Korean Illustrator Gives European Fairy Tales a Magical Eastern Makeover

South Korean artist Na Young Wu did these wonderful asian style illustrations of classic European fairy-tales, with characters  wearing hanbok, the traditional Korean formal wear. I think she did a marvelous job and i hope you'll like them as much as i do!

Above: Alice in Wonderland, below: Beauty and the Beast

Princess and the Frog

The Swan Princess

Red Riding Hood

The Snow Queen 

Frozen - Elsa

The Little Mermaid

Snow White

Pictures : copyright Na Young Wu

What Makes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train a Unique Ride

Let's start first with the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train dedication that happened this morning by Tom Staggs, Snow White, and of course the Seven Dwarfs. Short but cute dedication as you can see below.

The good guys of Inside the Magic filmed a video of the dedication that you can see below.
They did a big report on the press event with plenty of videos so make sure to check their others articles, too.




Now, to come back to the title of this article, what's make Seven Dwarfs Mine Train a unique ride? Sure, there is the new Audio-Animatronics with the rear projection effects for the Dwarfs faces... and then there is gorgeous theming everywhere... and of course the fantastic rock sculptures which i like personally really a lot, also because it's a different kind of rocks / shape than the one they did previously in others attractions.

But there is something else that makes this mix of dark ride and family coaster unique and here is what it is: if you remember all the others dark rides created by Walt DIsney Imagineering - Peter Pan's Flight, Pinnochio, Snow White Scary Adventures, etc... they all finish well after the guests have been through the usual encounter with the evil character. I mean: the last scene is generally a typical "and they lived happily ever after..." scene, right?

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is different. Contrary to the old Snow White dark ride there is no scary scenes and it's a happy ride all along, whether because of the scenes inside the mine or in the dwarfs cottage at the end, and not to mention the coaster itself and the new twisting vehicles which for sure will enjoy everyone. But, also contrary to the old dark ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train doesn't end on a "happily ever after" scene, it ends with a "threatening" scene, as the very last thing that the riders can see is the evil witch waiting its time outside the cottage, with her basket full of poisoned apples!

 Chronologically speaking all the scenes are in perfect respect to the original movie storyline. In the movie the witch indeed appear at the cottage after Snow White dances with the dwarfs, so on this plan everything is right. In fact where the old dark ride was telling the Snow White story from the start to the end - in a way sometime too scary for very young children - the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train concentrate on the dwarfs themselves and the middle part of the movie. Still, it ends almost with a "cliffhanger" with the evil witch who as we know will poisoned Snow White anytime soon.

And that's another element which makes this brilliant ride unique, the fact that at first sight it ends well - the dance in the cottage - but with a scene including the threatening evil character, not defeat,  just two seconds later.

Pictures: copyright Disney

Movie: copyright inside the Magic

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Press Event - Official Pics and On-Ride Video ! Now Edited with FULL Ride Videos !

The awaited Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Press Event is currently happening at WDW Magic Kingdom Fantasyland and Disney released a set of great pictures as well as two videos including one showing half of the ride!

Editing: That's it, we now have a REAL FULL RIDE POV video of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train including the final scene, and more, thanks to Theme Park Review!




And here is another one filmed by WDW Magic, also ( twice ) full ride, with better colors than the other one below but which strangely don't show the final cottage scene.




This next one filmed by Inside the Magic will show you the ride at night and, important note, because of the night time you see much better the inside of the cottage at the end with the dwarfs and Snow White!




But here is may be the best Seven Dwarfs Mine Train video filmed by Big Fat Panda. And it's because it's a multi angle video and it also shows the interactive queue at the start, so it worth to give it a look!




Disney also released a fantastic video shot from helicopter and showing the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and all Fantasyland ( and even more ) from above! Don't miss this one!




This next video shows the reverse angle, and is interesting as it shows a family riding the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Sure, you won't see the decor as well as in the other videos below but the amazement and fun of the two children in the foreground is charming, really and you understand why the coaster is going to be very successful with young kids.




You've probably noticed that there is a little story in this ride. You see first the dwarfs at work in the mine, then it's time for them to go back home and i think the chinese shadows scene on the wall with them is a great idea, and it also legitimate why you can see them again dancing inside the cottage at the end of the ride as they went back home. And you even have the witch waiting its hour outside.

I think they did a great work on this attraction and i'm definitely impressed by the theming of everything and specially by the quality of the outside rocks sculpture which i find amazing, really.

And now, here we go with great official pictures! Below, the seven dwarfs at the entrance of the attraction.

As you know there is an interactive queue and he first shot below shows guests at the first interactive station in the attraction queue, where Doc’s note explains the jewel washing game. As the jewels flow by in a wooden trough, or sluice, guests touch and drag them into a tray on the side of the sluice, matching them by color and shape. The trough is about 15 feet long and is accessible from both sides.

Another scene from the interactive queue. Here guests, by turning the diamonds can see images appearing on the ceiling. You'll see the scene in the video below.

This first Disney video below will show you a bit of the interactive queue...




And this next one from Inside the Magic will show you all the interactive queue!




And now, all aboard for a ride through the forest and the dwarfs mine.

Below, great pictures of the scenes with the dwarfs with the new Audio-Animatronics.

Right after these scenes the train goes out of the mountain for this big drop below... 

...and then pass on the little bridge above.

You've probably noticed that due to the daylight we can't see very well on the videos the inside of the cottage at the end of the ride. Thanks to the nighttime video from Inside the Magic we can see it much better and i did from it two screen captures sticked together.

Also, here is the evil witch standing behind the cottage at the very end!

Let's end with the Disney POV ride video. The one they've released as a "full ride POV video", is not, a big part is missing. But you'll see the inside scene above with the dwarfs AAs. Unfortunately they've put on the video a music which has absolutely no link with the story and probably with the ride which is pretty bad, so not only it shows just a part of the ride but you also don't hear the real soundtrack of the ride.





Pictures and video: copyright Disney, theme Park Review, WDW Magic

1955 Article Introducing Disneyland Reveal Snow White Dark Ride First Design

Here is a short post but with something really cool as it is a document published in a non-Disney American magazine before Disneyland opening in 1955. What's really interesting in it - click on the image to see it in big size is of course these WED Enterprises renderings drawn by Disney artist Bruce Bushman, but more specifically the one about the Snow White dark ride showing how the ride was envisioned back in 1955.

As you can see, a lot of scenes still  now exist in the Snow White dark ride but here they're shown not in the same order. What is interesting about this sketch is that it ends with the warmth of the movie, not the witch falling of a rock. You have a long time to approach the Castle and see them heading off together with the Dwarves. A better, happier ending. 

You'll note also the difference of design on the ride vehicle itself as at that time they envisioned to have a sculpted dwarf on the front of the vehicle.

The rendering showing the Dumbo ride also prove if needed that the elephants were originally imagined to be in pink color.

But the other artwork interesting on this double page is the flume ride with Monstro, the whale from Pinnochio. We've seen this artwork before and know that it is one showing "a ride that never was" but obviously the magazine, specially in 1955, got all these artworks from Disney which means that the ride was really envisioned to be built at that time and may be even shortly after Disneyland opening day. This Monstro sketch showing a straight flume was likely in reaction to the most popular ride at Coney Island that every operator told Walt he'd have to have "Chutes the Chutes". Finally the Monstro ride was never built but who knows, may be it will be one day?

Pictures: copyright Disney

Snow White book now available in soft cover edition at affordable price

Last week, i've let you know about the new and gorgeous "Jungle book" book by Pierre Lambert. This week, i have a good news for all Disney animation fans as Pierre Lambert previous book about Snow White is now available in soft cover edition and at a very reasonable price - 30 euros on Amazon.fr instead than 120 euros for the hard cover edition.

The size of the book is smaller but still big - 10" x 10" - and the artwork inside the book is the same than one could see in the original edition. Let's have a closer look at this great book, another perfect Christmas gift!

This first artwork is a cello on background painting for a scene at the beginning of the movie.



Next artwork is a Joe Grant preliminary study of the evil queen.



This cello on background painting of the evil queen is famous but so perfect that it's always a pleasure to see it again.



Another cello on background painting for the famous scene of Snow White with the animals of the forest.



This next artwork is a production background watercolor painting of the seven dwarfs cottage.



... just like this one below.



Here is a rare preliminary study for the seven dwarfs by Ferdinand Horvath.



Below, a cello on background painting for the music sequence.



Same for this next one with all the seven dwarfs.



The book also show great story-board drawings like this one of the witch during the "apple" scene.



A cello on production background for the same "apple" scene.



And a last one for the happy ending!



The book has 240 pages. This is the french edition, but only the first 30 pages have a text in french and all the others have only artwork. So, no need to say that even if you don't read french it won't be a problem to enjoy the book full of never-seen-before Snow White artwork. Just like the Jungle Book book by the same author, i highly recommand it to you, specially at this very affordable price.

All pictures: copyright Walt Disney Productions