Are you ready for your closeup? This week, we’re looking at the park at Walt Disney World which has the biggest changes on the way, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Let’s go!
Welcome to the Studios!
The Force is strong at Disney and Co.
Hollywood and Vine continues to offer character dining well into next year, which has me thinking that Star Wars Land will take place in the back of the park and that this area is likely safe.
The ABC Soundstage is showing a preview of the making of a new Disney music album.Jedi Training is currently closed as they prepare for the new Trials of the Temple show which should debut as part of Season of the Force campaign.
It’s likely that the existing Star Tours attraction will remain. However, the exterior will likely be rethemed to look less like a movie set and more like a fully realized environment.
Synergy for the new Muppets ABC show.Looks like the Osborne Lights are fully installed and ready for their final season.
Hidden Mickey!Sad that this will be going away after this year, but that further adds credibility to the rumors that Streets of America will end up being bulldozed in favor of Star Wars Land.More permanent signage for Watto’s Grotto. That’s probably not leaving any time soon.
Marketing for The Good Dinosaur.No visible signs of work for Toy Story Land yet.
90 minute wait for Midway Mania. At 8:59am. Yikes.
Soundstage Lounge looks like it might be done. Hopefully.One Man’s Dream is the new home for the Good Dinosaur preview film. Not sure how to feel about this one.Hopefully it’s only there for a short time and then the One Man’s Dream film can return.Star Wars Launch Bay prep continues with paint on the outside almost being done.
Promoting Aladdin on Blu-Ray!Couldn’t come to the park without taking hat-less Chinese Theater shots.
Walls up at the Sunset Blvd. counter service.
They’re using the smaller Fairfax Fare with a bigger menu to compensate for the quick service being down.
The new theater behind Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is called Sunset Showcase and will feature Club Disney, an air conditioned space with a DJ and dancing Disney characters. Not my cup of tea, but it seems to work for Universal over at the exit to Minion Mayhem.Fantasmic! – sponsored by Pop Secret, the new official popcorn of Walt Disney World.
Cheers!
JOIN US THIS WEEK AT THE MICECHAT WDW INVASION
The annual MiceChat Invasion of Walt Disney World starts this week. We hope to see you there!!! Information on all of our meets and events is listed below.
We have a lot of magical fun have lined up for you this year. As always, feel free to join us for as much or as little of the following events as interest you! We will be visiting Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom.
Dinner at Splitsville (come join us!) – October 22
Join us for dinner and fun at the energetic Splitsville in Downtown Disney (or should we say “Disney Springs”). Dinner is at 7:30pm. You might even be able to convince Dusty to bowl. Quick grab a camera! This is a great spot for us to kick off our Invasion. To be added to our reservation, please contact Contact Teresa at Fairy Godmother Travel HERE
Sip and Nibble – October 23
Friday will be the always fun, often imitated, but never duplicated, Sip and Nibble at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival. This is where we meet new and old friends, share food & drink, and try to make it through all the food and wine offerings. It’s an absolutely amazing day of food, drink and friendship!!! We’ll gather at the FESTIVAL WELCOME CENTER (located in Future World East) at 10:30 a.m. (the meeting location is on the outdoor ramp leading into the pavilion. In the event of rain, we’ll meet just inside the front door of the pavilion).
Take a leisurely stroll around World Showcase with us, sampling the food and wine offerings along the way. Each of us will have a lanyard with a marker attached so we can record our progress. Those who desire to partake of the adult beverages will also sport a small glass on a lanyard to conveniently share “sips” along the way. (It has been previously determined that a full portion of adult beverage in each country would doom the effort to certain failure – so we share as we go along.)
We each take turns buying drinks and food along the way, sharing with our fellow MiceChatters. As a result, we are able to sample a little something from each and every booth around the World Showcase.
Last year we had an rollicking good time around the World Showcase Lagoon. In years past, we’ve even had Disney Legend Bob Gurr join us for our trip around the world.
You never know what sort of fun you’ll get into after a day of sipping and nibbling.
Our Sip and Nibble event has a small fee to cover the cost of lanyards, pens and shot glasses for attendees. if you can’t afford the fee, please come anyway. The more the merrier.
Animal Kingdom Adventure Day – October 24
Meet us at Animal Kingdom for an afternoon of adventure. Meetup location is at 12:30 near the MyMagic+ Service Center just to the left of the front entrance of the park. We’ll head off at 12:45 to have some fun in the park! Since many of us are having breakfast earlier that morning, we won’t be stopping for lunch. So, please take a moment to eat before arriving at the meet. We’ll have dinner at Flame Tree later that evening at 5pm (the restaurant closes at 5:30, so we’ll be prompt). Animal Kingdom closes at 6:30, so after dinner, we are up for potentially going to Downtown Disney for drinks at one of the new restaurant lounges. Twist our arms . . .
If you have trouble finding us, call the MiceChat Hotline at 949-274-8778.
Magic Kingdom Day & Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – October 25
Meet us at 11am at the Walt and Mickey statue in the central hub. We have lunch reservations at Chef Mickey’s at 2pm (please cotnact [email protected] to be added to reservation.)
Mickey’s Halloween Party meet-up will be at 6pm upstairs at the Main Street Train Station. If you have tickets, come join us! (we’ll head off at 6:15, so please don’t be late).
Halloween isn’t just about scares. At Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party you can become a kid again and spend the night trick or treating with all of your MiceChat pals! You’ll be treated with the special Halloween Fireworks at Cinderella’s Castle, the amazing Boo to You Parade, bags filled with candy and endless character interactions. Not to mention the rides! When was the last time you got to yell “trick or treat” (and get candy)?!
Don’t miss the fun!!!
See any events here you’d like to attend? If you have questions, would like to be added to dining reservations, or need a room, please contact [email protected]. Our magical Fairy Godmother will be traveling with us to make sure that everything is extra special throughout Invasion weekend!
If you get lost during the weekend and need to catch back up with the group, you may call the MiceChat Hotline at: 949-274-8778
That wraps up the column for this week! What do you all think of the many changes coming to this park? Let us know in the comments!!
If you appreciate what we do here and would like to support Dateline Disney World, you can shop at Amazon.com, using my link (please CLICK HERE before you do). It won’t cost you any extra, and it’ll help out the column!!
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