OFFICIAL - New Fantasyland Rumour is TRUE!

[JeffGoldblum]

Anyone have a super high-res copy of the blueprint? I'd like to see it in more detail

 

[popsynic]

Wonder if the meet and greets with Princesses will be FASTPASS?

 

[Disney Wanderer]

I just hope Theyre Not Making toe Mistake of focusing Entirely on the Princesses, if they do they Will Shoot themselves in the foot. If its a Combination Princess and Prince theme then There OK

 

[rentayenta]

When is construction set to begin?

 

[wendyt_ca]

I think they gave Belle too much room, and I don't understand why they would waste space on a direct-to-DVD group of characters like the pixies. Maybe, since that sounds like it's going to be a later add-on, they will give up the pixies like a bad job and use the area for the Frog Princess instead.

Because Tinkerbell has been a huge franchise long before the fairies. That is why they created the Tinkerbell movies. Tinkerbell merchandise sells more then all of the princesses combined. I am 25 years old and I am the most excited about this section because I am obsessed with Tink and have been wishing for years there was a place for her. After seeing this me and DH are planning on going in 2013 cause we are excited about this expansion but no way we will go before Pixie Hollow is complete.

 

[Rip]

Little bit OT, but I think Universal may end up trying to steal some of Disney's thunder over their Fantasyland expansion. I follow one Harry Potter website, and the webmistress tweeted today that's she's on her way to Orlando for the press junket on the opening of Harry Potter land at IOA. Seems like announcements on opening dates, pricing, etc. are imminent. Or, maybe that's just me hoping!

A tad backwards, actually. This was originally "leaked" a couple of months ago (likely in response to the pressure Disney is feeling from WWHP), but this official announcement was directly in response to UO's previously announced press conference on WWHP scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15th. This is Disney's attempt to steal some of their thunder, but I think what you'll hear Tuesday will probably dwarf this for all but the most ardent Disney fans.

BTW, I'm really looking forward to this if it actually happens. Time will tell.

 

[Dreamflight]

1 - Be Our Guest will be full service table style restaurant with animatronics's and set pieces and Gaston's Tavern will be a more casual (think Pecos Bill's) style hangout servicing Turkey legs, and that sort of thing

2 - Both Dumbo's will be outside just as the single one is now - but the queue area will be ina bog top and will form part of a new line system in which parents can sit and watch their kids play and be entertained until your 'feather' is called to go outside to ride Dumbo

Thank you very much for the response! I'm very glad to hear that Dumbo will still be outdoors

And I definitely think MK could use the new table service restaurant.

Just hope the dishes/silverware don't walk away as I'm eating

 

[stitchlovestink]

A tad backwards, actually. This was originally "leaked" a couple of months ago (likely in response to the pressure Disney is feeling from WWHP), but this official announcement was directly in response to UO's previously announced press conference on WWHP scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15th. This is Disney's attempt to steal some of their thunder, but I think what you'll hear Tuesday will probably dwarf this for all but the most ardent Disney fans.

BTW, I'm really looking forward to this if it actually happens. Time will tell.

Your post has completely confused me?
what are we anticipating hearing about on Tuesday?
Is this 'new' news coming from Disney or someone else? Any idea what the new news in going to be about?

 

[jamstew]

Your post has completely confused me?
what are we anticipating hearing about on Tuesday?
Is this 'new' news coming from Disney or someone else? Any idea what the new news in going to be about?

This is a Universal news conference; speculation is they will announce the opening date for Harry Potter.

 

[MovienutNiffer]

I just found out about this and it looks so cool! My one little itty bitty thing is I hope there is more than one main entrance in or out to this area. If not it's going to be a pain in the butt getting in or leaving!

 

[jamstew]

I think what you'll hear Tuesday will probably dwarf this for all but the most ardent Disney fans.

Why? I'm a huge fan of both Disney & Harry Potter, but IMO Universal will never be Disney. Yes, it's exciting, but so are the Disney projects. I think the competition is a good thing that will actually help both parks, although Disney doesn't really need any help, whereas Universal definitely does. I'll for sure visit Universal to see it, but I can't see it being somewhere I'd spend days at a time, several times a year.

 

[honkytonkmama]

I am gonna cry! All my son can talk about is going to mickeys house, and they are gonna tear it down.

Will it still be there in early feb of 2010? Is there a date of then this will close?

 

[leelip1982]

I'm really excited and can't wait for it to open!

 

[princess-lola]

I do love a lot of the aspects of the new Fantastyland expansion: how each princess has her own little village and of course what I am most excited about "Be Our Guest restaurant" looks ideal!!!!!!!

I an not keen on the idea of expanding Dumbo at all and with those carnival games, but it would give guest some thing to do in line, it doesn't look like some thing I would be interested in though.

Very beautiful concept art!!!

 

[eliza61]

Heard this today, is it old news?

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE58B25O20090912

What do you think? Good, bad, no big deal??

I was hoping for another thrill ride but it looks like it's going to be geared toward little ones.

 

[maccalovah]

I am gonna cry! All my son can talk about is going to mickeys house, and they are gonna tear it down.

Will it still be there in early feb of 2010? Is there a date of then this will close?

i read an article saying mickey and minnie's houses would be relocated to another location in the park. not sure if it's true or not, but worth looking into, anyways

 

[mcgregml]

This is Disney's attempt to steal some of their thunder, but I think what you'll hear Tuesday will probably dwarf this for all but the most ardent Disney fans.

BTW, I'm really looking forward to this if it actually happens. Time will tell.

Why? I'm a huge fan of both Disney & Harry Potter, but IMO Universal will never be Disney. Yes, it's exciting, but so are the Disney projects. I think the competition is a good thing that will actually help both parks, although Disney doesn't really need any help, whereas Universal definitely does. I'll for sure visit Universal to see it, but I can't see it being somewhere I'd spend days at a time, several times a year.

I think Tuesday is a certainty for an announcement from Universal - more tweeting last night and this morning.

I agree with RIP; for the general public, I think this will be a much bigger announcement than the Fantasyland expansion, if only for the reason that it opens next year and the first phase of the Fantasyland expansion won't be complete until 2012. And, no Universal will never be somewhere I want to spend several days on my trips to Florida. I will say, however, that if the HP section is even halfway decent...I'll probably blow one day every trip once it opens.

Here's to my girls Belle and Ariel finally getting a more permanent place in Fantasyland!

 

[popsynic]

I just found out about this and it looks so cool! My one little itty bitty thing is I hope there is more than one main entrance in or out to this area. If not it's going to be a pain in the butt getting in or leaving!

Yes it looks there will be

Although they are bulding a castle wall to mark a sort of 'main entrance' into this land, the area over by the 'New' Dual Dumbo and around the exisiting tea cup will be open access into this land. You will also be able to use the WDW railroad station to arrive if coming from any of the other lands.

See pics (not mine) here that sort of show this

 

[BuzzBiteyear]

I think it really looks great, but with 2 boys, this is probably any area we'll spend very little MK time in. I told my 5 y/o about it last night, and he was really excited about the new Star Tours. When I told him about the Fantasyland expansion, he surprised me by saying, "awesome". Then I asked if he would want to go there or ride the rides in there, and then came "no thankyou". I asked why, and he said, "it's girlie girl stuff". Just like DW predicted.

Hoping Star Wars can be expanded at DHS. They've had to at least thought of bringing a SW character meal. It would be nice to see one character meal themed primarily for boys.

As an accountant, I can fully understand why the focus on girls/princesses at WDW. But on the other hand, not sure why the seemingly disregard for boys.

EDIT - I hope they move the existing Mickey and Minnie homes somewhere else in MK. DS5 believes that is where they really live, and the stuff in the houses "only look fake" because when Mickey and Minnie come home at night "they use their magic, and everything comes to life". (I think he got that from Philharmagic and Mickey's hat). I don't want to explain to him why Mickey's house is suddenly gone and replaced by some "yuckie" princess' house.

 

[Rip]

Your post has completely confused me?
what are we anticipating hearing about on Tuesday?
Is this 'new' news coming from Disney or someone else? Any idea what the new news in going to be about?

Sorry, what I meant was that the Fantasyland expansion was actually leaked a couple of months ago. The most likely reason they decided to make the official announcement now is because Universal announced 2 weeks ago a big press conference set for Tuesday, Sept. 15th. The poster I was responding to seemed to think that Universal was doing something in response to Disney's announcement, but it's actually the other way around.