BREAKING: DLP WDS Armaggedon and Art of Disney Animation Attractions Will Close Permanently in 2019

BREAKING: Disneyland Paris announced that two DLP Walt Disney Studios attractions will close PERMANENTLY - meaning: "forever" - in 2019: the Armaggedon attraction will close on April 1st ( and it's not an April fools ), and The Art of Animation will close in less than a month, on January 7.

Armaggedon apparently will be replaced by a Spiderman attraction, similar to the one coming to Disney's California Adventure and The Art of Animation, as D&M had told you months ago, should be transformed in an area similar to Blue Sky Cellar at DCA where were displayed renderings and models of upcoming DCA attractions during the park placemaking. At DLP WDS it will present the new lands and the park transformation coming in a very near future ( this, if plans have not changed since i was told months ago ).

First Concept-Art Showing DLP Walt Disney Studios Marvel Land

Disney released today the above concept-art showing how will look the Marvel land at DLP Walt Disney Studios. And Scot Drake, Creative Executive, Marvel Global Portfolio at Walt Disney Imagineering tell us more about the concept that will link the different Marvel lands in Disney theme parks:

"As the creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering’s Global Marvel Portfolio, my team and I are collaborating closely with our partners across Studios and Entertainment to create exciting experiences and attractions where you can join your favorite Super Heroes at Disney Parks and Resorts. Together, we are expanding this epic story universe in a way that, for the first time ever, will allow you to take on an active role alongside these Super Heroes:

There was an idea. To bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. It was called the Avengers Initiative.

That original idea has now evolved into a brand-new global Avengers Initiative. One that brings us—the next generation of remarkable people—together. To find our power and become something more. To see if we can work alongside the Avengers so we may all become stronger together.

The Stark Expo in Hong Kong was to be a first step: A world exposition whose theme of ‘A Better Tomorrow Today,’ was meant to inspire and motivate through technological innovation. However, shortly after it opened, the Expo was attacked by the forces of Hydra. When even more powerful forces threatened the entire planet, the Avengers realized that the Earth needs more heroes.

So today, to better defend the planet, the Avengers are setting up new Headquarters and technology sharing exchanges around the globe to empower and inspire all potential recruits willing to step up and become heroes.

In California and Paris, Tony Stark is retrofitting two of his father’s Stark Industries sites into new hubs for training and innovation. Through partnerships with S.H.I.E.L.D., Pym Technologies, Masters of the Mystic Arts and the new Worldwide Engineering Brigade, The Avengers and their allies will forge new global campuses to champion the next generation of heroes. Who’s ready to answer the call?"

These interconnected stories are coming to life at our Disney Parks. In Hong Kong Disneyland, guests have already started battling the forces of Hydra in the Iron Man Experience. Beginning in March 2019, they will join Ant-Man and Wasp in a fight against Arnim Zola and his army of evil Hydra Swarm-bots in the all-new interactive attraction, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! In Disney California Adventure park, guests have been helping the Guardians escape the Collector’s Fortress in Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT!

 And soon, in both Disney California Adventure park and Disneyland Paris, guests will encounter the heroes in new and exciting ways, from the mystic arts of Doctor Strange to the gravity-defying feats of Spider-Man. Guests will also experience the latest in Pym Technology with Ant-Man and Wasp and be wowed as Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Captain America and more leap into action on a moment’s notice."

First Close-Up Look at Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Millennium Falcon

Disney Parks provide a first close-up look at Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Millennium Falcon. Behind-the-scenes look at development on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! Guests can take the controls of the fastest ship of the galaxy in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, one of two signature attractions coming to this all-new land at Disneyland (summer 2019) and Walt Disney World (fall 2019).

Picture: copyright Disney

New Press Release about Tokyo Disneyland Development !

New Press Release about Tokyo Disneyland Development!

New Facilities Opening in Spring of Fiscal Year 2020 URAYASU, CHIBA— Oriental Land Co., Ltd. has announced the names of the new facilities that will be opening in spring of fiscal year 2020* as part of the large-scale development of Tokyo Disneyland® Park.

The new facilities include a major attraction, an all-weather live entertainment theater, a restaurant and shops. This expansion will occupy an area of about 47,000 m2 overlapping Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Toontown—three of the seven themed lands in the Park. The total investment for this expansion is about 75 billion Japanese yen.

Opening in Fantasyland will be a new area themed to the Disney film Beauty and the Beast. It will feature Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, a major attraction within Beauty and the Beast Castle, which towers about 30 meters above the surroundings. Guests will board ride vehicles that dance in rhythm to the animated film’s well-known music and follow Belle on a romantic musical adventure. With Village Shoppes and La Taverne de Gaston, Guests will feel like they have entered the world of the film as they enjoy the ambience of Belle’s village.

Also opening in the new area will be Fantasyland Forest Theatre, the first full-scale indoor theater for live entertainment at Tokyo Disneyland. Signature Disney entertainment unique to Tokyo Disneyland and featuring the Disney Friends will be presented in this storybook theater environment.

Themed to the Disney film Big Hero 6, The Happy Ride with Baymax attraction will open in Tomorrowland. Guests will join their own personal healthcare companion for an exciting musical “whip ride” that swings them unpredictably round and round. Also, a shop themed to outer space, The Big Pop, will offer Guests popcorn in multiple flavors that can be purchased together with popcorn buckets.

In Toontown, Minnie’s Style Studio will be the first Disney Character greeting facility in Tokyo Disneyland where Guests can meet Minnie Mouse in person. Dressed in some of her own creations, “fashion designer” Minnie will greet and take pictures with Guests. The largest redevelopment in the history of Tokyo Disneyland promises to enchant Guests even more with lots of brand new experiences in the Park.

First Official Pictures of Disneyland Paris Phantom Manor !

Disneyland Paris released the first official pictures of the renovated Phantom Manor showing the bride in the loading room scene and the Manor gardens! I remind you that the changes in the ride have been done to clarify the ride storyline and to create an end to the story, as the previous version was not perfectly understandable.

The ride is now rumored to don't reopen before April 2019 though it might happen before if DLP Imagineers succeed to resolve some technical issues.

First Trailer for Marvel Avengers 4 "End Game" !

Marvel Studios has released the first trailer for Avengers 4 which is titled "End Game" !

Watch Imagineer Eddie Sotto TED Talk, "The How of Wow!"

You probably all now the great TED talks, and recently the great Imagineer Eddie Sotto - who was show-producer for Disneyland Paris Main Street, TDL Winnie the Pooh, and many others great attractions - was invited to do a talk for TEDxBermuda during which Eddie explained "The How of Wow!" or how Disney parks magic is created. Don't miss this great video of Eddie, and below the video presentation text.

"Designer and former Disney Imagineer shows us how capture the sense of wonder that all children have and recreate it throughout life. He takes us behind the scenes of Disneyland and shows how the carefully designed environment eases us away from the outside world and brings us fully in to the fantastical experience.

Eddie Sotto was born in Hollywood, California to a family with strong Hollywood connections. His aunt, Marilyn Sotto, is a costume illustrator and designer who worked for Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Walt Disney Productions, and his grandfather Edward Sotto was a scenic artist at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and a portrait artist. His cinematic design style is largely self taught with mentors drawn from motion picture production designers and Disney's original artists.

Eddie has had a multifaceted career in creative design spanning over 30 years. He was Senior Vice President of Concept Design at Disney's Imagineering division, where he helmed his own Concept Development Studio and worked on key parts of Euro Disneyland and Disneyland Tokyo, as well as several of the world famous rides at the original campuses.

Exporting his skills beyond “The Mouse”, Sotto branched into creating for television, restaurant, hotel and UHNW residential interiors, even into spacecraft and private aviation, where he won a recent IYAA award for best Private Jet Concept. SottoStudios still consults to Disney on marketing strategy and Resort R&D."




Picture and video: copyright TED