Shanghaî Disneyland Celebrates Its First Anniversary !

Shanghaî Disneyland celebrates its first anniversary today with more than 11 million guests since its opening!









Bob Iger who was there with Bob Chapek and Philippe Gas was pleased to participate to selfie pictures with SDL guests like he did on the park opening day!


You've seen yesterday the video interview of Bob Iger talking about the success and the future of SDL, and today i have some stunning aerial view of the park, "wallpaper size" shot recently by a drone. Here we go, and don't forget to click on each to get them in big size.

Shanghaî Disneyland next addition will be the toy Story mini-land and here are the latest pictures of its construction.

Let's have a closer look: The green building are rest rooms, on the left of it with the orange umbrellas you have the Toy Box Cafe ( both are already open ) and below the green building you have on the left Slinky Dog Spin, on the right of it Rex's Racer and, under Slinky Dog Spin, Woody's Roundup.

There is more awesome views of Shanghaî Disneyland available and you can literally "walk" in the park - by moving in it the same way than you do in Google Street view as well as others views at 360° at the link right HERE.

Bob Iger Says That "There is a Great Likelihood That Disney Will Build Another Theme Park in China” !

Shanghaî Disneyland is celebrating its first anniversary tomorrow with more than 11M guests during the first year and Bob Iger said in a Bloomberg interview posted today that "there is a great likelihood that Disney will build another theme park in China" and "in another city", meaning that he don't talk about Shanghaî or Hong Kong.
Excerpts from the Bloomberg article: Walt Disney Co.’s ambitious $5.5 billion Shanghai theme park is close to breaking even after its first full year of operations -- a mark none of its resorts have been able to hit in the last 30 years, said Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger.

“That’s an extraordinary achievement. I’m not sure we’ve ever done that,” said Iger in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Tom Mackenzie on Friday as the Shanghai Disney Resort celebrated its first anniversary. “After the first year, I’m pleased to say that prospects are really strong for continued success and continued growth.”

The park logged more than 11 million visitors earlier this week, Iger said. The Shanghai development, Disney’s first in mainland China and its largest foreign investment, throws the Burbank, California-based giant into the race to dominate the country’s $204 billion media and entertainment industry.

Half the resort’s visitors are from Shanghai and adjacent areas, with the remainder coming from other Chinese cities, Iger said. Park attendance is higher than expected, with “extremely high” occupancy rates at its hotel. The food and beverage business, as well as merchandising, has faced some challenges, he said.

The resort’s attendance for the 12 months after its opening puts it in the top seven of theme parks worldwide, ahead of Disney’s Hong Kong and Paris parks but behind its most popular parks in Florida, California and Japan.

In China, there’s potential for Disney to build a second park in the long run, Iger said, adding it would focus on the Shanghai resort first. A Toy Story themed land opening is planned for next year.

“Before we really look to the horizon geographically, we will focus on expanding this park,” Iger said. “Might we build in another city over time? Yes. There’s a great likelihood that we will. But it’s way too early.”

Read the full Bloomberg article HERE and below is the video of the full interview of Bob Iger.




Video: copyright Bloomberg

Will Disneyland Paris Pirates of Caribbean Legendary Auction Scene Be Deleted ?

I’ve been told that the auction scene in the POTC ride at DLP ( with the auctioneer and the women put in auction ) will be deleted and changed for a new one, most probably for politically correct reasons ( in the days we’re living, lt had to happen ). AND if the new scene is okay they plan to change the auction scene too in the POTC rides in the U.S. I think that the pirate auctioneer and the main characters will probably stay but in a different kind of scene. We’ll see if the rumor is true when the ride will reopen at DLP next month. 



I’m of course not to make the apology of women put in auction but i think it’s a mistake. It’s a PIRATE attraction showing Pirates life in the 18th century, and everyone knows that: 1) action is not in our days but three centuries earlier and 2) that pirates life was full of disreputable actions. That’s what pirates life was and doing some kind of revisionism don’t seem to me to be the best thing to do. In addition, it’s really taking DLP guests for more stupid than they are, or at least to don’t trust their intelligence as obviously they’ll be the first to understand what i've just said, i.e it’s a ride showing pirates life a long, long time ago.

I'll be interested to read your thoughts about that in the comments below!

Pictures: copyright Disney

Return Dates of Disneyland ‘Fantasmic!,’ Rivers of America and Disneyland Railroad

The Disney Parks Blog inform us that "this summer, iconic Disneyland park attractions make their return with the reopening of “Fantasmic!,” the Rivers of America attractions and the Disneyland Railroad. We know these classic attractions – many of which have delighted guests since the park’s opening day – are very special to Disneyland park fans, and we are excited to celebrate their return.

For 25 years, “Fantasmic!” has taken Disneyland park guests on a journey into Mickey Mouse’s imagination, and its return on July 17 – in celebration of the park’s 62nd anniversary – will bring new magic to this beloved nighttime spectacular! The treasured Disneyland park experience guests have loved for years, complete with its original fanfare and theme song, will be taken to brilliant new heights. New mist screens will combine with innovative, state-of-the-art projection technology for brighter and more vibrant visuals than ever before, and the show will feature new scenes inspired by Disney animated classics such as “Aladdin” and “The Lion King.”



Also this summer, the classic Rivers of America attractions will reopen, starting with Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island this Friday, June 16, followed by Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes on July 29. For decades, guests have traveled the landscapes inspired by four of America’s majestic rivers: the Mississippi, the Columbia, the Missouri and the Rio Grande; each carefully recreated, complete with indigenous rock formations, natural forests and wildlife. The return of these watercraft will bring even more breathtaking views for guests to discover, including an enhanced adventure featuring the new Columbia Gorge section, highlighted by five picturesque waterfalls. Last year, we shared the artist’s rendering above, courtesy of Walt Disney Imagineering, showing the gorgeous new north bank of the Rivers of America, which will feature a beautiful new waterfront.



This new waterfront will also include several elevated trestles over which the Disneyland Railroad will travel when it reopens along with the Rivers of America attractions on July 29. An icon for more than 60 years, the Disneyland Railroad holds a special place in the hearts of our guests, and we are excited to take them on the grand circle tour of Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom once again. This classic experience will also feature new and enhanced adventures! For the very first time, the Disneyland Railroad will make a left-hand turn to continue around Disneyland park, and I’m excited to tell you that Walt Disney’s legendary dioramas of the Grand Canyon and Primeval World have been carefully restored to their original splendor, with a bit of new magic added to both!

Don’t miss this iconic summer as some of your favorite attractions return to Disneyland park."

Pictures and text: copyright Disney

Hong Kong Disneyland Marvel Super Heroes Summer - Video

The Marvel Super Heroes Summer has started at Hong Kong Disneyland, but here it's more than short parades or simple meet and greet with characters as they've built a S.H.I.E.L.D warehouse, in fact a Marvel themed maze in which HKDL guests will meet Spiderman, Thor, Black Widow, Dr Strange, Star Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy, enter a room with items belonging to the Collector - with Audio-Animatronics! - and there is even a storyline and a mission as guests will help to find missing elements of a sacred artifact and defeat Hydra, but i don't tell you more to don't spoil the whole experience.

Hong Kong Disneyland is always good in this kind of themed maze. It's temporary, sure, but for something which last just a few months it's not done cheap with even Audio-Animatronics and visual effects! I wonder why they never do this kind of thing at DLP, and they would even have the room for it where is currently the Pizza Planet restaurant behind Space Mountain... Anyway, enjoy the video filmed by Eugene Fong!

Video: copyright Eugene Fong.

BREAKING NEWS : The Walt Disney Company Takes Full Ownership of Disneyland Paris !

This is the big news that DLP fans were waiting for: According to WDWNT The Walt Disney Company has successfully taken full ownership of Disneyland Paris! A new dawn is rising on Disneyland Paris as it means that the WDC will now be the owner of the park, basically will be able to do what they want and most probably future parks expansions should be announced later this year!

 "In order to take full ownership, France’s laws require Disney to own more than 95% of the stock. After offering a buyout to existing shareholders that ended last week, Disney reached 97.08% ownership which will now allow them to take full ownership of the entire resort for the first time in its 25 year history. The remaining shareholders will see their shares automatically redeemed at the price of €2 each."

Full WDWNT article HERE, and below the official statement by France Financial Market Authority which announced this morning that the WDC reached 97.08% ownership of EuroDisney SCA ( Disneyland Paris ). So, now it's 100% official.

Olaf's Frozen Adventure Trailer !

The trailer for Olaf's Frozen Adventure is here! The all-new featurette will open in US theatres in front of Disney/Pixar's Coco beginning November 22.

Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios are teaming up this holiday season when WDAS’ new featurette “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” opens in front of Disney•Pixar’s original feature film “Coco” on Nov. 22, 2017. The new trailer for the featurette will run in front of Disney-Pixar’s “Cars 3,” beginning this Friday, June 16, when Lightning McQueen’s new big-screen adventure opens in theaters nationwide.

“I’m thrilled that Disney Animation’s featurette ‘Olaf’s Frozen Adventure’ will be coming to theaters in November with Pixar’s ‘Coco,’” said John Lasseter, chief creative officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. “It’s a perfect pairing – they’re both beautiful, heartfelt films about families and how people carry traditions forward. I can’t wait for audiences to get to see both of these terrific projects together on the big screen.”

Featuring four new original songs, the 21-minute featurette welcomes the original cast and characters back to the big screen, including Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), who is on a mission to harness the best holiday traditions for Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) and Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff). Directed by Emmy®-winning filmmakers Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton (“Prep & Landing”), produced by Oscar® winner Roy Conli (“Big Hero 6”), with original songs by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson (“Between the Lines”), “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” will be in theaters for a limited time beginning Nov. 22.




Picture and video: copyright Disney

Disneyland Space Mountain With E.T Score

Back in 1985 no coaster had on-ride audio and WDI Imagineer Tom Morris - show-producer of DLP Fantasyland, HKDL, and of DLP Sleeping Beauty Castle, as well as Cars Land - had the idea to do a sound demo with different musics examples to show to WDI execs how a good idea it would be to include audio in Space Mountain cars, and one of the demos was with the music from E.T!

As i wanted to see how it would have feel in real i did a sound editing on a good video of Space Mountain filmed in 2015 by SoCal Attractions 360 and replaced the audio of the video by the "E.T demo" that Tom Morris did more than 30 years ago. Of course it was just a demo as Disney would never had done it for real with the E.T music in Space Mountain as E.T rights belongs to Universal. But Tom idea was not lost and that was even probably the origin of the on-ride audio which would come many years later in DLP Casey Jr which was the first coaster to have on ride audio, followed in 1995 by Space Mountain at DLP Discoveryland, and many others after. 

One more thing: the "bip" you will hear in the audio was in Tom Morris tape to mark the "dispatch" moment, i.e when the train is launched to start the ride on the Space Mountain track. 




Video: copyright SoCal Attractions 360

France Parc Astérix Opens New Attraction "Pégase Express" - Grand Opening and Full Ride POV Videos

France Parc Astérix is Disneyland Paris closest competitor ( they don't play in the same category but both are close to Paris ) and the parc had the grand opening of its new ride called Pégase Express. The video below show you the inauguration as well as the ride itself but the ride was filmed at sunset, and although it helps to see better the main scene of the ride before the train is sent backwards you don't see perfectly well the track so i add another video below showing it by full daylight. 




Here is the day light video of Parc Asterix Pégase Express coaster ride allowing to see everything.




Picture: copyright Parc Astérix