All the whispered Rumors, News, and Opinions on all things theme park related in Central Florida. Theme Park Whispers is for all that love and live the amazing events in the Orlando area!!
Halloween at Disney is always a great time for the family but Mickey's Not So Scary is sold out for tonight, so what to do with the family?
Disney's Boardwalk Resort has the answer with The Boardwalk Village Greens Dance Party. Character meet and greets, food, games, festivities, and music by the amazing DJ Tony Z are on the line up for this great event.
Games start around 6:00 pm with music starting at 7:00 pm. Parking at the Boardwalk will be allowed just let security know you are there for the Halloween Party at the Boardwalk.
The major, and a little shocking, announcement of Disney's acquisition of Lucas Films, and affiliates, is sure to start a theme park rumor mill that has not been seen since the days of the Potter announcement over at Universal.
I would like to say with this purchase Disney now holds the keys to one of the most beloved franchises of all time, this of course is not new to the Disney company. Recent purchases of Pixar, Marvel, and the Muppets all indicate that Disney is not afraid to take on entertainment history altering companies with vigor.
Lucas Films however will be one that Disney will have to tread carefully with, because like Potter, the fans of the Star Wars multiverse are die hard to the end. Disney will have to "cross every T and dot every I" as they say, to insure the backlash of Star Wars fandom does not kill any future projects. Lucas is staying on board as creative consultant which will make the transition much easier and will help to insure that projects have that Lucas feel. That being said lets move on to the theme parks and the potential that this acquisition offers.
I will offer my opinion on what we can hope to see in the future and time will tell us how much of theme park dork I really am!!
Disney's Hollywood Studios here in Orlando looks to benefit the most from the new union. I feel that in the very near future, about the time that Universal announces the new Potter expansion, we will see a Star Wars themed land heading to this struggling park. Disney has never been able to turn the numbers it wants at the Studios and it is getting harder each year as Universal draws the proverbial "line in the sand" and expands.
I am going to say that Disney will bring Tatooine to the Florida landscape. Tatooine is a perfect idea as it will allow for both the Jedi side and the Dark Side to co-exist in one location. I am sure that we will see a Mos Eisley Cantina with all its crazy clientele and food that is "out of this world". Learning from the Universal idea that themed areas, such as Potter, are what people desire now makes this an almost guaranteed location.
Mos Eisley is also a spaceport, the one from which the Millennium Falcon departed, can you say "E-ticket" attraction. The story is already in place and known by millions, and lets face it who would not want to ride on the Millennium Falcon?!?! Plus factor in the Falcon has in movie history the starship Enterprise as its only rival to being the best known spaceship of all time!!
Pod Races will also factor into the ride ideas in some form. Disney has been setting on a Tron themed Light Cycle concept for sometime now. A little re-theming should make it easy for you to ride your very own Pod in the galactic race.
A Jedi Training center is a guaranteed idea since the one offered during Star Wars Weekends books to capacity EARLY everyday. Both young and old Jedi will be skilled in the way of the masters in an effort to fight the evil "Dark Side"! Jedis will be trained and then able to build their very own Lightsaber, which you can do now, but these will be much higher end.
Shopping? The already profitable Tatooine Traders will be expanded into a Main Street type Emporium and will offer gifts from around the galaxy this along with numerous other merchandise stands and locations should make shopping on Tatooine an experience like no other.
Ok that is all I am going to speculate on for now. Please remember these are all just "pie in the sky" ideas and have no basis at all. I just wanted to post this early out to see how close I can come to predicting the future when it comes to the theme parks!
The new Test Track opening December 6th (Yes the same day as the Fantasyland Expansion), is getting a new sleek look to match the new theme of the ride and it should be installed this week.
Test Track was closed earlier in the year to allow for a refurb, and while the ride system is staying the same, the ride effects are rumored to be very high end and cutting edge.
In a move that is sure to change the theme park and film industry Dinsey has announced the purchase of Lucas Films, including ILM the groundbreaking special effects company, and other Lucas ventures
Press release follows:
Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.
Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.
“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney’s unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value.”
“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”
Speaking later on the topic, Lucas confirmed his pending retirement noting that hiring Kennedy was only the first step and that with her, he had developed the remaining portion of the third Star Wars trilogy as well as enough material ‘for a hundred years.’ The final step in his retirement was to find a caretaker for the company, which he found in The Walt Disney Company. Lucas’ plan is to engage in philanthropy, experimental films and other activities he felt he could not take Lucasfilm through.
Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.
Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.
The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.
Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm’s legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world’s top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney’s strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.
The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney’s very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company’s unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney’s portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company’s ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world’s highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.
The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.
I thought that since we showed Disney some love about the Christmas events about to start that I would do the same for Universal. Universal has announced that the world renowned Mannheim Steamroller will be back for this holiday season, along with the mean and heart troubled GRINCH!!
The powerful, instrumental supergroup will perform eight nights in December, up from last year’s six concerts at Music Plaza at Universal Studios. The large crowds last year promted Universal to add more dates. Mannheim will be on stage Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23.
The Studios will also host the Macy’s Holiday Parade, featuring floats and balloons direct from the traditional event in New York. The daily parade will run Dec. 1-Jan. 1. (Universal’s Superstar Parade, introduced earlier this year, will continue its regular schedule.)
Holiday versions of the Barney show and the Blues Brothers street concert will be presented, as well as many holiday character meet and greets.
Next door at Islands of Adventure, the live “Grinchmas Wholiday Spectacular” returns, featuring Mannheim Steamroller music. IOA will feature a Seuss character breakfast and Grinch meet-and-greets. The Grinch himself will be available for holiday photos and the "snow" will be returning to both parks this year to add to the merriment!!
Holiday programming, which wraps up Jan. 1, is included with regular Universal admission to either park.
There are only 55 days, as of this post, until Santa and his reindeer land at homes all over the world in celebration of Christmas!! I know for most of us that can cause panic, but Mickey and his crew are gearing up for the annual celebration as we speak.
The lights are on the castle and as soon as Halloween is over the Magic Kingdom, then the other parks, will get a magical makeover to celebrate the holiday season. This also means that it is time for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!!
Mickey's favorite, and busiest holiday event, will run on selected nights November the 9th through December the 21st . Tickets are available now and Florida Residents have select nights that they can get huge discounts.
I advise if you want to attend the event set a date and get tickets early as the event has a tendency to sell out on many nights. Hope to see everyone there and let me be one of the first to say...."MERRY CHRISTMAS"!!
Reminder: Disney will have the Fantasyland Grand Opening on December the 6th so expect crowds to go up significantly after the opening.
Universal filed permits to add a construction trailer for Project 971 which is the new Simpsons Land. The filing of this permits indicates that work on the area should start very soon!!
The new area is rumored to contain a Krusty Burger and a Moe's Tavern, both will be a great experience for any Simpsons fan!
Now that Cameron has confirmed and signed off on the new Avatar area for Disney's Animal Kingdom, more information continues to "leak" out from the creative minds at the Mouse.
The latest rumors are the main attraction for the Avatar area will indeed be, as we posted earlier this month, a 3-D based flight simulator. The great news is the rumored attraction will be not only high Def 3-D but most likely with a 360 degree view. Now remember this looks to be a massive attraction if they stick with the leaked blueprints which call for FOUR theaters of the design type shown below.
SeaWorld has already used this technology in their Turtle Trek attraction which is simply astounding, the ocean creatures appear in front, behind and above you creating a truly unique experience.
Disney will of course be stepping their game up in the use of this technology and are rumored to be going with SimTech for the ride design system. The photos that are shown below show just what a great experience this attraction should be. The ride base system shown in the photos will allow for extreme movements and offer a new experience for Disney property.
Dome illustration which is shown in the "leaked" Disney Blueprints
Platform movement base
The last two photos below show a great park known as the Singapore Gardens by the Bay. Disney is rumored to have made a few trips in the past month to this location. I can definitely see Disney using a similar ideal to create the deep forest areas of Pandora.
Pandora at night?
A walk among the trees...
Once again, as always, these are simply rumors at this stage and as with any project details are subject to change.
The cold weather has arrived and Mickey is taking this chance to do the annual refurb to Typhoon Lagoon. Disney show that the water park will reopen on January 6, 2013. Blizzard Beach will remain open during this time period.
SeaWorld is well on its way to having one of the coolest attractions in central Florida..and by cool I do not just mean awesome. The Antarctica expansion will give the park a much needed boost to its high end attraction collection. Rumored to be the coldest attraction ever built, the journey following the life of a baby penguin through its harsh homeland should be a family experience like none other....watch the first pre-opening videos below to get an idea of what is in store!!
Universal has invited guests to a press event on the night of November 1st, 2012 to reveal a major announcement Sources have confirmed that Universal will announce Transformers: The Ride which is on track to open as early as next summer. Universal has placed Transformers on a 24/7 work schedule so things are going up fast at the site. Transformers is already a massive hit at Universal Hollywood and should be just as amazing here. The attraction is filmed in high def 3-D and features actual Transformer style robotics, along with live stage sets to make for a truly exciting experience.
I would expect announcements regarding the new Simpsons expansion along with Transformers to be part of the event, but I doubt we hear anything about the Potter at expansion at this time...then again time will tell!!
The pic below was taken from the launch hill of Rip, Ride, Rock-it, it is a little blurry but you can see the track layout for the first floor is being poured and things are moving at a brisk pace....
Big things seem to be happening over at Disney Imagineering this week. Avatar: The World of Pandora was announced well over a year ago to a surprised and excited public, since that time little... other than the problems the project has seen (Cameron and Disney on costs)... has surfaced to the public information level.
I am pleased to pass on that it looks like "green light to go" for the project. Cameron has approved the final blueprints and designs for the area and Disney made some moves this week to step up the projects timeline. Cameron has agreed to two major rides for the area instead of the three he was pushing for, and signed off on the project late last week according to sources. Combine this with the fact that Disney has recruited legendary environment and rockwork artist Zsolt Hormay back to the company to work under Joe Rohde creative lead for the project. Hormay created some of Disney's most spectacular exteriors in the past 20 years. These include Mysterious Island at Tokyo DisneySea, the Tree of Life at Disneys Animal Kingdom, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland Paris.
The new area will have what is labeled at this stage as one massive "E-ticket" attraction and one "C-ticket" attraction, along with numerous other shops and a rumored restaurant set in the nighttime glowing world of Pandora. The "E" attraction is said to be a Sorain 2.0 on steroids. The new attraction would appear to be housed inside a massive multi-floor building and looks to have four theaters. Now the attraction is rumored to be a high intensity 3-D flight through the world of Pandora, but the catch is the ride car will be on a small track section with a multi point ride base that will allow for some intense movement. The "C" attraction appears to be an indoor/outdoor flume style attraction with guests boarding boats to see the world of Pandora "up-close".
Now remember this is all rumors and Disney is NOT talking about its plans at this stage. However, and there is always a however in this industry, blueprints have leaked that show the initial layout of the two attractions as well as hints as to what the buildings will contain. Bluprint one, shown below, indicates not only the layout of the 4 "Soarin" type theaters, but also the general traffic flow of the building, there is a wash station for 3-D glasses, four independent ride control stations, and other areas such as cast breakrooms, mechanics and other show related stuff.
Rumored Blueprint One
The second blueprint shows the same things but has some ride track details for the the "C" ticket attraction shown in the upper right hand corner and labeled as AH-5 or in the center "C ticket showbox". The blueprint clearly show that it will be an indoor/outdoor style attraction looking very similar to the Land pavilion at Epcot.
Once again this is all rumored information and we will have to wait and see what Disney announces in the coming months, but the information is concrete enough to show that the Avatar project is a go and the world of Pandora will be opening at Disney's Animal Kingdom sometime in 2015!!
I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic will soon be here, and if you have never been to a golf tournament this is the one to see. Disney has been the proud home of this classic for many years now and it is honestly a tournament done in style. The tournament runs from November the 8th - 11th 2012, and will be held at Disney's Palm and Magnolia courses.
Character meet and greets, food and drinks, golf's top names, and usually perfect weather make this a great time for everyone. The best part is Disney donates all proceeds to the Children's Miracle Network and for you golf fans this is the last tournament of the year!! The classic is the longest running golf tournament in central Florida, and past winners have included names like Luke Donald, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Payne Stewart just to mention a few!
Below is a reminder that went out to all passholders, tickets are $20.. per day, or just $30.00 for the week, and may be purchased at the event or through Ticketmaster. If you can find time to attend the money goes to a fantastic cause and the memories you experience will last a lifetime. Hope to see everyone there!!
In some great news that is sure to be yet ANOTHER game changer, sources report that Universal Orlando has been granted a massive expansion budget. An estimated 1.5 Billion dollars has been allocated to spend on capital investments over the next 10 years at the Florida site. That’s approximately the amount of money that Disney recently spent on the renovation of California Adventure (including Cars Land and Little Mermaid).
The spending began with the fast tracking of a Transformers ride which is now scheduled to open before July 2013. At roughly 40 million, the attraction will easily be the major new attraction in Orlando for the Summer of 2013 and will be marketed as the high energy alternative to what is perceived as a lackluster summer offering from Disney.
The winning ticket however is the massive Harry Potter expansion taking place at the former Jaws location. The expansion will tie Universals two parks together with a Hogwarts train system, include a major E-Ticket Gringotts Bank roller coaster, and numerous other family rides and attractions, shops and dining and is estimated to be a total price of around 600 million.
That still leaves another 850 million to spend. Think of it. A resort that is doing amazing against Disney already will see a Disney California Adventure sized investment being poured into it. This is the theme park equivalent of a dream come true for Universal, and a nightmare for the Mouse down the street.
When compared to Disney World’s lovely but attraction deficient Fantasyland expansion Universal Orlando is obviously feeling very confident, this is why so many new projects have recently been green-lit. Rumors have already surfaced about a possible new Seuss attraction based on the Grinch, a new E-Ticket attractions for Jurassic Park, and a rumored replacement for E.T. themed to all of Spielberg's greatest movie moments has been on the drawing board for a few years now. I am thinking that we may see a replacement for Terminator T2/3D, and would think that down the road a little further Universal will want to cut the cord and re-theme the entire Marvel Super Hero Island
Universal obviously sees a HUGE opportunity and they aren’t going to waste their chance to steal the spotlight from Mickey. Disney on the other hand is still standing firm on the Avatar Land expansion to Animal Kingdom. Delays from Cameron and other issues which are stalling the project places Universal in the drivers seat. The Potterverse will be dominating the theme park industry, before Avatar can even take shape, and with a series of additional projects planned and under way Universal will be dealing some mighty hard blows to Mickey and company for many years to come.
The Walt Disney Company announced its theme for next year at an impressive media event that included Mickey and Minnie revealing a fairytale castle made of 45,000 pounds of ice, right in the middle of Times Square. The castle will be on view as long as the warm autumn temperatures in New York allow it to exist.
Fairytale in ice
The real news lies in the press event itself...2013 will see a long list of limited time events coming to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Think of these events as special parties that will run for short durations in the parks. Disney has just started to make its list, but with what they are already showing on the official Disney blog, it is going to be a VERY busy year at Disney.
The following is a partial listed compiled from the Disney blog, and remember this is just a few of the events already planned and more are on the way....so 2013 (like every year) is a great time to plan on a Disney visit!!
Which one are you most excited about?
From the official blog:
True Love: Celebrate romance and enchantment throughout Valentine’s Week with special moments and entertainment geared to lovebirds. Disney Princes join their Princesses to meet park guests in special settings, prix fixe menus turn up at select restaurants and Valentine’s collectibles will be offered for the week.
Independence Week: It’s red, white and blue as Disney Parks salutes America with a 4th of July Fireworks Party — for an entire week, with patriotic lighting bathing the Disney castles on both coasts. Mickey Mouse appears in his patriotic finest and guests will find special USA shirts, Ear Hats and other limited-edition souvenirs.
Long Lost Friends Week: Lesser-known Disney characters will move from the shadows to the spotlight meet-and-greets on both coasts. Photo opps with characters that could include Flik, Clarabelle Cow, Remy, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum will surprise and delight guests. And Disney guests even have the chance to vote online for which characters they want to see.
Pirate Week: Why talk like a pirate one day when you could celebrate these scalawags all week long? The adventures of Jack Sparrow come to life like never before during a bicoastal buccaneer bash in which Disneyland and Walt Disney World become pirate-palooza: pirate bands, pirate meet-and-greets and more.
Dapper Dans Sing Boy Bands: The Dapper Dans, the iconic quartet from Main Street, U.S.A., will add a special finale to their show, claiming the title of the “Original Boy Band” and delivering a medley of hits from One Direction, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
Unleash the Villains: Friday the 13th in September 2013 is a special day, so Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are staying open until the 13th hour (1 a.m.). Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar and other Disney Villains host a dance party, complete with limited-edition collectibles and other nighttime mischief.
Golden Horseshoe Revue: The fabled Frontierland show returns to Disney for one month only, bringing back the corny jokes and enduring songs that were often enjoyed by Walt Disney himself.
The Orlando Dragon Boat Festival returns to Downtown Disney this weekend, from October 19 to October 20 2012.
Guest viewing is available from the promenade along the Village Lake throughout the West Side. Events take place between 6pm and 10:30pm on Friday, and 8am to 5:30pm on Saturday. Due to the races, there will be no guest boat transportation on Friday between 3pm to 7:30pm, and Saturday 8am to 5:30pm.
Below you will find the official menu for the Be Our Guest Restaurant in the new Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom. Once again after seeing it this is going to be a fantastic dining experience for the whole family.
Reservations should be made well in advance and from what I understand the earliest reservations available at this time are in late February!!
Good news for all the Disney fans out there that are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Fantasyland area at the Magic Kingdom!! As of Friday (10.12.12) afternoon the new area is now open to the public.
Keep in mind that this is a "soft opening" which is traditionally used to allow the new area and Disney execs a chance to see how things work when the public is added to the mix. Rides and shops are subject to be closed at any time so plan accordingly and do not get upset if you do not get to see the new attractions from the inside.
The opening includes Gaston's Tavern, Be Our Guest Restaurant (No food service at this time), The Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and Bonjour Village Gifts. Enchanted Tales with Belle was already in a soft opening but is open many more hours now.
The new expansion area is very detailed and has an almost Epcot World Showcase feel to it. The scenery is beautiful, the architechture breathtaking and the overall experience is just truly wonderful. Sometimes you will just want to set back and listen to the rushing rivers, waterfalls, and eye candy that is at every turn. Disney will still need to tweak a few aspects but for the most part the new area is flawless in its presentation.
I will tell you that entering the castle for the Be Our Guest Restaurant had some people tear up and it is honestly breathtaking in its scope and detail. I have posted a few pics below and many more are to come now that I am back from vacation! Enjoy!
Welcome....
The Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Another angle...
Stunning details...
Gaston's Tavern
The "brute" himself..
"I use antlers in all of my decorating..."
Nice touch....
On the way to the Beast's castle
Main entrance
Check out the details here...amazing.
Above the doors.
Main Hall
The Ballroom dinning area..yes it is snowing outside the windows in the back.
The Disney Company just announced that Test Track will be re-opening on December the 6th, 2012!!
Test Track closed in April for a major refurbishment and it is rumored the new Test Track will be a "virtual reality" sim based experience. The ride system itself has not been altered but all ride effects have been changed and Disney is placing a great deal of never before used technology in the ride.
December the 6th is going to be a very busy day for Disney geeks as this is also the day that the new Fantasyland Forest opens at the Magic Kingdom.
Splitsville, the new trendy bowling complex, at Downtown Disney is in high gear!
A truckload of Brunswick Pin Setters were delivered yesterday which indicates the work inside the building is moving along very fast...they have even started hiring for certain positions.
The opening date has not been set but all printed materials point toward a mid fall opening!
Good morning everyone and happy Monday!! I am still on vacation this week but will start making little posts and will be back to my regular schedule Friday of this week. Lets start off with some disappointing news from the Disney side of the world this morning....
The new Fantasyland area of the Magic Kingdom sign up was on the minds of many passholders this morning who are eagerly awaiting a first sneak peek of the new area.
Annual passholder sign up's were originally scheduled for 8am EST this morning, Disney then last week postponed it till 12pm EST.... then this morning at 8 AM when I went to the passholder site Disney had posted the following message:
Event Registration We are experiencing technical difficulties with the Annual Passholder New Fantasyland preview sign-ups that have made it necessary to delay the sign-up date one week. The Walt Disney World Annual Passholder New Fantasyland preview sign-ups will now begin on Monday, October 15 at 12:00 noon Eastern Time.
Things happen I know, but not a great start to the first official public exposure to the new Fantasyland area. To compound matters I hear that the delay is not due to "technical" difficulties as much as they are looking at a possible delay to the dates themselves as the new areas still need some finishing touches that are cramping the Disney timeline....only time will tell.
