Tidbits April 2007

[Figment!]

Tidbits
April 2007

A More Contemporary Tower

4/25/07The arcade section of the Food & Fun Center has closed. The existing consoles and games are in-transition to the new Contemporary Games location on the Grand Concourse level. The transition is expected to last through April 27th; during this time the resort plans to offer Guests alternative arcade options. Contemporary Games is schedule to open to Guests for previews April 28 until the Grand Opening April 30, 2007.

The earlier reported "Early Summer" completion date appears to refer to the completion of a new Fantasia Gifts shop.

4/19/07 An "Early Summer" completion date has been reportedly set for the conversion of the Fantasia Shop to the new Contemporary Games. It is currently unknown if this date refers to the only the completion of the construction or when the new arcade will be open for operation.

1/14/06 The first major step toward the "new" Grand Concourse level at the Contemporary is underway. The Fantasia Store has now closed and construction walls have enclosed the store. On the construction walls are concept art depicting the new arcade that is to replace the store.

The art depicts a new arcade named "Contemporary Games" and shows a retro-futuristic style of decor. In addition to the expected arcade games, the art also shows what appears to be a prize redemption counter.

The attached Sundries store has remained unaffected by this change. Some merchandise from the Fantasia store can be found at kiosks that have been installed in the open Concourse area near the closed store.

A Perennial Parrot

4/24/07The World of Disney's Adventurer Room has undergone a recent update. Rusty Blade and Pollyanna have been removed from the room's centerpiece and in their place the Barker Pirate Parrot has taken roost. The gabby Audio-Animatronic was removed from the exterior of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Spring 2006 as part of the "version 2" refurbishment.

Video of the Barker Pirate Parrot in the World of Disney's Adventurer Room (YouTube)

Dining in Andapur

4/24/07Dining Cast have reported that the Yak & Yeti Restaurant is tentatively scheduled to open Early October 2007.

4/5/07Construction is progressing on the future location of Landry's next Disney Dining Location. The First sign of the Yak & Yeti buildings (or at least facades) have started to peak up behind the construction walls. Despite this visible progress, the opening date has yet to be officially specified from "2007".

IL Replacemento

4/19/07 Disney has internally announced that the Patina Restaurant Group (the group behind 3 Disneyland restaurants) will indeed replace the L'Originale Alfredo di Roma in Epcot's Italy pavilion. Differing from the rumours, the announcement states that the location is scheduled to open "Fall 2008", with an interim "showcase of Italian Fare" starting in September .

4/17/07 Rumours have started to surface regarding the replacement of L'Originale Alfredo di Roma in Epcot's Italy pavilion. It is currently rumoured that the new location will be operated by the same group that is behind such Disneyland establishments as The Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar, Tortilla Jo's and (most notably) Naples Ristorante E Pizzeria. It has been speculated that the Alfredo replacement will feature a Southern Italian cuisine similar to that of the Naples Ristorante and Naples 45 (the latter a New York city restaurant by the same group). Adding some support to these rumours, are previous rumours that circulated in September of 2004 that a "Naples" style location was being considered for the Walt Disney World resort. While no specific branding of the new establishment has been rumorued this time around, it has been rumorued that the new location is schedule to open the weekend of September 15/16, 2007.

Los Changes

4/17/07 Disney's Coronado Springs resort is undergoing some fairly drastic changes to it's light dining and retail options during the second half of this year. The resort is currently in the process of adding a new refreshment location called "Laguna Bar" to the resort's promenade area. The new watering hole is scheduled to open April 29, 2007. In addition, the resort's current lounge is also undergoing an expansion. Francisco's closed for refurbishment April 16 and is scheduled to re-open in a larger form October 13, 2007. The newly expanded location will take over the space currently occupied by the Jumping Beans Arcade and La Tienda. It has been reported that La Tienda will be relocated during the same time period, but there has been no reports on the future of the Jumping Beans Arcade. When Francisco's re-opens it will reportedly be a Cafe & Lounge location. Not to be left out of the action, Panchito's Gifts and Sundries will be undergoing renovations May 28 - June 29, 2007--but will remain open in some capacity during the work.

Epicurean Expansions

4/12/07 The Animal Kingdom has converted a refreshment location and a snack location into two new counter service options. Drinkwallah, which was removed from normal operation in April 2001, appears to have rejoined the regular line-up of dining locations located in the Asia section of the park. In addition to refreshments, Drinkwallah now offers Turkey Sandwiches and Ham Sandwiches. Tamu Tamu Refreshments, located in the Africa section, has now added Chef Salads, Hamburgers and Tuna Sandwiches to it's line-up of refreshments and soft serve ice cream. It has yet to be confirmed that these are permanent changes (and not temporary ones for the peak spring crowds), but at this time all indications point to them being a permanent change.

Raglan Road at Pleasure Island has restructured it's operations re-adding a Lunch seating. The location now serves Lunch 11:00 am - 2:45 pm and Dinner from 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm. Advanced Dining Reservations are being accepted for the both seatings. Bar Service is still expected till 2:00 am, although it was not specifically mentioned in the operational updated.

[Figment!]

Solo Rock’n

4/12/07 The new single rider line and queue system are in full operation.

11/17/06 It appears that Rock’n Roller Coaster is planned to have a single riders line added as part of its scheduled early 2007 rehab. A Notice of Commencement has been filed under the project title “Rock n Roller Coaster Singles Line Addition” between Walt Disney World Co. and Bruns Inc. General Contractors; including blueprints. The Notice has been filed with in the last week; however, no dates for the construction have been designated per public record.

Character Re-Connection

4/6/07 Disney has announced that the soon-to-be upgraded and expanded Epcot Character Connection will re-open as the Epcot Character Spot later this spring.

The Newest Place to "Spot" Characters

Now your kids can meet their Disney pals in a new cartoon world of fun

Mickey and some of his best friends now have a magical new place where they could meet you and the kids called The Epcot® Character Spot.

Opening spring 2007, it's a wonderland of colorful environments and magical touches where the fun begins even before your little ones meet some of their beloved favorites.

Wonderful worlds within our "World"

With the help of their 'toon friends, Walt Disney Entertainment Cast Members came up with the new Spot. It's a delightful little tribute to nearby Innoventions, the gigantic Epcot showplace of the newest technologies, interactive games and hands-on exhibits.

"Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Chip 'n Dale and the gang inspired a new kind of all-encompassing cartoon world," explained Show Writer/Director Forrest Bahruth. "In addition to meeting favorite Disney Characters, there are lots of other things to see and do, too."

Choose your happy adventure

As Disney tunes dance merrily through the air, you and your children will be able to choose your paths to the five different experiences, all featuring imaginative, amusing details to explore and enjoy.

Mickey or one of his best pals might pop up in Transportation, celebrating getting "from here to there" over the years and into the future. Goofy is likely to wander through Space, where you might encounter friendly alien images and other out-of-this-world imagery in what Forrest calls "Satellite Central."

More to explore than ever before

Chip 'n Dale are nuts about Energy, so it's fitting that they or their fellow characters scamper around an environment sparkling with electricity, lab equipment, generators and wacky wiring.

Pluto got all excited when he saw the 'toon version of Land. He just loves flowers, trees, fruit and veggies—and he couldn't believe how huge everything was! It's a beautiful, dreamlike environment where all the citizens of Earth live in harmony.

Since Minnie Mouse loves to be on the cutting edge of Communication, she insisted on having fun inspired by the latest in computers, cell phones and futuristic ways for folks to connect with each other.

2/16/07 Construction walls have popped up around the Epcot Character Connection and the adjacent areas comprising the former Pasta Piazza location. According to Epcot Cast, the walls are due to the Epcot Character Connection under going a semi-major renovation to expand and upgrade the meet 'n' greet location. While the original location is under renovation, a temporary Character Connection location has been set-up (also in Innoventions West) so Guests will not have to miss out on meeting their favorite VIP characters. As a side effect of the construction, the Fountain View café will be closed during the renovations due to the proximity of the dining location. There is currently no completion date reportedly known for the renovations.

A Tea-rific Addition

4/5/07 The Joy of Tea opened last month at Epcot's China Pavilion. This new kiosk (as its name suggests) specializes in Chinese Teas. The location offers Frozen Flavored Tea Drinks (non-alcoholic and liquor based), Flavored Iced Tea, Hot Teas, Bottled Tea, Beer, Wine, Ice Cream and Canned Coca-Cola Products. Most Beverages are priced in the $4 range (non-alcoholic) and $5-$6 range (alcoholic), while the Ice Cream is priced at $2.99.

An Autumn Attenuation

4/5/07 It has been reported that the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue reduced schedule from 8/30 - 10/29 is due to a partitioned refurbishment of Pioneer Hall. For the two days each week the venue is closed, incremental work is scheduled to refurbish the location and replace the floors.

3/3/07 The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue at Disney’s Fort Wilderness is planned to scale back its schedule during the “Low Fall” season of 2007. From August 30 - October 29, 2007, the dinner show is scheduled to perform Thursday through Monday only. A formal reason has yet to be cited for the planned operational change.

[Figment!]

Tides of Change

4/5/07 Only a few walls remain at Pleasure Island as the current phase of the on-going renovations draw to a close. The completion of this stage has concluded the removal of West End and Hub Stages; as well as, the widening and refurbishment of many of the open spaces/paths.

Based on previous announcements, the next phase of work should involve the addition of new shops to the Island; although no timetable is known at this time.

El Rio Del Caballeros

4/6/07 The Gran Fiesta Tour Opened to the public today at World Showcase open.

4/5/07 Mexico Pavilion Cast are reporting that the ride is set to tentatively re-open the weekend of April 7-8, 2007.

4/2/07 The opening of the Gran Fiesta Tour appears to be delayed. As of park open today, the attraction was not operational despite being scheduled to. Mexico Pavilion Cast Members are reporting that the attraction's re-opening has been delayed 3-9 days depending on the completion of the remaining tasks. At this time, there are not expected to be a "preview mode" for the new form of this attraction.

2/22/07 Time has set on Mexico’s River of Time, Disney has announced that the when El Rio Del Tiempo re-opens from its lengthy rehab it will do so with a new name. Disney has announced that “Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Cabrellos” will open this Spring in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion.

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Cabrellos

At Epcot's Mexico pavilion, "Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros" debuts (replacing "El Rio Del Tiempo") with a new storyline and film featuring Donald Duck, José Carioca (the parrot), and Panchito (the Mexican charro rooster) from the 1944 Disney film "The Three Caballeros."

The "Gran Fiesta Tour" film features an animated overlay of the caballeros being reunited for a grand performance in Mexico City. Along the way, Donald disappears to take in the sights of the country, leaving José and Panchito to search for their missing friend.

In addition to the new film, the boat ride's props, set facades and sound system have been refurbished and enhanced.

The Gran Fiesta Tour is currently scheduled to officially open April 2, 2007.

Express Eats

4/2/07 The Magic Kingdom is piloting a new "Express Cash Only" queue at some of its Counter Service locations. As it's name suggests the queue is "cash only", but it also offers a very limited menu. So far the new queue has been tested at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe (where Guests can "quickly" get burgers, fries and/or drinks) and Pinocchio's Village Haus (where Guests can "quickly" get Cheese Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza and/or drinks). There has been no timetable reported for these tests, nor a complete list of locations to be tested at.

Extra Illumination

4/2/07 Disney has internally announced that that Epcot will be piloting a new Illuminations schedule during the month of April:

Additional IllumiNations Performance during April 2007 Extra Magic Hours

As an additional way to delight our Guests, a second IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth will be added at 11:30 pm during Epcot's Evening Extra Magic Hours for the month of April. This benefit for Disney Resort Guests visiting the park on these nights can make the most of their time by dining, shopping or riding attractions and then catch the special 11:30 pm show. The regular Day Guest experience of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth will continue as normal every evening at 9:00 pm

At this time, it is unknown when the expanded scheduled would be implemented on a permanent basis if the test is deemed a "success".

[Bethanymouse]

Thanks for the info!

[Jeff G]

Thanks for the updates!

Can't wait to see the "Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros". Having a young family I'm hoping this is another enjoyable ride for the lttile ones. The selection of rides for little ones is very limited at Epcot as they convert t more thrill rides.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Thanks for the updates...

[Crow]

interesting about Illuminations..id def b up for that in May.
Gran Fiesta has 56 days to b ready for me.
thanks for the info!

[Ian]

Man, DD is going to be in her glory next trip. She'll have three new attractions to check out ... Nemo and Friends, Laugh Floor Comedy Club, and the new Rio ...

[Caroleh]

Cool, thanks for the updates, Jason!!!!

[Dsnygirl]

Thanks, Jason! Glad the list of new things to visit on our next trip keeps getting longer!!

[tron80]

Illuminations twice for EMH? Awesome.

[AliceinDisney]

Rad! I can't wait to ride that one although El Rio De Tiempo will be missed, I think this one will be much more fun and in the Disney tradition! Yippie!

[vizsla]

Thanks for the updates.

[sleepingbooty]

Thanks for the update! That express cash line idea for counter service sounds like a great idea, hope they expand it!

[Pop Centurion]

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to the Gran Fiesta Tour.

[NJDad]

Those cash only lines would work even better if they could work it out so that everything cost an even dollar amount-order you lunch, pay exactly 7 a head, or whatever, and make the line zoom (sort of).

[joelkfla]

Disney has internally announced that that Epcot will be piloting a new Illuminations schedule during the month of April:

As an additional way to delight our Guests, a second IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth will be added at 11:30 pm during Epcot's Evening Extra Magic Hours for the month of April.

How can they do that? Is there enough time to move everything backstage, reload the pyro, refuel the Inferno & Earth, and position everything back in the lagoon?

Or are they planning to do all that onstage? Is there really enough time to do all that safely, allowing for cool-down and without disturbing the post-show?

Or have they increased the fuel capacity of the Inferno, and built duplicate pyro barges?

Or will each show be only half as spectactular on those nights?

[magicofdisney]

Do you suppose that cash only line is in response to complaints about the DDP customers taking too long to order? I initially thought a DDP line only would be a good idea. This could be better.

[Figment!]

How can they do that? Is there enough time to move everything backstage, reload the pyro, refuel the Inferno & Earth, and position everything back in the lagoon?

Don't know the details, but they have done two Illuminations in one night before (Past Couple New Years Eve's), so they have something worked out. Although this will be a shorter buffer period in between shows ....

[4ubie1]

As always...Thanks for the Updates! I look forward to hearing how the Mexico ride turned out