Mickey's PhilharMagic Opens at Disneyland Paris Discoveryland in a Low-Cost Version

Hello everyone, here is D&M report of Mickey's PhilharMagic which opened at Disneyland Paris Discoveryland Theatre as a new attraction, with pictures thanks to Max, D&M contributor and DLP Welcome webmaster. The attraction, announced as a new one by Daniel Delcourt of Disneyland Paris, had a soft opening for Annual Passholders this last weekend and opened to all visitors yesterday Monday October 1st. Actually, more than the "full" attraction beloved in the U.S or at HKDL and TDL it’s just a new movie. After Captain EO, Honey, I Shrunk The Audience, Ant-Man, Star Wars Path of the Jedi, Pixar short Film Festival… it is now the turn of Mickey’s Philharmagic to be presented inside Discoveryland Theater.

Among the many elements which were hints that a simple change of film would only take place, we had: Hint 1 – The location of the attraction: this attraction has always been built in Fantasyland whether it was at Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland or WDW Magic Kingdom. The opening in Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris is a total nonsense in regards to the story and theme of the land. So DLP guests will go from an attraction like Space Mountain or Star Tours, to Donald meeting the Little Mermaid. There’s a problem, obviously, but the reason why DLP open it here is because they don't have a theatre at Fantasyland. DLP has plans to build one since years - if i remember well in the area between Fantasyland and Discoveryland - but unfortunately Disney never gave them the funds to DLP to build it, so...

Below, the entrance of Mickey's PhilharMagic at Disneyland Paris - with the X-Wing fighter of Star Tours in the background...




...and Mickey's PhilharMagic theatre at Hong Kong Disneyland Fantasyland:



Hint 2 – The Lack of building permit: Indeed, if the theater had to be adapted for the attraction, a building permit that could be seen by anyone at Chessy town hall would have been required to modify some elements inside the theatre, such as emergency exits that would have been blocked by a larger screen. I remind you that the attraction normally have a hemispherical screen of at least 120 ° to immerse the viewers. This screen put the visitors right into the action instead of a simple projection on a flat screen. But to have it at DLP, it would have mean that a new screen had to cover the first entrance/exit doors on the left and right sides of the theatre and also partly on the first row of the seats. So basically, the theatre needed be transformed a bit for this attraction.

On the blueprint below the screen (in blue) in Mickey’s Philharmagic at WDW Magic Kingdom.




Hint 3 – Lack of marketing from the park: If some are surprised to see no advertising on social medias, TV commercials or even Ads in the Parisian Metro, that is not surprising. DLP knowing that it is only a new film, could not launch a marketing campaign on a "new attraction" that is not really "totally" one. Instead, the park kept the usual small communication about the Halloween season, because Halloween or even the coming Christmas season have much more impact.

Hint 4 – Unchanged exterior : Again, it’s the same pattern, the only thing visible is the presence of printed banners. Minimal expense, zero integration.

To the unchanged exteriors, we can add the pre-show and the theatre itself which also have no changes. No investment have been done to immerse the visitor into the show storyline. There is still some in-theatre effects during the film, mainly wind and water spray as well as the floor moving a bit but let's not talk about the lack of the Donald Audio-Animatronic normally appearing in the back of the theatre at the end of the film.

Disneyland Paris : Pre-show room and theatre.





Tokyo Disneyland pre-show room and theatre. See the difference?




So, globally speaking it is a feeling of disappointment that Disney parks fans will probably have when they'll see an attraction that does not deserve this, a kind of low cost Mickey’s PhilharMagic, in comparison to all the others versions in Disney theme parks. This is a new try from DLP in the hope to bring visitors to this part of the park but to see an attraction so well designed for its Asian versions being presented in France that way gives the feeling that « Mickey's PhilharMagic » is sacrificed because Disneyland Paris needed to broaden its offer for the arrival of the winter with an investment as little as possible. Another chance missed by Disneyland Paris, and it's a pity as children and even adults usually love this attraction, normally a solid "D" ticket. They still will like it, but it could have been so much better.

On the video below, you'll see that, because they couldn't enlarge the screen, the film itself is reduced. In the real version the movie starts with a kind of 4:3 format of the image and then goes up to a large "Cinemascope" 2:85 format, if not wider.  Here, the beginning has been reduced - so you better sit in the front rows as from the back of the theatre it will look small - and then the image format gets bigger but stay in the limits of the regular screen of Discoveryland theatre. Basically they needed to put a 2:85 format in a 16:9 screen... Also, in the full version of the attraction there is curtains on the left and right which, after the opening sequence, move to unveil the giant screen. Here there is IN the movie an image of  curtains which move visually to give the illusion of real curtains when the format is changing! Want one more for the road? Normally there is a decor element which goes up and disappear in the theatre ceiling - the one in yellow/orange color on the above picture - and in the DLP version it has purely and simply disappeared as they couldn't make the effect. By the way, this decor element moving up is also the reason why they never open Mickey's PhilharMagic at DLP WDS Toon Studios where it could have found its place naturally, inside the Animagique theatre. Years ago, DLP Imagineers have thought to put it there but the problem was that the Animagique theatre is not really a theatre, it's not one with four vertical walls and a ceiling so there was no way to have the decor element disappearing in the ceiling as there is no real ceiling...




Pictures: copyright DLP Welcome, Disney Central Plaza

BREAKING NEWS: DLP InsideEars Event LIVE: Mickey's Philarmagic Coming This October to Discoveryland Theatre, Mark Twain Riverboat Back in 2020, and much more!

The first event of Disneyland Paris new "InsideEars" is currently happening at DLP Hotel New York and it almost look like a mini D23 event as plenty of good news have been announced by Daniel Delcourt and other people from DLP! Delcourt announced that the Disneyland Paris Hotel will go in renovation in 2020 ( picture on top ), soon after the Hotel New York retheming to The Art of Marvel will be over, and the Disneyland Paris Hotel will receive a new theme that will bring Disney characters back to the hotel.



First, a "new" attraction is coming at DLP Discoveryland Theatre and will open this October! It's the 3D attraction Mickey's Philarmagic which, 15 years after its first opening at WDW Magic Kingdom, is finally coming at DLP! Our friends in the U.S, Japan and Hong Kong know the attraction since years but i've seen it years ago at HKDL and it's an enjoyable 3D attraction. Most of all with the Marvel stunt show coming at WDS in July it will make TWO new attractions for DLPR, one in each park, so just enjoy this good news and don't be too difficult!



Below, first official visual for the Mickey's Philarmagic attraction, with the title in its French version.

Don't go away as there is more good news! Starting by the full renovation of the Mark Twain which will start - at last - next year and will be back sailing on the Rivers of Frontierland in 2020!



DLP Phantom Manor is currently in a long renovation until this fall and Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald gave InsideEars more infos with this video below!

Always at Phantom Manor a new photo location with characters will come in October and a new book about it will be released soon!



At Adventureland the Colonel Hathi's Pizza Outpost will close soon to be transformed with apparently a surprise too that will await us later, and will become a buffet restaurant. Talking about restaurants, the Pizza Planet in the back of Discoveryland will be replaced by a convention tent for events like tonight during the Hotel New York renovation.



The long awaited transformation of the Disney Village will begin and the project will be presented soon.



In the hotels no more coupons ( like "breakfast coupons", etc ) they will be replaced by the Magic Pass you see on the picture below. But NO Magic Bands for DLP, most probably for a question of cost.


During the "Rendezvous Gourmands of Disneyland Paris from July 26 to Sept 30 six new "chalets" will be added where guests will find culinary specialties from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Antilles, and more.


About refurbs: scaffoldings will arrive on WDS Tower of Terror starting May 26 and the Ratatouille attraction will close between August and December 2018. Apparently there is some problem in the smoke effect at DLP Big Thunder Mountain due to a leak in the pipes and DLP maintenance team is trying to find a way to resolve the problem without having to empty Frontierland lake...



New themed food is also coming in DLP or WDS restaurants or carts!



New Merchandise products are coming soon, whether it is in clothes...

...or in collectibles, and it seems that they asked the great Jody Daily and Kevin Kidney to designed some of the products!










One more good news: the GREAT book in tribute to Pirates of Caribbean which had a limited edition last year and given only to webmasters and happy fews will be available for everyone anytime soon!



The "Photo Pass Day" will also be back this year at DLP on August 19 during the "photographer day". And talking about pictures, most of the pictures in this article were shot by D&M faithful reader Robert Stallard so make sure to visit his Facebook page HERE.



Pictures: copyright Robert Stallard, ED92, Disney Central Plaza, DLP Welcome and others.

Latest - and good - news from Asia !

No, these good news are not about Shanghaî Disneyland - still waiting for Beijing official agreement - but about Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.

Let's begin by HKDL as its destiny was recently in jeopardy. Reuters press agency announced yesterday that "The Walt Disney Co (DIS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is close to agreeing to invest more capital in Hong Kong Disneyland and allow the island's government convert its loans to equity to maintain its majority share of the theme park"

Reuters source - somebody close to the talks - also said that "Hong Kong's government will not budge on two points: the need to retain equity control of the project, and a refusal to put up any more cash for the park"."The Hong Kong government might reduce its holdings, but still retain a majority shareholding. That's the bottomline."

So, may be had a genious idea to create a "win-win" ending for both parts... If everything goes fine, may be the park's expansion that would enlarge the park's existing area by around a third and feature three new "lands" will not be a dream anymore. Let's cross our fingers!

At Tokyo Disneyland the future looks bright, as it is not less than four attractions that will open in the next three years. Tokyo Disney Sea will have the first one with Turtle Talk with Crush next October. The attraction will be located inside the huge S.S Columbia - no doubt there is plenty of room available inside for an attraction. Cost of this small attraction is U.S $ 13.1 M.



Mickey's Philarmagic will be the next attraction to open, this time at Tokyo Disneyland's Fantasyland in 2011. Cost is around U.S $ 60.5 M. Unfortunately, Philarmagic's opening mean the very end of the beloved Mickey Mouse Revue - that's why i did an article about it a while ago.



The same year, a Cinderella walk through will open inside Cinderella's castle with dioramas, paintings, and most of all a recreation of the grand ballroom where - in the movie - Cinderella danced with her charming prince. Cost: U.S $ 20.2 M.



In 2012, it's Toy Story Mania that will open in the New York area of the American Waterfront. Cost: U.S $ 115.9 M.



Finally, TSM won't be build in the Cape Cod area which doesn't mean that there won't be anything new in this small land. In fact, a new shop dedicated to the extremely successful "Mickey Bear" plushs should open anytime soon in the Cape Cod area (that's a D&M exclusive news!)

Also, if i'm indicating above the costs of the attractions it's not only because it's always interesting to know them, but it may also help some of you to understand why sometime it can be difficult to get a budget approval even for small "A" Tickets.

I'm very happy for TDL and TDS japanese fans, but a little bit less for foreigners. as you can see, if we except the Cinderella walk-through, all the other attractions already exist in the U.S which means that there won't be any new TDL unique attractions coming in the next three years. But it's true that they recently opened the new Monsters Inc attraction, a version which exist only at TDL.

Let's end with a little week-end gift with this great TDL-TDS map at the top of this article! Enjoy!

All pictures: copyright Disney

Will Mickey's Philarmagic replace Walt Disney Studios Animagique attraction in a near future ?

If there is one attraction which will have its place at the Walt Disney Studios Toon Studio, it's Mickey's Philarmagic. First, it's all about animation, and, two, it's a 3D movie and there is no 3D movie at the WDS.



The Animagique show using dark light effect is okay - just okay - but Mickey's Philarmagic will be a big hit with the WDS guests. And the two shows use Donald as the main character!



So, why don't they replace Animagique by Mickey's Philarmagic ? After all, they already have the building, it's already a theater, and the seats are already in place. So, why?

You, see, they have indeed a building, but they don't have the CEILING. I mean, the ceiling height that the Mickey's Philarmagic show effect need.

Let me explain you more. When they've built the WDS, it was in the Michael Eisner era - well, actually, the end of his era. I'm sure you remember it, it was those times where the WDC choose to don't spend too much money in new theme parks ( to say it elegantly! ). The imagineers who built the WDS did absolutely their best with the budget they had, but ,to stay in the "budget", some choices had to be done.

So, for those of you who have never been to the WDS, the "Studio 1" is a full real building - front, back, walls and ceiling are in "hard" - but Studio 2 and 3 have only the front and the bac , and the floor, of course, which are "in hard" everything between is a huge inflatable canvas ( i think it's inflatable, if it's not, sorry about the mistake ) , just like a huge tent hold on each side, with an invisible metallic structure.

As it's not easy for me to find the right english words, the best is that you have a look at the picture below. Here is what you can see on the left...



And here is a closer look...



Now, let's come back to that ceiling problem. Those of you who have seen Mickey's Philarmagic may remember that, at the very beginning of the show, the screen have a kind of "frame" around it. And when it begin, the frame goes up, to "disappear" in the ceiling - see below a screen capture of a youtube video. And here is the first problem. Because of this damn' hemispheric structure, they simply can't do it! No way to have the frame disappearing in the ceiling!



The other problem is with the screen itself. If you saw the show, it begin with a "small" screen which enlarge after five minutes to reach a kind of "cinemascope" size. Same problem, because the walls are not square, it's another difficulty.

I know, you're going to tell me: " why the hell don't they put out this damn' structure and built real walls and ceiling? It's not THAT difficult..." You will be right, it's not difficult, but it's not cheap. Because not only you have to almost build an entire new building - except the front and back walls, but you have to re-install all the security , fire system, etc...And, believe me, it's always a big part of an attraction budget.

On the other hand, the cost of the Animagique show is not that cheap for the park. The show need many performers which means a salary cost, that would be reduced with a movie attraction which need less cast-members.

So, we'll see in the future, but Mickey's Philarmagic is a really good "D+" ticket, WDS guests will enjoy it immensely, and it will be a real good choice for the WDS Toon Studio.

Animagique and Mickey's Philarmagic show Photos: copyright Disney

Exterior photos: copyright Alain Littaye