Saturday, September 13, 2008

Epcot Innoventions StormStruck attraction - Artwork and Videos



Hurricane Ike - the one i told you to keep an eye on it two weeks ago when it was only a tropical storm - hit texas this morning, and very unfortunately it is a highly devastating category 2 hurricane, so let's hope that everybody is in a safe place.

Ike is too far from Florida to have effects on Walt Disney World, but Epcot's guests can have an idea of what a hurricane can do in the new Innoventions attraction "StormStruck, a tale of two homes" which opened one month ago. Below, the official artwork, click to see it in big size.



Some presentation from the official press release, now : As they first enter the Storm Struck venue, guests watch a variety of weather videos and reports on an upcoming storm. Then they enter a theater designed to make the participants feel that they are sitting in their own house – they can even see out into the backyard. This sets the scene for the participants to watch a storm that is coming. Through interactive technology and special effects, guests experience the sensation of the storm getting stronger and be able to watch and feel as the storm passes by "their house."

After the storm, participants go through a series of interactive experiences that will educate them on building safe, strong homes as they rebuild their "virtual home" and see how it would withstand another major weather event. Viewers can see messages and information from all of the sponsors, including State Farm, throughout the experience. The exhibit draws on information that was presented in the State Farm-produced FLASH video – A Tale of Two Houses. This video tells the story of two Florida homes side-by-side during Hurricane Charley in 2004. One home, built in the ‘60s, did not survive, while the other, constructed using building codes post-Hurricane Andrew, did.

While Floridians may be used to strong storms, only a small percentage of the visitors to INNOVENTIONS at Epcot are from the state. The majority of guests are from other areas around the nation and worldwide, which means for many, this would be the first time that they are experiencing such severe weather. This makes the exhibit an opportunity to educate and inform them about severe weather mitigation. "This exhibit allow people who have not experienced these types of storms to understand what other people go through and recognize what they can do to make their homes safer and stronger through construction practices".


Here is the official video that will show you more of what happen inside this ( small ) attraction.



No video available of the show itself - it's probably forbidden to film during the show - but here is a video of the pre-show movie.



At the end of the experience, visitors will leave the theatre but will have the chance to learn even more. Interactive displays and devices will allow guests to understand the weather perils that affect their local areas. This information will be accompanied with mitigation messages. "This exhibit allows people to experience strong weather without actually going through the devastation of a storm," Matthews said. "It's safe, educational and fun."



Photo, artwork and videos: copyright Disney

Youtube pre-show video thanks to CLslinkyman !

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A great "simulation" web site allows you to become a cast member in charge of an attraction !



It seems that the imagination - and the talent - of Disney fans have no limits. On this great simulation “flash” web site Themagical.nl, Disney fans have created four simulations - one for the Florida tower of terror , and the three others for Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Phantom Manor , all Disneyland Paris versions.



You choose one of them, and from that point, and with the help of a control center, you’re supposed to be the cast member in charge of the attraction, and of course to take care of the load-unload, the trains departure, etc...



You’re the one who decide when the train must leave the station, when the doors of the Manor open or when the Tower of terror elevators can “lift off”. You can see the train - or the elevators - or the doom buggies moving on the track , guests coming inside the building and the boarding room, and sounds from the originals attractions are even include. For Big thunder mountain, you even have the choice between a day or night version, but beware of the “thunder storms” , as they can be dangerous before you launch a train...



All of them are real fun, and i think we must congratulate those who did it, because obviously it was a lot of work to do it, and specially to do it intelligently as they did.

Enough talk, just click HERE to play with these great simulations!

Screen captures: copyright themagical.nl

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Rare Marc Davis Pirates of Caribbean artwork - Part Two



Today, here is the part two of rare Marc Davis renderings created for Pirates of Caribbean. Part one with many other rare artwork can be read HERE

Just like last week renderings, they show scenes ideas that were not used in the attraction, although inspirational. Enjoy them!







Updated: It seems that i did a litlle mistake and gave the wrong credits to the two renderings below who are not from Marc Davis. In fact, this next one is probably from Colin Campbell...



...and this gray pencil sketch of the Fortress with the boat ascending was done by Herb Ryman.



All Artwork: copyright Disney Enterprises Inc


Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Create your own fireworks over WDW Cinderella Castle !



it was the big Autumn announcement from Apple today. Steve Jobs - who is the biggest Disney stock-holder, let's not forget it - announced the new IPod Nano, a new design for the IPod Touch and the release of ITunes new function called "Genius".
So, let's participate to this event with a news about a fun new application for the IPhone, also released today on the Appstore. This new application called "IFireworks" will allow you to create your own fireworks over WDW Magic Kingdom Cinderella Castle ! Okay, it 's only on your Iphone or Ipod Touch, but it's a good start!

Available in the ITunes AppStore for $0.99 ( and not $1.99 as i say on the video ) this application allows you to choose between 11 cities in the world - including New York, Paris, London, Las Vegas, etc...and Orlando. Once you have choose your city, all you have to do is to touch the screen to launch new fireworks rocket in the sky. The more you "touch" the screen, the more you send rockets. If you touch on the left of the screen, rockets will rise from the left, same if you touch the center or on the right, etc...very easy, pretty fun, and the $0.99 price is reasonable.

You will find it on the ITunes Appstore under the name: IFireworks and it works only on the IPhone and the IPod Touch. I did a video to show you how it works, and here it is below. Enjoy it!



Photo: copyright Disney

Video: copyright Disney and more

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Farewell, Golden Dreams...



Yesterday was the very last peformance of the Golden Dreams show at Disney's California Adventure. Soon, the works will begin for Tony Baxter's Little Mermaid attraction. Of all the exterior decor, only the famous rotunda will remain.

For all of you who never had the luck to see the Golden Dreams movie - including me as the day i went to DCA the show was unfortunately closed - i've found this three-part video on youtube where you'll see the whole movie, introduce by Whoopy Goldberg. The in-theatre filming is not totally perfect, but it's the best i've found, and it shows everything.

So, let's say a last goodbye to this wonderful show, and let's hope that somebody at Disney will have the good idea to release it in a future Disney Treasures dvd,, along with other Disneyland extinct attraction movies . In the meantime, all my thanks to
HV10N90 for the youtube videos!










Photo: copyright Disney

Youtube video: Many thanks to HV10N90
Editor's note: Don't miss the Hong Kong Disneyland halloween update below, and the week-end special with DLP Enchanted Fireworks wallpaper pictures. Talking about Asia, Honor Hunter of Blue Sky Disney posted his awaited article about the future of HKD, TDL, TDS and even Shanghai Disneyland! You can read it HERE


Disneyland Paris Enchanted Fireworks wallpaper pictures



It's time for some great wallpaper pictures, and today we will have a look back at the Enchanted Fireworks, which ended on August 31st.

All the pictures were shoot by Alexandre Rosa, that we can congratulate as fireworks pictures are not easy to shoot.

You can see more of them - and videos of the show and the making-of - on Alexandre's web page HERE











All pictures: copyright Alexandre Rosa