Saturday, May 11, 2019

PHOTOS: Bob Iger Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Private Tour With Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and JJ Abrams !



Bob Iger posted on his Twitter page three great pictures from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland where Iger hosted a private tour of the new land for Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and JJ Abrams joined by WDI show producer Scott Trowbridge.



In his tweet Iger says, “Best way to impress your friends…give them a personal tour of @starwars Galaxy's Edge!”



Also, we just learn that Stormtroopers will enforce the four-hour time limit at Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge! Galaxy’s Edge guests will get just a four-hour window to visit the land and they’ll face veritable stormtroopers enforcing the rules. Once that four hours expires, the Galactic Empire forces will escort visitors out in a way likely more polite than normal Stormtrooper protocol. Disneyland representatives declined to say what will happen if guests resist the Stormtroopers!

D23 also released a photo gallery showing theming details of the land attractions and shops.































Pictures: copyright Bob Iger, Disney

Friday, May 10, 2019

Disney Release Attraction Posters for Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, Opening This Summer at Disney California Adventure



The new Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind attraction will open this Summer at Disney California Adventure Pixar Pier and Disney gives us a first look at some of the attraction posters, which each explore parts of the mind as featured in “Inside Out.”

Inspired by the Disney and Pixar film “Inside Out,” guests are invited to step into the workplace of Riley’s Emotions—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger. Once you hop aboard one of eight Memory Movers, you’ll take a sense-ational spin and find yourself surrounded by vibrant shelves packed with glowing recollections!



Pictures: copyright Disney

WDW Unwrapped the 55 Skyliner Gondolas Unveiling Characters and Graphics Designs !



Walt Disney World unwrapped the 55 gondolas for a test run , unveiling the different Disney characters for each of them!

"The unwrapped cabins, some of which feature stunning graphics based on Disney films, attractions and characters, are now making test runs back-and-forth between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The latest test-runs of the unwrapped Disney Skyliner gondolas are a significant milestone for the overall testing process of the state-of-the-art transportation system. 



Walt Disney Imagineering began testing the gondolas at the Resort just months ago. When fall arrives, guests of Disney Skyliner Resorts – Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – will be able to enjoy the benefit of being whisked between Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests will ride alongside favorites such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo & Stitch, and even the Hitchhiking Ghosts from the Haunted Mansion!"




Pictures and video: copyright Disney

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Universal Studios Beijing Update !



It's been a while since we had a look to Universal Studios Beijing, so here is a new update about it!

The pictures above and below shows a new model for the resort and the concept art below shows the Music Plaza Stage, similar to the one at Universal Studios Florida. This Music Plaza Stage will be located at the edge of the park's Hollywood themed area and at the intersection of the Transformers and Jurassic World areas.


Let's start by having a look at renderings as there is some new ones since the last D&M article. The first artwork below is supposed to be for the Transformers Base land which according to rumors will have a roller coaster themed to Decepticons, the Transformers: The Ride 3D and another flat ride themed to Bumblebee.


Next renderings shows i think the Minion land buildings and its roller coaster.






Below, two CGI renderings for the same Minion land area than the renderings above.






No new rendering available for the awaited Jurassic World land but this CGI rendering below shows apparently one of the restaurant of the land.




The next picture shows workers holding a rendering with on the bototm right of it what i believe is the Kung Fu Panda area, and right belwo you can see three renderins for this Kung Fu panda land rumored to include a boat ride,  a carousel and a flat ride.


We have a new rendering showing the hotel which will be at park entrance...



...and the next ones below shows the design of the Metro station.




The rendering below shows the surroundings of the Metro station.


...and one more for the road with an artwork showing the elevated pathway from / to the park parking lot.



Let's have a look now at the map of the park showing each land and attractions, definitely click on each of the pics below to see them in big size.


The full Universal Beijing resort as planned once all phases will be built:


And a zoom on the first phase, specifically on the theme park area.


See "where will be what" thanks to these satellite view pictures with indications by Themeparx contributor Michael.




One more satellite view also posted on Themeparx and slightly enhanced, like the ones above  by yours truly.



And what about pictures of the real thing, you ask? Here are some and as you'll see the park will be located near an highway. But no worries, Universal Orlando has the same problem and they know how to do to don't have guests hearing the traffic.



Lot of cranes everywhere!


Most of the park's main steel structure and infrastructure will be completed this year and rides installation will take place in 2020 for an park opening in 2021.

According to Michael from Themeparx, there is also an onsite nursery for vegetation that will eventually be used as the park's landscaping and by May of this year the entire nursery will be operational with more than 2,600 shrubs and trees.


And if you ever wondered how they do to plant trees in the parks when they're already big, here is how.


Again, make sure to have a look at the Themeparx page HERE where is posted regularly new pictures of the resort construction!

Pictures: copyright Universal Studios Beijing, DR.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Breaking: Disney Announces Release Dates for Three New 'Star Wars' Movies and Four 'Avatar' Sequels, Eight Marvel Films By 2022, more...



Disney made some big announcements today about the release of upcoming movies! First, James Cameron’s long-awaited “Avatar” sequel has been pushed back another year. “Avatar 2” will hit theaters on Dec. 17, 2021 instead of Dec. 18, 2020 as originally planned. That means that “Avatar 3” will open on Dec. 22, 2023 instead of Dec. 17, 2021, “Avatar 4” will be released on Dec. 19, 2025 instead of Dec. 20, 2024 and “Avatar 5” will hit theaters on Dec. 17, 2027.

In this great release date shake-up, Disney announced a new trio of untitled “Star Wars” movies coming after “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” released this December. The first of the new three films will hit the big screen on Dec. 16 2022. The two other follow-ups will be released always in Christmas season on Dec. 20, 2024 and Dec. 18, 2026, meaning that Disnye will dominate the holidays season for the near future, alternating between “Avatar” and “Star Wars” films every year up to 2027, starting in 2021. In 2020, Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” adaptation will open on Dec. 18, while “Cruella” will launch on Dec. 23 right before the Christmas weekend.

Following its box office mega hit of “Avengers: Endgame,” Disney announced that eight new Marvel movies will be released by the end of 2022. We'll be seeing two in 2020 (on May 1 and Nov. 6); three in 2021 (on Feb. 12, May 7 and Nov. 5); and three in 2022 (Feb. 18, May 6 and July 29). Most probably these movies will include a Black Panther sequel, a solo Black Widow movie, the second Dr. Strange movie, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Shang-Chi and Eternals.

Disney has also adjusted some upcoming Marvel releases. Fox’s “The New Mutants,” an “X-Men” film is pushed back from Aug. 2, 2019 to April 3, 2020. “Gambit,” another Fox-owned “X-Men” entry, is removed from the studio’s schedule. The ill-fated Channing Tatum-led spinoff was previously announced for March 13, 2020.

The release date of “Ad Astra,” an astronaut drama starring Brad Pitt will now lift off Sept. 20, 2019. The movie had gotten essentially no promotion ahead of its original Memorial Day weekend slot, so a delay was all but inevitable. Meanwhile, “Artemis Fowl,” a YA adaptation, previously scheduled for Aug. 9, 2019, is now dated for May 29, 2020.

First Look at Hagrid Audio-Animatronic in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure



Universal Orlando has revealed the impressive Hagrid Audio-Animatronic that guests will see in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure:

"As we gear up to experience Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the new epic adventure opening June 13 in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Hagrid himself will be brought to life as the most advanced and life-like animated figure we’ve ever created.



Here’s your first glimpse at the half-giant:

On this immersive coaster experience, you will join Hagrid on a thrilling journey into the Forbidden Forest. Along the way, he’ll introduce you to some of the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures. And for the first time ever in our parks, you’ll get the chance to come face-to-face with Hagrid, who is not only the Hogwarts gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor, but also one of Harry Potter’s most loving and loyal friends.


See below for some fun facts about what makes Hagrid Universal Orlando’s most advanced and realistic animated figure.

Universal Creative, the team responsible for creating Universal’s iconic rides and attractions, worked directly with Robbie Coltrane – who portrays Hagrid in the Harry Potter films – to study his body movements and facial expressions to develop 24 different body actions for this animated figure:

Incredible attention to detail was taken to recreate Hagrid’s likeness from the films, including a meticulously hand-sculpted face, digital scans of Hagrid actor Robbie Coltrane’s teeth, and careful placement of individual hair strands – including eyebrows and lashes.

The costume Hagrid wears was designed by the same team that created his on-screen attire for the Harry Potter films

Hagrid’s height is exactly proportional to his height in the films – 7 feet 6 inches tall

Robbie Coltrane recorded a custom script for Hagrid in this new adventure

And be on the lookout for an exact replica of Hagrid’s famous pink umbrella!"

Check out the video below with Hagrid Audio-Animatronic:




Pictures and video: copyright Universal Studios