Idol Talk

He's no Eli Manning. And he didn't even have any Gatorade dripping from him. But right after he won last night's "American Idol" sing-off, David Cook got to join the familiar refrain of sports champions by uttering, "I'm going to Disney World." If you're thinking about going to Disney World, and you're an "American Idol" fan--or an aspiring contestant--mark your 2009 calendars for January. That's when the new American Idol attraction is set to open at Disney's Hollywood Studios (the park formerly known as Disney-MGM Studios). To be housed in the now-vacant ABC Theater (which is odd, considering Disney owns ABC, and "Idol" is on the rival FOX network), park guests will have the opportunity to audition for the chance to strut their stuff before a live audience on a mockup of the "Idol" set. Judges will winnow the contestants, and the park will stage a finale at the end of each day to crown a winner. According to info released by Disney and "Idol's" producers, the park's daily winners who want to pursue the real "American Idol" will receive a guaranteed reservation to bypass the lines at a regional competition. The attraction could be a hit as long as "Idol" maintains its cachet. The "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World didn't have much of a shelf life as the TV show's popularity faded. I wonder whether the park will able to pluck enough decent warblers from its crowds to sustain the attraction, especially during lower attendance periods. Then again, half the fun of "Idol" is hearing contestants mangle a tune. Instead of nasty remarks from Simon Cowell wannabes, maybe judges at the Disney World attraction could acknowledge crummy performances by dumping Gatorade on contestants. After all, they'll already be at Disney World, right?

• Toy Story Mania- Now open at Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Walt Disney World Ride Guide 2008- What's new this year at the Florida resort.