We are t-minus 3 weeks and counting until the re-unveiling of Disney California Adventure. I don’t know about you, but with the constant pictures and videos from inside Carsland and Buena Vista Street (Not to mention the newly opened Carthay Circle Theater and fountain!) make… Read More »DCA History Lesson: The Hyperion Theater’s Former Inhabitants
The Magic Kingdom’s popular western themed roller coaster reopened today after a months long rehabilitation process. The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad had extensive work done to its track, show scenes, primary queue, and lighting.
Where the queue was a tightly formed switchback that was seldom fully utilized, the new queue is better themed but shorter. It still has switchbacks, but the queue is wider and there are added show scenes. Also new to the queue is air conditioning. The new wider queue seems to be a conscious decision to accommodate American’s new wider body shapes.
I’m a little concerned about some of the new railings in the queue, they seem designed to cause welts on the heads of young children at the right height. Additionally, there are random boxes in the queue that have already become defacto benches. Without fastpass a full length queue was a wait of less than 30 minutes. Adding in Fastpass and the standby queue could be very long.
In the ride itself, many safety rails, paths, and lights have been added. The new LED safety lights really stood out as we rode, but I’m sure that over time they’ll fade into the background like other safety features. With the exception of some lighting a good attempt was made to theme the added safety features. Most show elements got a general makeover and many effects that haven’t worked in a long time are now functioning fine, even the geyser in the exit queue:
Big Thunder is supposed to return to regular operation on Monday and is not guaranteed to be open between now and then.
A new section celebrating summer has been added to the popular Castle Digital Projection show called The Magic, The Memories, and You! It kicks off with Phineas & Ferb and includes segments with The Lion King and Ariel, the Little Mermaid (not coincidentally two characters opening up at the Art of Animation Resort, I’m sure).
The Magic, The Memories, and You! plays at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
By now, you’ve likely heard about Sub-Tropical Storm Beryl. Right now, most models have agreed on a landfall by Sunday night with tropical storm warnings stretching between Charleston and Daytona Beach. the median being Brunswick, GA. Because of the width of this system, there will… Read More »Keeping an eye on Beryl
A brush fire is burning across the I4 freeway from Walt Disney World. Here’s a map showing where the fire is located. Right now there are closures on the I4 both directions and International Drive is closed in the area. So far the fire has… Read More »Fire plays havoc with traffic near Walt Disney World
Ever since filming a few episodes of Spin and Marty back in the day, the Walt Disney Company has worked on a piece of property, once a cattle ranch, and now known as the Golden Oak Ranch out near the Santa Clarita Valley. If you’ve… Read More »Disney to Develop Golden Oak Ranch into High Tech Studio
The walls have come down around the new park icon at Disney California Adventure. Carthay Circle Theatre sits at the south end of Buena Vista Street and will act as the primary ‘wienie’ (Walt’s term for an icon that draws you into a land). Looks… Read More »Carthay Circle Theatre Revealed at DCA
Growing up I always wanted to help set a Guinness World Record. I’ve now done it twice at the same location, but at two different theme parks and for two different records. How does that work? First was at Cypress Gardens for the world’s largest… Read More »LEGOLAND Florida Smashes World Record in Water Park Preview Today