Tag Archives: animal kingdom

Big plans announced today for WDW

Lots of other announcements coming out today…a quick roundup:

The Polynesian Resort will revert back to the original name of “Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort”, and will get Trader Sam’s bar. DVC bungalows completed some time in 2015.

Downtown Disney will become Disney Springs with the opening of the first section, The Landing, in early 2015. Other sections (Westside, Town Center, Marketplace) will be in 2016.

New Details on ÒRivers of LightÓ Nighttime Spectacular Coming to DisneyÕs Animal KingdomRivers of Light nighttime show for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, to happen in the lagoon/river around Discovery Island

Harambe Nights separate ticket event at Animal Kingdom will include special Lion King performances (which moves into the new theater in June), narrators every Saturday from June 7th-August 9th from 7:30-10:00pm. Tickets will be $119 adult, $79 child.

World of Pandora (aka Avatarland) will open at the Animal Kingdom in 2017

Animal Kingdom parade to close in June

Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park will be ending sometime in June, according to a Disney spokesperson. The parade route takes it past the area that is now being developed into the Avatar-themed land, and would be impeded by the construction. The parade will have been almost 13 years old when it closes.

A replacement was not mentioned or immediately planned, but other entertainment including a nighttime light show had been previously announced. Affected parade workers will be reassigned.

Disney finally breaks ground on Avatar-themed land

avatar-ground-breakingWhile details of what is exactly going to be in it, Walt Disney World finally broke ground at its Animal Kingdom park to add the new land based on James Cameron’s Avatar – more than two years after it was announced.

And not only was Mickey Mouse present, but a Na’vi as well – as well as (pictured, l to r) George Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort; Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, United States and France; Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; Jon Landau, producer of Avatar; Bruce Vaughn, chief creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering; and Joe Rhode, creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering.

Check out the video as well for what they said about Avatar.

Trip report – Saratoga Springs, Holidays and Harry Potter (December 2010)

[This is a trip report from December 2010, being included as a new post as part of the site redesign]

Day 1 – Arrival, Animal Kingdom

This was a larger family trip – my in-laws would be joining us, and we had a 2 bedroom villa booked at Saratoga Springs. Even though this is a holiday time trip, we decided to skip the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this time, as we felt the crowd levels were far to high from our 2007 trip to warrant the expense, and we instead wanted to spend a day at Universal’s Islands of Adventure to see the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Continue reading Trip report – Saratoga Springs, Holidays and Harry Potter (December 2010)