Sneak Peak At "Soarin' Around The World"

This is a sneak peak at "Soarin's Around the World". This is something I am very much looking forward to on my next visit, more than "Frozen Ever After".

Zz.

Tokyo Disneyland Resort 2

More photos from Tokyo Disneyland Resort.

The castle, which is almost identical to Cinderella Castle at WDW's Magic Kingdom.

This is from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction.

Zz.

Tokyo Disneyland Resort 1

Thanks to Ralph for the series of photos from Tokyo as he toured the area right at this moment.

A few of these photos didn't have captions, while others only had minimal description of what they represent.

 This is the ticket into the Tokyo Disneyland Resort.

 View outside the window. My guess is that this is overlooking Tokyo DisneySea.

 Nail clipper!

 A ship. I don't know much more.

Monorail doors!

Zz.

Disney garden stuff at Lowe's

Found these at Lowe's.

Are Mickey And Minnie Getting A Makeover?

Photos showing Mickey and Minnie for Shanghai Disneyland revealed subtle but noticeable differences between the current version of these two characters.

Over the weekend, a picture was posted to Twitter of a newly redesigned Mickey and Minnie. They’re undeniably Mickey and Minnie, yeah, but their faces are different. Their mouse skin tone is a little bit darker, their eyes are closer together, and a little bit more oval-y. The smile on their faces is also a little bit more defined, with big pinchable-cheeks, and Minnie has lost her blue eye shadow. The tweet declares that this is their “new look.”

Of course, as the article stated, this might mean a universal change in all Mickey and Minnie throughout the Disney empire.

While picture of these mice in question comes from Shanghai,  it can be assumed that these will be the new-look for the characters you can meet in the park.  Buuuuuttttt, if these characters debut in Shanghai, that means that soon ALL the Disney Parks ALL around the world — including Disneyland and Walt Disney World — are going to get these newly redesigned faces, too. Disney follows strict “character integrity” rules, so if an alteration is made to one character in Disney World, it has to be done to that same character all around the world — you know, because there’s only ONE Mickey Mouse (wink wink wink nudge wink, that’s what small children are told, obviously, but you as an adult know the real Disney Truth).

We'll see if this is another iteration in the long history of the look of the legendary Mickey Mouse and the other Disney characters.

Zz.

A Bar Inside Hollywood Tower of Terror?

Yes, and no, as much as many of us would like to have it on the 13th floor, the bar is going to be located at the ride exit near where you pick up your photos.

Fans of the ride may be disheartened to learn that the bar won’t be called the Tip Top Club—a nod to the ride’s famous and frightening storyline—and it won’t be located on the 13th floor of the hotel. The venue will be located near the ride’s exit, just across from the area where you pick up your spooky souvenir photo.

I haven't seen any confirmation yet on this, and when it will open. So stay tuned.

Zz.

DVC Resale Owners Will Lose All DVC Perks

It looks like it will be less attractive to buy DVC units not from Disney anymore. Disney is finally removing all DVC perks for members who bought via the resale market.

Starting today, "members who do not purchase an ownership interest directly from Disney Vacation Development Inc. will not have access to Membership Extras," the company says on its website.

The change only applies to new owners starting today. Current owners are grandfathered in.

The only drawback to this is that current DVC owners will not be able to draw higher prices if they wish to sell their DVC ownerships. It makes it less attractive to buy DVC points with anyone else other than Disney.

Zz.

Tom Staggs To Leave Disney

In a development that blindsided many people, including me, COO Tom Staggs will be stepping down from the COO position at Disney on May 6, and will leave Disney completely by September.

A source said Staggs, 55, made the decision to leave after pressing for a formal commitment from the Disney board about his future ascent to the throne. When that didn’t come, the executive came to the decision that he did not want to wait another two years and that it was time to move on.

This is definitely a shocker, since Staggs was highly regarded as the apparent successor to Bob Iger when Iger steps down at CEO in 2018.

Zz.