Say Good Bye to Camp Minnie Mickey

[DizneyFreak2002]

Well, the days of CMM are slowly being numbered... Not only are the kiosks where the meet and greets going to get shut down and removed (once Beastly Bazaar is turned into the indoor meet and greet), but Lion King is now RUMORED to be leaving CMM aand moving into Africa...

Does this mean a physical move or just a new pathway created leading from Africa to Lion King, I don't know... Moving it was a plan associated with Avatar... But, whether the plan is to still move it to Africa, or leave it where it is and just add a new entrance I don't know...

More and more it looks like they are getting ready for... Pandora on Earth...

[Joannelet]

That would make a lot of sense to move the lion king show to Africa. Maybe like you said a different path will be created.
What are the plans for the Avatar area? Does anyone know?
As long as they don't touch the store I worked in I am all good! :) island Merc is the best! :)
Before I had kids I have to be honest I never went into camp Minnie Mickey. If I did it was to just see the lion king. With kids I just found it to be a walk out of the way. Having it where beastly baazar is would be better.

Oh well it is still sad to see it change but I know it has to.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Well, no concept art has been released yet but, according to some in the know... the idea for an entire land is not really going to happen... Probably 1 ride, a merchandise store, and a restaurant... and the "land" not being as massive as one would think... And the ride??? Only a copy of Soarin, which, in my opinion, would be a fail... I do believe these people who has said this, they are close connections and are reliable... But of course, who knows??? I would hope Cameron, the perfectionist that he is, would tell Disney to do something more creative and advanced than just Soarin 2.0..

[Mousemates]

While I won't personally miss CMM in the slightest, I do sincerely hope your sources turn out to be wrong about what you describe to now be a very scaled back version of the whole Avatar thing (a ride, a store, and a restaurant). And if its really only going to be one ride, that ride needs to be completely amazing (something on the "plus side" of Universal's Harry Potter (which is crazy fun)) or it (Avatar) will indeed be a fail in my eyes too.

[BrerGnat]

"Good Bye."

I don't care for CMM at all. The Lion King show is great, but it can be moved anywhere else in the park for all I care. I think that area would be a perfect place to put Avatarland as well, since I NEVER go down that way and I can easily avoid it. :thumbsup:

[ChipNDale79]

"Good Bye."

I don't care for CMM at all. The Lion King show is great, but it can be moved anywhere else in the park for all I care. I think that area would be a perfect place to put Avatarland as well, since I NEVER go down that way and I can easily avoid it. :thumbsup:

The Lion King is the only reason we've been to CMM, of course we've never been with kids. So I don't know if our boys would miss it or not when we take them next year.

As long as they keep The Lion King......

[DizneyFreak2002]

While I won't personally miss CMM in the slightest, I do sincerely hope your sources turn out to be wrong about what you describe to now be a very scaled back version of the whole Avatar thing (a ride, a store, and a restaurant). And if its really only going to be one ride, that ride needs to be completely amazing (something on the "plus side" of Universal's Harry Potter (which is crazy fun)) or it (Avatar) will indeed be a fail in my eyes too.

Believe me, I do hope the guy is wrong as well, but I trust him... He has been pin point accurate with everything he has let slip out so far (in fact, he mentioned long ago about Jaws being closed for more Potter, and we all laughed him off, and what happened??? Mind you, he told us this before last summer, when talks about more Potter centered around Lost Continent and NOT Jaws)... He tends to be very accurate..

But, that also doesn't mean he isn't being used by someone in the company to promote their own agenda... Politics in the WDC are worse than American politics... People within WDI will use their sources to try to crush someone's project just so their project can get the green light... it is a dirty business there in WDI...

So, while I do trust him (and he isn't the only one who has reported this, so have others who have deep connections), the final product is all we can go on since Disney can't be trusted with their announcements either... Beastly Kingdomme anyone???

[DizneyFreak2002]

The Lion King is the only reason we've been to CMM, of course we've never been with kids. So I don't know if our boys would miss it or not when we take them next year.

As long as they keep The Lion King......

The plans are to keep Lion King.. Just relocate it to Africa.. I'm trying to find out where in Africa they could locate it to... Something tells me it may wind up being only a new walkway, from Africa... The footprint for Lion King is huge...

Actually, looking at Google Maps, a new walkway wouldn't be feasible.. CMM and Lion King are too far from Africa in DAK... But there does appear to be a lot of unused area.. Just how much is for park infrastructure though, I don't know..

[Dyanna]

Is there a time frame as to when CMM is planning on closing?

[DizneyFreak2002]

Is there a time frame as to when CMM is planning on closing?

My guess?? After the holidays.. probably January 2013 would be my estimate... I say that because they are going to need the capacity during that busy time of the year... And, i'm sure they are going to want to get Lion King re-open as quick as possible...

[joonyer]

Looking at aerial photos, the Lion King show building and complex is pretty big, although not as big as the Finding Nemo (fka Tarzan Rocks) theater or the Dinosaur show building. I don't see any way they could move the FotLK complex to the Africa section of the park without building a completely new building. Moving the existing building would be time consuming and very expensive and would require the show be shut down for a long time. Building a new building for the show elsewhere in the park would also be very expensive, and given the rumors that WDC is cutting back on capital spending, I find it hard to hope that FotLK would be moved to another part of the park, although It would be a great fit in Harambe Village. I think they could find room for it, although it may require moving some other things around (again, costing even more $$$ making that more unlikely).

I think it's more likely that they might build a new entrance walkway (much less costly than moving the show) although it would create a LOOOONG walk from Harambe, from the northwestern part of the park along the western boundary to the south park of AK where FotLK is now located.

I just hope they keep FotLK operating, and not decide to close it to make make room for Pandora.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Looking at aerial photos, the Lion King show building and complex is pretty big, although not as big as the Finding Nemo (fka Tarzan Rocks) theater or the Dinosaur show building. I don't see any way they could move the FotLK complex to the Africa section of the park without building a completely new building. Moving the existing building would be time consuming and very expensive and would require the show be shut down for a long time. Building a new building for the show elsewhere in the park would also be very expensive, and given the rumors that WDC is cutting back on capital spending, I find it hard to hope that FotLK would be moved to another part of the park, although It would be a great fit in Harambe Village. I think they could find room for it, although it may require moving some other things around (again, costing even more $$$ making that more unlikely).

I think it's more likely that they might build a new entrance walkway (much less costly than moving the show) although it would create a LOOOONG walk from Harambe, from the northwestern part of the park along the western boundary to the south park of AK where FotLK is now located.

I just hope they keep FotLK operating, and not decide to close it to make make room for Pandora.

Building a new Lion King theater would be part of the Avatar budget....

[joonyer]

Building a new Lion King theater would be part of the Avatar budget....

That's great news. I do think it would be a perfect fit somewhere in Harambe Village.

[DizneyFreak2002]

That's great news. I do think it would be a perfect fit somewhere in Harambe Village.

Please, don't take that as news... I'm just assuming... Would make sense... but please, that isn't news...

[joonyer]

Please, don't take that as news... I'm just assuming... Would make sense... but please, that isn't news...

OK, but keeping my fingers crossed. And I hope the Avatar project is done right.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Behind Tusker House is the current rumor... there would also be a new entrance from Discovery Island... And a FP entrance...

[Goofster]

I always thought it was a neat little themed area for the kids. My boys always liked looking at the Donald Duck hiking/camping figures scattered throughout CMM. BUT, if FOTLK wasn't back there then we probably wouldn't have gone over there.

[HackLaSalle]

I wonder if the Dragon Rock will ever be removed or will it just sit there as a constant reminder of what could of been. All though some of it still lives on down the street.

[Imagineer1981]

Actually a new show building for FotLK could be great. Improved seating, more seating, etc. They could even enhance the special effects and show elements to freshen it up. Moving it could be the best thing for it.

As for Avatar...I still say :ack:

[jennsky]

I had never been back to CMM until I had kids. Once I had kids, I found it was a great place to take them to get characters' autographs without having to wait in a big line (at least at the times we went). I will admit though that it did feel like quite a hike to get back there. I certainly hope they just don't make it an even LONGER pathway to FOTL from Africa!!

[DizneyFreak2002]

I had never been back to CMM until I had kids. Once I had kids, I found it was a great place to take them to get characters' autographs without having to wait in a big line (at least at the times we went). I will admit though that it did feel like quite a hike to get back there. I certainly hope they just don't make it an even LONGER pathway to FOTL from Africa!!

Hmmm, the hike to the theater, if it is relocated, may not be as long... but I can't say for sure since there hasn't been any blueprints or anything shared...

What I'd like to see, but I know they won't do this, is make the queue for FotLK indoors... Theme it to a cave site, Pride Rock for example... That way guests are out of the sun and rain while waiting to enter the theater...

[DizneyFreak2002]

I'm resurrecting this thread because, well, I didn't find any thread where this information may fit...

Reports are circulating online that construction of the new FotLK theater, which will now be located in Africa, will begin this coming Monday...

The new area will include new pathways into and out of the theater area...

[Ltmoko]

Any completion date?

[DizneyFreak2002]

Any completion date?

No completion date... Disney hasn't announced that FotLK is moving...

Walls have gone up along the west side of the bridge that leads into Harambe village... Seems they are moving forward...

[DizneyFreak2002]

Time to bump an old thread... It is now official... FOTLK is moving, new theater will open in 2014.. As stated previously, the new theater will be located in Africa, behind Tusker House... The announcement is in today's Disney Parks blog..


I fell in love with “Festival of the Lion King” the first time I saw it, in a sneak preview ahead of the 1998 opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. From the acrobatic antics of the Tumble Monkeys to Zawadi’s soaring vocals during the signature “Circle of Life,” the exuberant spirit of the show’s cast has kept me coming back time and time again and made “Festival of the Lion King” a guest favorite at Walt Disney World Resort for 15 years.

Today, I’m excited to tell you “Festival of the Lion King” will soon be moving to an all-new theater, bringing the “tribal celebration” home fittingly to the Africa section of the park, where Disney’s Animal Kingdom guests will be able to continue enjoying the show for years to come.

The new “Festival of the Lion King” theater is set to open in 2014.

[mickeys_princess_mom]

Any ideas about the timeline of closing down for the move?....

[DizneyFreak2002]

Any ideas about the timeline of closing down for the move?....

I suspect the show will stay open until the new theater is ready... Then just switch over with no real downtime... if there is any downtime, i doubt it would be very long..

[sportsguy2315]

So one would assume once FOTLK moves out that Camp Minnie Mickey would (pardon the pun) pull up stakes?