The last wing to open at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is actually the first set of buildings built. Of course, it was still called “Pop Century – Legendary Years” at the time. Later these buildings became known as Disney’s Ghost hotel. Now we’re just… Read More »Inside The Little Mermaid Wing at Art of Animation Resort
Unless you are living under a rock (which would be incredibly uncomfortable), you realize the affect that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has had on the Orlando tourism community. Everyone is filled to the brim with new projects that, they hope can match and/or topple Harry Potter in the themed and immersive environment category… or the bring in millions of people and billions of dollars category too! I thought, you can never look too far into the future… so here is a preview to what will, supposedly, make you travel to the Orlando area in the coming years!
Positive Coming Attractions:
John Frost wrote up a nice article a little while ago about the failed WDAS project “My Peoples” and how it was set to be animated in the Orlando animation department…until they closed the Orlando animation department. It never transferred over to CA, many Orlando animators left Disney all together, and after a ton of other set backs…the project was canned.
For those of you unfamiliar, the story was very short, it was about how three small kids and a ghost brought together a couple in the Appalachia area of the USA in the 1940’s. The thought process was taken from Walt’s head, for every big and grandiose film, you include a low-budget and simply sweet film to even things out (Bambi is to Tarzan and Dumbo is to My Peoples). After much deliberation and “fighting” between Barry Cook (the creator of the story and idea), Michael Eisner (the then CEO), and Thomas Schumacher (the then president of WDAS) over budget issues and such, the plan would be this: the couple would be done in hand-drawn animation while the rest of the characters were done, in the style of folk art, in CGI. It saved money and gave the film a distinct look. Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, Charles Durning, and more had already signed on to voice for the film and they had also already begun to write the bluegrass music for the film (which was supposed to evoke that sense of classic Appalachia).
You know you’ve always wanted to live in a Disney theme park, admit it. Well, you can’t quite move into Cinderella Castle, but Disney’s Golden Oak development is the next best thing. The luxury home complex is situated right on Walt Disney World property and… Read More »Interview with Page Pierce, VP at Disney’s Golden Oak Development
It took them long enough, but Disney World has finally released a little bit of concept art for the new Little Mermaid meet & greet that will be attached to, but separate from, the larger attraction. The concept art for Ariel’s Grotto shows her seated… Read More »Concept art for Ariel’s Grotto – New Fantasyland Meet and Greet
“Phineas and Ferb & YOU: A Brand New Reality” is a new experience coming to Downtown Disney Orlando this fall. Guests can stand in a virtual set and interact with a random sequence of animated segments featuring characters from Phineas and Ferb. How it works:… Read More »New Phineas & Ferb Virtual Experience Coming to Downtown Disney Orlando for Limited Time
We’re getting our first glimpse inside the new bowling slash nightclub location that is coming to Downtown Disney. Splitsville, located in Downtown Disney West Side, will contain 50,000 square feet of fun and 30 lanes on two floors. This newly released concept art is of… Read More »Our first Glimpse inside Splitsville – Bowling is coming to Downtown Disney
Where we last left the SeaWorld Killer Whale OSHA case was that a judge had declined to hear SeaWorld’s appeal and that trainers would not be allowed to be in the water with the animals without a barrier. SeaWorld pointed out in their appeal that… Read More »SeaWorld Takes First Steps Toward Returning Trainers Into Water With Killer Whales