Disneyland Paris Christmas Season Pictorial Update !

Here we go for a new Disneyland Paris update with a great pictorial article about DLP Christmas season, thanks as always to Max, D&M contributor and DLPWelcome webmaster.

In two words, DLP did things very well for this 2014 Christmas season, and even better than the previous years thanks to the new Disney Dreams of Christmas projection show on the castle and a great Christmas parade!

Of course there is a great Christmas parade and here are some pictures of it as well as a HD video. Along with the night show Disney Dreams! this is the not to be missed of the Christmas! This parade has five floats and thanks to the addition of a new float themed on a sweets and spices theme, with Clara and Daisy in the kitchen, this parade takes another dimension, but has also more of American tradition! The parade is played three times during daytime. Note that during the last time in the evening enjoy artificial snow and in Main Street, it's magnificent.

And here is the video of the full Christmas parade!




DLP guests and specially children can enjoy meet and greet with Disney characters starting by a very charming Merida...

But also Snow White...

...Rapunzel...

...Jack in his Christmas costume...

And of courseAnna and Elsa... but you better be patient if you want to meet them as Sunday November 9 so many people wanted to meet them that the wait was 300 minutes - yes, 5 hours!

The Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration is always a great moment, here are some pics and the video of this magical Christmas moment!

And of course there is the great Disney Dreams of Christmas castle show, perfectly designed by Steve Davison and his team. Of course Frozen has the more sequences but there is a nice Toy Story sequence too, as well - very good idea - as a "It's a Small World" sequence. Fireworks and fountains are great too, and the whole thing is definitely a not-to-be-missed show if you visit DLP during this Christmas season!

Enjoy the show and watch the video below in 1080p definition, and full screen!

Let's end by a quick look at the Christmas merchandise inside the New Century Notions shop!

It's also Christmas for those who would like to order the great Disneyland Paris book as i'm currently doing a great and not-to-be-missed Christmas special offer! All details below!

From November 1st to January 5th the book Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality in its english regular and updated edition OR in its french collector edition is on sale at the special Christmas price of 60 € (+ 15 € shipping worldwide ). And you can order a signed edition ( which will be dedicated at your name or the name of the person  you wish ) for 75 € instead of 100 € ( +15 €  shipping worldwide )! 
In addition, ALL buyers will receive a surprise gift that you will love! 
SPECIAL NOTE to buyers with a shipping address to ITALY or BELGIUM : For shipments to Belgium or Italy, the amount of shipping costs is 25 €. 

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Prices of this Christmas special offer are valid from November 1st to January 5th BUT ANY ORDER THAT YOU NEED TO GET FOR CHRISTMAS DAY SHOULD BE DONE - AND PAID - NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 5th FOR A SHIPPING ADDRESS OUTSIDE OF FRANCE. IF THE SHIPPING ADRESS IS IN FRANCE THE LAST DAY TO PLACE YOUR ORDER TO MAKE SURE YOU'll GET IT FOR CHRISTMAS IS DEC 15. 

IF YOU DON'T NEED THE BOOK SPECIALLY FOR CHRISTMAS, THEN FEEL FREE TO PLACE YOUR ORDER UNTIL JANUARY 5TH. ALSO NOTE THAT  NO SHIPPING WILL BE DONE BETWEEN December 18 AND January 5. In other words, if you really need to get the book for Christmas because it's for a gift, place your order as soon as possible, do not wait until the last moment because your order and the payment must be received no later than December 5 ( foreign orders ) or December 15 ( french orders ). 

ALSO, Those who choose the autographed version please don't forget to mention in your email at what name the dedication must be done! 

Do not miss this special Christmas offer, and place your order by email to: neverlandeditions@gmail.com  
Please let me know in your email if you want the english or french edition!

You can pay by Paypal, credit card or bank transfer. 

Paypal payment must be sent to the same email address - neverlandeditions@gmail.com - or you can also use the Paypal button below or on the right column by choosing between signed or unsigned copy, and how many copies you want. 
The Paypal button works for both french or english edition but confirm me by email or in your Paypal payment which edition you want ( english or french ).
Also note that the Paypal button includes an additional discount for those who want to order 2 or 3 copies instead of one. 

If you do NOT have a Paypal account you can pay by credit card, or bank transfer, please send me an email about it to: neverlandeditions@gmail.com
Note: For those of you who have never seen a copy of the book you'll find below a video presentation of the full book which will show you each of the 320 pages of the book.

Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality

One Copy Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality & Shipping €75.00 EUR One Signed Copy Disneyland Paris FromSketch toReality & Shipping €90.00 EUR 2 Copy Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality & Shipping €140.00 EUR 2 Signed Copy Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality & Shipping €170.00 EUR 3 Copy Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality & Shipping €200.00 EUR 3 Signed Copy Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality & Shipping €250.00 EUR

Although you've probably heard about this beautiful book, many of you may have never seen a copy of it. So we've done a video presentation of the full book which will show you each of the 320 pages of the book! The book includes 750 pictures of the park, including 250 gorgeous renderings of Walt Disney Imagineering and stunning pictures of the park seen from above. The book is so big that it took us seven and a half minutes to show you the full book, and that's without stopping turning each pages! So, if you want to have a closer look at a page don't hesitate to stop the video!





Pictures: copyright Max Fan - DLPWelcome

Africa Marketplace Coming at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Something new is coming at Disney’s Animal Kingdom so we know that those constructions walls in Africa had a good reason to be there. Near the entrance to the Wildlife Express Train, construction work is taking place and the new area will be called The Africa Marketplace. It will open next Spring with expanded merchandise offerings, and will offer an alternate pathway to travel to Asia and a new quick service restaurant which will feature a number of different food offerings at walk-up windows.

This themed colonial-era marketplace will offer produce and raw goods that come straight from Harambe by train. And WDW based on Guests feedback made sure there will be plenty of shade to enjoy while guests relax and eat during their visit.

Artwork: copyright Disney

Charming B&W Trailer For Big Hero 6 Release in Japan

To promote the release of Disney's Big Hero 6 in Japan, Walt Disney Animation studio has released a beautiful hand-drawn B&W animated trailer done in a japanese style. It focuses on the relationship between Hiro, his brother, and Baymax. 



Picture and video: copyright Disney

DLP WDS Wins 2014 THEA Award for "Best Themed Restaurant"... but Universal Wins "Best Attraction" Award for Escape From Gringotts

That's it, the 2014 THEA Awards ( the equivalent for theme parks and museums of Hollywood Academy Awards ) have been announced at Orlando IAAPA Expo and Disneyland Paris got the "best themed restaurant  award" for the Ratatouille "Chez Rémy" restaurant, which it fully deserves. However DLP WDS didn't get the "best attraction award" for the Ratatouille ride, which is going to Universal for the Escape From Gringotts ride, which as you'll probably agree was a tough competitor. Disney also got the "Classic award" for It's a Small World.

Below, the full list of awards, in each category.

THE BUZZ PRICE THEA AWARD – Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements
Ron Miziker, Miziker Entertainment Group

THEA CLASSIC AWARD
"it's a small world," Disneyland (Anaheim, Calif. USA)

THEA AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

Paragon Award : Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios Florida (Orlando)  (especially Diagon Alley, Hogwarts Express, and shops and restaurants)

Attraction : Harry Potter & The Escape from Gringotts, Universal Studios Florida (Orlando)

Technical Excellence : Interactive Wands – Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios Florida

Attraction Rehab on a Limited Budget : The Time Machine, Parc du Futuroscope (Poitiers, France)

Theme Park : Chimelong Ocean Kingdom (Zhuhai, China)

New Park Land, Limited Budget : Gratassland “The Land of the Little Grey Tractor,” Kongeparken (Norway)

Attraction, Limited Budget : Wilderness Explorers, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World (Orlando)

Themed Restaurant : Bistrot Chez Remy, Walt Disney Studios Park (Disneyland Paris)

Extraordinary Cultural Achievement : National September 11 Memorial Museum (New York City, USA)

Museum Exhibit : Wonder Rooms at Gemeentemuseum (The Hague)

Museum Exhibition, Limited Budget : Nature Lab, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Event Spectacular : The Legend of Lady White Snake (Zhenjiang, China)

Live Show, Limited Budget : The Grand Hall Experience at Saint Louis Union Station (Saint Louis, USA)

Event Spectacular : Wings of Time (Sentosa Island, Singapore)

Corporate Brand-Land : The StoryGarden at The Amorepacific Beauty Campus (Gyeonggi-do, South Korea)

Picture: copyright Disney and more

First Trailer For Live Action Cinderella Movie !

The first trailer for the live action Cinderella movie has been released, as well as the new poster above and a series of production stills that you can see on the D&M Facebook page HERE. Cinderella is directed by the great Shakespearian actor and director Kenneth Branagh, the also greats Cate Blanchett is playing the evil step mother and Helena Bonham Carter the fairy godmother and here is the synopsis:

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella's father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother's dying words and to "have courage and be kind." She will not give in to despair nor despise those who mistreat her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an apprentice at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella's hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit (Richard Madden). Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand, and a kindly beggar woman (Helena Bonham-Carter) steps forward and -- armed with a pumpkin and a few mice -- changes Cinderella's life forever.




Picture and video: copyright Disney

Planet J , Asia’s First Live Action Role-Play Theme Park Will Open Summer 2015 at Macau’s Sands Cotai

Asia’s first live action role-play theme park, Planet J, is expected to launch at Macau’s Sands Cotai Central in summer 2015 - Macau Cotai strip is the equivalent of the Las Vegas strip - and it sounds to me like a kind of Disney Quest which would use the newest technologies. The park will cover an area of over 9,290m2 at the Sands Cotai resort complex and will be the first permanent theme park in the district. Its new concept will allow park attenders to physically act out the actions of fantasy characters in role-play games, pursue goals, and interact with other adventurers within an out of this world setting referred to as the Magic Stone Kingdom.

Each guest – or player – will be supplied with a ‘magic book’ – a personalized mobile equipment that connects with over 200 games in the theme park, fusing technology and experimental storytelling. Players will then proceed through a number of themed game-areas, completing challenges that test their “wits, stamina and speedy reactions.” Planet J will record each player’s game progress and history on its general system. When a player returns to the park, all their information can be reactivated, allowing them to attempt higher level and more difficult games.

Jumpin Gym Digital Entertainment, the parent company of Planet J, said that the project was in development for over eight years, and they expect the park will attract over three million visitors from around the world : “We are absolutely thrilled to be presenting Planet J to the world,” said Damon Chan, chairman of Jumpin Gym Digital Entertainment, who was also behind work on several Universal Studios and Disneyland attractions.

“Planet J is a truly new revolutionary model – breaking out from entertainment offered by conventional theme parks. We have the vision for Planet J to become a leading global chain of interactive themed destinations.” This indoor interactive theme park is expected to cost over MOP $1 billion (US $125.2 million).

Pictures: copyright Planet J