Universal Studios Singapore Original Artwork

I have a great artwork update for you today with most of the Universal Studios Singapore original artwork! As you know, the park will open very soon and as you will see most of the attractions will be "USS exclusive" which means that a lot of them don't exist in others Universal Studios theme parks.

Last October Universal Studios Singapore did a press conference where they've shown all of this artwork and the conference was filmed by Asia Travel Tips who had the good idea to put the video on line on Youtube. So, i did screen captures and enhanced the pictures to make sure they look as good as possible. However, because they are screen captures the pictures are not as high-res as usual but they're not bad either.

No artwork was shown for the entrance or the Hollywood set as well as for the New York area. However guests will find an attraction in the New York part called "Lights, Camera, Action" hosted by Steven Spielberh himself. This will be a "special effect" attraction and after the usual pre-show guests will enter an empty sound stage which will become the setting for a major hurricane about to hit New York City! It's a USS exclusive attraction.



Right next door guests will find Sci-Fi City with two attractions. The third one - a big "E-Ticket" will be the Transformers attraction, using the same technology than the IOA acclaimed Spiderman ride and will open in 2011. This first artwork below is supposed to show Sci-Fi City, but we will be lucky if it looks like that in real.



In Sci-Fi City guests will find a great dueling coaster "BattleStar Galactica", another USS exclusive attraction. There is two coasters, one is a "normal" one and the other is an inverted coaster as you can see on the picture below.



This next artwork is showing BattleStar Galactica's entrance.



During the press conference a short video was shown with all the queue decor and pre-show sketches. I put all of them on one picture, so click on the picture below to see them in details.



Always in Sci-Fi City a smaller attraction called "Accelerator", basically the same than the "Storm Force Accelatron" at Islands of Adventure...



...where guests will board some whirling "pods". Don't get too excited, though, as basically it's a kind of Sci-Fi version of the Mad Hatter Tea Cups!



The next land is Ancien Egypt and this one have a great theming. The designers did a great job recreating Ancient Egyptian temples and, although the Mummy attraction is not a "USS exclusive", everything else in the land is. This first artwork show the whole land.



The artwork below show, of course, the Mummy coaster attraction.



Another attraction of Ancient Egypt is called Treasure Hunters. Guests will explore the excavation site driving a vintage motor car, and lot of surprises awaits them! This attraction is a USS exclusive.



Next destination: The Lost World! This is the Jurassic Park land and a new version of the famous ride was designed for Universal Studios Singapore as it's no longer a flume ride but a raft ride. This first artwork show the whole land which also include the Waterworld stunt show.



The next picture show the different parts of the "Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure". A Universal creative explain this in details in the press conference video that you will find at the end of this article.



Another Lost World attraction is "Canopy Flyer" which look like "Pteranodon Flyers" at Islands of Adventure without the "wings" attached on the top. Guests, though, will have a great bird-eye view of the land.



And there is a reason why it's not called "Pteranodon Flyers" as another small attraction of The Lost World is also based on Pteranodon theming. At "Dino Soarin" children will pilot their own Pteranodon, a USS exclusive.



Another new little attraction should delight young kids. Called "Amber Rock Climb" kids will climb the walls of Jurassic Park to explore precious stones and fossilised insects. And a treasure awaits the one who will climb to the top!



The next land is Far Far Away, the land of Schrek, and guests will find there several attractions. I repost here the high-res picture showing the whole land and on the left the Madagascar land.



This next artwork show the entrance of Far Far Away castle when you come from The Lost World.



Inside the castle guests will find, of course, the Shrek 3D attraction...



...the great Fairy Godmother's Potion shop with not only merchandise but also games inspired by the world of Shrek, including a small Ferris wheel, "Magic Potion Spin"...



...and also a show called "Donkey Live!" where Donkey will entertain guests in an all-new interactive show.



Outside the castle, another USS exclusive ride called Enchanted Airways, a gentle junior roller coaster for a flight above Far Far Away and beyond.



The next and last land is Madagascar, another land exclusive to Universal Singapore and here is a first artwork showing the whole area.



Below, a new one showing the entrance with the giant tree and the ship.



A highly awaited - and unique - attraction will be the "Madagascar, A Crate Adventure" flume ride. Thanks to audio-animatronics figures, digital projection and moving show action effects the ride will be a totally immersive experience. And yes, there is a splash at the end!



The attraction of the land is "King Julien's Beach Party Go-Round", a carousel for young children with Madagascar characters.



We will end with this last artwork showing the carousel at night.




If you have the time, i strongly recommand you to watch the press conference on the three videos below. Universal creatives give more details on each attraction!











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

Artwork and video : copyright Universal Studios Singapore

Discover the gorgeous Vulcania Volunteers web site

Anyone who love 20000 Leagues Under the Sea will instantly fall in love with the fantastic Vulcania Volunteers web site. I've discovered it recently and there is no doubt that the four people who've created and designed the site are super fans of Harper Goff's legendary submarine. The design of each page is inspired by the Nautilus architecture and good surprises awaits you all along the site.



In the "Artwork section" you'll find great Nautilus desktop images composited specially for the site by David McCamant - download available for free...



And in the Plans section you will find beautiful reproductions of the Nautilus plans (from $29)



Including a fantastic 48" long "Nautilus Starboard Longitudinal Poster" ($39.95)



The Model section will be a delight for model makers as you can find here a 1/35th scale replica of the Nautilus skiff...



Or, in the "kits, parts and sets" section some great accessory sets including Nautilus propellers, rakers, etc...



But it's in the Props section that a real jewel awaits you: a gorgeous 32" replica of Captain Nemo's Under Water Rifle! It's the first time i've seen a replica of it and this one is just perfect (Price: $400).



Many more to discover by yourself, so "Dive" to this great Vulcania Volunteers web site as Captain Nemo's spirit floats over every page!


All pictures: copyright Vulcania Volunteers

Gorgeous eFX Nautilus Replica now available for pre-order

Visitors of the 2009 Comicon and D23 Expo were amazed by the new and gorgeous 4 foot long Nautilus replica produced by eFX, and i've previously show you some pictures of it. But next thursday December 10th is the big day as eFX will begin to take pre-orders for this highly awaited Nautilus replica!

eFX is also designing other Disney replicas as you will read in the official press release below. The pictures that i post today are official pictures from eFX, but two things will change - for the better - in the final version: first, the battery box with a cable that you can see under the Nautilus - needed for the lights inside the submarine - will be located inside the Nautilus, and, two, there will be a new design for the stand inspired by an architecture element of Nemo's Grand Salon.



Price of this stunning replica is $1799 but for all pre-orders before December 31st there is a $100 discount. And very probably there will be a possibility to pay the amount in four times, you'll get all details on the eFX web site next thursday.

I am a huge fan of Harper Goff's Nautilus, so of course i welcome this new limited edition replica, the best i've seen so far. And now, here is the press release with all details on this "ultimate" Nautilus. You can see additional pictures shoot at D23 Expo by Andy Castro HERE. And also on the eFX web site three pages of great pictures of the making-of of this replica by Scott Brodeen.




Ordering Begins Thursday for Capt. Nemo’s Nautilus, Inspired by Disney’s Classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

BURBANK, Calif. (December 7, 2009) – Disney fans will soon be able to add an element of epic adventure to their collections: On Thursday, December 10, eFX Inc. begins accepting orders at www.efxcollectibles.com for its eye-popping, four-foot replica of Capt. Nemo’s Nautilus, inspired by Disney’s 1954 live-action version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Shipping is anticipated to take place in spring 2010 for the Nautilus, the first of three incredible replicas offered in eFX’s new Disney line. The Nautilus is priced at $1,799, and payments can be made in four installments. Full ordering and shipping details are available at www.efxcollectibles.com.

All orders for the Nautilus placed prior to December 31, 2009, will receive a $100 early pre-order discount. Moreover, orders placed before that date will also receive a special certificate, suitable for framing, that replicates Disney Studios stationery used during the film’s production in 1954. This special certificate can be fully customized for gift purchases, and can be sent directly to gift recipients for the holidays. (Holiday certificate delivery will be available based on order date and cannot be guaranteed for orders placed after December 17.)



This four-foot replica of the Nautilus offers features not incorporated in any previous model of the iconic submarine. Produced at approximately 1/45th scale, the replica features finely detailed interior views of the wheelhouse and Capt. Nemo’s salon, as well as LED lights to illuminate those rooms as well as the circular salon observation window.



In addition to a removable skiff, the Nautilus incorporates a freely rotating propeller and pivoting rudder, and includes a custom display stand. Each Nautilus will have a numbered plaque and certificate of authenticity, and production will be strictly limited to 500 pieces worldwide.

The Nautilus is the first of three Disney collectibles that eFX has created to launch its Disney line. Two additional replicas will be available for ordering in the next several weeks:
The exquisite Heart Box inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which sits on an elaborate, museum-quality display base featuring two sculptures by renowned artist David Kracov;



An 18-inch-tall “photo puppet” replica of the Muppets’ Rizzo the Rat, complete with letterman’s jacket and baseball cap.



Prices for these two pieces are being finalized, and eFX expects to begin accepting orders for them by the end of the year.

“The feedback we received when we previewed these pieces at Comic-Con and the D23 Expo was fantastic, and we’ve many inquiries asking when fans could order these new Disney collectibles, so we’re really happy to be entering the production phase,” said Bryan Ono, president of eFX Inc.
Orders for eFX’s Nautilus can be placed beginning at 9 a.m. PST Thursday, December 10, www.efxcollectibles.com. For complete details of the products, the ordering process and shipping information, visit the eFX Inc. website.



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

Pictures: copyright eFX collectibles or Andy Castro

Introducing the new D&M Innoventions section

You may have noticed that i post regularly on week-end some "tech" articles - and exceptionally too during the week as i did last thursday on the new Apple Ipad. So, i introduce today the "D&M Innoventions" section where you'll learn interesting news about future technologies. Let's say it will be D&M "Tomorrowland" where we will have an insight of the future. All tech articles will be listed on the right column in this section. You love Innoventions at Epcot and Disneyland? I'm sure you'll love too the D&M Innoventions articles!

Here we go for a new one, and don't worry, tomorrow i'll be back with Disney / theme parks articles:

It seems that i was not the only one being disappointed with the new Apple IPad. I don't worry too much for Apple, though, as i'm sure they will sell it anyway. And others - like me - will wait for the next version hoping it will bring "the future in the present" as i explained in my previous article.

Precisely, let's have a quick look at the future and what could be the next Apple IMac. On January 14th a new Apple patent appeared describing pretty clearly what could be a new kind of IMac, a IMac Touch. And days later, chinese-language Commercial Times reported that "Apple will launch a 22-inch IMac touch late 2010. Apple will outsource production of the 22-inch model to Quanta, with Taiwan-based Sintek Photronic supplying the touchscreen panel".

Frankly, i have nothing against the concept of a IMac with a touch screen, but until now i had pain in my shoulder at the simple thought that i'll have to lift my arm all day long in order to touch this godamn' screen... Apart the inevitable fingermarks on the screen, this was for me the main problem. And then came this new Apple patent.



As you can see on the picture above Apple resolved the problem in such a simple way that it's hard to believe nobody thought about doing it before. Basically, you will have a normal IMac which, thanks to a articulated arm, will smoothly change its position and move closer to you.



But the transition will also have an effect on how you will use softwares as an include accelerometer will automatically detect the change of position. At that point the UI will enter in touch screen mode as it is written in the "Transitioning Between Modes Of Input" patent description and described in the picture below:

"Transitioning between a high-resolution input mode, such as a mouse-based interface, and a low-resolution input mode, such as a touch-based interface, is described. A change of orientation of a touch screen between a first orientation and a second orientation is detected. Transitioning between the two input modes and corresponding user interfaces (UIs) is based on the detected change of orientation. A change of orientation can be detected with one or more sensors, such as an accelerometer, position sensors, etc. Transitioning from one mode to another can include modifying an item displayed in the UI of the one mode into a corresponding item displayed in the UI of the other mode. The modifying can include enlarging/reducing, obscuring/unobscuring, moving, etc. For example, an item can be obscured by the visual effect of sliding it off of the screen."



So, will 2010 be the year of the first IMac Touch? May be. But there is another reason why it should happen: i've always thought that the Iphone was Apple's Troy horse to convert PC owners to Apple products. Last week Steve Jobs introduced the new IPad working with the same multi touch OS than the IPhone. What does it mean? It mean that the 30 Million + IPhone owners already know how to use the IPad and all of them are, of course, potential buyers. The next step might be the IMac Touch, using the same multi touch interface than the Iphone or the IPad. You got the idea? The idea is to direct little by little to Apple computers the same people who were at first only interested by a mobile phone! I must admit it's a really smart strategy...

And if i'm right we should have some news of the IMac Touch next September when the new IMacs will be announced.

So, what do you think of this new IMac Touch concept?

Pictures: copyright Disney, Apple Inc

Crazy Ping Pong Playing Penguin

Let's have a bit of fun before a new week begin with this 40 seconds Ad "Crazy Ping Pong Playing Penguin".

D&M Exclusive Report : Universal Studios Singapore Panoramic Pictures Part Two!

Here is the awaited part two of the Universal Studios Singapore exclusive report - Part One is HERE if you've missed it. But before, more infos on the opening date. In the part one of this report i told you that USS first day of operations to the public will be February 3rd with media event on February 1st & 2nd. Other sites are saying these dates are wrong and that Universal Singapore is still waiting from Singapore government the authorization to open the park.

As a matter of fact we were both right, i.e that one week ago the February 3 date was USS goal for a soft-opening date. Right now the park is done but the rides are still in process of being tested and that just takes a certain amount of time. Apparently USS realised that if the Feb 3 date was kept for a soft-opening some of the rides - at least four of them - couldn't be ready for that date as they're still under test mode.

So, the very latest news i have about this soft opening date is that it's probably going to be pushed back to February 11...but in fact that "soft opening date" changes almost hourly! Right now at Universal Singapore they throw all manpowers and whatever is needed for to get the park and full shows definitely open before February 14, the start of Chinese New Year, Asia's biggest event of the year.

But there is also a hidden reason for that: at Resorts World Sentosa guests won't find only hotels, shopping area and a great theme park, they will also find a Casino! The Casino is of course outside the park and they really spent a lot of money on it - even more on the "Monaco" model - to make it as great as possible as Asian people, and specially Chineses, are biiiiig gamblers.

Michael Graves - yes, the architect of the Swan and Dolphin hotels at WDW and of the New York Hotel at DLP - designed the whole complex - beautiful materials by the way - but the Casino will be the real Money Maker. So, as you may have guess, they REALLY want to get the Casino open for Chinese New Year which is, as i told you, the biggest holiday of the Year in Asia. Let's just hope they won't get too greedy and let people get in the casino before the Park itself will be open.

However, a good news for everyone who worked on the park as last week Tom Williams, head of NBC Universal, came to visit the park, was impressed by the quality of the work and gave a big Thumbs Up. One thing is sure: whatever happen the park will be open anytime soon, whether it's the 3rd or the 14th is not that important as anyone can wait 10 more days, right?

So, let's have a look at these new panoramic pictures showing of course different areas than the one you've seen in the first part. As usual click on each panoramic pictures to see them in big size and explore the park in details. The first picture at the top is of course the park's entrance with the Universal Studios famous revolving globe. Same for the picture below with the tickets booths.



The next picture was shot exiting Hollywood Boulevard. On the center right the Mel's Drive-In restaurant. On the extreme right a bit of the Superstar Candies Store selling...yes, that's right, candies! On the left of the picture the entrance of the Madagascar zone with its giant tree.



This next panoramic show the entrance of Far Far Away, the Shrek land, with the huge castle. The picture was shot from the entrance of the Lost World "Jurassic Park" land.



And talking about Jurassic Park, this last panoramic picture show the entrance of the Lost World land.



Edited: Don't miss the new great exclusive report on Universal Singapore with 45 panoramic pictures where you will see the whole park! It's HERE.

I add this new Youtube video showing the dramatic entrance of...the casino i've just mentioned!




That's all for today, more pictures of Universal Studios Singapore coming soon!

All pictures: copyright Disney and more