Friday, September 30, 2016

Europa Park Announces "Project V", Flying Theater Attraction to Open in 2017



Europa Park announced yesterday its big "major" attraction for 2017, and it's a flying theater ride like "Soaring" with two flying theaters and a capacity of 1400 guests per hour! The press release, pictures and videos below tells you more about it. It will be the second flying theater attraction to open in Europe in the next months - with the one at the Futuroscope opening this December - and i still can't believe that Disneyland Paris missed to be the first one to open a "Soaring" attraction when they could have done it since ten years ...if the WDC would have been willing to give DLP the money to build it.

Europa Park press release: "The dream of flying will become true! From 29 September 2016, visitors to Germany’s largest theme park can discover much more about the new major attraction – the largest ‘Flying Theater’ in Europe. In the newly opened Preview Center in the German Alley, numerous models and images give an informative insight into the most expensive individual attraction in the history of Europa-Park. Project V will be completed during the course of the 2017 season and will whisk its passengers away into the wonderful world of the aviation pioneers Egbert and Kaspar Eulenstein. After a tour through the impressive facilities, the command is given in the theatre halls: Fasten your seatbelts and be ready for take-off!



The Eulenstein brothers, both scientists, were fascinated by flying machines from an early age. Their lives were dominated by sketches, studies and experiments with the aim of taking flight themselves one day. In their laboratory no stone was left unturned to make their childhood dream become reality: To fly as free as a bird, at any time and wherever the wind carries them.



The major attraction, which is currently being built under the working title of Project V, will allow visitors to be part of the technical achievements of the aviation pioneers. The 140 passengers spectacularly glide through the air in the two theatres in chairlift-style gondolas. On the 21 meter screens guests will admire visuals from landscapes and metropolises in Europe, which are co-produced by MackMedia and Ambient Entertainment. Special effects such as wind and water will create an intense atmosphere in the 16 meter high domes – providing for a very real and breathtaking feeling of flying.



Largest Flying Theater’ in Europe

Numerous models, videos, pictures, illustrations, and text panels in the Preview Center, also christened the ‘Mack Bank’, provide a deep insight into the new major attraction. Project V is the most phenomenal attraction of its kind in Europe. “With this great investment, we are convinced that we will present our guests with a huge hit”, said Europa-Park owner Roland Mack. “The experience factor will increase yet again with this unique attraction. “In the ‘Flying Theater’ a maximum of 1,400 people per hour can look forward to a breathtaking film, which MackMedia has produced in collaboration with Ambient Entertainment and which shows a spectacular flight over our continent”, added Michael Mack, managing director of MackMedia.

Highly technological camera systems that are unique in Europe were mounted on helicopters and drones and captured sensational footage in the highest quality. Best sound quality in the two theatres is guaranteed by a state of the art surround sound system by IOSONO, allowing to customise the sound to each individual gondola.

Europa Park released three videos showing the making-of "Project V", one about its architecture, one about the storytelling, and one about the movie making. Plenty of concept-arts to see in the videos!










Project V is the first building block of the ‘Adventure Club of Europe’ with which visitors to Europa-Park will be able to discover and experience a whole range of adventures." More to see and read on the Project V website HERE.

Pictures and videos: copyright Europa Park

WDW Magic Kingdom Celebrates its 45th Anniversary - 1971 LIFE Grand Opening Original Issue


Forty Five years ago, on October 1st, 1971, Walt Disney world - Walt's big dream - was opening. LIFE photographers were there and the legendary magazine did a special issue.


I've found back for you this rare original issue and here it is with, above, the LIFE memorable cover as well as the original picture from the photo shoot with 1500 WDW cast-members and characters!



The next pictures are the pages of the article itself which began with two pictures on double-pages, including a fish-eye photo of the Magic Kingdom! Click on each to see them in larger size.





The other pages were mostly showing the now unfortunately extinct Mickey Mouse Revue or the Country Bear Jamboree. The Mickey Mouse Revue went then to Tokyo Disnryland where it is also now an extinct attraction.







The LIFE issue also included an AD for WDW! And it seems that at that time pets were allowed in the resort!




If you are at WDW this Saturday for the 45th celebration i wish you all the best for this happy day!

Pictures: copyright Time-Life

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Final Trailer



With Dr Strange, to be released early November, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - set in early last century New York and in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling and directed by David Yates - is the movie i am awaiting the most and this new final trailer confirms the good feeling that i have about it. The film stars Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Ron Perlman, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Gemma Chan, and Jon Voight, and will be released mid-November!




Picture and video: copyright Warner

Friday, September 23, 2016

The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History Will Debut at WDW MK Liberty Square on October 2 !



It's confirmed and announced officially: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and The Great Gonzo arrive at Magic Kingdom Park on October 2 for the opening of their all-new, live show “The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History.” Hosted by James “J.J.” Jefferson, town crier of Liberty Square, and Sam Eagle, the fiercely patriotic American eagle who is forever trying to set a high moral standard for the Muppets, this wacky new show is set to take place several times daily, just outside The Hall of Presidents.



Throughout the day, J.J. and the Muppets share their own unique take on the founding fathers as they recount the tale of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, complete with an original song and plenty of humor. At other times, you may catch the Muppets’ version of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, presented in hysterical fashion as only they can.

As notified to WDW CMs the show will run at 9:05, 9:15, 10, 10:15, 11:45, 11:55, 12:10, 1:15, 1:25, 2:20, 3:35, 3:45, 4:25, and 4:35.

Pictures: copyright Disney

"Brooklyn Amusement Park" by Polo and Pan, Directed by David Tomaszewski



Here is something fascinating, and i was waiting since months that this short video would be at last available online. Last year Paris famous department store Le Bon Marché  had a Brooklyn exhibition during several weeks. And they asked french musicians Polo and Pan and director David Tomaszewski a special video creation, which is the one you'll see below titled "Brooklyn Amusement Park".

Brooklyn Amusement Park shows a fictitious Brooklyn in which the roller coasters would run around the streets and over the roofs along with other amusement park rides. There is more as well as a short storyline, but the perfection of the visual effects ( done in France by Mac Guff ) makes the whole thing truly fascinating to watch, and a true work of cine-art. Don't miss it, and definitely watch it full screen!




Video: Copyright Polo and Pan, David Tomaszewski

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Young Chinese Programmer Embezzled over 1,700 Electronic Tickets to Shanghai Disneyland,




Remember when i told you that when it's about counterfeit "nothing stops the Chinese"? Well, the true story below of a young programmer who embezzled over 1,700 electronic tickets to Shanghai Disneyland is pretty eloquent as you'll see. From CRI English:

A young programmer surnamed Bai has been detained for embezzling over 1,700 electronic tickets to Shanghai Disneyland, people.cn reported on Monday.

Taking the advantage of working in an IT company which provides technological support for Shanghai Disneyland's online ticket-selling system, Bai managed to get access to the system's backstage data including the resort's sold electronic tickets.

Through the loophole, Bai begun to change the dates of the sold tickets, starting from late June, and then resell them to scalpers for profit.

Officials with the resort only realized it may be an internal theft case after many visitors arriving at the resort found their electronic tickets had already been used. These visitors all reportedly bought their electronic tickets on alitrip.com. Through the IP addresses of the computers logging into the website, the police later tracked and arrested Bai at the IT company. A number of scalpers selling the fake electronic tickets were arrested later.

Initial estimates show that Bai illegally acquired over 1,700 electronic tickets to the resort from June 27 to July 20 and earned nearly half a million yuan (around 73,500 USD) after selling them to scalpers. The economic loss for Shanghai Disneyland reached over 870 thousand yuan.

Prosecutors in Shanghai's Pudong New District said they believed that Bai illegally possessed public property and so they approved his arrest.

Shanghai Disneyland has now upgraded its online ticket selling system and promised to cover the cost of those visitors whose electronic tickets were embezzled.


Sunday, September 18, 2016

4K Video : Disneyland Paris Railroad Arrival & Departure with Announcements at Main Street Station, and more


I've filmed last year this video including 4K footage showing Disneyland Paris Railroad Arrival and Departure at Main Street Station with the great announcements done by DLP Imagineer and Main Street show-producer Eddie Sotto. It also include 4K footage of the Molly Brown leaving the pier in Frontierland and Space Mountain exterior shots as well as Discoveryland lagoon with the Nautilus. All 4K footage was shot with the Leica D-Lux Type 109.

The reason why the train arrival in Main Street Station is filmed on this angle with no camera move is because i had in mind to film the train the same way the Lumière Brothers - who invented Cinema as we know - filmed one of the first film in movie history, titled “the arrival of a train in La Ciotat station". You can watch this short movie HERE




Video: copyright Disney and more
 
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