The world wide smash hit franchise “High School Musical” is already present at the Walt Disney Studios for the past three years with the various shows performed during the summer half-year. 
However, now a year round option for fans is prepared: as reported earlier the former Backlot Express Restaurant has been emptied of all movie props on display so far and is transferred into a restaurant featuring a “High School Musical” themed area and a “Pirates of the Caribbean” themed area – and the transformation is progressing with large steps. …[more] »
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East High School at WDS (updated!)
July 15th, 2009 by Dirk
Let’s Go Back…
July 7th, 2009 by Dirk
For this news we invite you to journey back in time … to Discoveryland pre-2005. Where today Buzz Lightyear is recruiting guests to help im fight against Zurg’s latest attempt in taking control of the toy universe, back then Timekeeper (an incredible robotic animatronic) was presenting guests his latest and greatest invention: a time machine, which allowed him to take guests on a journey to the past and the future to meet dinosaurs, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells and many more in places as close as Paris or Vienna but also as far away as space and the depths of the sea in a 360 degree surround cinema projection.
Fans of the resort often stated that the instrumental score for the time travel attraction was one of the most stunning score pieces written especially for the Disneyland Paris (where the attraction premiered before also being added to Tokyo Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World). Unfortunately said score by Bruce Broughton was never officially released till today. However, Bruce Broughton now has released one cue from the score titled “Let’s Go Back To The Future” running 2:51 on his website, where it is currently the featured clip. So visit his website, enjoy the excerpt from the score and travel back in time to the Discoveryland pre-2005…
Photo: brucebroughton.com
Goofy’s Summer Camp cutting costs? And more about the summer entertainment!
July 6th, 2009 by Dirk
The first weekend of the summer season has been managed at the Disneyland Resort Paris (or Disneyland Paris as it now states on the updated website) … and there have been at least two surprises already. The first one: “Good Morning Main Street, U.S.A.” – the happening to start the day has been revived and is now scheduled for daily performances at 10.15 am on Central Plaza!
This calvacade was part of the original entertainment in the opening year of 1992 but had been discontinued, even so it saw short lived revivals, such as earlier this year with the Disney Character Express received its make-over to become “Minnie’s Party Train”. In 1992 the calvacade consisted of the Main Street Vehicles, on board of which various Disney character drove along the Main Street, while even more characters and dancers in turn of the century costumes danced down the Main Street. In addition cast members of the shops came out on the side walk waving signs announcing “Good Morning” in various languages. For the 2009 version of “Good Morning Main Street, U.S.A.” the Disneyland Park reuses the original catchy soundtrack, also the Disney characters on the Main Street Vehicles and walking along are still there. However, the dancers in period costumes haven’t made it back and neither have the cast members waving their signs on the side walk. Still guests reacted very positively to the new addition, in particular since the calvacade stops on Central Plaza (where “Dancin’ A Catch Rhythm” is then played) to allow for a meet’n'greet with the characters before returning down Main Street.
The second surprise? …[more] »
New attractions considered for DLRP?
July 4th, 2009 by Dirk
Sometimes it takes a bit longer till certain information is actually noticed – case in point an interview with Philippe Gas, CEO of Euro Disney S.A.S., that the French station TF1 published on October 21, 2008. While he touts the figures of the first quarter of the fiscal year 2009 (3% increase in expenditure in the resort) he also admits, that the resort already (back in October 2008) felt the negative impact of the economic climate on the Spanish market, where advance bookings were weaker than in the past. While not mentioning the impact of the exchange rate on the UK market, which traditionally was one of the key markets in particular for packages including hotel stays, Philippe Gas mentions that they are targeting now markets, which are less impacted by the crisis such as the middle east (e.g. Dubai) but also emerging markets such as Poland and Russia.
However, where the interview gets really interesting is when Philippe Gas is asked about future expansions and new attractions. …[more] »
Mickey’s Magical Party decorations
July 3rd, 2009 by Dirk
Guests at the Disneyland Resort Paris this year can not escape the message … there is a party to celebrate … Mickey’s Magical Party. Posters featuring Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Pluto and special decorations are everywhere – on construction fences, special billboards, posters, hangers, in the Disney Hotels, the Disney Village, Fantasia Gardens and certainly in both theme parks. In particular the Main Street in the Disneyland Park has been decked out.
There are special decorations on the entrances to the Emporium, some more sutle some rather intrusive, and certainly the special poles along the Main Street. As for the …[more] »
Small Details Can Make the Difference
July 2nd, 2009 by DirkAn eye for details – that’s one of the basic requirements to create and plus the experience of guests at the Disney theme parks. Some of the details may only serving a decorative or atmospheric purpose while others are there to make the experience more believable. However, every so often small details are actually necessary to enhance the experience of guests and solve a real problem. Case in point a small detail added recently to the entrance door of the Salon Mickey, in which members of the Shareholders’ Club are treated to a small breakfast and VIP entrance into the Disneyland Park.
Since the Salon Mickey opened for Shareholders’ Club members they had to knock on the door or its windows to notify the cast member inside so that he could open the door (no secret knocking signal required, but presentation of the membership card). Not a very elegant way and also the cast member could easily miss the signal when it was busy or a member knocked to carefully. Now this spring a small detail was added to (hopefuly) solve this issue: an elegant door knocker fitting the victorian style of the building was added to the door. Another small detail to improve guest experience!
Changes for Annual Passports
July 1st, 2009 by Dirk
As is is already usual the Disneyland Resort Paris released a new AP flyer / brochure in early Paris to reflect the new pricing in place from April 4 till November 9, 2009 – and also to update the design of the brochure from the 15th anniversary design to the “Mickey’s Magical Party” theme of 2010. But are there any further changes worth noting?
First of all: the design of the actual APs was updated as well to be in line with the balloon design used for “Mickey’s Magical Party”, but there were changes to the AP program as well. The AP Francilien (available to all guests, despite the reference to the locality) increased in price by 10 Euro to 99,00 Euro just as the most expensive one, the AP Dream from 179,00 to 189,00 Euro, while the AP Fantasy staid unchanged (at 129,00 Euro) – for both, adults and children. The central concept of each AP (granting access depending on the type of AP on 300, 335 respectively 365 days per year to both theme parks) staid the same as the central extra benefits granted to AP holders with very few, but note-worthy details. …[more] »
Toy Story Playland – concept art from Hong Kong!
June 30th, 2009 by DirkThe Government of Hong Kong has officially announced a major expansion plan for Hong Kong Disneyland including three new mini-lands one of which is to be called “Toy Story Land”. While the other two will be exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland for five years from their respective opening, the latter is going to be exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland only within the Asian region (to learn more about the three lands 
and the multi year expansion plan for Hong Kong Disneyland visit the Mousekingdom Blog, where we have now published an updated version of our detailed post including concept-art and an official expansion park plan).
“Toy Story Land”? Exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland only in comparison to other Asian Disney resorts, but therefore not to the US resorts and Disneyland Resort Paris??
Hmm… …[more] »