We all love WDI Audio-Animatronics in Disney's theme parks attractions, don't we? Well, SoCal Attractions 360 just released this video with - according to him - the "Top 22 Disney's Audio-Animatronics from Disney Parks Around the World". For the most i agree with his choice, but i think he forgot at least one, the great Audio-Animatronic of the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz scene during the Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios and others now extinct like the great Timekeeper in DLP Visionarium.
While we are at it, SoCal Attractions 360 also posted recently what is probably the BEST video of the Best Tower of Terror ride in the World, the one at WDW Disney's Hollywood Studios! Enjoy it in 4K!
Epcot Horizons is one of the most beloved extinct attraction - if not THE one - and it was one of my favorite too. Thanks to MartinsVidsDotNet who posted an awesome Ultimate Horizons Tribute you'll be able to see and live the ride like never before:
"Follow the development of the pavilion from a GE fair in Futureworld west to the pavilion it eventually became in Futureworld East. See how the story evolved, the ride developed, how the track and show scenes were designed and laid out and then watch as the pavilion went from nothing to dedication in 19 months.
And then, take the trip you've always dreamed of in a 40 minute, multi camera extravaganza. As much detail has been covered as possible, every show scene, every projection. Each projection screen has been flicker reduced or eliminated, each shot of the ride enhanced where possible. Walk into the pavilion and begin your journey in the Futureport to see the trio of destinations available aboard Horizons One. Follow the queue and then take you seat for a continuously moving omnimover ride from the past and into the future. Highlights include complete source quality loops of all 3 Movies of Yesteryear screens, the full Omnimax loop, and all 3 ending choices in full and of high quality.
Audio wise, each animatronic conversation is clean live but is in full and with hopefully the clearest quality audio available to date. Each spiel was edited together from dozens of recordings for completeness and the best available quality. All sound effects are clean and enhanced, and the musical score and in-car narration is of course of source quality."
In addition to this great video below don't miss HERE my big tribute to Horizons posted some years ago with lot of pictures, plenty of artwork, and links to others previous Epcot original attractions artwork articles.
And now it's time for you to board inside a Horizon vehicle and enjoy this fantastic ride, thanks to this awesome ultimate Horizons tribute edited by MartinsVidsDotNet whom i thanks a lot, and congratulate for the high quality of the video.
Just like everybody who did the ride at Epcot, you will love Horizons instantly, it was Imagineering at its best! And don't forget: If we can dream it, we can do it!
Typhoons are generally more expected in Hong Kong than Shanghaî but as you'll see on these videos below filmed yesterday at Shanghaî Disneyland freakin' storm with unbelievable winds can happen at Shanghaî too! The first video below shows strollers literally flying in Mickey Avenue...
...when this other video filmed at SDL Treasure Cove, SDL "Pirates land" shows almost an hurricane scene in the lagoon as yesterday's storm turned Shanghai Disneyland's Treasure Cove into a set of a Pirates of the Caribbean movie!
For its 25th Anniversary Disneyland Paris released a new book, titled "Disneyland Paris From A to Z". It's a large format coffee table book - 35 x 26 cm - with 232 pages and a slipcase. It's the second book released by DLP after the one they've published for the 25th Anniversary ( 20 Years of Dreams ) and, in my opinion, this one is better. 20 years of Dreams was great for those who wanted a recollection of all the great moments and events of the park since opening day in 1992 but i didn't liked too much the layouts of the book. The layouts for this new book are much better, with more "air", and the text both in english and french is more easily readable. So, that's a real good point.
The title "Disneyland Paris From A to Z" is an alibi to cover with each chapter a different aspect of the park ( A for Attractions, I for Imagineering, H for Hotels, etc... ) but it works pretty well and each chapter has plenty of fantastic pictures that for sure will delight all DLP fans. Although the book has an Imagineering chapter it's not a book about the creation of the park - this angle was the one of my Disneyland Paris , from Sketch to Reality book - but they succeeded to find either Imagineering shots or concept-arts that i had never seen before so those of you who own my "From Sketch to Reality" book won't find the same documents in this new DLP book. Have a look below at some of the great opening pages for the book chapters.
In addition to each "themed" chapter, it also includes in parallel others pages "Disneyland Paris around the clock", showing the activity in the park at different times during the day, for different departments. Another good idea allowing to have an additional look at what's happening behind the scenes, including when the park is closed at night.
The authors of the book are Jérémie Noyer and Mathias Dugoujon and both did a great job on the text of the book which has a foreword by DLP President Catherine Powell. Personally i consider that it's the best book about DLP with the "From Sketch to Reality" book and if you must have only two books about DLP these are the ones, so i strongly suggest you to buy this great "Disneyland Paris From A to Z" book next time you'll be at Disneyland Paris. And if you don't plan a visit to the parks - or simply live too far from Paris - please note that you can order the book through Disneyland Paris mail order service that you can contact by email at: dlp.mail.order@disney.com
"Disneyland Paris From A to Z" has 232 pages, cost 49.99€ only ...and here is a last surprise as each book also include a GREAT and perfect facsimile of Disneyland Paris Commemorative "passport", a real bonus and a "must" for DLP fans as the original ones are hard to find. That's another good reason to buy this beautiful book!
In the Netherlands, the excellent Efteling park has now officially opened its fourth major dark ride, "Symbolica - Palace of Fantasy". The Dutch park is renowned for the excellent quality of its dark rides. The new "Symbolica - Palace of Fantasy" ride features a trackless ride system allowing guest to visit the Palace of Fantasy and its secret chambers with many professional Audio-Animatronics and illusions. Efteling invested 35 million Euro in the project, as the park is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2017.
Symbolica: Palace of Fantasy
Come and visit the new indoor family attraction Symbolica. An enchanting palace in which nothing is what it seems. Enjoy an audience with the King together. Magic Jester Pardoes will ensure that every visit is surprising and enchanting. Let yourself be led along the secret corridors through into magical rooms and be amazed time after time.
The Palace of Fantasy is located in the centre of the park, at the end of the Pardoes Promenade, on the Efteling Brink.
Visitors are invited to rediscover their imagination on an adventure through the magical, hidden rooms of the Palace. Visitors of all nationalities and generations use their imagination. A maximum of six people will step into a carriage and then choose one of three different routes. Each route will offer a different adventure with interactive elements through the Palace of Fantasy.
As you'll see on the video, the ride is extremely well done, and there is in fact three different paths at a certain moment of the ride, meaning that guests in each of the three trackless vehicles won't see the same scenes. Efteling had the kindness to film three videos, showing the three different rides, though the opening and end scenes remain the same.
But there is more to say about "Symbolica - Palace of Fantasy" and those of you who did at Hong Kong Disneyland the great Mystic Manor ride will see instantly how "Symbolica" is full of tributes to the HKDL ride. Obviously Efteling "Imagineers" loved Mystic Manor as much as we did and kept some of the good ideas of the Disney ride, with of course a different story or theming. Still, the vehicle move in hallways and chambers of a "Palace of Fantasy" just like it does inside Mystic Manor, and some decors or scenes are more than reminiscences from the HKDL ride, like the greenhouse scene ( with a great idea that i don't reveal ) or a scene with fighting armors. The opening scene, the load/unload room and the trackless vehicle itself also remind a lot Mystic Manor, but it's mostly because the blueprint is identical as here too the theming is of course different. Even with these reminiscences we can't say that Symbolica is a copycat of Mystic Manor and Efteling creatives have found new ideas which make it overall not only a great "E-Ticket" ride but also one of the best quality rides to open in Europe this year! It's also amazing that Efteling succeeded to do this ride for 35 million euros "only", a performance which would make jealous any WDI Imagineer!
And now, here are the three videos, watch definitely all of them to discover the different scenes of each tours. There is also a short pre-show, which is the first video below.
We're not done yet as Efteling has also posted a series of seven great making-of videos and it's interesting to note that it's Garner Holt company - the one who do now for Disney most of the Audio-Animatronics - who did the Audio-Animatronics of the Symbolica ride, as you'll see in the last video below.
At Universal Studios Hollywood, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Nighttime Light Show on Hogwarts Castle started recently. The show last only five minutes but it's five gorgeous minutes! Just like the night shows at Disney theme parks the projection effects are done on the castle but here there is a big difference: when at Disney the castle is used as a "screen" here the castle itself is part of the story, and that makes a big difference of meaning!
Go ahead, enjoy the show and of course watch it full screen!
