PREMiERdrum

Does Intamin still import their track? South of of Columbus on I-71 doesn't leave too many options besides KI, park wise.

Yeah, the LBV Village and Disney Village names were vague, but they accurately described what it was supposed to be (a residental and commercial development). I love just about every aspect of this project, as it seems to address just about every major issue they currently have (parking, pedestrian walkways, interior space). The name, though, is a step backwards.

The new concept is great - though changing the name is an unneeded complication. "Downtown Disney" says exactly what it is, the newly named districts could still fit nicely under that umbrella. "Disney Springs" is so vague, so attached-to-nothing, it could easily be a new water park, a spa, a resort...

That would have been a really long line! The line was routinely 3+ hours. You started next to the old petting zoo barn and up onto the boardwalk all the way back to the building. There were pagoda-like posts with information banners along the way, but they were hardly enough to pass the time. As an 8 year old, I remember waiting for 3 hours in the July heat only to get up the windows to see 2 sleeping lumps of fur. Talk about disappointment! This topic is a good chance to discuss just how much the western half of the zoo has changed in the last 15 years. The outdoor gorilla enclosure and reptile house are the only on-stage facilities that have remained. The original ape building from the 1950s still remains, with new additions on almost all sides, but the old part is invisible to guests. The old bear grottos, demolished after the near-escape of a polar bear in the early '90s, would be close to, but a bit inland, where the boat ride station is currently. Further east and bordering the river was the large Cheetah yard, with a sky bridge you could go on over the exhibit. The current playground was once the site of the "childrens zoo" building, with outdoor enclosures for small primates (spider monkeys) bridged by a sterile looking, 1950's style, tiled indoor exhibit with windows. The old Rainforest building was northwest of that, with the Wendy's nearby. The grassy yard in front of Manatee Coast and Discovery Reef used to be home to the Johnson Aquatic Center, razed in the last several years, and at its western end was a typical 1930's style "Monkey Island".

Yes, the boat ride line is at a T by the river. However there is no path along the river to the carousel. There is a boardwalk but it only goes to the rental pavilions which I believe are behind Asia Quest.The only way to get to the boat ride through public areas is via Australia and the Islands exhibits (past the gibbons and the komodo dragon). On the map posted above it shows empty space by the boardwalk, behind the carousel, but I'm pretty sure that's all admin buildings. Inncorrect there are no admin buildings there, it is a pretty open space, but if this exhibit is for just one year I cant see the Zoo really transforming the area too much, probably just the boat ride. Also when did you work thisride? you said the themeing was over a decade old, but this ride isnt even a decade old I'm pretty sure the boat ride has been there since before it was Australia and the Islands. I'm fairly certain it was there in my first visit in 2001. I worked there last year from early March to late June. I worked the boat ride most of the weekends in April and May as there were only a few of us trained on it, so even though it wasn't in my area I somehow ended up there all the time. I also worked on the train and carousel, though my home was Sea Dragon. I left the Zoo after I fell and broke my foot working the coaster. Nope- the boat ride was built with Phase 1 of Journey / Islands. This area used to home to the old petting zoo, cheetah habitat, and bear grottos. The current boardwalk originates right by the old petting barn, and in '92 was used as the path to see the Pandas on loan from China for the summer. The building that housed the pandas that summer is now the Bonobo's indoor enclosure.

That was the rumor, though I don't think it is true. From what I've heard, a large enough faction within Imagineering knew that, because of the drastic cuts they were forced to make to the Rocket Rods concept, it simply wasn't going to work. They decided to give the new Astro Orbiter a Discoverland-like placement because they expected the old PeopleMover track to be completely demolished once the Rods flopped.

Add to that the insult of leaving the old AstoOrbiter ride mechanism, still perched atop its proper platform, with goofy "satellites" in place of the ride vehicles, performing some sort of movements every hour.

Disney exec 1: "Hey! Our Tomorrowland is really dated looking. What can we do?" Disney exec 2: "Well, the Jules Verne-esque Discoverland in Paris looks pretty sweet. Our Tomorrowland has needed a revamp for quite a while." Disney exec 1: "We don't have the budget for much of anything... Head down to Lowes and get some brown and green paint."

Disney's focus seems to be off of domestic park expansion, for now at least. Even their "boutique park" concept, a proposed 5th gate for Florida, was scaled down into what became Wild Africa Trek @ DAK. Iger wants to buy up IP to preserve access, but I don't see real estate expansion. I have to wonder if the days of Sea World's current business model are numbered... While the traditional fish-in-a-tank aquarium concept will probably be around for a while, I don't know how much longer we'll see Shamu-style orcha shows.

You're welcome, gentlemen. It was an incredible experience, and being that it was my first Disney media event, my expectations were much lower than reality. Replied.

Believe it or not, it is. The curved building in this shot is what's now Animation Hall. The shelled hotel buildings are now The Little Mermaid buildings. The visible foundations just above Animation Hall are where the Lion King Suite buildings now sit, and The Big Blue Pool and finding Nemo buildings lay between Animation Hall and Hourglass Lake.

ART OF ANIMATION RESORT Buildings are themed, both inside and out, to Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, or The Little Mermaid. The Mermaid buildings are more conventional hotel rooms, while the Nemo, Cars, and Lion King buildings feature family suites which sleep 6. The buildings are centered around Animation Hall, which features the main desk, concierge, the Ink & Paint shop (a large store), and Landscape of Flavors, a counterservice restaurant. The resort's largest pool, The Big Blue Pool, is Nemo themed and can be found directly outside Animation Hall. The Big Blue Pool area consists of the main pool, a sprayground, The Drop Off poolside bar, and a playground. There are also pools at The Little Mermaid and Cars buildings. The Main Desk inside Animation Hall Character Development Wall inside Animation Hall Light Fixture inside Animation Hall Christmas Tree inside Animation Hall Inside Lion King suite Big Blue Pool Overall, this was an awesome event full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I hope you enjoyed getting to peek behind the curtain a little bit!

AROUND OUR WORLD BREAKFAST Friday morning, we were invited to a breakfast and corporate update at Downtown Disney's AMC theaters. We were treated to comments from Meg Crofton, WDI Chief Creative Executive Bruce Vaughn, and President of Disney Cruiseline and Adventures by Disney Karl Holz. Nothing new was disclosed, save for one photo of Imagineers working on Avatar concept art (which Vaughn admitted had already changed considerably), but it was nice to be in the front row (literally) and hear what these folks had to say. Meg Crofton gives remarks Bruce Vaugn, from WDI, briefly discusses Avatar land Imagineers work on Avatar design The event concluded with a great performance by Main Street USA's Dapper Dans. SPLITSVILLE The final event on our schedule was a media preview of Splitsville, Downtown Disney's new "premium" bowling alley. After a few short speeches from Splitsville and Downtown Disney heads, as well as the breaking of the bowling pin out front, we were allowed in and immediately fell in love with this place. Once inside, we were treated to mimosa and bloody mary, pizza, nachos, sliders, sushi, calamari, chicken tenders, desserts, and another open bar. The food was great, the drinks were strong, and the decor is great. My only concern is that there might not be enough allies: 10 downstairs and 20 upstairs. Splitsville opens to the public on December 16th.

TEST TRACK EVENT Where the New Fantasyland event was classy, the Test Track event was an outright party. All of Futureworld East (Test Track, Mission Space, and Universe of Energy) had been closed at 3pm to set up for this one. We were again bused by private coach to the park around 6pm, and we were herded into the Innoventions East breezeway until shortly before 7. When we entered, we were again taken back at just how detailed the party was. Huge bars and food buffets glowed, literally, in cool blue and green LED lighting. Chevrolet cars were scattered throughout, each with dramatic lighting added to fit the theme. A DJ was spinning club-style music from a gigantic stage set up directly in front of the ride (we would soon see why). The bars were serving cocktails (either "blue" or "pink" - the ingredients remain a mystery) in LED-lit, color changing martini glasses). At about 8 we were directed towards the stage, where Meg Crofton, VP of Disney Parks US and Europe, and Alan Beatty, GM VP of US Sales and Service, both gave brief remarks, before summoning Mickey to the stage to "turn on" new Test Track using Chevrolet's MyLink voice command system. It was a cute, if cheesy, gimmick. Confetti cannons fired, and SIM cars began zipping by behind the stage. We were ushered into the ride, which you've probably heard all about by now. You build your own SIM car in the queue, now themed as Chevrolet Design Center at EPCOT, and test the car on the SIM track. Designing their SIM cars Jenn's SIM car Old vehicles, new graphics We got off the ride, which was great, and heard a different type of music than we had been hearing. One Republic was playing a private concert on the Test Track stage! We walked right up to the front of the stage and listened. What a talented group that really put on a good show.

As I mentioned in the New Fantasyland, my position in the media earned me and my wife the opportunity to travel to The Happiest Place on Earth to be a part of the media previews of New Fantasyland, Test Track, and Splitsville last week. I tried to do my best to document the events to peel back the curtain, so to speak, and let you peek in on these lavish parties Disney throws. On Wednesday morning, we arrived at MCO and were promptly whisked away by Disney's Magical Express to our home for the next several days: Disney's Art of Animation resort. This is the newest of Disney's resorts, and was built from the remnants of the scrapped Pop Century: The Classic Years project, which was abandoned following the 2001 terrorist attacks. I'll get to more on the resort later, but let's skip right to the good stuff, eh? We checked into our suite in The Lion King buildings and were then directed to the media check in suite in the Cars building. We checked in, and were given our itinerary along with a bag of Disney swag: A "New Fantasyland" emblazoned iPod touch, New Fantasyland pin set, a Test Track windshield cover, Splitsville merchandise, and various Disney small goods. NEW FANTASYLAND EVENT The itinerary showed our first commitment was a 7pm VIP party and dinner, so we decided to go exploring on our own for a while at the Magic Kingdom. After getting in rides on Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, it's a small world, and The People Mover, we grabbed a Dole Whip and headed back to the resort to get ready for the party. We were picked up at Art of Animation by private coach (not Disney buses) and quickly driven backstage at the Magic Kingdom. We were escorted in through Tomorrowland and into Storybook Circus, where my jaw hit the well-themed pavement. The area was swathed in richly-themed decorations and filled with sets of tables and chairs. You couldn't walk 10 feet without encountering a food table, dessert table, or (open) bar. The food was gourmet (prime rib, Ahi tuna, sides), the desserts were delicious, and the drinks were premium. Aside from the food and libations, the party offered wait-free time on Aerial's Undersea Adventure, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Pete's Silly Sideshow, and Dumbo: The Flying Elephant. One of the most impressive parts, believe it or not, was the much-hyped flying dragon: Disney photo After the event, we were ushered into an empty hub (remember the park closed at 7pm) for a private showing of Holiday Wishes and the revamped castle projection show.

You are correct when discussing TT v.1, it was WDI spearheading that effort. However, TT v.2 was proposed, conceptualized, and largely built and designed by GM as part of their new (well, new-old commitment and once planned rebirth of the Chevrolet brand - which was created 2 marketing heads ago, but I digress). With sources on both sides of this one, I can say with absolute certainty that GM was driving force, so to speak, behind this one. Perhaps more directly in control than any outside corporate entity in a Disney attraction since the park's early days.

Sorry I'm just now replying to this... African Forest: The Congo Expedition operates during its normal hours, even during Wildlights, because the Bonobos and especially the Gorillas are extremely sensitive with their schedules. Yea, I see that on their website now. I used to go a lot when I was younger with my parents (10+ years ago), and I'm 99% sure it used to lit up back then. (I remember one year they had a cool lighted river.) Even then though, I though in the past few years it was open as well during wildlights. They used to keep the front half of the area open and had some lights in it. The path was blocked at the entrance to the Gorilla compound, and traffic was looped around back down towards the Okapi yards. This setup allowed them to keep the back half of the area (Gorilla, Bonobo, and Red River Hogs) closed off. However, the paths are far too dark and too wooded, so the decision was made to stop including it in Wildlights.

Sorry I'm just now replying to this... African Forest: The Congo Expedition operates during its normal hours, even during Wildlights, because the Bonobos and especially the Gorillas are extremely sensitive with their schedules.

Get there long before dusk, if possible, to 1) Beat the crowds in the gate (once you're through the turnstiles the crowds disperse pretty well, and 2) Get a chance to see the animals before they go to their night houses. Can't miss: Hank, the largest elephant in North America, the new Polar Frontier (including the underwater viewing), and the Amur tiger cubs.

The preshow makes it clear that you are going inside the computer / digital testing that new cars undergo. Basically, instead of building physical cars and testing them, you ride a SIM car into the digital test circuit. It's much more themeatically appropriate for the EPCOT Center vision, as well as Futureworld, than TT1 was.

What's incredible at the Columbus Zoo is to see the new infastructure overwhelmed. They went from a single-lane "peel" style entrance drive to two multi-lane entrances and exits off of a newly doubled-in-width State Route 750. It was only a few years ago that they broke the 20,000 guest record, during Wildlights, of course. To break your own record by 33% 50% in just a few years is a testament to the fine work they do. Edit: Math was never my thing.

If only. I really do love the queue and entry doors to the attraction. It fits in really well and some what resembles the Mission:Space queue. But that canopy is just awful and cookie cutter. I'd expect it from Cedar Fair, but not Disney. Other than that and the untouched 'power' circle, Well done Disney General Motors. Well Done. Fixed that for you. Seriously, though (and I'm one of GM's biggest critics), they get the credit here. They provided the concept, design guidance, and even fabricated most of the set pieces in Warren, MI, before shipping them down to Lake Buena Vista. Even the WDI show producer who was over this project is an outside contractor. Imagineers handled things like ride programming and effects, GM handled the rest.

Unfortunately in this case, the park will probably settle out of court to avoid the negative publicity which would come from hearings. I've got friends that work in Orlando newsrooms... They know the park addresses by heart, and when there's a medic or police run, they go. Every. Single. Time.

From Facebook www.facebook.com/columbuszoo 30,000 guests, to a midwest zoo, in December. Oddly enough, the zoo's previous 2 attendance records were also set during Wildlights.

New Test Track... Absolutely fantastic. Done very much in the forward-thinking optimism of EPCOT Center (pre-Epcot'94), much to this vintage EPCOT fanboy's delight. Jenn and I are heading to the VIP Media Preview events for New Fantasyland and Test Track later this week and I will try to get a PTR up early next week.