Magic Kingdom Expansion

[Sazzle]

Wow. That rockwork looks fantastic!! Really looking forward to planning my 2015 trip to experience all the amazing additions to Disney and Universal. This, in particular, looks set to be of awe-inspiring standard regards detail.

Gotta love Disney for their theme efforts!! No Air tunnels here

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[Plastic Person]

Why in God's name has this taken three years?

Probably because Disney don't like rushing projects. They take their time, get it just how they want it then open a complete attraction rather than a poorly planned botched job that will struggle to ever meet its full potential.

I don't want to keep pulling up the "but Universal did x in y" comparison, and Magic Kingdom is hardly struggling for guests (even without a major new attraction in twenty years), but Disney have built much more ambitious projects in much less time than this.

 

[Tim]

Why in God's name has this taken three years?

Probably because Disney don't like rushing projects. They take their time, get it just how they want it then open a complete attraction rather than a poorly planned botched job that will struggle to ever meet its full potential.

I don't want to keep pulling up the "but Universal did x in y" comparison, and Magic Kingdom is hardly struggling for guests (even without a major new attraction in twenty years), but Disney have built much more ambitious projects in much less time than this.

True but I think it is worth noting that most projects are in development along time before they are officially announced. The mine train however was a very late addition to New Fantasyland, remember that when the plans were originally announced it didn't even exist so they literally went from nothing to something in 3 years which is good going for any high quality ride, let alone one with a new ride system.

 

[Sazzle]

Quite frankly I don't see why its worth arguing over - so long as a project doesn't take an extortionate amount of time to be completed (three years really isn't very long from breaking ground to opening for something so gargantuan), and the end product is high quality, then take your time!!

Ratatouille at Paris will have been in development for much longer than Snow White - that thing broke ground early 2011 as far as I remember, and won't open until 2014! Seems a fairly standard timescale

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[Danny]

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train completed the first drop test today as reported on Disney World's Facebook.

 

[Sam]

First (very distant) video of the ride in action.

 

[Sam]

From the wonderful Disney Parks Blog.

Imagineers Add a Piece of Snow White’s Scary Adventures to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park

Who’s ready for a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train update?

Our friends at Walt Disney Imagineering recently reached another milestone in the construction of the attraction with the overnight addition of a few scenic elements guests will encounter at the top of the mine train’s first lift. When mine cars pull out of the load area, they’ll travel up the track to the top of the mountain, where a jib crane sits topped by two ominous vultures, the latter of which originally appeared in the park’s original Snow White’s Scary Adventures attraction. This is the last stop before the mine train’s cars plunge into a mine shaft.

Check out the photos of the recent overnight install below.

Those magic Disney touches...

 

[BigAl]

Decent testing footage has arrived!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWrxqx3c0F4#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsI0EHNR00s#ws

 

[Dave]

Certainly looks interesting, maybe a bit tamer than BTM

 

[josht]

It looks actually pretty steady

 

[BigAl]

A look inside Seven Dweebs Mine Ride:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFGk5-WYN60#ws



And some nice artwork:

 

[Sam]

Good guy Disney!

Disney World joins coalition of Florida businesses supporting anti-discrimination law

Walt Disney World joined other influential businesses in the US state of Florida to throw weight behind a bill to ban anti-LGBT discrimination in the workplace.

Darden Restaurants also on Monday joined the Florida Business Coalition for a Competitive Workplace, saying a law to ban discrimination would help companies in the state compete against employers in other states with similar policies.

“The link between strong anti-discrimination laws and the ability to draw the best and brightest is the reason that 84 percent of the nation’s largest companies have adopted comprehensive anti-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation and gender identity,” the companies said in a joint statement.

Railroad operator CSX, insurer Florida Blue and banking giant Wells Fargo also joined the coalotion.

CSX is a member of a conference of some of the largest railroad operators in the US which began offering health benefits to same-sex spouses as of January.

LGBT advocates commended the move as a step forward for the legislation which has not moved forward since bills began to be filed in 2007.

Your move, Universal and Busch.

 

[Sam]

Park News - (1/14/14) As was previously rumored, Disney will be turning off all the old paper style FastPass machines at the Magic Kingdom and switching to the FastPass+ only system starting on January 14th… TODAY. Animal Kingdom switched over during the Christmas break, which leaves Epcot and the Studios as the only parks still using the old legacy paper-based system for the time being. I’d expect to see both of these parks also switched over before the start of Summer.

I guess at least it's... better for the... environment...? :S

 

[NF2]

Does this mean that Fastpass is now exclusive to Hotel Magic Band users? A CM told me last week they were looking to include FP+ on regular tickets and Annual Passes "in the near future".

I've not heard anything since but fingers crossed that by "near future" she meant "in the next few weeks" rather than "Spring 2015" :S

 

[Jordan]

No - Fastpass+ is available to all guests, but right now only guests staying in the hotels can prebook their time slots before they visit. All other guests can use their entry tickets at the Fastpass+ kiosks to book slots when they arrive at the park.

 

[Sam]

Spring 2014 - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - (1/27/14) The latest buzz from Screamscape sources is that despite a desire to open the new Seven Dwarfs coaster in February, the project is a bit behind schedule and is now looking at an opening date sometime between late March to early April if all goes well.

Bad luck for anyone with a trip to WDW planned for February who also happens to be a fan of being underwhelmed.

 

[Wilsy]

Spring 2014 - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - (1/27/14) The latest buzz from Screamscape sources is that despite a desire to open the new Seven Dwarfs coaster in February, the project is a bit behind schedule and is now looking at an opening date sometime between late March to early April if all goes well.

Bad luck for anyone with a trip to WDW planned for February who also happens to be a fan of being underwhelmed.

Probably some adults your age would be underwhelmed, but luckily for Disney your demographic is already covered but at least all the kids who are too scared to ride Big Thunder Mountain but are too big for the Barnstormer will be happy!

 

[AstroDan]

I do think this will be a great project, although I must confess it does seem like a while since Disney have really pulled a big one out of the bag in Orlando... the last thing I can recall is Everest.

With Universal going crazy, Disney need something wow as soon as possible. Not sure if Avatar will cut it.

 

[Rob]

I was speaking about this the other day. Universal are just going mad in Florida at the moment, and in terms of investments it does seem like Disney are unable to compete. This isn't a huge issue as they already have brilliant foundations and many people do go to Florida just for Disney.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Avatar Land develops, but you don't feel it is on the same level as the Harry Potter investments in terms of ride equipment. Disney need a new outstanding and somewhat unique ride in Florida that is going to grasp everyone's attention.

 

[Maelstrom]

While I know the film doesn't appeal to lots of people, I think if they theme the area as planned the new Avatar land will look outstanding, I just hope the new rides are really cutting edge. Disney are spending $500 on this project, (also includes the new nighttime show and upgrades to allow late night opening. That's about the cost of both Harry Potter lands at Universal. But if the rides will be great is yet to be seen.

I hope the green light the planned star wars expansion at Hollywood studios with a major new E-Ticket, and they really need to start spending big at Epcot upgrading some of the aging attractions in future world, I wonder if we will see a copy of the tron coaster in Future world at some point.