Shareholders’ Club Night Event

September 5th, 2010 by Dirk

Friday evening the Shareholders’ Club members were invited to enjoy the all new Toy Story Playland at Walt Disney Studios Park after park closure. Considering the late nightfall and early park closing of the Walt Disney Studios the event was the first opportunity to enjoy the new addition to the park with its lighting design in full display.

During a visit to Toy Story Playland earlier in the day numerous additional, temporary lights were found to be standing in the new area, however, those turned out to be not necessary at night and were not used. Most propably they had been placed in TSPL already in anticipation for the major press event scheduled for Saturday night. But then for Friday’s Shareholders’ Club event the regular lighting needed no extra add-ons. This also had the big advantage that guests could enjoy the light design as it was intended by Imagineering… …[more] »

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Of Kids & Princesses

September 4th, 2010 by Dirk

In mid-August suddenly the post show area of it’s a small world closed and guests were guided around it via the wide, usually unused walkway bypassing it. The pavilion contained little marquettes of children housed in small scale replicas of famous buildings from around the globe all performing the attraction’s theme song in unisono while connected via various telecommunication means (such as phone, mobile phone, video phone etc.). While not stunning the displays were lovely and seemed rather popular with younger guests who made sure to look into each and every building on their way out after riding it’s a small world.

The closure of this post show area in the middle of high season came as a surprise and hadn’t even been mentioned in rumors prior. However, up till today the closure looks rather makeshift, with access to the building respectively the walkway leading up to it from the station of it’s a small world blocked with ropes and benches. Also only a temporary unthemed “exit” sign has been set up at the end of the new exit path of the station to prevent guests from entering this way. So what is going on? …[more] »

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This way to Toy Story Playland

September 4th, 2010 by Dirk

For more than 2 years a giant billboard advertised the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to everyone heading toward the parks from the resort’s main daytime guest parking lot. Located right above the fence blocking off the future Disney Village expansion lot in front of the Disney Village parking structure the large billboard is perfectly located to be noted by all guests no matter whether they plan to head into the Disneyland Park or the Walt Disney Studios. In time for the opening of the Toy Story Playland the billboard finally was replaced and is now proudly touting the newest addition to the studios: Toy Story Playland. But that is not the only sign which got updates for Toy Story Playland… …[more] »

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Makeshift Signs & Rope Mazes at Toy Story Playland

September 3rd, 2010 by Dirk

The extreme popularity of the Toy Story Playland (penned up by the late opening on August 17 despite being prominently featured in ads since early spring) is having its impact in particular on wait times as reported here reportedly since the official opening of the area. However, despite wait times exceedings 100 minutes at times for RC Racer the queue area of this attraction has proven to be more than large enough with the line mostly being limited to the covered section and the last meters of the out door section leading to it. On the other hand the queue for Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin is frequently extended with ropes in front of its entrance. Close to the ride’s exit just opposite of the entrance to RC Racer another line has been roped off for handicapped guests who are allowed to bypass the regular line (but nevertheless have to wait in a line). …[more] »

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Captain EO – or not?

September 3rd, 2010 by Dirk

Since its return to Discoveryland “Captain EO” on June 12, 2010 the attraction has been advertised with a small announcement at the bottom of the weekly entertainment program’s cover handed out to all guests.  This was ment to compensate the fact that all park maps offered to guests still list “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” instead of “Captain EO” as the maps for the period up to November 6 had been printed already earlier this spring. Therefore, it came as a surprise when this week’s entertainment program for the first time omitted the reference to Captain EO / the fact that Captain EO has replaced HISTA. …[more] »

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More Rehabs

September 2nd, 2010 by Dirk

As reported yesterday the Suspension Bridge on Adventure Isle has been closed for a major rehab already beginning in the summer season. Earlier this week numerous smaller rehabs suddenly began without interrupting the operation of any attractions. However, since Wednesday four attractions in the Disneyland Park have been closed for rehabs:

  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains)
    which is supposed to be closed till October 8,
  • Phantom Manor
    which currently is scheduled to be closed till September 24 only,
  • Le Pays des Contes de Fées
    and finally
  • Casey Jr. - the circus train.

The last two are listed on this week’s entertainment program as closed as of September 1st. Interestingly the corresponding list on the park’s official website has them listed as being closed only from October 4 to October 15. No word whether the closure has been moved up from October or whether the closure has been extended all the way up from October.

Before we forget it: later this month from September 13 till 17 Le Carrousel de Lancelot will be closed for a rehab as well according to the official website. However, as the situation of Casey Jr. and the fairytale canal boats show these plans are always subject to changes. This certainly also applies to the further listed closures of Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast from October 11 till 22 and of it’s a small world from November 8 till 26 – even so the latter can be expected to remain unchanged since it is the annual closure needed for the installation of the special decorations including numerous extra costumes and decorations on the ride for the christmas season.

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Suspended Suspension Bridge

September 2nd, 2010 by Dirk

When we mentioned yesterday that the rehabs returned Monday with the official start of the off-season to the resort we omitted one not so small and rather hard to miss rehab that began even before the summer season came to its end: the extensive rehab of the suspension bridge on Adventure Isle in Disneyland’s Adventureland. The swinging bridge suspended between Skull Rock Island and Adventure Isle is one of four options to cross between these two islands, the others being: a) a large bridge between the two islands right next to Captain Hook’s Galley, b) the small path from the dock next to the galley to the Pirates’ Cove playground and c) the barrel bridge in / on the water on the far side of the two islands. But back to the one option of the four that is closed for now…  …[more] »

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Rehabs & more return

September 1st, 2010 by Dirk

Came Monday the summer season officially had ended at Disneyland Paris – meaning shorter opening hours, no more Disney’s Fantillusion Parade and Enchanted Fireworks to end the day and also less street entertainment. That pretty much sums up the “pre-announced” impact that guests will also consider when scheduling their visit. However, once on site guests on Monday could also notice other “off-season” indicators.

Over night the rehabs returned to the resort. Suddenly signs indicating fresh paint that hadn’t be seen for two months popped up like magic. The first such sign most guests of the Disney Hotels may have noticed was at lamp post on the promenade between Disney’s Hotel New York and the Disney Village. But further touch-up painting took also place inside the Disneyland Park. …[more] »

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New at Toy Story Playland: FENCES!

September 1st, 2010 by Dirk

A bit more than two weeks have gone by for the Toy Story Playland in regular operation and we can already report the next addition to it – unfortunately its fences. Next to the station building of RC Racer a set up had been installed in a special extension of the walkways featuring a smaller version of the RC Racer on a bit of red toy track. The unique twist there being, that the RC Racer was open on its left side (facing toward the rear of the land) so that guests could step seemingly into the car to get their photo taken as if onboard of it. By the end of last week temporary steel barriers with white plastic coverings had been errected around this RC Racer photo op blocking access to it while still allowing to take pictures over the barrier at least of the scene (even so not with anyone inside). …[more] »

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Café des Cascadeurs Expansion

August 31st, 2010 by Dirk

Café des Cascadeurs – the sole table service restaurant of the Walt Disney Studios Park, offering a family friendly menu (burgers, hot dogs etc.) in a real historic American diner making it (as is proudly proclaimed) the “oldest restaurant of all Disney parks” – regularly has lines of eager diners waiting for a seat to become available. During the warmer months of the year additional seating on a terrace (which was added after the location proved popular with guests) adds to the capacity but the rest of the year the wait at the restaurant (which does not accept any reservations) can be rather long during the lunch hours. Considering this Imagineering paid a special visit to the restaurant the past Monday to discuss on-site the concepts for an expansion… …[more] »

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