Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1254

February 12, 2014

PotterWatch: Lost Continent Games Leave, King’s Cross Gets Named, Hogwarts Express Testing Begins?

By Seth Kubersky



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It’s been chilly and wet in Central Florida lately, but that hasn’t stopped progress on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. For this week’s edition of PotterWatch, we’ll start with the recent removal of Lost Continent games in Islands of Adventure, then take a look at the latest Diagon Alley construction in Universal Studios. Finally, we’ll finish with the newest rumor about Hogwarts Express testing.


Lost Continent Games and Hogsmeade Station

Let’s begin in Islands of Adventure at the border between The Lost Continent and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade.




Construction continues on the Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade Station, and the structure that stands at the head of the path that will lead towards it.



 


At long last, the tacky carnival games in Lost Continent have been removed. This area will be lightly re-themed to smooth out the transition between Sindbad stadium and the Wizarding World.


The Lost Continent games as they appeared a couple weeks ago.



 


Potter film star Evanna Lynch rightful called out this “jarring” transition during last month’s Celebration of Harry Potter Q&As.


The same area last week, with the carnival games closed.



 


The spaces that were formerly filled with ring-tosses and plush prizes will now be used as back-of-house break areas and storage.


This spy shot shows the empty interior of one of the former game booths.


 


Diagon Alley and London Waterfront

A panoramic pic from the King’s Cross end of the Wizarding World


And another from the opposite end.


 


Other than the addition of identifying signage on the outside of some London Waterfront facades, there’s been little notable external progress on the Diagon Alley expansion in Universal Studios Florida.


A look across the lagoon from Duff Gardens towards Diagon Alley


Authentic English weather over the London waterfront.


No mistaking King’s Cross Station now that these letters have been installed.


The shops of Diagon Alley can be glimpsed through the Leicester Square entrance.





Still, that won’t stop us from peeping through the construction fence.







 


Rumors

This week’s hottest rumor is word of small-scale testing of the Hogwarts Express attraction with selected guests. Apparently, a small number of people have been chosen to experience a test of certain effects inside the Hogwarts Express train cars. It seems they are selecting people with small children, presumably to see if the rumored Dementor encounter is too scary for kids. It’s worth noting that the trains stations are far from complete, and that any current tests only include a portion of the complete attraction.



 





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Published on February 12, 2014 03:00

February 11, 2014

Disney’s Polynesian Resort Scheduled Refurbishments

By Rikki Niblett



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©Disney

©Disney


It was announced last September that Disney Vacation Club would be heading to Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Because of this addition, the hotel is refurbishing some areas for future enjoyment. There are a couple of new items that have been added to the list, in addition to a few that are currently ongoing. So you can be prepared if you are planning on staying at the Polynesian during your vacation this year, here are the rehabs are taking place .



The eastern portion of the Polynesian Beach and Sunset Point have been closed since September 9, 2013, and will be unavailable for the foreseeable future.
The Never Land Club (Children’s Activity Center) has been closed since January 28 and will remain closed until April 27.
The lobby of the Great Ceremonial House will see refurbishment work from March 1 until sometime in December 2014.
Captain Cook’s (Quick Service dining location) will close sometime in March and will reopen sometime in June. A replacement dining option will be available.

I’ll be sure to keep you posted on additional refurbishment details!





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Published on February 11, 2014 12:34

Universal Orlando Cabana Bay Pedestrian Bridge Construction Begins

By Seth Kubersky



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Cabana Bay pedestrian bridge

All photos by Seth Kubersky


The first phase of Cabana Bay Beach Resort opens on March 31, 2014, and while Universal Orlando‘s first value-priced hotel will have plenty of amenities (like a 10 lane bowling alley) it won’t have water taxi transportation to the theme like the original three Loews-operated resorts. Universal will provide bus transportation from Cabana Bay to the main parking hub, but many guests will find it quicker and more convenient to walk to the attractions. In order to accommodate them, construction began last week on a new Cabana Bay pedestrian bridge, which will permit safe passage across Hollywood Way at Adventure Way.


 


This bridge sparked a bit of controversy in Orlando last year when the city council voted to fund the project’s $9 million dollar construction cost from a special taxing fund in the name of “public safety.”


Universal Orlando Cabana Bay pedestrian bridge

This corner will soon be the site of Universal Orlando’s Cabana Bay pedestrian bridge.



Electronic signs warn motorists of bridge construction.


Landscaping appears to be cleared in order to prepare for bridge construction.


Construction warning flags mark buried utilities.


 


The exact design of the bridge is also bit of a mystery. Originally, concept art depicted a fairly utilitarian structure.


Concept art courtesy Universal



 


Then late last year, proposed designs surfaced for an innovative landscaped “green bridge.” Now that work has begun, we should soon know which way they’ve decided to go.


Concept art by Green Roof/Miles Architecture/Libra Design



 


To celebrate the groundbreaking, I recently took a stroll from the Cabana Bay construction site to the CityWalk entrance near Margaritaville, in order to document what the path currently looks like:


 



 


As you can see, there are some interesting backstage views into Islands of Adventure (which may very well get covered up) and lots of greenery. The walk took me 8 minutes; even if you almost double that to account for crossing the bridge and finding your room, most Cabana Bay guests should be within about a 15 minute walk of Universal CityWalk. That’s only a few minutes further away than the Royal Pacific Resort, and about the same as many “walking distance” hotels around the Disneyland Resort (including the Disneyland Hotel).


Are you planning on staying at Cabana Bay? Do you think you’ll walk, or will you get to the parks by bus? Let us know in the comments below!



 





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Published on February 11, 2014 12:00

Ask Jim Hill Ep 24 – Who Besides Eisner Could Have Become Disney CEO In 1984?

By Guy Selga Jr.



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Michael Eisner became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 1984, but who else was in the running for the position? Find out some of the other names in this week’s Ask Jim Hill.



New episodes are posted every Tuesday, so be sure to subscribe on YouTube!


If you have a question about Disney or Universal history, you can submit it to AskJimHill@TouringPlans.com, and he may answer it on the air!





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Published on February 11, 2014 10:00

Video: New Beetlejuice Show Debuts at Universal Studios Florida

By Seth Kubersky



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Universal Studios Florida's new Beetlejuice show video February 8.

Universal Studios Florida’s new Beetlejuice show opened February 8.


“It’s showtime!”…again at Universal Studios Florida, as a brand-new Beetlejuice show debuted on February 8, barely a month after the previous version of Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue closed in early 2014. The new production still teams up updated incarnations of Universal’s Classic Monsters with the “ghost with the most” (originally portrayed by Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s 1988 supernatural comedy) for a rock ‘n’ roll karaoke concert.


The newly revamped version brings back Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and his Bride, and the Wolfman, along with their eponymous host. Added to the mix are Cleo and Phantasia, feminine reinterpretations of the Mummy and the Phantom of the Opera, along with two pairs of backup dancers in ghoulish getups. Naturally, all the music has been changed up, and now focuses on 1980′s vintage pop, including the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams,” Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” The Romantics’ “What I Like About You,” and The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian.”



 


First, here’s my report from closing day of the old show, featuring a full video of the final show.


Now, here’s a complete video of the new Beetlejuice show, recorded at the final performance of opening day:


 



 


I’m awed by the amazing effort Universal’s cast and crew have put in, putting this show together in approximately 30 days, and I appreciate the effort to freshen the show’s soundtrack, which had grown long in the tooth (“Hey Ya,” anyone?). And as an arts supporter, it’s also always great to see such a large cast of actors (the company went from 7 performers to 11) getting a steady paid gig in this town. There are some nifty new props on stage, tons of new high-energy choreography, and pyro explosions that seem more frequent but less deafening than before.



Unfortunately, I have major issues with the new show’s script, starting with the fact that there hardly is one. The prior versions weren’t Shakespeare, but at least there was a slender thread of a story arc, built around the Frank/Drac/Bride love triangle and Beetlejuice’s attempt to “transfunkify” the old-fashioned monsters.


Now, there’s nothing but an exhaustingly energetic non-stop dance party, with songs that seldom seem connected to the characters, and as little dialogue or comedy linking the music as they can get away with. The monsters start out in their funky garb now, so there’s no connection to their classic characterization, while Beetlejuice goes from being the protagonist to a dope hiding behind the DJ turntable.


Worst of all, Beetlejuice is barely in his own show now, shoved off-stage for the entire opening and never given an opportunity to ad lib in the audience. Older versions of the show may have raised some eyebrows with BJ’s borderline PG-13 innuendo, but now the raunchy bio-exorcist seems to have has his cojones excised.



I have other nits to pick, like the member of the opening cast who needs professional vocal training stat (I’ll let you pick out who), or the bargain-basement fright wigs on the backup dancers, or the way we’re patronizingly teased with “Shake Señora” and “Thriller” but never hear a second of Danny Elfman’s Beetlejuice theme.


But maybe I just need to see the show another few dozen times to get used to it. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of chances over the coming years, before the next inevitable revision comes along…


 





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Published on February 11, 2014 09:00

Universal Dining: Emeril’s Tchoup Chop at the Royal Pacific Resort

By Derek Burgan



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TchoupChop_SignI’m a big fan of all three of Universal’s on-site hotels but the Royal Pacific Resort is definitely my favorite. Even though I have been going to the hotel for years, I have always eaten my meals at the parks or at CityWalk. After having a terrific breakfast buffet experience at the Islands Dining Room earlier last year, I realized I needed to start checking out all the eateries at the Royal Pacific. First I tried lunch and drinks at Jake’s American Bar, followed by the Royal Pacific’s Character Breakfast (also at Jake’s). In January of this year, Emeril’s Tchoup Chop made some major changes by bringing in a new chef de cuisine, Ryan Vargas, and completely updating their lunch and dinner menus. Seth Kubersky wrote an article on the TouringPlans blog recently that explored the new menu, and that sealed the deal for me. I needed to try Tchoup Chop ASAP.



Tchoup Chop is located on the ground floor of the Royal Pacific and is directly across from the guest exit to the water taxis to CityWalk. The decor inside is stunning, with a pond in the center that is really eye-catching. The amount of color throughout the main dining area is the first thing you will notice when walking in through the front doors.


TchoupChop_Inside


TchoupChopDining


I was with a party of seven for the evening, including several celebrity Disney bloggers. After being seated, I asked our server the question that has been on my mind for years…how do you pronounce Tchoup Chop? Answer: it is pronounced “Chop Chop.” The first things delivered to the table were orders of shrimp chips. These came with an incredible peanut dipping sauce that was out of this world – so good I must have asked for half a dozen refills and dipped almost everything in it throughout the night.


TchoupChop_ShrimpChips


Next up, the chef brought over Tuna Lollipops for the table. As a fan of NASCAR Grille in CityWalk, I knew at this point I was in way over my head.  I’m used to pretzel breadsticks to start a meal, not art. Just amazing. These were compliments of the restaurant. They must have heard about my scathing review of McDonald’s at Downtown Disney that closed the place and brought us BabyCakes NYC. You’re welcome, Dear Readers.


TchoupChop_TunaLollipop


Several plates of sushi were brought out with the table consensus being that the avocado based one being the best. I believe it was called the Soft Shell Crunch. I’m not a fan of sushi, but those who enjoy it said everything was really fresh and very high quality.


TchoupChop_Sushi


TchoupChop_MoreSushi


One nice surprise was the large selection of craft beers available at Tchoup Chop. Selections included Atlanta Brewing Company’s “Hop Lanta,” Ommegang BPA, Kona Brewing Company’s “Longboard Island Lager,” Bell’s Amber, Innis and Gunn Scottish Ale, Breckenride’s “Agave Wheat” and “Vanilla Porter,” and Left Hand Brewery’s “Milk Stout.” These ranged between $8 and $11. There was a large selection of regular beers (Budweiser, Corona, Heineken), along with a very large selection of wines.


TchoupChop_Beers


I had the Iron Skillet Seared Edamame ($5), which was excellent with lots of seasoning, and my peanut dipping sauce on the side. With the huge amount of beans, I’d say this is one of the better values at any resort restaurant.


TchoupChop_Edamame


Another appetizer, the Tchoup Chop Crunchy Shrimp with hot and sour chili glaze ($10)


TchoupChop_CrunchyShrimp


The Tchoup Chop Salad with mixed Asian greens, candied pecans, oranges and creamy soy dressing ($9). Two of us had this at the table, including myself, and it was excellent. Very flavorful.


TchoupChop_TCSalad


Speaking of salads, here is the Ugly Tomatoes one with heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, arugula, macadamia nut thai basil pesto and Shoyu balsamic glaze. ($12)


TchoupChop_UglyTomatoes


An order of Kiawe – Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Asian barbecue sauce ($10) The sauce was very good, but the meat was a little fatty.


TchoupChop_Ribs


Part of the big overhaul of the restaurant was the introduction of a robata grill. The server told us that this grill sears meat, vegetables, and seafood at temperatures up to 1,000°F, which is approximately the temperature of Animal Kingdom in July or August. Tchoup Chop is actually only the second restaurant in Orlando to have a robata grill, the other being Popeye’s Chicken on Sand Lake Road. Just kidding, it’s a place called Dragonfly Robata Grill in the Dr. Phillips area. The searing added a good amount of crispiness to the vegetables that I liked a lot.


From the robata menu, an order of Asparagus ($6)


TchoupChop_Asparagus


Japanese Eggplant ($4)


TchoupChop_Eggplant


Yakitori Pineapple Chicken ($8) Was told that this was not worth the money as it tasted too bland.


TchoupChop_Yakitori


 Thai-spiced Lamb Satay ($12) The lamb however was very unique and worth the price.


TchoupChop_Lamb


Hibachi Skirt Steak with Okinawan purple smashed potatoes, wild mushroom “poke” Asian chimichurri ($29). Steak was decent – if tough – but the smashed potatoes were terrific.


TchoupChop_SkirtSteak


Korean Fried Chicken with Kim Chee spring onion smashed potatoes and garlicky spinach. ($29)


TchoupChop_KFC


Now it’s time to go to desserts. I’ll be upfront about this. I like desserts. I think regular readers of my work know I like desserts. So when I tell you a restaurant has good desserts, you can take that to the bank. Tchoup Chop has great desserts. In full disclosure, the desserts were provided compliments of the restaurant.


First up, some of their homemade ice cream and sorbets. The mango one was a huge hit at the table.


TchoupChop_icecream


Next was Emeril’s Signature Banana Creme Pie and several Crème Brûlées. The cake was amazing and had huge chunks of banana in it. The crème brûlées were even better than the cake and reminded me of the wonderful desserts I had on my Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas cruise last year.


TchoupChop_Cake


Next was the Crispy Guava & Cream Cheese Dumplings. I have no idea what guava is, but this was hands down one of the best desserts I have ever had. The cream cheese dumplings would melt in your mouth after biting into them.


TchoupChop_dumplings


I’m not even sure what the following dessert is, as it never made it over to my side of the table. That’s a pretty good sign that people liked it, though.


TchoupChop_Dessert2


I think everyone came out impressed by Tchoup Chop with the desserts, themselves, being almost destination dining. Several members of the party said they would return at the very least for Happy Hour (Daily from 5-8PM), and there is a large bar area that you can sit at. The service was impeccable, as the wait staff was very attentive and was always there for things like refills of water without having to ask. The atmosphere of the restaurant is like an upscale P.F. Chang’s, and for me personally, the quality of the food and service it made me want to try the Emeril’s restaurant in CityWalk. The bill for our party was $298.21 after tax, and that included 10 drinks (mostly alcohol) and 17 food dishes. There is a children’s lunch and dinner menu, but I think families with young kids may have an easier time over at The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel. I would consider Tchoup Chop perfect for date nights or get-togethers with friends.


Emeril’s Tchoup Chop


Lunch: Mon-Sun 11:30 am – 2:30 pm


Dinner: Mon-Sun 5:30 pm – 10 pm


Reservations (recommended): http://www.OpenTable.com/emerils-tchoup-chop


Special thanks to Seth Kubersky, Josh EasyWDW, Anthony SOTMKblog, and Morgan Crutchfield for this assistance with this article.





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Published on February 11, 2014 04:05

February 10, 2014

Walt Disney World Crowd Report – February 2 to 8, 2014

By Fred Hazelton



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In general, our predictions came in too low this past week, with warm weather bringing out some larger than expected crowds. Resort-wide levels never did peak above average, though, so it was a still a great week to visit the parks. Some park levels surprised us this week, especially at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, and more specifically at attractions other than the super headliners. This may be a symptom of FastPass+ integration throughout the resort since guests can not repeat super headliners as easily in a given day. Regardless, our attraction estimates performed well, meaning that those of you who used our touring plan optimizer experienced near optimal conditions if you followed the plan.


Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up day-to-day.


The Crowd Report

The Crowd Report



The Walt Disney World Crowd Report


February 2, 2014 to February 8, 2014



Sunday, February 2, 2014


Super Bowl Sunday brought some higher than expected crowds to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Magic Kingdom reached a level ’7′ on our scale, and Animal Kingdom an ’8′, much higher than the ’4′ and ’3′ we predicted, respectively. Surprisingly, though, our attraction predictions were fairly accurate in most cases. We may have to look closely at some specific attractions to see if FastPass+ is causing a distinct impact. For example, on Sunday Space Mountain reached an average posted time of 43 minutes while Pirates of the Caribbean averaged 31 minutes. Normally these two attractions would have a much larger difference than that.


Monday, February 3, 2014


Some surprisingly large crowds continued at Animal Kingdom on Monday, with a park-wide level of ’6,’ although no attraction had an average posted time above 36 minutes. Nice weather brought unseasonably large wait times at Kali River Rapids (29 minute average) and Kilimanjaro Safaris (36 minutes), although Expedition Everest came in lower than we predicted at 26 minutes (predicted 34). Hollywood Studios had larger than expected crowds, while Magic Kingdom (5) and Epcot (4) came in as expected.


Tuesday, February 4, 2014


Increases continued on Tuesday, with the resort wide crowd level reaching a ’4′ on our scale, two higher than predicted. Still, crowds are below average and manageable with a touring plan. Epcot hosted Extra Magic Hour morning and brought in below average crowds as expected, reaching a level ’3′ on our scale.


Wednesday, February 5, 2014


Crowds settled slightly on Wednesday, with no park reaching a crowd level above ’4′. The Studios reached ’4′ while Epcot and Animal Kingdom reached ’3′ and Magic Kingdom was a  ’2′. Magic Kingdom wait times were some of the lowest we’ve seen in several weeks, with Peter Pan’s Flight averaging only 41 minutes, much lower than normal. Big Thunder Mountain averaged only 25 minutes and Space Mountain a minuscule 15 minutes.


Thursday, February 6, 2014


Resort-wide crowds reached a level ’3′ on Thursday, two higher than predicted thanks to some slightly higher waits at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, although all of those three parks stayed at a level ’3.’ Extra Magic Hour morning at Magic Kingdom brought in a level ’4′ crowd as predicted. Test Track had the highest waits at Epcot with an average of 57 minutes (predicted 37), while DINOSAUR took that prize at Animal Kingdom with a 22-minute average (predicted 18). At the Studios, Toy Story Mania averaged 62 minutes, a little less than double the next highest average (Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at 36 minutes).


Friday, February 7, 2014


Friday’s predictions were all within one index level of what we observed, although in each case we underestimated. The Studios and Animal Kingdom were the lowest two, as predicted. Epcot’s Extra Magic Hour evening brought slightly higher than expected waits at Test Track (63 minute average, predicted 48), while Magic Kingdom had the highest crowds, although no wait time averaged more than 55 minutes.


Saturday, February 8, 2014


Extra Magic Hour morning at the Studios saw wait times three levels higher than predicted (’6,’ predicted ’3′), although we correctly predicted the average wait time at Toy Story Mania (69 minutes) within 4 minutes. Resort-wide, crowds were actually one index level lower than we predicted thanks to moderate waits at the other three parks.



What to Expect This Week


February 9 to 15, 2014



As we head into the next holiday season at Walt Disney World, we will find crowds starting to build on Thursday or Friday and continue through President’s Week.


To see Walt Disney World Crowd predictions for the days of your vacation, check the Crowd Calendar.Crowd Calendar Example


To get details about our predictions of future crowds or details about crowds in the past check out the Crowd Calendar and select “Jump to Date” on the left margin.





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Published on February 10, 2014 12:03

Frozen Meet and Greet to Continue at Epcot

By Rikki Niblett



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Anna and Elsa from FrozenWell, last week, I told you I’d keep you updated on any Anna and Elsa news. I am one to keep my word, and today we have official confirmation from the Disney Parks Blog that the two sisters will not be going anywhere “for the foreseeable future.” (Yay!)


Guests may continue to meet the two at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot in the Princesse Plass area. As a reminder, the meet and greet schedule recently changed. Guests may now meet Anna and Elsa daily from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.  As I previously suggested, if you are looking to meet Anna and Elsa, make sure you enter Epcot at park opening (“rope drop”) and head straight back to the Norway Pavilion. (Wait times here can get quite lengthy really fast!)


For those who are looking to take part in more Frozen fun, make sure to check out the Norsk Kultur gallery, which can be found in the Stave Church (located in the front of the Pavilion). This gallery showcases artifacts that influenced the making of the movie.


In addition, at the Magic Kingdom guests can still enjoy the “Let It Go” portion of the Celebrate the Magic Castle Projection Show. Finally, announced today, when the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade begins in March, guests will be able to catch Anna and Elsa on the Princess Garden Float, which will be the lead float in the new parade.





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Published on February 10, 2014 08:49

Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade Getting Ready to Roll

By Rikki Niblett



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©Disney

©Disney


The new daytime parade for the Magic Kingdom is getting its finishing touches! Called the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade, this new extravaganza is a celebration of New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. The parade will bring beloved Disney and Pixar characters front and center with innovative parade floats, a new soundtrack featuring classic favorites from Disney films, a brand new original parade song, plus incredibly stunning costumes. There will be nearly 100 performers in all that help bring this parade to life.


“The parade celebrates and pays homage to what the Magic Kingdom is all about,” said Randy Wojcik, senior show director Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Creative Entertainment. “It has the most beautiful floats, enchanting characters, vibrant costumes that come to life; and the choreography is just glorious. Yet, it is also very kinetic, relevant and powerful on a scale never seen before at Walt Disney World.”


There will be seven unique units comprised of nine spectacularly designed floats. The float by float line up includes:



The Princess Garden – This float celebrates Disney royalty. Cinderella, Tiana and Belle plus their Princes will ride among a garden of topiaries filled with woodland creatures, birds, and more. Cinderella’s dress will twirl like a turntable, and Swan Court couples lead the 50-foot-long float. In addition, Anna and Elsa from Frozen will on this float!

 



Member of the Swan Court ©Disney

Member of the Swan Court ©Disney



 



Tangled – Flynn Rider and Rapunzel in search of adventure! Rapunzel’s iconic tresses weave throughout this 36-foot-long float decked out with swaying pendulums carrying thugs.

 


©Disney

©Disney



Tangled Thugs ©Disney

Tangled Thugs ©Disney



Floral Maidens ©Disney

Floral Maidens ©Disney


 



Little Mermaid – Ariel and her friends sit atop a colorful seashell music box. On this Under the Sea float there will be conga dancing fish and bubbles galore. Performers costumes will include shimmering fabrics and are runway inspired. Sea life represented will include the lion fish, coral fish, seashells, and seahorses.

 


©Disney

©Disney


Seashell Girl ©Disney

Seashell Girl ©Disney


Lion Fish ©Disney

Lion Fish ©Disney


 



Peter Pan – Straight from Never Land come Peter Pan and Wendy, soaring high aboard the Jolly Roger, complete with smoke effects and other special surprises. A rainbow arch shines over Skull Rock and Tinker Bell nestled among giant flowers, while Captain Hook takes center stage on a swinging anchor. With this float, the Lost Boys will kick up their heels to high-energy choreography.

 


©Disney

©Disney


Lost Boys ©Disney

Lost Boys ©Disney


 



Brave – Celtic couples and a float shaped like an enormous bagpipe announce the arrival of Merida. Scottish dancers step to melodies of the Great Highlands.

 


©Disney

©Disney


 



Sleeping Beauty – The heroic Prince Phillip battles a Steampunk-inspired Dragon as the wicked Maleficent. This float stretches 53 feet in length and 26 feet tall with a prickly spinning wheel dead center of the float. With fiery eyes and glowing effects the spectacular dragon was built on an articulating chassis allowing the float to bend and flex as it moves along the parade route The unit will also include Prince Phillip, thorn-inspired stilt performers, dramatic raven dancers, plus the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather.

 


©Disney

©Disney


Raven ©Disney

Raven ©Disney


 



Finale and Mickey’s Airship – The parade culminates with a 90-foot-long magical caravan of characters, featuring Pinocchio, Dumbo, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Mad Hatter, Pluto, and more in a carnival of color. There are Pegasus horses, dancing hippos, and sassy Bubble Girls with cotton-candy-like hair celebrating Storybook Circus in New Fantasyland. To end the parade, we’ll see Mickey and Minnie Mouse sit sky high in Mickey’s Airship.

 


©Disney

©Disney


Cha Cha Girl ©Disney

Cha Cha Girl ©Disney


 


There is still no official opening date for this parade; however, it is scheduled to open in March. (Rumors are indicating the middle of March, but nothing has been announced by Disney just yet.)





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Published on February 10, 2014 08:08

PUSH the Talking Trash Can No Longer Appearing at Magic Kingdom

By Rikki Niblett



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PUSH

PUSH in Tomorrowland
(photo credit Scott Sanders -
Disney Cruise Line Blog)


The question over the last week has been: “Will he be returning or won’t he?” We now know the answer. PUSH the Talking Trash Can will no longer appear in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. His last day working was Saturday, February 8.


PUSH was an animatronic trash can who interacted with guests by talking with them, joking with them, and dancing with them. He was absolutely a fan favorite attraction.


The rumors started late last week. First, we heard he was going away forever, then we heard from the Orlando Sentinel that he was reported to be staying, but it’s official now that the roving trash can is extinct.


It appears that the reason behind the removal is that the contract for the talking trash can act had expired. PUSH had been around for 19 years.


There are no current plans to introduce a similar show back into the park. Disney is advising guests to instead take part in the #INCREDIBLESsuperdanceparty at the Rockettower Plaza Stage.





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PUSH the Talking Trash Can No Longer Appearing at Magic Kingdom is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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Published on February 10, 2014 07:25

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