Friday, November 30, 2007

First Pictures of Walt Disney Studios Tower of terror !



This is the second surprise of this evening to celebrate the 100000 visitor on my blog : here is below the first official pictures of the Tower of terror lobby and boiler room.

As you know, the lobby of the Hollywood Tower hotel didn't see any guests since 1939, so if everything looks a bit old, that's the theming effect !

Have a look at the pictures below and wonder at the beautiful theming work done by WDI imagineers, the sculptors, the painters , etc...this is what the WDS were missing, a great theming, a big "WOW !" .





The boiler room is so full of props that i am pretty sure we will talk again about it in details very soon. In the meantime, here are the first shots.






More exclusive shots coming soon !

Photos: copyright Disney


I began the Disney and more blog eight months ago, and since that magical day 100.000 readers came on this blog and enjoy all the pictorial topics i've post almost every day - when i am not away from home.

250.000 pages have been read, and almost 1000 took - very kindly - the time to answer to my Disney and more poll.

Of course other big website like Miceage or Jimhill probably does the same in less than one week, but for a little blog, almost unadvertised , and done strictly for the pleasure to share , it's not pretty good. In fact, each day, between 500 and 1000 readers come on Disney and more, and if i believe what i read in the comments, most of you are becoming more and more addict to my blog.

Good! Disney and more is a healthy addiction, and i sincerely thank all of you "from the bottom of my heart" for your great and wonderful support .

To celebrate this , i will answer below to a question that many of you often asked to me : Will Indiana Jones Adventure ever come to Disneyland Paris?

Will Indiana Jones Adventure be build at Disneyland Paris ?



This is THE attraction that everybody is waiting for at Paris Magic Kingdom : Indiana Jones Adventure and the temple of the forbidden eye. All DLP fans know that the room to built it have been kept in Adventureland, but the hope to see it built one day is sometime vanishing...

Well, as you will see on the document below, the imagineers not only have think about it, but already did some blueprints. Although this one was probably done many years ago, when the park will decide to built it - translate: when they will have the money to do it - you can be sure that all WDI imagineers will be happy to create this beloved attraction at DLP.

To say the truth, all the imagineers that i happen to meet among those years , all agree that bringing Indiana Jones Adventure at DLP will not only be one of the best choice - in terms of attraction - that DLP management could make, but, also, that it will be an instant hit among DLP visitors.
Yes, but.....the main problem is the price : Indiana Jones Adventure is a VERY expensive attraction , and - this is an important point - the maintenance cost of the attraction is - or at least was - very high, too. And you must never forget that maintenance costs at DLP are already very high.
How much is the cost of Indiana Jones Adventure ? Frankly, i don't know the real price, but not less than 150 millions of dollars, may be more, now.
Now, i don't know if DLP is paying the new atttractions at WDI in dollars or in euros, but if it's in dollars, with the change rate between the dollar and the euro, it will be a pretty good deal for the park's management to order to WDI an Indiana Jones Adventure right now!

To come back to the document, you will see that the building envisioned for Indiana Jones Adventure will take a big part of the land still available in Adventureland, with its back wall close to the Pirates of Caribbean building.
It seems, too, that the entrance will be through another small temple - like in Anaheim - located in front of the "Temple du péril".



To give you a better idea, here is a satellite view of the park with the blueprint upon it, and it's more easy to locate exactly where will be what, if one day the park built it.



Later this month another big E-ticket will open at the Walt Disney Studios : the Tower of terror. Although the TOT is cheaper than Indiana Jones Adventure, for DLP its cost is really important. So don't expect another big E-ticket before the 20th anniversary in 2012. But if DLP management want to do a good choice for this future celebration, "Indiana Jones Adventure and the temple of the forbidden eye" will not only be a good one, but simply the BEST choice they could make.

Photos and document : copyright Disney

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Lance Burton magic: The Indian tour



If you come regularly on Disney and more, you know that sometime , i post some good magic tour video - i mean: real magic by some of the best magician on the planet.

It has been quite a while since i've posted the last one, and i know that some of you like when i do it, so today here is a good one by master magician Lance Burton, live from the Monte-Carlo magic theater in Las Vegas.

Monday, November 26, 2007

To all my american readers who were far off their computer this week-end. While it was thanksgiving in the U.S i've posted three great "behind the scenes" topics, with fantastic videos. The first one is about the making of Expedition Everest - one of the best documentary i've seen on a Disney attraction - and the others are about Soarin' , Spaceship Earth and the WDW monorail. You will find them below, watch the videos, they will take you in the secrets of WDI !
In addition, you will find, too, a great "musical" video released for the opening of Epcot in 1982. If you're not feeling well this morning, have a look at it, the "Broadway" style music and the optimism that comes out of it will give you a lot of energy!

Spaceship Earth and WDW monorail Behind the scenes



Here is another great "behind the scenes" video about Spaceship Earth and the WDW monorail with Disney legendary imagineers Marty Sklar and Bob Gurr. Take the time to look at it, you will love it!




Photo and Video : copyright Disney

The 21st Century Started in 1982 !



You may not have noticed it , but the 21st century didn't began 7 years ago, but in 1982......well, if you believe this opening musical video released in 1982 for the opening of........Epcot!

Have a look at it, not only it's full of shots of the making of Epcot, but everything is fun and great: the song - it's the great Danny Kaye who is singing - the music, typically "Broadway" style , the energy that comes out of it is more than optimistic, etc..! If you're not feeling well this morning, i can guarantee you that the optimism that comes out of it will give you a lot of energy!




Photo and Video : copyright Disney

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Epcot Soarin' Behind the scenes - Photos and Video



Yesterday you've learn everything about the making of Expedition Everest, and today we will have a closer look on how the imagineers created the highly popular Soarin' attraction.



When you ride it, it don't looks that complicated - a huge IMax screen and seats in the air - but , like everything, it is not difficult once you've found the way to do it. And it's imagineer Mark Sumner, senior technical director and project/ride engineer at Walt Disney Imagineering who find the "trick" that made it possible.
On the pictures below, he shows off the simple prototype he constructed from old toy parts to demonstrate the sophisticated mechanism that would simulate a high-flying adventure on Soarin'.




Now, on this great Modern Marvel video, Mark Sumner will tell you much more about the making of Soarin'. Enjoy it!



Photos and Video: copyright Disney