News Round Up 2016

[luisov]

Rumor

Soarin reopens at Epcot with the old film in its new digital form before the new film comes online. It seems the new film will come online June 17th but the ride will open before that with the old film first.

So the new theater and refurbished queue area are expected to open in June as well?

 

[Maineiak]

Rumor

Soarin reopens at Epcot with the old film in its new digital form before the new film comes online. It seems the new film will come online June 17th but the ride will open before that with the old film first.

I'd love for this to open early, say late April? DD7 has never been on it at all, so I don't mind if it's the old movie. Oh well, wishful thinking.

 

[skier_pete]

Need a star tours type rotation. You never know what you'll get!

I would actually like to see them eventually run BOTH films, but probably right when the new film comes out, they'll put it up on all three screens. Hopefully at some point they run BOTH. A cleverer way to do it would be to alternate days - run the "World" film on M, W, F, Sun and the "Cali" film T, Th, Sat. Encourage people to come to Epcot on multiple days.

 

[jlundeen]

I'd love for this to open early, say late April? DD7 has never been on it at all, so I don't mind if it's the old movie. Oh well, wishful thinking.

Me too....end of april trip and STILL waiting for park hours, fp, dining options for the much hyped "new Animal Kingdom Nights" stuff (edited to add: STARTING IN LESS THAN A MONTH)...yet in the mean time, they have released the "new after hours in MK" a day after it was leaked, and also hearing about "VIP options for MK parade and afterhours" (are these two different things?) as well as a "new (and as yet un-bookable) "early morning in Fantasyland" event. Since my ADRs have been reserved months ago, and FPs weeks ago, it's really frustrating that they can't get their act together on AK, especially when they keep bragging it up, and then say "COMING SOON"...."soon" came and went a long time ago!

 

[Maineiak]

Me too....end of april trip and STILL waiting for hours, fp, dining options for the much hyped "new Animal Kingdom Nights" stuff...yet in the mean time, they have released the "new after hours in MK" a day after it was leaked, and also hearing about "VIP options for MK parade and afterhours" (are these two different things?) as well as a "new (and as yet un-bookable) "early morning in Fantasyland" event. Since my ADRs have been reserved months ago, and FPs weeks ago, it's really frustrating that they can't get their act together on AK, especially when they keep bragging it up, and then say "COMING SOON"...."soon" came and went a long time ago!

Just booked my AK fastpasses this morning. We've got APs, so I can only do 30 days out. We decided to switch up our days and try for ROL on 4/22, so we'll just have to wait and see.

It'll be a bit of a sad trip. Our APs will expire this trip and I'm 90% sure we won't renew. But, we got 3 full trips out of them, so I think it was worth it!

 

[rteetz]

So the new theater and refurbished queue area are expected to open in June as well?

Yes that has been the plan all along. The land Pavillion has been hurting in terms of people entering so they want the ride open as soon as possible. It seems the ride will be ready before they are allowed to debut the new film.

 

[rteetz]

I'd love for this to open early, say late April? DD7 has never been on it at all, so I don't mind if it's the old movie. Oh well, wishful thinking.

It won't be open that early.

 

[larissawbb]

1. Duh
2. Duh but phase 2? What phase 2?
3. I think Disney would be much harder to hurt than seaworld or ringling bros. Plus Disney holding elephants is no different than any zoo in the country.

Do you think he may be right about Pandora opening on Earth Day 2017? That seems like a guess based on this years ROL.

 

[skier_pete]

Do you think he may be right about Pandora opening on Earth Day 2017? That seems like a guess based on this years ROL.

It's Jim Hill - 95% chance he's wrong. 90% chance it's a guess based on this year. All indications previously is they are shooting for early 2017. It is quite possible that things could delay until April, but it is too early to even predict a opening day.

 

[Maineiak]

It won't be open that early.

Eh...I knew it wasn't going to happen. Just throwing it out there.

 

[rteetz]

Do you think he may be right about Pandora opening on Earth Day 2017? That seems like a guess based on this years ROL.

I've heard from other sources that they are aiming at an Earth day 2017 opening.

 

[Fantasia79]

It's just occurred to me how many new initiatives Disney has on the stove right now. Many of them revolving around ticketed events.

Sounds like a lot of experimenting and trials.

 

[rteetz]

News

Religious services at WDW for Easter Sunday

http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/dis...r-easter-sunday-2016-at-walt-disney-world.htm

 

[Spacedog1975]

No matter how early Soarin' reopens, that is a very short timeframe they are running the old film to justify converting it to digital (and hopefully cleaning it up/remastering it). I suspect, then, that it will go into a vault to reappear one day. I think any attraction like this ought to have flexibility to deploy new, old, or different films from time to time. It's a great way to keep things fresh and interesting for returning visitors.

 

[DWJoshua]

Photo update

Rivers of light update


http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2016/03/rivers-of-light-update-testing-lotus.html?m=1

As I look at these photos, I'm just noticing the big difference in the slope of the seating between the rock work benches and the regular stadium benches. The stadium-style benches seem to be much flatter, which makes me wonder what the view is going to be from those rear sections.

I know there's been a lot of criticism that all of the benches aren't the themed version, but I don't really care about that. I'm guessing that's mainly for space reasons. I AM worried about the view, though!

 

[twebber55]

Do you think he may be right about Pandora opening on Earth Day 2017? That seems like a guess based on this years ROL.

a guy on magic has been posting pictures that compare Carsland to Pandora and the timeline, looks like its about another 12-13 months out to being finished, compared to cars land

 

[skier_pete]

It's just occurred to me how many new initiatives Disney has on the stove right now. Many of them revolving around ticketed events.

Sounds like a lot of experimenting and trials.

The ticketed events are big money makers. The fact that people talk about how the villains soiree is "a good value" at $119 just shows how out of whack things are right now, but how people are willing to just fall in line with it. As I said before, it doesn't really bother me, because its easy to just choose not to do them.

 

[DWJoshua]

No matter how early Soarin' reopens, that is a very short timeframe they are running the old film to justify converting it to digital (and hopefully cleaning it up/remastering it). I suspect, then, that it will go into a vault to reappear one day. I think any attraction like this ought to have flexibility to deploy new, old, or different films from time to time. It's a great way to keep things fresh and interesting for returning visitors.

I'm pretty sure it's been confirmed that they will be using the new digital version of the old film when it reopens. They are using it in DCA, so it's already converted.

 

[rteetz]

I'm pretty sure it's been confirmed that they will be using the new digital version of the old film when it reopens. They are using it in DCA, so it's already converted.

No it's not confirmed. That is the current rumor though. Either way the new film is looking at a June 17th debut.

 

[TXStormtrooper]

As I look at these photos, I'm just noticing the big difference in the slope of the seating between the rock work benches and the regular stadium benches. The stadium-style benches seem to be much flatter, which makes me wonder what the view is going to be from those rear sections. I know there's been a lot of criticism that all of the benches aren't the themed version, but I don't really care about that. I'm guessing that's mainly for space reasons. I AM worried about the view, though!

You have a good point. As a shorter person, I wouldn't want to be sitting anywhere in that back section except the front row. Kids would have an especially difficult time seeing with the seats being that flat.