WDI Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Video Introduces New Generation of Audio-Animatronics

WDI has released a new video showing some of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Audio-Animatronics and the amazing retro projection effect on the faces. It's very probably the same technique that was used for the face of the big Buzz Lightyear AA that you can see in the Buzz Lightyear ride pre-show, but here for the first time they use it on Audio-Animatronics moving much more than the Buzz Audio-Animatronic, which is of course more difficult to achieve.

Now, you probably have heard that a major update is scheduled on some of Disneyland Anaheim dark rides, and specially on Peter Pan's Flight, Mr Toad Wild Ride and Alice in Wonderland. According to Mice Age the budget for these updates still have the green light so it should be ready for DL 60th Anniversary. So, have a closer look to these animated faces as it is the same technique that WDI intend to apply on all the characters faces of the Peter Pan's Flight ride, and most probably on the Queen of Heart in the Alice in Wonderland ride. This, of course, will allow the characters to have more expressive faces. It don't looks like but it's a new generation of Audio-Animatronics which was unveiled today!




Picture and video : copyright Disney

CGI Ride-Through of WDW MK Seven Dwarfs Mine Train !

Yellow Shoes Creative Group, a team currently working on the advertising for WDW New Fantasyland Seven Dwarfs Mine Train sent to the good guys of The Disney Parks Blog a full version of a CGI video that takes you on a colorful ride through part of the attraction. Although a portion of this was shared during “The Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” broadcast back in December, check out the full version below!




Picture and video: copyright Disney

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Logo Revealed !

Disney Parks and WDI revealed today the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train logo which looks great indeed! You have it above and those of you who didn't watched yet the WDI fist onboard video can watch it below!




Picture and video: copyright Disney

Stunning Views From the top of WDW MK Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Walt Disney Imagineering released the two pictures below showing what kind of view Seven Dwarfs Mine Train riders can expect when the attraction will open. The shot above was taken in the direction of the castle wall, Cinderella Castle, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and Pinocchio’s Village Haus - with still a bit of the construction going on as you can see.

The next picture below overlooks Beast’s Castle and the Belle’s Village section of New Fantasyland. Although not announced officially yet, the ride is expected to open around the end of April as the press event is scheduled for April 30. Soft-openings might happen before that date, too.

Pictures: copyright Disney

Imagineer Dave Minichiello Reveal More About WDW Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Coaster

The Live Chat about Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with Imagineer Dave Minichiello just ended and here is what Dave said about the ride: "Pretty much every day is a milestone and some major ones that I’d like to mention are the Dwarfs Cottage, which is going quickly and looking amazing. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train being a part of the forest - we’re starting to see it as a part of the forest with the tree planting... We’re finally starting to see it all come together.

The top of the mountain is being planted with trees, the final rockwork is being completed as well as thematic painting of the rockwork. Ride testing continues daily. Now what’s really nice is the propping the attraction both inside and outside.

Asked about "why a ride about the Seven Dwarfs" Dave answered: "we were looking at New Fantasyland and trying to create a mix of attractions that would offer a broad variety of experiences for our guests, we were looking for a family coaster type of experience. That led us to Snow White and a Mine Train type of vehicle. As a centerpiece of the New Fantasyland expansion, we also thought that this type of experience would create kinetic energy throughout the land. The Dwarfs are really fun and lovable characters and I think that after seeing the classic film of Snow White, how many of our guests wouldn’t want to go into the film? This attraction gave us an opportunity to go in depth with other story lines in the movie".

To the question : "Will all major characters make an appearance in the ride? The Prince, Evil Queen, Snow White, etc.?" Dave Minichiello answered "You’ll be able to experience many of your favorite characters from the film."

To the question : "how it will compare - speed and dropwise - to other coasters such as Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain’?" Dave answered "It’s a family coaster and it’s a unique experience unlike anything else in our parks. This attraction is more innovative in its ride system and vehicle. It is for the entire family. It gives the guests a new sensation they’ve never had before. And we felt that uniqueness was the best way to tell our story. Also, what’s special about Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is the journey. You travel through the forest and explore the mine where the dwarfs are working, but we’re seeing the mine in a grander scale in a way we’ve never told the story before."

About the video you will discover below Dave Minichiello said: "What’s interesting about the video is that there’s a CGI model, which was the first concept model that we developed for this show. What’s amazing is seeing how accurate it was to our initial concept and vision. What’s amazing is how accurate the sight lines are, the staging, the scaling, the variable speeds. We’re fortunate to use innovative technologies during the development of our attraction". 

Above and below: the reality and the CGI rendering of the scene.

"It's an attraction that has as many amazing views on board as off. From the very beginning, we wanted to showcase those sightlines and see Storybook Circus, a little bit of Mermaid, then we head inside the mine to see the Dwarfs, you come out and see Prince Eric’s Castle, and an amazing view of Cinderella Castle. At our highest lift, you see Prince Eric’s Castle, Beast Castle and Cinderella Castle, so the views are spectacular."

Dave added: "Based on the type of vehicle we wanted to use to tell the story, we started looking at a mine vehicle and thought that it would be a fun guest experience to sit in a mine car". And about the new ride train system: "It has proven to be pretty amazing and a very smooth attraction. It’s a completely new experience - not only having the sensation of pivoting back and forth and it varies throughout the attraction. You feel differences in the various terrain around the mountain.

"Each mine train is very unique and we wanted to make them look like they were used in different times. When you see the vehicles themselves, there’s a lot of layering to them. While you go to the mine and there’s a lot of rustic wood and wood graining throughout the attraction, some of the wood carving is something you seen in the film and we’ve picked that up. The scale and the character of everything around you starts to go into the dwarfs’ world".

To the question: "the train seems to slow when it hits that “dark ride” point - anything specific we should look for in there?" Dave answered "The reason the train slows is to allow the guests to enjoy the details of the scene. We wanted to let our guests discover their favorite dwarf. All seven are hard at work in the mine scene - and we do have some hidden stuff in there."

Dave also revealed that "The queue has a surprise song in it that was originally written for the film called ‘Music In Your Soup,’ which we’ve recorded in instrumental version and added to our queue area. All of the music in the queue area is all instrumental, and we wanted to give it a feel that it was played by the Seven Dwarfs".

Asked about interactive queue elements, dave answered : "Yes, we do have some interactive elements in the queue. Part of the “scene one” in the queue area helps us start to tell the story. We have an area where guests can sort and wash jewels, and for the first time, we’re taking guests into the vault as seen in the classic film ‘Snow White.' The ride height restriction is 38 inches and Imagineers are on schedule for an opening on Spring!

Pictures, Text and videos: copyright Disney
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New Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride Imagineering Video !

Walt Disney Imagineering released on the Disney Parks Blog a new behind the scenes video that will show you a more about the awaited Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction. And this time Imagineers Ben VanBeusekon and Mary Mac Eachin explain the train cars theming and aging process. As usual the cars are part of the story of the attraction, but in this case as they are supposed to be mine cars the theming had to be more accurate than ever.

You'll find the video below but we're gonna "stop the time" a bit with these screen captures of interesting shots, starting by a series of renderings of the train cars.

The video will also show you the train cars being painted and aged at different steps by WDI Imagineers...

Also include again some shots of the virtual ride which was presented before like the scene with the dwarfs inside the mine that WDW guests will discover later this year when the ride will open...

...but this is to better introduce the next shot showing for the first time the REAL decor of the inside of the mine!

There is more shots in the video of the real train running at night so go ahead, have a look at this great WDI video!




Pictures and video: copyright Disney

WDW Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Update

Disney Parks released new pictures of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and the first train is now on tracks at WDW Magic Kingdom New Fantasyland! The first picture below shows a WDI rendering...

...and the picture below show you - on a quite similar curve than on the rendering - the first train which today "ran under its own gravity and completed its first drop out of the station".

Earlier today "Imagineers and design and engineering" marked a milestone in the construction of the awaited ride.

I remind you that the queue decor will be highly themed with guests going through tunnels of the mine full of diamonds as you can see on the two renderings below, done by artist Chris Turner.

One lat thing: the artwork at the top looks a lot like the one officially released but it's not the same one, this one was done by Chris Smith, also for WDI, and it looks great.

Pictures: copyright Disney

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Vehicle On Track

Some fresh news from the even Dwarfs Mine Train construction at WDW Magic Kingdom with, first, the picture above showing ride workers and Imagineers surrounding one of the train vehicle in what seems to be the future boarding room, and you'll note that part of the vehicle is under the platform. I'm not 100% sure of the reason why but may be this is due to the fact that the part of the vehicle where guests will seat will be able to move and they probably had to find a trick to avoid the upper part of the vehicle to topple when guests will board inside the train.

Also, the first pictures showing one of these mine vehicle on track "outside" have been posted by Mouse Steps and they also did the video below.




Picture: copyright Disney

Video: copyright Mouse Steps

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Construction Footage Video

Here is an interesting construction footage video showing what was going on inside the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train construction site not too long ago.

It appeared four months ago - i missed it and i just discovered it on Screamscape - and first i was surprised as Disney generally never release videos showing the construction of a ride - to "preserve the magic" , as they say - ...until i realized that the video was not released "officially". So, watch it, because you might never see this kind of video again, specially an official one.

Picture and video: copyright Disney

Shanghaî Disneyland Rock Work Samples Pictures

Luke, from Luke and the Temple of Fun website has obtained several pictures of the construction samples in Shanghai Disneyland that will be used as a guide for the rock work later on.

Although he don't - and can't - know to which attractions these rock work samples are related it's interesting pictures and one of them - the picture above - features a wooden door frame, which looks a lot like the one in the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train's artwork below and that should be used in the attraction as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train's will be part of SDL Fantasyland. 

I'm sure you'd like to see the other pics that Luke has posted so jump to Luke and the Temple of Fun right HERE.

Pictures: copyright Disney

More about Shanghaî Disneyland Fantasyland + Tom Staggs discloses SDL operation mode

There is more news about Shanghaî Disneyland! First, Shanghaî Daily posted this morning these two new renderings of the Shanghaî Disneyland castle which show the outside and the interior of the planned Shanghai Disney Resort's Storybook Castle. An ornate archway (rendering on the right) will provide a grand entrance to the castle and in the heart of "Enchanted Storybook Castle" will be a magnificent winding staircase (rendering on the left) that will lead guests on a "Once Upon a Time Adventure" featuring Disney princesses.

More interesting is that Shanghaî Daily also confirmed that SDL visitors "will be able to take a 10-minute ferry boat trip from the ground floor of the castle around other scenic spots in the resort". On this last info Shanghaî Daily is right and wrong at the same time. I can confirm that there will be a long slow flume ride (slow like Story Book Land is) but it will go all around Fantasyland and not all around the park. And, yes, this flume ride will go from SDL castle ground floor but before going out all over Fantasyland the boats will also move under the castle, which will be a premiere in a Disney theme park. Finally, i'm not sure that the word "ferry" used about the boats in the Shanghaî Daily article is the right one as i will be surprised if the boats going around Fantasyland look like "ferry boats", we'll know more about this in the future...



And what about the Fantasyland rides, you ask? Well, considering that the Dumbo and Carousel rides will be placed on the other side of the castle in the big garden area right in front of it what kind of Fantasyland dark rides can we expect? Apparently, only the Peter Pan's Flight and the Winnie the pooh rides will find place at Shanghaî Disneyland Fantasyland. So, no Snow White or Pinnochio dark rides BUT the Seven Dwarf Mine Coaster which will open at WDW new Fantasyland should be include in SDL Fantasyland (as long as they don't change their plans, of course).



There is no doubt that there will be more rides in SDL Fantasyland and very probably they will be based on Chinese legends, it will be the right place for that, but no details yet about these. Apparently you can also expect a big maze, may be themed on Alice in Wonderland but also no confirmation about the theme yet.

Little by little details about Shanghaî Disneyland emerged and we might know much more about it in a few days at the D23 Convention. For those of you planning to be there it will be interesting to have a close look at the Disney Parks "Carousel of Projects" section as i've heard that there should be a Shanghaî Disneyland area in it!

Edited: Last Minute SDL News! The China People's Daily online just released an article saying that "In an interview with the International Finance News yesterday, Tom Staggs, President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, released information about the latest progress and specific details of the project.

Staggs said the project is in full swing since it broke ground four months ago. The land leveling is underway the blueprint-based design work is also coming to an end.

As for the details, Staggs revealed that some special design elements will be applied to Shanghai Disneyland. First, the landmark for this theme park is the world's largest, highest and most interactive castle. Second, the castle will be named "Fantastic Fairytale Castle," which is different from the other castles that are named after princesses.

The "Shanghai Mode" is also applied to other fields. With a unique management method, Walt Disneyland and the Chinese party will jointly participate in investment, construction and administrative management of the future amusement park Disneyland Shanghai and other facilities. These all create a precedent in Disney's overseas theme park project management. In this regard, Staggs made more detailed disclosures..

"Disney and Shendi Group established two joint companies: One runs the resort, in which Disney holds most of the shares. The other, as the operator of the resort project, owns and invests in the resort and the theme park, in which Shendi Group holds most of the shares," he said.

He said profits will be distributed to partners on both sides, which is also the precondition for the cooperation. Yet, the specific profit distribution proportion cannot be disclosed."

BUT, according to another China Daily article: "Disney and Shendi Group established two joint companies: "A source close to the deal disclosed that 70 percent of the shares of the management company in charge of the operation of the Disney theme park is controlled by Walt Disney and 30 percent held by Shendi. The properties of the park and its facilities will be controlled by Shendi holding 57 percent of the shares and Walt Disney holding 43 percent.

"To put it in a simple way, Shendi provides funding and land, while Walt Disney offers funding and intellectual property. The two sides share the profits according to the shares they hold," the source said.

All pictures: copyright Disney





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The sum of little effects creates a great ride

When i saw two days ago this video of a new "fake fire" invention, i instantly thought at the upcoming Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction. I'm going to explain you why in a few seconds but, first, i suppose that you know how WDI Imagineers can be expert in creating a fire illusion, the most known fake fire created by WDI wizards is probably the one of the Burning City scene in Pirates of Caribbean - see picture below coming from the excellennt Daveland web site.



As for obvious security reasons it's out of question to have a real fire in dark ride scenes WDI Imagineers found a lot of ways to create a fake fire but this new one created by GlammFire is one of the best i ever seen - if it's just as good in real as it is on the video. If you throw your iPhone into this fire - which looks pretty real - it will never burn because the fire, as i've said, is fake.

Have a look at this short video first and then i will tell you why WDI Imagineers might be interested by it.





Not that bad for a fake fire, isn't it? The fireplace, called Zen Fireplace, is made by GlammFire and creates a fake 3D fire by combining water vapour and LEDs embedded in the ceramic “wood” logs. The fireplace controls the flickering lights and water vapour to create the most realistic fake fireplace possible.

Here is what GlammFire is saying about it on their site: "Featuring an innovative 3D eco-friendly technology, the new ZEN Fireplace by GlammFire ensures a simple and safe use by applying an efficient operability of a water vapour release system.The result achieved is a virtual flame that looks and feels remarkably realistic at any distance. The inner works of this piece combines LEDS embedded in ceramic made, wood logs and water vapor to simulate smoke. The system regulates also the intensity of the lights to the emission of the vapor to deliver a realistic aspect of a real wood fireplace".

So, why did i thought about the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction? Well, as you probably saw on the new Fantasyland artwork, the Dwarfs cottage is part of the ride. And, generally this kind of place usually have a fireplace, with a fire in it. As you can see on the artwork at the top there is even smoke coming out of the chimney. And as we know, there is no smoke without fire...

It's not totally clear yet if the house will be only a walkthrough for Magic Kingdom guests or if the coaster train will enter in the cottage but in both cases if WDI Imagineers needs to give a realistic illusion of fire in the seven dwarfs cottage fireplace this new fake fire developped by GlammFire might be exactly what they are looking for. A fake fire in a fireplace is indeed a little effect, but we must not forget that it's the sum of all the little effects which helps to create a great attraction.

Video: copyright GlammFire