Future Plans For WDW's Fantasyland

[Big Disney Fan]

I don't know why it has to be called "Casey Jr. Jr.". It was just being mouthed off by some smart aleck at Imagineering.

I actually thought it was a good idea. I think that Goofy and the rest of the Fab Five should have their own Toontown like place, and Dumbo should be all Dumbo, no Goofini or anything. Casey Jr. Jr. just fits a lot better.

But why not just "Casey Jr."?

[WonderlandFever]

News about Mickey's new meet and greet home:


How about this: For the first time at Disney Parks, you’ll have the opportunity to nail down a time for a face-to-face meeting with Mickey Mouse at the Walt Disney World Resort. Beginning this spring, we’ll be offering FASTPASSfor Mickey at his new permanent home, Town Square Theater, located inside the current Exposition Hall area at the entrance of Magic Kingdom park.




Once open, it’ll be more than just a new greeting space for Mickey. Imagineers are creating new elements and surprises for Magic Kingdom park guests, including an interactive queue – with an extra touch of Disney magic. Also, during the New Fantasyland construction, royalty will be visiting as the Disney Princesses will be in Town Square Theater to meet and greet their loyal subjects this spring.

How will it work? Magic Kingdom guests will be able obtain a Disney’s FASTPASS specifying a one-hour window when they can return to see the popular character for hugs, photos and autographs – without waiting in the standby queue. This marks the first time the complimentary, computerized service has been utilized for a character meet-and-greet at any Disney Park.

Walt Disney Imagineers are already working to completely transform the space for the new experience. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more updates on this one-of-a-kind experience.

From the Disney Parks blog.


Sounds pretty cool doesn't it? I like the idea of using fast pass for it especially since it's at the entrance of the park this could be something everyone does right away or waits until they are ready to leave....the characters you can meet at the entrance usually have longer lines as well so I think it's a good thing.

[Big Disney Fan]

Why is it being called a "theater" when there are no shows, just some "backstage" area? I assume that theater where Disney cartoons are shown will be completely scrapped.

[disneyprincess11]

News about Mickey's new meet and greet home:


How about this: For the first time at Disney Parks, you’ll have the opportunity to nail down a time for a face-to-face meeting with Mickey Mouse at the Walt Disney World Resort. Beginning this spring, we’ll be offering FASTPASSfor Mickey at his new permanent home, Town Square Theater, located inside the current Exposition Hall area at the entrance of Magic Kingdom park.




Once open, it’ll be more than just a new greeting space for Mickey. Imagineers are creating new elements and surprises for Magic Kingdom park guests, including an interactive queue – with an extra touch of Disney magic. Also, during the New Fantasyland construction, royalty will be visiting as the Disney Princesses will be in Town Square Theater to meet and greet their loyal subjects this spring.

How will it work? Magic Kingdom guests will be able obtain a Disney’s FASTPASS specifying a one-hour window when they can return to see the popular character for hugs, photos and autographs – without waiting in the standby queue. This marks the first time the complimentary, computerized service has been utilized for a character meet-and-greet at any Disney Park.

Walt Disney Imagineers are already working to completely transform the space for the new experience. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more updates on this one-of-a-kind experience.

From the Disney Parks blog.


Sounds pretty cool doesn't it? I like the idea of using fast pass for it especially since it's at the entrance of the park this could be something everyone does right away or waits until they are ready to leave....the characters you can meet at the entrance usually have longer lines as well so I think it's a good thing.

Wow, sweetness! Looks great! Thank you for posting!

[singerguy04]

Why is it being called a "theater" when there are no shows, just some "backstage" area? I assume that theater where Disney cartoons are shown will be completely scrapped.

because, there is an actual theater inside of it. This is where the Lincoln animatronic show is, or at least it was when I visited the park in 2008. The theater was in the back of the building and probably sat about 100 people or so.

Do you think there is some plan to utilize the theater for some sort of short show/ meet and greet. Overall this place doesn't even sound like a meet and greet anymore, but something new and bigger.

[pinkrenata]

Why is it being called a "theater" when there are no shows, just some "backstage" area? I assume that theater where Disney cartoons are shown will be completely scrapped.

because, there is an actual theater inside of it. This is where the Lincoln animatronic show is, or at least it was when I visited the park in 2008. The theater was in the back of the building and probably sat about 100 people or so.

Do you think there is some plan to utilize the theater for some sort of short show/ meet and greet. Overall this place doesn't even sound like a meet and greet anymore, but something new and bigger.

I'm confused. At first I thought you were mistaking WDW for Disneyland, but Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln wasn't playing at Disneyland in 2008, nor has it ever been (to the best of my knowledge) in WDW. There is a big theater in the WDW version of this building, but it has mainly housed a bunch of cut-out photo ops and a screen that plays old cartoons for about as long as I can remember.

In fact, does anyone know what it was before that? I'm drawing a blank.

[Big Disney Fan]

because, there is an actual theater inside of it. This is where the Lincoln animatronic show is, or at least it was when I visited the park in 2008. The theater was in the back of the building and probably sat about 100 people or so.

Do you think there is some plan to utilize the theater for some sort of short show/ meet and greet. Overall this place doesn't even sound like a meet and greet anymore, but something new and bigger.

I'm confused. At first I thought you were mistaking WDW for Disneyland, but Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln wasn't playing at Disneyland in 2008, nor has it ever been (to the best of my knowledge) in WDW. There is a big theater in the WDW version of this building, but it has mainly housed a bunch of cut-out photo ops and a screen that plays old cartoons for about as long as I can remember.

In fact, does anyone know what it was before that? I'm drawing a blank.

From 1973 until around 1992, this building housed a retrospective on Walt's career in a show called "The Walt Disney Story". This building also served as a preview center twice, first for Epcot in 1981-'82, then for the Studios in 1988-'89. It was also used as a free cast member preview for the movie "Splash" in 1984. In 1996-'97, as part of the resort's 25 anniversary, it was used as a preview center again, showing off previews of the latest theme park, the Animal Kingdom, and the Disney Cruise Lines, among other things.

[singerguy04]

I probably am confusing things a bit, I'll confess. I know I've been in that theatre before, and I know I've seen the Lincoln show before (which was probably during my last visit to DL a few years ago as well). I guess I kinda short-circuited a bit there and blended the two experiences together lol.

[Disney Duster]

I want it to be called Casey Jr. Jr. because of the smaller hay-stack and because it's a ride for kids, or Juniors. But just Casey Jr. would be fine, I would accept that!

As for Mickey, so this theatre will be his home? Okay, this is really exciting and a lot better than the small crappy thing we thought he would get, but his home away from home (in Disneyland) is a theatre? Well if this is his home, shouldn't they make some kind of loving quarters in it, and maybe Toon the place up a bit (design parts of it to look like the architecture from ToonTown)? Maybe make half of it penthouse apartments for Mickey and his friends attached to the theatre? Or why not make it look like the whole gang lives their in seperate rooms and they act on stage their, too?

But still, not as good as ToonTown. At all.

[Big Disney Fan]

As for Mickey, so this theatre will be his home? Okay, this is really exciting and a lot better than the small crappy thing we thought he would get, but his home away from home (in Disneyland) is a theatre? Well if this is his home, shouldn't they make some kind of loving quarters in it, and maybe Toon the place up a bit (design parts of it to look like the architecture from ToonTown)? Maybe make half of it penthouse apartments for Mickey and his friends attached to the theatre? Or why not make it look like the whole gang lives their in seperate rooms and they act on stage their, too?

But still, not as good as ToonTown. At all.

I agree. I think that he should be in Toontown in a real house, not on Main Street. I honestly think that One Man's Dream should be placed in this theater here, instead of at the Studios, where it is now.

[disneyprincess11]

As for Mickey, so this theatre will be his home? Okay, this is really exciting and a lot better than the small crappy thing we thought he would get, but his home away from home (in Disneyland) is a theatre? Well if this is his home, shouldn't they make some kind of loving quarters in it, and maybe Toon the place up a bit (design parts of it to look like the architecture from ToonTown)? Maybe make half of it penthouse apartments for Mickey and his friends attached to the theatre? Or why not make it look like the whole gang lives their in seperate rooms and they act on stage their, too?

But still, not as good as ToonTown. At all.

I agree. I think that he should be in Toontown in a real house, not on Main Street. I honestly think that One Man's Dream should be placed in this theater here, instead of at the Studios, where it is now.

yea i agree. it would look better. Maybe, they can have a Beverely Hilla section at the Studios where they have Mickey and Minnie's houses and a few other Disney stars' houses like Rapunzel and Pinnochio.

What I mean by this=Look at 1:05-1:11 with the palaces.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o57gtqL94M0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[WonderlandFever]

Very interesting article talks about what's going on and shows video of Toontown demolished and updates on what's been going on with the Haunted Mansion queue

http://progresscityusa.com/2011/02/26/in-the-kingdom/

[Big Disney Fan]

I heard that the mural of characters painted by Bill Justice in the Town Square Theater has been eliminated as part of the complete removal of the old infrastructure to accommodate the overhaul for Mickey's meet-n-greets. That's a shame.

[WonderlandFever]

Yeah it is but hopefully it's being moved somewhere....unless they are going to have an updated one done somewhere

[disneyprincess11]

Very interesting article talks about what's going on and shows video of Toontown demolished and updates on what's been going on with the Haunted Mansion queue

http://progresscityusa.com/2011/02/26/in-the-kingdom/

wow, thanks for posting! it looks really empty now! i cant believe it!

you know where the big entrance welcome to toontown sign was? is there anything in its place, like COMING SOON! STORYBOOK CIRCUS?

Oh BTW...a video of the closing of Toowntoon. The ending is sad

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cg1_5cQL9Vw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Big Disney Fan]

Yeah it is but hopefully it's being moved somewhere....unless they are going to have an updated one done somewhere

No, when I say "eliminated", I mean "destroyed".

[WonderlandFever]

wow, thanks for posting! it looks really empty now! i cant believe it!

you know where the big entrance welcome to toontown sign was? is there anything in its place, like COMING SOON! STORYBOOK CIRCUS?

As of right now there is just a big green wall blocking the way but there will be signs put up I'm sure, especially since they will have them up at the old train station area.

[WonderlandFever]

Yeah it is but hopefully it's being moved somewhere....unless they are going to have an updated one done somewhere

No, when I say "eliminated", I mean "destroyed".

Even though that article does say destroyed I highly doubt it...these things almost always end up somewhere else although the public may never see it again

[disneyprincess11]

wow, thanks for posting! it looks really empty now! i cant believe it!

you know where the big entrance welcome to toontown sign was? is there anything in its place, like COMING SOON! STORYBOOK CIRCUS?

As of right now there is just a big green wall blocking the way but there will be signs put up I'm sure, especially since they will have them up at the old train station area.

oh ok. thanks for the deets

[WonderlandFever]

No problem