The Test Track refurbishment will purportedly commence as expected on April 16th. There had been rumors that the refurbishment was canceled or delayed since we hadn’t heard any word since Disney Parks Blog ran an article announcing the upcoming changes back on January 6th. The source that the Test Track refurb is on track is an unnamed spokesperson quoted in this Orlando Sentinel article. Doesn’t quite seem like it’s written in stone, but we’ll see! The attraction is expected to open before the Food and Wine Festival gets underway at the end of September, but it will be closed for the entirety of the summer.
The hosts for this year’s Star Wars Weekends are the same as last year – Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor. Official announcement. Hopefully we’ll get confirmation of the “celebrity guests” later this week with the first Weekend just about six weeks away. I don’t have a lot to do with Star Wars, but I’m available the weekend of June 8th – 10th. I’m just saying.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will be closed for refurbishment on June 27th and 28th, reopening on June 29th.
The Avengers Monorail is running:
Via my earth shattering Twitter account. Better pictures and video at InsideTheMagic and MouseSteps. It’s neat looking.
Big news on the character front. Princess Merida from Pixar’s Brave will begin appearing at Magic Kingdom in mid-May in Fairytale Garden, where Rapunzel currently meets guests. Official story. I honestly can’t believe they would let anyone with red hair touch children and the whole archery scene reminds me a little too much of the end of We Need to Talk About Kevin. Just kidding (sort of). This should be neat.
Rapunzel will move to Ariel and Prince Eric’s current location at the Adventureland Veranda Porch beginning April 15th. Flynn will be joining her (yay!).
Also on April 15th, Ariel and Eric will move across from Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse to an area called the “Glass Gazebo.”
The Art of Animation Resort will open ahead of schedule: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/03/opening-dates-now-set-for-disneys-art-of-animation-resort-at-walt-disney-world-resort/.
Basin has reopened in Downtown Disney after a brief refurbishment. Finally get to bathe using my sweet pea bath salts again. “This light, flirty fragrance will help put a spring in your step.” Boy does it, Basin. When I say “bathe,” I do mean “get high off of.”
The artwork for the upcoming bowling alley at Downtown Disney has changed completely for the third or fourth time:
Put me on the record as saying there’s absolutely no way on earth that this is going to be ready to go by October. This is a company that took four months to paint the interior of the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. Who knows though, maybe they will.
I think that’s it.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Glad to hear TT will reopen (if it closes) by our next trip. It’s one of our favorite rides at WDW.
Bath salts, hehehe.
I wonder if your future wife from SWW 2011, will be there again this year?
http://www.easywdw.com/worth-2/star-wars-weekends-review-and-overview-of-characters-events-shows-and-more/#more-3920
She is the demure young thing in orange, halfway down the page..
Mmm sweet pea bath salts sound good
I am so excited that Flynn Rider is coming back!!! We will be going at the end of April and I can’t wait for her to see him!! Thank you for helping me plan my daughter’s first trip. This has been the most helpful site by far. In fact, after the first week of planning I stopped looking at any other site. Thanks for being awesome!! : )
Looks like Disney would put the TT closure on their calendar. Why is the spokesperson “unnamed?” Seems odd.
Don’t mess with Merida! I really want to see what they do with these bear cubs.
From the movie preview, the little bear cubs look like they have fangs, lol. Cute, though.
Hmm didn’t realize the Avengers was a Disney movie.
Splitsville looks very Jetsons. I like it.
Wow a bowling alley at Disney? What will they think of next. Soon it will be just like home. (Don’t I wish my home was really like Disney)
@Mike — Avengers is distributed by Paramount but it’s a Marvel Studios movie. So since Marvel is a subsidiary of Disney, that’s the reason.
Oh Joshy, where are you?! I’m having a horrible work day and need my FIX! Something fun to distract me
Please give me something to read/see soon….. LOL
That Splitsville looks incredible compared to the one in Tampa, but I’m just hoping it doesn’t reak as strongly of burnt flesh and cigars.
We rode the avengers monorail 4 times last week – the first 4 times we got a monorail it was avengers. The only problem with ride it is seeing out the windows is not that great because it has like bubble wrap on it.