WDWNT Reporter Robert Ashburn visited the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday and took a number of newsworthy photos to share with us. There is a ton of change happening at Disney’s flagship park as of late, so let’s take a look:
Welcome
Read More about Robert Ashburn’s 4/13/11 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Today, we’re happy to present a backstage look at the creation of Beast castle at Magic Kingdom Park, a huge milestone in the Fantasyland expansion.
In response to Monday’s post, many of you asked how tall the new castle is, or if it would even distract from the view of Cinderella Castle (this shot was taken from the queue at Dumbo the Flying Elephant). Well, the next few photos should put your mind at ease. As you can see, Beast’s castle actually uses forced perspective architecture to make the structure look more grandiose in size than it appears in reality.
Forced perspective works as sort of an optical illusion, tricking the eye into believing a structure is much larger or taller than it really is. This is done by manipulating the size and scale of a building, based on the perspective it will be viewed from.
The company’s use of forced perspective started with Walt Disney during the construction of Disneyland park in California. At that time, Walt paid special attention to the scale of each building, as well as the specific shrubs and trees that flanked them in order to create the best sense of height and drama.
As you can see in this comparison between the artist rendering and the current construction, the castle sits high atop what will be the Be Our Guest Restaurant, which is really the gateway to the castle’s interior. Here, the restaurant will offer quick-service lunches and table-service dinners inside the Beast’s elegant ballroom, gallery and eerie “west-wing.” The construction to the far left will become Maurice’s Cottage.
Word on the street is that WDI is preparing a video tour of the area for our Disney Parks Blog readers. More to come on this next week.
WDWNT Reporter Zach Larson visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom on Sunday and has a few newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip:
Almost all of the scaffolding is down from the Tower of Terror
DLNT Reporter Michael Wada was at the Disneyland Resort yesterday and took plenty of newsworthy photos to share. Photos include Carthay Circle Theater, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, and much more…
Starting off in Paradise Pier, Bayside Brews will serve mainly alcohol
An awesome behind the scenes look at the composure of the musical score for The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure from the Disney Parks Blog:
For those who saw “The Little Mermaid” back in 1989, you know the music in the movie was just as magical as a mermaid falling in love with a prince and living happily ever after. Remember “Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “Kiss the Girl”? You’ll hear all these classics throughout the new attraction, The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, set to open at Disney California Adventure park in June.
More than 20 years ago Alan Menken wrote the movie score that won an Academy Award, and he collaborated with Howard Ashman on the songs. For the attraction, the music needed to be arranged somewhat differently, so well-known musical arranger and orchestrator Danny Troob, who has worked often with Menken, took on the challenge. In this video, we go into the music studio and give you a front row seat in a session with Troob and a 65-piece orchestra, as they recreate the amazing Little Mermaid music we all know and love.
The Disney Parks Blog had two interesting articles featured today connecting to “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast” realms of the Fantasyland expansion. First, a video with a behind the scenes look at the creation of the musical score for “Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid”:
Keep in mind that this video was produced to promote the upcoming California version of the ride, but it will be almost identical to the attraction opening in Florida in 2012. The second piece features the recently installed castle atop the “Be Our Guest Restaurant”:
Hi everyone. Today, we have a thrilling update for those of you who are excited to see the expansion of Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park come to life.
Walt Disney Imagineers are currently piecing together the Beast’s castle, which will sit high atop what will become the Be Our Guest Restaurant. The “Beauty and the Beast”-inspired restaurant, which is set to open in late 2012, will offer a lavish dining experience in the castle’s elegant ballroom, gallery and mysterious “west-wing.” The restaurant and castle will eventually be flanked by Gaston’s Tavern, Bonjour! Village Gifts, and the cottage of Maurice (Belle’s father).
Be sure to check the Disney Parks Blog later this week for some exclusive photos of WDI’s progress.
The castle construction is a major milestone in the expansion, which will nearly double the size of Fantasyland and include several new attractions, such as Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and enhanced versions of the existing attractions, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Barnstormer.
The expanded Fantasyland is scheduled to open in phases, beginning in late 2012.
WDWNT Reporter Robert Ashburn visited the MAgic Kingdom on Wednesday and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:
Winnie-the-Pooh movie poster at the TTC
Read More about Robert Ashburn’s 4/6/11 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
SHANGHAI (April 8, 2011) – The Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group, its joint venture partner in China, have broken ground on the Shanghai Disney Resort following approval from the Chinese central government in Beijing. Both companies marked the start of construction on the first Disney resort in mainland China at a groundbreaking ceremony held earlier today.
“Today marks a significant milestone in the history of The Walt Disney Company,” said Robert A. Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Our Shanghai resort will be a world-class family vacation destination that combines classic Disney characters and storytelling with the uniqueness and beauty of China. Working with our Chinese partners, the Shanghai Disney Resort will be both authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.”
“We’re incredibly excited to build a Disney resort in Shanghai, one of the world’s most vibrant cities,” said Thomas O. Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We are hard at work designing Shanghai Disneyland, which when complete will be a special place where guests of all ages will discover a world of imagination, creativity, adventure and thrills.”
Today’s groundbreaking ceremony paid homage to the culture and people of China. Traditional Chinese drum music, a female soloist singing in Mandarin, a 50-voice Shanghai children’s choir and Mickey Mouse dressed in a traditional Chinese costume were on hand to mark this special occasion. Following the entertainment and remarks, Iger and Staggs were joined by Shanghai Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng and Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng to officially break ground on the project.
The new Shanghai Disney Resort is slated to open in approximately five years.
The Shanghai Disney Resort will be home to Shanghai Disneyland, a Magic Kingdom-style park that will blend classic Disney storytelling and characters with all-new attractions and experiences tailored specifically for the people of China. The park will feature several themed lands complete with exciting, iconic Disney attractions and experiences. At the heart of the park will be an interactive Disney castle that is truly an attraction unto itself with entertainment, dining and performance experiences that will be unique to Shanghai Disneyland. The park will also contain other large-scale entertainment venues, indoor and out, that can be used for various purposes throughout the year.
A beautiful, 11 acre (46,130 square meter) green space at the center of the theme park will differentiate Shanghai Disneyland and reinforce the themes of sustainability and nature that will be integrated throughout the park. The space will also be a place where friends and family can enjoy local cultural celebrations and customs together.
On Opening Day, the Shanghai Disney Resort will be located on a 963 acre (3.9 square kilometer) site in Pudong, Shanghai, with additional room to expand in the future. At opening, the resort will include Shanghai Disneyland, two themed hotels, a large retail, dining and entertainment venue, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and transportation hubs.
There will be an initial investment in the project of approximately 24.5 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) to build the theme park and an additional 4.5 billion yuan (US$0.7 billion) to build the other aspects of the resort, including the hotels and the retail, dining and entertainment area. The investment amounts will be split between Disney and the Shanghai Shendi Group with Disney holding 43% of the shares of the owner companies and the Shanghai Shendi Group holding the remaining 57%. Financing will be proportional to ownership. In addition, a joint venture management company will be formed with Disney having a 70% stake and Shanghai Shendi Group having a 30% stake. The management company will be responsible for creating, developing and operating the resort.
(April 8, 2011) – The Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group, its joint venture partner in China, have broken ground on the Shanghai Disney Resort following approval from the Chinese central government in Beijing. Both companies marked the start of construction on the first Disney resort in mainland China at a groundbreaking ceremony held earlier today.
“Today marks a significant milestone in the history of The Walt Disney Company,” said Robert A. Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Our Shanghai resort will be a world-class family vacation destination that combines classic Disney characters and storytelling with the uniqueness and beauty of China. Working with our Chinese partners, the Shanghai Disney Resort will be both authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.”
“We’re incredibly excited to build a Disney resort in Shanghai, one of the world’s most vibrant cities,” said Thomas O. Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We are hard at work designing Shanghai Disneyland, which when complete will be a special place where guests of all ages will discover a world of imagination, creativity, adventure and thrills.”
Today’s groundbreaking ceremony paid homage to the culture and people of China. Traditional Chinese drum music, a female soloist singing in Mandarin, a 50-voice Shanghai children’s choir and Mickey Mouse dressed in a traditional Chinese costume were on hand to mark this special occasion. Following the entertainment and remarks, Iger and Staggs were joined by Shanghai Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng and Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng to officially break ground on the project.
The new Shanghai Disney Resort is slated to open in approximately five years.
The Shanghai Disney Resort will be home to Shanghai Disneyland, a Magic Kingdom-style park that will blend classic Disney storytelling and characters with all-new attractions and experiences tailored specifically for the people of China. The park will feature several themed lands complete with exciting, iconic Disney attractions and experiences. At the heart of the park will be an interactive Disney castle that is truly an attraction unto itself with entertainment, dining and performance experiences that will be unique to Shanghai Disneyland. The park will also contain other large-scale entertainment venues, indoor and out, that can be used for various purposes throughout the year.
A beautiful, 11 acre (46,130 square meter) green space at the center of the theme park will differentiate Shanghai Disneyland and reinforce the themes of sustainability and nature that will be integrated throughout the park. The space will also be a place where friends and family can enjoy local cultural celebrations and customs together.
On Opening Day, the Shanghai Disney Resort will be located on a 963 acre (3.9 square kilometer) site in Pudong, Shanghai, with additional room to expand in the future. At opening, the resort will include Shanghai Disneyland, two themed hotels, a large retail, dining and entertainment venue, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and transportation hubs.
There will be an initial investment in the project of approximately 24.5 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) to build the theme park and an additional 4.5 billion yuan (US$0.7 billion) to build the other aspects of the resort, including the hotels and the retail, dining and entertainment area. The investment amounts will be split between Disney and the Shanghai Shendi Group with Disney holding 43% of the shares of the owner companies and the Shanghai Shendi Group holding the remaining 57%. Financing will be proportional to ownership. In addition, a joint venture management company will be formed with Disney having a 70% stake and Shanghai Shendi Group having a 30% stake. The management company will be responsible for creating, developing and operating the resort.
From the Disney Parks Blog:
“Psst…Ye come seekin’ adventure with salty old pirates, eh? Sure you’ve come to the proper place.”
Pirates fans are in for a double treat this morning. First, a big announcement, then a special video that takes you back to where it all began.
First, the big news…
Disneyland park will make history on May 7 when we host the first-ever 3D outdoor film premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of America. All of the film’s stars are expected to attend along with many more Hollywood celebrities.
The Walt Disney Company is hosting the gala event and funds raised from ticket sales will go directly to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of America is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
Individual tickets for the premiere event are priced at $1,000 and are now available for purchase at www.piratespremiere.com.
While only invited guests with the proper credentials may attend the film premiere, a limited number of Disneyland park guests may be able to view the “Red Carpet Arrivals” (the carpet is actually going to be black this time!) on Main Street, U.S.A., although, again, viewing capacity will be very limited.
Disneyland Resort park hours have been adjusted on May 7 for this very special event. Disneyland park will open at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Disney California Adventure park will open at 10 a.m. and close at 11 p.m.
Now, as a special treat, in this swashbuckling video exclusive, Barbossa takes you on a journey from Pirates’ beginnings at Disneyland park, to behind the scenes “on stranger tides.” It’s clear that the attraction that started it all is never far from the filmmakers’ minds.
Walt Disney Pictures’ and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” opens in theaters May 20, 2011, in Disney Digital 3D™ – and for those of you who simply cannot wait, remember, you can “join Jack’s crew” on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through May 30, and seven nights a week from April 15 through May 1, exclusively at Disneyland park!
