On Tuesday of this week, Walt Disney World held a press event to tell the media what they are planning for the coming year (If you missed it, you can catch up on everything that happened here) Earlier in the day, Disney had released concept art on the changes to the originally announced Fantasyland and it seemed that many rumours that had been floating around the online community were indeed correct. Snow White’s Scary Adventure was indeed closing and a brand new Princess meet and greet would be opening in its places. (You can find more info on the Fantasyland changes here)
Let’s now jump over to the other side of the world, Disneyland Paris. It seemed that 2011 was to be all about experiences and character interaction as part of the new “Magical Moments” celebration due to kick off in April. But, if rumours are to be believed one of the major components of the festival could be missing, that of the Disney Princess: A Royal Invitation
Although pure speculation, there could be some merit in the rumour as Disney seem to have altered the way in which they have been producing attractions lately. Let’s take a look at the previous two big name attractions added to the parks. Toy Story Mania was added to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland at the same time and the same is now happening to the The Little Mermaid ride. Are Disney now producing concepts that can be shipped to any resort? With the addition of Jasmine’s Flying Carpets coming to Tokyo in the summer, it shows nearly every resort in the companies porfolio has a spining attraction based on Aladdin.
The reason for the rumour of the Princes meet and greet halt could be that Imagineers want to replicate the newly announced “Princess Fairytale Hall” in Disneyland Paris’ Fantasyland. The overall attraction looks to be much more impressive than the originally conceived version and looks to be more technologically adavanced as well as permenant. So, in the long run, maybe it is better for Disneyland Paris management to postpone the addition until 2012. It will still be within the year timeframe for the Magical Moments Festival and will certainly be a great new (and may I add warmer) way to meet the Disney Princess.
Your thoughts?