Disney’s popular Fastpass system is now expanding to a character meet and greet. Beginning this spring, Mickey Mouse will have a new home, inside the Town Square Theater, which is located at the front of Magic Kingdom in the Exposition Hall.
This marks the very first time Disney has ever utilized a Fastpass system to allow guests to come back at a later time to see characters.
Once this opens, it will be more than just a place to see Mickey Mouse. Imagineers are working to create new elements and surprises for park guests, which will include an interactive queue. The queue will take guests backstage, where they will find Mickey waiting in a rehearsal-room environment, filled with posters, steamer trucks, and stage props. During the construction phase of New Fantasyland, Disney princesses will also be visiting the Town Square Theater for meet and greet sessions.
Fastpass allows guests to get a card, giving them a time with a one hour window later in the day to skip the stand-by line.
“Mickey and Main Street, U.S.A. are great examples of pure Americana that complement each other very well,” Concept Designer Jason Grandt said. “We drew a lot of inspiration from classic Mickey animated shorts such as The Nifty Nineties and Mickey’s Grand Opera. Many of the scenes in these shorts look like they take place right on Main Street.”
The Meet and Greet was in the now closed Mickey’s Toontown Fair in Mickey’s House. It was a similar experience in that you were able to see inner workings of Mickey’s life. Minnie also had a house in the area where guests could meet and greet with her as well. There is no word on whether or not Minnie will have a place in the Town Square Theater.
Whereas Disneyland has free-roaming characters, Disney World has much larger crowds, as the park is an international destination. It’s a great idea to add Fastpass, however it kind of loses the magic a little. Disney has always had to find new ways to handle masses, and adding Fastpass to an attraction that always has a wait seems to be the best idea. Now that Fastpass will be implemented, will we soon see Next Gen coming to Mickey’s meet and greet?
What do you think about Mickey getting a Fastpass? Let us know in the comments below.
