The Disney World Orlando "American Idol" experience is shutting down after five years, another obvious sign that the show's popularity has basically nosedived.

More than 2,000 contestants have been able to audition for the regular"Idol' series to date. The show will shut down in January. It opened in 2009. Each day, the winner among theme-show guests is given a "front of the line" ticket to an audition.

Finalists from this year who made it through the "experience" include Majesty Rose, Ben Briley & Emily Piriz.

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Kelly Clarkson finally had her baby over the weekend. She really couldn't wait. Her daughter's name: River Rose Blackstock, She married Brandon Blackstock in October. More details here.

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Season 7 finalist Carly Smithson, who lived briefly in Atlanta at one point, will help pick singers during the cattle-call auditions in Minneapolis. This is the first time "Idol" has offered this job to a former "Idol" contestant. Details here.

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"Idol" will reward $50,000 to a "true believer" who convinced the 2015 winner to audition. Read more here.

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I was flipping through National Enquirer at Publix (don't ask me why) and they claim "Idol" is bringing back the original judges. This despite the fact Keith Urban has already said he has signed on. Like I said, I read that in the National Enquirer. So this isn't really news. It's just what the National Enquirer wrote. And how often does anyone even reference the National Enquirer anymore?

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