Are DLP Imagineers Preparing a Soarin' Ride for Adventureland with a 1940's "Indy" Theming ?

Here is something interesting bringing more infos about the Soarin' ride envisioned for Disneyland Paris Adventureland, as you've learned yesterday from my article about the report posted by Geoffrey on his Facebook page. When i read this, i had some doubts that it was a real good idea to put a Soarin' ride at DLP Adventureland but Geoffrey posted yesterday a comment to my article which gives more infos about the theming and / or storyline that WDI seems to envision for this ride. You may have read his comment at the end of yesterday's article HERE but i repost it below.

"From what we have heard, the Soarin' ride will be themed with some ties with Indiana Jones (the planes travels scenes) and will have a very 40's spirit in it. And from what I understood, the opening and ending scenes would be different from the US version of the "Soaring over Horizon" movie to better tie with this style, while the rest might be the same : flights over old historical places. Finally, one important thing about the location: we said ( ndr: in the report ) it could be built behind the Indy Temple, but there are other places available than the one they kept for Indiana Jones Adventure. One that could be far better to hide the huge show building, and I'm sure you know guess where..."

So, what d'you think, folks, do you think a Soarin' ride could find its place at DLP Adventureland with this kind of Indy story line? Which will explain by the way why they will put it also at Shanghaî Disneyland Adventure Isle... Personally i'm still not totally convinced - not by this kind of "Indy" storyline, i think it will work fine - but mainly because of the huge "machinery" of Soarin'. I'm talking about what you can see on the picture below, coming from The Theme Park Guy.

I mean, with the best "Adventureland" storyline in the world there is no way they can theme this huge machinery ( or i don't know how we can call it ). You'll tell me, people will not care as they'll look at the movie. Sure, but you'll admit that it would better fit eventually in Discoveryland than in Adventureland. The 1940's "plane" storyline will help for sure, but i still think - wrong or right - that the transition between an exotic world outside and the inside machinery of Soarin' might be a bit hard to swallow... Now, don't get me wrong, i'm sure DLP  or SDL Imagineers are aware of this and will do their best to create a great theming inside, but i still need to see it to believe it can "work"...

As for the ride location, if they can build the Soarin' show building backstage, on the other side of the railway track, and keep intact the land that they've kept so far to build Indiana Jones Adventure that would be perfect... who knows, may be someone some day at DLP will finally have an epiphany and realize that bringing IJA at DLP Adventureland would be a great idea.

Pictures: copyright Alain Littaye : The Theme Park Guy

Soarin' over the world to have multiple films like Star Tours ?

Lance from Screamscape has a very interesting rumor today as he heard " that the new Soarin' version ( aka: Soarin' over the world ) coming in 2016 may borrow a little technology from the Star Tours 2 project. This would be more than the switch over from Imax film to Digital (each has it’s own merit), but a switch to digital would also allow for the possibility of using a randomizer to include different possible ride scenes to be shown during each visit... 

Now while I can’ verify that this will happen, the simple fact that there are really far too many incredible places in the world worth Soarin’ over, more than would easily fit into a quick 5-6 minute ride film, this would be a great way to add them all into the mix of possible locations. In fact… they could even incorporate some of the great scenes from Soarin’ over California into the mix, ensuring that some of the existing ride lives on into the next generation." 

Not only this would be a great idea but it will also makes perfectly sense. In fact, when i've read Lance post i thought: " how didn't i think about this before?!? " It would be absurd to "soar" above the whole world in 5 or 6 minutes, so this is really what must be done, and i hope it will happen for real!

Now, if you want to have an idea how great Soarin' over the world sequences might be, here is something that is as close as possible to how it should look. Discovery Channel released recently a series of beautiful short documentaries called "The World from above". Each episode has a different destination and the one i embedded here will take you for a HD flight above Italy and especially Venise the gorgeous city of Doges. As i wouldn't be surprised that Venise will be one of Soarin' over the world destinations this kind of "preview" should interest you. 
Very important: choose to watch it in the highest definition - 1080p - and definitely in full screen mode!

More on Screamscape HERE , and also more about Soarin' Over the World different countries / destinations in my latest update HERE. 

The Disney's California Adventure that never was !

Just found back in my Disney "archives" a press kit that was sent to me in 1996 by the Disneyland press office. It's a presentation of the "future" Disneyland Resort and what was going to be, some years later, Disney's California Adventure.

Everything is there, the Entrance, the Animation building, Soarin', the Grizzly raft ride, the Grand Californian hotel, etc...but if we have a close look to the renderings, nothing look like what we knew in DCA's first version. It's a Disney's California Adventure that never was!

Let's have a look first at the rendering on the cover of this six-pages brochure. It is supposed to be the entrance of the park. The monorail is still passing through, but no Golden Gate, etc...And this giant golden spire was supposed to be the icon of the park, just like Sleeping Beauty castle can be for Disneyland.



Now, if this giant spire looks familiar to you, dear readers, it's normal. You just saw it four days ago in my Westcot article - see the Westcot rendering below - and this spire was probably one of the rare reminiscence of the Westcot project in this early DCA concept-art.



But all is not lost in this "entrance" rendering. If we have a look at this picture of the model of DCA new entrance, we can see that, here too, there is some reminiscence of this first DCA entrance concept-art. But the giant spire has disappeared forever.



The next page of the brochure was introducing the new Disneyland Resort, and i suggest you to double-click on the image to read the text.



As we can see, the next page is very interesting, too...



The Art of animation building looks totally different than the one we know...



And it's the same for the Soarin building, very different, too.



Even more interesting are these two renderings. Not only the Grizzly River Run rafts don't look like the one show here, but we are still waiting for an "abc" attraction!



The master plan on the next page may look familiar...



But if you have a close look to the DCA section, you will notice that big changes were done in the first DCA version, beginning by the water canals...



Next page is interesting, too. The buildings on the rendering with the monorail were never built, and even the Grand Californian hotel had a different architecture.



The last page who show the redesign of Walnut Street and Katella Blvd is may be the most accurate with the final result, though...



We know the rest of the story, and how DCA finally had a totally different look and even more now, but i thought it was interesting to share with you this first vision of the park!

Artwork and brochure: copyright Disney

Soarin' Over the World - The Ride

After a week soaring over Disney theme parks around the world let's talk about the real thing, i.e the long awaited "Soarin' Over the World" movie. Disneyland Paris fans are now waiting the future Ratatouille dark ride but what's next for the Walt Disney Studios after the Ratatouille ride? Well, Soarin' over the World is not only awaited at the WDS but also at DCA and Epcot - and probably at SDL as i've let you know this week in a previous article - so this article which reveal details about the new upcoming movie should also interest DCA and WDW fans.

Since Walt Disney Studios opening DLP Imagineers kept the room to build Soarin' in the future. The attraction is clearly indicated on some DLPI map project, all things which doesn't mean necessarily that they will build the attraction. It just mean that if they decide to build Soarin' they have the room available to do it. Actually, the space available is located between Cinemagique and the former Disney Channel buildings where are now Playhouse Disney and Stitch Live! attractions. And if you want to have an idea of the dimensions of the space available for Soarin' have a look at the picture below shot from the WDS parking lot. Click on it to enlarge the picture.



So, they DO have the room to build Soarin' but when will they build it? Well, considering that the Ratatouille dark ride will open only early 2014 there is of course no chances at all to have a Soarin' opening the same year.

However, what i can tell you is that Production Courtyard - the "land" where Soarin' would be build if they decide to do so - should be the next part of the park to have a big "placemaking". It's also the area where DLP Imagineers have the biggest space available to build a new attraction. They have of course plenty of land to expand the park in front and beyond the Tram tour station but if they want to stay inside the current limits of the park the available area reserved for Soarin' is definitely the biggest one.

And how should it look when Soarin' will be finally built, you ask? Well, if you're standing right now between Cinemagique and Stitch Live!, it looks like this:



But when DLPI Imagineers will finally build Soarin' over the World it might very well look like this:



Please note that the picture above is NOT a WDI picture, it's a Photoshop montage - not perfect, i agree - that i personally did using the infos from what i've been told and Disney's California Adventure's Soarin' facade and sign, which means that it might very well not look like this at the end...although it will be probably quite close and you can expect a facade as high as the one i did on the picture.

However, the park would be inspired to don't wait too long to build Soarin' at the WDS. Ten years ago WDI was almost alone to have the technology but now others ride manufacturers already propose some kind of "Soarin'" attraction using more or less the same technology at a much cheaper price and it's almost a miracle if no other french park didn't built yet an attraction of the same kind.

But what about the "Soarin'over the World" movie itself, you ask? Well, the last two years WDI imagineers were scouting locations around the world, and once the locations are choosen they need government's authorizations to film from an helicopter. Part of the shooting itself - for instance in France - was scheduled for last summer but it may have changed. Now, may be it don't looks like, but this "Soaring over the World movie" is going to be a real challenge for WDI imagineers. Why? Well, as in this new "Soarin'" movie we will soar "over and around the world" it means different filming in different locations, and here comes the question of the best season. Very probably the best time for filming should be in spring or early summer to avoid landscapes with no leaves on the trees of winter or summer monsoon rains in other locations. Not to mention that for other countries, it will be another season than spring which may be the right one for filming.

Before i go further, a little warning as there will be some spoilers ahead.

Now, the big question is : over which location will we "soar" in this new movie? Well, WDI imagineers have chosen some countries and if they don't change their plans, prepare yourself to soar over England, France, Italy, Egypt, India, China, Japan, and for the U.S.A: the Grand Canyon and New York.

Although there is no South America country in the list above it doesn't mean it's not part of Imagineers plans. They have the choice: Brasil and Rio de Janeiro's bay or Iguaçu Falls, The Amazonia forest, The old Inca Machu-Pichu fortress in Peru, all these would be spectacular locations to soar above...

However, the other part of the Imagineers challenge will be probably to avoid filming a too "obvious" Travelogue. It's not going to be easy, as each country have its own iconic place/city/monument and it's a little bit everyone's dream to fly above them.

Now, what is coming next is just my personal thoughts, as i don't know exactly which place in each country Imagineers are planning to film. I mean: i really don't know. So what you will read below is pure personal speculation, although the locations choice below could very well be the one that will be in the final film! Also, please note that the pictures below are NOT Disney pictures, but a photomontage that i did with aerial views and the "Soarin'" vehicle from the "Soarin' over California" marketing picture. I tried to choose aerial views which will give you the soaring "vertigo" feeling as close as it should be in the final movie - please click on each picture to see them in big size to get the "effect".

Now, think about the India sequence, who wouldn't love to soar above the beautiful and romantic Taj Mahal?...



...or, for Italy, over the gorgeous Venise, the City of the Doges? Soaring over the Grand Canal would be great!



For England, will we soar over the legendary Tower Bridge? I can almost see the camera plunging between the two towers of the bridge...



For China, can we escape to soar above The Forbidden City?



And for the USA how great it would be to fly above the Grand Canyon...



...or New York?



Everyone would love to fly over these historical landmarks, so let's hope that WDI Imagineers will fulfill our dreams. They shouldn't think if a location is too obvious or not, it's not the problem, really!

Then, because we will travel around the world, i'm ready to bet that imagineers will play with the time of the day. And, because each location have a best time to be filmed, WDI Imagineers will be right to do so. Why not, for instance, begin the "flight" by the Giza Pyramids at dawn? I know very well the place as i've been there many times in my life, and the best hour with magical light on Giza Pyramids is definitely at dawn. Also, Egypt civilisation is the oldest one of all the countries listed above. To choose Egypt for the opening sequence and a dazzling view of the Pyramids at dawn would make perfect sense.



As for the evening sequence, soaring over London by night - the old Victorian city, the town of Peter Pan and the Darling family - would be wonderful. And if they need a Magic Kingdom for the "fireworks" final sequence, there is Disneyland Paris, just a few miles down in the south!



Even better: the best would be to have a different ending for each park where the attraction will play in the future. Take Hong Kong Disneyland for instance. Hong Kong at night is dazzling, and they could "cut" to a scene with fireworks over HKDL castle. Same for Epcot, or TDL or the future Shanghaî Disneyland. Different ending for each park will not only be logical, but also great for fans who will discover a not-totally-identical version when they will visit foreign Disney parks...



But in each country there is also plenty of natural wonders like, for instance, the Grand Canyon. And WDI imagineers may prefer to film them instead of cities or historical landmark like the Forbidden City in Beijing. Or may be they will do a mix of both to help the audience to identify instantly the "country".

Once the filming will be done WDI Imagineers still have to do the editing, add the music score and fix everything right which always takes some months... One last wish and i'm sure that most of you who've ride the first "Soarin'" will agree with me: please try to do a longer movie - which should be the case anyway as a roundtrip around the world in less than 5 minutes would be reaaally short - 7-8 minutes would be fine, it's never too long when you soar above all these wonders even if we must keep in mind the attraction hour capacity. Also: pleaaaase keep - or adapt - the original and fantastic Jerry Goldsmith original music score, no need to have a new one, really!

To come back to the WDS, it will be interesting to see if they will use only the new Soarin' over the World movie or also the first one, Soarin' over California. After all, as the attraction have two theaters guests could have the choice between the two movies... Personally i think they will use only Soarin' over the World at the opening and might keep Soarin over California for a re-boost of the attraction some years later.

Whether Soarin' will come at the WDS in the future or not - i hope it will as WDS guests will love it - let's all be patient and wait with confidence. Soarin over the World should arrive first at DCA and Epcot and hopefully later at the WDS. The sooner will be the better as i'm sure that Soarin' over the World will be an awesome experience!

Pictures: copyright Disney or Disney and more

Soarin' Over... Shanghaî Disneyland

Today we are going to soar above Shanghaî Disneyland! I know, there is not a lot of things to see right now on the SDL site, but the pictures above and below are the first one showing from above the site which seems to be ready for the big construction. We'll probably have to wait two more years to see something really interesting on it, though.



But in the meantime have a look at this video from a chinese TV which is the first i've seen filming from helicopter the SDL site!




Talking about Soarin' a Mice Chat member think that one of the Adventureland layouts on the SDL map released recently on different forums and on Screamscape shows a Soarin' theatre, with the usual two theaters back to back. Look at the picture below where you have the red circle. It's true that it looks like something with two theaters and you can even guess the Soarin' concave screen in each. So - and if this SDL map is the latest one which remains to be prove - may be it shows a theater for a Soarin' ride in which they will show the long awaited "Soarin' over the world" movie. But it's hard for me to imagine a ride like this in Adventureland. I mean, you have all the Soarin' machinery which fit better in a Tomorrowland or Epcot environment and which is not that easy to hide or themed with an Adventureland style, right?



Then, someone else said that it is located where we have seen a Mayan temple in the first SDL bird's eye view released when the project was officially announced. In fact if you look well - see picture below - the Mayan temple is ( was? ) located higher, and this supposed Soarin' theater is much below and right behind the big mountain of the Dinosaurs raft ride. Now, everything is possible, specially in a Disney theme park and they could eventually have written a storyline based on how the mayans have found a way to fly - after all they DID had a storyline like this for a never done flying coaster project for Disneyland Paris Adventureland, one more DLP project that never was. And then take this storyline alibi to have the guests soaring all over the world... Still, i may find a little bit too hard to swallow a Soarin' ride inside a Mayan pyramid... But it's true that the layout looks like a Soarin' theatre, so let's give for now to this Mice Chat member the benefit of the doubt for his discovery!



You can see more pictures shot on the SDL site on the always excellent Theme Park Guy Board HERE!

Pictures: copyright Disney, Eastday.com

The Disney's California Adventure that never was !

Today, i found in my Disney "archives" a press kit that was sent to me in 1996 by the Disneyland press office. It's a presentation of the "future" Disneyland Resort and what was going to be, some years later, Disney's California Adventure.

Everything is there, the Entrance, the Animation building, Soarin', the Grizzly raft ride, the Grand Californian hotel, etc...but if we have a close look to the renderings, nothing look like what we know. It's a Disney's California Adventure that never was!

Let's have a look first at the rendering on the cover of this six-pages brochure. It is supposed to be the entrance of the park. The monorail is still passing through, but no Golden Gate, etc...And this giant golden spire was supposed to be the icon of the park, just like Sleeping Beauty castle can be for Disneyland.



Now, if this giant spire looks familiar to you, dear readers, it's normal. You just saw it four days ago in my Westcot article - see the Westcot rendering below - and this spire was probably one of the rare reminiscence of the Westcot project in this early DCA concept-art.



But all is not lost in this "entrance" rendering. If we have a look at this picture of the model of DCA future new entrance, we can see that, here too, there is some reminiscence of this first DCA entrance concept-art. But the giant spire has disappeared forever.



The next page of the brochure was introducing the new Disneyland Resort, and i suggest you to double-click on the image to read the text.



As we're going to see, the next page is very interesting, too...



The Art of animation building looks totally different than the one we know...



And it's the same for the Soarin building, very different, too.



Even more interesting are these two renderings. Not only the Grizzly rafts don't look like the one show here, but we are still waiting for an "abc" attraction!



The master plan on the next page may look familiar...



But if you have a close look to the DCA section, you will notice that big changes were done in the final version, beginning by the water canals...



Next page is interesting, too. The buildings on the rendering with the monorail were never built, and even the Grand Californian hotel had a different architecture.



The last page who show the redesign of Walnut Street and Katella Blvd is may be the most accurate with the final result, though...



We know the rest of the story, and how DCA finally had a totally different look, but i thought it was interesting to share with you this first vision of the park. We are now all waiting for the third "vision", and hopefully, this time, it will be the right one!

Artwork and brochure: copyright Disney

The Disney's California Adventure that never was !

Today, i found in my Disney "archives" a press kit that was sent to me in 1996 by the Disneyland press office. It's a presentation of the "future" Disneyland Resort and what was going to be, some years later, Disney's California Adventure.

Everything is there, the Entrance, the Animation building, Soarin', the Grizzly raft ride, the Grand Californian hotel, etc...but if we have a close look to the renderings, nothing look like what we know. It's a Disney's California Adventure that never was!

Let's have a look first at the rendering on the cover of this six-pages brochure. It is supposed to be the entrance of the park. The monorail is still passing through, but no Golden Gate, etc...And this giant golden spire was supposed to be the icon of the park, just like Sleeping Beauty castle can be for Disneyland.



Now, if this giant spire looks familiar to you, dear readers, it's normal. You just saw it four days ago in my Westcot article - see the Westcot rendering below - and this spire was probably one of the rare reminiscence of the Westcot project in this early DCA concept-art.



But all is not lost in this "entrance" rendering. If we have a look at this picture of the model of DCA future new entrance, we can see that, here too, there is some reminiscence of this first DCA entrance concept-art. But the giant spire has disappeared forever.



The next page of the brochure was introducing the new Disneyland Resort, and i suggest you to double-click on the image to read the text.



As we are going to see, the next page is very interesting, too...



The Art of animation building looks totally different than the one we know...



And it's the same for the Soarin building, very different, too.



Even more interesting are these two renderings. Not only the Grizzly rafts don't look like the one show here, but we are still waiting for an "abc" attraction!



The master plan on the next page may look familiar...



But if you have a close look to the DCA section, you will notice that big changes were done in the final version, beginning by the water canals...



Next page is interesting, too. The buildings on the rendering with the monorail were never built, and even the Grand Californian hotel had a different architecture.



The last page who show the redesign of Walnut Street and Katella Blvd is may be the most accurate with the final result, though...



We know the rest of the story, and how DCA finally had a totally different look, but i thought it was interesting to share with you this first vision of the park. We are now all waiting for the third "vision", and hopefully, this time, it will be the right one!

Artwork and brochure: copyright Disney