Pinocchio Village

In Fantasyland at Disneyland Paris, the Italian-inspired tale of Pinocchio extends well beyond the dark-ride attraction, creating an entire village of charming cottages. Located near the exit of the attraction is La Bottega di Geppetto ("bottega" is Italian for "shop," of course). Inside Geppetto's workshop, you'll find dozens of hand-carved toys and cuckoo clocks, including several examples straight from the film.

Pulled up along the side of a road near the outskirts of the village is this colorful wagon. The vendor may be offering soft pretzels by day, but a look at the door on the side of the wagon reveals who calls this his (mobile) home - Stromboli!

Around the bend, we come into the main part of the village, a collection of buildings comprising Au Chalet de la Marionnette restaurant.

Similar to the Pinocchio Village Haus at the Magic Kingdom Park, this restaurant is divided into sections representing different shops, taverns and other places in the town. The counter service area of the restaurant is more open and meant to depict the town square, with colorful tapestries strung from building to building obscuring the view of the sky.

Throughout the restaurant, artwork in the form of carvings, sculpture and murals continue to tell the story of the little wooden boy and his adventures.

Some fun bits in the artwork include the little gingerbread donkey boys in the Pleasure Island mural (above) and Figaro by the "Exit" sign (below). Fans familiar with the Village Haus Restaurant at Disneyland may know the story of how a similar "Exit" sign there was installed off center. Rather than redo it, the Imagineers on the project painted an image of Figaro the cat, pulling the sign with a rope. Here in Paris, the sign was installed correctly, and Figaro couldn't be more pleased!

The storytelling in this section of Fantasyland is really thorough, carrying details from Pinocchio into every corner. The restrooms are marked by images of tiny marionettes, and even the transition to the next land is handled with skill. Just like Peter Pan, the Pinocchio village borders Adventureland. In this case, the room of the restaurant nearest that end recalls the moments Pinocchio and his father spent in the belly of Monstro the whale. The exterior on the Adventureland side then forgoes the village look and instead resembles the outside of a wrecked ship.

Following the Leader

In a comment on my last post, the fine folks at disneygraphy.com (a gorgeous site dedicated to Disneyland Resort Paris) pointed out how nicely the transition works between Fantasyland and Adventureland. Pass from one to the next, and you'll find yourself leaving London and stepping right into Never Land. It's really a brilliant idea, associating the pirates from Peter Pan with Adventureland and forming a thematic bridge to jungle trails and the Pirates of the Caribbean.

During this year's Magical Moments Festival, that link is made even stronger as characters from Peter Pan who appear in Fantasyland (above) lead Guests into Adventureland for the start of the new "Following the Leader with Peter Pan" interactive show.

Straight Out of Africa

As I mentioned earlier in the week, Adventureland at Disneyland Paris is composed of six distinct regions. We now move from the Middle East of Agrabah and the Arabian Nights, into the deserts and jungles of Africa. The transition between the two occurs here, at La Girafe Curieuse (The Curious Giraffe).

Housed in a packed mud structure reminiscent of those found in northern Africa, La Girafe Curieuse is an enterprise specializing in "tout pour le safari" (everything for safari). The proprietor here actually looks to make money from people both coming and going. Heading out on safari? He has whatever you may need. Just got back, but looking for the perfect gift for that certain someone? Check out the selection of curios sold inside or right off the truck.

Inside the shop, things are curious indeed. You can certainly find camping and safari gear, along with other trinkets (like Mickey Mouse pens and Tigger tees). Look up, and you'll also notice the branches of a large acacia tree have grown right through the wall of the shop. And who should be peeking in through that hole in the wall, but a very curious giraffe, gnawing away on the delicious leaves he's discovered.

As you leave the desert and move down closer to the water, the African region changes toward a look drawn from the Okavango River area in Botswana. Much of the architecture is comprised of rondavels, traditional circular structures typically built with stone walls and thatched rooftops.

One such rondavel anchors the French version of the Coca-Cola Cool Post. In addition to chilled, refreshing beverages, the Cool Post also offers quite a few storytelling details.

Clearly, Coca-Cola products are enjoyed around the world. The crates here show shipments marked for Japan and Ethiopia, among other locales. For those on the way there (or nowhere in particular), there's also a helpful sign to point you in the right direction. Notice the mentions of Agrabah, Okavango and Lost City (which we'll get to next week). As for the blue lettering on the second sign from the top... it looks like Greek, but your guess is as good as mine on what it says!

The Discovery Arcade

Running along the opposite side of Main Street and connecting to Discoveryland is the Discovery Arcade. While the thematic transition to Frontierland in the Liberty Arcade is handled through the telling of the story of the Statue of Liberty, the Discovery Arcade carries on Main Street's themes of progress and invention with fantastic visions of things to come.

Here, the arcade is a bit more dimly lit, with richer woods and darker colors. Rather than Lady Liberty, the colonnades feature an image of Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, a symbol of the combination of science and art prominent not only during the Renaissance but throughout Main Street and Discoveryland as well.

The spirit of invention is evident in the exhibits in the Discovery Arcade, comprised predominantly of original patent models from the 19th century. Such models were once required by the United States Patent Office. By the early-1900s, with space at a premium and storage costs soaring, Congress opted to sell the models, many of which ended up in the private collection of American designer and inventor Cliff Petersen. Several dozen gems from that collection are on display here at Disneyland Paris.

Among the models is one for the Wheel designed by George Washington Gale Ferris for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (the World's Fair on which Walt Disney's father, Elias, served as a contractor).

The inventive nature of the people of Main Street creates a general sense of optimism about the future. Visions of that potential future are also on display in the Discovery Arcade, in the form of a series of large illustrations depicting what major American cities might look like in the far off years of 1996, 1999 or even the year 2000 (click the images to see them larger)!

Created in the style of French illustrator Albert Robida, known for his trilogy of futuristic novels, the posters imagine a world filled with golden towers, mechanical wonders and streamlined dirigibles. One such airship is also displayed in model form. It's the Hyperion, seen in the 1974 Disney film The Island at the Top of the World and brought to full-scale fruition in neighboring Discoveryland.

The Liberty Arcade

Perhaps one of the most unique elements of Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Paris is the pair of arcades, or passageways, which run along the back side of the shops, parallel to Main Street itself. Designed as a way to maintain crowd flow during parades and offer guests a respite from the frequent Parisian rains, the arcades manage to serve as attractions unto themselves and provide beautiful transitions to neighboring lands.

Along the west side of Main Street, connecting to Frontierland, is the Liberty Arcade, telling the story of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the United States. The colonnades along the Liberty Arcade are adorned with medallions of copper stars and the face of Lady Liberty, as well as handsome gas lamps crowned with American eagles.

Throughout the arcade, a series of photographs and exhibits tells the story of the statue, sculpted by Frédéric Bartholdi on a metal armature designed by Gustave Eiffel. The statue was commissioned in the 1870s, the completed head placed on display at the 1878 Paris World's Fair and the final piece dedicated in New York Harbor in 1886.

Beyond the creation and dedication of the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Arcade also tells the tale of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island with the dream of a new life in the new world. This part of the exhibit includes several original items from the period.

Just off Flower Street at the center of Main Street is the Liberty Court, an alternate entrance to the Liberty Arcade. Here, beautiful stained glass windows and doors feature images of Lady Liberty and her famous torch of freedom.

Step inside at this point, and you'll discover an intricate tile floor, depicting New York Harbor, along with the entrance to the Liberty Tableau, a brief multimedia presentation designed to make you feel as though you're present at the statue's 1886 inaugural ceremony.

The ballyhoo murals flanking the theater entrance, prompting visitors to "See Liberty's Torch" and "Relive the Grand Spectacle," were designed in the style of those created for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1876. That expo, the first World's Fair held in the United States, featured a display of the arm and torch of the then-unfinished Statue of Liberty.

Traveling to Asia

Although elements were present on the park's opening day, the land of Asia was added to Disney's Animal Kingdom about a year later, in 1999. The routes guests travel to access this region in the theme park mirror the trade routes in and out of the real-world Asia.

The bridge leading into Asia from Discovery Island bears these carvings of elephants forming an ancient caravan:

Docked in the water just off the bridge is this dhow, a traditional Arab vessel used in trade up and down rivers. This particular dhow has a bit of history. Read all about it in this earlier article about the nearby Drinkwalla.

Guests coming from Africa in the other direction travel a path inspired by the legendary Silk Road, a trade route that once existed between northern Africa and southern Asia. Restrooms in the area are housed in a building of mud-packed stone, similar to architecture found in the Middle East.

Along this path to Asia, guests also come across the Caravan Stage, based on a caravansary, a sort of "camel rest stop" along the Silk Road. The space is almost completely covered in silks and tapestries. Caravan Stage is also home to the Flights of Wonder bird show. Note the images of birds woven into the tapestry that makes up the marquee for the stage:

Traveling to Asia, all roads lead to Anandapur, the fictional locale in which the story of Asia at Disney's Animal Kingdom takes place. Loosely translated, Anandapur means "Place of All Delight." The land brings together representations of India, Nepal, Thailand and Indonesia - areas somewhat less familiar to a western audience. These regions were also chosen because they are less densely populated and more in harmony with nature, one of the key themes of Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be exploring the two villages within the Anandapur District, Anandapur Township and Serka Zong, so be sure to check back daily. In the meantime, go back and review some of my previous articles on Asia: The Tiger Tree, Directional Signs and The Smallest Detail.

Namaste.

This Is Main Street, Main Street Station

Main Street is a town in transition, a place of arrival and of heading out on new adventures. This story parallels the experience of Walt Disney World Guests entering this section of the Magic Kingdom. It's a place of comings and goings, with a bright future ahead (be it the "new century" or exciting theme park adventures that await in other lands). It's fitting that the town and the street are anchored by a train station.

Train stations like that of the Walt Disney World Railroad were often the point from which towns in America formed and grew. The railroad was the lifeline of the community, where supplies, mail and other goods would come and go. This is also the place where new people arrived in town and bold citizens set out on adventures in the uncharted west.

The ticket office at the front of the station is packed with detail, much of which is difficult to photograph (so you'll just have to visit for yourself). Once you have your ticket, head inside to wait for the train. Here, you can take in the lovely wood furnishings, gas chandeliers and marble flooring, or keep yourself entertained with the Mute-o-Scopes and other entertainments (moved here in 1995 after the closing of Main Street's Penny Arcade).

The interior also features large murals at either end, which help tell the story of how the railroads opened up the American West. The first shows lumberjacks felling trees to clear the land and build trestles, allowing trains to pass across rugged and uneven terrain. The second depicts the ceremony of the Golden Spike, when the last spike was driven into the ground at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869, completing the First Transcontinental Railroad.

The Station Master calls out, "The Walt Disney World Railroad now arriving from a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom." With a whistle and a belch of steam, a genuine antique locomotive rolls into town, bringing new passengers along with it. For those of us boarding at Main Street, we'll be headed west. Next stop: Frontierland.