New Star Wars Land Construction Site Pictures

Adrien Lefranc is a faithful Disney and more reader and with his brother Alexis they were at Disneyland recently. Adrien has shot for D&M these great pictures of the Star Wars land construction site, with a clear blue sky and as you'll see there is still a lot to do before an opening rumored for end 2018. Let's all thanks Adrien for these!

For more news about the Star Wars land rides, make sure to check also Mice Age latest update HERE.








Pictures: copyright Adrien Lefranc

WDI Reveal the New Design of the TOT - Guardians of Galaxy : Mission Breakout Building at Disney's California Adventure

WDI released a new video with Joe Rhode and others Imagineers working on the transformation of DCA Tower of terror in the Guardians of Galaxy Collector fortress. They do their best to explain how they want to create a new building" which will look beautiful day and night" but the problem - if you have a look at all the articles posted on the web since the video was released a few hours ago - and all the comments on Youtube is that everybody think that it looks in fact ugly (!) As someone says in his comment on Youtube: "It doesn't look beautiful at all. It looks hideous. On top of that, it doesn't even look like any of you (save for Mr. Dangle Ear) are that excited about the project at all. This is the worst idea in the history of Disneyland and you all know it."



As for me, and with all the respect i have for Joe Rhode - and i have a LOT of respect for Joe - i have to say that i am not, too, convinced by the transformation. It's not that i really think it's ugly and i am ready to give to the Imagineers the benefit of the doubt until the opening of the new ride next year but i have the feeling that it's going to be hard to convince me that "it looks beautiful". The big problem we have here is that the TOT building can be seen almost from any point you're standing at DCA and if it happen that it looks as ugly as the fans so far think it will, then DLR will have a major problem to resolve...

Check the video below and let us know what YOU think of the new design of the building!




Pictures and video: copyright Disney

Disneyland Paris Renovation Program For the Next Two Years

On Wednesday, September 28, DLP Daniel Delcourt did a conference with details about the Disneyland Paris renovation program. Chris 500 was there and posted on the DCP forum the most important points that were announced. Below, the translation with some D&M additional infos that were not included in Daniel Delcourt presentation:

Big Thunder Mountain and Rivers of the Far-West
. Return of the geysers ( which were not working since 20 years)
. BTM special effects will be back + addition of new ones ( the explosive finale in the final lift )
. Automatic Train recovery system during an emergency stop will take 20 minutes instead than one hour with the previous system

Star Tours 2
. The previous post-show area becomes a shop
. Star Traders shop becomes a Meet and Greet with Star Wars characters
. A new X-Wing will be installed above Star Traders
- New show inside Space Mountain themed on Star Wars

Pirates of the Caribbean
. A complete rehab is planned, with return of effects and addition of new effects ( apparently he didn't mentioned the Jack Sparros AAs )

WDS Tram Tour
. Not include in the rehab program, but still under consideration

D&M take: previously the addition of a new "Star Wars scene was rumored. So far it has been cancelled, mainly because they envision to build Star Wars land at the WDS ( where they have the room for ) and not at DLP Discoveryland ( where they don't have enough land )

Moteurs Action stunt show
Ongoing reflection on the coming changes, with a possible integration of element of the upcoming Cars movie

Phantom Manor
. A complete renovation of the attraction ( inside and outside and with apparently new scenes ) will happen after DLP 25 Anniversary in 2018 and Phantom Manor should be closed during 6 months.

Restaurants
. Quality improvement program of products and services
. All burgers are now from the Angus breed
. At Casey Corner, hot dogs can be ordered with a sausage of pork or beef, and there will be a "hot dog of the month"
. In buffets, add an interaction between guests and casts (example: dishes needing a cutting, which facilitates dialogue)

Entertainment / Shows
. The return of a parade at the Studios is under consideration, we do not know what but there will be something
. Will increase the number of meeting points with the characters
. Addition of a Marvel touch, only at the Studios
. Some changes in the Disney Dreams! show for the 25th Anniversary
. Return of more or less permanent shows on the castle stage

Hotels
. Free WiFi is already present in some hotels like the Cheyenne (after being Rehab)
. The way the rehab of the Newport hotel was done, in two parts was a mistake, because of the sound pollution generated. Now hotels will be completely closed during their rehab, and the next to be renovated is the New York hotel which will close entirely during 18 months followed after by the Disneyland Paris Hotel

More infos at the DCP Forum ( french version ) HERE  and also on the ED92 report  ( also in french ) HERE .

Picture: copyright DLPWelcome

First Teaser For Pirates of Caribbean "Dead Men Tell no Tales" !

A first teaser is now released for Pirates of Caribbean "Dead Men Tell no Tales", and Javier Bardem is playing the dreadful Captain Salazar, who is on the hunt for Sparrow. Dead Men Tell No Tales is directed by Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rønning (Kon-Tiki). The script was written by Jeff Nathanson (Catch Me If You Can, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). 

Johnny Depp is joined by Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa, Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, and Stephen Graham as Scrum. Newcomers include Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner), Brenton Thwaites (Maleficent), and Golshifteh Farahani (Exodus: Gods and Kings). 

"Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…including him. Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas." 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will be released in theaters on May 26th, 2017.





Picture and video: copyright Disney

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

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