TWO New Destinations Added to Star Tours - Opening Nov 17 at DLR and WDW & Nov 22 at DLP!

We’re just a few days away from experiencing a new adventure in Star Tours – The Adventures Continue inspired by the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and today we’ve got an exclusive first look at a Starspeeder caught in the middle of an epic battle on Crait in the updated attraction opening at Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on November 17 and at Disneyland Paris Discoveryland on Nov 22.



 ...And don't think that Crait planet is the only new Star Tours destination coming to Star Tours as the Disney Parks Blog confirms that there is another one, meaning that two new films are added to Star Tours!

Picture: copyright Disney

Two Olaf's Frozen Adventure Movie Clips - "Ring In The Season and "That Time of the Year"!

Olaf's Frozen Adventure is the new Walt Disney Animation Studios 21-minute featurette that will play with Pixar Coco starting Nov 22 and for Olaf it’s the first holiday season since the gates reopened and Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) host a celebration for all of Arendelle. When the townspeople unexpectedly leave early to enjoy their individual holiday customs, the sisters realize they have no family traditions of their own.

Disney released two clips from it, the first one is titled "That Time of the Year" and Olaf discover what Christmas traditions means!



This second clip below is titled "Ring In The Season" and the clip features a brand new song to commemorate the fictional town of Arendelle’s first Christmas celebration in years. Kristen Bell’s Anna starts off the tune by revealing that the townspeople aren’t aware there’s a big party coming. And while Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Olaf (Josh Gad) start getting dressed to look their best, Anna puts the finishing touches on the decorations. The first look ends with Arendelle’s royal sisters opening the doors to the castle and greeting the cheering crowd.

Note that the video below also include the trailer of Olaf's Frozen Adventure, right after the clip.




Picture and videos: copyright Disney

Harper Goff Lost London Boat Ride for Epcot World Showcase UK Pavilion - Plus: Tony Baxter Mary Poppins Jolly Holiday Ride, and more

I've got something great for you to start the week! Back in 1986, the great Harper Goff - designer of legendary 20000 Leagues Under the Sea Nautilus, Disneyland Jungle Cruise, and more, designed this unrealized, expansive ride recreating a boat trip through London along the Thames River for WDW Epcot World Showcase UK Pavilion.

The first artwork above shows a bird's eye view of the full ride, and below five others artworks  are showing different scenes of the ride. We can see guests inside the boats passing by different landmarks of London including Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and London Bridge. Basically, the ride most of London historical landmarks buildings would have been recreated , so a ride with a huge cost, and this might be the reason why it was never built, along with the fact that the ride concept was may be not original enough. But these artworks were never seen before, so it's cool to discover them anyway.













Harper Goff ride concept for Epcot UK pavilion was never built and so far the UK pavilion still don't have any attraction but this might change soon as a strong rumor is saying that a Mary Poppins mini land may come after the release of the Mary Poppins sequel currently in production.

According to Orlando Weekly quoting Jim Hill: "Disney is looking at the upcoming Mary Poppins Returns movie to serve as inspiration for a new mini-land. Cherry Tree Lane, the residential street used in both the original film and the 2018 sequel starring Emily Blunt, will be recreated with the same hyperreality as the London waterfront found at Universal Orlando. The street will mostly act as a glorified meet-and-greet from the Poppins characters with a small carousel, inspired by the films, located nearby. The carousel won’t be the same four-horse carousel found in the original movie. The horse that Julie Andrews rode on the carousel in the original film may be displayed in this new Mary Poppins-inspired mini-land.

This new Mary Poppins expansion looks to be rather small, according to Jim Hill, only using the undeveloped half of the expansion plot. That would allow for the World Showplace event pavilion to remain. This new area could easily be closed off and used as an outdoor area for events taking place at the events pavilion. It could also include a small gate to the World Gateway area near where the new Disney Skyliner gondola system station will be, which would eliminate the rather labor-intensive check-in process now required for events at the World Showplace.

The rumored dark ride may come on at a later date, possibly replacing the World Showplace pavilion altogether. For now, it looks like we might be getting a simple Cherry Tree Lane themed mini-land with a second larger addition possibly coming to the United Kingdom as part of the rumored 10-year-long, $2 billion redo of Epcot coming in the mid-2020s."

But, wait, didn't Tony Baxter designed a Mary Poppins ride a long time ago? Right, it was called "Mary Poppins Jolly Holiday" and Tony designed it at the very start of his career. Tony's ride was a traditional dark ride, but with guests riding upon carousel horses. No one could better introduce the ride than Tony Baxter himself so here is a video with Tony presenting "Mary Poppins Jolly Holiday", and right after the video you have screen captures of the artworks presented by Tony in the video.

The first artwork below shows the ride facade.

The next renderings shows the different scenes of the ride, including some with the penguins, the gorse race, and a Chim Chim Cherie scene.

The next rendering shows the ride interior layout...

And this last one the ride facade at night.

If a Mary Poppins ride comes soon to Epcot it will be probably very different than Tony's concept but, actually, there IS a ride currently existing which would have been perfect for the UK pavilion ...but this one is not in a Disney park but at London's Madame Tussauds wax museum. Called "Spirit of London", it's a great ride with guests sitting in an Omnimover designed like  London taxis. And the irony of it is that "Spirit of London" is greatly inspired by the concept of ...Epcot Spaceship Earth attraction, with guests travelling back in time until present day through history, here of London. All this with great scenes and Audio-Animatronics. If you've never seen it, watch the video below and next time you go to London, don't miss it. After watching it i'm sure you'll agree it would have found its place naturally in World Showcasee UK pavilion.




Pictures: copyright Disney, Harper Goff

DLP Update: Disneyland Paris Christmas Season Begins !

Disneyland Paris Christmas season started this weekend and we have the first pictures from Robert, D&M faithful reader who is there this week-end!

I have another good news which is about the Disneyland Paris book "From Sketch to Reality". As i told you the publishing company stopped its activities but i managed to save 50 copies of the english edition and i'm doing a Christmas special offer on them, just like in the good old days. The French edition is totally out of stock but if you're french, and wish to purchase the book in its english edition i will send you a PDF file of the full French text of the French edition. All details to order the book are at the end of this article.

And now, let's have a look to Robert pictures of the opening of DLP Christmas season - a longer pictorial update will also come next week.












Here is a video of DLP Christmas parade filmed by Alusio.




There is more parades at DLP as the Disney Stars on Parade is now happening at night, at the end of the afternoon!




I also remind you the  great Goofy's Incredible Christmas projection show at the Walt Disney Studios, full video below, filmed by Max.




Let's move to DLP Disney Village to have a quick look to the Christmas Village.

Watch more videos of DLP Christmas shows on D&M Facebook page HERE. Also, a few days ago the Disney Magical Fireworks & Bonfire also happened on Lake Disney near DLP Hotels, and here is a 4K video of it filmed by Max.





D&M will have a longer pictorial update on DLP Christmas season next week but in the meantime here is all you need to know to order a copy of the "Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality" book and have it in time for Christmas. 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 Disney Parks fan - and it is true! Read below how to place your order.









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 Christmas special offer is 65€ ( instead of 75€ ) and shipping worldwide is 22€ ( except Belgium and Italy for which it is 29€ ).

For French readers a PDF file of the full French text of the French edition will be sent.
Lecteurs Français: Etant donné que l'édition française est épuisée, un fichier du texte complet original en Français sera envoyé aux acheteurs Français ne comprenant pas l'anglais.

Also, each order will receive two GREAT surprise gifts!

You can pay with Paypal, credit card or bank transfer. For Paypal payments please send directly the full amount  including shipping ( 87€ worldwide, except for Belgium and Italy for which it is 104€ ) at: nme4@wanadoo.fr  If you wish to pay by credit card and bank transfer, let me know in your email and i'll tell you how to do.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Shipping usually takes around two weeks for countries outside France but can take up to 3-4 weeks sometime, so to make sure you'll get the book for Christmas please place your order as soon as possible, thanks!

If you've never see the book before, please watch the video below showing the full 320 pages of the book!



Pictures; copyright Rober Stallard, Disney, D&M

Jessie & Rex Arrive in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Jessie and Rex became the first “Toy Story” characters to be installed in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, earlier this week. According to their storyline, Rex and Jessie decided to help Andy build a rollercoaster using his Mega Coaster Play Kit in his backyard by stringing up the lights on towers of blocks. Rex, of course, has got tangled up in the lights, but Jessie is nearby to help. Watch the video of their installation below!




Picture and video: copyright Disney

Look Where Lucasfilm Hide the Millennium Falcon When a Star Wars Production is Over

Where does Lucasfilm put the giant real size Millenium Falcon when a Star Wars shooting is over? Well, they hide it behind containers near Longcross Studios in the U.K and someone found it thanks to Google Maps satellite views!

On the first picture below Longcross Studios, located at 25 miles from London, are on the left, the Millenium Falcon hidden by containers is on the right. Enlarge the picture to see it.



A zoom in the satellite view reveal the Millennium Falcon well hidden behind containers.



If we go down the satellite view it seems there are others props wrapped and also hidden outside, look specially to the white one on the left, does anyone identify anymore Star Wars props?



Pictures: copyright Google Maps

Watch a 30 Minutes Sneak Peek of the New Beauty and the Beast Musical Live from the Disney Dream Ship

Be immersed in a fresh take on a tale as old as time with the special sneak peek of “Beauty and the Beast”. It shows a portion of the brand-new musical production inspired by Disney’s live-action adaptation of the animated classic, live from the Disney Dream ship. Jump directly in the video to 4.30min as it don't starts before.




Picture and video: copyright Disney