I am hearing just the smallest inklings about an announcement coming at the grand re-opening for Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. While I try to get more clarification, I wonder if it has to do with the parking entrance re-alignment coming to DHS or perhaps confirmation of something bigger I heard about last year.

Early word about the Star Tours upgrade is good. (Although some have reported emerging quite shaken, literally, from the motion of the simulator.) Add to that the slow thaw in the cold war between Disney and George Lucas and you have the potential for a new themed land dedicated to the world of Star Wars.

Backlot Express would be converted to a Cantina style diner, although I’ve also heard that it could be a ’space junk yard’ (as from Episode 1). Then the backstage road and main entrance road would be moved back about 200 yards to make room for a new e-Ticket set in the Star Wars universe. Think Carsland but with speeders racing around. There would also be a lot of Next-Gen touches bringing some hi-tech wizardry to the land as only WDI can do.

Last I heard, this was still just blue sky stuff. But who knows… maybe it’s moved forward now that Disney is feeling a little bit of heat from the boy with a wand.

Snow White’s Mine Train ride has been pushed back until 2014. This was not unexpected as it was late to the planning and will sit on land that is currently occupied, in part, by Dumbo and the main Fantasyland walkway. Recent peaks at the model for the attraction reveal that most of the ride will be outdoors with only a couple of indoor scenes, presumably where the audio-animatronic figures will be. While, the Mine Train ride looks to be a crowd pleaser, it’s later opening means Fantasyland will be without a Snow White attraction for an extended period once the current ride goes down for its makeover into a meet & greet location.

Construction in the former Toon Town Fair area is moving ahead at a rapid pace. The expanded Dumbo and re-themed Goofy coaster are expected to be the first two attractions to open in the new Fantasyland. As soon as the new foundation is ready for the twin-spinners, the existing Dumbo will go down for refurbishment and a move to its new location. Meanwhile the new spinner will be installed. The Great Goofini will re-open with its new theme and the loading and unloading sizes of the queue switched to make more room for Dumbo’s second ring.

Construction permits and bids were sent out this week to refurbish the two remaining tents from Toon Town Fair. It’s a bit ironic that the lands ‘temporary buildings’ are the only ones that will make it into the new land. The old tents will be replaced with new sturdier materials. I’m still hearing rumors that the larger tent will be converted into stage show, but that seems unlikely if all they’re doing is re-skinning the existing frames. We’ll probably just get a new store there.

I’m not all that thrilled with the idea of StoryBook Circus as a theme. But I guess we’ll wait and see how Disney pulls it off. I’d love for them to bring a version of the StoryBook Canal Boats to Florida (with a long indoor air-conditioned section) or a version of the Little Mermaid section from Tokyo DisneySea but with more of a ’storybook’ feel.

Rock work has begun on the outside of the Be Our Guest restaurant and exterior walls are going up in the village area that will house Gaston’s Pub. The Little Mermaid attraction is rumored to be ahead of schedule, plus they get the benefits of the California Adventure version of the attraction opening first. Hopefully any pitfalls and wrinkles related to installation will be ironed out before Orlando’s version is ready.

Finally, the Prince and Princess bathrooms located next door to Peter Pan will be moved across the walkway to where the old Fantasyland Skyway station now sits. These new larger bathrooms will allow Peter Pan’s queue to expand into the old bathroom’s space and gain some interactive elements to help pass the inevitable long waits for the stand-by queue. Additionally, the a new pathway will help with the crowds in that area. However, I have no idea what they plan to do with all the strollers that are usually parked in that location.

We arrived during the last few days of this year’s Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, so we didn’t get to see the full festival. Still, here are a few sights from it.

Zz.

Fans of the clubbing experience at Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island should be happy to hear these latest rumors. Apparently, some outside operators have been brought in to tour the spaces formerly occupied by Mannequins and 8Trax. Disney apparently has decided that the buildings housing those two spaces won’t be demolished in the switch to Hyperion Wharf. So it makes sense to start earning some rent on the otherwise empty rooms.

There are also a couple rumors about Comedy Club and Adventurers Club, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up there. Disney is just not interested in operating that sort of theater environment and the talent management that would be involved.

Save Pleasure Island blog has more on the rumors and address information for where you send your letters if you want to see some nightlife return to Downtown Disney.

As the Art of Animation Resort opens look for some of the other resorts that offer 5 person rooms to stop making those rooms available. I’m not sure why they would want to force all larger families to AoA when they can offer different experiences and different price points at resorts like Port Orleans French Quarter. But that’s what hotel managers were told at a recent meeting.

Another function of the Art of Animation coming online, is that the extra capacity will allow Disney to close down parts of the Polynesian hotel for a long needed upgrade. Apparently construction in the 70s still used Asbestos and Disney needs to address this. Due the way the Poly was constructed, they won’t be able to refurbish in place and instead will be erecting all new buildings.

The plan was to do this over time, but the whole resort might close down while they work on the main building with Ohana’s and check-in. Look for Disney to shift as many existing reservations as they can to DVC properties like OKW and Saratoga Springs which are always under booked. Work continues on a new pool for Saratoga which should help it attract a few more guests. A new night-show at Downtown Disney could also help Saratoga, as long as you don’t mind fireworks going off at 11pm nightly.

As you may have heard the Grand Floridian will be getting a DVC building, spoiling the official ‘front’ of the hotel, but you can’t see it anyway due to the trees. This is going to tax the GFs already limited parking situation. Things get quite crazy when there is a convention and wedding scheduled during the busy season. Don’t even think of parking there during Golf tournaments.

The next DVC to be announced will be at the old River Country site. No name or design announced yet. The announcement date depends on the Grand Floridian sales numbers. Disney has no idea how long they’ll be able to ride the DVC wave, but they plan to ride it to the shore (and probably a bit into town).

Much like Downtown Disney, Flamingo Crossing continues its holding pattern. They can’t get 3rd parties to build there either. That should be a lesson to Disney, don’t count your chicks before they hatch.