Disney Research Invents Tactile Rendering of 3D Features on Multi Touch Surfaces

Disney Research, the Disney division which is paid to research and create new technologies found how to create textile renderings of 3D features on multi touch devices - like your iPhone or iPad - which is exactly what was missing. Jump to the full article on my Innoventions Blog where you'll find a Disney Research video explaining how it works and more explanation in the press release.

Picture: copyright Disney Research

Where Exactly Will Be Located Iron Man Experience at HKDL Tomorrowland ?

The big news yesterday was of course the announcement of the Iron Man Experience coming to HKDL Tomorrowland in 2016, but where "exactly" will it be located? Well, in my yesterday's post you saw an aerial picture showing you where the show building will be built and the location was right but today i can give you a more precise location.

See on the above concept-art something which looks like a dome on the bottom right of the artwork?  This is in fact the dome under which is currently the giant Buzz Lightyear statue...

...that HKDL guests can see at the entrance of the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters ride.

Now if you have a look at this picture below you'll notice that there is a big space on the left of the Buzz Lightyear statue and merchandise shop...

This is where will be located the big Iron Man building that you can see on the foreground of the above artwork, the entrance of the ride itself will be located where you can see the trees in the background of the picture above, with the show building itself located on the other side of the HKDL Railroad track.

Here is a night shot of how it looks right now with the Tomorrowland Merch carts on the left. Imagine that the carts will be removed and instead in this big space and up to the back of the picture you'll have the building you see on the foreground of the artwork, with the Buzz Lightyear statue on the right. That's where HKDL guests will start their Iron Man Experience!

Pictures: copyright Disney Marvel, DR

Speeder Bikes Ride For Disneyland Anaheim's Star Wars Land, and more...

MAJOR NEWS on Mice Age today about the upcoming Star Wars land at Disneyland Anaheim! Be prepared for major changes at DL Tomorrowland and for a E-Ticket ride on Speeder bikes all around the land! Go ahead, do the jump to Mice Age right HERE as there is much more to read that you don't want to miss!

Picture: copyright Lucasfilm

" Iron Man Experience " A New $100M E-Ticket Ride Coming to Hong Kong Disneyland in 2016 !

I told you on August 18 that the next big ride coming to Hong Kong Disneyland would be a E-Ticket ride in Tomorrowland and today, Tom Staggs announced and confirmed that an Iron Man ride called "Iron Man Experience" will come to HKDL in 2016 as the first Marvel ride to open in a Disney theme park! 

Iron Man Experience is supposed to have a cost of $100M and it will also include a photo pavilion with an Iron Man meet and greet as well as a shopping area. HKDL is doing very well since the opening of the three new additions and an exclusive Iron Man ride could greatly increase Hong Kong Disneyland’s momentum as “Iron Man 3” took in $121.2 million in China this year. “It’s important for us to have a story for our Hong Kong guests, a little bit of bragging rights that they have something that nobody else has,” said Bill Ernest, the president of Disney’s theme parks in Asia.

Iron Man Experience will be a simulator ride like Star Tours but with an even more advanced technology and you can see on the pictures above the simulator shuttle with an Iron Man design. The attraction will be located at HKDL Tomorrowland behind the Buzz Lightyear ride and on the left of Autopia, where Star Tours was once envisioned to be built, and not on the land available behind and on the left of Space Mountain where was previously envisioned a Marvel land. The reason why is that HKDL has decided to keep the space behind Space Mountain available for future additions - may be for upcoming Star Wars attractions?

Editing : Don't miss the part two of the article where i reveal where precisely will be located Iron Man Experience HERE.

Tom Staggs did the announcement at Hong Kong Disneyland in front of Iron Man wall of armors but gave just a few details about the ride itself, saying only that it will allow guests to take flight with the superhero as he fights alien invaders - see artwork above - across the streets and skyline of Hong Kong. In addition a kind-of Stark Expo with Tony Stark inventions will be on display, too, probably in the pre-show line.

Here is Tom Staggs official statement as posted on the Disney Parks blog:

"As I’ve often said, one of the greatest things about Disney is the treasure trove of characters and rich stories we have to draw upon for the immersive experiences we provide our guests around the world. With Marvel joining the Disney family in 2009, our character and story base grew even further, and the anticipation for how Marvel comes to life in our parks and resorts continues to energize our guests and Cast.

That’s why it was so exciting earlier today at Hong Kong Disneyland to announce that the very first Disney attraction based on a Marvel character experience will debut in Hong Kong Disneyland. And I’m excited to be able to share some of the initial details with you today about this Iron Man Experience.

Audiences around the world have been captivated by the amazing inventions and innovations of Tony Stark and we’re basing this experience within a piece of the Stark Expo. Located in Tomorrowland at Hong Kong Disneyland, the Expo will allow guests to see firsthand the progression of Tony’s Iron Man suits and many other Stark innovations.

Upon entering the ride vehicle our guests will be able to take flight with Iron Man on an epic adventure that not surprisingly pits Iron Man, and our guests, against the forces of evil. This adventure will take place in the streets and skies of Hong Kong, which will make an even more unique and special experience for our Hong Kong Disneyland guests. In addition, guests will be able to meet and take photos with Iron Man.

It’s obviously no secret that Marvel’s Iron Man movies are immensely popular, and we expect this experience will emulate the success of our most recent expansion – Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point – all of which have been huge hits with our guests.

We are extremely confident in and committed to the continued growth and success of Hong Kong Disneyland. I’m excited to see Iron Man become a part of that success when we welcome guests to the attraction in late 2016."

For sure we'll be at Hong Kong Disneyland in 2016 to enjoy Iron Man Experience, a ride that WDI promise to be full of thrills!

One more thing: when i did my HKDL update on August 18 i knew that the attraction would be an Iron Man ride but was asked at that time to don't reveal it. However, as i told you in the article comments i had introduced two hints in the article ( one for the Iron Man ride and one for another coming attraction that i still can't reveal ) and now i can tell you where was the hint about the Iron Man ride. If you look at the picture in the article HERE with all the Marvel super-heroes Iron Man is the very first one of them all on the top left, voluntarily placed there by me as a hidden hint!

Another one more thing! : Note that the ride attraction poster on the top of the article is here in full size - 70 X 103cm ! - and with enhanced colors and contrast. Probably the first time ever that you can get an attraction poster of a E-Ticket ride three years before its opening!


Pictures: copyright Disney Marvel, Hong Kong Disneyland

Disneyland Paris Update - Part One : "What's New, What's Next" , a Meeting with Joe Schott about DLP Future

Lots of news about Disneyland Paris future today, and all of them are good news! Thanks to Mouetto from the Disney Central Plaza forum we have a full report on the meeting with Joe Schott, "DLP Directeur General Adjoint", and here is a translation of his full article, and please join me to thanks him a lot!


Disneyland Paris: What's New, What's Next by Mouetto, Disney Central Plaza Forum

Last Thursday i had the luck - along with others webmasters of Disney fans sites to meet Joe Schott, DLP Operations Directeur Général Adjoint, during a lunch organized for the "What's New, What's Next" event. 

Joe Schott works since 32 years for the WDC. He started his career as a Jungle Cruise attraction operator animator and then became WDW Operations Director. He was then Vice President General Director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan before coming to DLP as Operations Directeur Général Adjoint in December 2009. He also was there during the construction of Euro Disney as he participated to the durability tests for the Disneyland Paris Railroad. 

During this two hours lunch everyone was able to talk with Joe Schott who took the time to let us know about future refurbishment projects as well as the good or bad decisions which were previously taken for the Resort. 

For instance he explained that the works to make DLP Disneyland Park brand new again will go on and that major refurbishments will start again right after the end of DLP 20th Anniversary celebration:  

- Lot of Town Square facades as well as Main Street Station will soon be covered with canvas to rebuild them with stronger materials. It won't be only quickly repaint. Town Square Photography will have a brand new theming and the products will have a better display, like they have in DLP World of Disney Store. 

- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril ( NDR: see D&M previous article HERE ) will close starting next January for a full rebuilding of the temple, all in stone ( like the castle bridge ) with also a complete change of the looping track, all this to make sure that the ride will last forever instead to be a temporary ride as it was supposed to be when it opened. 

- Pirates of Caribbean is a more complex attraction as it includes 72 Audio-Animatronics A100. No other attraction includes so many sophisticated AAs. They've started to replace them with the Pirate Auctioneer and the Captain of the Inferno and there should be four more in the coming year. 

- It's a Small World "relamping" is ongoing. 

- Like Dumbo and the Orbitron, Les Tapis Volants - Flying Carpets over Agrabah - will be totally dismantled, refurbished and rebuilt. 

- The Mark Twain will not be destroyed. It's one of the icon of Disneyland Paris Frontierland and he will be entirely renovated some day but it's not in the priorities list. As well as the geysers which will not be operational anyway all year long. But these ( the geysers ) could be replaced by something unique. 

- Attractions capacity will also be reviewed. Also, Crush's Coaster single rider line will be installed permanently. They envision to install one more new waiting line each year. Next year, with the upcoming Ratatouille ride there will be two new single rider lines. 

- Two new trams will soon be added at WDS Studio Tram Tour. 

- They are always in tests to improve Space Mountain: Mission 2 guests comfort, in particular with the new harness but the process will take some time, due to the investment. 

- Although DLP attractions availability is quite good in regards to the number of operational opening hours ( rate of availability is 96% when attractions had 22% more time / 230 more operational hours since 2008 ). DLP is aware that any problem happening on some rides for security reasons and leading to evacuate the guests leads to a great loss of time to start the ride again. For instance one hour is needed to start Big Thunder Mountain. That's the reason why they're reviewing the rides control systems. Pirates of Caribbean has been already updated and Big Thunder will be done in 2015. Joe Schott also talked about doing the same on Crush's Coaster but didn't mentioned a date. 

- Joe Schott brought to DLP a system already existing in others Disney Parks - but not yet at DLP - which allows to graduate the emergency of a refurbishment with a rating from A to D. He aims to have a A or B rating in the next five years. To achieve this, days of refurbishment passed from 300 days in 2008 to 600 days in 2012. Also, refurbishment budgets are now three times more important than they were in 2008. 

- WDS Stunt Show has indeed no more stunt jumps temporarily. They will come back soon, as soon as the question of comfort and security for the stunt men will be resolved. But Joe told us that he really care that a show stay as good from its premiere till the very last day. That is the case for Disney Dreams! which can be play with the same quality each evening, including in winter ( except of course when there is a technical problem ). 

- Just like us, Joe Schott awaits the Ratatouille ride and even revealed an insider info as he confirmed that guests will be able to see the - real - restaurant ( located next to the show building ) from the unload room of the ride!

- I asked him what has been one of his first decisions when he arrived at DLP. It was the redo of the Halloween season to make it more "Disney". He acknowledged his mistake to have changed a bit suddenly the 2011 season. On the other hand he is the one who decided to cancel the WDS Terrorific Nights who were not enough "Disney" 
( NDR: it's a pity, i liked the show of Charly Vegas! ) and don't regret his decision. The new Halloween version will continue to get better all along the years and a big effort has been done this year on cakes and pastries with a Halloween theme. 

- I also asked him about the decision to have changed the hotels swimming pools hours in May 2009. He instantly acknowledged that it was a bad choice. He thought that guests will go in the parks during swimming pools closing hours and will enjoy the pools in the afternoon. But in fact guests were planning their stay with these new swimming pool hours and were not going in the parks! 

- I asked him when he envision the comeback of a big "live" show in the park - like the Tarzan show. He said that he love the Tarzan show and will be happy to have it back. It's a show that can be watched by only 6% of guests per day  and for now they concentrate on the Disney Dreams! show who can be watched by 30% of the guests. But it is clear for him that live entertainment is part of Disney Parks and he'd like to have them back as soon as possible. However he considers that Discoveryland's Videopolis stage is not adapted for this kind of show because of the Hyperion Cafe nearby. 

- About catering, more than eleven kitchen have been refurbished in less than two years. So, meals and burgers are now served hotter than before. Joe also talked about products improvements with introduction of Angus meat. The Angus burger was elected the best burger of all Parks and Resorts division. As soon as he arrived  he also asked the chicken nuggets to be changed as he didn't liked them at all.  

- The WDS Blockbuster Cafe is currently being rethemed and Joe told us sincerely that he's not a big fan of High School Musical. Without having any info about it i ask him if they will  do an Iron Man theming, and he answered yes in an american way " Oh Yeah! ". We didn't knew really if he was joking or not but we had the confirmation next morning when we saw the posters! 

- I asked him if the refunding of DLP debt last year deblocked some projects, like the Hep Cat Drinks and Snacks. In fact, the Hep Cat Drinks and Snacks has been financed by Coca Cola but everything around the En Coulisse snack and restaurant was done thanks to the debt refunding as DLP don't need anymore to present each new investment project to the banks to have their agreement. Joe reminded us that because of this the Ratatouille ride was previously turned down three times by the banks. Lot of investments are also done backstage to enhance cast members comfort.

- To conclude, Joe ask us to be patient, that upcoming projects will bring back DLP Disneyland park just as new, that in 3 or 5 years from now our vision of the park will change totally, and that he's extremely attached to the Disney quality experience.

As for me, it was the first time i had a meeting with Joe Schott and i really appreciated this other kind of communication, all along a lunch with the person ruling Disneyland Paris Operations Dept. He answered frankly to all our questions, including an honest acknowledgement of his mistakes, and also reassured us by saying that he is as much as we can be attached to the quality experience for the guests.

2014 will be a year rich in renovations and innovations with the opening of Ratatouille as grand finale! 

Pictures: copyright Mouetto - DCP Forum , Disney



Don't own yet the great Disneyland Paris book? Click on the picture below to learn more about it and how to order your copy at the best price ever!

NEW! : You can now pay for the book directly with your credit card through Paypal EVEN if you don't have a Paypal account! All you need to do is to send me an email with your order ( at: neverlandeditions@gmail.com ) and i will ask Paypal to send you a payment request. You will receive an email from Paypal and by clicking on the link you'll be able to pay with your credit card on the Paypal website with no need to open a Paypal account if you don't have one! 

Alfonso Cuaron's " Gravity" Review

I just watched today Alfonso Cuaron's highly awaited movie "Gravity" and, boy, it's a 
more than a movie, it's an experience... you probably never seen a movie like that!
Although all of the action happen in space above Earth don't expect anything like Stanley Kubrick's "2001, A Space Odyssey" which still remain unbeatable because of its metaphysics dimension. But Gravity is still fascinating and a fantastic movie, really!

Georges Clooney and Sandra Bullock are playing in "Gravity" the two main characters  in what is a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes because the Russian have blown up one of their satellite and a chain react happen. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone in Space... 

Gravity is definitely a "Houston, we have a problem" movie and i strongly recommend  if you can to watch it just like i did on an IMAX screen as it looks gorgeous with the IMAX definition, and even in 3D. That said, as good as Gravity is, my only problem was a personal one and it is Sandra Bullock. Don't get me wrong, she's perfectly fine in Gravity but just put her and me in the same room during 48 hours, and i know it'll be a carnage! It took me some time to understood why and now i know it's related to her personal type of "energy" - inside energy i mean. Not to mention that i always found her not that good in emotional scenes. But, again, this is just personal and there is a lot of people who like her, as you probably do, so don't pay attention to this.

Gravity's filming and photography is absolutely stunning and it's hard to escape to the "how did they did it?" question even if we know that actors were in front of plenty of green screens all along the shooting. But the result is something of an infinite beauty and probably the only film since Kubrick's 2001 that gives you the feeling of what is deep space above Earth. Surprisingly, considering all what happen in Gravity, the story and action is pretty believable. Sure, in real life you'll need a lot of both bad luck and good luck to go through all this, but the story works well and i won't be 
surprised if Gravity  was one of this fall biggest success.

But there is one person who will both love and hate the movie, and it's James Cameron. Cameron, just like anyone will be stunned by Gravity and Alfonso Cuaron's brilliant directing but i'm damn' sure that he will be "green with envy" as it is exactly the kind of "space" movie that Cameron would have love to direct! And because - just like Stanley Kubrick and David Lean - Alfonso Cuaron practice - consciously or unconsciously - "the policy of the scortched earth" - meaning that when he does a movie about a particular subject nobody can come after him and do a better one on the same subject - then James Cameron himself can forget about doing a movie where action would take place right above Earth ( but Cameron has plenty of others things to care about with his Avatar sequels  so it's no big problem for him ).

Editing: A good friend of mine just told me that Cameron declared recently "It's the movie about Space that i always wanted to see!"

At the time i'm writing this review it's still Sunday in the U.S, and if you don't know what to do this Sunday, just go out to watch Gravity. If you start to have enough of these superheroes movies and are in lack of real good movies then you should like Gravity. And by the way, just to create a link with Disney - although i should say Pixar - there is even a scene in Gravity which will remind you a famous scene from Wall-E - but i don't tell you which one! Go ahead, go out of your home and watch Gravity today, it takes place in real time, last 87 minutes in "space" with you on the edge of your seat! 

Here is Gravity's extended trailer.

 


Picture and video: copyright Warner Bros

Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure Tilt-Shift Videos

Disney Parks released two new Tilt-Shift videos of the Disneyland Resort, and they look great! Here is the first one showing Disneyland...





...and here is the one of Disney's California Adventure.







Don't own yet the Disneyland Paris book? It is now available at its best price ever! click on the pic below!



Picture and videos: copyright Disney