This is the weekly news, rumors and refurbishments update for Walt Disney World for the week of January 25, 2015.
Here are the three biggest updates from around the resort for the past seven days.
1. The former American Idol stage is being transformed
Orlando Theme Park News is reporting that Walt Disney World has declared the Superstar Television Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios a construction zone. That is the theater which housed the former American Idol Experience attraction that closed during the summer of 2014.
It has been rumored that the theater will be the new home to “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration” show that is currently played in the Premiere Theater. The theater could also be in the processed of being cleared before it’s demolished as part of the rumored Star Wars Land coming to the park. We should know the answer later this year.
2. Starbucks has opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Officially opening on February 3, the Trolley Car Cafe has begun letting in guests for the first time in forever. Taking the place of a former merchandise location, Trolley Car Cafe is located at the end of Hollywood Blvd at the corner of Sunset Blvd.
Trolley Car Cafe is the third in-park Starbucks at Walt Disney World. The Magic Kingdom has the Main Street Bakery, Epcot has Fountain View, and now Hollywood Studios has Trolley Car Cafe. A fourth Starbucks at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is already taking shape at the former home of Creature Comforts.
3. The Walt Disney World monorail will be operating a little differently this month
The monorail will be operating on different routes February 3 – 5, February 9 – 12, February 23 – 26, and March 2 – 5, 2015, between 11:00am and 7:00pm.
The Resort Monorail:
- Will make stops at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and the Magic Kingdom.
- It will not make stops at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center.
The Express Monorail:
- Will make stops at the Transportation and Ticket Center, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and the Magic Kingdom.
If you are staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort or Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and want to go to Epcot you can take a direct bus or take the Resort monorail to the Magic Kingdom, then take the Express monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center and transfer to the Epcot monorail from there. Guests at the Polynesian also have the option of simply walking about 5 – 10 minutes to the Transportation and Ticket Center and hopping the the Epcot monorail.
