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[ Impressum ] |
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MORE photos coming very soon |
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 ...
or should one say: what a day?! It started for most fans
early Saturday in the sunny and warm but not too hot
parks, which boosted rather enjoable crowds, allowing
for acceptable waiting times at most rides. The
celebrations started for some right away as they noted,
that a single CD with the Fantillusion soundtrack and
the well known Tinkerbell's fireworks soundtrack was on
sale already. Others of the numerous local and
international fans (quiet a few wearing their nametags
from the Goodbye
MSEP Fanmeeting) had their celebrations starting in
the Disney Village around
6:30, 7:00 pm.For the official Grand Opening of King Ludwig's Castle with the real Prince Luipold from Bavaria a special one-time only show was staged in front of the restaurant. While press and invited celebrities had a private viewing area (celebreties in the shaded Biergarten outdoor seating area of the restaurant; press on huge stands constructed in front of and on top of the Central Stage baking in the sun), there were plenty of good viewing spots on both sides of the roped off "stage" on the street for all other guest - that is if they knew about the event, which was not advertised, to prevent a total clogging of the Village (as guests had to pass through a narrow walkway between the Central Stage / the stands and the Disney Store / the Sports Bar) and to avoid disappointed visitors as was no room for large numbers of guests. Those who lined up and did stay during the 30 minute delay from the planned 6.30 start (during which they and invited guests were treated to entertainment by a juggler, three medieval court jesters and three huge "demons") were able to see the legend of Lohengrin presented. a good and an evil knight battling for the hand of a beautiful maiden in mediveal tournament, complete with stunts and fighting on the street and on horse back. This 20 minute presentation included impressive skills of both knights and their majestic horses befor Sir Mickey arrived for the ribbon cutting of the new castle. At this point the schedule of invited guests and AP-holders parted. Press and VIPs were treated to a outstanding multi-course dinner showcasing the huge variety of high class food available also for hot days in the atmosphere-rich restaurant (especially upstairs) that have made it a favorite among CMs and locals in the few days of test operation already. This dinner lasted till 10.00 pm and included entertainment by the juggler, the final defeat of the Black Knight in an intense battle right next to the dinners after he and the hero had entered the restaurant on horse back (!) and live performances of Sissi and King Ludwig from the stage musical production of King Ludwig in Füssen,Germany, with three songs. Then the guests walked to the Disneyland Park for a final cocktail befor the great moment... The AP-holders were treated to unique experience of their own in the meantime too. Since the Disneyland Park had closed at 8.00 pm they had waited for the reopening at 8.45 pm in the Fantasia Gardens. Came that time everything went wonderful smooth and fast (the AP-department clearly had learned from the lengthy process at the WDS-preview and also had the advantage, that AP-holders were not allowed to invite anybody to this event): the doors of the park next to Guest Relations opened and everybody with an valid AP Fantasia could walk in, even without swiping the pass, which clearly sped the process up. At the entrance guests also received the event schedule befor they ere guided to the Discoveryland, whose attraction were operating till midnight for their enjoyment (with the exception of Autopia and the currently under refurbishment Visionarium). Thanks to the strictly limited number of guests lines were not only short, but allowed for some "specials". At Space Mountain all trains and both platforms in the station were used but while one train was loaded on one platform another train was allowed to run past the other platform, so that every train did to rounds in a row!! And waiting times still were only around 10 minutes, but then there was a lot more to see and do ... two casts of Rythmo Technico from the WDS performed as huge walk around classic percussion group, there were numerous walk around characters, fantastic creatures, stilt walkers, street entertainer, the option to take photo with one of the fab five characters in front of the special lighted Fantillusion Preview back drop, and last but not least the program in the Videopolis. There guests not only were treated to free champagne all night long, but also could collect their bag with a free exclusive Fantillusion AP-Preview t-shirt and a free AP exclusive Fantillusion pen that lights up and changes color. Also the limited edition light up pin went on sale here and sold out lightning fast - but don't worry if you were too late: only 3000 of the 900 pins went on sale, the other 600 go on sale on the 5th of July. On the stage two speeches / presentations introduced guests to Fantillusion and its process of creation and relocation from Japan to Paris. Then it finally was time for the great moment: the AP-holders lined up on Town Square and the right side of the Main Street, the press and invited guests on the side of the Emporium on the Main Street and on Central Plaza, while the celebrities stood next to the castle in front of Adventureland, so the tv-crews and cameraman could easily film then from their reserved area on Central Plaza right opposite the castle. Both sides of the parade route blinked and glittered, as invited guests were hand light up equipment and most AP-holders wore their new pens on a supplied lanyard around their neck in "color-changin-mode". At 11.00 pm, half an hour later than expected the lights dimmed and down the Main Street came the fairy good mother of the parade: Ornella Muti in a special starlight costume. After a short opening speech by her in front of the castle the great moment had arrived ... Fantillusion started. The impressive color changing floats were greeted with thundering applause by fans once they entered just as the dancers in their fantastic costumes. Once the parade stopped for the performances the floats changed their look once again surprising the guests, who clapped along with Chip'n'Chap for their dance in Mickey's fairy garden,starred in awe at the giant villain floats which revealed a lager than live dragon or in the case of Jafar a snake in stunning transformations (even so fans were surprised that the Chernabog float did not make it to Paris and the float of the Evil Queen from Snow White, which was a part of the McDonalds collection, was not in the parade either) and happily smiled at the loving pairs of Snow White and her prince,Arielle and Eric and Beauty and the Beast on castles of lights in the clouds as they brought the fantasy back and waltzed in thight circles, before Minnie closed the parade on a huge castle float illuminated with artificial fireworks. Each transformation, each character and each performance of the numerous dancers was awarded with cheers and thundering applause for their great performances.Clearly Fantillusion has brought a new level of entertainment to the park... with incredible floats, a magical story, an really enchanting symphonic score and perfect performances. When the floats and the dancers pass by in front of the guest they are already an echanting show which is refreshingly different from the MSEP with a score that is more setting an magical atmosphere the floats can build on. But this experience, which some fans of the MSEP will call at best equal to the MSEP as thats soundtrack with its sing/clapp along soundtrack did involve the guest in a maybe more direct way, goes into a totally different, unexpected direction with the stops. Then the floats transform again with numerous special effects but not just to transform but as integral party of the story of the fight of the villains against Mickey and his friends for the fantasy and dreams of the world which is instantly understandable for every guest when it is also told through the large, symphonic score that for the stops offers different scores for each float that transports the mood and helps carry the action set in impressive dance choreographies centering around the floats - perfectly presented by the highly motivated cast in some of the most impressive and artistic costumes ever seen in the park. Not only the cast and the guests are drawn into this all new magical world, but also the castle, which is the centerpiece of he illumination during the parade and chnages color or glitters fitting to the atmosphere transported in the part of the parade right at its feet. Not only this makes the are on Central Plaza the perfect viewing spot, but also the fact that this the place where guests can catch three different stops, as the parade which starts on Town Square is run so that guests along the Main Street and in Fantasyland see only two spots, as the first major floats of each of the three sections stops in front of the castle for one spot. But as the prformance with dancers around each float and its transformation is totally different even guests located in this perfect viewing spot (where each act is played out in astop resulting in the maximum length of show) certainly feel the strong urge to come back and then join in the chorus who is addig the lyrics to the grand finale... To make it short: a perfect magical experience which carries the guest into a magical fantasy world like no parade befor - and adds an all new return value for guests due to all the different performances to see during the stops, which gives fans something new to discover for many upcoming visits. The overwhelming positive reactions on Saturday as well as of CMs during their peview on Friday (and the fact that many CMs sneaked into the preview on Saturday for a second time) were the latest proof of this. So to even shorter a first rating: NOT TO BE MISSED!! But the night wasn't over after this wonderful preview ... it was topped off with aslightly shortened version of Tinkerbell's Fantasy in the Sky fireworks that will run daily after Fantillusion as of next Saturday. Then the missing flight of Tinkerbell to start them will be back too. But even with that part missing the reaction of VIPs and press who saw them the first time was more than impresed. AP-holders in the meantime were surprised with a new effect:some of the fireworks being shot from the front balcony on the turrets of the castle painting in a totally different light. These fireworks were the final dot above the i for a magical evening which totally enchanted the guests and reinforced the believe in the continuing magic of the resort. |
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