The always excellent Mouetto from Disney Central Plaza forum found the blue-print and some artwork of the awaited Ratatouille dark ride, expected to open at the Walt Disney Studios in 2013. If everything goes well, i.e if the park succeed to have the agreement of the banks for the needed amount of money.
It's a great find from Mouetto who found these documents at the Chessy City Hall. The construction permit has been approved and is now - according to the french law - available to be seen by anyone.
The artwork above shows how the area will look and, as you can see, when WDS guests will enter the Ratatouille area they will see Paris building facades as well as a fountain. You'll note also the Gusteau sign on the top of the left building, identical to the one we saw in the animated movie. On one of the building a "patisserie" sign might indicate that a food store will be here but this can change. One thing is sure, there will be a restaurant and if there is a logic it should be a table service restaurant with a decor identical to the Gusteau's restaurant. Note that this is my own thoughts about the decor but once again this would be a logical choice. Close to the restaurant, on the right, the entrance of the Ratatouille dark ride.
The next document is a blueprint showing the location of the Ratatouille area. As expected it is located near Toy Story Playland, behind the costuming building and near the back exit of TSP through the giant blue barrel. The facility is really big and my feeling is that there is not more than 40 meters between the TSP exit and the entrance of the Ratatouille ride. Also, i'll be curious to know how they will hide the back of the costuming building which is very near from the Ratatouille facility.
This last document is perhaps the most interesting as it shows the whole mini-land in 3D. As you can see the main building - which will be used mainly for the ride is really huge, not only in length but also in height as it's even higher than the four storeys Paris facades. Even if the part in the foreground is kept for the restaurant and shops the main building is really big and the question is: why is it so high? Will the attraction vehicle go up and down? We'll know more about this in the future but for now let's have a closer look at the entrance - on the bottom right - where we can see that an outside queue area has been designed to protect WDS guests from the rainy days that can happen in Paris in the winter.
In a previous report i've posted pictures of the road going from the main entrance of TSP to the Ratatouille area. The road is already designed like a Paris street - with cobblestones and typical Parisian benches and lampposts - and i re-post here these pictures.
Click on the panoramic picture below to see it in larger scale.
A sculpture of Gusteau - Ratatouille's chef - was sculpted on the arch sticked to the blue barrel. It is now hidden but as you can see on the picture below it's really the case and it's really a sculpture of Gusteau.
The picture above was shot by Alexandre Rosa, a former Disney and more contributor, during the cast member TSP preview days. Two days after the land opened for annual passholders soft-openings Gusteau's sculpture was hidden as you will see on the pictures below.
At that time there was a good reason for that - there is always a good reason for anything done by WDI Imagineers! - and it was that DLP execs prefered to keep secret for a while the future land which will open during DLP 2013 fiscal year. No more Gusteau's sculpture means no questions from the guests, etc...
Unfortunately, all signs related to Ratatouille couldn't be hidden beginning by the face of Remy, Ratatouille's main character that anyone can see on EACH bench of this Parisian street. Have a look at the picture below...
Don't see Remy? Okay, let's have a closer look. Do you see him now?
The next panoramic, shot from the Parachute Drop attraction, will show you the area where the Ratatouille ride will be build. The building you see on the right is actually located backstage and is the "costuming" building where cast-members come each morning to pick their costume - a Paris backdrop is supposed to hide the building along the street when the Ratatouille ride will open. And on the left of this building, behind the blue barrel, is the land reserved for the Ratatouille ride and Paris area.
Christian, from
www.eap-magazin.de sent me this picture showing the land where the Ratatouille ride will be build. Note that there is on the left more land that you don't see on the picture. As you can see it's a pretty big area and I wonder if they will keep the big trees located at the center of the land... my feeling is that they will keep them and it will be a good idea.
Now, when will Ratatouille open at WDS? Of course it all depends of when the works will begin. And the sooner will be the better as i've learned that WDI Imagineers needs apparently two years to build everything and one year to install and test the ride. One full year to install and test the ride might seem a long time to you but i remind you that Ratatouille will use a trackless vehicle system, will have a lot of 3D projections effects and that, basically, it's a new kind of ride for WDI Imagineers. The Little Mermaid which will open June 3 at DCA is a classic onmimover ride in comparison.
Even if eventually they can reduce the timing to 21 months they need to begin the works next September to have an opening Summer 2013. And to begin the works they need the money green light from the banks. And so, you ask? Well, from what i've been told, the Ratatouille budget - for the whole area including the restaurant - is close to $165M, if not more. That makes 116M euros right now and the park needs probably more money for the 20th Anniversary events. Which, i agree, is quite a lot of money for a park that is always in a difficult financial situation. So, we better cross our fingers that the banks will give their green light for the Ratatouille ride and as soon as possible if we want to enjoy in 2013 what will be an amazing E-Ticket ride!
Pictures: copyright Disney or Disney and more
Arch with Gusteau's sculpture picture: copyright Alexandre Rosa
