Tag Archives: Disney News

New Closures at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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Planes at Disney's Hollywood StudiosAs with each of Walt Disney World’s parks, Disney’s Hollywood Studios garners its fair share of rumors and debate – especially lately with the not-yet-finalized Star Wars expansion plans in the works, the announced closure of the American Idol Experience, and just last week – the announced closure (August 17th) of the American Film Institute Showcase and Shop.  Rumors continue to swirl about other closures ahead and, while that makes me a little sad for what will be lost, I’m completely thrilled that the Studios will be getting some long overdue attention – and not just with Star Wars – I’m really hoping Disney will be adding more new and different experiences.  Old rides and attractions did not receive necessary updates – Many have gone virtually unchanged for 25 The Showcase Shop / Disney's Hollywood Studiosyears!  My hope is that these worn, tired, and outdated experiences, even if they’re completely replaced, will allow the Studios to reach its potential as a full day park.  I even heard a rumor this week that the park might receive a completely different name…we’ll see, won’t we?

Saying Goodbye

If you’ve ever been on the Studios Backlot Tour, you’ve been in the American Film Institute Showcase – a collection of easily recognizable props from famous movies.  As you exited the exhibit, you’d pass through a shop selling movie memorabilia and props.  The shop had some very cool merchandise which was Disney's Hollywood Studios - Catastrophe Canyoncompletely different than in most other Walt Disney World retail stores.  Sadly, it was one of my favorite parts of the Backlot Tour!  I’m extra pleased in light of the closure of the exhibit and shop that we took the time for one last Backlot Tour while we were at Walt Disney World in May.  On that tour, we notice right away that no volunteers were chosen for the Pearl Harbor filming demonstration at the beginning of the tour – that was another of my favorite parts of the experience.  Once, many years ago, Raymond and I completely shocked our children by volunteering to be in the show – our few moments as deckhands in Pearl Harbor remains one of our happiest Disney memories to this day.Volunteering for the Studios Backlot Tour

Certainly, the Studios Backlot Tour is a perfect example of an attraction that could have, should have been updated over the years.  Instead of being updated, it slowly lost its magic over time.  After showing mostly the same special effects (like Catastrophe Canyon) and prop types (especially in the abandoned vehicle graveyard), elements of the tour were removed or diminished.  As with most of the Studios, the Backlot has been in need of a change for a long time.

Superman's CapeGoodbye original Studios Backlot Tour – We’re really looking forward to what’s coming next!

Are you a fan of the Studios Backlot Tour?  What are/were your favorite parts of this attraction?Scene Drawing from E.T.

Sound of Music Puppets

Disney Twitterverse – Week Ending November 9th, 2013

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Oh, there was some major tweeting going on this week!  Here’s what Disney fans were talking about…

RunDisney Events – This week was the lead up to the Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Disney World.  Saturday morning included the Jingle Jungle 5K with the half marathon on Saturday night.  The twitterverse was humming with tweets from runners and fans alike.  If you’ve ever dreamed of completing a runDisney event, these races looked like great ones.

Halloween is over and Christmas has arrived in all places Disney.  The holiday decorations have gone up, the “snow” has started falling, and the first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the year is over.  What happened to Thanksgiving?  Anyway, if you’ve been or are going to Mickey’s Very Merry, I’d love to hear about it!

Tony Baxter, Imagineer and Disney legend, received a Window on Main Street USA in Disneyland on Friday, November 1st.  Mr. Baxter’s new window, installed above Main Street Magic  pays tribute to a man who has contributed so much to the Disney we all love.  Please take a minute to read this excellent article at Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings blog.

Still more Thor!  As Thor: The Dark World opened in theaters this week there have been quite a few excited fans.  I caught this newest installment in the Marvel Avengers movie series yesterday.  Now I feel qualified to tweet about it too.

What were YOU tweeting about Disney last week?  Follow me @life_of_green

 

In the Disney Twitterverse

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I’ve had a IMG_1915twitter account for years. Like any normal parent, I set it up to stalk lovingly monitor my darling children as they used social media. I didn’t begin tweeting or following others until I realized how many totally cool Disney fans (of varied Disney interests) there are out there in the twitter-verse.  Now I’m following a big bunch of interesting, funny, informative, creative, athletic, crafty (I could keep going, but you get the idea) people on twitter….best of all, they’re DISNEY people like me.  

So, what was everyone tweeting about last week?  Here are some of the hottest topics:

  • Frozen:  Merchandise is arriving in stores, characters are appearing at the Disney Parks, and people are getting stoked about this latest Disney animated movie’s opening on November 27th.  I am one of those people!
  • DSCN3118The Disney Magic:  Disney Cruise Line’s ship, the Magic, has just undergone a major refurbishment that included a bunch of fantastic changes.  We just sailed on her in August and got to take one last look around the original version – can’t wait to see the new adult entertainment areas, the new restaurant, Carioca’s (replacing Parrot Cay), and a new water slide – The Aquadunk! and much more.
  • The Jingle Cruise:  It seems the perennial favorite for fans of the horrible pun (…”I’d like to point out this sandstone rock formation…most people just take it for granite.”  bah-dum-bum) will get to experience Adventure Land’s Jungle Cruise in a whole new way as it is made over for the holidays – if anyone is going to be there, I’d LOVE to hear more about this.
  • Magic Bands – still in testing and still causing an uproar.  I’m looking forward to finding out, IMG_1062after the testing is over, if you really truly can only have 3 fast passes in one day thatmust all be at the same park.  Being a huge fan of hopping, I’m hoping to hear this is not true.
  • The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP):  Since I am planning to participate in both of these next year, I’ve been paying particularly close attention to all the tweets about the food booths, the beverages, the crowds, the entertainment and, of course, the touring strategies for enjoying the best the fall season has to offer at Disney World.

I can’t wait to see what’s hot with all the #Disneyfans on Twitter this week…I’ll be back next weekend to give you another update.