The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Al Weiss, the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts President of Worldwide Operations and a longtime civic leader in Orlando, has announced his retirement after 39 years with the company. At age 57, Weiss has spent his whole professional career… Read More »Walt Disney Parks and Resorts President of Worldwide Operations, Al Weiss, to Retire
I was talking with someone this weekend about the sad state of Splash Mountain, I’m sorry I can’t recall who, and the discussion turned to Magic Kingdom’s VP Phil Holmes. Apparently, Phil believes that the park has serious capacity issues to the point where only… Read More »State of the Magic Kingdom
Tonight I’m continuing my walk through Magic Kingdom and a bit of Downtown Disney. Part One covered much of the Fantasyland Expansion, problems with Splash Mountain, Skyway Station Removal, and more. Part two looks at some of the details that Disney is getting right.
When the Fast Pass for Mickey & Minnie and The Princesses first opened there were signs over head indicating which of the four machines gave out tickets for which queue. However, the machines themselves had no signage. This led Disney to a very simple indicator. Just place a Princess Mickey Hat on the Princess machines and a regular black Mickey Mouse Ears on the Mickey & Minnie machines. While cute, that was probably not the most effective way to do it. They’ve finally added new permanent signs to the FastPass machines.
As nice as these signs are, they’re still not doing much for traffic to the Town Square theater. Both fastpasses were running barely 40 minutes into the future and the wait times for the Princesses were never longer than 35 minutes and Mickey never much longer than 15. I’ve heard that they’re already considering adding a tent to Storybook Circus for Mickey and Minnie and returning Town Square theater to meeting space for special events.
A new food cart appeared in Fantasyland a bit ahead of schedule for its eventual location in the Beauty and the Beast section of the Fantasyland Expansion. Maurice’s Amazing Popping Machine is great because it tells the story of Maurice being an inventor. It also has a wonderful specially themed menu and other fun touches. If they have to have outdoor vending, I hope it looks like this instead of…
Since moving here in 2005, I can’t remember a busier time for construction at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. I’m always happy to see tarps up around a building because it means that building is getting some much needed TLC. But buildings have two sides and it seems the insides of certain attractions are being allowed to fall into disrepair. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here’s part one of a two part pictorial romp through the Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney this weekend.
The tarps are down around the Main Street Confectionery. It features a new red, white, and blue scheme, which works well in Town Square. The roofing appears to be more detailed as well.
There is some art deco/nouveau work on its neighbor facade that’s evocative of the seaside pier. I like it, but the bright colors really stand out considering its pale green neighbor.
I always keep my eyes open for new t-shirts and such. I really liked this new one from Space Mountain.
And this one from Splash Mountain caught my eye as well (although it may not be exactly new). There was a time not too long ago when Disney was ending all the attraction specific merchandise. But it’s back and better than ever.
Lots more below the jump:
Disclaimer: My wife is an employee of Gatorland, however we attended as part of the media for this story, and her employee status has not changed our editorial review of the attraction. Early this morning while the fog was still wafting across the swamp, Gatorland… Read More »Screamin’ Gator Zipline officially opens at Gatorland
When SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment was cleaved from the In-Bev/Anheuser-Busch mothership they immediately realized they could no longer rely on ‘Free Beer’ for their main brand identity. They would have to focus on Conservation. Instead of counting on free beer for word of mouth, they’ve adopted a formula that has been successful for their theme park competitors — integrate movies, tv, and other media into the brand.
SeaWorld’s first big venture along that current is a great tale of conservation befitting their new brand — “Turtle: The Incredible Journey”. Turtle follows the life and migration of a loggerhead turtle from hatching to maturity and a return to its original Florida nesting grounds.
The loggerhead turtle, a threatened species, has one of the longest and most difficult migratory patterns of any marine animal: Sea turtles newly hatched on the East Coast of the United States (usually in Florida) make their way from the sand into the ocean, and then begin a voyage that can span the entire Atlantic Ocean, only to return decades later to that same beach.
“This is a remarkable story crafted by one of the world’s most gifted documentary filmmakers,” said Scott Helmstedter, Chief Creative Officer for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “Turtle: The Incredible Journey does what our parks have been doing for more than five decades: inspire, enrich and entertain. Helping bring this film and its powerful message of the fragility and beauty of our oceans to the public is what SeaWorld is and what we have always been about.”
National Geographic Explorer’s Nick Stringer directed Turtle, which SeaWorld Pictures calls a ‘Family Documentary.’ The film is narrated by Academy Award nominee Miranda Richardson, and will be released to theaters in both standard theatrical formats as well as 3D in selected locations. The movie will premier Friday, June 24th in Orlando.
Turtle looks to follow in the big box office numbers of March of the Penguins, and judging by its trailer, it just might get there.
Check out the trailer below the jump and let us know what you think:
Read More »Turtle: The Incredible Journey – SeaWorld’s First Film will Premier in Orlando
It’s getting to be a habit. About once or twice a year Disneyland and Walt Disney World raise admission prices for their theme parks. Why? Because they can, of course. The parks are busy with many weeks approaching capacity. This year’s price hikes come a… Read More »Disneyland and Disney World Raise Prices effective June 12th
When fire alarms were first heard ringing in the Adventureland area last January no one quite understood the extent of the damage. Power went out to most of Adventureland (and the Country Bears) and water damage was reported to have destroyed the Iago figure along… Read More »Enchanted Tiki Room set to reopen in Magic Kingdom this August