Disney World 2022 Planning- Part 2

October 5, 2019
P minus 1032
In the “well that was fast” department. The Skyliner gondolas crapped out and stranded people on them for three hours. This lead to them being shut down with no announced reopening date.
 
 
October 6, 2019
P minus 1031
The Royal Majesty Makers (who were never as cool as Merlin's show with pulling the sword from the stone) are fired. So are the Muppets in Liberty Square.
Alas.
 
 
October 9, 2019
P minus 1028
Halloween party reviews are universally terrible. Looks like Disney is overselling tickets. The whole point of the parties used to be the park was mostly empty except Halloween night itself. People are complaining about jammed crowds, running out of the free food and three hour character waits.  
I blame marketing…which I do for everything.
 
 
October 11, 2019
P minus 1026
Whoah! I looked at the EPCOT map and they pulled off the whole chunk of “Communicore” where the Character Spot, Starbucks and Club Cool were…and the big fountain is gone! 
AAAAAAAAAAH!
 
 
October 14, 2019
P minus 1023
The Burudika Band is fired from the Harambe Market. Will they be replaced, or will my extended family be able to function in Africa without going crazy?
Only time will tell.
 
In the “well that was almost as fast” department. The Skyliner gondolas are running again, with some modifications, and short term planned shut downs. Good luck!
 
 
October 18, 2019
P minus 1019
The stupid people cost the rest of us immersion. The Star Wars food places have switched to calling the food what it is, instead of cool, spacey Star Wars names.
[Later edit- and foreshadowing- mmmmmm Ronto Wrap!]
 
 
October 21, 2019
P minus 1016
“Under Refurbishment” for Primeval Whirl changed to “Open Seasonally.” I guess our kids are the only ones who liked it. At least the site was wrong about Mike and Sulley leaving MGM.
 
 
October 25, 2019
P minus 1012
Allears.net may not be perfect, but they outscore the Birnbaum’s guide infinitely in this area of ride location recommendation:
 
“Don’t be afraid to ask a Cast Member for a certain seat — trust us, they’ve heard it before! You may have to wait for the next ride vehicle, but it’s totally worth it.
 
Here are some of our top picks when it comes to special seats:
 
If you want a wilder ride, ask for the Back Row of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
If you want the best view, ask for the Front Row, Middle Section (Concourse B) of Soarin’ Around the World
If you want to get wet, ask for the Front Row on Splash Mountain
If you want to fly the Millennium Falcon, ask for the Pilot Position on Smuggler’s Run.”
[Later edit- this was written before we figured out Grandma misread Birnbaum's preparing for the last trip.
Other Later Edit- Huh, you CAN ask to wait to be Pilot. I wish I remembered this, then again, it didn’t matter. Ooh, more foreshadowing.]
 
 
October 28, 2019
P minus 1009
The Skyliner already had its one millionth rider! No one moves people like Disney, even after getting them stuck for several hours.
 
 
October 29, 2019
P minus 1008
They’ve announced Villains After Hours parties in the Magic Kingdom that run from February to July…
Translation: “We’ve decided to have Halloween Parties all year, except for when we are having Christmas Parties.”
[Later edit- Another cool thing killed by the plague.]
 
 
October 30, 2019
P minus 1007
A balance is reached between the stupid and fun people. The Star Wars food places have switched to calling the food a mix of what it is, AND cool, spacey Star Wars names.
 
 
November 1, 2019
P minus 1005
Mickey’s meeting in EPCOT is moving behind Imagination, where the Disney Visa Meet and Greet is. I wonder if that’s going away, or they’ll have a central hub?
[Later edit- They are both there, however, no one in the family succeeded in finding both, or figuring out if they are connected. We may have if I remembered this announcement, however.]
 
 
November 4, 2019
P minus 1002
There’s a construction wall on the side of Mission Space. This may mean that the entrance to the new space restaurant is there. That would make it like the Coral Reef attached to the Living Seas. It also has elevators that simulate the trip to space, like the old Living Seas hydrolators used to simulate the trip underwater. 
Maybe the changes will be like old EPCOT.
I CAN DREAM, DANG IT!!!!!
 
And the Jingle Cruise is back…which is odd given the reasons they said the Haunted Mansion would never get a Christmas Conversion in Florida. (New Guests as compared to repeat customers in California.) I guess the Jingle Cruise overlay is substantially smaller and doesn't affect the joke filled nature of the ride.
 
 
November 18, 2019
P minus 988
And the gaps begin to show. Anabelle already took the Disney playlist off the phone as part of post trip blues. Granted it was replaced with “Broadwayish” which is almost all Disney songs anyway…and most of the park ones are on the “essential” playlist.
 
 
November 19, 2019
P minus 987
Whoah! In anticipation of the Rise of Skywalker the Orlando Airport tram has First Order banners and Stormtroopers on it advertising StarWarsLand. There’s other pictures around the airport too. We’ll see if they get the crowd explosion they predicted the day after we left when the new ride opens in December.

[Later edit- Did this happen? Who knows? I was busy with normal life stuff in December and took no notice of it.]
 
 
December 4, 2019
P minus 972
Perry is passé!
World Showcase Adventure switching to all mobile phone based Duck Tales theme!
Woo-oo!
[Later edit- after we’ve gone back and returned home due to plague delays. Less woo-oo.]
 
 
January 3, 2020
P minus 942
The People Mover shut down and had firemen come in to look at it while Cast Members worked and they shut down the Astro Orbiter too. But it was up and running again by later in the night. Dang, they’re quick!
 
 
January 5, 2020
P minus 940
Characters are scattered around EPCOT with the construction work. The Big Six are all over outside, except Mickey up by the Imagination Movie Theater. Joy moved over by Ralph, but Sadness and Baymax are gone. How sad! 
However, Sam is hosting the Regal Eagle Smokehouse in EPCOT, maybe the Muppets will gain a new presence there?
[Later edit- And maybe they will not. Alas.]
 
 
January 6, 2020
P minus 939
Skyliner hotels have reduced busses to once and hour for MGM and EPCOT.
Don’t think I like that.
 
 
January 8, 2020
P minus 937
Regal Eagle Smokehouse menu revealed!
Now half way around the EPCOT World Showcase is basically a slightly expanded menu of the Flame Tree Barbecue, but with four kinds of barbecue sauce, and more draft beer choices.
"I’m not having dinner till we finish this EPCOT Death March, and crazy hungry is coming, better grab a snack of ribs, banana pudding and a beer.”
Yeah, I'll be heavier, but much safer to be around.
[Later edit- Flame Tree, I apologize for sullying your good name by comparing you to this place.]
 
 
January 23, 2020
P minus 922
Booking can start for Smuggler’s Run FastPasses. Tier 1 when it starts is only that and Slinky Dog in MGM. I know where I'm going. The Mickey ride will probably also be Tier 1, and Rise of the Resistance if that ever switches off virtual queue. More importantly, it makes it easier to book Terror o Tower FastPass!
[Later edit- Ah the good old pre-Genie Plus days.]

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