The always excellent Mouetto from Disney Central Plaza forum found the blue-print and some artwork of the awaited Ratatouille dark ride, expected to open at the Walt Disney Studios in 2013. If everything goes well, i.e if the park succeed to have the agreement of the banks for the needed amount of money.

It's a great find from Mouetto who found these documents at the Chessy City Hall. The construction permit has been approved and is now - according to the french law - available to be seen by anyone.

The artwork above shows how the area will look and, as you can see, when WDS guests will enter the Ratatouille area they will see Paris building facades as well as a fountain. You'll note also the Gusteau sign on the top of the left building, identical to the one we saw in the animated movie. On one of the building a "patisserie" sign might indicate that a food store will be here but this can change. One thing is sure, there will be a restaurant and if there is a logic it should be a table service restaurant with a decor identical to the Gusteau's restaurant. Note that this is my own thoughts about the decor but once again this would be a logical choice. Close to the restaurant, on the right, the entrance of the Ratatouille dark ride.

The next document is a blueprint showing the location of the Ratatouille area. As expected it is located near Toy Story Playland, behind the costuming building and near the back exit of TSP through the giant blue barrel. The facility is really big and my feeling is that there is not more than 40 meters between the TSP exit and the entrance of the Ratatouille ride. Also, i'll be curious to know how they will hide the back of the costuming building which is very near from the Ratatouille facility.



This last document is perhaps the most interesting as it shows the whole mini-land in 3D. As you can see the main building - which will be used mainly for the ride is really huge, not only in length but also in height as it's even higher than the four storeys Paris facades. Even if the part in the foreground is kept for the restaurant and shops the main building is really big and the question is: why is it so high? Will the attraction vehicle go up and down? We'll know more about this in the future but for now let's have a closer look at the entrance - on the bottom right - where we can see that an outside queue area has been designed to protect WDS guests from the rainy days that can happen in Paris in the winter.



In a previous report i've posted pictures of the road going from the main entrance of TSP to the Ratatouille area. The road is already designed like a Paris street - with cobblestones and typical Parisian benches and lampposts - and i re-post here these pictures.



Click on the panoramic picture below to see it in larger scale.















A sculpture of Gusteau - Ratatouille's chef - was sculpted on the arch sticked to the blue barrel. It is now hidden but as you can see on the picture below it's really the case and it's really a sculpture of Gusteau.



The picture above was shot by Alexandre Rosa, a former Disney and more contributor, during the cast member TSP preview days. Two days after the land opened for annual passholders soft-openings Gusteau's sculpture was hidden as you will see on the pictures below.





At that time there was a good reason for that - there is always a good reason for anything done by WDI Imagineers! - and it was that DLP execs prefered to keep secret for a while the future land which will open during DLP 2013 fiscal year. No more Gusteau's sculpture means no questions from the guests, etc...

Unfortunately, all signs related to Ratatouille couldn't be hidden beginning by the face of Remy, Ratatouille's main character that anyone can see on EACH bench of this Parisian street. Have a look at the picture below...



Don't see Remy? Okay, let's have a closer look. Do you see him now?



The next panoramic, shot from the Parachute Drop attraction, will show you the area where the Ratatouille ride will be build. The building you see on the right is actually located backstage and is the "costuming" building where cast-members come each morning to pick their costume - a Paris backdrop is supposed to hide the building along the street when the Ratatouille ride will open. And on the left of this building, behind the blue barrel, is the land reserved for the Ratatouille ride and Paris area.



Christian, from www.eap-magazin.de sent me this picture showing the land where the Ratatouille ride will be build. Note that there is on the left more land that you don't see on the picture. As you can see it's a pretty big area and I wonder if they will keep the big trees located at the center of the land... my feeling is that they will keep them and it will be a good idea.



Now, when will Ratatouille open at WDS? Of course it all depends of when the works will begin. And the sooner will be the better as i've learned that WDI Imagineers needs apparently two years to build everything and one year to install and test the ride. One full year to install and test the ride might seem a long time to you but i remind you that Ratatouille will use a trackless vehicle system, will have a lot of 3D projections effects and that, basically, it's a new kind of ride for WDI Imagineers. The Little Mermaid which will open June 3 at DCA is a classic onmimover ride in comparison.

Even if eventually they can reduce the timing to 21 months they need to begin the works next September to have an opening Summer 2013. And to begin the works they need the money green light from the banks. And so, you ask? Well, from what i've been told, the Ratatouille budget - for the whole area including the restaurant - is close to $165M, if not more. That makes 116M euros right now and the park needs probably more money for the 20th Anniversary events. Which, i agree, is quite a lot of money for a park that is always in a difficult financial situation. So, we better cross our fingers that the banks will give their green light for the Ratatouille ride and as soon as possible if we want to enjoy in 2013 what will be an amazing E-Ticket ride!

Pictures: copyright Disney or Disney and more

Arch with Gusteau's sculpture picture: copyright Alexandre Rosa

ratatouille ratatouille dark ride toy story playland walt disney imagineering walt disney studios

12:32:00 PM

The always excellent Mouetto from Disney Central Plaza forum found the blue-print and some artwork of the awaited Ratatouille dark ride, expected to open at the Walt Disney Studios in 2013. If everything goes well, i.e if the park succeed to have the agreement of the banks for the needed amount of money.

It's a great find from Mouetto who found these documents at the Chessy City Hall. The construction permit has been approved and is now - according to the french law - available to be seen by anyone.

The artwork above shows how the area will look and, as you can see, when WDS guests will enter the Ratatouille area they will see Paris building facades as well as a fountain. You'll note also the Gusteau sign on the top of the left building, identical to the one we saw in the animated movie. On one of the building a "patisserie" sign might indicate that a food store will be here but this can change. One thing is sure, there will be a restaurant and if there is a logic it should be a table service restaurant with a decor identical to the Gusteau's restaurant. Note that this is my own thoughts about the decor but once again this would be a logical choice. Close to the restaurant, on the right, the entrance of the Ratatouille dark ride.

The next document is a blueprint showing the location of the Ratatouille area. As expected it is located near Toy Story Playland, behind the costuming building and near the back exit of TSP through the giant blue barrel. The facility is really big and my feeling is that there is not more than 40 meters between the TSP exit and the entrance of the Ratatouille ride. Also, i'll be curious to know how they will hide the back of the costuming building which is very near from the Ratatouille facility.



This last document is perhaps the most interesting as it shows the whole mini-land in 3D. As you can see the main building - which will be used mainly for the ride is really huge, not only in length but also in height as it's even higher than the four storeys Paris facades. Even if the part in the foreground is kept for the restaurant and shops the main building is really big and the question is: why is it so high? Will the attraction vehicle go up and down? We'll know more about this in the future but for now let's have a closer look at the entrance - on the bottom right - where we can see that an outside queue area has been designed to protect WDS guests from the rainy days that can happen in Paris in the winter.



In a previous report i've posted pictures of the road going from the main entrance of TSP to the Ratatouille area. The road is already designed like a Paris street - with cobblestones and typical Parisian benches and lampposts - and i re-post here these pictures.



Click on the panoramic picture below to see it in larger scale.















A sculpture of Gusteau - Ratatouille's chef - was sculpted on the arch sticked to the blue barrel. It is now hidden but as you can see on the picture below it's really the case and it's really a sculpture of Gusteau.



The picture above was shot by Alexandre Rosa, a former Disney and more contributor, during the cast member TSP preview days. Two days after the land opened for annual passholders soft-openings Gusteau's sculpture was hidden as you will see on the pictures below.





At that time there was a good reason for that - there is always a good reason for anything done by WDI Imagineers! - and it was that DLP execs prefered to keep secret for a while the future land which will open during DLP 2013 fiscal year. No more Gusteau's sculpture means no questions from the guests, etc...

Unfortunately, all signs related to Ratatouille couldn't be hidden beginning by the face of Remy, Ratatouille's main character that anyone can see on EACH bench of this Parisian street. Have a look at the picture below...



Don't see Remy? Okay, let's have a closer look. Do you see him now?



The next panoramic, shot from the Parachute Drop attraction, will show you the area where the Ratatouille ride will be build. The building you see on the right is actually located backstage and is the "costuming" building where cast-members come each morning to pick their costume - a Paris backdrop is supposed to hide the building along the street when the Ratatouille ride will open. And on the left of this building, behind the blue barrel, is the land reserved for the Ratatouille ride and Paris area.



Christian, from www.eap-magazin.de sent me this picture showing the land where the Ratatouille ride will be build. Note that there is on the left more land that you don't see on the picture. As you can see it's a pretty big area and I wonder if they will keep the big trees located at the center of the land... my feeling is that they will keep them and it will be a good idea.



Now, when will Ratatouille open at WDS? Of course it all depends of when the works will begin. And the sooner will be the better as i've learned that WDI Imagineers needs apparently two years to build everything and one year to install and test the ride. One full year to install and test the ride might seem a long time to you but i remind you that Ratatouille will use a trackless vehicle system, will have a lot of 3D projections effects and that, basically, it's a new kind of ride for WDI Imagineers. The Little Mermaid which will open June 3 at DCA is a classic onmimover ride in comparison.

Even if eventually they can reduce the timing to 21 months they need to begin the works next September to have an opening Summer 2013. And to begin the works they need the money green light from the banks. And so, you ask? Well, from what i've been told, the Ratatouille budget - for the whole area including the restaurant - is close to $165M, if not more. That makes 116M euros right now and the park needs probably more money for the 20th Anniversary events. Which, i agree, is quite a lot of money for a park that is always in a difficult financial situation. So, we better cross our fingers that the banks will give their green light for the Ratatouille ride and as soon as possible if we want to enjoy in 2013 what will be an amazing E-Ticket ride!

Pictures: copyright Disney or Disney and more

Arch with Gusteau's sculpture picture: copyright Alexandre Rosa

ratatouille ratatouille dark ride toy story playland walt disney imagineering walt disney studios

12:32:00 PM

Since DLP Big Thunder Mountain accident last monday most of the comments whether on D&M or on other websites complain - or even accused - about DLP "supposed" bad maintenance of the park. The whole story is much more complicated than that and i'd like to take a minute or two to explain you why you shouldn't blame DLP management - specially before we know precisely the reason of the accident.

Let's begin by the beginning, i.e back almost 20 years ago, when the financial problems of the park began. When Disneyland Paris - at that time still called EuroDisney - opened, everyone celebrated the opening of a gorgeous Magic Kingdom. From the first year the park was a huge success and became instantly, not only the most visited place in France but also in Europe with more than 11M guests visiting the park. The park was so popular that DLP decided to build as quick as possible new rides.

However, in the next years problems on the financial situation of EuroDisney began and the good question is: why? Why a place which was the most visited place in Europe had this financial problem. The answer is in one word: Hotels. From day one DLP had seven hotels built on site, including the Davy Crockett Ranch. Right now the hotels are doing fine but at the beginning it was different. So, seven hotels from day one, not one or two, SEVEN! Many voices shouted "Fools!" to the management, knowing that there was so many hotels in Paris that building seven on-site hotels was going to be a financial failure.

So, why the WDC decided to build seven hotels on the site when they could have simply built only two, and more afterwards if necessary? Two words: Michael Eisner. You, see, Eisner, who was as we know WDC CEO at that time has always been a "wannabe architect". For those of you who don't understand what a "wannabe" is, it means that a person has always wished to be something that, sometime she succeed to be, or, most of the time, she never succeed to be. In the case of Eisner, he became the CEO of a big company, but never an architect.

So what did Michael when it was time to design hotels for the DLP project? He hired some of the best architects - and probably some of his favorites - and asked them to design great buildings for DLP hotels resort. The hotels section of the project was one on which he had the final cut and having them designed by the best architects was his way to live his "wannabe" dream to be an architect. And it would have not be a problem if Eisner had decided to build only two hotels, but instead seven hotels were built which means a huge maintenance cost, not to mention the salary cost of all the people working at the seven hotels.

Right now the hotels are doing really well, but back in 1992 it was not the case at all. And what had to happen happened: the hotels costs were a burden in DLP accounts and Michael Eisner's dream was finally responsible of the beginning of DLP financial problems. Eisner never admits his responsability but he was not the kind of guy to admit his faults, anyway.

So, first problem, too many hotels from day one. Again, the hotels are doing very well now, the mistake was only to have seven hotels operating from opening day. Then the park decided what was indeed the best thing to do to resolve the problem, i.e to build DLP second gate, the Walt Disney Studios. Good idea, if you have two parks, you necessarily will have more guests spending nights in the hotels. But it's a good idea if the park is just as good as the first one was. And when the WDS opened - and although WDI Imagineers did their absolute best with the money at their disposal - everyone complained, one about the lack of theming, another that it was a half day park, or that there was not enough attractions for young kids, etc...

Mind you, there was many other designs for the WDS but finally the WDC chosen the one we know, probably thinking that "the guests won't see the difference" which is probably the most stupid phrase that any executive can say as the guests always see the difference. And, talking about executives, guess who was WDC CEO at that time and had the final cut on the budget allowed for the WDS? That's right: Michael Eisner. Second mistake, and this one was going to cost a lot to the park. Since then, for all DLP's executives, ruling DLRP is like squaring the circle.

Those of you who have followed DLP financial news might say "wait a minute, i thought that the park had 400 M euros of cash flow at the bank?" That's right that's more or less the amount they have but what you don't know is that they can't use the money just like they want. Each time the park needs money for a new project whether it is, for instance, the new World of Disney Store, or a new attraction, or a big rehab program as they currently do, they need the bank agreement for the needed amount. Considering the park's debt i can understand that the banks wants to make sure that the money will be well spent, but, still, it doesn't make the job easier for DLP management.

So, as you probably understand now, the job of the park is, finally, to find the best way to manage a budget. They need money to build new attractions to have the guests coming back and increase parks, hotels and merchandise revenues AND they need money to transform the WDS in a full-day park AND in the same time they need money for the park maintenance AND they need money to reduce the park's debt to the banks. And it is more complex that we can think as, as we know, if they don't build new rides guests won't come back AND so the resort revenues will not get better AND so they will not have money to reduce the debt with the banks AND so the banks will not accept to give them money to build new rides, etc... As i've said it's almost like squaring the circle, and i can assure you that DLP management is doing absolutely their best, and it's not easy, considering they've inherited of these two major mistakes explained above, mistakes that they are not responsible of.

So, please keep in mind all the complexity of the situation when you'll write your comments, that will be fair for all the people doing their best at DLP.

disneyland paris walt disney studios

3:19:00 PM

Since DLP Big Thunder Mountain accident last monday most of the comments whether on D&M or on other websites complain - or even accused - about DLP "supposed" bad maintenance of the park. The whole story is much more complicated than that and i'd like to take a minute or two to explain you why you shouldn't blame DLP management - specially before we know precisely the reason of the accident.

Let's begin by the beginning, i.e back almost 20 years ago, when the financial problems of the park began. When Disneyland Paris - at that time still called EuroDisney - opened, everyone celebrated the opening of a gorgeous Magic Kingdom. From the first year the park was a huge success and became instantly, not only the most visited place in France but also in Europe with more than 11M guests visiting the park. The park was so popular that DLP decided to build as quick as possible new rides.

However, in the next years problems on the financial situation of EuroDisney began and the good question is: why? Why a place which was the most visited place in Europe had this financial problem. The answer is in one word: Hotels. From day one DLP had seven hotels built on site, including the Davy Crockett Ranch. Right now the hotels are doing fine but at the beginning it was different. So, seven hotels from day one, not one or two, SEVEN! Many voices shouted "Fools!" to the management, knowing that there was so many hotels in Paris that building seven on-site hotels was going to be a financial failure.

So, why the WDC decided to build seven hotels on the site when they could have simply built only two, and more afterwards if necessary? Two words: Michael Eisner. You, see, Eisner, who was as we know WDC CEO at that time has always been a "wannabe architect". For those of you who don't understand what a "wannabe" is, it means that a person has always wished to be something that, sometime she succeed to be, or, most of the time, she never succeed to be. In the case of Eisner, he became the CEO of a big company, but never an architect.

So what did Michael when it was time to design hotels for the DLP project? He hired some of the best architects - and probably some of his favorites - and asked them to design great buildings for DLP hotels resort. The hotels section of the project was one on which he had the final cut and having them designed by the best architects was his way to live his "wannabe" dream to be an architect. And it would have not be a problem if Eisner had decided to build only two hotels, but instead seven hotels were built which means a huge maintenance cost, not to mention the salary cost of all the people working at the seven hotels.

Right now the hotels are doing really well, but back in 1992 it was not the case at all. And what had to happen happened: the hotels costs were a burden in DLP accounts and Michael Eisner's dream was finally responsible of the beginning of DLP financial problems. Eisner never admits his responsability but he was not the kind of guy to admit his faults, anyway.

So, first problem, too many hotels from day one. Again, the hotels are doing very well now, the mistake was only to have seven hotels operating from opening day. Then the park decided what was indeed the best thing to do to resolve the problem, i.e to build DLP second gate, the Walt Disney Studios. Good idea, if you have two parks, you necessarily will have more guests spending nights in the hotels. But it's a good idea if the park is just as good as the first one was. And when the WDS opened - and although WDI Imagineers did their absolute best with the money at their disposal - everyone complained, one about the lack of theming, another that it was a half day park, or that there was not enough attractions for young kids, etc...

Mind you, there was many other designs for the WDS but finally the WDC chosen the one we know, probably thinking that "the guests won't see the difference" which is probably the most stupid phrase that any executive can say as the guests always see the difference. And, talking about executives, guess who was WDC CEO at that time and had the final cut on the budget allowed for the WDS? That's right: Michael Eisner. Second mistake, and this one was going to cost a lot to the park. Since then, for all DLP's executives, ruling DLRP is like squaring the circle.

Those of you who have followed DLP financial news might say "wait a minute, i thought that the park had 400 M euros of cash flow at the bank?" That's right that's more or less the amount they have but what you don't know is that they can't use the money just like they want. Each time the park needs money for a new project whether it is, for instance, the new World of Disney Store, or a new attraction, or a big rehab program as they currently do, they need the bank agreement for the needed amount. Considering the park's debt i can understand that the banks wants to make sure that the money will be well spent, but, still, it doesn't make the job easier for DLP management.

So, as you probably understand now, the job of the park is, finally, to find the best way to manage a budget. They need money to build new attractions to have the guests coming back and increase parks, hotels and merchandise revenues AND they need money to transform the WDS in a full-day park AND in the same time they need money for the park maintenance AND they need money to reduce the park's debt to the banks. And it is more complex that we can think as, as we know, if they don't build new rides guests won't come back AND so the resort revenues will not get better AND so they will not have money to reduce the debt with the banks AND so the banks will not accept to give them money to build new rides, etc... As i've said it's almost like squaring the circle, and i can assure you that DLP management is doing absolutely their best, and it's not easy, considering they've inherited of these two major mistakes explained above, mistakes that they are not responsible of.

So, please keep in mind all the complexity of the situation when you'll write your comments, that will be fair for all the people doing their best at DLP.

disneyland paris walt disney studios

3:19:00 PM

On the occasion of Walt Disney Studios anniversary and to celebrate the upcoming Disney Magical Moments Festival opening on April 6th, Disneyland Paris has released a new video of the DLP resort, shot using the now famous "Tilt Shift" technique.

As you know the tilt-shift technique takes photographs, usually from high vantage points, using selective focus and perspective control to give the impression of a miniture model. All the photographs are then stitched together and edited to create the illusion of a short movie. Post production will then do the rest, oversaturating colours to reinforce the model impression, working on contrasts and even further blurring images.

The video called "A Magical Day at Disneyland Paris" is pretty cool and shows vignettes of both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, including favourite attractions such as Big Thunder Mountain or the new rides in Toy Story Playland, shows and daily parades, including the Fantillusion Parade, from sunrise to nighttime entertainment and fireworks.

More than 125.000 still photographs were taken during the shoot in the parks, although only 4.000 were used in the final edit, over a period of seven months. Here it is!



Picture and video: copyright Disney

disneyland paris tilt-shift video walt disney studios

12:42:00 PM

On the occasion of Walt Disney Studios anniversary and to celebrate the upcoming Disney Magical Moments Festival opening on April 6th, Disneyland Paris has released a new video of the DLP resort, shot using the now famous "Tilt Shift" technique.

As you know the tilt-shift technique takes photographs, usually from high vantage points, using selective focus and perspective control to give the impression of a miniture model. All the photographs are then stitched together and edited to create the illusion of a short movie. Post production will then do the rest, oversaturating colours to reinforce the model impression, working on contrasts and even further blurring images.

The video called "A Magical Day at Disneyland Paris" is pretty cool and shows vignettes of both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, including favourite attractions such as Big Thunder Mountain or the new rides in Toy Story Playland, shows and daily parades, including the Fantillusion Parade, from sunrise to nighttime entertainment and fireworks.

More than 125.000 still photographs were taken during the shoot in the parks, although only 4.000 were used in the final edit, over a period of seven months. Here it is!



Picture and video: copyright Disney

disneyland paris tilt-shift video walt disney studios

12:42:00 PM

DLP fans are now awaiting the future Ratatouille dark ride and when it will open the expansion of the Toon Studio land will be completed. But what's next for the WDS after Ratatouille? Well, it's time to talk again about another long awaited attraction: Soarin' over the World. As Soarin' over the World is not only awaited at the WDS but also at DCA and Epcot this article which reveal details about the new movie should also interest DCA and WDW fans.

Since Walt Disney Studios opening DLP Imagineers kept the room to build Soarin' in the future. The attraction is clearly indicated on some DLPI map project, all things which doesn't mean necessarily that they will build the attraction. It just mean that if they decide to build Soarin' they have the room available to do it. Actually, the space available is located between Cinemagique and the former Disney Channel buildings where are now Playhouse Disney and Stitch Live! attractions. And if you want to have an idea of the dimensions of the space available for Soarin' have a look at the picture below shot from the WDS parking lot. Click on it to enlarge the picture.



So, they do have the room to build Soarin' but when will they build it? In a former article one year ago i explained why we shouldn't expect to "soar over the world" before 2011. Well, actually it won't be before 2013 - and this is for DCA or Epcot Soarin' versions. For the Walt Disney Studios, considering that the Ratatouille dark ride may open only early 2013 there is of course no chances at all to have a Soarin' opening the same year.

However, what i can tell you is that Production Courtyard - the "land" where Soarin' would be build if they decide to do so - is the next part of the park which should have a big "placemaking". It's also the area where DLP Imagineers have the biggest space available to build a new attraction. They have of course plenty of land to expand the park in front and beyond the Tram tour station but if they want to stay inside the current limits of the park the available area reserved for Soarin' is definitely the biggest one.

And how should it look when Soarin' will be finally built, you ask? Well, if you're standing right now between Cinemagique and Stitch Live!, it looks like this:



But when DLPI Imagineers will finally build Soarin' over the World it might very well look like this:



Please note that the picture above is NOT a WDI picture, it's a Photoshop montage - not perfect, i agree - that i personally did using the infos from what i've been told and Disney's California Adventure's Soarin' facade and sign, which means that it might very well not look like this at the end...although it will be probably quite close and you can expect a facade as high as the one i did on the picture.

However, the park would be inspired to don't wait too long to build Soarin' at the WDS. Ten years ago WDI was almost alone to have the technology but now others ride manufacturers already propose some kind of "Soarin'" attraction using more or less the same technology at a much cheaper price and it's almost a miracle if no other french park didn't built yet an attraction of the same kind.

Recently the Futuroscope - a french theme park competitor - revealed that they're working on a kind of Soarin' attraction. However, in this case, what they are planning is to transform th "Tapis Magique" theatre, a unique IMAX technology with one giant screen in the front and another big one under the feet of the spectators - see picture below. Apparently what they would like to do is to remove all the seats and have the guests hanged over the two screens to give the illusion of flight. For reasons that i can't reveal now the Futuroscope is just at the beginning of the project and it's not even sure they will succeed to do it, but at least they are thinking to create a kind of Soarin'. Let's hope they won't do it as in this case it might change DLP execs plans for the WDS...



But what about the "Soarin'over the World" movie itself, you ask? Well, the last two years WDI imagineers were scouting locations around the world, and once the locations are choosen they need government's authorizations to film from an helicopter. Part of the shooting itself - for instance in France - was scheduled for last summer but it may have changed. Now, may be it don't looks like, but this "Soaring over the World movie" is going to be a real challenge for WDI imagineers. Why? Well, as in this new "Soarin'" movie we will soar "over and around the world" it means different filming in different locations, and here comes the question of the best season. Very probably the best time for filming should be in spring or early summer to avoid landscapes with no leaves on the trees of winter or summer monsoon rains in other locations. Not to mention that for other countries, it will be another season than spring which may be the right one for filming.

Before i go further, a little warning as there will be some spoilers ahead.

Now, the big question is : over which location will we "soar" in this new movie? Well, WDI imagineers have chosen some countries and if they don't change their plans, prepare yourself to soar over England, France, Italy, Egypt, India, China, Japan, and for the U.S.A: the Grand Canyon and New York.

Although there is no South America country in the list above it doesn't mean it's not part of Imagineers plans. They have the choice: Brasil and Rio de Janeiro's bay or Iguaçu Falls, The Amazonia forest, The old Inca Machu-Pichu fortress in Peru, all these would be spectacular locations to soar above...

However, the other part of the Imagineers challenge will be probably to avoid filming a too "obvious" Travelogue. It's not going to be easy, as each country have its own iconic place/city/monument and it's a little bit everyone's dream to fly above them.

Now, what is coming next is pure personal thoughts, as i don't know exactly which place in each country Imagineers are planning to film. I mean: i really don't know. So what you will read below is pure personal speculation, although the locations choice below could very well be the one that will be filmed! Also, please note that the pictures below are NOT Disney pictures, but a photomontage that i did with aerial views and the "Soarin'" vehicle from the "Soarin' over California" marketing picture. I tried to choose aerial views which will give you the soaring "vertigo" feeling as close as it should be in the final movie - please click on each picture to see them in big size to get the "effect".

Now, think about the India sequence, who wouldn't love to soar above the beautiful and romantic Taj Mahal?...



...or, for Italy, over the gorgeous Venise, the City of the Doges? Soaring over the Grand Canal would be great!



For England, will we soar over the legendary Tower Bridge? I can almost see the camera plunging between the two towers of the bridge...



For China, can we escape to soar above The Forbidden City?



And for the USA how great it would be to fly above the Grand Canyon...



...or New York?



Everyone would love to fly over these historical landmarks, so let's hope that WDI Imagineers will fulfill our dreams. They shouldn't think if a location is too obvious or not, it's not the problem, really!

Then, because we will travel around the world, i'm ready to bet that imagineers will play with the time of the day. And, because each location have a best time to be filmed, WDI Imagineers will be right to do so. Why not, for instance, begin the "flight" by the Giza Pyramids at dawn? I know very well the place as i've been there many times in my life, and the best hour with magical light on Giza Pyramids is definitely at dawn. Also, Egypt civilisation is the oldest one of all the countries listed above. To choose Egypt for the opening sequence and a dazzling view of the Pyramids at dawn would make perfect sense.



As for the evening sequence, soaring over London by night - the old Victorian city, the town of Peter Pan and the Darling family - would be wonderful. And if they need a Magic Kingdom for the "fireworks" final sequence, there is Disneyland Paris, just a few miles down in the south!



Even better: the best would be to have a different ending for each park where the attraction will play in the future. Take Hong Kong Disneyland for instance. Hong Kong at night is dazzling, and they could "cut" to a scene with fireworks over HKDL castle. Same for Epcot, or TDL or the future Shanghaî Disneyland. Different ending for each park will not only be logical, but also great for fans who will discover a not-totally-identical version when they will visit foreign Disney parks...



But in each country there is also plenty of natural wonders like, for instance, the Grand Canyon. And WDI imagineers may prefer to film them instead of cities or historical landmark like the Forbidden City in Beijing. Or may be they will do a mix of both to help the audience to identify instantly the "country".

Once the filming will be done WDI Imagineers still have to do the editing, add the music score and fix everything right which always takes some months... One last wish and i'm sure that most of you who've ride the first "Soarin'" will agree with me: please try to do a longer movie - which should be the case anyway as a roundtrip around the world in less than 5 minutes would be reaaally short - 7-8 minutes would be fine, it's never too long when you soar above all these wonders even if we must keep in mind the attraction hour capacity. Also: pleaaaase keep - or adapt - the original and fantastic Jerry Goldsmith original music score, no need to have a new one, really!

To come back to the WDS, it will be interesting to see if they will use only the new Soarin' over the World movie or also the first one, Soarin' over California. After all, as the attraction have two theaters guests could have the choice between the two movies... Personally i think they will use only Soarin' over the World at the opening and might keep Soarin over California for a re-boost of the attraction some years later.

Whether Soarin' will come at the WDS in the future or not - personally i think it will and that WDS guests will love it - let's all be patient and wait with confidence. Soarin over the World should arrive in 2013 at DCA and Epcot and hopefully later at the WDS. The sooner will be the better as i'm sure that Soarin' over the World will be an awesome experience!

Pictures: copyright Disney or Disney and more

soarin' over the world walt disney imagineering walt disney studios

10:48:00 AM