Disney News, Discussion & an Element of Fun - 2024 Edition

[kylenne]

I know this is a news thread and not a "rumors" thread, but someone I follow with a pretty good track record said Disney is concerned with the declining AK attendance and there is another E-ticket being planned. It's not approved yet, but the permit for all that Imagineering and construction is for a "big" project at AK in addition to the Dinoland change. IDK take it with a grain of salt.

This tracks with what various insiders have been saying.

I think AK desperately needs another nighttime spectacular too to keep onto the “half day park” crowd who hop out after rope dropping. My hope is the DS drone show is a trial run for a similar offering at AK. (Man I miss Rivers of Light.)

 

[PolyRob]

This tracks with what various insiders have been saying.

I think AK desperately needs another nighttime spectacular too to keep onto the “half day park” crowd who hop out after rope dropping. My hope is the DS drone show is a trial run for a similar offering at AK. (Man I miss Rivers of Light.)

Glad to hear it's coming from multiple places.

YES, I was saying the same thing to my family! The theater is close enough to Dinoland that it could be included in the construction projects and drones would be perfect for the animals. I enjoyed the animal floats and music from RoL. I think the water wall had some issues considering Fantasmic! was older and looked better. I loved seeing/hearing it from EE! It was sad that elements kept getting stripped like performers. The poor thing was doomed from the start!

Hopefully a new E-ticket, updated Dinoland, and a new nighttime spectacular can keep hours open there later!

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Hopefully a new E-ticket, updated Dinoland, and a new nighttime spectacular can keep hours open there later!

Yes, please! After doing Moonlight Magic at AK a couple of years ago, I remembered how much I loved being in that park at night even outside Pandora. It's got a cool Adventureland kind of vibe at night

 

[Elijah Abrams]

updated Dinoland

I thought the plan so far was not to update DinoLand but to make it extinct?

 

[LSUmiss]

So what exactly is going to be in the communicor hall when it finally opens?

 

[kylenne]

So what exactly is going to be in the communicor hall when it finally opens?

Festival demos and seminars, the way the Wonders of Life pavilion was used for a few festival seasons pre-pandemic. The space will still be open between festivals though as a place to relax in the A/C.

 

[jlundeen]

This tracks with what various insiders have been saying.

I think AK desperately needs another nighttime spectacular too to keep onto the “half day park” crowd who hop out after rope dropping. My hope is the DS drone show is a trial run for a similar offering at AK. (Man I miss Rivers of Light.)

I do too. The first version with the dancers in costume. That was really great... following ones, not so much. But SOMETHING is better than NOTHING. (Usually... )

 

[Brian Noble]

I miss Rivers of Light

Me too. I am still a little,surprised its run was so short. The show itself seemed to draw okay. Maybe the park overall wasn’t performing well enough into the evening to keep it going?

I still listen to the soundtrack.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Festival demos and seminars, the way the Wonders of Life pavilion was used for a few festival seasons pre-pandemic. The space will still be open between festivals though as a place to relax in the A/C.

There will also be a character meet n greet, like the old building had.

 

[Moliphino]

This tracks with what various insiders have been saying.

I think AK desperately needs another nighttime spectacular too to keep onto the “half day park” crowd who hop out after rope dropping. My hope is the DS drone show is a trial run for a similar offering at AK. (Man I miss Rivers of Light.)

I miss the Rivers of Light dining package at Tiffins. That was a great deal if you wanted to eat the more expensive options.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Test Track at EPCOT will close June 17 to be reimagined. Here’s a look at new concept art:





Scott Gustin

 

[kylenne]

Maybe the park overall wasn’t performing well enough into the evening to keep it going?

I remember reading about a lot of operational issues with the evening safaris.

There will also be a character meet n greet, like the old building had.

The Mickey one is adjacent to Communicore Hall as of the latest marketing, unless I missed something

I miss the Rivers of Light dining package at Tiffins. That was a great deal if you wanted to eat the more expensive options.

We did it at Tusker House and it was a steal. Got a late breakfast ADR so we were there when it crossed into lunch.

 

[OKW Lover]

Test Track at EPCOT will close June 17 to be reimagined. Here’s a look at new concept art:

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Scott Gustin

Precious little info.

Dreaming of a return to World of Motion, even though I know it won't happen.

 

[Geomom]

Test Track at EPCOT will close June 17 to be reimagined. Here’s a look at new concept art:

View attachment 848373

View attachment 848374

Scott Gustin

Ug...We arrive 6/19...just missed being able to ride it again. Wait times were too long in March and thought we'd be able to do it in June. Lol, I mean it needs a refurb...but wish it closed after my trip!

 

[mdmost]

Man, if we could get Disney to restore Epcot to it's 80s glory, that would really be something. So Disney, let's get on finally fixing up Journey Into Imagination and bring back the Dreamfinder. It badly needs a refresh and the best refresh is taking it back to its original concept.

 

[BrianL]

Man, if we could get Disney to restore Epcot to it's 80s glory, that would really be something. So Disney, let's get on finally fixing up Journey Into Imagination and bring back the Dreamfinder. It badly needs a refresh and the best refresh is taking it back to its original concept.

Yeah, I mean, it needs it more than Test Track. TT has a sponsor though, so Chevy may want to update it.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Test Track at EPCOT will close June 17 to be reimagined. Here’s a look at new concept art:

View attachment 848373

View attachment 848374

Scott Gustin

My guess is this is going to be a long 'temporary' closure to reimagine to that degree!

 

[Moliphino]

Test Track at EPCOT will close June 17 to be reimagined. Here’s a look at new concept art:

View attachment 848373

View attachment 848374

Scott Gustin

They should just put it back to how it was originally.

 

[Smugpugmug]

My guess is this is going to be a long 'temporary' closure to reimagine to that degree!

I saw an insider on WDWMagic (who has gotten things correct in the past) predict that it won't reopen until 2025 at the earliest.

 

[etherealcaitiff]

Precious little info.

Dreaming of a return to World of Motion, even though I know it won't happen.

Don't completely count it out yet. The previously shown images kind of hint at a return to something closer to World of Motion than either of the Test Tracks. I think you might be pleasantly surprised with the end result.