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----    THE LATEST BUZZ    ----
    (1/31/12) Disney and More has posted a short update today, with a link to an audio file where you can play the new official music loop (MORE...)
    (1/27/12) A reader sent in this new picture of the Matterhorn… now covered all the way to the peak with scaffolding. Looks like this (MORE...)
    (1/19/12) A construction update posted to DisneyGeek this week may be the first ones to spot one of the new Matterhorn Bobsleds (MORE...)
    (1/13/12) A new Disneyland guide book as hit the book shelves, with a twist. It’s called “Lots To Do In Line: Disneyland” (MORE...)

Ride Rehabs - The following information is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.
Matterhorn – NOW CLOSED through to June 14
Small World – NOW CLOSED through Feb. 2
Columbia – NOW CLOSED through Feb. 17

General Park News - (1/31/12) Disney and More has posted a short update today, with a link to an audio file where you can play the new official music loop playing on Main Street USA at Disneyland.
    (1/13/12) A new Disneyland guide book as hit the book shelves, with a twist. It’s called “Lots To Do In Line: Disneyland”, and it points out all the interesting little things that the Disney Imagineers have tucked away into the attraction lines to make things more interesting while you wait. The guide book helps you to turn your time spent waiting in line at Disneyland Resort parks into a series of games. Find out more about the book and how to order here.
    (12/21/11) A great Jim Hill article flashing back to a once proposed plan for the Muppets to take over Disneyland for an entire year in 1991 can be found here. The plan included replacing Mr. Lincoln with MuppetVision 4-D, adding little Muppet touches to several classic attractions and even painting the entire Matterhorn green! (MuppetHorn anyone?)
    (9/30/11) Source tell us that Disney is actively going through ideas for a new attraction to replace Captain EO in their park’s 4D Theater. A variety of ideas are being tossed around it seems, many related to one character franchise or another, so it’s too early to lock down any reports on just one idea yet, just know that Disney is aware that the Captain’s popularity has passed once again.
    (8/17/11) The official Disneyland Blog mentions that work will start today on a few expansion projects on Main Street USA. The Plaza Pavilion will become the all-new Jolly Holiday Bakery Café when it reopens in January 2012. Once it opens, the existing Blue Ribbon Bakery will close to make way for the next wave of expansion projects that will include adding indoor seating for the Carnation Café (by Summer 2012) and see the expansion of the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor and Candy Palace (by Spring 2012).
    (6/13/11) The Xbox Kinect add-on has certainly added some unique features to video gaming this past year, but I’m not quite sure I ever expected this one. Xbox and Disney have created a virtual adventure game into the Disneyland theme park with the upcoming Kinect Disneyland Adventures game coming out later this year. Up to two players at a time can run around a virtual re-creation of Disneyland, hug and high-five your favorite Disney characters, and take on interactive games based on the park’s best known rides and attractions. Check out the preview video below.

    (5/13/11) The mist screen projection on Pirates of the Caribbean featuring the face of Davy Jones will soon get a make-over to feature Blackbeard instead starting May 20th, played by Ian McShane, reprising his roll from Pirates 4. According to the press release from Disney, we will also see “the return of Davy Jones later this year”, so I’m assuming they’ll randomize the clips that play at this point to include both iconic characters.

2012- Matterhorn Bobsleds Rehab and New Cars - (1/27/12) A reader sent in this new picture of the Matterhorn… now covered all the way to the peak with scaffolding. Looks like this is going to be a complete, top to bottom, overhaul of the mountain and attraction, without and within.
    (1/19/12) A construction update posted to DisneyGeek this week may be the first ones to spot one of the new Matterhorn Bobsleds on the track, as well as a ton of scaffolding set up on the mountain itself. Check it out here.
    (1/9/12) We’ve got some interesting Matterhorn news today. For starters, Disney has tapped a director for a feature film to be inspired by the ride named Brian Beletic. As for the ride itself… the Matterhorn is now closed starting today through to June 14th. According to the official Disney site, the Matterhorn will undergo a ‘major refurbishment including the addition of new ride vehicles”. So looks like those new sleds will finally be on the way… and gone are the days of couples holding onto each other, or Parents clutching their kids in front of them. I can only imagine that we’ll see the height limit increased on the Matterhorn as well.
    The current height limit on the Matterhorn Bobsleds is 35” inches, the same as the Gadget Go-Coaster kiddie ride. For comparison’s sake, Space Mountain in Walt Disney World originally featured rockets nearly identical in design to the Matterhorn Bobsled cars, and used the same seating configuration. In 1989 the rockets were replaced with a new fleet that features three individual seat per car (6 per train max) which cut the theoretical capacity by 25% but also features a 44” height limit.
    (7/20/11) Westcoaster drops into Disneyland this week to check on the Matterhorn rehab taking place.
    (6/27/11) Disneyland fans be warned that according to the latest rehab schedules the Matterhorn Bobsleds will close down on July 11th for an extended rehab through to September 1st, missing the bulk of the busy summer season. I’m told that this is the first half of a major rehab coming to the mountain, which will see it closed again for most of the first 5-6 months of 2012.
    While I’m not sure exactly what will be taking place over this first half of the rehab, I’m told that during the six-month rehab in 2012 the mountain is expected to finally replace the entire fleet of Bobsleds with new versions that will feature individual seats and lapbars. I’ve also been told that Tony Baxter has a plan to cram in as many technology and effect upgrades to the ride as possible during this time period, so it looks like the Matterhorn will be new and improved for the 21st century by June 2012. It seems safe to say that the major attraction rehab is essentially confirmed to be for the Matterhorn and not for Big Thunder Mountain. Not that Big Thunder wont have it’s turn down the line... the Matterhorn rehab now just fits the announcement timeline in the press release of taking place from 2011 through to 2012.
    (3/18/11) In a very curious bit of news that has me interested, a press release from Empire Industries reported that one of their companies, Dynamic Structures, has been “awarded a contract valued at approximately $9 million for the upgrade of track subsystems of a ride at a major North American amusement park. The contract, which includes design, engineering, fabrication, and assembly phases, will be executed through 2011 and 2012.”
    I’m not really quite sure what to make of it, other than this seems to be quite an expensive “upgrade” to an existing attraction… one that could possibly be taken out of service at some point this year and not reopened until sometime in 2012.
    Many of their past projects have involved Disney attractions, such as Test Track, Soarin’, the rebuild of Space Mountain in California as well as the last Disneyland Monorail upgrade. Through their partnership with Kuka, they may have been involved with Universal’s Harry Potter attraction as well. Since this is listed as an ‘upgrade’ I’m eyeballing Disney right now.
    (1/5/11) If you scan through the latest update over at MiceAge, it is mentioned that sometime later in 2011 the Matterhorn will replace the classic bobsled cars with those new 3-seater sleds with lap-bars instead of seat belts. The description goes on to say how cramped those seats are going to be for anyone over 6ft or 200lbs, but I’ve got to think that they’ve been using this kind of seating for years on Space Mountain in WDW, so are these new Matterhorn sleds even smaller for some reason? It would seem an easy task to just virtually copy the same train system used in Florida for the Matterhorn, where size really isn’t a problem. Either way, the rumor we got back in August claimed that those prototypes were to be sent back for tweaking, as there were some issues with them that needed to be redesigned. Hopefully the size and fit issue is one of them.
    (8/12/10) I’ve heard from a reader that the prototype Matterhorn cars have been taken away and we will not likely see that version again. From what they tell me they were not entirely pleased by how well the rode the track, and it’s thought that the concept will be redesigned once again.
    (5/11/10) DisneyGeek has posted a nice construction update from the Disneyland Resort this week. I didn’t mention it last week either, but they also got a couple of great shots showing off the new prototype Matterhorn train cars making test runs (empty) on the rails. Click here to see the first Matterhorn picture and then scroll through the next 3 to 4 pages to see even more.
    (4/22/10) New pictures of the 3 seater prototype Matterhorn car can be found at MiceChat. Looks like they’re going for Seat Belts instead of Lap Bars on this one… probably a good idea as the Matterhorn can be a bit jerky.
    (4/15/10) How’s this for service?  I point out the new Matterhorn trains covered by a tarp yesterday and today we’ve got pictures to enjoy of the tarp covered trains, and one peek uncovered, over at Theme Park Review.  I’d be okay with the new trains more if they didn’t have such high headrests… blocking the view for everyone behind you. In general though, from what I can see, it looks nice... more Matterhorn style looking than the older all white prototype (see photo below) photographed two years ago.
    (4/14/10) One of our readers tells us that while at the Matterhorn over the weekend they spotted two trains covered by a tarp on the left side’s transfer track. I’m told that even when the ride is closed the Matterhorn cars are usually left uncovered, so these mystery trains kind of stuck out. Looking them over, I’m told that the trains outline under the tarp seemed to show off a different profile than what you’d see from a normal Matterhorn car… perhaps showing off the three seatback humps from those long in development new prototype cars (see below) to make the Matterhorn experience a bit more like WDW’s Space Mountain with individual seats. Anyone get out to the park lately and spot this? I’d love to see a picture of one of these trains under the tarp next to a passing uncovered normal Matterhorn Bobsled.
    (10/3/08) The latest rumor on the proposed new Matterhorn cars claims that any plans to retire the current trains in favor of a new fleet will have to wait until at least 2011 at this point, as it was not approved for the next year’s budget.
    (11/19/07) A reader pointed out a little bit of information to me about the new 3 seat Matterhorn cars in the works. While it is true that the current cars hold 4 adults at once (8 per train), they point out most trains only go out with anywhere form 4 to 6 riders right now because so many people don’t want to sit on someone’s lap. Add in the extra “weight” factor where it often it can be a bit uncomfortable for two “full sized” adults to sit together and you realize that the six individual seats may actually increase the ride’s capacity in the end.
    (11/14/07) I had no idea this was in the works, but as you can see in the photo sent in, new trains are being considered for the Matterhorn based on the individual seat designs used on Florida’s Space Mountain. While this will likely make the ride a more comfortable experience, it could increase the length of the line and raise the height limit for the ride. The old cars would usually hold four riders and the new cars can only hold three, and since you can’t hold your small children on your lap anymore, expect to see the height limit raised to at least 40 inches… or maybe even 44 inches since that is what they use on Space Mountain in Florida. The current height limit on Matterhorn is just 35 inches.

2013 - Fantasy Faire - (8/26/11) Disneyland has announced plans to replace the Carnations Plaza Gardens Stage area with an expansion of Fantasyland called Fantasy Faire in 2013. The area will be re-imagined into a fantasy village square area that will feature the ‘Tangled Tower’ and feature the Royal Ribbon Parade event where guests can dance with Belle or Rapunzel, or visit other Disney princesses like Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Sounds like a good idea to me as the old Carnations Plaza has been quite a dead spot in the park for a number of years now and could really use the makeover.

2013/2014 - Big Thunder Rehab - Rumor - (6/28/11) Just a quick update on the rumored Big Thunder rehab project. While it seems that the immediate future will see Matterhorn being worked on instead, I did gather enough information to know that the Big Thunder track replacement project is also in development. I just don’t know if and when they will decide to pull the trigger on that project as well. Possibly as a follow-up in 2012/2013 once work on the Matterhorn is done.
        (3/29/11) A reader went by the park the other day and discovered the queue at Big Thunder Mountain to have been changed to use a strange new route. Upon asking the CMs about this, they were told that the changes were experiments to help plan out a possible future change to the queue. They also asked about the rumored re-tracking of the ride itself which was actually confirmed. They reported that Big Thunder would be closed between 9 to 12 months to perform the rehab, which could see it shut down for most (if not all) of 2012.
    (3/25/11) Adding a little more fuel to the speculation that Big Thunder Mountain is the ride preparing to undergo complete track replacement comes this latest rumor submission. According to one insider, there was a special 30th Anniversary party held for Big Thunder CM’s back in 2009, where Tony Baxter informed them that a major lengthy rehab on the ride was to come in the next few years that would include track replacement, refurbishment to the mountain structures, changes to the queue, widening the exit pathway and if the money was there, to even add some new effects / upgrades to the ride itself. The best right now is that if the ride were to close this year, it likely wouldn’t be until the fall or winter.
    (3/21/11) Big Thunder Mountain opened two years after Space Mountain did in 1979 and will turn 32 this year. I’ve got to wonder if Big Thunder will be going “under the knife” later this year for it’s own extensive rehab. Previously I have heard rumors about a push to revise the restraint system in the trains to feature individual lap bars and a seat divider, which would make it impossible to seat a group of three in a single bench ever again. Stay tuned while I attempt to connect all the dots and dig up a little more, since I would think that a pending 9 to 16 month long rehab would be a bit difficult to hide for too long.

2014/2015 - New Land or Major Expansion - Rumor - (6/27/11) With Cars Land and the rest of the big overhaul to California Adventure in the final 9 to 12 month stretch to completion, rumor has it that a major new expansion plan for Disneyland itself may be ready to get the green light very soon. I don’t know much yet, but it does not seem like this is yet another Tomorrowland revamp, but could be something far more substantial as well as increasing the overall size of the guest area of the park as well, which is a good move considering the crowds the park has been seeing as well in the last few years.

???? - Marvel Comics Attraction - Rumor - (7/7/11) There is an interesting article about the whole Stark Expo proposal, which explains why I had heard it was an active idea… then off the table, only to have everyone start talking about it all over again. The basic gist is that Disney Imagineering came up with a Stark Expo idea, just as a quick fix for the Innoventions space, but the idea really isn’t good enough other than as a quick way to get the Marvel characters into Disneyland.
    However, there are many out there who aren’t sure what kind of reaction the park is going to get from adding Marvel characters, so apparently it was decided to leak the old Stark Expo plans out again onto the net, to see what kind of reaction it would get from the public, to better judge what method to use to really add the characters into the park.
    (7/1/11) Following up on a previous rumor we had last month, the Disney & More Blog now also believes that the Innoventions building may soon make way for the Stark Expo… as in Tony Stark… aka: Iron Man. So if this is still in the works, the question now is “When”? Disney isn’t one to waste a film series tie-in… so would they opt to open this as a tie in to the Avengers movie (May 4, 2012) or Iron Man 3 (May 3,2 013)? I’m inclined to think that Disney may have enough on their plate for 2012 already at California Adventure, but you never know. Plus, without knowing the scope of the attraction (it could just be a Marvel Character Meet ‘n Greet after all) it’s hard to really say much of anything just yet.
    (6/14/11) Rumor has it that some early concept work for another new Marvel comic based attraction concept may be in the works for Disneyland… and it’s not Iron Man this time around. If I had to guess, Disney may be planning on covering all the bases and betting on an attraction themed to the upcoming Avengers film.
    (4/20/11) IGN has posted an interesting tidbid after an interview with the head of Marvel Studios mentioned that they’re looking forward  to having their characters become fixtures at Disney theme parks around the world.
    There is some interesting timing with this as well, as I’ve heard some early rumbling about an Iron Man themed attraction that may be in the design phase at Disney Imagineering, possibly for Disneyland. While I have no clue about the ride system(s) under consideration at this point, I have heard that the structure may be themed around the Stark Expo.  Hmmm… Stark Expo… Disneyland… would have to fit into Tomorrowland somewhere. Boy, wouldn’t that make a great replacement for Innoventions? Of course the bad news is that if Iron Man moves ahead... this means any Tron based attraction would be put on the back burner.

???? - Tron Legacy Ride - Rumor - (11/10/10) The good news from Blue Sky Disney is that the powers that be may have given WDI the nod to continue developing E-Ticket attraction concepts themed on the new Tron film. It seems a given that this could be the new anchor attraction for the long planned Tomorrowland redesign.
    (4/4/10) Though the concept is still years away, the rumor mill is buzzing with rumors about Disney Imagineers dreaming up wild new ride concepts for a Tron themed attraction for Tomorrowland that could see the light of day as early as 2012 or 2013. And yes Programs… the Light Cycles are said to be the most likely experience to get the green light so far, as Tron Light Cycles are pretty much the visual iconic representation of the Tron universe. 
    End of Line…
    (3/5/10) As wild as it sounds, one rumor going around the Disneyland Resort is WDI is in talks with Vekoma on creating a Tron Lightcycle themed version of their Booster Bike coaster. It’s just a Blue Sky idea right now, but I’m told the coaster system may have multiple launch zones to increase the speed of the ride as you approach and enter into a very twisted finale sequence. Sounds great to me.
    (3/4/10) According to Blue Sky Disney, Disney is pushing ahead boldly with plans to not only market the new Tron Legacy film (which could be the first in a new trilogy) but is also likely to drop in little Tron themed areas around many of the Disney parks this fall/winter to promote the film. For example, it’s thought that the Starcade at Disneyland is likely get a Flynn’s Arcade makeover. And then there are rumors about plans being set in motion for a top notch Tron themed attraction, that could likely server as a new anchor attraction for the long-overdue re-launch of Tomorrowland.  As for me… I’m still up for putting some Light Cycles on the old PeopleMover track along with a stop inside a new showbuilding where you can experience the Game Grid first hand. Hey, I can dream can’t I?
    (11/27/09) With the all new Tron Legacy movie on the way, as well as a new Tron video game experience, I've also heard a rumor that Disneyland may be planning some kind of new Tron themed attraction that could take over the old Peoplemover track. Light Cycles anyone?

???? - Tomorrowland Update - Rumor - (1/3/12) In the latest Disney & More article about Shanghai Disney, they do include a very interesting piece of artwork showing off  what appears to be a new replacement for the Peoplemover / Rocket Rods that would have guests riding around at the end of giant Kuka style robot arms, and the Rocket Jets returned to their proper home just above.
    Given that Universal is said to have signed a 10-year exclusive use deal with Kuka for the use of their robotic arms in the US theme park market, it’s more than likely that this concept art is a few years old. Still, it’s nice to see that Tomorrowland hasn’t been forgotten about by Imagineering.
    (9/29/10) It’s been rumored on and off for much of the last decade, but is Disneyland ready to bring back the Peoplemover at last? According to this article the Disneyland Resort President hinted about it during a presentation at the Destination D event.
    (4/4/10) Disney knows that Tomorrowland is in need is a big “fix” once again, to undo some of the damage done during the last one as well as bring new life to the area… the bring it up to speed with today’s vision of The Future once again.  They’ve been busy addressing these issues one by one over the past few years with the introduction of Buzz Lightyear, the relaunch of Space Mountain and the return of the Submarines fleet now on a new quest to “Find Nemo”. Even Star Tours 2 will finally launch in the near future.
    That said however… there remains the sore spot in the middle of Tomorrowland… rotting away at the core of the land much like a cancer is the hulking remains of the old Rocket Jets / PeopleMover tower. The idea of turning the leftover mechnical bits of the Rocket Jets into a spinning animated light and music show died horribly long ago. Beyond anything else in Tomorrowland, I’ve always felt that this central tower was really the true heart of Tomorrowland. When the Pressler era management decided to close down the Rocket Jets and installed the “Meh!” Astro Orbiters at the ground level of their “New Tomorrowland” back in 1998, the core of Tomorrowland died.
    And if the Rocket Jets Tower was the heart of tomrrowland, then the rotting leftover Rocket Rods / PeopleMover attraction below it could have been considered the life blood of the land. Much like a system of arteries and veins, the old PeopleMover track system thread itself in, out and through virtually every single attraction in Tomorrowland and back again to the pumping central heart.
    The Rocket Rods briefly kept this track system alive for about 18 months or so before being deemed as a failure and shut down for good. The track however, still remains as a constant reminder and ‘eyesore’ of the dying land. There really isn’t a spot you can go anywhere in Tomorrowland and not see a section of this once thriving ride system.  Knowing this, WDI has apparently focused much attention on linking this network of infrastructure up with different new attraction concepts over the years to bring it back to life, as well as proposals to move the Astro Orbiters back to the top of the tower where it belongs. Much speculation has been placed on replacing the Innoventions structure as a major part of a possible new Tron attraction. Even new concepts to put something “fresh” into the Magic Eye 4D Theater to replace Captiain EO / Honey, I Shrunk The Audience are being looked into. All said and done, this could put Tomorrowland back on stable ground once again, and much like it’s Florida counter part, Tomorrowland’s new theme may be a bit more immune to the age of time by becoming a sort of SciFi themed Fantasyland for Boys concept.
    Again, this is all just still just a “blue sky” dream right now, but from what I’ve been told, the push from those involved is very passionate as everyone wants to bring Tomorrowland back to life, and Tron may be the key to opening up the checkbook. As always however, the key factor as to the success of failure of these efforts will lie entirely upon the box office reception the new Tron Legacy film receives. Disney is now poised to view this Tron revival on the same level as their very successful Pirates of the Caribbean films. Poised to turn this one film into a new tent-pole series of films, video games and all the marketing and merchandise opportunities that go along with it. Cross your digits Programs…
    (4/25/08) From what I’ve been told, a new future for Tomorrowland is finally on the way. The new Star Tours 2 concept is apparently just the first phase of a larger makeover for Tomorrowland. Once the new version of Star Tours opens the plan is to demolish the old Rocket Jet Tower to make way for an all new tower that will once again house a next generation Peoplemover ride station as well as the base unit to return the Astro-Orbiter back to it’s rightful place high in the sky on top of this new tower.
    (2/25/08) Screamscape sources tell us that there has been some activity along the old Peoplemover / Rocket Rods tracks after hours in anticipation of reinventing the ride once again for the Tomorrowland 2010 project. If the rumors are true people have been seen poking around the track areas in various locations, though most commonly in the old loading station area. Apparently there is some debate about if they should try to reuse the old Rocket Tower location as the loading station once again or if perhaps they may be better off loading from a new location, such as the enclosed tunnel areas near that travel next to the upper floor of the arcade. With the end near for the run of Honey, I Shrunk The Audience, it seems there is talk about reusing the area for the new project as well. As for the theme… no one seems to know right now, though we have heard that The IncrediPod concept may have been tossed out in favor something new. Makes me wonder if the rumor about having all of the Tomorrowland 2010 projects themed to Star Wars may have actually come to pass.
    (12/4/07) With the Submarine Voyage successfully launched not everyone is focused entirely on the future of California Adventure it seems. I’ve been told for quite some time that the next big project for Disneyland itself would most likely be to fix the rest of Tomorrowland, namely creating a new attraction to take over the old Peoplemover / Rocket Rods track that winds throughout the entire land. While no theme has been given, the details leaking out do sound like they would fit that IncrediPod concept we had previously heard about. Guests would be able to ride inside a four passenger “pods” unit, with controls to make the pod spin in a circle (ie: Buzz Lightyear) to control their own viewing angle.
    (9/5/07) According to a report last week at Jim Hill Media, George Lucas and Disney execs will be meeting soon to not only go over the progress of Star Tours 2 but to talk about the possibility of turning the the Tomorrowland 2010 project into a Star Wars themed project. The Star Wars theme wouldn’t touch most of the classic attractions like Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, the Autopia or the Submarine Voyage but could be applied to just about everything else.