News Talking Mickey to leave Magic Kingdom

Mad Stitch

Mad Stitch

Well-Known Member
deeevo said:
Feel bad for those families that have vacations booked in June and are expecting Mickey to speak. Wonder if they will make this public so the kiddo's are not confused when Mickey is silent.
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My co-worker is going in June with her family. I told her about how Micky can talk in the Magic Kingdom and to be sure to take her kids to meet him at that location. Well now I need to give her this bad news.
 
brb1006

brb1006

Well-Known Member
Cmdr_Crimson said:
Wait? Are any of the Theaters during The Walt Disney Story era Still intact? Last I recall I thought it was completely gutted...
From Imagineeringdisney
View attachment 256176
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This might be wishful thinking. But maybe the new MK theater might had space for the Walt Disney Story but that's currently a pipe dream. Then again we don't know much about the interior of the currently unnamed theater.
 
Amidala

Amidala

Well-Known Member
I'm among the people who find talking Mickey a little unsettling (but then, I'm awkward with characters to begin with – toss in something like this and I'm a wreck) but still sad to hear he might be going. I get that for every person who finds the concept weird, there are others who are super charmed by it. But I will say in all the time I've worked at MK and on Main Street, guests have rarely acknowledged that the Mickey in the theater was a talking one..."Where can I meet Mickey?" is the standard question, I doubt most casual guests would even be aware there's a talking Mickey until they stumble into him at the M&G. I'm sure there'll still be huge lines outside the theater for mute Mickey – mostly b/c guests just won't know what they're missing.

But even if talking Mickey goes away for now at MK, i find it hard to believe he'll be gone for good. After all the money and research funneled into making this concept work, I can't imagine Disney throwing it in the garbage completely. I'm sure he'll crop up again eventually, hopefully when the execution is a little less uncanny valley-esque.
 
Cmdr_Crimson

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Amidala said:
I'm among the people who find talking Mickey a little unsettling (but then, I'm awkward with characters to begin with – toss in something like this and I'm a wreck) but still sad to hear he might be going. I get that for every person who finds the concept weird, there are others who are super charmed by it. But I will say in all the time I've worked at MK and on Main Street, guests have rarely acknowledged that the Mickey in the theater was a talking one..."Where can I meet Mickey?" is the standard question, I doubt most casual guests would even be aware there's a talking Mickey until they stumble into him at the M&G. I'm sure there'll still be huge lines outside the theater for mute Mickey – mostly b/c guests just won't know what they're missing.

But even if talking Mickey goes away for now at MK, i find it hard to believe he'll be gone for good. After all the money and research funneled into making this concept work, I can't imagine Disney throwing it in the garbage completely. I'm sure he'll crop up again eventually, hopefully when the execution is a little less uncanny valley-esque.
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If you think about it. He's not only just talking to you in the theater but with the use of the artculated head in the morning court stage opening, Royal Friendship Faire, Festival of Fantasy, and Move it Shake it. It was the only place where Mickey was much more lifelike than any park.
 
I

Imagineerwannabe

Active Member
Original Poster
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Disone

Disone

Well-Known Member
Imagineerwannabe said:
So I’ll just bump this one again..
Didn’t have to wait long...
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Thanks for the bump. My point was to illustrate how easy it is to come on here and just say a "reliable source says". That all said, I didn't want to believe you but clearly you are right . bummed they are doing this.
 
brb1006

brb1006

Well-Known Member
Amidala said:
I'm among the people who find talking Mickey a little unsettling (but then, I'm awkward with characters to begin with – toss in something like this and I'm a wreck) but still sad to hear he might be going. I get that for every person who finds the concept weird, there are others who are super charmed by it. But I will say in all the time I've worked at MK and on Main Street, guests have rarely acknowledged that the Mickey in the theater was a talking one..."Where can I meet Mickey?" is the standard question, I doubt most casual guests would even be aware there's a talking Mickey until they stumble into him at the M&G. I'm sure there'll still be huge lines outside the theater for mute Mickey – mostly b/c guests just won't know what they're missing.

But even if talking Mickey goes away for now at MK, i find it hard to believe he'll be gone for good. After all the money and research funneled into making this concept work, I can't imagine Disney throwing it in the garbage completely. I'm sure he'll crop up again eventually, hopefully when the execution is a little less uncanny valley-esque.
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A month or two ago they briefly tested Minnie and Donald at DCA.
 
brb1006

brb1006

Well-Known Member
RSoxNo1 said:
This is another Next Gen thing that was supposed to blow people's minds. What a joke.
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I seriously wish they stuck with the more interactive and talkative version of Mickey during the Play test period. It actually looked amazing between 2010 and 2011 before they stuck with the more known awkward interactions in 2013 that's currently at MK and briefly at DCA where it's just saying various phrases.

Here's a two videos from 2010 and 2011 where the interaction with guests felt more lively and not limited to just magic tricks.

 
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Jrn14

Jrn14

Well-Known Member
Bummer, I've never been one for meeting characters but the Mickey meeting felt super special solely because of the talking. It really impressed our party of all ages. Everyone loved it! I just don't understand why they would get rid of something that everyone seemed to enjoy and really set the experience apart.
 
C

Cameron1529

Active Member
I mean I can understand the move if it was reducing costs and logistics. However how much in the grand scheme of things, would this operating cost. For Disney standards I would think not much. It does seem rather disappointing.
 

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