Phase One of Fantasyland = Early 2012!?

[Mammabruski]

Whoa!!!

I'm so excited I can hardly sit still!!! I read on a reliable source's media blog (on all ears) that an imagineer told her (at the D23 Expo) that Phase One of the new Fantasyland will be open "early 2012"! That would be so awesome...

Now I'm wondering what that will entail. I'm guessing the Ariel's ride, the Beauty and the Beast section and maybe the Circus area?! Hopefully we'll get more info as D23 progresses... I can't believe it was two years ago they announced the refurb!

That would make my June 2012 trip for my girls so amazing! :cloud9:

[Strmchsr]

I hope that's the case, but I really don't trust any "reliable" blogs on opening dates. First, off, just given where construction currently is, I don't see how they could have things up and running before mid to late Spring at the earliest (like April or May). Circusland - no way. Be Our Guest restaurant would be the closest possibility. Little Mermaid ride, doubtful for "early" 2012. Mine Train - no way. There's just way too much left to be done for an "early" 2012 opening. But, we'll see what official announcements come out of D23. Imagineers know very well how to keep their mouths shut (usually) and they know rumors spread like wildfire. So, if an Imagineer said this either 1.) An official opening date is going to be officially announced at D23 or 2.) He doesn't really know and was speculating or 3.) He was yanking her chain knowing how rumors spread (which has happened before).

[darthmacho]

I had heard on a podcast that the plans for the Dwarf Mine Train was having a lot of problems, and it was on hiatus and verging on being scrapped. I hope that's not true. The rest of Fantasyland sounds like it will be well worth the wait! :mickey:

[BrerGnat]

My best guess for what will be open in early 2012 would be the Circus area (Dumbos, Great Goofini coaster), only because they have most of the structures in place already and just need to re theme, and the Dumbo ride is something that they can probably put together rather quickly, as it's been cloned so many times already.

I also doubt the mine train is going to be scrapped. The Disney Parks Blog officially released a "ride through" video on their site. They wouldn't do that unless it was definitely a go.

[Ian]

I had heard on a podcast that the plans for the Dwarf Mine Train was having a lot of problems, and it was on hiatus and verging on being scrapped. I hope that's not true. The rest of Fantasyland sounds like it will be well worth the wait! :mickey:Considering, as Natalie said, they just released a video ride through of it yesterday that seems highly unlikely.

And let me tell you, the ride through looked really cute. I'm very excited for this attraction to open! :thumbsup:

[BrerGnat]

And let me tell you, the ride through looked really cute. I'm very excited for this attraction to open! :thumbsup:

Agreed! Sort of reminded me of the Dragon coaster over at Legoland, which I always thought Disney should copy. The combination of slow ride and coaster is really fun!

[seanyred]

I hope that's the case, but I really don't trust any "reliable" blogs on opening dates. First, off, just given where construction currently is, I don't see how they could have things up and running before mid to late Spring at the earliest (like April or May). Circusland - no way. Be Our Guest restaurant would be the closest possibility. Little Mermaid ride, doubtful for "early" 2012. Mine Train - no way. There's just way too much left to be done for an "early" 2012 opening. But, we'll see what official announcements come out of D23. Imagineers know very well how to keep their mouths shut (usually) and they know rumors spread like wildfire. So, if an Imagineer said this either 1.) An official opening date is going to be officially announced at D23 or 2.) He doesn't really know and was speculating or 3.) He was yanking her chain knowing how rumors spread (which has happened before).

I think Little Mermaid could be open earlier next year. It only took them one-year to get it done at DCA. The ride itself is supposedly the same so that shouldn't be a issue. But the exterior is much more elaborate. Either way we go in April 2012 hopefully that something will be open by then. Even if its just walking through the new atmosphere.

[darthmacho]

I also doubt the mine train is going to be scrapped. The Disney Parks Blog officially released a "ride through" video on their site. They wouldn't do that unless it was definitely a go.


Considering, as Natalie said, they just released a video ride through of it yesterday that seems highly unlikely.

And let me tell you, the ride through looked really cute. I'm very excited for this attraction to open! :thumbsup:

That's all great news! I was confused, because after I posed that question here, I saw the video was featured on their site, which I followed through a FB link. I thought it was very strange that they'd do that if there was a glitch in their plans. This is why I come here, to get the real news. I'm excited for the ride too, though I doubt that ride will be ready for my August 2012 trip. Oh well, I'll just have to do a bounceback in 2013, and 2014 if necessary... :mickey:

[Mufasa]

Announcing 2012 for the first phase of the Fantasyland expansion isn't anything new- that was the clearly stated goal when announced at the inaugural D23 Expo 2 years ago. A better question- what exactly would be defined and included in Phase 1?

However, some of the targets were revised a little later as the project scope changed (when some of the announcements like the Dwarves Mine Car Coaster were then announced at a media event in January 2010)

When observing the construction, especially on a project as complex and of the scale of the New Fantasyland Expansion- it is difficult for outsiders to really know where things stand in the timeline and just how much progress has been made because of the 4D planning tools/BIM (building information model) in use. Compared to traditional construction projects the steps in 4D construction may occur "out of sequence" because tasks can occur in parallel, or can be moved up in the timeline because there are no interdependencies on other tasks.

So while it can appear that on the exterior with the show building there has been little to no progress made, there can be a lot going on out of sight or vice versa- sometimes the exterior show building can look complete but still unable to move forward with show installation until sufficient time has passed to allow things to settle, etc.

[disneykidsince1970]

Is there a link or something that I can go to to reference all that is being discussed here - D23, Phase 1, the DwarfMine ride, etc.? I am interested to know more about the expansion but not sure where trusted (or even might be trusted) sources could be found...? thanks!

[BrerGnat]

Is there a link or something that I can go to to reference all that is being discussed here - D23, Phase 1, the DwarfMine ride, etc.? I am interested to know more about the expansion but not sure where trusted (or even might be trusted) sources could be found...? thanks!

If you want the "Official" site for this, then just follow the Disney Parks Blog. You can find it here (http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/).

Most of what we are discussing has been officially announced there, and elaborated on as things progress.

[Ian]

Compared to traditional construction projects the steps in 4D construction may occur "out of sequence" because tasks can occur in parallel, or can be moved up in the timeline because there are no interdependencies on other tasks.This is music to my Project Management ears! :mickey:

[Buttercup]

I wondered why they started construction at the "back" of fantasyland. Wouldn't it make sense for them to start at the "front" of fantasyland (ie. the dwarf coaster, sleeping beauty area, etc.) so that it could open, and they could work their way back.

Now, with the way they've begun, when they eventually open the Beast castle area, Ariel's ride, etc., there's going to be a big construction site in the middle between the "old" fantasyland area and the "new" area for a while.

My only guess they did it this way would have something to do with the Dumbo ride not being able to be moved right away? Maybe someone knows the reason...

[seanyred]

I wondered why they started construction at the "back" of fantasyland. Wouldn't it make sense for them to start at the "front" of fantasyland (ie. the dwarf coaster, sleeping beauty area, etc.) so that it could open, and they could work their way back.

Now, with the way they've begun, when they eventually open the Beast castle area, Ariel's ride, etc., there's going to be a big construction site in the middle between the "old" fantasyland area and the "new" area for a while.

My only guess they did it this way would have something to do with the Dumbo ride not being able to be moved right away? Maybe someone knows the reason...

My guess would be because when they started construction the mine train wasn't part of the original plans. The original plans called for some princess chatues to be in that area. But some of the early construction was already started before the mine train was a go.