The Fabulous Disney Babe
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With the astounding popularity of the attraction, it's no surprise that they ran out of merchandise early. Let's hope they'll have some back in time for Christmas shopping. I'd love to see a kitty jack-in-the-box and a deranged Mickey doll like in the attraction, also some changing portraits like they did for the first Mansion event, and a few more shirts. It looks like next year for the CD, as Steve wants it to be absolutely perfect, instead of something rushed out quickly. I'm willing to bet that LuminARIA, which was being recorded as we were speaking, appears on the CD as well. I'd love to see another Disneyland Holiday CD, with the attractions as well as some parade music on it. As we left the event, we passed the float where Chip and Dale were practicing ice skating, and I'm still a sucker for that Disney Christmas Parade music. It gets to me every time.
We had the same dinner at the press event that they served at the Haunted Evening Merchandise Event, and it was wonderful. Sally was just psychotic enough to be fun, and the Cadaver Dans were to, um, die for. Sorry. I'll have the interviews that I actually taped for you in the next couple of weeks, as we spent the rest of the evening doing interviews. Finally, it was time to wrap up and I got to visit the attraction again before being shuttled to the car, where Alice fell asleep with her new Jessie doll (thank you, kind soul) in her arms on the way home.
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I hear they're thinking of putting in a new attraction at Walt Disney World: "Honey, I Shut Down EVERYTHING!!!" Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was sold out once again. It's too bad they can't do some sort of a Halloween party in California, and I don't mean trying to copy Knott's Halloween Haunt. At this time, Legoland owns the kid-friendly Halloween in Southern California's theme parks. DCA would be ideal; they could put trick or treating stations around Paradise Bay and have harvest-themed crafts in Bountiful Valley Farm, while it remains there. The tourism industry is struggling, yet Mickey's Halloween Party sells out. There HAS to be some sort of a lesson there. As more parents shy away from having their children trick-or-treat around their neighborhoods, the possibilities broaden for entertainment companies and theme parks to fill that void. Just something to think about for next year, okay? They did great with the Haunted Mansion Holiday. Halloween is my favorite Holiday, with Christmas a close second, and I'd love to see Disney capitalize on it. It would be fun.
Update: *Thanks to "Ben" and "Arthur" for pointing out to me that my article wasn't reading right to them, in terms of this little guy. I wasn't clear enough here: while the character appears in the film and the book that was released to the general public in 1993, it is not called a Mickey Mouse doll in either one, but referred to as a "teddy bear". In the original poem, it was a "Mickey Mouse doll possessed by a demon". I apologize for my lack of clarity, and hope it didn't upset too many of you.
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Across the pond: Testing is finished on Paris' version of the Rock and Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. In the attraction, riders will zoom through movie sets as Aerosmith films a music video. In Florida, of course, the adventure is themed to a hair-raising limousine chase to the band's concert in Los Angeles, but Paris is where Princess Diana was killed when the car in which she was riding was chased by paparazzi. Of course, this sensitivity is not the official reason for the change, but it has been confirmed by those who will be running the new park in private. It's not like there's not a precedent - SuperStar Limo was changed from a madcap chase through Hollywood to a madcap...um, cruise? through Hollywood because of the tragedy. As much fun as I think SuperStar Limo is, I'm still floored at the thought that what we got was the "tasteful" version.
So, what the official raison? Space Mountain, From the Earth to the Moon, is in the park right next door, and the Florida coaster matches it very closely. It would have been awkward to have two nearly-identical attractions in complementary parks, so the change was made to the Aerosmith ride. There will be a number of loops and corkscrews, as in Florida, but the track layout is different. What's the same? The music, probably. The roller-coaster in the dark, the funky day-glow paint on the sets. There is also, to be sure, a different ending. It has been speculated that visitors will be able to buy a video CD at the end of the ride with the music video, which would include a few seconds of footage of their party riding the coaster in the video.
Hey, I have an idea for the replacement for SuperStar Limo!!!
-- Fab
-- Photos by Dave Mastanich, Ted Michaud and Doobie Moseley
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Related Links
- LaughingPlace.com
Coverage of the Haunted Mansion Press Event
Includes interviews with Steven Davison and Melissa Joan Hart and lots of Mansion pictures
-- Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith can be reached using the Talkback form below or by emailing her at [email protected].
The Fabulous Disney Babe's column is posted every Friday and when ever else she has something to say. For more on Michelle's background, see her first column. She also offers The Fabulous Tour: Disneyland Secrets and Stories. Click here for more information.
The opinions expressed by our Michelle Smith, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted November 2, 2001