News and Rumors 3/14/11 - 3/20/11

News and Rumors are gathered from various different sources. All rumors are rumors and are to be taken as such.

News


Magic Kingdom

• The Tomorrowland Terrace is open for the busy Spring Break crowds.  It will be open from 5 pm - 9 pm until April 26th.
• The Town Square Theater is expected to open April 1st. Though since no official announcement has been made by Disney, that date could change. 
• A new walking tour has been introduced to the Magic Kingdom.  Called Walt Disney: Marceline to Magic Kingdom, the tour it will explore how events in Walt Disney’s life helped shape the Walt Disney World Resort and the attractions within it.

Epcot

• Epcot has been testing a new way of entering the park.  Guests are not asked to insert their ticket into a machine and push through the turnstiles, instead, guests place their tickets next to a barcode scanner, it scans it and also your finger, and guests just walk into the park.  No word on how long this test will last and if it will make it's way permanently into the parks.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Tatooine Traders is expected to have a two week refurb starting April 4th and lasting til April 17th.  The shop will be reconfigured and restocked.  Rumors are indicating that Star Tours will begin soft openings around this time period too.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• The Yeti in Expedition Everest appears to be getting some work done, as currently there is a scrim covering him...though it is not expecting that we will see a full blown fix ever.  Glad to know they are attempting to make him work at least a little bit.

General WDW News

• The Wave at Disney's Contemporary is now offering a breakfast buffet.

Rumors 

• The Tiki Room's refurb has supposedly been pushed back until June 30th.  Speculation keeps getting stronger that the Under New Management show will not return.   
• Rumors indicate that the next DVC resort could potentially be located at the Grand Floridian.  Though I've also read that instead of DVC, the Grand Floridian could be simply getting more wedding space.   It appears that this will be one of those rumors where only time will tell what's really going on, if anything.  
• A general idea of when Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party dates are out there.  These are tentative and subject to change.
  
  Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
  Sept. 13-16-20-23-27-30
  Oct. 2-6-7-10-11-13-16-18-20-21-23-25- 27-28-30-31
  Nov 1
  Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
  Nov. 8-9-11-13-15-18-27-29-30
  Dec. 2-4-6-7-9-11-13- 14-16-18

• Lotso is expected to leave the Studios on April 30th.  When he leaves, he is expected to be replaced by Winnie the Pooh.