Saturday, May 11, 2013

MORE Awesome Disneyland Paris Apple Maps App Aerial Pictures - Part Two


It seems that you enjoyed my previous article with the Disneyland Paris aerial pictures now available on the Apple iPhone iPad "Maps" App with the "3D fly over" feature, so here is more awesomeness and this time we will have also a look at the hotels of the resort. As usual, click on each to see the screen captures in big size. If you've missed the first part with aerial pictures of the parks you'll find it HERE.

The picture below is an interesting one as it shows how close DLM Magic Kingdom is from the french villages nearby.


On the picture below, the Disneyland Paris hotels around the Disney lake.


The next screen shot shows DLP Disney Village from above with the new World of Disney store at the bottom and the balloon on the lake, at the other end of the Disney Village.


Below, some shots showing the Disney Village and the hotels around lake Disney from a more vertical point, and on different angles. On the first picture below the Newport Bay Hotel is on the bottom left, the Sequoia Lodge Hotel on the center and bottom right and the New York Hotel on the top right.




The picture below shows the Newport Bay Hotel front facade.


The hotels around the lake are not the only one, you also have the Cheyenne and Santa Fe hotels which are close to the New York Hotel and it's the ones you can see on the top left or the left of the pictures below, near DLP main parking lot..



But there is also more affordable hotels located not that far from the Cheyenne and the Santa Fe and these are the ones you see on the pictures below.



The shot below is interesting as you cans ee on the same picture DLP Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney Studios, Disney Village and the lake with the hotels around it, the Cheyenne and Santa Fe hotels near DLP parking lot AND the others non-Disney hotels on the top right.


Let's go back at the parks entrance and on the pictures below you have the Disney Village on the center left, DLP Magic Kingdom on the bottom right and the WDS park on the center top.



We'll end with this great one showing the Disneyland Paris Hotel and Fantasia Gardens, and if you wonder what is this white structure just under it, on the right, it's the train station, located at 30 meters from the entrance. Very convenient when you stay in Paris and come to the park with the train.


Don't miss the $45 Discount on the Disneyland Paris book! English and French copies still available! 

I remind you that the Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality book, in which you have the whole park in 320 pages with 750 photos including 250 WDI renderings is still available in its english or french edition. French collector signed copies are also always available. And we do a special price right now on it with a $45 / 40€ discount on the normal price, so order your collector copy while we still have copies available as we're really running low on the english copies. You'll find below a one click Paypal button as well as a video showing the whole book. And you can have more infos about this gorgeous 320 pages book HERE.



Choose between french or english edition -Price include shipping





Pictures: copyright Apple Maps App - Tom Tom

Friday, May 10, 2013

Updated iPhone - iPad Apple "Maps" App Offer Stunning Aerial Views of Disneyland Paris !


Those of you who own an iPhone or iPad are in luck today as Apple has updated its Maps App with new HD satellite pictures of Paris AND Disneyland Paris, and the "fly over" function is working on both! The result, as we will see, is stunning views of the park that you can discover from any angle. All you have to do is to go on "Maps", and enter as keyword "Disneyland Paris", choose the satellite view, and then the 3D view.

Not only - picture above - you can have a full view of the park but also you can zoom wherever you want and the first picture below shows Disneyland Paris hotel and the Fantasia Gardens. By the way, definitely click on each of the screen shots below to see them in big size.


From there you'll have a great view of Main Street U.S.A from above...


...then of Sleeping Beauty Castle and Central Plaza...


Let's fly over Frontierland Thunder Mesa and the Rivers of the Far West!


From that point you can zoom on Big Thunder Mountain island and have a great view of it and Phantom Manor...


The great thing is that the multi touch function offer the possibility to "turn" around and change of angles as you want...


Let's fly over the jungles of Adventureland!


A great view of DLP Fantasyland...


...and over Discoveryland's Space Mountain and Autopia...


These great aerial views also allow to discover things that you can't see from the ground. For instance, how close the small cars of Autopia are from the "real" ones parked in the Disneyland Paris hotel parking lot...


Or, for someone who never came at the parks, how near the entrance of DLP Magic Kingdom is from the one of the Walt Disney Studios park.


And also how close the future Ratatouille ride - on the bottom, still in construction - will be from Frontierland river and  the geysers. Something you will never guess when you'll be in the parks.


The other thing, even more interesting, that the app allow to see, is where there is land still available for future expansions. For instance, flying over the WDS, you'll see this big piece of land in the back of the park that surely will be used in the future for new rides or mini lands that will be added to the WDS.


At the Disneyland Park you'll see between Indiana Jones Temple of Peril and POTC show building the land that DLP Imagineers are keeping to eventually build one day the long awaited Indiana Jones Adventure...


...or, behind Fantasyland train station the land they intend to use if the Little Mermaid ride is coming someday at DLP Fantasyland.


You will see also the land available behind Space Mountain and in the back of Discoveryland on which will be built the upcoming Star Wars land. Because this one, you can be sure that it's coming. May be not before 2016, but it's coming... The big white tent on the bottom right is the VIP tent used during DLP special events, which of course they can remove.


And, although there is the backstage road behind, you'll see that if they decide to go over it - which probably they won't do, at least at the start - they even have more land available.


So, is this Maps App perfect? Let's say that it is very good as long as you don't zoom too much inside a view, because if you do you'll reach a point where the buildings will start to  distort, which by the way is logical as the 3D view is probably done using an algorithm as the original view was obviously shot "flat". But if you respect this rule you'll be amazed and it's also a great way to prepare your next trip to DLP as thanks to the App you'll be able to see the distances between DLP hotels and different areas.

Of course, the bigger the screen is the better is the experience so if you have an iPad choose to watch the pics on the iPad. Also, to avoid any mistake, note that we're talking here of the iOs Apple Maps App, not the Google Maps App. The Apple Maps App is automatically embed in the latest version of iOs, all you have to do if you don't have it is to install the latest iPhone - iPad iOs version, which is free.

Let's end with a last view of the Disneyland park, right at the vertical of the Park!


The second part of the article with others awesome pictures showing DLP hotels and more is now on line HERE!

Don't miss the $45 Discount on the Disneyland Paris book! English and French copies still available! 

I remind you that the Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality book, in which you have the whole park in 320 pages with 750 photos including 250 WDI renderings is still available in its english or french edition. French collector signed copies are also always available. And we do a special price right now on it with a $45 / 40€ discount on the normal price, so order your collector copy while we still have copies available as we're really running low on the english copies. You'll find below a one click Paypal button as well as a video showing the whole book. And you can have more infos about this gorgeous 320 pages book HERE.

Choose between french or english edition -Price include shipping





Pictures: copyright Apple Maps - Tom Tom

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Editor's Note: I'll be back tomorrow with a new update but in the meantime jump to the D&M Facebook page on which i've posted many interesting posts today! I remind you that you do NOT need to register on Facebook to see the D&M Facebook page, so go ahead and do the jump!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Diagon Alley Officially Announced by Universal Studios Orlando


The big news today is the official announcement by Universal Studios Orlando that The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Diagon Alley is coming to the park and will open ...in 2014! Disney and more has all the renderings and infos for you, including the official press release. No need to say that there is a new big battle coming in 2014 between WDW and Universal Studios Orlando with the opening the same year of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at WDW Magic Kingdom and at Universal this new Diagon Alley with the new Gringotts Bank coaster ride plus the Hogwarts Express ride to Islands of Adventure!


ORLANDO, Fla. (May 8, 2013) – Building on the global phenomenon that is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment today announced an expansion of historic proportion with the entirely new themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

 Scheduled to open in 2014, the world’s first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal’s creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project. 



The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering brand-new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world. Diagon Alley and ‘London’ will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

 The new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive and authentic as the existing themed environment. And – just like in the books and films – guests will be able to travel between ‘London’ and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express.



Below, what should be probably the Hogwarts Express train station entrance.



Work on the new area is already underway. When complete, it will feature shops, a restaurant and an innovative, marquee attraction based on Gringotts bank – all directly inspired by the fiction and films. More details on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley will be released over time.


 Above, the entrance of the Gringotts bank attraction. And, yes, there will be a giant dragon breathing fire at the top of the building. My guess is that part of it - probably head and neck - will be audio-animatronic. 

Below, the London street with iconic shops, and more.



 To bring Diagon Alley and ‘London’ to life, Universal’s creative team is working closely with Warner Bros. and the production design team from the Harry Potter films – just as it did for Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. "I'm so pleased that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has proved so popular to date, and I'm sure that the attention to detail in creating the new Diagon Alley area will make this an even better experience," said J.K. Rowling. “We are continuing the journey and adding an entirely new level of adventure,” said Tom Williams, Chairman of Universal Parks & Resorts. “And we are bringing the same drive, commitment, enthusiasm and innovation to this project as we did to the first.” “We are thrilled to offer the legions of fans the opportunity to embark on this new journey and experience Diagon Alley as it was brought to life in the books and films,” said Brad Globe, president, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “Our vision is to create two amazing theme park experiences that combine into one, complete, magical journey,” said Alice Norsworthy, executive vice president, marketing and sales for Universal Orlando Resort.


Above the London waterfront, located near Universal Orlando lagoon... including the famous double decker bus which was part of Harry Potter adventures and apparently a copy of Picadilly circus famous "Eros" statue.


The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade opened at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in June 2010 as a fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment - bringing to life the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling and the blockbuster feature films from Warner Bros. Since that time, it has become a global phenomenon, entertaining millions of people from around the world. Visitors to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter are swept into the adventures of Harry Potter. They can tour Hogwarts castle, shop in Hogsmeade and dine at the Three Broomsticks. They can soar above Hogwarts with Harry, be chosen by a wand at Ollivanders, sample Butterbeer and much more".

Pictures: copyright Universal Orlando

Star Tours 2 Officially Open at Tokyo Disneyland - WDI Video


That's it, Star Tours 2 is now officially open at Tokyo Disneyland Tomorrowland and Walt Disney Imagineering just released a video to celebrate the event, and WDI Imagineers explain the changes they did in this new version! Among the new additions,  the hitchhikers droids robots above.




Georges Lucas couldn't be here but he sent a video message to TDL fans!




TDL did several fun TV spot to announce Star Tours The Adventures Continue, among them the two below.







Let's end with this video filmed by a fan on opening day.




Picture and TDL videos: copyright Disney - Oriental Land

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

First Aerial Pictures of Shanghaî Disneyland ! "Soarin' Over Shanghaî Disneyland" Video !


Here is a great Shanghaî Disneyland update with not only the first aerial pictures of the construction site, but also a "soaring' over SDL video that i did specially for you!

All aerial pictures below are from Google Earth as they did recently a new update with new satellite pictures. You will see the whole construction site, and very clearly the Shanghaî Disneyland lake, the land where will be build the Shanghaî Disneyland 5 stars hotel - at the bottom left of the lake, and of course the land where the park will be build anytime soon! Note that the new satellite picture stops at the limit of the lake so the land for the park itself is a mix often old picture and the new one, which also allows a before/after view.

There we go, and for each picture you have the satellite view, the same with "where will be what", and the Google Earth view. Definitely click on each pictures to see them in big size.

But first, have a look to this map which was cleverly done by Luke from Luke and the Temple of Fun website sometime ago, and which Luke put together the different maps available of the park, hotels, entertainment zone, etc...  Keep the different places in mind
as it will help you to know where is what.


To help you to locate where SDL will be from Shanghaî i suggest that we have a look first at these pictures showing the park and Shanghaî on the left. The China sea, in fact, will be on the right of SDL, not so far.






There we are, just over Shanghaî Disneyland!






Let's get closer! As you will see almost no building is built yet on the site, and these satellite pictures shot recently also give an idea of the work that remain to be done for SDL Imagineers and workers during the next two and a half years...





An aerial view of the land for SDL Magic Kingdom. The pale shot on the right is the most recent one, the one on the left shows the land before the works on the ground began.






At the bottom left of the lake, the land for the future Shanghaî Disneyland 5 stars hotel, which will face SDL Magic Kingdom.






Another Google Earth view, this time looking towards SDL lake, and with the land for the park in the foreground.


Two pictures of a closer view of the lake, the second one from the opposite angle.




The resort land view from another angle, with the SDL lake, on the top right the land for the SDL Magic Kingdom.


And now here is this "Soarin'" video that i did "flying" over the Google Earth views. Although it took me quite a while, i had fun doing it and i'm sure you will recognize the music. Also note that the fly-over is slightly jerky, this is due to the fact that apparently Google Earth and Quicktime don't fit well together when one is recording the other... hope you will enjoy this short video anyway, watch it full screen and in HD 1080p!





Pictures: copyright Google Earth

Video: copyright Disney and more