Just Released: New Park Map for Disney Adventure World in Paris

It didn't take a genius to figure out Walt Disney Studios Paris was going to be an absolute bomb at opening. And I don't mean that in a good way. Disney California Adventure 1.0 looks like an Imagineering masterpiece in comparison. But that's all about to change! The new Disney Adventure World continues to come to life. The Parisian crew released this brand new map showing the layout and the compelling attractions that will part of the re-envisioning. 

Frozen Ever After will put Epcot's version to shame. The Lion King river adventure in the model of Splash Mountain is set to have ground break by the end of the year. Perhaps most importantly, the entire park is getting refreshed and given a new lake, beautiful gardens and dining spots, and a full on night time show. It should be beautiful!

(Map copyright The Walt Disney Company, courtesy the Main Street News.)

Epcot Attraction Poster That I Forgot to Share

The character infusion at EPCOT began years ago, long before Frozen Ever After overtook Maelstrom and the Three Cabarellos axed El Rio del Tiempo. Some additions were more subtle, like the DuckTales World Showcase Adventure, an interactive eye spy game that took younger visitors and their families into several pavilions to hunt for clues and solve a mystery. The attraction poster was a nice touch to advertise something unique, rather fun, and an introduction to the park's future.

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

 

New Disneyland Paris Le Pays des Contes de Fées Attraction Poster

Say what you want about Disneyland Paris, but you can't deny that place has style! The new attraction poster for Le Pays des Contes de Fées (a French version of Disneyland's Story Book land Canal Boats) is a beautiful piece of Imagineering art. The attraction now features scenes from Frozen, Up, and Winnie the Pooh. Those of you who have not been to the most beautiful of Disney castle parks may not know this attraction comes with an added bonus: Casey Jr. Circus Train is a real live roller coaster. Family friendly? Absolutely- and much more charming than the Florida kingdom's Goofy kids' coaster.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Opening Day at Disney's Greatest Theme Park

Could there be a more beautiful, more impressive, more incredibly designed theme park ever built by the Walt Disney Company and those ultra-talented Imagineers? Probably not. (I know, you expected me to say EPCOT Center.) This grand opening attraction poster gives just a glimpse of the wonders found within. From the monstrously huge, fire belching volcano of Mount Prometheus to the huge temple which holds Indiana Jones, the lovely Tokyo Disneysea continues to grow and amaze. The attractions of Fantasy Springs can't come soon enough! Then I can begin to plan a visit once things settle down. Now with a Tangled boat ride opening, I just can't wait much longer or keep putting off a trip. To see the lantern festival in person- wow, just wow!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company and Oriental Land Company.)

New Fantasy Springs Ad for Tokyo Disneysea Expansion

Just take a look at this! It's been appearing in multiple places all over Tokyo- a brand new ad for the Fantasy Springs expansion at the  already beautiful Tokyo Disneysea. Areas devoted to Peter Pan, the Frozen gang, and Rapunzel and friends will make for a very popular addition. 

Looking at the art, you can see the hotel in the background as well as Rapunzel's Forest, Peter Pan's Never Land, and Frozen Kingdom.

Will you even be able to get in? I don't know as it seems to be a tough thing to do unless you pay mega-yen to stay at the brand new Fantasy Springs Hotel or have some insider connection. If you want more news on the expansion from a great guy who lives in Japan, go no further than the You Tube channel of 8-Bit Theme Park Japan. They broke the news on this ad, and they will be a surefire source of all the latest information.

(Art copyright Walt Disney Company and Oriental Land Company.)

Elsa's Frozen Ice Palace Shines at Night!

For the first time in forever, Elsa's ice palace is lit up!Thanks to this photo by HKDL Fantasy, we can see it in all its nighttime glory. As part of the new World of Frozen opening in Hong Kong Disneyland, this will be the mountain that sets the smallest but perhaps the most charming park in China apart from Shanghai Disneyland. Bigger is not always better! Yet, compared to the measly attraction in Epcot, this land will also draw guests in with Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs, its own version of Frozen Ever After, and a slew of shops and restaurants set around a sparkling Norwegian lake. Is it enough on its own to make you book a trip there? No. But throw in Mystic Manor, the Disney kingdoms largest Adventureland, and the beautiful city of Hong Kong itself and you might have enough reason to go!

The Late Great Walt Disney Company 1923 - 2023

Greed, power plays, and a loss of great original content have killed The Walt Disney Company. But what a company it once was! From the creation of Mickey Mouse to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to modern classics like Tangled and Frozen, movie goers could count on consistently excellent films. The exceptions were few and far between, and even those such as Alice in Wonderland gained respect in the years following its initial release. 

Even the once wonderful Pixar has lost its way. What are we up to now, Toy Story 13? The acquisitions of Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel may be wise business decisions, but the original imaginative and very compelling content from these companies has been traded in for movies designed to drive streaming subscriptions and merchandise sales - to the detriment of what made these franchises so beloved in the first place. Pixar used to be the modern pinnacle of creativity. Now, it's just another animated film company. Having "Marvel Fatigue" was something I never expected.

The theme parks are as crowded as ever, and the Company is right there to fleece the guests by demanding more money in order to have a full and satisfying park experience. Lightning Lane, Genie+, and its ilk exist to create a caste system of guests. Disney corporate can talk all they want about equity, but when it comes down to it, it's all about the bucks, and they are talking out of both sides of their mouth. 

It was once leaked that Disneyland research revealed guests felt they had a full day, a worth the money experience, if they got on nine or ten attractions. All you have to do is look at the vastly underdeveloped third (Disney's Hollywood Studios) and fourth (Disney's Animal Kingdom) parks at Walt Disney World to see the suits running the show are standing still behind this calculation. 

It's a very sad day when Tokyo Disney Resort- a company run by the Japanese- maintains higher quality show and more stellar attractions than the parks in the U.S.A.  (Today May 1 is the anniversary of the 1989 grand opening of Disney-MGM Studios. The largest post ever written on this blog looks at the park's history. Read it here.) It's an even sadder day when we see the Walt Disney Company kneeling before Mother China, a country known for vast human rights abuses, just to get a piece of the money pot via Shanghai Disneyland.

Disney Imagineering is hamstrung instead of released to create. The bungled Epcot revisioning tells the story clearly. Universal Creative is turning out better attractions more quickly. The coming Epic Universe will again show they can hold their own with the house Walt built... and guests can have a great theme park vacation without all the unnecessary pre-planning and add-ons that are required when visiting Walt Disney World. I'm not even mentioning the great resort hotels of all types for more than a third less than what you'll pay on Disney property.

Wherever you stand on the political spectrum, there are no winners when it comes to Disney getting involved. Robert Iger, Bob Chapek, and others like them think Disney fandom will get stronger when their choices divide their audience?! Foolish thinking at best. In house fighting is just as bad! Quit the showboating and get back to your original business. Give me the first ten Michael Eisner years any day.

So, Rest in Peace, Walt Disney Company. The one Walt Disney built is dead even if the name remains. I'll pick and choose where my dollars go instead of purchasing animated movie tickets for opening day, park memorabilia, and other experiences like the old days. And I'm not the only one.

Details on The Walt Disney Studios Paris Expansion

Here it is- a very detailed look at the expansion plan for Walt Disney Studios Paris. There's been lots of speculation about what would join the Frozen themed land and its clone of Epcot's popular Frozen Ever After.  As you can see for yourself, one of the largest lots is used for a Lion King themed land and one for Avatar. While I understand the need to re-use some expensive, existing Imagineering work, I'm more excited about Simba and friends coming to the second gate in Paris.

Disneyland Paris is the most beautiful castle park in the world. Will the Studios ever compete? No, they just can't with its awkward layout and scattered themes. But it can become a pretty good companion park- and right now, it is the bottom of the barrel of all the Disney parks in the world. Avengers Campus is a good beginning, but it's just not enough.

(Image from Passport Wonderland.)

New Attraction Posters for Hong Kong Disneyland's World of Frozen

Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs is just one of the new attraction posters recently released for Hong Kong Disneyland. The ride itself is a fairly simple reworking of the Magic Kingdom's fun little Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but in Hong Kong, this will be part of entire land: The World of Frozen. These three posters have a unique feel to them, but they just don't say "Classic Disney" to me. What do you think?

Unfortunately, the headlining attraction is a revised version of Frozen Ever After from the Norway pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase. We know the Imagineers can come up with better, but the suits tie their hands for the U.S. parks where all too often, "good enough" is what gets built. Of course, recent additions to Disneyland and Walt Disney World prove they can give us the best of the best- when they want to.

If Disney park fans are looking for the ultimate Frozen themed land, they'd be better off waiting for Tokyo DisneySea's gorgeous Fantasy Springs. Like most all things Disney and Japanese, when the new land opens next Spring, it will have a one of a kind E Ticket attraction based on the beloved sisters. But that's not all. Peter Pan gets a brand new land with its own mega ticket as well as a whole new Tangled themed section. It pains me to say, but yes, things do seem to be designed better for the Japanese. 

I'm all for expanding the overseas parks, but we should never forget the idea for these are rooted in a uniquely American locale and mindset. He may be gone, but the homeland parks should always be the ultimate example of Walt Disney's Imagineers.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Thanks to HKDL Fantasy for first sharing the images.)

Disney Attraction Posters: The New Epcot Collection

Love Epcot? Love EPCOT Center even more? Do you love Disney park attraction posters? Me, too! As you look through this incredible collection of posters for Walt Disney World's once most ambitious theme park, take a look and first read the original vision as inscribed on the dedication plaque:

To all who come to this place of Joy, Hope and Friendship - Welcome.

EPCOT is inspired by Walt Disney's creative vision. 

Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, 

wonders of enterprise and concepts 

of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.

May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire and above all, 

may it instill a new sense of belief and pride 

in man's ability to shape a world

that offers hope to people everywhere.

 

Let's take a poster tour through what was once Future World and then World Showcase.  The designers of these posters did, and they played on our love for classic EPCOT Center. Nostalgia sells. Disney may be more interested in that than actually improving the attractions from the past that still remain.

 

 

Communicore - and not the upcoming concert venue.  The little blue robot SMRT-1, the one with the playful childlike voice, is the perfect character to capture the innocent and hopeful look of the park. 

 

 

Count me is as a guy that is undecided on this latest addition to my once favorite park. Does Moana belong?  Sure- in another park. But in the context of them also adding Marvel to the park, I guess it will do. Will our journey of water be worth destroying the elegant symmetry of the buildings that were once there? No. Did the park need a refreshing and maybe even some more greenery? Yes. Will I like the new addition? It's possible. Moving beyond the hub / core of the park...

Universe of Energy or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Yes, Epcot needed a coaster to sell to the masses and especially the teens that go to Universal Orlando Resort. Was Marvel the right move or the easy one? So many questions, so little well thought out answers. The Imagineers of old are turning over in their graves.

 

Here I am PLAYing around with a new unopened pavilion and comparing it to Wonders of Life. The character infusion is the new focused of the park whether Imagineer Zach Riddley and crew will admit it or not. Will PLAY! be better than what came before? Hard to say by what is represented by the two attraction posters. Time will tell.

World of Motion and Test Track. Which would you prefer? As I like to say, because of that blessing of size, could we not have had both? If only. Smarter, cooler, longer thinking, heads should have prevailed.

 

 Here, the answer is more obvious. Would an updated Horizons blow Mission: Space out of the water? Yes, 100x over again and again. A space restaurant is clever, however. 

Now, crossing over to the other half of Future World...

A trio of well done posters representing The Land. I like the top one as it represents that old version of the park where each pavilion had multiple pieces to discover instead of one 4 minute long attraction. Ah, Kitchen Kabaret. Fun while it lasted, but too corny for a modern audience- and certainly one that wasn't all that favored by me even at opening. Soarin' the attraction is a winner in any form!

The one, the only, the original Journey into Imagination. Whenever the suits decide they need a quick inflow of cash, they pull out our beloved Figment and Dreamfinder. Nothing in Epcot pisses me off more than seeing how they destroyed this iconic attraction. Nothing.

Turtle Talk with Crush is a delight! Charming and family friendly and definitely something unique. It's a crowd pleaser and an undiscovered gem of this pavilion. The Living Seas was more ambitious- but then, so was the rest of the park back in the day.

The name World Celebration is ridiculous. That said, I was a fan of this project shown above. It seemed to have a sense of ambition and sleekness of the original park design for The American Adventure. It would have been a perfect nod to the past as well as a focus clearly on the future world.

Still one of the best parades Disney has ever produced. Timeless!

May this classic NOT Rest In Peace. May it return one day.

Nighttime entertainment has always been best at Epcot. Dare I say it- Harmonious or Illuminations?  Perhaps they couldn't come up with a good name for this last poster? Has imagination died within the Walt Disney Company? That may be a loaded question when it is applied to this once epic theme park.

 
Are you ready for the attraction posters for World Showcase?
 

 

  

For how well designed so many of these attraction posters are, these just don't do it for me. Coco will come to Mexico some day as this poster lets us know. The Gran Fiesta Tour will end, and the Three Caballeros will move on. All I can say is, where's the poster for the opening day attraction, El Rio del Tiempo? 

 

 

Norway, the Maelstrom, and a very Frozen Ever After. Characters in World Showcase blending with local culture. I've given up and given in. After all, who can resist the very lovable Olaf? But, and I mean this sincerely, isn't this cultural appropriation in the worse way possible? Absolutely.

 

 

After having seen the real Terra Cotta Warriors of China, I am even more interested in the cultural artifacts in this pavilion and its beautiful film. This poster is serviceable. I will never embrace the Dragon, however. Hong Kong needs to be free.

What about that once proposed Germany attraction, the Rhine River Cruise? Appropriate that it is missing in action, but that is a shame. There's a whole article about it here. And there's some incredible (not Incredibles) concept art.

Here at home, we get an overpriced series of eateries and a couple of well done landmark recreations. Tokyo Disneysea gets it all- a gondola ride and a real Soarin' attraction housed in a mega-beautiful building. Why is that? There really is no excuse. And I hope the Pinocchio remake flops.  Disneyland's dark ride attraction in its original form does not belong in this park. If they used artsy puppets and a fresh presentation style to tell the story, I might be interested.

The centerpiece and the only remaining Audio-Animatronic show in the park. Visitors to the park that have not experienced this patriotic but honest show about our country's rich history have missed one of Disney's best. This is a great poster, even if a little simplistic.

Pure and simple- I dislike this poster that represents Japan, one of my very favorite pavilions in this park. Could I do better? No, honestly, I couldn't. Maybe decades ago, but not now. My artist skills have waned. I'm now just a blogger.

 

Morocco. Exotic, stunning, and the most authentic of them all.  It's really worthy of an attraction, but my guess is that ship has sailed. Unless the suits decide to bring an Indiana Jones Adventure to this park instead of one for the Studios. I hope they don't.

 

We never miss visiting France when we travel to the park. The food, the atmosphere, and the beautiful Impressions de France. I'm looking forward to experiencing Remy's Ratatouille Adventure for myself. I've read mixed reviews and seen the on-ride videos, but the source film is my very favorite Pixar movie.

 

Saving the best - that is the biggest disappointment - for next to last. Announcing then not mentioning but seemingly dumping a Mary Poppins attraction? It's a slap in the face to us old school fans- and probably, privately, to Julie Andrews, Dick VanDyke, and even Emily Blunt as well. The U.K. showcase needs an attraction that gives homage to this incredible and beloved film.

 

Oh Canada! Your gardens are beautiful but your Le Cellier restaurant is now overpriced. And yes, your film is now something people laugh at- and not in a good way. Time to respect your own culture.

 

There you have it! All of Epcot's new attraction posters in one single article. Enjoy!

 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Thanks to the late Alan Littaye for his help on these.)