland
Joined: Nov 09, 2005 Posts: 6730
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:07 pm Post subject:
WDWFan wrote:
the new image and the blueprint seem to disagree in the location of pixie hollow..
Ah Pixie Hollow...how could I forget! Though I can see this is a draw for the wee lassies...and it does help to some degree to have a queue for characters...I still think these areas should be more limited--MUCH more. At DL in Critter Country they have the character photo in an area that really couldn't be used for anything else---perfectly fine. Spending SO much money to re-theme something for a character meet and greet, it just doesn't set well.
I hope that with the new things being talked about for WDW it all comes out looking fresh and new...
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