Disney Dish: WDI Debates Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Updates & Universal Survey Insights

Disney Villains After Hours Event

• 🎃 Disney announced a new hard ticket event, Disney Villains After Hours, for Magic Kingdom, running on select nights from June to August.
• 🐉 The event will feature elements like a Maleficent Dragon float, villain shows, character appearances at Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain, special food and beverage offerings, and merchandise.
• 💰 Ticket prices are $139 plus tax, with a $30 discount for Annual Passholders and DVC members.
• 🚢 A humorous idea for an April Fool's joke involved a villain-themed Disney Cruise Line ship, highlighting the potential for dedicated villain experiences.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Expansion

• 🗓️ The Epcot Food and Wine Festival will run longer in 2019, extending to November 23rd, the weekend before Thanksgiving.
• ⚠️ This extended run, starting August 29th, coincides with the free dining promotion, raising concerns about crowd management and employee workload, especially with a short turnaround before the holiday season.
• 📊 Approximately 240 out of 365 days in the year will feature some sort of festival in Epcot.

New Ride Technology and Theming

• 📸 The Haunted Mansion now offers on-ride PhotoPass, though the photo is taken at the beginning of the ride rather than at a more climactic point.
• 💡 There's a discussion about Disney's past concepts for interactive ride photos and merchandise that didn't fully materialize.
• 🤠 Woody's Roundup, a Western-themed buffet and fireworks viewing event, was announced for Disney's Contemporary Resort during the Fourth of July weekend, coinciding with the release of Toy Story 4.

Hollywood Studios Capacity Plays and Future Expansion

• 🚗 A new Lightning McQueen show at Disney's Hollywood Studios is primarily a capacity play to manage crowds, especially with the opening of Galaxy's Edge.
• 🎸 Discussions about the future of the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster attraction are ongoing, considering the age of Aerosmith and potential replacements, including past considerations like the Jonas Brothers.
• 🗺️ The layout of Disney's Hollywood Studios is analyzed for potential expansion, with areas behind Star Wars Launch Bay identified as prime locations for new themed lands, possibly a Marvel-themed land or a Monsters Inc. land.

Universal Survey on Theme Park Attractions

• ❓ A Universal Parks & Resorts survey explored guest preferences for theme park attractions, balancing heavily detailed rides versus immersive environments.
• 🎢 Listener feedback suggests that the greatness of an attraction can stem from immersion (like Tower of Terror) or the ride experience itself (like Hulk), indicating that success isn't solely dependent on one factor.
• 🧩 The survey broke down attractions into components like queue experience, interactive elements, and ride vehicle types, allowing for a granular analysis of theme park design.
• 📚 A notable omission in the survey's IP categories was