Disneyland Paris Frontierland & Phantom Manor Update

Here we go for a new DLP update, this time all about Frontierland AND the  awaited reopening of Phantom Manor, thanks to pictures shot by Max, D&M contributor and DLP Welcome webmaster. Phantom Manor reopening has many delays and was expected to finally on February 16, but recently we learned that, finally, it won't be before April.

About this new delay of Phantom Manor reopening, as many of you are asking me what is happening, here it is: basically it’s simply technical issues which takes longer than expected to be solved. DLP Imagineers are doing some changes in the ride - don’t worry, all Phantom Manor most famous and beloved scenes will be untouched - but some elements will be enhanced and there will be some things really new that i can’t talk about here. As usual in life, sometime everything runs smoothly and sometime not and it takes more time. In addition, as you know, Phantom Manor is an attraction using the Omnimover, i.e everything must be correctly synchronized with the endless passage of each doom buggy, something which is sometime more easy to say than to do. But with a bit of luck everything will be finally ready for a reopening before April, though probably not before the end of February. So, Phantom Manor might have a reopening sooner than April, except if DLP wants to keep the reopening for DLP 27th Anniversary on April 12.

The outeside area of Phantom Manor has been entirely renovated and the work is remarkable with a high quality result. Whether it’s the woods, the scenery, the gardens, everything hass been renovated. Among the novelties we can notice the new lighst that surround the house, but also new smooth staircases facing the main gate of the manor for access to the paying Fast Pass that will be proposed as soon as the attraction will reopen. in April with 7 months of delay on the initial reopening date.




























After several months of interruption, the geysers are working again!




Let's move to the other end of Frontierland to discover the progress of tthe works on the site of the new Chaparral Theater. Construction is moving fast, and fortunately as its opening is scheduled for summer 2019. The foundations have been done and the walls will be installed soon. The area can't be accessed for now as guests can't move further than the Cowboy Cookout Barbecue and can't even access even to Cottonwood Creek Ranch area by train as DLP railroad is stopped until March, officially.
















You can see the aesthetics of the new room. The colors used are warmer than those of the other buildings in the land. Here are again the blueprints of the new Chaparral theatre.









More DLP updates will come soon, in the mean time don't miss the Christmas special offer for the last copies of the 320 pages book Disneyland Paris book "From Sketch to Reality" atthe best price available on the web!

From Nov 15 until January 10 it's Christmas Special Offer on the LAST English copies of the acclaimed Disneyland Paris book "From Sketch to Reality" and if you own an Apple device get in addition for FREE the eBook English edition when it will be available in 2019, allowing you to read the book wherever you are. And the eBook edition incllude more than 60 video links to the best available videos of the park! It's your last chance to get a printed copy of this gorgeous book at a reasonable price, no kidding! The book is sold on Amazon by others sellers at $2000 or more - check this HERE - and it's the last time you'll find it at its original price!

Lecteurs Français: Etant donné que l'édition française est épuisée, tout acheteur de l'édition anglaise recevra gratuitement l'édition française eBook du livre! Et l'édition eBook contient plus de 60 liens vidéos d'une délection des meilelures vidéos du parc! Note Importante: cette offre avec l'eBook est réservée à ceux possédant du matériel Apple ( iPhone, Ipad ou iMac ) nécessaire pour pouvoir liire l'eBook.

Here is all you need to know to order a copy of the "Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality" book with the special offer. First, it's a 320 pages book with 750 pictures of the park including 250 WDI artworks! It's also probably the best Christmas gift you can find for a Disneyland Paris fan - and it is true! Have a look below to the mosaic pictures showing a selection of pages of the book.

To place your order for the DLP book, please send me an email at: amplittaye@gmail.com with your shipping address. The price during the special offer is 100€ and shipping worldwide is 22€ ( except Belgium and Italy for which it is 29€ ).

Also, each order will receive GREAT surprise gifts! ( and believe me they are really great! )

You can pay with Paypal, credit card or bank transfer. For Paypal payments please send directly the full amount  including shipping, i.e 122€ worldwide, except for Belgium and Italy for which it is 129€ at: nme4@wanadoo.fr  If you wish to pay by credit card and bank transfer, send me an email at: amplittaye@gmail.com   and i'll tell you how to do.








If you've never seen the book before, don't miss the video below or on Youtube HERE showing the full 320 pages of the book!




Videos: copyright DLP Welcome, D&M

New Clip and Songs for Mary Poppins Returns !

Disney released a new clip of the awaited Mary Poppins Returns, as well as two audio-only videos of two of the new songs. Let's start by the clip which shows Mary poppins arriving at the house of the Banks family.





Now for the new songs, the first one is titled “The Place Where Lost Things Go” and is sung by Emily Blunt who play Mary Poppins...





and the second one - my favourite, personally - is titled “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” and is sung by Lin Manuel Miranda, Emily Blunt and the cast.




Pictures and videos: copyright Disney

The New DJI Osmo Pocket Might Be the Device You Were Waiting For to Shoot Smooth Videos in the Parks

A bit of tech with this new product unveiled today by DJI which might be VERY helpful for those of you who take pictures or videos in the parks, specially now that all kind of tripods are forbidden by Disney.

DJI is the company doing the famous drones so they sure know what stabilization means, and it uses the same 20MP sensor than the DJI Mavic Pro or Mavic Air drones. Certainly not as good to make movies than a camera with a full frame sensor and big lenses but to make smooth movies on the go or in the parks coasters and have something light with you, it might work, we’ll see what will say the reviews. That said, it’s probably more a device for sports shooting or vloggers but at $349 it might worth a closer look. Have a look at the B&H article HERE and the official page HERE.

"As the name suggests, the Osmo Pocket is so compact it literally fits inside your pocket (or purse, or pack). At 4.8" tall ( 12 cm ) and weighing 4 oz ( 116 Gr ), the Pocket is the smallest 3-axis stabilized handheld camera DJI has ever designed, and quite possibly the smallest mechanical gimbal available on the market. Despite its pocket portability and small stature, the Pocket packs a ton of impressive features and specs you would expect to find in much larger devices.

Transform life’s moments into a cinematic memory in just seconds. Meet Osmo Pocket, the smallest 3-axis stabilized handheld camera DJI has ever designed. Able to capture stunning images thanks to a 1/2.3-inch sensor and 80° wide-angle lens, the Osmo Pocket is small enough to fit in your pocket and powerful enough to share your best moments at any time, no matter where life takes you."

Here is the official video presentation for the DJI Osmo Pocket, which shows what it can do. It's probably not the right device to film in rather dark attractions like Haunted Mansion or Pirates of Caribbean but it's probably perfect for outdoor rides like Big Thunder Mountain or others outdoor coasters. Have a look!




Here is a first "real" review of the new DJI Osmo Pocket with non-official footage filmed in Bristol, UK, and not specially on a sunny day. Yes, i know this is my fourth post on this DJI Osmo Pocket but i truly think it can be an interesting little camera if it lives to the expectations. And a light one, and don't we all need light photo materials when we spend days in the park? Again, certainly not a nighttime camera but i would say: so far, so good, for daylight shooting. You can also find others official videos filmed in perfect and sunny weather condition on the official page HERE.




This new DJI Osmo Pocket has in fact a competitor, the GoPro HERO 7 Black, which has a super smooth function though it's not mounted on a gimbal. Here is a video showing comparison tests footage between the two:




Picture and video copyright DJI

Tokyo Disney Resort Announces a New 600 Rooms Hotel With a Toy Story Theme !

Tokyo Disney Resort announced today the development of a new hotel with a Toy Story theme, which will open in 2021! Below, Google translation of the Japanese press-release:

"We are pleased to announce that Oriental Land Co.decided to develop a new Disney hotel with about 600 rooms in the Tokyo Disney Resort planned to open in 2021. From the exterior to the courtyard, everything is designed with the theme of the "Toy Story" movies, and the boy Andy who appears in the movie, Woody and Buzz Lightyear that he cherishes.

We invite guests to the world where toys can be fascinating. Guest room interior will be reminiscent of Andy's room in "Toy Story", with colorful furniture line up. By unifying all the guest rooms with a standard type and specializing the facilities such as restaurants for accommodation, we can realize a more convenient resort stay.

At Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, we plan to open new areas in spring 2020 and 2022, respectively. In welcoming more guests, we will enrich our stay at Tokyo Disney Resort, where Disney's dream world continues uninterrupted by enriching the hotels that meets the various needs of our guests.

Story: “Andy, the little boy who loves his toys – Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the other toys – has embarked on the ultimate backyard project: a building to house all his toys. When Andy is called away by his mom, his toys and their helpers take over the “toy” tower and open it as a hotel for all the “honorary” toys of the world”.

The hotel will make approximately 40,000 m² (hotel building only) and have 11 floor above ground, plus 1 basement. Nuber of rooms: About 600 rooms plus Restaurants, Disney shops, parking lots and more. Cost: approximately 31.5 billion yen ( $276 Million ). Opening in 2021.

Picture: copyright Disney - Pixar

First Concept-Arts for "The Cove" , the New Hotel Joining Walt Disney World's Swan and Dolphin Resorts

Marriott International, which owns and operates the Swan and Dolphin hotels, revealed Tuesday concept-arts for The Cove, the new hotel joining Walt Disney World's Swan and Dolphin resorts. The Cove is expected to open in less than two years.


The Cove will be a tower hotel addition to the Swan and Dolphin, and it will include 349 rooms. When completed, Marriott will have a total of 2,600 rooms in the Swan, Dolphin and Cove hotels. The hotel will be built across the street from the Swan and Dolphin on Epcot Resorts Boulevard, near the Fantasia Garden miniature golf course.


The Cove will be group-oriented and event- or convention-focused, giving companies that may have outgrown the current property a reason to come back. “Demand has really been off the charts. We’re going to do about 5 percent more in occupancy this year than we’ve ever done before”.



The Cove will include a rooftop venue for weddings or rental to VIP groups. Like the Swan and Dolphin hotels, The Cove will have walking access to Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach resorts.



The Cove is the latest addition to a changing skyline at Walt Disney World. Disney’s Hollywood Studios debuted Toy Story Land this summer and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is set to debut in 2019. The park also has at least three other Disney-owned hotels coming in the next few years, including an immersive Star Wars-themed resort, a nature-themed resort, a major expansion to Disney's Coronado Resort and the new Riviera Resort.

Pictures: copyright Disney - Marriott

First Trailer and Poster for Disney's ARTEMIS FOWL

Disney released the first trailer and poster for ARTEMIS FOWL releases in U.S. theaters on August 9, 2019! Directed by Kenneth Branagh and based on the beloved book by Eoin Colfer, ARTEMIS FOWL follows 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he finds himself in a battle of strength and cunning against a powerful, hidden race of fairies who may be behind his father’s disappearance.

 The film stars Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Tamara Smart, Nonzo Anozie, with Josh Gad, and Judi Dench. Judy Hofflund and Kenneth Branagh are producing with Angus More Gordon and Matthew Jenkins serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Conor McPherson.




Picture and video: copyright Disney

HKDL Tomorrowland "Ant-Man and the Wasp Nano Battle" Attraction to Open March 2019, Soft-Opening May Happen Earlier

Sean, a faithful D&M reader, was visiting Hong Kong Disneyland yesterday and sent me these pictures last night of HKDL Tomorrowland Ant-Man and the Wasp attraction with this note:

"I noticed that the construction walls were down and exterior signage including the SHIELD logo and attraction sign is up at the new Ant Man and Wasp Nano Battle ride. A small sign out the front still says opening March 2019, however with the walls down there is every chance that technical rehearsals may begin soon!"

EDITING: Things are going quicker at Hong Kong Disneyland than at Disneyland Paris ( as we learned today that Phantom Manor re-opening had again a new delay and won't reopen before April 2019! ) and  since yesterday when Sean shot his pictures below, the full Ant-Man and the Wasp attraction facade has been revealed as you'll see on these pictures posted on Twitter by Hong Kong Main Street Gazette HERE.

First below, Sean pictures shot this Saturday:

And now, HKMSG pictures:

Normally it should be three months to wait before the opening of a new Marvel attraction, may be even less as i feel we can expect oft-openings probably as early in February if everything goes fine. But, wait, on the above picture of the Merch shop we can read "opening late December". Does it mean that the attraction could open late December? Not necessarily as this "late December" date is written on the merch shop and i remind you that the other merch shop next door opened weeks before the Iron Man ride, so it could be the same here.

Let's end with a first picture showing partly the night lighting, posted on Facebook by This is Mr B.



As for the ride itself - which keep the Omnimover system of the former Buzz Lightyear ride as well as the laser guns - some are saying that it will be a shooting arcade ride like Toy Story Mania but it's forgetting that the ride system is entirely different in TSM, not to mention that TSM vehicles stop a few seconds in front of each screen, something that is unlikely to happen here, using an Omnimover system.

Pictures: copyright D&M, Disney, Hong Kong Main Street Gazette