Random Disneyland and Walt Disney World tidbits too time-sensitive or inconsequential to cram into a formal article.
Fairies & Fountains
Posted 05-01-2008 at 09:58 AM by David Koenig
Disneyland has finally decided on the location for the Tinker Bell meet and greet. According to a blurb by Al Lutz on MiceAge, Tink and her fairy friends will take up residence in a remodeled Ariel's Grotto, the photo spot nestled behind the Buzz Lightyear building off Matterhorn Way. (A fin-free Ariel is to be transferred to Fantasyland's Princess Fantasy Faire until her attraction in DCA is completed.)
My sources confirm that, while the Grotto will indeed become Pixie Hollow, adjacent Triton's Gardens will also be revamped to match the theme. Winding along the path past oversized flowers and such will help kids more easily digest the concept of teeny Tink now being taller than they are.
Although WDI would love to make it an extravagant overhaul, the tight construction deadline and fluctuating budget has one Imagineer expecting that the changes will end up being "more cosmetic, nothing really fancy. This will be a temporary location—but then (we) said that for Ariel's Grotto, and it has been here for over 10 years."
Even with a rehab, don't expect the fountains to restart, since they were intentionally terminated. "The jets of water that used to shoot over the guests no longer work," revealed a cast member. "They were shut down to save maintenance costs—guests kept stuffing things in the water jets, which would cause damage—and for safety reasons. The ground would end up having a lot of freestanding water, and guests would slip and fall."
My main hesitation with the whole project is theming such a visible location, right off the hub, to a setting and characters in a straight-to-DVD movie. Remember Gadget, the brilliant inspiration for Gadget's Go Coaster? Neither do I. The upside is that while this overhaul is designed to push a long-delayed DVD and a kiddie book series, Disney can always say it's actually there to pay tribute to Tinker Bell, the character most identified with Disneyland since Day One.
My sources confirm that, while the Grotto will indeed become Pixie Hollow, adjacent Triton's Gardens will also be revamped to match the theme. Winding along the path past oversized flowers and such will help kids more easily digest the concept of teeny Tink now being taller than they are.
Although WDI would love to make it an extravagant overhaul, the tight construction deadline and fluctuating budget has one Imagineer expecting that the changes will end up being "more cosmetic, nothing really fancy. This will be a temporary location—but then (we) said that for Ariel's Grotto, and it has been here for over 10 years."
Even with a rehab, don't expect the fountains to restart, since they were intentionally terminated. "The jets of water that used to shoot over the guests no longer work," revealed a cast member. "They were shut down to save maintenance costs—guests kept stuffing things in the water jets, which would cause damage—and for safety reasons. The ground would end up having a lot of freestanding water, and guests would slip and fall."
My main hesitation with the whole project is theming such a visible location, right off the hub, to a setting and characters in a straight-to-DVD movie. Remember Gadget, the brilliant inspiration for Gadget's Go Coaster? Neither do I. The upside is that while this overhaul is designed to push a long-delayed DVD and a kiddie book series, Disney can always say it's actually there to pay tribute to Tinker Bell, the character most identified with Disneyland since Day One.
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