Meanwhile, the Walt Disney World Resort has scheduled a media event for April 30-May 2 to introduce the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. However, it appears that the ride has yet to be turned over to the attraction operations department for cast member training and check-out. (*Update: Now hearing that ops training IS going on! WDW CMs, email or hit the anonymous comments, please!) Back in the day, ops cast members needed five days to check out and be cleared to operate roller coasters in the park. That leaves almost no time for any public soft open before the press event, even if the ride were to go over to ops immediately, which doesn't appear to be happening. In fact, there's some skepticism among cast members in the Magic Kingdom that the Mine Train will be ready to ride in fully functioning form in time for the press event, which Disney's now calling a "preview" anyway. Could Diagon Alley soft open to the public before the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train? It's looking like it might be close.
Busch Gardens Tampa has gone ahead and cancelled its media days next week for the debut of Falcon's Fury, citing construction delays. The park's not announced a new date for a media debut, though the park's still aiming for a public debut in early May.
Walt Disney World has started the countdown to the 25th anniversary of the Studios theme park, which opened May 1, 1989. The Disney Parks blog this week teased some of the merchandise that the resort is selling to commemorate the anniversary. Notice anything missing?
That would be the original name of the park, Disney-MGM Studios, and its original Mickey-Mouse-and-Leo-the-Lion logo. Disney no longer has the rights to use the MGM name or logo, so it can't issue any anniversary merchandise that includes it. So if you want a more authentic opening-day throwback tchotchke, you'd better hit eBay or Theme Park Connection.
Moving into Jeff's "Beyond CaliFlorida" territory, Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, has confirmed that it will tear down the former Pilgrim's Plunge shoot-the-chutes ride. The ride featured a unique 90-degree-vertical lift to a 165-foot drop, which left riders absolutely drenched.
Last year, Holiday World removed the attraction from the Holiday World map, reassigning it to the Splashin' Safari water park and renaming the ride Giraffica to better fit the water park's theme. But the ride suffered from too-frequent downtimes and this year the park is throwing in the (very often used after riding) towel and removing the attraction entirely.
Wow. This has been a downer of an update. Let's hope for better news next week! If you'd like to keep in touch with Theme Park Insider throughout the week, we're on just about any social media network out there. If you haven't connected with us yet, please take a moment to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instgram, LinkedIn or Tumblr, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter. That way, you can get Theme Park Insider updates through those networks, as well as here on the Web. Thank you, as always, for being part of the Theme Park Insider community!
Tweet
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-universal-orlando-market-share-20140419,0,2260547,full.story
I Respond: It is an E-ticket ride.
Anonymous: When will Disney Springs or Avatar be finished...2045?
I respond: Disney Springs will open in phases with final completion in 2016. Avatar is currently under construction and will open in 2017.
If they would have left Fantasyland the way it was (pixies and princesses everywhere) then it'd probably be done already. But they didn't.... and for that I am glad.... because I'd rather have to wait a little longer and get a new Seven Dwarfs roller coaster than get the instant gratification (?) - or lack thereof - with what the previous completed New Fantasyland would have been without the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Of course, I wish it was done faster to.... but just reminding people why it seems to be taking so long.
However, I will say.... Maybe Disney may have made the same mistake with discussing Avatar land before it is really under construction in some ways too. Maybe Disney should start having the testing and blue prints ready to go (and maybe even a construction crew on site) before they start announcing things. Still, their slowness may be what allows them to take public reception into consideration with their planning (which may be a good thing).... it actually helped with Fantasyland.
I am thinking late July would be a safe bet though.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
