Fantasyland Grand Opening?

[ladybug0506]

I apologize if this has already been discussed but I didn't find it in a search. I was just wondering, does anyone know if Disney is planning anything special for the grand opening? We will be there on Dec 6 and plan to be in MK but we have kept most of our plans loose that day in case they are planning something special. We have been told by several CM's that it would be "very un-Disney" for them not to be doing something but they don't seem to have any more information other than that. I just wondered if anyone had heard anything else?

 

[tjkraz]

If they do anything, it will most likely be designed as a photo op. Dec 6 is the big press event and they may try to herd a bunch of guests into the area so the news outlets can get photos and video of a huge crowd waiting and applauding while select execs make brief statements.

Or it could be completely closed off and limited to press access only.

 

[Reddog1134]

Or it could be completely closed off and limited to press access only.

I doubt they would do this after announcing it as a "Grand Opening" to the public.

 

[tjkraz]

I doubt they would do this after announcing it as a "Grand Opening" to the public.

I was specifically referring to whatever event may surround the press gatherings on Dec 6.

In fact, it's not unheard of for these press openings to take place after parks have closed to the public. We were at WDW in 2005 when Soarin and other new attractions opened. Epcot closed around 4-5pm that day and whatever ceremonies occurred were not accessible by the public.

 

[ladybug0506]

I was specifically referring to whatever event may surround the press gatherings on Dec 6.

In fact, it's not unheard of for these press openings to take place after parks have closed to the public. We were at WDW in 2005 when Soarin and other new attractions opened. Epcot closed around 4-5pm that day and whatever ceremonies occurred were not accessible by the public.

I hope that this is not the case. I feel like the new fantasyland is a much bigger deal than the opening of just a few attractions but I get what you are saying. I guess I was hoping for something a little more special though since they have built up anticipation so much. I also hope that they don't close it to the public after hours since that is also a MVMCP night. Granted, not my party night but it would be sad for all those attending the party that night not to have access to the new attractions.

 

[Reddog1134]

I was specifically referring to whatever event may surround the press gatherings on Dec 6.

In fact, it's not unheard of for these press openings to take place after parks have closed to the public. We were at WDW in 2005 when Soarin and other new attractions opened. Epcot closed around 4-5pm that day and whatever ceremonies occurred were not accessible by the public.

When you said "closed off" I thought you meant they would restrict access during the day. As opposed to an after hours event as you suggested.

Even then I think they would do it early in the morning. I don't see them closing it off during the Xmas party or holding it after midnight.

 

[tjkraz]

I doubt they will close the entire park on that day given other things planned (like MVMCP). But blocking off Fantasyland for portions of the day is certainly a possibility. Attractions and even parks close as-needed for events and gatherings. Read earlier that Hollywood Studios is closing early today for an event.

In general, I don't recall any great pomp and circumstance accompanying attraction openings. Crowd control is always an issue. And from Disney's perspective, there's a risk that the crowd will not present the image they wish to portray to the media (disinterested, not enough people, etc.)

Is this opening any more anticipated than what I witnessed in 2005? Hard to tell. It wasn't just Soarin but also Lights, Motors, Action and Stitch's Great Escape being heralded. The Epcot event was quite elaborate based upon the preparations we saw earlier in the day. They had professional sandcastle builders, dozens of hang gliders lining the lawn outside of The Land pavilion. There were over 200 media outlets present with many doing remote radio broadcasts from tents lining the park walkways. As the event began we could see a team of skydivers descending into the park from our room at the BoardWalk.

December 6 is for the media and I suspect it will be a highly controlled atmosphere. They may call it a Grand Opening but it's really a Media Opening. Probably no park closure but blocking off Fantasyland is a distinct possibility. And if the public is invited to participate in some manner, I would expect it to be a modest ribbon cutting ceremony with perhaps a couple of speakers.

 

[ladybug0506]

I doubt they will close the entire park on that day given other things planned (like MVMCP). But blocking off Fantasyland for portions of the day is certainly a possibility. Attractions and even parks close as-needed for events and gatherings. Read earlier that Hollywood Studios is closing early today for an event.

In general, I don't recall any great pomp and circumstance accompanying attraction openings. Crowd control is always an issue. And from Disney's perspective, there's a risk that the crowd will not present the image they wish to portray to the media (disinterested, not enough people, etc.)

Is this opening any more anticipated than what I witnessed in 2005? Hard to tell. It wasn't just Soarin but also Lights, Motors, Action and Stitch's Great Escape being heralded. The Epcot event was quite elaborate based upon the preparations we saw earlier in the day. They had professional sandcastle builders, dozens of hang gliders lining the lawn outside of The Land pavilion. There were over 200 media outlets present with many doing remote radio broadcasts from tents lining the park walkways. As the event began we could see a team of skydivers descending into the park from our room at the BoardWalk.

December 6 is for the media and I suspect it will be a highly controlled atmosphere. They may call it a Grand Opening but it's really a Media Opening. Probably no park closure but blocking off Fantasyland is a distinct possibility. And if the public is invited to participate in some manner, I would expect it to be a modest ribbon cutting ceremony with perhaps a couple of speakers.

But it seems like they would do SOMETHING for the public beyond a ribbon cutting if they did the things you described in 2005. It just doesn't make any sense at all to me that Dec 6 would mainly be for the media since they have been building it up to the public. They have even designed a webpage surrounding the opening on the 6th. I know when they opened the bugs life thing at Disneyland they had special shows and parades to celebrate it and I guess I was expecting something along those lines for as much buildup as there has been. All of this for a few speakers and cutting of a ribbon would be such a disappointment and I hope that this ends up not being the case.

 

[tjkraz]

It just doesn't make any sense at all to me that Dec 6 would mainly be for the media since they have been building it up to the public.

Anything could happen but again, I don't see any past history of elaborate public openings. They've already had weeks of blogger previews, Passholder previews, DVC member previews and many times when the general public can visit. It will be open daily starting on November 19.

The press gatherings are typically aimed at allowing the media to get their brief video clips and 15 second Imagineer interviews. Don't really see what purpose it would serve to include guests in the chaos.