The new and awaited book "Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real" will be released probably in May (it was supposed to be published last January) but if you want to know more about it don't miss Didier Ghez Interview of Marty Sklar and author Melody Malmberg on Didier's blog HERE.

D&M Exclusive : Universal Studios Singapore Grand Pictorial Report - Part Two

Here is the part two of the Universal Studios Grand pictorial report and, thanks to two of my Disney and more readers Fabian Fan and Wee Sen who kindly took the time to shoot great pictures and did a great job you will see everything of this new Universal Studios park, the only major theme park to open this year!

In this Part Two we will have a look to the Hollywood area, New York Streets and Madagascar area. There we go, with pictures of the USS entrance, Hollywood Boulevard and its facades, and click on each if you want to see them in big size.

And don't miss the Part Three HERE and Part Four HERE of this Grand pictorial report, now on line and showing the other lands!





























Here is a short video showing the Hollywood Boulevard.




And another one showing a small musical show near the Mel's Drive In.





Let's go now to New York streets!













Here is another video, this time showing New York Streets area.




We're moving now to the new Madagascar land!

















Let's end with three short videos filmed in the Madagascar land, the first one show the Madagascar A Crate Adventure entrance decor, the next one King Julien's Beach Party Carousel, and the last one the Madagascar Dance with characters. Don't miss the part three of this report tomorrow friday in the evening!










Also now on line the Part Three HERE and Part Four HERE of this Grand pictorial report showing the other lands!


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

Pictures: copyright Fabian Fan or Wee Sen depending of the pictures.

Youtube Videos: copyright singaporesearchsite whom i thanks a lot for the videos.

" You are... Renaissance People "

You've probably heard before that Ray Bradbury, the legendary Sci-Fi author of "Martian Chronicles" and "Fahrenheit 451" once said that WDI Imagineers were "Renaissance people". This Bradbury quote is very famous but do you know why and when Ray Bradbury said this? Just like you probably, i didn't knew... until two days ago, when i saw this Ebay auction: "Rare 1976 Walt Disney Imagineering Ray Bradbury Speech".

Described as "Original paper given to Disney Imagineers "You are Renaissance People" Excerpts from two addresses by Ray Bradbury to WED and MAPO Imagineers on December 23, 1976", this Ebay item intrigued me. So, you know how i am, i had a closer look to it and realized that this was probably the origin of Ray Bradbury's famous quote!



Above: Ray bradbury in 1975

The document has only four pages but what a great piece of history! On the first one is the title "You are... Renaissance People" and on the last one only the copyright with a Mickey logo, but it's the middle pages who are of great interest as it is there you'll find the complete text that Ray Bradbury adresses to WED and MAPO Imagineers on his talk, back in 1976.

Double-click on the picture below to read this historical text.



Mind you, the relation between Ray Bradbury with Disney didn't start on December 23, 1976. As you can read in this chapter called "The Disney Connection" from "Ray Bradbury Uncensored! : The Unauthorized Biography" that i strongly recommand you to read on this link.

In this chapter Ray Bradbury remembers some of his meetings with Walt Disney, back in the 1950's:



And Marty Sklar tell us how WDI asked Ray Bradbury to work on Epcot's Spaceship earth concept:



Few lines below it's Bradbury himself who describe how he had conceived Epcot's iconic attraction:



Years later Ray Bradbury worked again with WDI Imagineer Tim Delaney on the Orbitron concept for Disneyland Paris Discoveryland. Imagineer Pat Burke who worked on DLP Frontierland, including Phantom Manor remember: "Ray Bradbury was a common fixture walking around the halls of WED, as he was the New Voice for Walt's Epcot and World Showcase for Walt Disney World. Walt's friend John DeCuir Senior could visualize what the project could possibly become. Harper Goff realized it on a working plan. Ray Bradbury expressed it in words that we could all visualize as we worked on the many concept models and pieces of the Bigger Pie as we sometimes called the model. We often sat with Ray Bradbury at lunch and listened to his stories and concepts. I was able to attend his play on his Martian Chronicles at a small theater near the old Disney Hyperion Studio. Having read it in school in the early 60's, this was a great event seeing it with the actual writer present and get his questions and answers afterwards. When Disney produced in 1983 "Something Wicked This Way Comes" starring Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce, based on the Bradbury novel of the same name, we were allowed to preview it at the Studio, as we were often allowed back then. We were all amazed at the special effects in the film and how some of the film treatments might be used in our projects at WDI, as we were called by then. The corpse in the Mortuary window coming to life in the coffin was an eerie experience. The Carousel scene that followed was hypnotic. I had hoped these could be used in the Haunted Mansion or even our DLP Thunder Mesa, when we were going to have a carriage barn for the Manor. I had even located 2 hearses for the Manor and wanted to employ Ray's Coffin effects. Budget cutbacks erased the DLP plans but not the thoughts and Images Ray had created for us on many levels".

So, you see, Ray Bradbury has been a lot of inspiration for WDI Imagineers. This Ebay auction with this historical document will end today Feb 17, 2010 at precisely 16:02:18 PST (1 A.M Paris time, Midnight London time). If you're interested you still have time to bid on it. At the time i post this article the top bid is $11.50 which is ridiculously low for such a piece of Imagineering history. But remember: there is only one copy of it, and only one of you will get it!

There's nothing better than to see Ray Bradbury talking in person to understand how great - and cool - he was. So i didn't resist to embed this 2001 video. Bradbury who was at that time 81 years old did a speech at the Sixth Annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea where he delighted his audience with stories about his life and love of writing. Take the time to watch the video, Ray Bradbury is fantastic on it!




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

Pictures: copyright Disney

Ray Bradbury Uncensored! : The Unauthorized Biography screen captures: copyright iUniverse, Inc

Universal Studios Singapore - First Videos !

Universal Studios Singapore sneak preview week has began and first videos of the park were posted on Youtube. But first the last news about the park "real" opening: As i told you before this sneak preview allows the guests to "visit" the park, enjoy the decors, have dinner in the restaurants and of course come back home with some souvenirs items from the shops. No rides were open as some of them are not totally operationals.

I've been told that the Jurassic Park Adventure, the Madagascar ride, the Lights, Camera, Action special effects show located in the New York area and the Ancient Egypt Treasure Hunters Jeep Ride must be complete before Universal will open the Park for "real", i.e with all rides open for the guests. I've also heard that the park could be open in soft opening mode from March 3, but as it will be about the 5th time that it has been announced we will see on that day if it's true or not...

So far, the buzz from the guests about the park is very good and apparently they liked what they saw during these sneak preview days. Although the visitors won't probably notice it, Universal teams have still a lot of details to finish up and the next weeks will give them the needed time to put the final touch before the Grand Opening celebration.

Sunday was also the Casino opening day and if what i've been told is right the Casino attracted 75,000 Visitors in it's first day, which is simply phenomenal. Disney, who was asked by Chinese officials if it could be possible to have a casino on the future Shanghaî Disneyland resort - and who apparently refused - is probably doing a big mistake as in Asia the word "Casino" not only means big money but also a lot of people coming in. My feeling is that the biggest danger for Hong Kong Disneyland is not only Universal Studios Singapore and its great rides but also the casino nearby. We'll see in one year if Hong Kong Disneyland has been hurt or not by Resorts World Sentosa.

And now here is a selection of videos, all shoot and posted on Youtube by myfamilyng, except the last video. They're all short videos so the download shouldn't take too long.

The first one below show the Universal Studios Singapore entrance and ticket booths.




On this next one, the Hollywood area and also a bit of the Madagascar land entrance.




Newt, a panoramic view of the New York Streets.




This next video show the Battlestar Galactica coaster in Sci-Fi City and the entrance to Ancient Egypt land.




These three next short videos show the spectacular decor of Ancient Egypt land.










The next video shows a panoramic view of the Far Far Away land and especially the castle.




Although the rides are not open, guests can enjoy some "streetmosphere" like this Madagascar "dance" in the Madagascar land...




...or experience some street dance in the New York Street area.




This last video show Sci-Fi City at night. It's a "family" video posted on Youtube by jiopzxcvbnm but it has some interesting night shots of the land.




MANY more pictures and videos of other lands are now on line HERE and HERE.


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


Youtube videos: copyright myfamilyng and jiopzxcvbnm

Editor's Note: I've forgot to thanks all of you for being so faithful each day to Disney and more. Last month D&M broke a new record with 118350 visits during January!
Thanks again for your support!

A Selection of Disneyland Artwork

The artwork article of the week is all about early Disneyland concept-arts and don't go away before the end of the article as i will tell you how you can get some great prints of these rare WDI renderings at affordable price.

Above, a great 1960's concept art of Disneyland's Tomorrowland. The artwork below shows the Jungle Cruise and Swiss Robinson Tree and was used for the attraction poster.



The next artwork is a rare Marc Davis rendering for a Jungle Cruise scene.



Below, a great painting for Disneyland's Tahitian Terrace.



The next rendering show, of course, Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.



Below, a less known concept-art for Disneyland's Matterhorn.



This next artwork shows Mr Toad's Toad Hall and i think it was used too for Disneyland Paris Toad restaurant.



Below, a great John Hench painting for Disneyland's Carousel of Progress.



And this last artwork show the Adventure through Inner Space extinct attraction with the famous mighty microscope and the People Mover going through the building.



Now, the good news is that most of these concept-arts are available right now on Ebay as some Ebay sellers - not me - are currently selling great prints of all these artworks with dimensions, for some of them, up to 32 x 40 inches! All the pictures of this article are coming from these auctions and this is why they're not today in high-res as usual. But the Ebay prices for these prints looks extremely reasonable and if you're interested you can make your choice HERE - or go to www.ebay.com and type "Disneyland concept art" as keywords.


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

All pictures: copyright Disney - WED Enterprises

The Year of the Tiger begin ! Gong Xi Fa Cai !

Today is Chinese New Year and it's the beginning of the Year of the Tiger! All over the world and specially in Asia it's the biggest event of the year. At Singapore Universal Studios Singapore is opening today for a week of sneak preview - don't miss the D&M USS special report HERE - and at Hong Kong Disneyland a special parade and shows will last until February

Thanks to the Youtube videos of 2007IW2007 we will have a closer look to Hong Kong Disneyland Chinese New Year Celebration parade and the brand new "Jumping Jam". Let's begin by the parade video.




The two next videos shows the Jumping Jam show in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.








"Gong Xi Fa Cai" to all my Asian readers - which can be translated as "May you Prosper" in this Year of the Tiger!


Youtube videos: copyright 2007IW2007 whom i thanks a lot!