Princess Fairytale Hall

[aladdin2007]

Okay after reading Al's latest update, it sounds like were getting the mediocre version while Disneyland gets something really nice. Its sad when you read the following especially the last bolded line.

The cheaper version was the earlier incarnation when both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World projects were receiving the same limited budget as part of the inane “One Disney” corporate philosophy managed out of Florida. The Florida version stuck to its original modest budget, and will set up a more basic twin-passageway setup dubbed Princess Fairytale Hall behind a lightly re-themed façade at what used to be their Snow White dark ride

There will even be a few animatronic animal characters included in the queue pre-show for Anaheim’s version. A small snack cart theme like Stromboli’s wagon in Pinocchio will round out the basic offerings on Princess Fantasy Faire when it opens in spring, 2013.
Those Orlando suits continue to amaze - don't they? But that's what Walt Disney World visitors get (and frankly, deserve). I'm sure their most rabid fans will defend this lower quality effort like crazy as they have other such decisions in the past.

 

[jt04]

Okay after reading Al's latest update, it sounds like were getting the mediocre version while Disneyland gets something really nice. Its sad when you read the following especially the last bolded line.

The cheaper version was the earlier incarnation when both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World projects were receiving the same limited budget as part of the inane “One Disney” corporate philosophy managed out of Florida. The Florida version stuck to its original modest budget, and will set up a more basic twin-passageway setup dubbed Princess Fairytale Hall behind a lightly re-themed façade at what used to be their Snow White dark ride

There will even be a few animatronic animal characters included in the queue pre-show for Anaheim’s version. A small snack cart theme like Stromboli’s wagon in Pinocchio will round out the basic offerings on Princess Fantasy Faire when it opens in spring, 2013.
Those Orlando suits continue to amaze - don't they? But that's what Walt Disney World visitors get (and frankly, deserve). I'm sure their most rabid fans will defend this lower quality effort like crazy as they have other such decisions in the past.

I actually find this encouraging as it makes it more likely the rumor that the WDW version is 'just a temporary placeholder' is true.

Something more elaborate like DL is getting would mean it is permanent. I think this will all make sense by the 50th anniversary. Which in the big scheme of things is not all that far off.

 

[aladdin2007]

I actually find this encouraging as it makes it more likely the rumor that the WDW version is 'just a temporary placeholder' is true.

Something more elaborate like DL is getting would mean it is permanent. I think this will all make sense by the 50th anniversary. Which in the big scheme of things is not all that far off.

True its not far at all, but this princess craze isnt exactly dying down.

 

[jt04]

True its not far at all, but this princess craze isnt exactly dying down.

Agreed. The princess m&gs work especially the newer more immersive ones. Which is why I think the folks at DL will go forward with their new mini-land despite protests by Carnation Garden (or whatever it is called) fans.

And those m&g's that were featured in the first version of the FLE will likely end up as bigger and better attractions in the future IMO. Although their various locations could be just about anywhere.

Disney knows when it has captured lighting in a bottle. And these new m&gs are just that.

 

[Ignohippo]

I actually find this encouraging as it makes it more likely the rumor that the WDW version is 'just a temporary placeholder' is true.

Something more elaborate like DL is getting would mean it is permanent. I think this will all make sense by the 50th anniversary. Which in the big scheme of things is not all that far off.

"Temporary" is probably 15+ years though.

It's all in the way you look at it. How can you say they're going cheap compared to Disneyland when it's one small component of a $300 million expansion (that btw, DL isn't getting)? Would you rather have the small Princess expansion DL is getting or the major Fantasyland expansion MK is getting?

Not to defend TDO. CircusLand is a joke, and could have been the addition to finally make our FL better than the one in Anaheim. A huge wasted opportunity IMO.

 

[njDizFan]

I actually find this encouraging as it makes it more likely the rumor that the WDW version is 'just a temporary placeholder' is true.

Something more elaborate like DL is getting would mean it is permanent. I think this will all make sense by the 50th anniversary. Which in the big scheme of things is not all that far off.

So is this a 10 year prefurb?

 

[jt04]

"Temporary" is probably 15+ years though.

It's all in the way you look at it. How can you say they're going cheap compared to Disneyland when it's one small component of a $300 million expansion (that btw, DL isn't getting)? Would you rather have the small Princess expansion DL is getting or the major Fantasyland expansion MK is getting?

Not to defend TDO. CircusLand is a joke, and could have been the addition to finally make our FL better than the one in Anaheim. A huge wasted opportunity IMO.

Time will tell. The princess m&gs on MSUSA will have only been there a couple years before relocating.

I just believe (wishful thinking perhaps) that we have only seen about two-thirds of the plan for the MK's FL. And there could be more to be revealed. The quality and detail of the new add at Disneyland could be a hint at what we can expect.

I just think before all is said and done there will be little left in the MK's FL that was there traditionally. Essentially it will have been entirely redone.

 

[Rob562]

I'd also liek to point out, when was the last time Al Lutz actually had something *good* to say about WDW? His biased style of writing is why I almost never read MiceAge anymore...

It's like listening to Joe Buck doing the play-by-play for a Red Sox game on Fox. While not outright bashing them, his choices of working with a negative spin makes it very obvious he does not like the Sox...

-Rob

 

[Tim Lohr]

I'd also liek to point out, when was the last time Al Lutz actually had something *good* to say about WDW? His biased style of writing is why I almost never read MiceAge anymore...

It's like listening to Joe Buck doing the play-by-play for a Red Sox game on Fox. While not outright bashing them, his choices of working with a negative spin makes it very obvious he does not like the Sox...

-Rob

This article does sound really bias, and whether it's on purpose or accidental the article takes facts out of contexts and is misleading

Besides the fact that the Fantasyland Expansion in Magic Kingdom is much more extensive than Disneyland's (although they are getting a new California Adventure so it kinda evens out) and this guy sounds like he's either really out of touch or is just trying to cause trouble, because it's like saying that "since MK's version of Space Mountain is twice the size and has 2 tracks, DL got short changed with their Space Mountain", but in really money had nothing to do with it, there just wasn't room in DL for MK's version of Space Mountain, and there isn't room in MK for DL's version of Fairytale Hall. Those facts out of contexts are misleading

P.S. I will outright bash Joe Buck I can't stand him for baseball and football, I turn off the sound on the TV and turn on the Radio for play by play when ever he's on

 

[ToTBellHop]

I'd also liek to point out, when was the last time Al Lutz actually had something *good* to say about WDW? His biased style of writing is why I almost never read MiceAge anymore...

It's like listening to Joe Buck doing the play-by-play for a Red Sox game on Fox. While not outright bashing them, his choices of working with a negative spin makes it very obvious he does not like the Sox...

-Rob

That's true. Al is a great source for DL news, but that's about it. He skirted over the fact that our (superior) Little Mermaid attraction is actually leading to the inferior DCA version getting some updates. WDW is not always playing the role of the forgotten stepchild.

 

[Ignohippo]

Time will tell. The princess m&gs on MSUSA will have only been there a couple years before relocating.

I just believe (wishful thinking perhaps) that we have only seen about two-thirds of the plan for the MK's FL. And there could be more to be revealed. The quality and detail of the new add at Disneyland could be a hint at what we can expect.

I just think before all is said and done there will be little left in the MK's FL that was there traditionally. Essentially it will have been entirely redone.

The MSUSA location isn't a good comparison because it was always meant to be temporary. They were put there only because their previous location was being repurposed and Fairytale Hall was always where they were going.

In the end, I hope you're right but I don't see any more expanding done to FL for the foreseeable future.

If MK is to be expanded, I hope it's for a proper ToonTown.

 

[ChristianG]

Al tends to get on my nerves a lot, but I am in no way going to defend WDW and TDO for their poor decisions.

I didn't like the idea of Princess Fairytale Hall since day one, and to be informed that it is going to be a mediocre meet and greet with painted backdrops and light theming, it kind of makes me upset.

The way they are advertising it does not make it seem temporary, even though it will probably end up looking temporary.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

This article does sound really bias, and whether it's on purpose or accidental the article takes facts out of contexts and is misleading

Besides the fact that the Fantasyland Expansion in Magic Kingdom is much more extensive than Disneyland's

Fantasyland doesn't need an expansion at Disneyland because it's already up to par with the massive overhaul it got in 1983, which by the way was 12 years after Magic Kingdom opened with a significantly sub-par Fantasyland that only 30 years later was finally fleshed out to a level worthy of the park, but still a far cry from what Disneyland has.

 

[HMButler79]

"Temporary" is probably 15+ years though.

It's all in the way you look at it. How can you say they're going cheap compared to Disneyland when it's one small component of a $300 million expansion (that btw, DL isn't getting)? Would you rather have the small Princess expansion DL is getting or the major Fantasyland expansion MK is getting?
Not to defend TDO. CircusLand is a joke, and could have been the addition to finally make our FL better than the one in Anaheim. A huge wasted opportunity IMO.

A small Princess expansion that keeps the existing dark rides while they improve them. Oh yea.....and a 6mos rehab of the Matterhorn.

 

[erasure fan1]

I actually find this encouraging as it makes it more likely the rumor that the WDW version is 'just a temporary placeholder' is true.

Something more elaborate like DL is getting would mean it is permanent. I think this will all make sense by the 50th anniversary. Which in the big scheme of things is not all that far off.

I wouldnt hold my breath that its temporary. If this story is true that WDW is going small, it just doesnt surprise me in the least. Its just par for the course in Orlando. More often than not, thats how it ends up.

 

[jt04]

I wouldnt hold my breath that its temporary. If this story is true that WDW is going small, it just doesnt surprise me in the least. Its just par for the course in Orlando. More often than not, thats how it ends up.

The person who wrote the story has far from a perfect track record. I believe the SWSA is truly temporary but that may still mean several years. Obviously the trend is a seperate m&g for each princess.

 

[Rob562]

The person who wrote the story has far from a perfect track record. I believe the SWSA is truly temporary but that may still mean several years. Obviously the trend is a seperate m&g for each princess.

Also, this Fairytale Hall thing is very last-minute. Cinderella and Aurora were to have their own M&G's in the Expansion. In the original leaked blueprints, there was nothing noted at all about Snow White being taken out. (In fact, it was my interpretation of the blueprints that SWSA's queue may have gotten some redoing, because the layout didn't match what is there now)

But when the Cindy/Aurora complex was eliminated in the rethinking of that central area, they were suddenly left homeless and in their eyes they had to remedy that. We didn't hear about Fairytale Hall until the Mine Train was announced.

-Rob

 

[LongtimeReader]

Plus if you read closely, with the possible exception of the mysterious AA figures in the queue at DL, only ezteriors were made more lavish. The actual greetings seem to be the same. Seeing that the locations are totally different, it makes sense to have the MK princess hall be similar in tone to Philharmagic on the opposite side of the courtyard. DL is literally carving out part of Main street to make more Fantasyland. This is not remotely the same. The criticism is out of proprotion. Argue that they'll raze a dark ride for it? Absolutely. But even if they spared Snow White they likely wouldn't have given it a new facade anyway, so how is this a big deal? The constant comparing is silly when it's not quite the same beast.

 

[COProgressFan]

Plus if you read closely, with the possible exception of the mysterious AA figures in the queue at DL, only ezteriors were made more lavish. The actual greetings seem to be the same. Seeing that the locations are totally different, it makes sense to have the MK princess hall be similar in tone to Philharmagic on the opposite side of the courtyard. DL is literally carving out part of Main street to make more Fantasyland. This is not remotely the same. The criticism is out of proprotion. Argue that they'll raze a dark ride for it? Absolutely. But even if they spared Snow White they likely wouldn't have given it a new facade anyway, so how is this a big deal? The constant comparing is silly when it's not quite the same beast.

I agree. I like Al's columns, since he's usually right on the money with his insider info (primarily for DL, less so for WDW), and many (most?) of his criticisms of WDW are completely valid.

In this case, however, the locations and setup are completely different, so I'm not entirely sure it's a case of "cheaping out" like TDO usually does, but making the new Princess M&G fit in with its surroundings.

 

[MichWolv]

This also misses the fact that new FLE will have highly immersive (I think) M&Gs with Belle, Snow White, and Ariel. Disneyland will have one highly immersive M&G area for princesses, while FLE will have 3. True, I suspect that the Carnation Gardens version at Disneyland will be better than the Fairytale Hall, but the comparison ought not be limited to those two if you're looking for Princess M&Gs.

If Al really wants to complain about TDO, why isn't the complaint that they are taking ride space and turning into a lightly-themed M&G. A lightly-themed M&G could go lots of places -- losing a ride to get it is the troubling thing!