ISTCrew's June 26th WDW Update

[ISTCrew20]

Hey everyone. Todays update is kinda...spare of the moment I guess. I actually planned to go to Universal today, but plans got rearranged. I ended up going to Disney to visit some friends at Fort Wilderness, and I made a short day trip over to MK. Well...We had to park in the front of Fort Wilderness, and we (my Dad, My Sister and I) decided that since the cabin they were staying at was close by, we just walk. I swear, that was the dumbest idea ever. It was like walking through a desert...with trees. I was expecting a tumbleweed to be blow by, and a zebra skeleton to be sitting on the side of the walkway. It was SO hot. The car thermometer said it was 101 degrees. Anyways, my dad and sister stayed at Fort Wilderness visiting, and I went over to MK. So here are the short list of updates...

--A sign was added in the middle of the sidewalk to mark the entrance of the Tomorrowland Speedway.
--Nothing much has with the Tomorrowland Stage.
--Painting has not started on the right side of the castle yet either. I know this only because you can look right down into it and see it. On the left side, a covering was put up over the scaffolding so you cannot see into it.
--Cosmic Ray still has not returned.
--I don't ever remember it being there, but a Lemon Slush stand was added in Frontierland, near Splash Mountain.
--Nothing new at Stitch either. It is not looking good for a soft opening before October. Nothing has been worked on in the extended queue, the preshow holding area (outside) and Fastpass installation has not even been attempted yet. One door was open to the preshow, and I can tell that most of the stuff is off the floor, and it looks to be nearing completion, so that is a plus. I'm just hoping they will get into gear for the outside.
--Disney has changed the paper their receipts are printed on too. It used to just be white, with instructions for pin trading on the back. Now, small Mickey heads are all over the front, with return policy on the back.
--The Rehab that was going on around some of the buildings by the Main Street General Store has been completed.
--I can also tell (just by driving by) that the backstage MGM construction is done.

And that is kinda...it. This will be the last update until July 12th. I am leaving for vacation on the first, and not returning until the 10th, so the 12th looks like the first day I will really be up and ready for fun. I'll be ready Alex lol.

I took some pictures, but nothing really worthwhile, so I don't think I will be posting any. Well that's it. Have a good night.

 

[Figment1986]

Wow, it was that hot and humid over their. it was warner on the east coast of FL....

Not surprised to not see much new stuff from updates so close together....

But at least they are working hard at some stuff....

 

[General Grizz]

Thanks for the update!

Hope to see Sonny back soon.

 

[ISTCrew20]

Thanks for the update!

Hope to see Sonny back soon.

Sonny Eclipse...Lol, I was having a brainfart...I called him cosmic Ray lol.

 

[Stitchfan712]

That's actually good news regarding stitch. Saying there won't be a soft open before October is overly pessimistic I think.


I'd imagine, really, that the exterior won't require that much work to change out. It's pretty sci-fi already and the interior was where most of the construction was occuring. If that is nearing completion, then I'd say we're on target for at least a soft opening a month prior...say Sept. 1.

But I still hope I get very lucky and find it soft opened the first week of August. I don't have my hopes up...but it would be nice.

 

[barnum42]

Patrick, here's the question and sorry if it's one you have heard many times before.

Where does someone who lives in the vacation capital of the world go for a vacation?

 

[scorp111]

I hope they get Stitch ready for a soft-opening by mid to late September at least..............

 

[no2apprentice]

Patrick, here's the question and sorry if it's one you have heard many times before.

Where does someone who lives in the vacation capital of the world go for a vacation?

Where else? Disneyland!

 

[imagineersrock]

just two quick things-

1.) I don't think stitch will take that much longer. If preshow is practically complete.. I'd say theres only a month's worth of preperation left at the most.. Some fastpass machines.. that takes what a day or so lol?

2.) may I ask what it is you're referring to when you mentioned the backstage mgm construction..?

thanks for the update as always.
-Alex

 

[TinkerBell9988]

Thanks for the update Patrick! I can't wait to check out that scaffolding myself, hopefully they will be painting it by the time I get up there.

 

[SirNim]

Patrick, here's the question and sorry if it's one you have heard many times before.

Where does someone who lives in the vacation capital of the world go for a vacation?

ROFL! My thoughts exactly! :lol:

 

[ToTBellHop]

Let's not be foolishly-optimistic. The fact that there was a press event for stitch yesterday that did not announce an official opening date for this attraction other than "this fall" tells me that they are no where near opening this attraction. If it were opening anytime this summer, they would have announced it yesterday.

 

[DarkMeasures]

Let's not be foolishly-optimistic. The fact that there was a press event for stitch yesterday that did not announce an official opening date for this attraction other than "this fall" tells me that they are no where near opening this attraction. If it were opening anytime this summer, they would have announced it yesterday.

Look how long it took to open AE even when the theatre was finished.

 

[ISTCrew20]

ImagineersRock- The backstage MGM Construction I was referring to was on the street (across from Boardwalk) which drives up, almost right into TOT. It had been under construction for some time now, roadwork and all of that. It's done now, and green fencing was added, much like the new AK entrance (which looks AWFUL...Like you are entering a maximum Security Prison).


Barnum - I am going about 3 hours away, and staying at the beach for a week. Leaving everything for 10 days is gonna take its toll. I'm gonna come back, and not even recognize WDW lol.

 

[1stStarIC2nite]

And that is kinda...it. This will be the last update until July 12th. I am leaving for vacation on the first, and not returning until the 10th, so the 12th looks like the first day I will really be up and ready for fun. I'll be ready Alex lol.

Wooohoooooooooooo! I can't wait!!! But, I'm gonna miss I Love The 90's premiere :lol:

Anyways, great "mini" update buddy!

 

[Stitchfan712]

Let's not be foolishly-optimistic. The fact that there was a press event for stitch yesterday that did not announce an official opening date for this attraction other than "this fall" tells me that they are no where near opening this attraction. If it were opening anytime this summer, they would have announced it yesterday.

Why don't you tell us what was said at this press event. Because I cannot find it anywhere and no one is reporting it.

Do you want it to open late? I mean, you really sound kind of annoyed or angry whenever you talk about it. some of us are hoping for an early opening...and it doesn't help.


Besides, I wouldn't expect them to announce the soft opening date in this press event. Did they do that with Mission Space?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Why don't you tell us what was said at this press event. Because I cannot find it anywhere and no one is reporting it.

Do you want it to open late? I mean, you really sound kind of annoyed or angry whenever you talk about it. some of us are hoping for an early opening...and it doesn't help.


Besides, I wouldn't expect them to announce the soft opening date in this press event. Did they do that with Mission Space?

Yes, they did that with Mission: SPACE. They announced soft openings beginning August 15th in May along w/ an opening date in October. Opening dates are announced several months before an attraction opens. I don't want it to open late, I want you people to accept that it will open ON TIME, in the Fall, as announced when Alien Encounter closed. October is not "late", nor would early December be. August and September are early. If you want me to lie to you and say it will be open in August, because it will make you feel better, I can do that, too. Disney said yesterday that it will open in the fall, which is about as official you are going to see "this will not be open for summer crowds". It would be much more apropos to compare this attraction to PhilharMagic than Mission: SPACE. PhilharMagic had a fall opening in October and soft opened at most 4 weeks prior, in early September.

EDIT: As posted by FLCM,
Stitchs Great Escape!
Ok, here is what I got....Cast Previews in Early Sept, Unadvertised openings mid Sept, Official Soft Openings late sept, OFFICIAL GRAND OPENING AND PRESS EVENT, OCT 1st - 3rd.

 

[stagestar]

THANKS for another interesting update Patrick!

Hope you will enjoy your time at the beach ... just don't forget: anything looking like a shark swimming in the sea most propably is a shark, AAs seldom venture out there :animwink:


Oh ... and finally something about the what could take them so long till it can have soft openings discussion about Stitch: we know for sure that there is still exterior work to be done about which's extent we can only speculate. But besides that it is hard to tell how much work is still necessary inside. While it is great news, that the pre-show-area looked pretty far advances, as Patrick thankfully reported, what about the actual show?? Something like the Stitch-AA needs to be programmed, the effects need to be adjusted, Stitch being rendered to be inserted into the already filmed footage from Tomorrowland, ... there is plenty of work left which does not have the form of classic construction work which might still be coming up.


On a different note: WDW seems to have "decided" to push its Halloween Season more and more. Just look at what is happening ...
2003: PhilarMagic opens just in time for Halloween
2004: Stitch opens just in time for Halloween
With the early October opening times the Halloween Season becomes especially interesting to Disney fans as they can combine visit to one of the already more and more popular "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween"-Parties with seing a new much talked about attraction, not to mention that quite a few Disney fans also hop over to Universal for one evening of their Halloween festival...



Yours
Dirk

 

[ToTBellHop]

most Magic Kingdom attractions open October 1st, as the Magic Kingdom opened October 1, 1971.

 

[ISTCrew20]

most Magic Kingdom attractions open October 1st, as the Magic Kingdom opened October 1, 1971.

but you don't want too many anniversary dates on the same day. I'll be patient and pray they do it right. They haven't even been working on it for a year, so we can't complain it's taking too long. Now that I think about it, Everest construction has been going on for OVER a year (It started last Feb/March right?)