Walt Disney World Park Update

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News and Views

So long, Skippy

One last look at the transport chamber at ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

before closing. MousePlanet photo by Mark Goldhaber.

The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter at the Magic Kingdom has now closed

for good, beginning its long rehab into “Stitch’s Great Escape.”

The new show is expected to debut next October. In the meantime, Walt

Disney’s Carousel of Progress and Timekeeper are now open during the Alien

rehab.

Keep checking those Magic Kingdom schedules online

Disney has been extending the scheduled hours for the Magic Kingdom on-the-fly

over the last week. On at least three occasions, the park has been closing

an hour or more after the time printed in the weekly Times Guide,

and adding additional fireworks or performances of SpectroMagic. For the

latest park hours, check out the Disney World Web site (link),

or check for updated Times Guides at your resort or theme park

of choice.

Construction continues at Studios

Cranes continue work the change the facades of New York Street for its

transformation into Big City Street. MousePlanet photo by Mark Goldhaber.

The conversion of New York Street to Big City Street continues, while

work on the Moteurs… Action! stunt show copy proceeds at a good

clip, as well.

The new restroom building (seen in the photo as the grey building on the

foreground. The stadium with theater-style seating for Guests is slightly

visible in the background. MousePlanet photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Get those Halloween tickets fast!

The October 31 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party has sold out. Other

dates may sell out as well—especially the weekend dates, plus October

30 and November 1.

Searching for a Yeti at Animal Kingdom

The footing for the Asia side of the new bridge from Dinoland nears completion. MousePlanet photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Site prep work is still ongoing for Expedition Everest, with the base

of the new bridge ready on the Asia side, and ground work continuing in

preparation for the beginning of vertical construction.

Prep work continues for the beginning of vertical construction for Expedition: Everest. MousePlanet photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Made-for-TV IRL event at Epcot on October 25

The annual Indy Racing League Championship Celebration will be held at World Showplace at Epcot on October 25. The invitation-only event will air at a later date on ESPN.

IRL drivers are expected to participate in autograph sessions, parades

and other special activities across Walt Disney World Resort in the days

leading up to the Championship Celebration.

Ears to the ground

…Some cast members have told us that Food Rocks at Epcot’s The Land

pavilion will be closing its doors on January 3, 2004, to be replaced

with an enlarged queue for the new Soarin’ Over California attraction.

Other cast members say that nothing is official yet. Stay tuned for more

info.

…Toon Park in Toontown at the Magic Kingdom has been completely

rebuilt within the last month or so.

…Donald’s Boat in Toontown at the Magic Kingdom is now running all water attractions again.

…Rehabs of the Keister Coaster at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort and Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts are proceeding well.

Welders work on the steel rods supporting the railing at the Keister Coaster at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. MousePlanet photo by Mark Goldhaber.

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

• Big Thunder Mountain is scheduled to be closed for refurbishment

  through Saturday, November 22.

• The Swiss Family Treehouse is closed for refurbishment through

  Friday, October 24.

• Mickey’s PhilharMagic is now officially open.
• Wishes: a Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams, the new

  fireworks show for the Magic Kingdom, has now replaced the venerable

  Fantasy in the Sky show.

• The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter closed for good

  on October 12. It is now undergoing a major rehab and will reopen

  in mid- to late-2004 as Stitch’s Great Escape!

• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress will be open from park open

  to park close for the duration of the Stitch’s Great Escape!

  construction.

• Timekeeper will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the duration

  of the Stitch’s Great Escape! construction.

• Adventureland now opens at 10 a.m. on non-peak days.

Epcot

• Food Rocks may close on January 3 to make way for the entrance

  to the new Soarin’ Over California attraction.

• The Eiffel Tower structure at the France pavilion is due to

  return from rehab in December.

Disney-MGM Studios

Work continues on the transformation of New York Street to Residential Street at the Disney-MGM Studios. MousePlanet photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

• Magic of Disney Animation is closed for refurbishment through

  November 23.

• Residential Street at the Disney-MGM Studios has been closed

  and is undergoing demolition to prepare the site for a new

  “E-ticket stunt-show attraction” believed to be an American

  version of the popular Moteurs… Action! stunt show from the

  Walt Disney Studios at Disneyland Paris.

• Due to the loss of Residential Street, the Osborne Family

  Spectacle of Lights will not be presented this holiday season. It

  is expected to return in some form for 2004.

• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is receiving a lot of rehab

  work through November, reportedly on the ride control system and cable

  replacements. The Tower will be running one side only through Monday, November

  17. Capacity will be decreased during the rehab, but should be offset

  by smaller off-season crowds.

• Sets from the upcoming Haunted Mansion movie are now

  open in the old Backstage Pass soundstage.

Animal Kingdom

• No known closures at this time.

Resorts

Workers continue repair work on one of the bridges at the Stormalong Bay feature pool at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts. MousePlanet photo by Mark Goldhaber.

• Boardwalk Resort – The Keister Coaster slide is closed through

  October 29 for refurbishment. During this time, the 190,000 gallon Luna

  Park pool will remain open, and Boardwalk Resort guests will also have

  the option of using the Stormalong Bay pool complex at the Yacht &

  Beach Club Resorts (ID may be required).

• Pop Century Resort – This resort officially opens on December

  14.

• Port Orleans Resort – A two-year extensive rehab of this resort’s

  rooms is ongoing. For Phase I, French Quarter closed May 4, 2003. Phase

  II will involve Riverside going down in sections. We have not yet heard

  a date for completion of Phase I.

• Polynesian Resort – This resort is seeing the longhouses refurbished

  one by one. Each longhouse under rehab is walled off and isolated during

  its rehab. There are only a couple of longhouses remaining. Tuvalu is

  scheduled for rehab October 20, 2003, through January, 2004. Niue and

  Rarotonga are the only other longhouses currently scheduled to undergo

  rehab, and are tentatively scheduled for January 18 to May 2, 2004.

• Shades of Green – Major construction and rehab is ongoing at

  this military-run resort. It is currently expected to reopen in March,

  2004.

• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa (a Disney Vacation

  Club resort) has a tentative grand opening date of May 1, 2004.

Water Parks

• Blizzard Beach undergoes refurbishment from October 26 through

  December 13.

• Typhoon Lagoon undergoes refurbishment beginning on December

  14.

Elsewhere

• The All Star Cafe at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex

  is now closed Mondays through Wednesdays. It is open Thursdays through

  Sundays, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Park Events

October

• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom.

  October 3, 5, 10, 14, 16, 19, 24, 26, 30 and 31.

• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – Included

  with park admission, sample wine and food from 25 countries (link).

  October 18 to November 16.

• The Funai Classic at Walt Disney World Resort will feature

  many of the world’s top golfers, including Ernie Els, Retief Goosen,

  Jim Furyk, Scott Hoch, Lee Janzen, European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard

  Langer, PGA champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 Hall of Fame inductee Nick

  Price and Scott Verplank. Tiger Woods is also expected, though he has

  not formally committed yet. The tournament will take place on the Magnolia

  and Palm courses. October 23 to 26.

• 999 Happy Haunts Ball at the Magic Kingdom. October 27,

  28, and 29.

November

• Festival of the Masters – 150 artists and their creations on

  display at Downtown Disney’s West Side. November 7 to 9.

• ABC Super Soap Weekend at the Disney-MGM Studios. November

  8 and 9.

• Pin Trading Cruise aboard the Disney Wonder. November

  16-20.

• Festival of the Seasons at Epcot featuring lighting displays,

  fun window displays, and more. November 28 to December 24.

• Holidays Around the World at Epcot lets you celebrate holidays

  in the style of the World Showcase countries. November 28 to December

  30.

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom –

  Order by phone at (407) W-DISNEY (934-7639). November 30, December

  2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 19.

December

• Doll & Teddy Bear Weekend. December 7.
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort opens December 14.

January 2004

• Disney’s Health and Fitness Expo (link).

  January 9 & 10.

• FamilyFun Magazine Family Fun Run (link)

  January 10.

• Disney Marathon and Half-Marathon January 11.
• Annual Passholders’ Cruise (4 nights) on Disney Magic.

  January 25.

April 2004

• Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. April 16

  – May 30.

May 2004

• Walt Disney World Inline Marathon (link).

  May 2.

Current Discounts & Promotions

New Disney Visa Dream Maker Package – Kids Stay Free!

That there is a new Disney’s Visa “Kids Stay and Play Free”

Package, available most nights January 4 through June 12, 2004, where

when you buy a full-price Walt Disney World Dream Maker Package with your

Disney?s Visa card, for each adult on the package, one child (3-9) gets

a free Ultimate Park Hopper pass for the length of stay. 4-night

minimum. Plus you receive $100 in Disney Dollars per package at

check-in! Go to Disney’s Kids Free Web page (link)

for more information, or call your travel agent and book using package

code ZXFA. You must book your package by January 2, 2004.

Great rates at the Swan and Dolphin

Are you planning a trip this fall? Check out this offer from the Swan

and Dolphin:

• WDW Annual Passholders can book rooms as low as $139 per night, plus

  tax and resort fee, through the end of 2003, including a free

  upgrade! Rates include a free upgrade, and are subject to availability.

Get more details and the discount codes at MouseSavers.com.

Military Salute hotel and cruise discounts available

Active U.S. Military personnel or spouses are also eligible for a 40%

savings per night (based on the non-discounted price of the same room)

at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, and special rates on Disney

Cruise Line sailings. This offer is available most nights through December

19, 2003 at Walt Disney World, and for most sailings through December

18 on the Disney Cruise Line. Hotel rooms and staterooms are limited at

this special rate.

For more information, call (407) 939-7424 for Walt Disney World, and

(800) 951-2659 for the Disney Cruise Line. You must be 18 or older to

call these numbers.

Free 5-day Park Hopper for Active Military

Disney is offering a special for active duty military — a free five-day

park hopper ticket, as well as discounted companion tickets. Offer valid

through December 19, 2003 and includes all active military personnel,

including Coast Guard, as well as activated National Guard and Reservists.

See their official

Web site for more information.

Annual Passholder and Florida resident rates available

WDW Annual Passholder and Florida resident rates are available at select

Walt Disney World resorts for check-ins October 2 through November 24,

and November 28 through December 26. Discounts range from approximately

30-45% off regular rack rates.

Plan ahead and save a few bucks

The Walt Disney World Resort is encouraging visitors to buy their theme

park tickets before they even leave home, by offering a slight discount

on advance purchases. You can save as much as $22 per adult, per ticket

with the ‘Advance Purchase Savings’ program.

You can also receive these Advance Purchase Savings with packages purchased

through AAA.

Annual Passholders

Receive 10 percent off the price of their lunch meal at selected

Walt Disney World Resort hotel restaurants, and the discount is good for

up to three guests. The offer is valid Mondays through Fridays. Call 407-WDW-DINE

(407-939-3463) for locations and reservations.

Park Hours

Entertainment Schedule