Move Over, Rapunzel; Make Way for Merida

It seems like just yesterday we were saying good-bye to Belle and the charming "Storytime with Belle" meet-n-greet at the Fairytale Garden. Sure, we were excited about hanging out with Rapunzel and Flynn (who, by the way, didn't last long with his princess) at the Tangled "play-n-greet"--but it still hurt to let our beloved Belle go.

Now, it seems that Rapunzel too will be displaced to Adventureland  by a newer character, Merida from Brave, beginning in May. Rapunzel will actually leave April 15 in order to accommodate renovations to the area. While I'm sure that Merida will be simply delightful in her new space which will be transformed with a Scottish Highlands theme, it's surprising that Disney has elected to replace what is arguably the most popular character meet-n-greet in any of the four Parks. (When we were last there, we arrived about 30 minutes prior to the attraction's opening--this in "off-season" September--and we were behind at least 30 other people. And because of the limited space, the attraction always seems to have to turn away guests. Moral of the story, just as I wrote in yesterday's Thursday's Tip: arrive early!)

Perhaps the silver lining in this character shift is that Flynn Rider will be rejoining Rapunzel on April 15 at their new meet-n-greet spot on the Adventureland Veranda porch. This, however, will displace Ariel and Prince Eric, who will then be found at the glass gazebo adjacent to the Adventureland Veranda.

Brave opens in theaters June 22.

 

 

UP Characters Replace Flik in Animal Kingdom

Guests can now find Dug and Russell from Pixar's UP at Animal Kingdom, near the entrance to "It's Tough to Be a Bug." These characters replace the meet-n-greet with Flik from A Bug's Life. (Somehow Flik seems more appropriate for the space, but I imagine Disney wants to showcase some of the more current characters.)

Tigger's Bouncy Place to Become Meet-n-Greet

When creating the new interactive queue for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, someone had the brilliant idea of inserting cute little "bouncy spots" in the flooring of one area--essentially tiny springy trampolines that would allow kids to sink and bounce back up, just like their bouncy friend Tigger. Only Imagineers didn't quite think this one through to the inevitable twisted, sprained, or even broken ankles that were bound to come...or the eventual lawsuits that would follow.  But I guess it became clear pretty quickly, as Tigger's Bouncy Place was closed to guests before it even officially opened, during the "soft opening" phase.

Blocked off by shrubery and potted plants until now, the area will soon get a refurbishment to turn it into a meet-n-greet for Pooh and his friends. While having the Hundred Acre Wood gang near their attraction makes perfect sense, one might argue that a better use of this space would be the return the attraction's FastPass machines back to the area (they were moved to nearby Mickey's Philharmagic when the queue was expanded). I'm sure Imagineers have their reasons for keeping this awkward system...right?

Fairies Moving Back to Magic Kingdom

Beginning July 28, the Disney Fairies will be greeting guests at the Adventureland Veranda in the Magic Kingdom. Until then, you will still find your favorite Pixie Hollow friends in Epcot, where they have been hanging out since Toontown closed. (Anyone else sad that they scrapped the rumored plans for the big Pixie Hollow area in the new Fantasyland? I would love to see the Fairies get a more permanent home.)

Guests Greet a New "Pirate"

There's a new character meet-n-greet happening at the Adventureland Veranda in the Magic Kingdom. Guests can now meet Angelica, the daughter of Blackbeard who will be played by Penelope Cruz in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. I hear that Angelica speaks with a Spanish accent (makes sense), and of course she is quite a beauty. She's on the lookout for Jack Sparrow, and she'll tell you of their previous run-ins.

We're looking forward to meeting Angelica on our next visit!

Magician Mickey Will Soon Greet Guests

New details have been released regarding the Town Square Theatre meet-n-greet with Mickey that opens April 1. As I told you in this post, this will be the first character meet-n-greet to utilize Fastpass. Now the official Disney Parks Blog has released images and details about the experience--and it's definitely going to be "magical." Take a look here for yourself.