Is there a better way to end the week than with new artwork from Walt Disney Imagineering? Probably not, and thanks to Disney Parks here are some new renderings for WDW New Fantasyland. Well, half of them were unseen before but i also re-post others which are now released in better definition.
The first one above is of course showing a scene of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and it's an interesting one as it reminds me what i've seen and told you in a previous article called "A closer look at New Fantasyland artwork". On the big rendering showing the whole New Fantasyland, once enlarged, i noticed that scene showing the seven dwarfs "coming back home", standing on a big tree trunk - see picture below. On the artwork above you still have the tree trunk but the seven dwarfs are not there anymore. Does this mean that there won't stand on it when the ride will open in 2013? Not necessarily, as WDI might want to keep some scene details secret...
Close to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, there will be Story Book circus and this new artwork shows the entrance of the new Dumbo ride with its interactive queue.
This next one shows the Princess Fairytale Hall - previously the Snow White dark ride location - where young girls will be able to meet and greet with their favorite princess.
Another artwork, this one showing the Ursula's Lair scene in the Little Mermaid attraction.
But most of the new renderings are showing scenes of Belle's village. This first one below was known...
Once inside Maurice's cottage guests will be able to engage in a playful story time with Belle and Lumière...
This next artwork shows the inside of the Bonjour Village Gift shop.
In Gaston's Pub, another highlight of Belle's Village area...
...WDW guests - and according to the artwork even young girls - will be able to enjoy a good ol' beer. Wait, you say, even young girls and boys? My guess is that it won't be real beer - i mean, not beer with alcohol and probably it will be Disney's version of Harry Potter highly successful "Butterbeer"...
And as it will be Gaston's Pub, in pure logic this portrait of Gaston will find its natural place in the pub.
All artwork: copyright Disney
OK... after months (probably years) of thinking about this, I'm finally going to say it: the new Dumbo is going to be a letdown. And here's why: it's nowhere near the Castle, nor in the heart of Fantasyland. Besides the thrill of riding an elephant, it's always been fun to float around Fantasyland, seeing all the people, the Carousel, and most of all, the Castle. At all the MK-style parks, this is what you do. And Disney should understand the inherent magic of its soon to be former location, as they've been taking publicity photos of celebs on the ride with the castle in the background for decades.
ReplyDeleteSoon, you're going to ride around inside a fairly enclosed area of circus tents and canopies. You'll be dueling with another spinner. These constraints really takes away from the charm of flying free. Plus, you'll get to hear the roar and smell the exhaust of the ever-polluting Speedway, while looking at even more tents and trees.
It may be nicely "themed," have a better queue, and less of a wait, but let's be frank: even with poorly themed and long lines, Dumbo has always been a hit. Let's just be thankful there's no room to do this at Disneyland, and hope it doesn't spread elsewhere.
I'm pretty sure that in the first picture of the mine car it's a different log than the one with the dwarfs on it. It might be at the top right of the second photo
ReplyDeleteWell said. You're right.
ReplyDeleteDisney should of known this.
Agree!
ReplyDeleteWhat an obvious attempt to rip off Universal's Butter Beer. Can't Disney come up with an original idea?
ReplyDelete"Fake" beer at Universal is one thing, but in a Disney park? This could trigger howls of protests from parents (it´s a bit like selling chocolate cigarettes, which could probably get you arrested these days...). But then again, nobody might care - we´ll see...
ReplyDeleteThe new Fantasy Forest & the Circus will be welcome additions to the Magic Kingdom. While adding Ariel's Dark Ride and the Dwarf's Mine Ride, we will lose Snow White's Adventure. We get Belle's Meet & Greet, the Beast's Castle Restaurant and Gaston's Shopping Village. Besides a double Dumbo, there will be no new rides added here. So what was really added - a net gain of one ride. Don't get me wrong, it will be beautifully done, but for those looking for a ride to compete with Universal, it will not happen.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that would have worked here would have been a Peter Pan Flight to and around NeverLand using the Soarin' technology found in Epcot. Unfortunately, Disney does not listen to their customers as much as they should. We all have a degree of the Imagineer in us. I think Walt Disney would agree.
wesalex i disagree with you, universal studios sucked compared to good old classic disney. beside disney got the latest ride tecnologies and classic storytelling. disney have classic stories while universal always depends on the 'next new movie'
ReplyDelete