News & Rumors 5/11/09 - 5/17/09

News and Rumors are gathered from various different websites. One particular website is not favored over another. All rumors are rumors and are to be taken with a grain of salt.

News

• Additional dates have been added for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. For MNSSHP, Disney has now added Nov. 1. Nov. 15 was added as an additional date for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
• For those who are members of D23, the perks of being a member may finally start to be trickling out. Disney announced this week that there will be a special event for D23 members on May 31st. Members will get reserved seating to the final Flower Power concert featuring Tony Orlando. They will also get a special Illuminations dessert party from a private viewing area that night. The great news is that the cost (for D23 members, of course) is free!
• If you want to meet Carl, Russell and Dug from Disney-Pixar's newest movie Up...now is the time. Characters are meeting guests at the Animation Building through October.
• Ever got back home and wished you'd purchased that souvenir that you kept trying to decide if you wanted and didn't get? Disney is now offering people the opportunity to purchase Theme Park merchandise right from their very own homes through their recently relaunched website, http://www.disneystore.com/. So, now you can pick up those Mickey Ears and Autograph Books in advance and save time in the parks too!
• The Virgin Megastore has closed a few weeks early, closing this week on May 12th.
• Cirque du Soleil will be dark from May 17 - June 1st.
• The Eat to the Beat Concert line up is starting to come out. Here is the list of scheduled performers:

Sept. 25-27 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Sept. 28-29 – Richard Marx
Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Starship Starring Mickey Thomas
Oct. 4-6 Vanessa Carlton (tentative)
Oct. 7-8 Better Than Ezra
Oct. 9-10 Sister Hazel
Oct. 11 TBA
Oct. 12-13 Kool & The Gang
Oct. 14-16 Spyro Gyra
Oct. 17-19 En Vogue (tentative)
Oct. 20-22 Jon Secada (tentative)
Oct. 23-25 Taylor Dayne
Oct. 26-28 Boyz II Men
Oct. 29 John Waite
Oct. 30-31 Sister Sledge (tentative)
Nov. 1-2 Night Ranger
Nov. 3-5 Billy Ocean
Nov. 6-8 Los Lobos

• Captain Jack is getting a new home in Adventureland. The Pirate Tutorial will soon take place on a raised stage so more guests can now see the action.
• Seasonal pricing is being added yet again to some of the more popular restaurants during the busy summer months. Starting May 24th through July 11 prices will increase $4 for adults and $2 for kids, ages 3-9 at the following restaurants: 1900 Park Fare, Akershus, Biergarten, Boma, Cape May Café, Chef Mickey’s, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Crystal Palace, Garden Grill, Hollywood and Vine, Liberty Tree Tavern (dinner only), ‘Ohana, Trails End, Tusker House
• Some changes will be made as Spoodles transitions to the new restaurant, Kouzzina. Breakfast will not be offered from July 1 - mid-August. From July 6 - Aug. 1, dinner will be served as a buffet. After that time, the restaurant will close to change the menu over to the Kouzzina menu.

Rumors

• It's being rumored that Fantasmic may see a possible refurb. (I'll believe that one when I see it...)
• Water Park prices are rumored to be increasing. New prices for adults will run $47.93 (including tax) for adults and $41.54 (includes tax) for children.