It’s Fab Prime Day, and I’ve got a doozy for you! First we’ll take to the Happiest Skies On Earth. We’re also going to look at the Tiki Takeover for MS in Hollywood, which will also be my birthday party – and you’re invited! Plus, it’s the birthday of a beloved mobile game, and to celebrate the players are getting presents. I’d also like to take a moment to squash a nasty little rumor about a favorite restaurant at Walt Disney World and share some “Grand” new details.
On to a high flying rumor – and please remember to always take your rumors with a grain of salt. A rumor is not a fact, though it may be partially true – like this one:
Rumor: Disney Planning Its Own Airline
You’ve seen the wrapped planes from China Eastern Air Lines, All Nippon Air, Canada’s WestJet, TAM Brazil, Scandinavian Airlines and others.
Those planes are really fun and beautiful – I wrote about the BB-8 one in the past. There have been Star Wars, Frozen, Fab Five, even Planes (the movie, that is):
I really love these videos. I could watch airplanes, trains and monorails all day long.
Wouldn’t it be a great idea for Disney to have their own airline, with great amenities like Disney Cruise Line but at a more affordable price? (In talks, it was decided that it would be a lower-cost airline a la Jet Blue).
Well, when push came to shove, no. When the idea was rolled around in the early 90s, some wag at Imagineering photoshopped a Mickey logo on the tail of a plane that had crashed in a cornfield, the smoking tail the only thing recognizable in the wreck. Aye, there’s the rub: could you imagine the headlines: DISNEY AIRLINE PLANE CRASHES? The only thing news networks would jump all over more than an airline crash would be a Disney airline crash. It would be brutal. Therefore, every time the idea is brought up again, someone pulls up the tail-in-the-cornfield photo and that’s that.
Here’s another thing Disney was looking at when Universal was rearing its then-ugly head: No, I shouldn’t say that. They had Ghostbusters and lobster bisque at Lombards.
Wait, wanna hear a funny story? Jim Hill (my ex-husband, baby Alice and Imagineer David Mumford were having lunch at Lombard’s at Universal Studios Florida when I had to excuse myself to give Alice a change. The restrooms were located right through an empty section of the restaurant. On my way out, I noticed that there was a model in the middle of the room – and I love models and miniatures. I took a good look at it and then alerted the gentlemen of the party what I had seen. Jim and David went running to the model. Well, Jim went running but David stopped himself in the doorway, saying “I shouldn’t be looking at this!” while craning his neck to get a better look at the model.
It was the model of Islands of Adventure, v. 1. None of this had yet been announced. Jim took careful notes of everything he saw, while David plotted: “We should put a little Sorcerer Mickey right in the center of it, with a banner that says, ‘Imagineering Was Here!'”
But I digress.
What they were planning to take a big bite out of Universal’s upcoming Studio opening was an airport – another one, there’s the STOLport, WDS, which was taken out of operation and is now being used for construction storage. The Walt Disney Airport would have been placed roughly where the Four Seasons is now. One of its features would have been a giant Dumbo at the entrance.
The McCoy-Orlando Airport (MCO) folks were not at all thrilled about this prospect, and let Disney know. The airport was practically a gigantic commercial for Walt Disney World back in those days, complete with Jack Wagner narration on the airport monorail.
Disney backed off, and MCO remains the main airport for Walt Disney World visitors. But let’s talk about this airport for a hot second. They just opened a whole new terminal, and it’s not for airplanes – it’s for trains, mostly Virgin Trains. Virgin just announced that they intend to extend their line right to Walt Disney World, and soon. That’s not a rumor, that a real statement – but you know as well as I do how things can change. I hope it happens and that they do Disney wraps on the trains because that would be so cool. That is unless a train derails…
At the same time, Disney was branching out to other things, like Mickey’s Kitchen, a burger joint that would be attached to Disney Stores. Their deal with Burger King to do Kids’ Meal toys put the kibosh on that, as did Michael Eisner’s triple heart bypass. After that, healthy meals popped up everywhere, but Mickey’s Kitchen went to Yesterland.
There had also been a kerfuffle at this time over three Hallandale, Florida preschools that had gotten a Cease and Desist from Disney because they had painted Disney characters on their walls. Universal sent over artists to paint Universal Studios characters, including those from Hanna-Barbera, on the walls, made a donation to the school and loaded up the kids with gifts from the theme park, ensuring a great reputation with Florida locals for Universal and villain status for Disney.
The idea then came up: why not do a chain of Disney Day-Care Centers? What better way to get Disney fans literally from the cradle?
There’s actually a very good reason when we have stuff like this…
…so it’s pretty self-explanatory why the idea was canned. The liability from a Disney day-care scandal would be far more damaging than the day-care centers would be beneficial to the company.
So, the concept of a Disney Airline would be fantastic, but the reality, not so much.
Citricos Not Going Anywhere!
Now, let’s dispel a rumor you may have heard elsewhere. My mailbox had been positively flooded with folks wanting to know if Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is set to be turned into a Victoria and Albert’s Bistro. So, I set my magical Monorail to seek and destroy mode and came back with the great news that Citricos isn’t becoming a Victoria and Albert’s Bistro. It seems a certain website may have been punked.
But that isn’t to say that grand new things aren’t coming Grand Floridian. The old Mizner’s Lounge and Commander Porter’s are currently under construction to become a larger lounge which takes it’s inspiration from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The new establishment will contain four uniquely themed spaces, each loosely inspired by the classic film.
One room will look like a library, there will be a garden themed area, a romantic outdoor terrace, and the centerpiece bar will glow with a crystal chandelier which takes its notes from the Beast’s rose and Belle’s iconic ballgown.
Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!
It’s the TIKI TAKEOVER August 3!
The annual Tiki Take-Over for Multiple Sclerosis is taking place at Sweet! at Hollywood & Highland, right across the street from Disney’s El Capitan Theatre and Disney Studio Store and Ghiradhelli Soda Fountain! Afterward, go see The Lion King at the El Capitan (don’t forget to get your picture taken ONSTAGE with Pride Rock at least 20 minutes before the show!) Admission to Tiki Take-Over Day is FREE! It’s going on from 10AM – 6PM, so drop by and have a swinging time!
This year, to celebrate the opening of the Geeki Tikis Lounge at Sweet!, Tiki is taking over the entire heavily-themed candy superstore! Join vendors like Tiki Gonzo’s, Retro Ruthie, who will be debuting some fab new shirt designs, and Tiki Al with his awesome Tikimobile, available for photo ops RIGHT INSIDE THE STORE!
It’s also around my birthday (August 7), so we’re going to be celebrating tiki-style! I was told that there would be cake.
If you remember Annette, you also know that we lost her to MS. So, honor our Pineapple Princess and help put a stop to MS! I hope to see you there!
PS: Dole Whip Cocktails!
Three Cheers for Three Years: Disney Emoji Blitz!
Disney Emoji Blitz is turning 3! To celebrate, players are getting back-to-back in-game giveaways and events from July 8-17. See below for more details.
- Free Daily Surprises Now – July 14 – Open the app during the celebration and receive a free daily gift, including 10 gems and the all-new, adorable rainbow cupcake item on July 13, the game’s official anniversary.
- Collect Magic Keys July 16-17 – and open a set of chests to complete this event and receive a magic wand emoji.
- World Emoji Day Giveaway (And Disneyland’s Birthday!): July 17 – Celebrate World Emoji Day with an emoji giveaway box, featuring Hercules, Pocahontas, or Hiro.
Hey, did you know? Once players collect emojis and items in-game, they show up in the Emoji Blitz chat keyboard on Android and iOS devices. So, all these great giveaways and prizes can be used over and over via chat with friends. YES, I do have a Kylo Ren one!
Disney Emoji Blitz is available for free on the App Store and Google Play.
We Love You 3,000 – Avengers: Endgame Tours from SDCC to D23
To celebrate the release of Avengers: Endgame on Digital 7/30 and Blu-ray 8/13, Marvel will be sending our favorite MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) directors and a star or two to locations all over the world. Pre-order here to help me out.
FAN EVENTS/TOUR STOPS:
July 20 | SAN DIEGO, CA
San Diego Comic-Con
Calling all Avengers fans! Join Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo and special MCU guest(s) at the IMDboat as they celebrate the in-home release of the film. Costumed guests will be welcomed aboard to participate in a special Marvel Studios Cosplay photo with the Russo Brothers and their special guest(s) on the IMDboat – 5th Avenue Landing Marina, Slip 5B (Directly behind the convention center), Saturday, July 20 at 1:15 – 2:15pm General fans who arrive on-site will be gifted with a free ice cream courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s (while supplies last).
July 30 | SEATTLE, WA
Funko Fan Experience
The “We Love You 3000 Tour” arrives at Funko HQ in Everett, WA, from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. There will be a “fan experience”, details to follow. (I bet there’s an exclusive Funko Pop for this event!)
- August 8 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Giants Game @ Oracle Park Get your tickets for the game now.
- August 13 | CHICAGO, IL – Best Buy In-Store Event
- August 13 | TORRANCE, CA (This is the one I’m going to!) – Best Buy In-Store Event
- August 13 | MIAMI, FL – Best Buy In-Store Event
- August 14 | MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Best Buy In-Store Event
- August 20 | CLEVELAND, OH – Best Buy In-Store Event
- August 23- 25 | ANAHEIM, CA – D23 EXPO – Anaheim Convention Center
The “We Love You 3000 Tour” culminates with a star-studded appearance at the D23 Expo 2019!
Discount Disney Theme Park Tickets and Travel
You’ve heard that the parks are delightfully uncrowded
MiceChat’s partners at Get Away Today offer you amazing savings on Disney tickets and travel.
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We address rumors here. We’ll make sure to always point out what IS a rumor, why it’s a rumor and encourage you to always take it with the grain of salt that makes rumors so delicious in the first place. Use it as a starting-off point for speculation and imagination, because, to be honest, rumors are fun. Please help support MiceChat by clicking here! I’m on Patreon, and support Ryman Arts.
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