Finally …another CRPR

May 21st, 2011 by Dirk

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20110521-100131.jpgThe refurbishment of Sleeping Beauty Castle at the heart of the Isneyland Park is making huge progress over the last few days. As can be seen in the photos all scaffold on the front facade of the castle has disappeared in the meantime – including the scaffolding in front of the arcades to the right of the castle. However, as a close up shows there is still some work to be done to some parts of the latter. Note how fresh and pristine the refurbished part looks and how worn down in comparison the columns of the arcade closer to the camera.

20110521-100113.jpgHowever, this should require only a rather fast touchup job. Just take a look at the impressive effect of the new coating on the detailed stone work on the back side of the castle facing toward the Snow White area.

20110521-100157.jpgWith the scaffolding completely down on the front the waterfall to the left of the castle has been turned back on again as well. However, work is not fully finished and painters can be seen working on e castle from a crane at times.also not all turrets are finished yet, even so another white (i.e. primed) roof top has received is final blue color in the meantime. Those turrets still missing are supposed to receive a golden roof top.

Meanwhile the work on the back facade facing into Fantasyland is making visible progress as well – the first scaffolding is already coming down again here!

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Photos by InsideDLParis

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The thunder of Big Thunder Mountain is back

May 21st, 2011 by Dirk

As was announced yesterday via the official Twitter account of the resort the park’s original coaster, Big Thunder Mountain, is reopening to guests today.

The coaster had been closed after an accident on Easter Monday (April 25) to allow for the investigation b the authorities involving part of the scenery on the final lift hill of the ride (the Earthquake scene) falling onto the train and in the later course of the ride injuring 5 guests).

However, it seems that the resort also used the imposed downtime to start early with the rehab scheduled from the beginning of May till the coming weekend during which the mountain was to be cleaned and spruced up wit fresh paint. So the coaster can now return to regular operation a week earlier than originally scheduled.

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“No Fly Zone” at Discoveryland

May 19th, 2011 by Andy

As mentioned a couple of days ago the Orbitron at Discoveryland is undergoing a big rehab that includes a complete dismantling of the attractions main center piece. Now we can show you a new update where the whole ride system is taken down leaving a bare space at Discoveryland. There are only the decorative globes still standing behind the green fences. It will be a while before guests will see the Orbitron go back up. While it didn’t take Disney to long to remove the attraction, they will take the time to make sure the ride is looking at its best when it returns somewhere at the end of June.

Photo by InsideDLParis

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Is Ratatouille Getting Ready for the Studios?

May 19th, 2011 by Andy

Disney has released artwork related for the newest Dark Ride with the Ratatouille theme planned for the Walt Disney Studios in Paris. The plan to add a Ratatouille Dark ride was not a big secret, especially when Toy Story Playland opened and showed some early integrated Ratatouille decorations showing a sculpture of Gusteau, the chef in the Ratatouille movie. This sculpture has been hidden by Disney shortly after, but you can still see Remy on the Benches in front of the gateway where the sculpture is.

The artwork and plans where found by Disney Central Plaza when visiting Chessy City Hall where construction permits can be viewed by the general public. One of the pictures shows a colorful facade that will be used to hide the big attraction building. The facade looks like typical buildings found in Paris with a cafe/restaurant facade that could be the entrance of the new restaurant for this area. The Ratatouille entrance can be seen on the right hand side of the artwork. A nice water feature is set for the middle of the area.

The two other pictures are blueprints. The first one showing the location of the new dark ride building very well. You can see the big footprint of the building behind Toy Story Playland and right next to the costuming building.

The second blueprint shows some interesting things. First of all you can see the big facade, including some covered pathways that are expected to be covered queue area’s for the new Ratatouille dark ride attraction. You can clearly see that the building used as facades will have 4 floors and although Disney might be using there forced perspective to make the buildings appear taller it will still be a big facade. Looking at the building behind that facade we can see it even go higher up. Could this be an indication that the dark ride will not only be big, but could cover multiple levels inside the building? What other reason could there be to have such a high building?

Plans have been approved to build the premises but Disney is still waiting for one important thing before they can start to build and set an targeted opening date. Disney need to get the agreement from the banks for the money needed to build this new attraction. If this gets green lighted we might see an opening set for 2013.

Pictures from Disney Central Plaza. You can also see the pictures on our partner site forum.

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Monday Morning Rehab Update

May 16th, 2011 by Dirk

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20110515-235537.jpgIt’s Monday morning … and to start off the week we got an update of various refurbishment projects inside Disneyland Park courtesy of InsideDLParis for you. Let’s start off deep in Fantasyland … where the scaffolding around the Old Mill has gone up another few meters and is now hjiding the full height of the building – only the weather vane is still peaking over it.

Just a few steps further along the pathway leading away from it’s a small world (where the former post-show pavilion is still closed for it’s transformation into a Princess Meet’n'Greet / photo location) another rehab has come to a fast end and the Unbirthday tea party table has returned to the photo location in front of Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. The table and the decorations, cups and more all look shiny and new again. A closer Look will reveal one important change, though: the cups, in which rain water collected when the table was installed in April are now featuring little holes for the water to drain.

20110515-235616.jpgThe refurbishment of the castle continues, with the front of the main strucutre now free off all scaffolding, but the scaffolding still reaching into the sky on it’s back.

On to the final stop of today’s rehab update program: Orbitron in Discoveryland. As reported the various decorational elements turning when the ride is in motion as well as the arms with all rockets have been dismantled, leaving only the bare center element standing with it’s mechanical interior revealed to see (over the green cosntruction fence) – as can be seen in the photo above taken from the entrance into Discoveryland.

Photos by InsideDLParis

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New temporary facade for Walt’s

May 14th, 2011 by Dirk

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20110514-002547.jpgAs reported the extensive refurbishment of the exterior facade of Walt’s on the Main Streeted started about three weeks ago – i.e. the facade disappeared behind Scaffolding reaching all the way up to the highest point of the roofline. While a temporary sign was added above the entrance to make sure guests are aware, that the restaurant remains open for business, it took a bit longer to cover the white tarps with tarps showing a printed replica of the original building’s facade.

However, on May 13, 2011 they finally were installed, making the whole refurbishment project less obvious and intrusive for guests walking down Main Street U.S.A. The painted tarps have become a trademark feature of Disneyland Paris which is in the meantime also emulated in the US Disney resorts. Their effect of reducing the intrusion of the rehabs into the themed environment is particularly important in years like 2011 when the number and the scope of rehabs exceeds the usual amount by far – in this case due to the preparation for next year’s anniversary.

Photos by InsideDLParis

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BIG and small (UPDATED)

May 13th, 2011 by Dirk

20110512-223622.jpgEven so our coverage of the various refurbishment projects currently taking place at the resort in preparation for next year’s 20th anniversary mostly concentrates on the big, high-profile projects (e.g. the current rehab of Orbitron) there are numerous small regurbishments going-on across the resort at any given time. For example right now one of the small bridges of the meandering paths connecting the various outdoor areas of the Cafe de la Brousse in Adventureland has been closed off for one of the smaller refurbishment projects.

UPDATE:
20110514-000052.jpgIt is as if the small rehab next to the Cafe de la Brousse was set up as a perfect example for us to demonstrate the small & swift rehabs that pop up in the resort and are finished just as fast as they appeared. Where Thursday the rehab was executed the work was already finished and the two pieces of construction fence blocking the access had disappeared by Friday – as seen in the new photo by InsideDLParis.

Photos by InsideDLParis

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Good morning … with an update from the Earl

May 13th, 2011 by Dirk

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Another morning – another quick update from the construction of the first Earl of Sandwich restaurant in continental Europe (check out yesterday’s update for the background why it is only the first in continental Europe). Today InsideDLParis shows us some new progress on the decorative turret / “hat” element sitting on top of the building’s roof at it’s front corner. The steel skeleton of the two top levels of the element (looking a bit like the structure of a layered / multi-level cake) has now been covered receiving it’s finalized look (judged based on the concept artwork), while the third and lowest level still shows the bare steel skeleton.

Photo by InsideDLParis

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Gibson Guitars has arrived

May 12th, 2011 by Dirk

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Gibson Guitars is already one (of the dwindling numbers) of the official sponsors of Disneyland Paris – since 2010. But only now (that is even several weeks after April 12 – which usually is the big day of change for the sponsor list) it has also officially arrived as name sponsor for one of the resort’s attractions.

Gibson Guitars fittingly selected the Rock’n'Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith in the Walt Disney Studios. An according logo with the French only tag line “présenté par” was added to the facade recently and can be seen in the above photo.

Photo by InsideDLParis

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News from the Earl (UPDATED)

May 12th, 2011 by Dirk

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Following our report from Tuesday here is already another update of the construction at the first European first Earl of Sandwich restaurant in continental Europe - thanks to InsideDLParis. Taken on Wednesday from the elevated position (at the Café Mickey) it becomes visible that the construction crews are already preparing the floor surrounding the future restaurant. While the resort decided to switch from concrete floor to pavements laid of stones inside Fantasyland for the parade route, the floor in Disney Village is kept a concrete floor. The design of the concrete floor in front of the Earl of Sandwich continues the patterns already in place for the surrounding concrete floor of the Disney Village.

In addition to the work on the flooring the photo also shows, that the staircase leading up to the terrace in front of the facade facing toward Lake Disney has yet to be installed. Only the massive concrete base for the upper part is already in place. It can be seen at the far end of the facade. Once the staircase is installed someone at the vintage point from which this photo was taken would look right onto the staircase.

UPDATE:
As Park Paradise pointed out in its comment the upcoming Earl of Sandwich is NOT the first Earl of Sandwich restaurant in Europe. The chain opened a restaurant in London, near St. Paul’s, on April 18, 2011 – as detailed on it’s official UK website - which did beat the location in Disney Village by a month and a half (based on the currently scheduled opening). However, the official French website still calls the Disney Village location the chain’s first European restaurant (“Earl of Sandwich ouvre sa première Sandwicherie haut de gamme en Europe” which translates as “Earl off Sandwich opens its first top-of-the-range Sandwicherie in Europe”). This should more correctly now read “first … in continental Europe”.

Photo by InsideDLParis

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