Have word from NASA about tentative M:S opening date.

[Testtrack321]

Ok, got this from someone at NASA HQ

Seriously, there are several Mars-related events happening next summer, and the opening of Mission: Space will likely take advantage of that. NASA is launching two rovers to Mars, one at the end of May and the other at the end of June. ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA are launching the Mars Express mission in late May. All of these missions, along with the Japanese mission Nozomi, arrive at Mars in December 2003 and January 2004. Disney is aware of this schedule, and has been looking at options for tying in the opening of their new attraction with these events.

Looks like a very late opening. But soft opneings are always open to concideration.

 

[Distriv]

How long before a grand opening do soft openings start?

 

[Safari Steve]

Soft openings generally occur anywhere from a day to a month ahead of grand opening festivities. If the GO is scheduled for December, I wouldn't expect a soft opening before November. I would think, however, that the GO will be closer to one of the launch dates, rather than the scheduled landings (although those may be tie-in opportunities like the Moon Landing shown on the big screens in Tomorrowland back in '69).

 

[philjerden]

...a Grand Opening for Mission: SPACE close to a launch date (rather than a "touchdown" date) would give unprecedented opportunity for a huge PR campaign tie-in between M:S and the Mars missions.

Phil