Celebrate Mr. Lincoln’s Return

WDWNT Author on February 25, 2009

In a major press release, Disneyland has announced that Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln will return before the end of 2009 with a revamped show, the Disney Gallery will open where the Bank of Main Street now stands, and Annual Passport processing will move to the Plaza Pavilion later this year. Here is the announcement:

ANAHEIM, Calif. (February 25, 2009) – A longtime favorite of Disneyland guests will return as “The Disneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” an enhanced version of the show which appeared, in various forms, in the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland park from 1966 through 2004 . The attraction will reopen later this year in celebration of the 200th anniversary year of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.

The current Opera House presentation, “Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years,” will go on hiatus beginning Monday, March 16, in preparation for the new “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” show. When the updated “Disneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” opens later this year, “Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years” will be presented as part of the “Disneyland Story” display of art, models and mementoes in the Opera House lobby.

Also planned for fall 2009 is a prominent new home on Main Street, U.S.A., for The Disney Gallery. Formerly located above Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square, The Disney Gallery houses treasured Disney artwork and collectibles representing creative efforts from throughout The Walt Disney Company. A frequently changing exhibit area often includes never-before-displayed art. The Disney Gallery’s new home will be in the Bank of Main Street building, located next door to the Main Street Opera House and currently serving as the headquarters for Disneyland Resort Annual Passport processing. The Bank will continue to operate as an Annual Passport center until mid-summer 2009. After that, Annual Passport processing will move to the Plaza Pavilion, near the entrance to Adventureland.

The original “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” was created by Walt Disney and his Imagineers for the State of Illinois Pavilion at the 1964 New York World’s Fair and featured the world’s first fully animated human Audio-Animatronics figure, built by Walt Disney Imagineering. The show, made its Disneyland debut in the Main Street Opera House on July 18, 1965.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as we get more information on this breaking news on the return of “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”.

Walls, Walls, and More Walls…

WDWNT Author on October 25, 2008

We received some very interesting new refurbishment dates, & I want to take the time here to go through some of them. First up, the walls around the Plaza Pavilion are scheduled to come down on November 7th, so we’ll finally see something nice in that corner of Main Street. It’s a Small World will now re-open on November 29th, as opposed to the previously scheduled November 21st, as they probably still have quite a bit of work left to do on the attraction. Finally for Disneyland Park, Fantasy Faire Gifts over at the Princess Fantasy Faire will be closed from October 27th, through November 21st. Being closed for a month, they must be doing something pretty extensive, seeing as it’s just a small outdoor shop.

Over at DCA, the Midway Games close on Monday for their conversion over to the new Games of the Boardwalk. Both the Games & Mickey’s Fun Wheel will re-open on April 24th, 2009. The really interesting thing, is that Burger Invasion is now scheduled to be closed all the way through May 7th, 2010! That pretty much confirms that they’re doing much more than just ripping out the kitchen, & are probably re-theming it to the Beer Garden during this time. The Vineyard Room is listed as closed through October 3rd, 2009, so there’s a pretty good chance it could re-open around that time. Finally, the Orange Stinger will be closed just for November 4th, most likely so that Imagineers can look at what they’re going to do with it when time comes for the Silly Symphony Swings.

As always, keep an eye out on our Attractions Refurbishments page, as we’ll update it with any new information we get, when we get it!

I’m Lovin’ It!

WDWNT Author on July 24, 2008

A whole load of new refurbishments during September & October have been announced. There’s so many, that I’m just gonna bullet them bellow:

  • French Market – 9/2/08-9/19/08
  • Sailing Ship Columbia – 9/2/08-10/25/08
  • Conostoga Wagon – 9/2/08-????
  • Fantasmic – 9/2/08-????
  • Harbour Galley – 9/2/08-????
  • Big Thunder Ranch – 9/15/08-9/27/08
  • Pirates of the Caribbean – 10/13/08-????
  • Jungle Cruise – 10/20/08-10/22/08
  • Gadget’s Go-Coaster – 10/20/08-????
  • Burger Invasion – 9/2/08-????

It’s interesting to note that all 3 McDonalds locations in the Resort (Conostoga Wagon, Harbour Galley, & Burger Invasion) will be closed starting September 2nd, for an undetermined amount of time. Could this be the end for McDonalds at the Disneyland Resort?

Also, the Hyperion Theater refurbishment has been pushed back to start on September 29th, instead of September 2nd. We still have no information on when it will end, but it should be in time for the Christmas season.

Finally, I just want to remind everyone of the already announced refurbs:

  • Plaza Pavilion – 1/11/08-10/10/08
  • It’s a Small World – 1/22/08-11/28/08
  • Mark Twain Riverboat – 8/25/08-8/27/08
  • The Haunted Mansion – 9/8/08-9/25/08
  • Flik’s Flyers – 9/2/08-9/12/08
  • Sun Wheel – 9/11/08-????

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for updates on all attraction refurbishments. And for up-to-the-minute information on the various refurbishments, be sure to check our Attraction Refurbishments page!