jedimaster1227

Yesterday, I took an hour or so to stop by the Pop Century Resort (following my visit to the Magic Kingdom, which I'll post photos from soon) to check up on the progress of the Art of Animation Resort. Since my last visit, the buildings have not only grown to their full size construction-wise, but many details of the unique facades have been painted, applied and detailed. Please note: These photos were taken from the publicly-accessible view of the Pop Century Resort and the Legacy Bridge. Remember that Phase 1 opens on May 31st, 2012, so we aren't too far away from having access to the first wing of the new resort! Leaving the Magic Kingdom, early land clearing has become visible at the location of the future Grand Floridian DVC expansion. The wedding pavilion has been carefully lined with walls to prevent the construction from appearing in the wedding parties' views. The sun shines brightly upon this soon to open resort. Lookie here! We have a Cadillac Range too! The sides of the building show animated sketches from a flip book as if they were pages pulled from said book and lined up. It isn't as easy to recognize on the other buildings just yet, but the stairs are masked by the formation of a sketch book. Not all of the sketches have been applied to the building. The Finding Nemo Wing looks to be the most close to completion. The bridge from Pop Century that was meant to give access to the Legendary Years will soon give access to the Art of Animation Resort. The Lion King and Little Mermaid wings still have a ways to go before they can be opened to the public. That being said, the first coats of base paint have been applied to these buildings. A slightly more subdued color scheme than the one found in the Nemo wing, the Little Mermaid suites have yet to receive any facade additions. This side of the wing has plenty of work still to be done. The facade for the Finding Nemo wing looks incredible! The giant Crush statue has been installed and has been wrapped to prevent any damage during the last stages of the area's preparation. Fish have been added to the side of the building, adding an extra layer to this immersive environment. The water play area's coral reef theming continues to receive new details. Mr. Ray has been added to the opposite side of the play area. Another look at the most-completed sketch book at the Cars wing. This looks like it is basically done. Considering how little of the Art of Animation Resort is carried over from the unused Legendary Years section of Pop Century, the new resort is really huge. Back at the Pop Century Resort, the Mowgli and Baloo statue has been completely refurbished and looks completely new! I saw this on my way out... Ok...

^To repaint the ride, even if they are the same colors is at least a good sign of care for the ride. Just think, they could have put it up as is, and left it looking worn and torn after years of service at Magic Mountain, along with any damage or chips that came from the disassembling and transporting of the track. Whatever the color, I'm just happy they are putting the money and the time in to give it a fresh coat. The last thing the park needs is to put in a ride that looks as bad as this (other Six Flags-neglected coaster) does...

^I like you too! Now this Erik figure on the other hand, he is kind of shady... Though he did tell me the story of Hermes, although we never finished. I must be guided! I must be shown the way!

Fist full of WIN!

Since it seems we're now in the business of stealing co-stars, it looks like I might have to give Smisty a call...

Glad to see you picking up work on RCT3 again! I've been a fan of your parks for quite some time, and have often been inspired by your work to turn on my old Windows computer to play the game and attempt to make something even a fraction as nice as what you present us with--I've never succeeded! Seriously looking forward to seeing what you do with this park. Loving what I see already, so I can't wait for more!

^Just remember that the Mission Tortilla Factory has been closed for quite some time now (since the beginning of the Summer, I believe), and the windows have been blacked out since it closed. I'd imagine they'd already started on the interior not long after it originally closed, so they probably got a good head start on prepping the building for its new tenant.

^There won't be any place to put those future expansions if this project takes up the majority of what little expendable land Universal Studios Hollywood has left.

I am torn in my answer, but I voted that I'm against the expansion. I happened to really enjoy Universal Hollywood because of its miss-matched feel. While I absolutely agree that the park is in dire need of attention when it comes to the upper lot, I don't think that Potter is the answer. Having seen what Potter has done for Islands of Adventure, I'm torn two-fold. In one way, the expansion turned the park around. It brought it to an unforeseen level of profitability and gave the resort as a whole the additional capital to reinvest back into the parks to fix simple things like animatronic skins in Men in Black and to clean up other areas of the resort (in the beginning). But on the other hand, the expansion has overshadowed the rest of the park to the point that, aside from the upgrading of Spiderman and the repainting of a few attractions, everything outside of Potter has just become a buffer to help quell the crowds trying to get into the Wizarding World. I'll go on record to say how much I support the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando (and its eventual expansions), but I also get to look at what the expansion has done to the rest of the park. Dueling Dragons was once the star attraction at the park, garnering 60+ minute wait times on a good day, and was what many rope drop guests would run to in the morning. Now, it rarely has more than a fifteen minute wait, and many pass the new attraction entrance without even realizing the entrance is there, thanks to its far more subdued design and placement in the overall scheme of Hogsmeade, as well as the overall desire of guests to head directly to Forbidden Journey first. Back to Universal Hollywood, I think that to accommodate for such a massive expansion, the park would have to be ravaged. Think about how much had to be removed to make way for Transformers. Two attractions (if you count the theater) were removed to make room for one attraction. Knowing the size of the Wizarding World, even if you brought just Forbidden Journey, the spacial requirement for this expansion would be significant. I just can't imagine how much would have to be lost for this kind of gain. And more so, is the park going to be able to stay half closed for two years or so in order to make this concept a reality? How will the general guest be able to justify the full ticket price for a park that is more closed than open?

Read below and answer this question: "Where do you think they can put this in the park???" http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204397704577070691060558140.html Thanks to Croniq for getting us the story! Discuss away!

(And now our conclusion...) The Walt Disney Studios presentation was pretty amazing, but unfortunately no photos were allowed. To celebrate Pixar's 25th anniversary, everyone in the audience was given a cupcake! And it was delicious! Mickey's of Glendale, the Imagineer's private shop for apparel and souvenirs of choice was opened to the public in the form of a remote location on the show floor. It obviously was made for fans! TRONorail!!! I miss Lost! Our preview for Wreck-It Ralph was amazing. Seriously looking forward to this movie! Did you know the title character and the movie itself is based on an actual video game? Bruce Boxleitner was signing autographs at the Expo. Why did this catch my eye? It took me a while to figure it out. Do you get it? A photo of me with the voice of Rod Serling in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. I want this suit so badly! The Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives had some pretty impressive items. This included Walt Disney's original Disneyland cast member name badge. They also had the first admission ticket for Disneyland Park. They had the Declaration of Independence from National Treasure! There was a nice sized collection of items from one of my favorite Disney movies, Hocus Pocus. I found Winnie! Anyone want a Dharma biscuit? And here is Hurley's winning lotto ticket feature The Numbers. They had a few items from Mickeys Toontown Fair on display. These were found inside of Mickey's house before it was demolished. This is the original Mickey Mouse animatronic that was seen in the Mickey Mouse Revue that played at Magic Kingdom and later Tokyo Disneyland. I love this pavilion! Talking Mickey debuted on the show floor during the last day and a half of the Expo and drew a ridiculously long line. This is the partner's statue that will debut on Disney California Adventure's Buena Vista Street when it opens later in 2012. Flapper Minnie will be the statue found in the Disney Fantasy when it debuts next year. Found this gem in the Exhibitor's section of the show floor! It now hangs in my room! I love this photo op! It isn't a secret that I love the Boudin Bakery Tour at California Adventure. I pray it is never removed, ever. So much to love. I am addicted to Boudin Bakery Bread Bowls! Had to stop and mourn the loss of World of Motion by hugging its Roman columns which now reside on the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Seriously though, I don't miss World of Motion that much. One last ride on Space Mountain to round out the trip! Unfortunately the Matterhorn closed for refurbishment a few days before my trip started. By the time I ride it next, it should have new trains and possibly even some new show elements. TPR Turtle Fancy fulfilled once again! I decided early on that the Mint Julep Bar would be the last thing i would do before I left the resort to end my trip. Two more Mint Juleps for the road! I seriously just sat there for a half hour, enjoyed my drinks, listened to some New Orleans music and took in the atmosphere. One of my favorite moments of the trip, despite being one of the last. I clearly hated them. I'm guessing that by the time I ever go up here, it won't be a Dream Suite anymore. EnginEars Toys had been essentially ripped to the frame by the time I left. Funny, considering it was still mostly in one piece when I had arrived earlier that same week. The last time I'd be seeing this sight again. Farewell from California! And farewell Disney California Adventure! Thank you guys for reading this extended look at my most recent California trip... I shouldn't be back for a little while, so enjoy the break!

(Continued) My favorite part of the D23 Expo show floor was the Carousel of Projects pavilion. The design of the pavilion is definitely a throw back to the 1964 World's Fair, but also a tribute to the division's many successes of the past. I need a moment again. Here we go! The theater opens to reveal the bow of the Disney Fantasy, triggering the signature horn of the ship. New (at the time) concept art of the Snow White Mine Train Coaster was presented in the New Fantasyland section of the pavilion. The model of New Fantasyland gave me much reason to be excited for this coaster. Dueling Dumbos in Storybook Circus will feature a less ornamental design for the ride itself, but will still look great! The Barnstormer (also known as The Great Goofini) will be slightly retooled to tell the story of Goofy as a stunt pilot (as opposed to a crop duster). The new Storybook Circus train station will be enclosed unlike the former ToonTown Fair station. Casey Jr. will have a role in the Storybook Circus in the form of a water play area. Over between The Little Mermaid and the Beauty and the Beast realms of New Fantasyland will be this small store and possible dining location. A very basic mockup of the mine train coaster vehicle was on display. One of the earlier models of the Carthay Circle Theater at Disney California Adventure was also on display. The building has since been slightly updated to better support its newer purposes. The Amazing Destini was the culmination of several major Disney technologies. Think one of the coin-operated fortune tellers, except this one uses facial recognition and smart responses to talk to you, interact with you and involve you in the experience. A little bit of backstage magic for your viewing pleasure. I'm pretty sure that the Amazing Destini is a re-purposed version of the old Tom Morrow 2.0 animatronic that used to be located in Epcot's Innoventions. This is a much better use though. Destini predicted that someday I'll become rich (how appropriate), and soon my photo appeared on the crystal ball. A large sticker of this fortune printed out afterwards as a souvenir. Some close ups on the system. It is surprisingly thorough. They had a basic model of the Shanghai Disneyland Resort on display. Aside from the castle, nothing else presented is definite, hence the very vague building details. I'll admit, these vehicles are sleek! I can't tell if he's sleepy or hungry. A vehicle from Mater's Junkyard Jamboree was also on the show floor. At the Disney Legends presentation, we were graced with a live performance from The Muppets. The first skit was set to the tune of "I've grown accustomed to your face." The audience was roaring! It was pretty epic. Then Kermit and Rowlf led a sing-along rendition of the Rainbow Connection. Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs led the division's presentation at the Expo, with a little help from the Talking Mickey. Before he began, a humorous video of him getting to know the parks and its cast was played. We previewed an animation of how the Lumiere animatronic will move in his animatronic form when he debuts with New Fantasyland at the Be Our Guest restaurant. Shanghai Disneyland's castle won't have a specific princess calling it home. It will be the largest Disney castle ever made, with several floors and several different offerings. The interior details were mostly teased... The Sword in the Stone will be in the dead center of the castle. The castle interior will transform throughout the course of the day. The castle will also be the first to feature a ride inside of it. The details were scarce, but the one scene previewed featured an environmental transformation that took a dark cavern and illuminated it with golden light. New concept art for the Radiator Springs Racers queue was also shown. The queue itself will help to further establish the story of the attraction which takes place in between the two Cars films. Taillight Caverns will feature illuminated stalactites resembling old Cadillac taillights. Here's what the completed show scene looks like. It was briefly teased that D23 would soon offer possible paid experiences that bring back former attractions exclusively. This could include a meal at the former Tahitian Terrace Restaurant or a viewing of America the Beautiful in Circlevision (obviously recreated for these events). Also discussed was the possibility of having dinner in the Haunted Mansion. Announced at the presentation was the Fantasy Faire, replacing the Carnation Gardens section of Disneyland Park. Think of it as Disneyland's New Fantasyland. It will have a maypole. As well as a show and dance venue. Looks interesting! We'll see how it is when it opens next year!

^Yup! I took lots and lots of photos of everything I did instead of getting a dole whip... Seriously will never forgive myself for that! So yep, I have more photos! But I'm picking up the pace and streamlining the process a bit. This will be my last set of updates for the thread--it's a little more succinct, but a better set of highlights since I covered a good deal already. We'll start with an in-depth tour of the D23 Expo Carousel of Projects Pavilion, presented by Walt Disney Parks & Resorts! [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=00000_2q27[/coastertube] I still love World of Color. It still impresses me. I was really bummed I missed getting to see the World of Color TRONcore (a play on the word Encore), but I really did like the new Pirates of the Caribbean segment. It replaced what was actually my least favorite scene in the show (the Chernabog) with a heck of a lot more chaos. The segment uses a lot more of World of Color's awesome lasers, as well as a ton of more fire, except now the fire dances! Would you believe me if I told you that this is my last World of Color photo in this trip report? Because it is! We ventured over to the Disneyland Hotel (something I didn't get to do last Summer) to see the new pool... I seriously love the historical throwback! My pool doesn't have these... Yet! Okay... I'm addicted. I love Mickey's Fun Wheel! I'm not the biggest fan of the Cars franchise, but Cars Land will be reason enough for me to come back to the Disneyland Resort in 2013. Bill Paxton, we've got trees! Luigi's Casa del Tires has since received most of its facade. Disney has slowly been releasing teasers for new park attraction posters that they will eventually sell. I'm going to be broke the day these come out. The Animation building in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot recently received an updated video loop that nixed the Emperor's New Groove and Atlantis: The Lost Empire for more notable hits such as Toy Story 3, Tangled and a few others. The Toy Story 3 segment was tastefully added. Say goodbye to the train depot! Just a few weeks before my arrival Corn Dog Castle re-opened. Since it was closed during my previous visit and the hype had always given it high-praise, I gave it a try. Definitely worthwhile! Disney was testing a living character of R2-D2 at random times near the Space Mountain/Captain EO concourse. He can fly! He can fly! He can fly! Excuse my nerdgasm. Yeah, I went there. I have already booked Laserman to perform at my pool following the retirement of elecTRONica. This still amazes me. Rolling with the punches. Hey Floridians! Here's one thing you can't do anymore... So the following day, I participated in the Disney Trivia contest. Now let's get something straight. I grew up watching Disney movies, but my focus has always been the parks. I don't know much about anything else besides the parks regarding the company. But somehow I got through the first two rounds to make it into the major rounds of elimination. I actually made it into the top 40, but was eliminated when I couldn't answer the question as to who voiced Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. I treated myself to a breakfast burrito at the Tangaroa Terrace for my accomplishment. That evening we went to Trader Sam's to check out the place for the first time. It is filled with references to other Disney attractions and history. Does Miss Tilly sound familiar? It should! Miss Tilly is the boat at the top of Mount Mayday at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon in Walt Disney World. The menu is filled with drinks named cheekily towards other attractions. Uh Oa was the goddess whom was angered by Iago in the Magic Kingdom's Tiki Room: Under New Management. For those of us that were not yet of age to try the alcoholic drinks, they had these "no-booze brews." I think it'll be in my best interest to stay away from the "Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum" the next time I visit. I believe my fellow cruisers will agree with me. The bar is designed to reflect a similar style as that found in the Tiki Room and the Jungle Cruise. The windows each look out upon a Polynesian volcano, currently dormant. "I ordered club soda and they gave me this." My friends ordered the Uh Oa. The side bowls come filled with cinnamon which you use to spark the fire. Throw the cinnamon into the flame and it sparks. After chanting "Uh Oa" loudly throughout the bar, the gods are angered by all the celebrating, and the volcanoes erupt. This prop came to Trader Sam's straight from the Adventurer's Club. Kungaloosh? Sitting behind me enjoying a martini, is Bob Gurr, the designer of the original Disneyland Monorail and so much more! It was kind of an amazing moment. I forgot how much I miss Mr. Toad's Wild Ride! Never noticed this detail before! It felt appropriate at the time. Kungaloosh? I guess I'm not the only one who bought a Dole Whip shirt!

This is such a welcome surprise! I guess this will mean I'll have to give it another chance when I come in next time (maybe for the next Deep South Bash)! This is extremely exciting news! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

Had to go and check the stats on Pit Fall and Maliboomer to make sure this wasn't a refurbished or relocated model. Great to see this small park get another major attraction! Based on everything I've heard of the place, I'm sure it will only make it that much better!

^^Or you could just move here... All the cool kids are doing it!

^I think they'd find better success with an established band like Led Zeppelin or Moody Blues... That's worked in the past! The committee has whittled down the eight proposals to a mere two for consideration in the second round!

Legoland Florida has sent us a press release regarding the details of their upcoming Legoland Water PArk set to open in Summer 2012!

This building looks so much nicer at night!

One of the companies which submitted a proposal to New Orleans regarding the possible use of the Jazzland site has launched a website giving details on their intentions if awarded the contract. Surprisingly, they want to throw the park back to a time when it was Jazzland, with some modern updates in the mix! http://www.jazzlandpark.com/home.html http://www.jazzlandpark.com/proposal.html http://www.jazzlandpark.com/beach.html These are just some of the highlights of the larger website which has a more detailed rundown on their plans for the park if given the chance. Make sure to check out the proposed park's website for more information--we'll be watching out for more news as it comes!

^Yeah, definitely was referring only to Singapore. That being said, I can admit that at the time of the post I completely forgot about Hollywood's version of the new ride. Looking at Hollywood, I don't think Transformers will cannibalize The Simpsons Ride any more than Orlando's Spiderman cannibalized Back to the Future when it debuted. Back to the Future still had consistent lines after Spiderman opened up, so I can't imagine Transformers would do anything to hurt The Simpsons Ride enough to notice.

I didn't know Busch Gardens Williamsburg was getting a clone of Air to interact with Verbolten! Awesome!

^ http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54313&start=1890#p1110049

^Now I'm sure the Pompeii lights serve no purpose besides impressing visually, but man does that look nice!

^Maybe I'm missing your point, but what does advanced motion simulation and physical effects have to do with the Simpsons Ride remaining relevant? The ride's relevance will be based on the popularity of the franchise, the longevity of the franchise's shelf life (especially after the show is brought to an end) and the rider numbers the attraction receives over the course of time. At the end of the day the general public (the people whom real decisions in theme parks are based on) won't look at the two attractions (especially because the two of them aren't even in the same parks/resorts) and compare them and choose not to ride one or the other. It just doesn't work like that.