Disneyland Paris stockholder annual meeting report

The Disneyland Paris stockholder annual meeting happened today at the WDS in the Cinémagique theater, but the review about it is going to be short: Absolutely no new project for the future was announced - except, of course, this year's Mickey Magical Party at DLP and the Cars parade and Playhouse Disney at the WDS. They're still looking to build a new hotel but don't know when. Nothing about the Toy Story Playland coming in 2010 - i suppose they need to keep something "new" to feed the stockholders next year...They're expecting a fall in the results this year due to the economy crisis - no kidding? - and that's all there is to say about this meeting...

Disneyland Paris High-Res wallpaper pictures - by Maureen Chaffurin

It's been a while since i did a wallpaper article, and, knowing that lot of you love them, here are some great Disneyland Paris wallpaper pictures, all shoot by the young and talented Maureen.

From the top: Discoveryland entrance, Main Street, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Big Thunder Mountain and Phantom Manor, Swiss Robinson tree, Hakuna Matata restaurant, Story Book Land, Discoveryland marquee, Astroport at the exit of Star Tours.

Some of the pictures were shot at the "magic hour", one hour before sunset, when the light is soft and beautiful. No doubt it will be beautiful too on your computer screen.
There will be a part two next week. Of course, double-click on each picture to get them in big size, and enjoy them all!














Photos: copyright Maureen Chaffurin whom i thanks a lot!

Theme park special effects coming in real life anytime soon ?

Are theme park special effects coming in real life anytime soon? Will we have Hologram video conference - just like in Star Wars - in a near future?

Probably, and in six months from now special effects which usually could be seen only in theme parks should arrive in our "real" world. It will begin in big corporations who'll have enough money to afford it, but i won't be surprise if in some years, the technology becoming more affordable, we will have holograms communications inside our home.

In the meantime, check this CNN video below to see how it look!




Video: copyright CNN.com

" Playhouse Disney Live on Stage " will open April 4 at the Walt Disney Studios

There will be plenty of new parades, shows, and only one new attraction this year at DLRP, and it's the "Playhouse Disney Live on Stage". Frankly, personally i consider it as a show, but DLP will "sell" it as an attraction, so, let's say it is one.



It will open at the Walt Disney Studios and very probably will be similar to the one that exist at the Disneyland Resort. The show "will feature characters from four Disney channel programs in one unique story-line" as they say in an article from the cast member magazine "Backstage" that a kind reader sent to me. Here it is below, please click on the image to read the text and discover which characters will appear in the show.



The show is definitely for (very) young children and will be located at the WDS in the Disney Channel building, close to the Stitch Live! attraction. To be kind, let's say that this Playhouse Disney will be one more attraction for children under 7, and God knows that the park desperately need some.



Now, if you don't have any idea how this "Playhouse Disney Live on Stage" look like, here is a three part Youtube video of the DLR show - the one we will have at the WDS should be, as i've said, almost identical. Oh, i've forgot the most important: it's opening at the Walt Disney Studion on April 4!








Photos and "Backstage" article: copyright Disney

Youtube videos: Many thanks to trainboy96

Breaking News : Disney inks distribution deal with Dreamworks

Walt Disney Studios confirmed that it had entered a long-term, exclusive film distribution agreement with DreamWorks Studios principals Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider.

Disney said in a statement on Monday that it would distribute and market about six live-action films per year for DreamWorks as part of Spielberg and Snider's partnership with Reliance BIG Entertainment.

The company will release the DreamWorks movies under its adult-oriented Touchstone Pictures banner. The first such title is set to hit theaters in 2010.

Please click HERE to read the full Reuters article about this important news.

LIFE Magazine at Disneyland Special Events : Prince Akihito's visit and 1959 Inauguration

LIFE photographers came also at Disneyland during special events, and today we're going to have a look at two of them: the "state visit" - if i can say - of young Prince Akihito and his wife at Disneyland in September 1960. These rare pictures should specially interest my Japanese readers!

Grey Villet, LIFE photo reporter shoot these picture above of Prince Akihito and his wife on Peter Pan's flight...or riding Autopia. Have a look to the paparazzis on the picture fighting to get a picture of the royal couple!



On this picture the Prince is talking with Walt Disney. Paparazzis are still there, right behind!



One year before, on June 1959, LIFE photographer Ralph Crane was there for the big Disneyland 1959 inauguration. Here is Walt riding to parade bleachers with his grand children.



Some minutes later, Walt Disney, Vice-president Richard Nixon and his family watching the Disneyland parade.



It's the grand opening of the Matterhorn and here is the Swiss ballet!



Richard Nixon and Radio-TV Art Linkletter ( bottom, center ) watching the Matterhorn act at Disneyland.



Same day later, on the opening of the Monorail with Nixon, his wife and daughters, and the scissors that didn't want to cut the ribbon! Remember that funny sequence?



All pictures: copyright TIME - LIFE Magazine

Where will you be on December 21 , 2012 ?

As i often do on sunday, here is an article about an upcoming movie. It's not about Disney, but don't go away as you will see that it's fun.

You may have heard about it, December 21, 2012 is supposed to be the date of...the end of the world! Why? Because of an old Mayan prediction. The Mayas, as we all know, were pretty good in astronomy, and, well, according to them, an alignment of planets will occur when the sun rises above the horizon on December 21, 2012, at which point the sun will rise in the middle of the Milky Way Galaxy, thus causing an alignment between the earth, sun, and the galactic center.

From that point, many theories emerged. One of them say that a currently unknown planet, sometimes referred to as planet x or Nibiru, which supposedly has an odd orbit that only enters the local solar system every 3600 years will return in 2012 causing many problems. Another scenario is that a shift of the Earth's magnetic poles may occur, and that this will leave the earth vulnerable to harmful radiation from the sun.

Don't worry too much anyway, as according to NASA magnetic pole reversal does not occur on a particular day or year, but over the course of thousands of years. Furthermore, the magnetic field does not vanish during this natural cycle, but becomes more complex as it makes the transition.

However, and to comeback to the "movie article", Hollywood couldn't avoid to do a movie with such a brilliant script, and guess who's doing it? Roland Emmerich, Mr "Catastrophe movie" himself, the man who gave us "The Day after" or "Independence Day". So, there he goes again, directing the "end of the world" for almost the third time!

Here below is the first teaser of the "2012" movie, and i must admit it's pretty well done as in less than one minute, with just a Tibetan monk running to his temple in Tibet - and what happen next - the teaser succeed to give the feeling of a real end of the world. By the way, it's much better to watch it in high-def, so just go HERE.

2012 - Teaser HD [VO]
envoyé par Lyricis

Now, in Paris, a group of talented animators called Passion Paris did their "new year's video postcard" on this 2012 theme, having fun of all the different theories on this highly-expected-end-of-the-world. Not only this small piece of animation is very funny, but it's also done with talent, so don't miss it, and enjoy!

Happy New End
envoyé par passionparisproductions

daily Motion videos: copyright Columbia and Passion Paris