Tidbits
May 2007
Tides of Change
5/23/07 Disney has filed a Leasing Agreement for one of its currently dormant Please Island retail locations. According to the documentation, Sammy Duval Watersports will lease the former Superstar Studios retail location. No date was documented for the beginning of the lease period nor its contractual length.
5/8/07 Disney has internally announced that they are in the process of finalizing several third party operational agreements to complete Phase II of their Pleasure Island refurbishment. These contracts would be to operate the several former retail locations that are currently unoccupied. The identity of the operators and anticipated time lines are expected to be released once contracts have been finalized.
Studio Street Work
5/22/07Operations has announced that Toy Story Mania construction will soon be expanding into portions of Mickey Avenue. The expansion will reportedly be for the construction of the attraction entrance and exit areas; as well as, a staging area for further facade work.
Beyond potential disruptions in Guest flow along Mickey Avenue, the only operational change currently reported is the displacement of all 4 current Mickey Avenue Character Meet and Greet locations. The Kim Possible location is currently planned to be moved to the Streets of America, the Friends of JoJo's Circus and Little Einsteins locations are currently planned to be moved to the Animation Courtyard near Playhouse Disney Live on Stage! and the Mickey Mouse location is currently planned to be moved to the Sorcerer Hat. At this time it is unknown if these locations will be temporary during the construction or if these are new permanent homes.
Character Re-Connection
5/21/07 The Epcot Character Spot opened today (5/21/07). As announced, the meet and greet features characters with individually themed areas that reflect a division of science or technology. The meet and greet operates by Guests visiting each character area in an ordered succession guided by Cast Members. Current operating hours have been reported as 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.
The 5 themed character areas currently are (in order of visiting):
- Transportation--Mickey Mouse
- Space--Goofy
- Energy--Chip and Dale
- Agriculture--Pluto
- Communication--Minnie Mouse
Backstage Buzz
5/17/07A peak into a real working Studio has returned to the Disney-MGM Studio's Backlot Tour attraction. The Daily Buzz is currently broadcasting from the theme park and has also become a temporary feature of the Backlot Tour attraction. The show's editing bays can be seen on the Backlot Tour through a yet-to-be specified date in June 2007. In addition to the editing bays, a video about the show is also on display.
Swap Meet (and Greet)
5/17/07Character Cast have reported that Remy (from Disney's upcoming feature film Ratatouille) is scheduled to start Meet and Greet appearances at the Magic of Disney Animation sometime during the first half of June 2007. This Meet and Greet is tentatively planned replace the current Meet the Robinsons location.
Kwaheli, Researcher
5/17/07 Attraction Cast have reported the following general changes regarding the ride audio of the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction:
~Removal of the Miss Jobson character
~Scaling back of Warden Wilson's Lines
~Removal of Big Red and Little Red names, still a mother and baby elephant characters, just no unique names
~Scaling back of Poacher role
Attraction Cast have reported the following changes regarding the finale of the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction (highlight below to read):
{Please note, if you want to be completely surprised by the new ending do not highlight below}
~Warden Wilson and his plane are removed
~The poacher's abandoned vehicle is found with the baby elephant on-board. (rather than the poachers captured)
~Warden Wilson (still in the air) assures that the poaches will not be able to make it out of the reserve
On the whole, it appears that the poacher storyline will be simplified and scaled back adding more of a focus onto the safari itself.
5/14/07 In addition to seating expansions, it appears that Kilimanjaro Safari will be receiving some storyline changes as well. Attraction Cast have reported, that as of June 1, 2007, the attraction will debut a new ride audio devoid of Wildlife Researcher Miss Cathrine Jobson . Additionally, it is also reported that the finale scene of catching the poachers will be replaced by a new scene. Although details of the new script and finale scene have yet to be made clear, it is reported that several of the ride vehicles are currently being used to preview the new audio track.
InnovenChange
5/14/07 The current refurbishments at the House of Innoventions Exhibit in Epcot's Innoventions pavilion appears to be more than just upkeep or cosmetic refreshment. Several items from the exhibit have started to appear on eBay suggesting that the exhibit is either undergoing replacements of its displays or may be undergoing other drastic changes. So far two of the products from the bathroom section have been evidently removed--the "Jacuzzi La Scala Whirlpool Bath Hot Tub with 43" Plasma TV" and the "Toto Automatic Neorest Elongated Tankless Toilet Bidet". The exhibit is scheduled to conclude its refurbishment May 24, 2007.
"Too Small to See", Innovention's nanotechnology exhibit, has recently ended its Epcot tenure. The traveling exhibit, which opened in Mid-November 2006, has closed and is enroute to continue its national tour of science and industry museums and other science and technology related locations.