Disneyland Resort Announces New 700 Room Hotel, Opening in 2021

Disneyland Resort announced that they will open a new Four Diamond hotel in 202. This hotel will dramatically transform the west end of the Downtown Disney District and create a new gateway to the Disneyland Resort and i'd like to be sure that this new hotel is a good idea, but so far i'm not. Once the new hotel will be open there will be four big hotels at a few meters one from another and each to them will be stucked to the other. May be once built it won't be the case, but on the rendering that's how it looks like, and generally the renderings look always better than reality...

More from the official press release: The stunning 700-room hotel will feature a sophisticated design and be a game-changer for Anaheim, creating a dynamic dining, entertainment and hotel experience for resort visitors and local residents. Extensive landscaping and water elements will create a resort oasis, showcasing nature on every level of the hotel. The hotel’s location embraces the iconic Disneyland Monorail with a dedicated platform inside the hotel for direct transport into Disneyland park.

Guest rooms, public spaces and gardens will provide views of the Downtown Disney District. In addition, an upper-level restaurant and lounge will give guests a view of the popular Disneyland park fireworks.

The ground level of the hotel will include shops and restaurants opening onto an expansive landscaped plaza complete with playful water features, creating a gathering place for guests and visitors. The new hotel also connects all four Hotels of the Disneyland Resort through lush gardens and beautifully landscaped walkways, transforming the gateway on the west side and creating a welcoming entry for Disneyland Resort guests.

Earl of Sandwich, AMC Theaters, Rainforest Cafe, ESPN Zone and all Downtown Disney tenants past the LEGO Store heading towards the Disneyland Hotel will close to accommodate the new resort hotel. Some may relocate to a new shop space in the hotel once completed.

This new hotel creates great benefits for the community, generating approximately $25 million in new taxes in its first five years of operation that go directly to Anaheim’s general fund. It also will create thousands of additional construction and permanent jobs and attract new hotel guests to the resort area.

Construction will start in summer 2018, with a grand opening scheduled for 2021.

Pictures: copyright Disney

D&M Special: Thailand King Rama 9 Funeral

Disney and more and the D&M Facebook page is special this week with a mix of the Disney and theme park news you like with a tribute to Thailand King Rama 9 who was "the Greatest King in the World" for his funeral happening today in Bangkok. If you scroll down you'll find the Disney posts you're looking for but i'll be you, i'll have a look to the funeral procession videos below as it was incredible. I've post plenty of screen captures of it HERE for the day time ceremony and HERE for the nighttime. And pictures of the Royal Crematorium can be seen HERE.

And if you have a look a bit closer with an open mind to the pictures and videos you'll see that there are not without a link to what a Disney parks fan like. Instead of a castle there is a gorgeous funeral structure, there is ( real ) princes and princesses who came to attend the event, a real parade, and you won't see a parade like this anytime soon - yes it was a funeral parade and not a happy one, but it was a gorgeous one. And there is even some part of the funeral more "Fantasyland" with dancers coming out right from the Thai mythology. In two words, even if it was a funeral, there is also a whole world of fantasy and if you open your mind enough you'll see it. Which shouldn't be too difficult with such elegance and beauty right in front of your eyes. Fantasy can be everywhere if you learn to see it, and today Thailand Kingdom had a lot of magic.

So, today Millions of Thais came to Bangkok Sanam Luang to pay tribute to their beloved King for his funeral and as there won't be enough room for everyone all around the city some replicas of the crematorium in smaller size have been built in dozens of different places. Day and night pictures of the one near Bangkok Flower Market where is the flower tribute are HERE.



Great pics too of the flower tribute to the King done at Bangkok Flower Market. Thais people going to the King funeral entering by this side go through this 400 meters long flower tribute which ends with an elephant scene surrounded by mountain of flowers. Day and night pictures HERE.



The funeral of Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej started yesterday with an indoor ceremony and the full video of it is below. If you missed the "Live" hour the video link is still valid and it will start at the beginning of the ceremony. Due to the length of Buddhist rites difficult to understand for non-Thais people, this first video is mostly for our Thais friends.



However, even if you're not Thai, i strongly recommend you to watch the funeral procession which happened this morning at Bangkok Sanam Luang, you won't see something like this anytime soon. Part one and two videos are below. Part two is still "Live" at the time i post this article so if you wish to start at the beginning of it, bring back the video at the start.





Last part which also happened today, this time at nighttime. Gorgeous lighting on the Royal funeral structure and dozens of dignitaries and royals who came to pay tribute to King Rama 9 of Thailand: Prince Andrew for United Kingdom, Prince Akishino for Japan, General James Mattis for the U.S.A, etc... Please note that there has been NO live coverage of the King cremation, contrary to what was expected.




On this Friday 27, lavish parades in memory of Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej seems to never end, and there was a new one today currently happening in Bangkok, see screen captures from it HERE.

More videos of the others King funeral events which happened on October 28 and 29.











Below, a short BBC video explaining the making of the royal pyre for the King funeral.




And for those of you wishing to learn a bit more and understand what is currently happening during the incredible funeral of Thailand King Rama 9 in Bangkok, here is an infography explaining the "Cosmology in the Royal Cremation".

And below an interesting infographic in today’s Bangkok Post about the sculptures around the Royal Crematorium at Sanam Luang.



Pictures: copyright Disney and more, DR

Disney's Hollywood Studios Toy Story Land "Woody’s Lunch Box" Artwork Unveiled

The Disney Parks Blog share a look at a new area planned for Disney's Hollywood Studios Toy Story Land that haven’t been unveiled until now – Woody’s Lunch Box.

 "When Toy Story Land opens in Summer 2018 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests will shrink to the size of a toy and explore all of the fun (and toys!) Andy has constructed in his backyard. This story continues at Woody’s Lunch Box, where Andy has used his lunch box and thermos to create a walk-up quick-service window that will serve up tasty meals and old-fashioned soda floats. In the rendering above, you can see that Woody’s Lunch Box – like the rest of Toy Story Land – has been adorably strewn about with some of Andy’s favorite toys and items from his lunch. You can even spot a green army man on a nearby lookout tower, keeping watch for Andy’s return. The Walt Disney World Resort will partner with Mini Babybel to bring this location to life".

Picture: copyright Disney

Disneyland Paris Infography of DLP "Not To Be Missed Events"

To clarify the dates of their new and upcoming products and seasons, Disneyland Paris did the above colorful infography that will be helpful for those of you wishing to visit the parks in the next months. The Hollywood Tower is on the picture as they will do a brand new projection show on its facade during the Christmas season. Download this and keeps it preciously!

Picture: copyright Disneyland Paris

Annie Leibowitz Disney Parks Pictures

A few years ago, Disney Parks asked the great photographer Annie Leibowitz to create a series of pictures with famous actors dressed as characters from Disney's most famous animated films, each standing in a decor, real or digital. As usual with Annie Leibowitz the result was brilliant and here is the full collection of these pictures. Make sure to click on each to see them in big size as almost all are in "wallpaper size" for your desktop.

Above, Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella. Below, Penelope Cruz as Bell and Jeff Bridges as the Prince.

Below, Rachel Weisz as Snow White

Olivia Wilde and Alec Baldwin as the Evil Queen and Magic Mirror from Snow White

Below, Taylor Swift as Rapunzel.

This next one shows Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gisele Bundchen, and Tina Fey as Peter Pan, Wendy and Tinkerbell

Below, Russell Brand as Captain Hook

David Beckham as Prince Philip from Sleeping Beauty

Below, Angelina Jolie as Maleficent.

Roger Federer as Arthur from The Sword in the Stone.

Julianne Moore as Ariel the Little Mermaid and Michael Phelps as a merman

Queen Latifah as Ursula from the Little Mermaid.

Next, Beyonce as Alice in Wonderland, joined by Oliver Platt as the Mad Hatter and Lyle Lovett as the March Hare.


Julie Andrews as the Blue Fairy and Abigail Breslin as Fra, her fairy-in-training.

Below, Jessica Biel as Pocahontas

Next, Jessica Chastain as Merida from Brave.

Below, Jennifer Hudson as Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Antony from Aladdin and Whoopi Goldberg as the Genie. The picture was released in three versions, you have the three below.

And we'll end with Jack Black, Will Ferrell, and Jason Segel as the Three Hitchhikers Ghosts form the Haunted Mansion.

Pictures: copyright Disney - Annie Leibowitz.

All About DLP Star Wars 2018 Season fo the Force! New "Destination" Movie Added to Star Tours, and more...

Here is the official Press Release from Disneyland Paris about the upcoming 2018 Season of the Force and they confirm that a new "destination" movie will be added to Star Tours anytime soon!

STAR WARS SEASON back in FORCE at Disneyland Paris! SEASON OF THE FORCE Returns from January 13 to March 25, 2018 Have you ever wanted to step through the screen and find yourself in the middle of a Star Wars film? “SEASON OF THE FORCE” is back with a vengeance at Disneyland Paris with no fewer than eight intergalactic experiences making you the hero of the saga. Good news, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is also part of this exciting programme!

SEASON OF THE FORCE is three months devoted to Star Wars films in the two Disney parks. You can find yourself face to face with Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers, propelled at the speed of light on Hyperspace Mountain and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue and dazzled by the spectacular show projected onto the architecture of the Hollywood Tower Hotel.

Star Wars at Walt Disney Studios Park: 

Star Wars: A Galactic Celebration:
The unmissable, open-air projection is making its big come-back at Walt Disney Studios Park on 13 January 2018. Better yet: it will include new scenes, taken directly from the new film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Just imagine Walt Disney Studios Park lighting up in true Star Wars style at nightfall with a breathtaking sound and light show. Film projections, special effects and, of course, the Star Wars characters on stage! The legendary characters of the Empire, the First Order and the Resistance will make an appearance in this show celebrating the heroes of the saga. Don’t miss it!

Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away:
This production is offered several times a day and brings a number of the saga’s legendary characters into the spotlight on stage. Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, Kylo Ren, Darth Vader and many more will be present in person for this fascinating show at Production Courtyard in Walt Disney Studios Park.

The First Order March:
The days at Walt Disney Studios Park are punctuated by epic appearances by Star Wars characters. Starting with the “First Order March”, a parade of Stormtroopers, led by the daunting Captain Phasma.

Stormtroopers Patrol:
A perfect opportunity to interact with the fearsome Stormtroopers. They patrol several times a day at Production Courtyard in Walt Disney Studios Park.



Star Wars at Disneyland Park: 

What’s New at Star Tours: The Adventures Continue:

New experiences, new destinations, new characters, new technologies – the attraction returns, with more than 70 different mission combinations. More to come from 22 November 2017: a new adventure on Crait, a new planet featured in the upcoming Star Wars movie. The new sequence, inspired by The Last Jedi will debut at Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on November 17th, at Disneyland Paris November 22nd, and at Tokyo Disneyland December 15th. Cutting-edge technology, digital 3D imagery, Audio Animatronics characters, special effects, epic music and more... this journey is a total immersion into the many worlds of Star Wars. The Force is truly strong with Star Tours!

Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain:
For the 25th Anniversary of Disneyland Paris, Star Wars combined with an iconic Space Mountain to become Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain. With this new adventure, guests to Disneyland Park take flight to meet up with the famous Rebel Alliance and experience an epic expedition.

Meeting the Dark Side of the Force:
Good news: you can stand up to Darth Vader at any age in Star Port! Come face to face him every day in a specially designed location in Discoveryland, near Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. A word of advice for your private meeting: don’t drop your guard when the photo is taken.

Disney Illuminations:
Nightfall also means a dazzling show in Disneyland Park: Disney Illuminations. This original show, inaugurated for the 25th Anniversary of Disneyland Paris, includes sound and light shows, projections, water fountains and fireworks to take your breath away. You will be guided through a multitude of adventures, particularly in a galaxy far, far away, featuring the Millennium Falcon, TIE Fighters, Stormtroopers and more. The Force is with you at Disney Illuminations, with a sequence of live action shots to delight all Star Wars fans.

Prepare to become the hero of your very own Star Wars adventure from 13 January to 25 March 2018 with the SEASON OF THE FORCE, only in the two Disneyland Paris parks!

Pictures: copyright Disney

Marvel Release New Trailer and Poster for "Black Panther" !

Marvel has released a brand new full trailer for Black Panther and, personally, i think it looks great! Here is the synopsis:

Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life. 

Black Panther cast include Michael B. Jordan., Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, and Angela Bassett and the movie will be released in theaters on February 16, 2017.




Picture and video: copyright Marvel