NemoRocks78's AE Closure Info

[NemoRocks78]

Hello all, I just returned home from Orlando. Wishes was spectacular, read my coming trip report for more.

Anyways, as you all know, AE closed yesterday, and I was there. Here's just a few bits of info you may want to know.

-Park maps have completely taken AE off the map (even yesterday).

-There are new free pamphlets entitled "The Guide To Everything", and they also exclude AE.

-A new in-room WDW channel show is up, it also excludes AE.

-Lines yesterday were pretty slim, I walked in 3 of the 4 times I rode (last ride 10 minute wait).

-AE merchandise at Merchants of Venus was on sale, I got a t-shirt for $9.99 originally $19 bucks.

-If anyone was there yesterday, you ALL know the horrible thunderstorm just a minute after Wishes ended. We were planning on staying until 11 so I could be one of the final riders, but due to the rain we left 1 1/2 hours early. Anyone here a final rider?

-CMs yesterday were very nice, except for the ones in the main chamber. A cheerful CM who was checking height requirements was telling people that this was it's last day.

-Carousel of Progress and The Timekeeper opened yesterday, a day earlier than the rumored date of today. TK was open till 6, CoP was open all day.

That's all I have. Feel free to post your thoughts.

 

[MrNonacho]

Originally posted by NemoRocks78
If anyone was there yesterday, you ALL know the horrible thunderstorm just a minute after Wishes ended. We were planning on staying until 11 so I could be one of the final riders, but due to the rain we left 1 1/2 hours early. Anyone here a final rider?

That was a nice little storm, wasn't it? I rode it out in the smoking area next to Aloha Isle. There was one lightning strike that must have been extremely close, with the thunder reaching us nearly instantaneously.

I stayed for the final showing of AE. The mood there was kind of exciting. There wasn't really a feeling of sadness or anything, just people glad that they were there. A few people were waiting near the entrance around 11 until the CMs said that the next group would be the last. All the CMs made sure that everyone knew that this was a special show. There wasn't much reaction to the first preshow, but there was plenty of cheering and applause after the second one. A small group of AE CMs were standing off to the side watching S.I.R. and Skippy along with the guests. The excitement really showed itself in the main show. People were reciting the script as the show went on and interacting with the dialogue. People were laughing at the corny jokes and shouting directions and pleas for help at the Catwalk CM. Sometimes the cheering and screams were so loud that they almost drowned out the show audio. There were plenty of cheers and lots of applause when it was all over.

It was a cool experience.

 

[Super Duck]

Were you there during the power outage?

It shut down all of tomorrowland, and liberty square, maybe more. I don't know exactly what happened, but it sure made for some crowded sidewalks.

 

[CTXRover]

Originally posted by NemoRocks78
-Lines yesterday were pretty slim, I walked in 3 of the 4 times I rode (last ride 10 min. wait).

-AE merchandise at Merchants of Venus was on sale, I got a t-shirt for $9.99 originally $19 bucks.

-Carousel of Progress and The Timekeeper opened yesterday, a day earlier than the rumored date of today. TK was open till 6, CoP was open all day.

I'm actually now kind of sad to hear that its really closed I have been for this re-do since hearing about it, but I don't think it actually hit me until last night when I realized I probably can recite a lot of the lines from the ride and that I wouldn't ever get to see it again like that. I'm glad to hear true fans of the ride got to be there for its last performance last night, since it sounds like they knew the lines pretty good too.

But, unfortunately, I think the first line I quoted from your post explains why this re-do is happening. From what others have said, MK was a madhouse yesterday that made it almost unpleasant. Now if AE was really the crowd-draw it should have been and once was, lines should have been moderate to pretty long yesterday for AE, especially considering true fans in the Florida area were there to see it for the last time. But apparently they weren't

I now wish I had gotten that AE shirt on my last trip. Hopefully some of them will still be there on sale when I'm down for 2 days over Thanksgiving to see family

Well, at least with the closure of one we get the opening of two!! COP is one of my favorites and I'm glad to see it open now everyday. I always like Timekeeper too and look forward to being able to do it again since its been closed a lot on my recent trips.

 

[MrNonacho]

Originally posted by Super Duck
Were you there during the power outage?

What time did that happen? I was in Adventureland during the worst part of the storm and the power never went out there.

 

[trendymagic]

I was in Philharmagic during the outage. Never got to see the ending to it. I originally thought it was just that attraction till I went over to see AE. It was down. Space Mtn was down. TTA was stopped and they were walking the guests off. CoP was open but all the lights inside were on. When the mini scenes changed you could see behind the sets and look at everything behind them. In the last scene the TV was not working at all. Flickered a few times. It was weird as I have never seen anythign like that before.

 

[Super Duck]

Just to clear up, the power outage was right during the middle of the day, and totally unrelated to the storm. We rode pirates during the outage, because tomorrowland, fantasyland, toontown, and liberty square were all not working. The area music was, though...

 

[Bagheera]

Originally posted by NemoRocks78
Anyone here a final rider?

I was the last Guest into the chamber, and the last Guest out of the chamber. The article should be up on MousePlanet this coming week. It should've been up earlier, but we had some scheduling difficulties. (Yes, I was the one standing on the railing with the camera taking pictures of the last group going in.)

 

[Mikejakester]

So it's fianlly done.. The last big stab in the back to kill the big monter at the end of the movie. It was nice while it lasted...

a wierd feeling is going over me right know... nad I feel like COP and time keeper are being keeped as "replcemente" rides, when ever some other ride is down. BUt I have a wierd feeling now this is going some other direction.


Am I the only one that things that Time keepers days are number after the opening of stich???

Stich will open... and once thats open, there is no use for Time keeper. Unless they keep it as it is now. and open it everytime Stich is down.

 

[Gregory]

Re: Re: NemoRocks78's AE Closure Info

Originally posted by MrNonacho
That was a nice little storm, wasn't it? I rode it out in the smoking area next to Aloha Isle. There was one lightning strike that must have been extremely close, with the thunder reaching us nearly instantaneously.

I stayed for the final showing of AE. The mood there was kind of exciting. There wasn't really a feeling of sadness or anything, just people glad that they were there. A few people were waiting near the entrance around 11 until the CMs said that the next group would be the last. All the CMs made sure that everyone knew that this was a special show. There wasn't much reaction to the first preshow, but there was plenty of cheering and applause after the second one. A small group of AE CMs were standing off to the side watching S.I.R. and Skippy along with the guests. The excitement really showed itself in the main show. People were reciting the script as the show went on and interacting with the dialogue. People were laughing at the corny jokes and shouting directions and pleas for help at the Catwalk CM. Sometimes the cheering and screams were so loud that they almost drowned out the show audio. There were plenty of cheers and lots of applause when it was all over.

It was a cool experience.

That is so awsome! I would love to have been there for the last showing- that would have been pretty cool!

Well, I hope they don't turn it into a big commercial for Stitch- theres a lot of potential, so we'll have to see what they do with it...

 

[Juggler]

Forgive me! AE? I take it that it's Alien Encounter? Is it closed forever and any idea of what is going to replace it?

I have a web site that sells tickets in the UK with a review of the parks. Between Disney and Universal I seem to be spending all my time taking rides out of my review.

 

[trendymagic]

Yes Alien Encounter is gone as of Oct 11th, 2003. They are 'rehabing' it and it will be available next year. Sadly they are adding Lilo and Stitch to it. Guess they want it more kid friendly.

 

[Juggler]

Thanks for the quick reply!

So the are doing a Universal to Alien Encounter! Hanna Barbara ride closed and turned into Jimmy Neutron ride, exactly the same ride just new character.

I do hope this is not going to be the new trend. Same old rides, just give them a lick of paint and re-open them to advertise the latest film characters.

 

[Bagheera]

Re: Re: NemoRocks78's AE Closure Info

Originally posted by Bagheera
The article should be up on MousePlanet this coming week. It should've been up earlier, but we had some scheduling difficulties.

Scheduling difficulties continue, as it was bumped by a date-sensitive story that wasn't on the publishing calendar. I have been promised that the story will be up next Wednesday, 11/5.