The Dubai Marvel Indoor Theme Park Project

You may have heard that a Marvel theme park is currently under construction in Dubai. Actually, it's part of the IMG project which will include several zones, including one with a dinosaur attractions with Audio-Animatronics dinos from japanese AA manufacturer Kokoro. The Marvel park will be another zone and in fact it will be an indoor theme park. To be honest it's may be closer to a family entertainment zone than a real theme park, and it's not a Disney project as it's part of an agreement that was done before Disney bought Marvel. Disney, by the way, is repeating that "it's not a theme park but a family entertainment center".

That said, the company in charge of the design is Falcon's Treehouse and the renderings for the project looks not bad at all. I like the entrance of the building - picture above - and below you'll find another exterior view.

Let's have a look at the inside and some attractions renderings. First, some artworks showing a view of the inside halls.

No surprise, at it will be an indoor theme park it seems that most of the attractions will use different kind of projection systems, whether it'll be an Iron Man Soarin' like ride...

...or a multi-screen and probably 3D Spiderman attraction...

...with a nice entrance...

...or a different attraction with Thor...

...another concept for a Hulk attraction - note the people inside the theater which seems to indicate a kind of "Honey i've Schrunk the Audience" 4D type attraction?

This next artwork shows what seems to be a pre-show for an X-Men/Avengers attraction...

...which could use a giant Omnimax theater.

So, so far, so good, and if all this really exist we may have a really enjoyable Marvel indoor theme park. But will it be the case? We're in Dubai, a country where, even if a construction had began it doesn't mean that the project will go to its end. So far this Marvel park was supposed to open... now! Previously scheduled for March 2013 it was announced recently that the opening will happen in December. But when you see the latest pictures posted on the Theme Park Guy board HERE of the works on the site you'll understand that there is no way that this park will be ready to open in nine months. Eventually December 2014, but certainly not 2013.

So, let's wait and see, the last news being that it will really be built, and we'll see when it open if the attractions are just as exciting as the artwork are!

Pictures: copyright Falcon's Treehouse

Disneyland Paris Sleeping Beauty Castle

Max Fan, D&M contributor and Dlrp Welcome webmaster came back last week-end with great pictures of DLP Sleeping Beauty Castle and it gave me the idea to do a special tribute to what is for many the most beautiful Magic Kingdom castle of all Disney Parks - and certainly the most "fairy tale" castle. We'll have a look today at the outside only, the inside of the castle will come in another article.

It's WDI Imagineer Tom Morris who was in charge of DLP Fantasyland - and of course Sleeping Beauty castle - when they built the park, and everyone agree that Tom did a fantastic job on it whether it's outside or inside the castle. On the picture below, Tom Morris stands with the castle model, a picture we shot at WDI in 1995.

As usual WDI Imagineers did preliminary artworks and models, like the ones below and of course a great attraction poster, the one at the top of the article...

The aerial picture below was shot at the end of the 1990's by the great photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand at the request of the park.

But how is the castle looking today, almost 21 years after Disneyland Paris opened its gates? Pretty good i must say. The castle has been repainted several times since opening day and even its color was changed a bit, but for the most as you will see with Max pictures below, all shot at sunset,  it looks always magical.

But last week-end was also the celebration of St David's  Day at Disneyland Paris, as the park now also celebrate this great welsh event. A short but special fireworks happened, and Max had the good idea to shoot for us the video of it! But first, some pics of the castle at night with its great lighting.

Here is Max video of St David fireworks.




All my thanks to Max for his castle pictures and he'll be back soon with a new update. Please also note that the above pictures were shot before the new snow fall that is currently happening in all the north of France! Yes, we're March 12 and DLP is - again, and at least for the third time this winter! - under a major snow fall! And if you are in Paris and wish to go today at DLP with the RER train you can't even do it as, because of the snow, all trains were cancelled! Unbelievably harsh winter this year - not to mention freezing temperatures - and we just wonder when all this snow nightmare is gonna end!

That said, i have  a good news for those of you who are interested by the great "Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality" book - from which some of the pics of this article came from - as to celebrate the Walt Disney Studios 11th Anniversary - which is on March 16 - i'm doing a special offer on the book at 85€ instead of 120€ thanks to which you can save up to $45 on the book normal price. You can have a look at the presentation article on the book web site HERE. And you can order the book with the $45 / 35€ special discount by using the one click Paypal button below! Note: Price on the Paypal button include the 15 euros shipping.

Important Note: We're running low of the ENGLISH collector's edition copies of the book and we know that soon the english collector's edition will be sold out. If you don't own the book yet and wish to order a copy please do it now while it is available!

Watch also below the video showing the whole book!

Choose quantity and enjoy additional discount!

One Disneyland Paris Collector Copy ( Including Shipping ) €100.00 EUR Two Disneyland Paris Collector Copies ( Including Shipping ) €185.00 EUR Three Disneyland Paris Collector Copies ( Including Shipping ) €270.00 EUR

Pictures: copyright Disney or Agence Altitude, or Dlrp Welcome

"Two" Disney and more instead of one !

Editor's Note: I'll be back tomorrow with a new Disneyland Paris pictorial update but in the meantime here is my review of Oz, the Great and Powerful. Also, many additional cool posts for you today - like every day! - on the D&M Facebook page.

Basically, what i do now is to post the big and important updates here, on the site, and others news and interesting pictures and videos on the D&M Facebook page. In other words, you have now "two" Disney and more instead of one!... and that's why i suggest you to have a regular look every day on the D&M Facebook page right HERE. Thanks to "like" it if it's not already done!

Oz, The Great and Powerful Review

I saw "Oz, the Great and Powerful" today, and here is what i think about it. First, i have to say that for me the original Wizard of Oz is not a cult movie as it has been - and still is - in the U.S. So, i suppose that any Wizard of Oz hardcore fan will have a different view than i have on this Sam Raimi prequel. That said, i like a lot Sam Raimi movies, so let's say that i went to see Oz more for Sam Raimi than the world of Oz itself.

For me, "Oz, The Great and Powerful", is before everything a Disney movie, in the sense that it is a classic Disney "fairy-and-witches-tale" movie. In this case there is more witches - good or bad - than fairies but all the elements of a classic Disney fairy tale movie are there: an imaginary world full of wonders, a castle, a jewel city, a treasure, a good character that will become a villain, a thorns forest, a throne for the "prince", a classic fairy tale happy ending, etc... After all, why not? But there is so many elements that gives you the feeling that "you've already saw this somewhere" - including an apple that will change forever the life of one of the character when she will eat it - that the movie becomes a bit too much predictable...

That said, the parts that i liked the most are the start - the first 30 minutes and specially the black and white "magic" part at the beginning, and the last 30 minutes. And from others reviews, it seems that i'm not the only one. It's not that what is in between is not good, it is good and James Franco and others actors do a real good job, buy there is a drop of rhythm and i had sometime to fight to stay awake which is never a good sign coming from me. 

But the movie production is stunning and you're really feel immerse in the world of Oz. The sequence with the munchkins is great too, and yes, the wicked witch is perfectly wicked! Good news for Disney, the movie did $80.27M this first week-end in the U.S and 60.9M in the rest of the world. With a total of $150.17M worldwide In three days, Oz is the biggest opening so far in 2013. 

And Disney is already planning a sequel to the movie which is the real good news for theme park fans as the fact that there will be an Oz sequel - and of course that Oz, The Great and Powerful is successful - is an important decision that probably will put a weight on the good side of the scale for a green light of the Oz land project at Disneyland Anaheim, one of Tony Baxter last project. There is enough visual elements to create a spectacular Oz land in the back of Disneyland's Frontierland and also enough to create a real good ride with an Oz theme. Will it happen? Let's cross our fingers!

By the way, if you're among those who've seen Oz this week-end, what did you think of it?

Picture: copyright Disney

Shanghaî Disneyland " Gardens of Imagination " Model Picture Released

The big news of the week came during the WDC annual stockholders meeting when was released a picture of the Shanghaî Disneyland model - here below in high-res - and more precisely the portion of the model related to one land of the park which will be called "Gardens of Imagination".  Right in front of the castle this land will be a 11 acre green space at the center of the park in front of Enchanted Storybook Castle.

As i was away from home the last two days you probably already read articles about it on other websites but there is more to say about this model picture. Of course it will be there that SDL guests will find the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride...

...but also the Carousel that you can see on the right of the model picture. Most of you probably think that it will be the usual carousel which is normally located in others Magic Kingdom at Fantasyland, but it won't be the case. In fact, at "Fantasia Carousel" SDL guests won't find the classic wooden horses as, instead, WDI Imagineers have designed a brand new and unique carousel entirely composed of Disney movies characters. SDL guests will be able to ride - literally - famous Disney characters like, for instance, Aladdin's Genie or also others Disney creatures including some coming from under the sea. If horses are include in the carousel it might be mythological ones who may come directly from Fantasia, like the centaurs. And from what i've been told, this new Carousel looks absolutely beautiful.

If you look well at the very bottom of the picture you'll see that a Walt with Mickey statue similar to the one placed last year at DCA will be located near the lagoon and in front of SDL castle, for sure a future popular photo location.

Another thing interesting on the picture are the lampposts which seems to be already equipped with loud speakers, and this is no big surprise as you can see fountains in the lagoon, and there is little doubts that a fountain show is envisioned for a SDL night show. A SDL version of DLP Disney Dreams show or a SDL World of Color? Future will tell but for sure a fountain night show will happen at Gardens of Imagination.

Always in this land visitors will find several gazebos and will be able to meet Mickey and his friends and also some gift shops, all this in beautiful gardens that chinese for sure will love as there is a long tradition of gardens in China. Talking about gardens, we can note a difference between the model picture and the rendering released two years ago: the long path with the trees which looks on the rendering like cherry trees in blossom was relocated more on the right...

...when on the rendering it was more in front of the castle.

I guess that the relocation was done to avoid that the trees hide in part the castle and you can see also how the lagoon has changed since this artwork was done - the Dumbo ride was also moved up. Finally, the famous Center Plaza usually in front of the castle will also be in front of SDL castle and chances are that a stage show will happen during the day on what seems to be a stage over the castle moats. You'll also note, as there won't be a Main Street U.S.A at SDL - so, no Town Square - that the Christmas tree will be located on the castle plaza, slightly on the right to don't hide the view of the castle.

I know that some of you would like to see more of the other SDL lands but for this you'll probably have to wait until next D23 Expo in August. Or simply book a plane ticket for Shanghaî Disneyland when it will open its gates, at the end of 2015!

Pictures and artwork: copyright Disney - Shendi

Temple Run "Oz" iPhone - iPad Game Now Released On The iTunes Appstore

Imanji Studios' Temple Run App is one of the most successful app game sold on iTunes Appstore. Not only they've sold hundred of millions of it but the new Temple Run 2 released last month became a new hit instantly, and millions were sold in three days after it was released.

Disney already did a special edition of the popular game with Brave and now a new one based on Oz, the Great and Powerful is now available on the Appstore. But this time  instead to run in the jungle chased by giant gorillas you're running on the yellow brick road being chased by flying monkeys!

The "rules" of the game are almost exactly the same than in Temple Run so anyone who is already addicted to the previous versions will know what to do.

However, there is a new feature with this Oz version and it's the magician balloon in which you'll be able to jump and fly to the emerald city!

Below, you'll find a video showing you the game, and then go ahead, you Temple Run addicts, and download it right now for $0.99 or 0.79€ only on the Appstore right HERE!




Pictures: copyright Disney - Imanji Studios

Rare WDW Magic Kingdom Circa 1971 Pictures

As promised last week - and i'm a little bit late, sorry! - here is fantastic pictures of WDW Magic Kingdom shot in 1971,  after the park opened. It's very rare to find good shots - or, simply, photos - of the Magic Kingdom after its opening and i'm sure you will enjoy these great b&w pictures!

Let's start as usual by 1971 guests walking in Main Street U.S.A, towards the castle .

Two interesting things to note in all the pictures: first, you'll see that in any lands there is not a lot of people. Now it would be unthinkable to have such few people in the Magic Kingdom but in fact, just like any others Disney parks, it took some years for WDW Magic Kingdom to have the attendance that they have now.
And, two, also note how the people are dressed,  only with this we can feel how this era is now far from us.

Arriving at the castle...

Liberty Square in 1971!

Walking towards the Haunted Mansion...

Liberty Square River Boat sailing on Frontierland river...

In Frontierland, a meet and greet with the bear character from Song of the South, which will be later one of the main character of Splash mountain.

The Davy Crockett Canoes!

Let's move to Fantasyland! Again, note how there is a few people only in the land.

The Fantasyland shot above was probably shot from the skyway that we can see on the pictures below.

Sorry, unfortunately no pics of Tomorrowland. However i have a few more with this one of guests on their way back to WDW Monorail...

...and this great one of the Contemporary Resort...

...and this last one showing guests in the small boats of Seven Seas Lagoon. But i don't know what are the buildings sin the background, does someone know? Is it the Polynesian Resort?

Now, would you like to see color pictures, shot a decade later? Of course you want! So, come back in a few days for the third part of the article!

Pictures: copyright State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/