Thursday, June 30, 2011

Marrakesh Restaurant at EPCOT in Morocco

This North African-style sultan's palace offers culinary adventurers the Taste of Morocco: Royal Feast, which includes everything from Harira soup to Moroccan pastries—all on one platter. The full bar mixes specialty cocktails such as the Casablanca Sunset, the Sahara Splash and the Marrakesh Express

There is more to this exotic oasis than its savory cuisine: While you dine, belly dancers entertain Guests with their sinuous movements, accompanied by the percussive music of this ancient culture.  (One of my favorite memories is when my husband and I went to EPCOT for Valentine's Day (before children) and there were twin little boys dancing with the belly dancer - it was too cute!)

The dance, sounds, flavors and rhythms of Morocco take you to another land when you dine at Restaurant Marrakesh!

Guest Policies
  • To make reservations, book online or call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463 up to 180 days prior to your visit.
  • This experience takes place in a non-smoking environment.
  • A cancellation policy applies and may result in charges if you cancel with insufficient notice. Specific policies related to this facility will be detailed at time of reservation booking.
  • Price range reflects estimated individual check average, except Character Dining and buffet locations where pricing is based on individual adult pricing. Excludes alcohol, tax, and gratuity.
  • Specialty celebration cakes are available for an additional charge and should be ordered 48 hours in advance by calling (407) 827-2253.
  • This location can accommodate most special dietary needs. Advance notice may be required and cancellation fees may apply. Please indicate any special dietary need at time of reservation booking. Learn more about how we can help accommodate special dietary needs.
  • Menu items and prices subject to change without notice.
Fun Facts
Traditional Moroccan artwork does not portray living things, which accounts for the beautiful geometric patterns that are part of the artistic tradition in Morocco evident in the tile work in this restaurant.

Menu
Lunch
Appetizers/Starter

Beef Brewat Roll - Layers of thin pastry stuffed with seasoned minced beef, fried and sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. - $6.95
Chicken Bastilla - Baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with minced chicken and almonds, sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar - $7.95
Combination Appetizer for Two - Beef brewat rolls, chicken bastilla and Jasmina salad. - $15.95
Seafood Bastilla - Baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with grouper, shrimp, mushrooms, vermicelli, feta cheese, onions and egg. - $8.95

Soups/Salads

Harira Soup - Traditional hearty soup flavored with tomatoes, lentils and lamb. - $5.95
Jasminas Salad - An assortment of fresh vegetable salads served on a bed of lettuce. - $6.95

Entree/Main Course

Chicken Couscous - Rolled semolina and chicken served with seasonal veggies. - $17.95
Chicken Kebabs - Grilled brochettes of chicken breast marinated in Moroccan herbs and spices, served with seasoned rice. - $16.95
Couscous With Lamb Shank - Lamb shank with rolled semolina steamed and served with seasonal veggies. - $19.95
Lemon Chicken - Braised 1/2 chicken seasoned with garlic, green olives and preserved lemon. Served with seasoned rice. - $17.95
Roast Lamb Meshoui - A Moroccan tradition - Roasted lamb in natural juices served with seasoned rice. - $18.95
Shish Kebab - Grilled tenderloin of beef marinated in Moroccan herbs and spices, served with seasoned rice. - $18.95
Sultan's Sampler Platter - Grilled brochette of either beef or chicken served with a beef brewat roll and chicken bastilla served with vegetable couscous and seasoned rice. - $21.95
Taste of Morocco: Berber Feast - Start with the Jasmina salad, then choose one of the following traditional Moroccan feasts: Roast lamb meshoui, Brochette of chicken, or Vegetable couscous and then finish with a fresh fruit salad. Served with seasonal vegetables. Priced per person. - $24.95
Vegetable Couscous - Rolled semolina steamed and served with seasonal veggies. - $14.95

Dessert

Bastilla - Crispy leaves of pastry topped with vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with toasted almonds. For one $5.95 or For two $6.95
Marrakesh Delight - Fresh fruit salad topped with mint ice cream, toasted almonds and orange blossom water. - $4.95
Moroccan Symphony - Assorted pastries - $5.95

Drinks

Berber Passion - Made with peach daiquiri, cream de coco, and orange juice. - $3.75
Casablanca Sunset - Made with apricot brandy, orange juice, cranberry juice, topped with peach schnapps. - $6.95
Marrakesh Express - Made with rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, topped with dark rum. - $6.95
Sahara Splash - Made with vodka, cranberry juice, midori, and a splash of soda. - $6.95
Tangier's Breeze - Made with vodka, pineapple juice, and topped with midori. - $6.95



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dinner
Appetizers/Starter

Beef Brewat Roll - Layers of thin pastry stuffed with seasoned minced beef, fried and sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. - $6.95
Chicken Bastilla - Baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with minced chicken and almonds, sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. - $7.95
Combination Appetizer for Two - Beef brewat rolls, Chicken bastilla and Jasmina salad - $15.95
Goat Cheese with Crispy Bread - Mixture of cheese and kalamata olives served with tobouleh, red pepper sauce, and balsamic vinegar reduction. - $13.95
Merguez Sausage - Grilled lamb sausage with tomatoes, red onions, cilantro salad, and harissa lamb juice. - $8.95
Morrocan Salad Combo for Two - Green pepper, and tomato, marinated olives, carrots, potatoes and cucumber salad. - $13.95
Mussels Casablanca for Two (P.E.I.) - Steamed mussels served with capers, tomatoes and light saffron cream sauce. - $13.95
Seafood Bastilla - Baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with grouper, shrimp, and mushrooms. - $8.95

Soups/Salads

Harira Soup - Traditional hearty soup flavored with tomatoes, lentils and lamb. - $5.95

Entree/Main Course

Beef Couscous - Steamed tiny semolina pasta with beef. - $27.95
Chicken Couscous - Steamed tiny semolina pasta with chicken. - $26.95
Chicken Kebabs - Brochettes of chicken breasts marinated in Moroccan herbs and spices. - $23.95
Couscous M'Rouzia Fassi - Braised beef served with caramelized onions, raisins, honey, almonds and eggs. - $27.95
Couscous Royale - Harira soup appetizer, couscous with beef, chicken and merguez sausage. - $35.95
Couscous With Lamb Shank - Delicious lamb shank slow cooked and served over couscous. - $27.95
Lemon Chicken - Braised half chicken seasoned with garlic, green olives and preserved lemon. - $24.95
Mediterranean Seafood Platter - Seafood bastilla appetizer, chermoula shrimp ragout, and broiled salmon with capers, saffron, oven dried tomato and seasoned rice. - $36.95
Mogador Fish Tagine - Marinated fish with olives, lemon confit, potatoes, green peppers and shermula sauce. - $27.95
Night In Casablanca - Roast lamb Meshoui, chicken brochette, and seafood bastilla appetizer, served with seasoned rice. - $36.95
North Atlantic Salmon - Pan seared salmon with mushrooms, tomato concasse, garlic parsley oil and hummus - $27.95
Roast Lamb Meshoui - A Moroccan tradition - Roasted lamb shank in natural juice served with couscous. - $26.95
Shish Kebab - Grilled tenderloin of beef served with hummus. - $27.95
Taste of Morocco: Royal Feast - The Royal Feast features Harira Soup, Beef Brewat Rolls, Roast Lamb Meshoui, Lemon Chicken, Couscous with seven veggies and assorted Moroccan pastries. Priced per person and served family style. - $42.95 *
Vegetable Couscous - Steamed tiny semolina pasta served with seasonal veggies. - $20.95

Dessert

Bastilla - Crispy leaves of pastry topped with vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with toasted almonds. For one $6.95 or For two $7.95 - $6.95
Marrakesh Delight - Fresh fruit salad topped with mint ice cream, toasted almonds and orange blossom water. - $4.95
Moroccan Symphony - Assorted pastries - $5.95

Drinks

Berber Passion - Made with peach daiquiri, cream de coco, and orange juice. - $3.75
Casablanca Sunset - Made with apricot brandy, orange juice, cranberry juice, topped with peach schnapps. - $6.95
Marrakesh Express - Made with rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, topped with dark rum. - $6.95
Sahara Splash - Made with vodka, cranberry juice, midori, and a splash of soda. - $6.95
Tangier's Breeze - Made with vodka, pineapple juice, and topped with midori. - $6.95



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Child's Menu



Lunch
Entree/Main Course

Chicken Tenders - Served with carrot sticks and applesauce. Includes choice of 1% milk, bottled water or Apple juice. Soda and fries available upon request. - $6.95
Hamburger - Served on a bun with lettuce and tomato and a side of carrot sticks and applesauce. Includes choice of 1% milk, bottled water or Apple juice. Soda and fries available upon request. - $6.95
Moroccan Style Pasta - Served with carrot sticks and applesauce. Includes choice of 1% milk, bottled water or Apple juice. Soda and fries available upon request. - $6.95

Dessert

Ice Cream - Ice Cream - $2.95

Drinks

Moroccan Sunrise - Pineapple, strawberry juice, and orange water. - $4.50
Watermelon Delight Fruit Cocktail - Watermelon, cranberry juice and orange water. - $4.50



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dinner
Entree/Main Course

Chicken Tenders - Served with carrot sticks and applesauce. Includes choice of 1% milk, bottled water or Apple juice. Soda and fries available upon request. - $6.95
Hamburger - Served on a bun with lettuce and tomato and a side of carrot sticks and applesauce. Includes choice of 1% milk, bottled water or Apple juice. Soda and fries available upon request. - $6.95
Moroccan Style Pasta - Served with carrot sticks and applesauce. Includes choice of 1% milk, bottled water or Apple juice. Soda and fries available upon request. - $6.95

Dessert

Ice Cream - Ice Cream - $2.95





Drinks

Moroccan Sunrise - Pineapple, strawberry juice, and orange water. - $4.50
Watermelon Delight Fruit Cocktail - Watermelon, cranberry juice and orange water. - $4.50

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Surf's Up!

Ever wanted to try surfing but found the ocean a bit intimidating? Now, Guests who are at least 8 years old can learn how to surf in a fun, safe, controlled environment. Hang 10 in the waters of Typhoon Lagoon!

Have the bay to yourself before the Water Park opens to master the fine art of shooting the curls created by the Disney's Typhoon Lagoon enormous wave machine. Professional instructors and small classes at Craig Carroll's Cocoa Beach Surf School can help anyone improve their form during a 2-hour session where there's surf every 90 seconds.
The Learn to Surf program is offered on select days prior to Park Opening. The entire session is 2.5 hours. Times may vary by season and are subject to change. If you are over 18 years of age, call 407-WDW-SURF (407-939-7873). Have parent or guardian permission to call if you are under age 18.

Surf Lessons include:

•2 professional instructors per class
•Maximum of 12 Guests per class
•Soft sided surfboard for use during your lesson
•30 minutes of instruction on land
•2 hours of surf time in the water
Surf the controlled waters of the bay as perfect waves are formed every 90 seconds and ride like it's an endless summer. The Surf Pool waves can be adjusted up to 6 feet in height. It's totally tubular!

Note that surf lessons take place in the early morning before Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park opens and the lesson price includes use of the Surf Pool and facilities at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park only during the lesson. You will need to purchase admission to the Water Park if you want to stay in the Park after the lesson.

Spectators are welcome, so bring your family and friends!
How to Sign Up for Surf Lessons

For more information on the Learn to Surf program at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park or to make a reservation, if you are over 18 years of age, call (407) WDW-PLAY or (407) 939-7529 or email WDPRSurfingPrograms@email.disney.com. Have parent or guardian permission to call if you are under age 18.

Currently, surfing lessons are offered at Typhoon Lagoon every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 6:30am - 9:00am ( times may vary by season).
The cost of the Surfing School is $150 per person (price includes tax). Since the event takes place before Typhoon Lagoon opens to the general public, you will need to provide your own transportation to the park. Buses will be available after the lessons to go anywhere on Disney property.

For the more experiences surfers:
Surf Pool Rental for Private Events

For information on how to rent the wave pool for your Private 100 Wave Surf Event, if you are over 18 years of age, call (407) WDW-SURF or (407) 939-7873. Have parent or guardian permission to call if you are under age 18. (25 people)
Disney Water Park Safety

At the Disney Water Parks, Guest safety is of utmost importance and lifeguard duty at the Disney Water Parks is serious business.

Highly trained and qualified lifeguards are on duty over the course of the day patrolling the Water Park. All Disney lifeguards must complete a thorough training program that exceeds most national standards.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Toy Story Midway Mania!

Toy Story Midway Mania! (marketed as Toy Story Mania!) is an interactive 4-D theme park attraction, currently located at two Disney theme parks: Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort.


Designed by Walt Disney Imagineering and inspired by Disney·Pixar's Toy Story franchise, the attraction was first unveiled during a press conference at Walt Disney World in January 2007. The Florida version opened officially on May 31, 2008, while the California version officially opened on June 17, 2008. A new version of the attraction will be constructed at Tokyo DisneySea and is expected to open in 2012.

Park guests wear 3-D glasses (Carnival Games Goggles) aboard spinning vehicles that travel through virtual environments based on classic carnival midway games. Ride vehicles seat up to four in back-to-back pairs.

The attraction features five mini-games after a practice round, each of which includes at least one "Easter egg" that can trigger additional targets or gameplay changes. These games include:

  • Pie Throw Practice Booth (pie toss target practice game, a no points introduction)
  • Hamm & Eggs (egg throw game now featuring Buttercup from Toy Story 3)
  • Rex and Trixie's Dino Darts (dart throw game; once Bo Peep's Baa-loon Pop)
  • Green Army Men Shoot Camp (baseball throw / plate breaking game)
  • Buzz Lightyear's Flying Tossers (ring toss game)
  • Woody's Rootin' Tootin' Shootin' Gallery (suction cup shooting game)
Each guest's score is recorded by an onboard display screen as points are acquired with individual toy cannons firing simulated projectiles at virtual targets. Toy Story characters including Woody, Hamm, Buzz Lightyear, Rex and Trixie appear during the attraction's different games.

Similar technology has been used in Disney attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold at DisneyQuest and several Buzz Lightyear attractions. According to Disney, it is the first attraction created simultaneously by Walt Disney Imagineering for two theme parks.

The line at both parks features a large Mr. Potato Head Audio-Animatronics figure that interacts with guests through pre-recorded snippets of dialogue performed by comedian Don Rickles, who voiced the character in the Toy Story films. The sophisticated figure identifies people in the audience, sings and tells jokes.

Only five mini-games can be used at a time at Toy Story Midway Mania! The Following games have been featured as part of Toy Story Midway Mania! in the past, but have been since replaced:

  • Bo Peep's Baaa-loon Pop (dart throw game) Replaced May 21, 2010 with "Rex and Trixie's Dino Darts" (updated with the release of Toy Story 3)
Toy Story Midway Mania! is one of the most technologically sophisticated attractions yet developed by Walt Disney Imagineering, costing an estimated $80 million to design and build.  It marks the company's first use of industrial ethernet for a ride's control system.  Many of the parts for the attraction's control system came from two of Disney's corporate sponsors, Siemens AG and Hewlett-Packard.


Locations
Disney California Adventure: Paradise Pier, beneath the California Screamin' roller coaster, a space formerly occupied by themed midway games and food service locations. The area is designed to resemble a Victorian-era seaside carnival.

Disney's Hollywood Studios: Pixar Place, inside the studios' former soundstages, which were most recently used for the park's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It! attraction. The facade, as well as the surrounding area, resembles Pixar Animation Studios' campus in Emeryville, California.

Tokyo DisneySea: Will be located in the New York area of the American Waterfront. Opening in 2012.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Disney's Art of Animation Resort

Coming soon: a new Walt Disney World Resort! Disney's Art of Animation Resort hotel, a Disney Value Resort hotel, will draw its inspiration from 4 classic Disney animated films: The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Disney·Pixar's Finding Nemo and Cars.

Booking dates for this family-friendly resort, scheduled to open Summer of 2012, have not been announced yet. Please continue to check back for more information and details.
Step into some of your favorite stories! Each one of the Disney's Art of Animation Resort buildings are being designed to make you feel like you are part of one of 4 beloved animated films. Trace the movie's theme, from the playful courtyards to the festive room interiors.

The 864 rooms planned within The Little Mermaid buildings will be sea-inspired with an eye towards value.

The Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo buildings are planned to exclusively feature family suites which accommodate up to six guests. The concepts show a total of 1,120 family suites—all arranged for added space and comfort.

The concept for these family suites include:
  • 2 separate bathrooms
  • A master bedroom
  • 3 separate sleeping areas within the living space, which includes an "Inovabed"—an impressive piece of furniture that transforms from a generously sized dining or work table to a comfortable bed in seconds.

Kids and kids at heart will be able to romp through one of the 4 courtyards—one courtyard for each film—where there will be icons and sculptures to interact with and play around. Make a splash in the main pool—complete with a pool bar—or relax in one of the 2 quiet pool areas.


Planned amenities at Disney's Art of Animation Resort include an animation-themed food court, arcade, retail location and interior airline check-in stations.

Location and General Information

Disney's Art of Animation Resort is scheduled to be located near Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It will be a smoke-free Resort; smoking will be permitted only in designated outdoor smoking locations.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Space Mountain

Space Mountain is the name of a space-themed indoor roller coaster attraction located at all five Magic Kingdom-style Disney theme parks. Although all five versions of the attraction are different in nature, all have a similar domed exterior façade that is a landmark for the respective park.


The name can refer to (in order of opening):
  • Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom) (1975), at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida
  • Space Mountain (Disneyland) (1977), at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California
  • Space Mountain (Tokyo Disneyland) (1983), at Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan
  • Space Mountain: Mission 2 (1995), at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France
  • Space Mountain (Hong Kong Disneyland) (2005), at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort on Lantau Island, Hong Kong
This is about Magic Kingdom's version of Space Mountain.

Space Mountain is an indoor outer space-themed steel roller coaster at the Magic Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It opened on January 15, 1975 and is the original version of the iconic attraction that is included in all five of the Disney theme parks worldwide. With the closure of Cypress Gardens in 2009, Space Mountain is the oldest operating roller coaster in the state of Florida.

Space Mountain was closed for refurbishment on April 19, 2009. The newly updated version of the attraction was officially re-opened to the public on November 22, 2009

The Space Mountain concept was a descendant of the first Disney "mountain" attraction, the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland, which opened in 1959. The Matterhorn's success had convinced Walt Disney that thrilling rides did have a place in his park.

Space Mountain closed on April 19, 2009 for a lengthy renovation project. It was the first extensive renovation since a previous closure in September 1999, and was estimated to cost USD $12.3 million. It reopened November 2009.

Blue neon lights light up the ceilings above the queue, with black windows looking out into space recessed into the ceiling, where guests can see projections of stars, nebulae, comets, planets, and a space station. Riders will then be assigned to one of two tracks: Alpha, the left hand track, or Omega, the right hand track. When the lines are long, usually Alpha is used for standby queue and the Omega for "FASTPASS". But when lines are short. (usually fifteen minutes or less) a cast member will stand at the division of the lines and assign a group to a track. Unless they kindly ask, riders cannot choose between Alpha and Omega. The two tracks are near-mirror images of each other. Both offer the same experience for guests, with effects equally shared and duplicated, however, so as to permit for the two tracks to cross each other, the Alpha track is ten feet longer than the Omega track.

Riders then queue at newly installed loading gates and enter the six person rockets. Pulling out of the loading station, riders make a 180 degree turn and come to a stop in a purple lit tunnel while waiting for the train in front to climb the lift hill. After a few seconds, the holding brake is released and the trains roll down a slope into the strobe tunnel. The strobe lights flash at a slower rate, but this rate gradually increases as the rocket progresses down the tunnel.

A repetitive warping sound signifies an energy charge as the riders roll towards a blue orb. At the far end of the tunnel, a field of stars appears as the blue strobe lights turn off. This is followed shortly afterwards by the strobe light effect of the flash of the on-ride photo camera taking pictures of the riders.

Another train may pass by the riders climbing the lift hill. It is also possible to make out riders on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority passing through the lift hill bay, as well as riders on the other track climbing the lift hill. At the top, riders descend a short drop and then descend through a series of turns, sharp climbs, and steep drops in the darkness of the dome. The ride ends with trains passing through a red swirling wormhole and then hitting the final brake run, before returning to the unload station.

As posted on Disney Parks Blogs on August 30, 2010, Space Mountain is now in Starry-O-Phonic Sound.

"Walt Disney Imagineering has added a new composition that’s exclusive to the attraction at Magic Kingdom Park that will play with varying sound effects throughout all “flights” on 100 newly installed speakers. “Starry-O-Phonic Sound” compliments a slew of enhancements that debuted on Space Mountain last year, including new lighting, storyline elements and updated decor."

When Space Mountain was refurbished, a number of tributes to the defunct Epcot attraction Horizons were added into the ride.
  • One of the bags in the baggage claim (located on guests' left at the start of the exit moving sidewalk) features the words "Mesa Verde" written on it.
  • The undersea post-show scene after the desert scene is reminiscent of a scene in Horizons. This scene was the only new scene added to the post-show in the refurbishment - all of the other scenes were tweaked or redressed. The flatscreen display in the new scene describes the scene as "20,000 Light Years under the Sea," a pun on "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," which is a reference to to the defunct Magic Kingdom attraction 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage.
  • The robot valet and futuristic city skyline, which is the last post-show diorama, are similar to a scene in Horizons and to the lounge that Disney used to operate in LAX.
No other Space Mountain has an extensive post show like the Magic Kingdom version. Guests board a moving walkway, known as a speedramp, that takes guests back to Tomorrowland. As guests enter the post show, above them is a flashing warning sign and spiel, both original from 1985. To the left is a half octagon shaped room and on the right are four large octagon rooms.

The original post-show was RCA's "Home Of Future Living," which showcased how consumer electronics would shape our lives in a "typical" home of the future. The attraction featured the theme song "Here's To The Future," briefly replaced by a song (apparently) titled "ColorTrak Keeps The Color On Track," designed to promote televisions employing RCA's ColorTrack color television technology. In the mid-1980s, the Home of Future Living was replaced by "RYCA-1," which showed what life might be like living in a space colony on another planet. The RYCA-1 sets went through minor re-decoration when FedEx took over sponsorship, and the plot of the show revolved around sending packages across spatial distances. All traces of FedEx were removed after the company relinquished its sponsorship, then the post-show underwent another transformation in 2009 when the entire attraction was revamped.

All of these rooms are shown and viewed on an even surface, but after the final octagon room, the speedramp dips down at an angle, where guests go under the train tracks for the Walt Disney World Railroad. As guests travel back up to ground level, and toward the exit to Tomorrowland, the pass by other outer-space destinations Star Port Seven-Five can take them. The first two octagon rooms and the first four hexagon rooms can all be viewed from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover just after passing through the lift hill bay because their ceilings are non existent.

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (then known simply as "Tomorrowland Transit Authority" and one of our favorites during park crowds) was also closed with Space Mountain on April 19, 2009, during which time it also underwent a refurbishment.   The closure was necessary due to extensive construction work planned for the roller coaster, and the inherent safety risks such activity would pose to Transit Authority riders. Additionally, Space Mountain has access doors that open onto the TTA track which can not be safely used while the attraction is running.

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority reopened on September 11, 2009. Although traveling the same path through the dome, the ongoing renovation inside was obscured by walls and posters announcing Space Mountain's re-opening date. On November 11, 2009 the construction walls were removed, providing an early glimpse of the refurbished roller coaster and post show.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Skyway to Tomorrowland opens at Disneyland June 16, 1956

The Skyway was a gondola lift attraction at Disneyland, at the Magic Kingdom, and at Tokyo Disneyland. Since all versions of this attraction took riders back and forth between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, the route from Tomorrowland was called Skyway to Fantasyland, and the route from Fantasyland was called Skyway to Tomorrowland.

The Skyway at Disneyland opened on June 23, 1956. It was built by Von Roll, Ltd. based in Bern, Switzerland. It was the first Von Roll Type 101 aerial ropeway in the USA. Walt Disney Imagineering bought the ride from Switzerland. It was a 1947 Vonroll sidechair model. In 1959, a major renovation added The Submarine Voyage, the Disneyland Monorail, the Matterhorn (now a Fantasyland Attraction), and the Motorboat Cruise, but when the Matterhorn was planned it was designed to be built right in the path of the Skyway, so without a single closure of the Skyway, the Matterhorn was built around the Skyway.

During the Fantasyland renovation at Disneyland in the mid-1980s, the Skyway made only roundtrips from Tomorrowland.

The Disneyland Skyway was removed on November 9, 1994 due to stress cracks in the Matterhorn roller battery supports. At Disneyland, the Fantasyland Skyway station remains but is off limits to guests and completely empty (no machinery), and the Tomorrowland Skyway station has been demolished. The holes in the Matterhorn were filled in and the Skyway supports were dismantled within weeks.

In 1998, Tokyo Disneyland closed their Skyway. The Fantasyland station was removed to make room for Pooh's Hunny Hunt, while the Tomorrowland station was remodeled into a candy store.

At the Magic Kingdom, the Skyway was removed in 1999. The Tomorrowland station was demolished in the summer of 2009, while the Fantasyland station is now used for stroller parking, but will soon be demolished to make way for the expanded restrooms for Peter Pan's Flight.