WDW Disney Hollywood Studios Toy Story Land Open! Land Dedication and TSL Rides Videos

It's the big day for WDW Disney's Hollywood Studios Toy Story Land as the land has its dedication this morning with Bob Chapek and Tim Allen, here is the video -, start at 5.45min as the dedication itself  doesn't start before.

The land include two rides, the big one being the Slinky Dog Dash Roller Coaster which last around 2 minutes.



Attractions Magazine has posted an excellent POV video of it and the queue theming is pretty impressive. The ride itself looks fun, make sure to watch it till the end to don't miss the Audio-Animatronic at the end of the ride! Here is the daylight version and you have the video in the night version HERE.




The other attraction of Toy Story land is the new Alien Swirling Saucers ride and i remind you that the attraction will be added to DLP WDS Toy Story Playland in the soon future.


As D&M reader Scott Queto said in a comment yesterday on the D&M Facebook page the entrance to TSL Alien Swirling Saucers ride "is a great reference to the Fisher Price Imaginext Pizza Planet Playlet" and yes it is indeed, see picture below.

Attractions Magazine has also filmed two videos of Alien Swirling Saucers, looks to me that the ride looks more magical with its night lighting. You have the night version video below and jump HERE to watch the daylight version of the ride and the entrance theming.




DHS guests will be able to access Toy Story Mania directly from Toy Story Land thanks to the new entrance, and the queue had its theming redesigned. Here is a video shot by Inside the Magic.




The land is full of theming details all around, and honestly i think that Imagineers did a good job on this new TSL version. The last video below is a full walk-through of Toy Story Land which was filmed with no guests in it as TSL was not open yet and the rides not active, but it's perfect to discover TSL theming.




Andy's Lunch Box is where TSL guests can find food and have some rest while they lunch, here is a video of it filmed by WEDWAY.




One more thing: Disney has confirmed that Green Army Women are coming to Toy Story Land, in addition to the Green Army Men! Tom Vazzana, show director for the Green Army Patrol said that "both men and women serve in our armed services every day and it was time to add women to the Green Army Patrol". And all of the Green Army Patrol characters that guests will encounter in the new Toy Story Land will be face characters, to give them more freedom to interact with guests.

The Beverly Sunset shop at Disney's Hollywood Studios is now selling all Toy Story Land merchandise items, here is a video tour showing all of them.




So, what do you think of this new Toy Story Land? Let us know in the comments!

Pictures: copyright Ryan Pastorino / Tribune Media

Video: copyright Attractions Magazine, Inside the Magic, WEDWAY

Toy Story Land Model Is Now on Display at Disney Hollywood Studios Walt Disney Presents

Today, Walt Disney Presents, a re-imagined version of the One Man’s Dream attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, officially opens its doors to offer a new look at the past, present and future of Disney Parks.

One of the exciting pieces of the “future” that Walt Disney Presents showcases is a model of the park’s Toy Story Land expansion, which will be on display for guests to view starting today.

The Toy Story Land expansion, which will open in Summer 2018, will shrink guests to the size of a toy and allow them to explore all the fun of Andy’s backyard, which as you can see in these images, has been delightfully filled with familiar toys and sights from the “Toy Story” films.

You can also see some of the charming detail our Imagineers have created for this new land and its two major attractions – Slinky Dog Dash and Alien Swirling Saucers.




The Slinky Dog Dash attraction will be a family coaster themed as if Andy used his Mega Coaster Play Kit to build the ultimate coaster for Slinky. The land’s other major attraction, Alien Swirling Saucers, has been designed as a toy play set that Andy got from Pizza Planet, in which Aliens are flying around in their toy flying saucers and trying to capture guests’ rocket toy vehicles with “The Claw.”










Here is a video of this Toy Story Land model, posted by Inside the Magic.




But the Toy Story Land model isn’t the only exciting draw to Walt Disney Presents. Tracing Disney history from Walt Disney’s beginning sketches, photos and storyboards, the attraction celebrates milestones in Disney film and theme park history up through today and beyond. Expect to see models, maquettes, sketches, artist renderings, a portion of the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge model, concept art for the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction and more.



Walt Disney Presents will also continue to host greetings with characters like Star-Lord and baby Groot, plus special sneak previews of upcoming Disney films. Check you My Disney Experience app for the latest.

Pictures and text: copyright Disney

Partnership Between Disney and Turner Classic Movies for Disney Hollywood Studios Great Movie Ride to be Announced Tomorrow !

Great news for Disney Hollywood Studios Great Movie Ride attraction as the New York Times reveal that tomorrow will be announced a partnership between Disney and Turner Classic Movies, which include enhancement of the queue and more. It's even a double good news as it also mean that Disney will not tear down the iconic Chinese Theater replica when the big hat will disappear:

From the New York Times: "The Turner Classic Movies cable channel is joining with two divisions of the Walt Disney Company for an agreement, to be announced on Wednesday, that underlines how media giants are increasingly collaborating on content-marketing efforts.

TCM will help the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division make changes to the Great Movie Ride, a long-running attraction at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios section of Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

In return, TCM will receive “Presented by” credits at the attraction on posters, banners, display windows, marquees and the like, which will also display the TCM logo.

In the other part of the deal, another Disney division, Walt Disney Studios, will provide TCM with vintage movies, cartoons, documentaries and episodes of TV series like “Disneyland” and “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” for a periodic programming block on the channel under the banner of “Treasures From the Disney Vault.”

The block will be offered by TCM “roughly four to five times a year,” said Charlie Tabesh, senior vice president for programming and production of TCM.

“Disney films and other programming have been seen a little bit on TCM, but not much,” he added. “It will be exciting to dig into the vault and see classic Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, ‘The Wonderful World of Disney,’ ” he said.

The initial block of Disney programming by TCM is to run from 8 p.m., Eastern time, on Dec. 21 through 5:15 a.m. on Dec. 22. “It’s a Sunday night,” Mr. Tabesh said, “a perfect family night and getting close to Christmas.”

Among the nine scheduled items from the Disney archives are “Santa’s Workshop,” a 1932 cartoon; “The Disneyland Story,” in which Walt Disney himself describes in 1954 plans for the park named Disneyland that he opened in Anaheim, Calif., the next year; “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier,” edited from episodes of a “Disneyland” serial about the frontiersman; and “The Vanishing Prairie,” a nature documentary.

The changes for the Disney World ride are scheduled to be introduced in the first quarter of 2015, perhaps in the early spring. What visitors see as they wait for the ride and watch as part of the finale will receive a reboot under the aegis of TCM, playing on its reputation as an expert in classic film.

Among the new elements will be a video featuring Robert Osborne, the host who has been the face of TCM since the channel began operations in 1994; he will identify himself as “from Turner Classic Movies.”

The idea is to “inject TCM brand authority” into the ride, said Pola Changnon, vice president for brand creative and on-air promotions at TCM, and “pique the curiosity” of visitors, encouraging them to explore the world of classic film once they are home.

Full article on the New York Times website HERE.

Picture: copyright Keane Arase

A Last Goodbye To Disney Hollywood Studios Backlot Tour

As i told you yesterday in my previous post the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will close on September 27th, 2014. I thought that it will be a good idea to have a last look to the full studio tour and the video below will show you the Backlot Tour just like if you were yourself in the tram!




Picture: copyright Alan Shaw

WDW Disney Hollywood Studios Backlot Tour Will Close Sept 27, Pixar Place Expansion Likely Coming

If you follow me on the D&M Facebook page you may have seen the news announced by Tom Corless on WDW News Today, which was confirmed to Disney Hollywood Studios cast members yesterday afternoon: the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will close on September 27th, 2014.

According to Tom "work is set to begin on a third track for Toy Story Midway Mania inside of that building" and the area surrounding Soundstage 1 will likely be used for the rest of a large-scale PIXAR Place expansion. Although some of you might miss the Studio Tour all the question now is: what would they put instead of the Backlot Tour and Tom thinks that a Toy Story Playland like the one at DLP Walt Disney Studios and Hong Kong Disneyland which include RC Racer, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, and the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop should . But there will be more room available so it will be interested to see if the remaining space would be used for a Cars Land or the inverted coaster Monsters Inc. attractions.


For more details jump to WDW News Today HERE.

Picture: copyright Alan Shaw

Is a Star Wars Land Coming to Disneyland Resort ?

It seems that Lance Hart from Screamscape is not the only one thinking that Disney might build a Star Wars Land, and not only at Disneyland Paris but also at the Disney Hollywood Studios AND at the Disneyland Resort as recently Disney Parks did a survey asking Disneyland passholders some very specific questions that obviously they wouldn't ask if they had no reasons to -  i mean, if there was nothing "behind" the questions. 

The first one was: " How interested would you be in visiting a Star Wars themed land at the Disneyland Resort?"

It's difficult to ask a more direct question and you'll note that the question is related to the Disneyland Resort - not about Disney Hollywood Studios at WDW where, as you've seen in my previous article, we think they also have some plans there for a Star Wars land.

The second question was: "Which Star Wars characters would you definitely NOT want to see or meet in person?"

If we except this poor Jar Jar Binks, is there really any other one?

And the third question was: "How familiar are you with the Star Wars universe? By"Star Wars universe", we mean the people, places  and stories in the Star Wars movies, books and games?"

Hey, you never know, may be there is still some people in South Cal who have never ever heard about Star Wars during the last thirty years?

Note that others questions that i don't know might have been asked but apparently there was also questions about "which trilogy you prefer, the classic trilogy or the prequels", "what places would you like to visit in the SW universe", etc...

So, what all of this means? Well, it means at minima that Disney is seriously thinking about building a Star Wars land at the Disneyland Resort, but this, you already have understood it. However, this doesn't mean that a Star Wars land will come necessarily at Disneyland Tomorrowland - even if there is rumors saying that it will - as Disney could have in project a third park that we don't know about - even if we suspect them to have this project (!) So far it seems that a Star Wars land is definitely in project and i'll let you know if i have more news!

Pictures: copyright Disney

A Star Wars Land for Disney Hollywood Studios ?

We already know that a Star Wars land is in project for Disneyland Paris Discoveryland but according to Lance from Screamscape another one might be built at Disney Hollywood Studios. For now, there is a lot of "IF" but Lance has learned that the park’s big parade will close and that there is also a rumor "that the Parade Float building may also be removed to make room for a new future project". We're talking here about the Parade Float building located backstage behind the Backlot Express restaurant which is close to Star Tours. 

So far, there is no signs that the Backlot Express will be removed too, but as Lance explains if they remove it, then the DHS will have "a fairly large space where they could possibly build a new Star Wars themed mini-land that could include the often rumored Star Wars Cantina restaurant project proposed for Paris". 

You've understood that we are here totally in the rumor section as Disney might have others plans for the "new project" they would put where the Parade Float building is currently. But, as Lance also says, considering that Disney can't build a Marvel land at WDW - because of the Universal exclusivity deal "east of the Mississippi" - there is no doubt that Disney will want to build instead a Star Wars land at one of its WDW property. And, considering that the DHS already have Star Tours and the Star Wars weekends each year the logic would be to build a Star Wars land there. 

As we know the DHS don't have a lot of room available around Star Tours and they can't really expand the park behind it as there is one of WDW Blvd right behind. So, as Lance think, they might find some room if they remove the Parade float building and the Backlot Express and i've did for you a Google Earth view - see the circled orange space below ( click to enlarge the picture ) of the space that Lance is talking about.

But, if Disney really needs a biiiig land to build a Star Wars land which wouldn't be only a mini-land but a real big land at the height of the fans expectations, why don't they take it on the parking lot nearby - the space circled in orange below - and then expand the parking lot in the back where nothing stop them to do it - the space circled in blue on the same picture? There might be of course plenty of reasons that i don't know which would make the operation more difficult that it seems, but technically it looks possible, doesn't it?

Anyway, which park - DLP or DHS - will be the first to inaugurate its Star Wars land, the future will tell!

Picture: copyright Lucasfilm, Google Earth

Legend Of Captain Jack Sparrow Now In Soft Opening At Disney Hollywood Studios

The awaited Legend Of Captain Jack Sparrow experience is now in soft opening at Disney Hollywood Studios Soundstage 4, and it looks pretty good. It's not a new POTC ride, it's mostly a show with both pirates props and projection effects but a syou will see on the video below it's pretty well done,

The show begin with a pre show and DHS guests meet a talking skull like the famous one in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. It introduces the show and will appear all along. Guests then enter inside the main show room filled with pirates skeletons and a replica of the Black Pearl. During the show guests will come face to face with a skeleton army, mermaids, Davy Jones, the Kraken and finally Captain Jack Sparrow himself, play of course by Johnny Depp, to defeat Davy Jones. According to those who have seen it already "the projections appear to literally fly off the screen along the back of the wall to over the Black Pearl and other objects inside the room". 

It's always hard to judge on a video but the quality of the projections looks really good as well as the whole experience. They should add this at DLP Walt Disney Studios in the "backlot" area, it would be perfect and the former Backlot Express restaurant is now even partly themed with a POTC theme! Go ahead and watch the video in full screen mode!




The video below was shot by the good guys of Inside the Magic, so after you watched it be kind enough to visit their site where you'll see more pictures of the show. And by the way, talking about pictures, the picture on the top is in wallpaper size!

Picture: copyright Disney

Video: copyright inside the Magic

Looking towards the future...

Frankly, the next three years are not going to be easy for Disney fans web sites. And especially theme parcs articles. Why, you ask? Well, you see, we all have a big problem as almost any new attractions, lands, etc...are known and most of them have been officially announced or will be in a near future.

I know, I know, the Disney marketing machine is so incredible that we can count on them for weekly special announcements. But for Disney fans who always eagerly await what will be the next big one, i'm sorry to say that all of you could almost go to sleep and come back in quite a while when we will have something else than fences and cranes all around the pictures to show you.

And I don't talk about Disney movies! Here, too, we know most of the program: Princess and the Frog this Year, Rapunzel in 2010 with also Toy Story 3, The Bear and the Bow and Cars 2 in 2010, Prep and Landing, eventually if they find a good idea Monsters Inc 2, Tron Legacy, John Carter of Mars, Prince of Persia, Pirates of Caribbean 4, 20000 Leagues under the sea prequel, Brad Bird's "1906" - about San Francisco 1906 earthquake, etc... without forgetting some nice short animated from Disney or Pixar. Of course we still have to discover all these great movies, there will be trailers, pictures, artwork, etc... but we know already what to expect at least until 2012.

Let's come back to theme parks where the problem is even worst. As i've said - and although a great news awaits you at the end of the article - we know already what will be the new attractions that WDI will build in the next three years. Thanks God, there is still a huge surprise to come with Shanghaî Disneyland and hopefully - if the chinese officials finally stop to ask more and more from the WDC - we can expect an announcement probably this fall. And i agree there will be a lot to talk about it - and hopefully artwork to show - when the big news will be finally announced.

But for other Disney parks in the world, it's another problem. Don't believe me? Let's do the list of what is planning for each park until 2012-13, whether it's officially announced or not.


Disneyland, Anaheim

2009 - A new Disney Gallery, Great Moments with Mr Lincoln come back, Tiana's Show Boat Jubilee, New Monorails, and eventually the come back of Captain EO

2010 - World of Wonder Parade

2011 - Star Tours 2

Others with no dates : A new Tomorrowland with probably a new movie to replace Honey I schrunk the audience, People Mover come back, etc...


Disney's California Adventure

2010 - World of Color show, Silly Simphony Swings, Goofy's sky school, Paradise Gardens

2011 - New DCA entrance, Carthay theater, Red Trolley Transportation, New show for Hyperion theatre, and probably a new show to replace the Muppets 3D

And most of all, the highly awaited Little Mermaid Ride

2012 - Cars Land with Tow Mater's Junkyard jamboree and Luigi's Roamin Tires attractions and the major E+ Ticket Radiator Springs Racer (not too mention other great Restaurants and shops like Flo's Restaurant, Filmore's Organic Foods, etc...)

2013 - Soarin' over the World


Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

Fall 2011-2012 - New Fantasyland with The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Aurora houses meet and greet, Belle's Village, Gaston's Tavern, Be our Guest Restaurant.


Epcot

Nothing, or almost, before 2012 and probably the new Soarin' over the world movie


Disney's Hollywood studios

2011 - Star Tours 2

The Monsters Inc coaster is apparently cancelled for now, WDW putting all the money - probably around $250 M - in the new MK Fantasyland.


Animal Kingdom

May be a good surprise to expect, but probably not before 2012


Tokyo Disneyland

2011 - Mickey's Philarmagic

Tokyo Disney Sea

Fall 2009 - Turtle talk with Crush (inside the Columbia ship)

Not officially announced and no dates yet but very probably coming: Soarin' over the world and a Toy Story Mania attraction apparently on a different theme

Hong Kong Disneyland

2011 - Toy story Land

2012 - Grizzly Trail

2013 - Mystic Point


Disneyland Paris

No attractions announced for DLP Magic Kingdom but may be Star Tours 2 in 2012, and probably a new movie to replace Honey I schrunk the audience in Discoveryland. We can also count on new shows or parades for DLP 20th

Fantasyland - The Little Mermaid should come to Fantasyland but probably not before 2014 if Ratatouille stays as the 20th Anniversary attraction


Walt Disney Studios

2010 - Toy story playland

2012 - Ratatouille dark ride

Also expected : A WDS expansion and a night show, Soarin' over the world, New Hotels and Disney Village expansion, World of Disney shop, Villages Nature with a big water park, all this, let's say, between 2011 and 2015-17

And that's it. Now, frankly, is there any big surprise for you in this list? For 90% of them we've already seen artwork, we know exactly where attractions will be build, etc... For sure Disney will release more infos little by little - i think we can expect more details about the WDW MK new Fantasyland during the D23 Expo - but don't expect WDI Imagineers to tell you all about the most awaited attractions like the Little Mermaid ride or Cars Land Radiator Springs Racer.

Which means what? It means that for the next three years parks weekly updates will show a lot of construction works pictures, with cranes all around, fences, etc, etc... And although it will be fun to watch DCA's Cars Land become reality, we must not forget that the final buildings won't rise before two years or so. As usual it's all the preparative ground process which takes most of the time. Of course there will be the new World of Color show next year, but, hey, it's a fountain show! Which means that it will be beautiful during the show, and that there will be nothing to look at when the show will be over, no decor, no building, nothing, except of course the new Paradise Park. Only the Orange Stinger and Mulholland Madness re-theming will bring some kind of new visual elements in 2010 at DCA. The rest of the park is going to be a big mess until 2011, but we all know that's the price to pay to have a real nice and enjoyable park.

In Florida it's even worst as there is definitely no new attractions to expect before at least fall 2011-12 - which will be also the date of the two new Disney Cruise Line ships. I don't want to be provocative, but thanks God, the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure will open in 2010!

So, everybody - i mean the main Disney fans web sites - will show almost the same pictures of construction works, etc... I think it's going to be a bit boring to see the same pictures and that's why i've decided to stay out of the game. It doesn't mean that i will stop new Disney and more articles, but it means that i will leave other sites - which generally do it extremely well and even better than me - do their weekly update. Very probably i will do new articles only once or twice a week, with DLP updates when there will be something new to show, but not more. I've noticed that we are now all talking about the same things, same news, and it doesn't make sense, really.

Of course i will keep an eye on the daily Disney news and you can count on D&M to react as fast as before when a REAL major news will be announced - like Shanghaî Disneyland, for instance.

Talking about new Disney park, i've kept for the end the scoop news! First, you may have read the OC Register August 14th article. Basically, the article announces that a parking lot will be build on part of the land where Disney envisioned to build the third Californian Disney park. Apparently it's not good news, but the parking lot won't stay forever, probably not more than ten years. So, all hopes are not lost for this third theme park, it just mean that we don't have to expect it before 2018-20.

And when i've read that, i thought "that's interesting...". Why? Well, simply because my good sources confirmed me recently that another "third" Disney theme park should rise at the horizon 2020. But this one will be on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

That's right, Disneyland Paris executives are seriously planning to open a third theme park at DLP "at the horizon 2017-20". And please, don't ask me what will be its theme as not only i don't know it, but probably DLP executives don't know it either. There is plenty of land available to build a third theme park and in the next 8-10 years WDI Imagineers will obviously propose different themes to DLP management. But don't expect any official announcement before at least eight years, if not ten.

As for an opening date, i will bet more on 2020 or 2022 - the 30th anniversary - than 2017. Why? Simply because they need to expand the Walt Disney Studios and transform DLP's second gate in a real full day park before opening a third theme park. Considering all what remains to be done to achieve this goal, i think it will take them at least 8 years, if not ten. As generally a new theme park opening matches with a big anniversary date, 2017 - DLP 25th anniversary date - looks too close to me for the opening of a third park. But 2022 - DLP 30th anniversary - for all the reasons explained above looks a more reasonable date...although they could also decide to don't wait for a "special anniversary" date and that "2020" is a good date in itself. Let's also hope that they will have learn from the WDS mistakes and that this third park will be from day one a real full day park...

But yes, Disneyland Paris executives are definitely planning a third theme park for the resort, and that's a great news for all DLP fans.


Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

Star Wars week-ends Posters, news from Star Tours 2, and more

The Star Wars Week-ends will come back soon at Disney's Hollywood Studios and some new Star Wars Week-ends posters were released recently. Blue Sky Disney and the Disney Blog did talk about them and you may have seen them on these sites.

However, as in the previous years WDW also did posters for the SW week-ends, i had the idea to find them all for this article. The new one are just as fun as the old one - done on an "airport" theme - as you will see.

Hat Tip to Blue Sky Disney and the Disney Blog who were the first to post them.











While we are talking about posters here are others done by free-lance artists, not related to the week-ends but interesting, graphically speaking.




I am sure you will instantly recognize where the artist who did the next one took his inspiration...



I like also the simplicity of that one, done for Episode 1.



Some news about Star Tours 2 came from the /Film web site and it seems that filming for the awaited new version has began in West Hollywood: "Our source reveals that the revamp will incorporate prequel characters (like Naboo citizens and Geonosians) along with many aliens from the original trilogy (Aqualish. Bith, Rodians, etc). In the action sequence, the Star Tours vehicle is now going to be chased by Boba Fett. C3PO and R2-D2 are still the hosts, and Anthony Daniels will be recording his parts this week. Admiral Ackbar holographically communicates with the Star Tours vehicle. Right now they’re shooting mostly green screen footage, as it is the middle part of the production timeline."

Update: Yesterday, May 3rd, the Los Angeles Times revealed that Frank Oz, "the voice of Yoda", said in an interview last november that he has been "recording dialogue for the new Disney ride". As this news is coming from the horse's mouth - sorry, from Yoda's voice himself - i think we can trust him!

So, if /Film and the L.A Times are right that's really good news, and this time i think we shouldn't have to wait too long to travel again in another part of the galaxy.

Star Wars Week-ends posters: copyright Disney and Lucas Film Inc

A Disney Hollywood Studios 20th Anniversary Celebration - Part Four - Wallpaper Pictures

The Disney and more tribute for the Disney Hollywood Studios 20th Anniversary is going on! As i have posted plenty of DHS artwork the last three days i thought that a "wallpaper collection" article will make a little change.

All the pictures below are Disney pictures of DHS favorite attractions and restaurants and you probably know most of the pictures, but here they are in high-res and would do perfect wallpaper for your computer screen.

So, enjoy, and see you tomorrow sunday for a new article!





















All pictures: copyright Disney