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THE GRAPE VINE! (The Ripest Rumors on the Vine) This page was last modified on Friday, August 13, 2010  08/13/2010EPCOT Rumor Buzz... AGAIN! We I know, I know... It seems that this rumor heats up every couple of years, and here it is again. We've been hearing some inside noise for a while, but now it's all over the place... the famouse "new World Showcase Country" rumor. With EPCOT's 30th anniversary coming up in 2 short years, it just seems more hopefull now that we'll actually see a new pavilion, maybe Spain? We're also hearing that there may be something going on to bring back Wonders of Life in a new form. We'll see...
07/23/2010 Some More Interresting Rumors! We have recently heard from more than one source that Disney Cruise Line is in talks with the Port in New York over the possibility of making NYC the home port for the Disney "Fantasy" which is set to sail in 2012. Nothing has been confirmed, but looking back at when the DCL first set sail, Michael Eisner was quoted as saying: "Wouldn't it be great to one day have a Disney Cruise Ship set sail from every major port..." *We all know that Disney's major projects evolve even as they are being built. Now the buzz is getting louder that new Parks & Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs is making some changes to the WDW Fantasy Land expansion. Rumor has it that he is not too happy with the heavy reliance on the Princess franchise and wishes to bring some more "boy friendly" aspects into it. We'll see as this develops.
DVC Rumors Flying Around Like Crazy! A strange rumor of a Port Orleans DVC wing pops up occasionaly, but now the old Polynesian rumor has surface again along with a new rumor about plans being finalized for a DVC Resort near Coronado Springs. Crazy, crazy crazy... any of you guys know anything? Let us know. I'm sure something is in the oven, but which one? CONFIRMED!!! Captain EO Return To EPCOT and Disneyland Paris (Update) Captain EO's return to Disneyland has been extremely popular. Disney just officially announced its return to Tokyo and the buzz is even stronger than ever for EPCOT and Disneyland Paris. It hasn't been announced yet, but we are hearing that an announcement may come real soon! As another crazy little nibble, we're hearing buzz again they Mickey's hat may be removed from Disney's Hollywood Studios and it will come with another announcement. (How about that Muppet dark ride??? Not a rumor, just my wishful thinking!) Premere Date For California Adventure's World Of Color. For a while we've been hering from several sources that Disney's World of Color will be officially debuting on June 11, 2010, with soft opening about 2 weeks prior. We're super excited about this show as it promised to be Disney's best nightime spectacular yet. Of course being the pyrotechnics geek that I am, I'll keep it in a separate catagory from the pure fireworks shows. Check out a cool video about the show here! Updates to Toy Story Mania May Be In The Works. We've heard the rumors since the beginning of TSM that games can be changes out over time, maybe randomized or even get holiday overlays. This may actually come to pass. We here that a Halloween overlay may actually be in the works set to debut this fall. Anybody hear more about this? Let us know! "Lost" Attraction Rumors Flying Around Again. We keep hearing all of this buzz about the previously rumored "Lost" attraction based on the ABC TV series. They have been as far out as re-themeing Tom Sawyer Island in MK, reviving the old Discovery Island in Bay Lake and even a virtual attraction utilizing the Robo-Coaster technology as used in EPCOT's "Sum of All Thrills". I'm not too sure about all of this, but it's too crazy not to pass along. If we hear anything else, we'll be sure to pass it along. CONFIRMED!!! Wishes Fireworks in Magic Kingdom May Be Replaced Sources tell us that a replacement for our beloved "Wishes" fireworks show at WDW's Magic Kingdom is in the works. One source told us that a "transitional" show will be used to test some new ideas before a final new show is put in palce. Anybody hear anything about this? Let us know. SEMI-CONFIRMED!!! Captain EO Return To Disneyland & EPCOT (Update) Captain EO's return to Disneyland has officially been confirmed by Disney for a limited time run starting Feb. 2010. Nothing official for EPCOT has been announced yet, but we are still hearing a possible late spring 2010 arrival. At that time, we are told, Disney will begin creating the long term replacement for "Honey I Shrunk The Audience." One source said that we may actually hear something about Tokyo Disneyland first. We'll keep our ears open. CONFIRMED!!! Main Street Electrical Parade May Return To Magic Kingdom A little birdie told us that with the opening of "World of Color" at DCA, the Main Street Electrical Parade will head back to Magic Kingdom in WDW. There also may be a new addition and refurb as well before it returns. We'll keep you posted. CONFIRMED!!! Captain EO Return To Disneyland & EPCOT (Update) We've heard from several sources that Captain EO has the green light for Disneyland and it should return some time in February of 2010. Look for a January refurb of the theater. We've also been told that may be dancing his way back into the Imagination Pavilion in EPCOT by Summer 2010. Planned as a limited run, this may be the segway to a new 3D experience yet to be determined. CONFIRMED!!! Captain EO Return To Disneyland & EPCOT (Update) At Last week's D23 Expo, it was mensioned several times that Disney is in fact looking into the return of Captain EO to the parks, but no official date or venue has been stated as of yet. Let's continue to keep our fingers crossed. CONFIRMED!!! New Disney Cruise Villian Show Disney is apparently casting for a new Disney Villian based show that I am told will be performing on the Disney Cruise Line. I wonder if we will hear anything about this when Disney officially announces the new cruise destinations at D23 on 9/11/09. Check Disney's Official Announcement Site Here after 12 Noon Eastern Time on 9/11/09. CONFIRMED!!! Captain EO Return To Disneyland Although this has been rumored since the unfortunate passing of Michael Jackson, it seems that the cat is desperately scratching his way out of the bag. I am now told from somebody deeper inside that the announcement will be at D23 on September 10th and Mr. Jackson will make his 3d encore performance in Tomorrowland in California's Disneyland for a limited run beginning in January 2010. I hope this is true because whether you're a MJ fan or not, Captain EO is a performance created by creative artists such as George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Jackson, Anjelica Huston and of course Disney Imagineers. Check out our videos page for a youtube link of EO that a fan posted. Bits And Pieces From Around The World We recently spent a few weeks in WDW and heard a bunch of things from cast members, some new, some old. With DVC still selling strong, management is always looking forward to the next property. Remember when we reported rumors of Hawaii and the Contemporary? And you thought we were nuts. (Actually we are, but that's not the point.) Rumors of a Polynesian DVC wing are heating up as I've heard this from several sources and I am also told that they are looking at the viability of a Port Orleans DVC wing. (???) We'll see what developes with those areas, stay tuned. Also I've been hearing some buzz of a new flume style e-ticket being developed. The crazy thing is that each source has stated a different park. I've also heard that the Fantasyland makeover will soon be announced, but not as grand as the blue-sky plans posted back in July. I have my fingers crossed with that one. I've heard a few more wild things that I just don't see hapening, but I'll post more on that later, and for now - I'm patiently waiting for the D23 announcements later this week. Keep those ears open! Beastly Kingdom Back on the Boards? For years we hear the on-again-off-again plans to expand Disney's Animal Kingdom and finally build that mythical creature land that was on the original plans. Now buzz is vibrating my ears that iamgineering may be looking at a version of Tokyo Disney Sea's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" ride. Using a similar ride system as Test Track, Journey has a classic Disney dark ride aspect with some extreme fire effects, an encounter with one of the largest animatronics Disney ever created, and en exhillerating, high speed end sequence. I'll take it the way it is, but let's hope that this is truely the beginning of the long awaited land. Get your hopes up, but just don't hold your breath. I'll keep you posted. 07/18/2009 We've been hearing about a huge Fantasyland makover for a while now, but the DizFanatic crew was trying not to get our hopes up too high. With the Little Mermaid ride buzz coming from so many places, we hoped for at least that. Seems that somebody leaked a drawing of the remade Fantasyland. Now this may be all blue sky, but buzz is getting louder, and with I.O.A.'s upcoming Harry potter land, Disney needs a big thing to compete in the 'keeping up with Jonses' race. So now we finally speak of this with high hopes that it may actually happen. Click here to see the drawing with some descriptions that I have heard so far. Soarin' Over The World? With the Little Mermaid rumor buzz picking up that it may be part of an even larger Fantasy Land expansion, we keep hearing about another land, or world I should say, upgrade. It's always been said that the Soarin' copy over at EPCOT was rushed into place utilizing the same California film and would later be changed. Well that buzz is picking up, and supposidly there are Imagineers souting locations around the world to film scenes for a new Soarin' Over The World. This would be a great theme for EPCOT I must say. Little birdies are telling me 2011 or 2012. CONFIRMED!!! Little Mermaid Ride Coming to Magic Kingdom? With the shovel loads of cash being spent on reinventing Disney's California Adventure with great new attractions (which I am excited about) some of us wonder if there will be a flood of green headed to the east coast also. I have been hearing little birdies singing the tunes the Disney may feel some compassion for their second child. Some new projects may be headed east, one of which being a copy of the new Little Mermaid ride in construction on the west coast. Let's keep our fins crossed! Big Hats-Off for Disney's Hollywood Studios Park? We've be hearing little mumbles about this one, but now it seems that some public "hints" have been thrown around durring the park's 20th anniversary event. I have been told that Bob Weis discussed a view down Hollywood Blvd that may be there once again while he showed an old photo without the big sorcerer's hat. I know many people hate the hat; I can take it or leave it, although I did think it was a waste of money at the time. Just like the Space Ship Earth wand, we may, in fact, see a change, or return, of scenery. Some Small Nibbles The rumor of Apple building the world's largest Apple store in Downtown Disney are still going strong, but not confirmed, however, the Virgin Mega store in DtD is confirmed to be closing. With GM profits & stock in the trash (a sad thing for the American Auto industry) and their 10 year contract with Epcot running out this year, there are rumors that Toyota has an interest of sponsoring Test Track. Nothing has been confirmed on this yet.
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