Update for August 13 – August 19, 2007
Go directly to: News & Views | Current
Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Park Events
| Discounts and Promotions | Park
Schedule/Blockout Dates
News and Views
Disney Gallery closed | Another
Year of Dreams | High School Musical 2 premiere
| Disney reverses Panama cruise price increase | This-and-That
Disney Gallery: July 11, 1987 – August 7, 2007
Another Disneyland attraction faded into history when the Disney Gallery
closed last week. Some cast members had hoped that a one-week delay beyond
the original July 31 closing date meant that park management had changed its
mind about closing the location, but it was not to be. In fact, crews who
had begun preliminary work on the Gallery renovation caused some unspecified
damage that delayed the opening of the Gallery on August 7 until safety inspectors
could determine that the store was safe to open for one last day.
Gone but not forgotten, the Disney Gallery closed last week after 20 years
in New Orleans Square. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
On Wednesday, workers could be seen taking measurements of the Disney Gallery’s
entrance balcony. By the weekend, a glimpse through open patio doors into
the Gallery showed that merchandise and fixtures had already been removed.
The Disney Gallery sign above the entrance remains, as do the Disney Gallery
banners throughout New Orleans Square, and a sign at the base of the stairs
leading to the Gallery says that the location is closed to install another
exhibit.
The day after the store closed, workers were spotted taking measurements of
the entranceway. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Disney will probably leave the outer trappings of the Gallery in place until
the company is ready to officially announce what will happen to the space.
Though the strongest rumor for months has been that the Gallery would be converted
into the Disney Family Suite and used as a prize in the Year of a Million
Dreams promotion, sources tell us that the final decision to approve the project
was not made until last week. Now that the project has the green light, it’s
likely that Disney will announce it as part of the relaunch of the extended
Year of a Million Dreams promotion, perhaps as soon as a press conference
that is scheduled to take place before tomorrow’s High School Musical 2
premiere.
The future of the Gallery’s collection is still uncertain, though rumors
abound. As we reported when news of the Gallery closure first broke, one rumored
plan calls for the entire exhibit to move into the Main Street Opera House.
Another rumor is that the Disneyana shop on Main Street could annex the Main
Street Cinema and potentially even the 20th Century Music Shop.
Another interesting rumor has focused on the Plaza Pavilion, the former Main
Street restaurant location which has been vacant for years. While the patio
area surrounding the space is now home to several pin carts, a Disney’s Vacation
Club kiosk and the Junior Chef show area, the interior is used as an Annual
Passport processing center only during the busy holiday renewal crush, or
very infrequently a media center during press events. Gutted, with the serving
counter and kitchens removed, the space would make an ideal collectibles location,
especially because the adjacent patio area would provide more room for artists
signings and other merchandise events than any other store location in the
park.
It may be months—even years—before the Disney Gallery finds a new
home. For now, the Gallery’s merchandise is being distributed among the other
collectibles locations in the Resort, and the larger exhibit pieces are being
prepared for storage, and Disneyland fans have lost another treasured attraction.
Author and MousePlanet columnist David Koenig will have more in his column
this week.
Another Year of Dreams
Walt Disney World announced last week that the Year of a Million Dreams promotion
is extending through December 31, 2008. Disneyland has not made a similar
public announcement, but may release details at a press conference that is
scheduled before the High School Musical 2 premiere on Tuesday. An
announcement on the Cast Portal (an internal Web site for Disney employees)
says that the promotion will continue through December 31, 2008, and hints
at new prizes, “parades and entertainment.”
High School Musical 2 world premiere
The AMC theater in Downtown Disney hosts the world premiere for High School
Musical 2, marking the first time a made-for-television film has had its
premiere at the Disneyland Resort. According to the Disney press release,
“Stars of the movie, along with director-choreographer Kenny Ortega and
other celebrity guests will walk the carpet in Downtown Disney prior to the
6:00 p.m. screening.” We’ve been told that celebrity arrivals will begin
around 4:30. The screening will be followed by “an invitation-only poolside
party at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.”
Fans of High School Musical who want to catch a glimpse of their favorite
stars may have a long, hot day ahead of them. Disney has not—and likely
will not—issue any formal details for guests who want to line up along
the red carpet. We have been told that Disney is prepared for guests to arrive
as early as 6 a.m., but it’s very hard to guess how many fans are willing
to arrive quite that early. We do know that there will be a “small”
public area along the red carpet, which right now is expected to run near
the ESPN Zone building.
High School Musical 2: School’s Out! replaces the High School Musical Pep
Rally at Disney’s California Adventure starting next weekend. The new daily
show debuts Saturday August 18 at 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Disney reverses Panama cruise fee increase
In last Monday’s Park Update, we reported that passengers on Disney’s 2008
Panama Canal repositioning cruises were upset after receiving notice that
their fare had increased $100 per person after booking. Disney attributed
the increase to new per-passenger fees imposed on the cruise lines by the
Panama Port Authority that operates the Panama Canal, but many passengers
questioned whether Disney was accurately representing the situation. A group
of disgruntled passengers began flooding Disney Cruise Line’s offices with
calls and e-mails about the fare increase, and some even got their travel
agents involved.
In response to passenger complaints, as well as inquiries by MousePlanet
and the Orlando Sentinel, a Disney spokesperson issued the following
statement last Tuesday.