With each department of the company trying to top each other with their presentations, today it was time for theme parks and resorts to have their panel.
Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, began by announcing plans for a massive expansion of Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The project will primarily focus on the princesses by giving each character its own fantasy world for guests to explore.
Plans include a Sweet 16 party for Aurora with the three fairies, a fantasy ball with Cinderella and Belle's village which will feature the Beast's Castle with the Be Our Guest restaurant. A first in theme park history, the restaurant will be quick service during the day and switch to table service at night. The expansion will be completed in 2012.
Back here at Disneyland, fan favorite Star Tours will close down in Oct. 2010 in order to revamp and update the attraction with new scenes focusing on the pod race from "Episode 1." For this announcement Rasulo was confronted on stage by members of the 501st Legion and on screen by Darth Vader himself. Star Tours will reopen with the new look in 2011.
There was also a lot of focus on the new Cars Land in Disney's California Adventure. The Pixar inspired land will feature the Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi's Flying Tires and Mater's Junkyard Jam.
Perhaps the most glaring omission from today's panel was any information regarding the return of Captain EO. In the weeks since Michael Jackson's death the rumors have been flying that the 80s attraction would make a comeback. However, there was absolutely no comment made on the subject even though high ranking Disney executives had a special screening of the film earlier in the week that was apparently received very well.
The absence marred what was an otherwise exciting panel.
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