Walt Disney World Plans New Attractions for 2001 and 2002

Lake Buena Vista, FL -- New family-fun attractions are coming to two Walt Disney World Resort theme parks -- Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom -- in 2001 and 2002. Walt Disney World Resort today announced plans for an attraction and merchandise area based on the hit animated feature film "Aladdin," and a wacky, dinosaur-themed fun fair complete with rides and midway games.

Here are some highlights of what Walt Disney World Resort is planning on the heels of its yearlong millennium celebration: The Magic Carpets of Aladdin will take Magic Kingdom guests on a magic carpet ride in the Adventureland area of the park beginning in early summer 2001. Sixteen 4-passenger "carpets" circle around a giant Genie's bottle, moving up and down and pitching forward or backward at the "command" of riders while whimsical, water-spewing camels "spit" at the airborne guests. The development also will include a new, open-air marketplace -- Agrabah Bazaar.

Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama! is a whole new "mini-land" of zany fun planned for DinoLand, U.S.A., at Disney's Animal Kingdom, featuring a family coaster ride in spring 2002 following the opening of a spinning dinosaur ride and midway of brightly colored arcade games in 2001.

Primeval Whirl uses roller-coaster technology to create rider-controlled, spinning "time machines" that transport riders through curves, short drops and the jaws of a dinosaur skeleton.

Triceratop Spin takes guests on an up-down-and-around ride in 4- guest vehicles that move around a giant spinning toy top that opens to reveal -- what else? -- a dinosaur.

Chester and Hester are familiar to fans of Disney's Animal Kingdom as the proprietors of Chester & Hester's, a shop with tables and racks spilling over with dinosaur toys, trinkets and t-shirts. Now, crazed by anything cretaceous, they're creating a midway of fun where guests can try their hand at games such as Ringosaurus.

Disney's "Aladdin" is familiar to moviegoers, who turned the 1992 animated film into the 24th all-time domestic grossing film.* Now the theme of the motion picture is being turned into a permanent Walt Disney World attraction for the first time. Music from the movie also will fill the area around the new Adventureland attraction which will open December of 2000.

As new attractions and expansions are announced in Walt Disney World theme parks, things are also expanding in Disney's resort kingdom, with Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge slated for an April 2001 opening. The 1,293-room, African-themed, deluxe resort will feature balconies overlooking savannahs that will be home to more than 200 mammals and birds including giraffe, zebra, Thomson's gazelle, ostrich, and sacred ibis.