Saturday, April 12, 2014

D&M Exclusive : Disneyland Paris 1992 Grand Opening Report - Part Four : April 12 Opening Celebration By Michael Sandstrom


In this part four of Michael Sandstrom fantastic report on Disneyland Paris Grand Opening, Michael share with us great pictures of the April 12 Grand Opening Celebration. Exactly 22 Years ago, Disneyland Paris was officially open!

Michael Sandstrom:

It was finally April 12, 1992, the official Opening Day of EuroDisneyland, and definitely a memorable day. The press was allowed into the park early on opening day, so i tool a taxi from Paris at dawn and made my way down Main Street very early. The weather was still lovely in the morning for the celebration events but then got quite cloudy, and raining by early evening. Fortunately, by then, i was staying right at the front gate in the Disneyland Paris Hotel, on its first night.

This is Main Street U.S.A as DLP first guests discovered it on April 12. 



On the next pictures, if you look well, you'll see not so subtle video production tools on the rooftops of the City Hall and the Walt's restaurant.






This was about the time George Lucas was standing along a flower bed behind me. Far from the crowds to come when Michael Eisner escorted the first family in along with the general public.




The entrance of DLP Frontierland with Fort Comstock, as shot on April 12 Opening Day.


Michael Eisner rides down Main Street towards the hub, with Mickey and the first official family on the morning of 12 April 1992, and the marching band behind them. The atmosphere was absolutely amazing as you can see on the picture.


Sleeping Beauty Castle on April 12 with a Mickey topiary at the center of Central Plaza.


Flagmen started to climb the Castle west hillside, as trumpeters started to descend from the turrets and fill the balconies.


Then, horsemen arrived and lead in a cavalcade of all the famous characters.



Real doves were released ( the original Disneyland had pigeons standing in for them ).


Disney executives and the first park ambassador, Sabine Marcon, gave welcoming speeches. 



A unique colorful daytime fireworks was the final welcoming gesture as the park marked its formal opening to the public!


Disneyland Paris dedication plaque, on Town Square was unveiled that day . 


Some opening day Discoveryland pictures.




I would come back to the park in 1994 when work had started on the building of Space Mountain in Discoveryland, pictures that you will see tomorrow in the "additional" article!

As for 1992, my own departure was by car ( not a taxi this time ), from the Disneyland Paris Hotel east entrance on 14 April 1992....



Don't miss tomorrow Michael last article and i think we can all thank him a lot to have share these rare opening day pictures! 
In the meantime i remind you that, to celebrate Disneyland Paris 22nd Anniversary, i'm also doing a special offer price on the great Disneyland Paris "From Sketch to Reality" book - for both ENGLISH or FRENCH editions - and in addition to the special price valid until April 30 it also include a "surprise gift" that everyone who will order the book will receive, and believe me you will love it!  Thanks to this special offer you will save $50 on the normal price, so if you don't own the book yet i'm sure you don't want to miss it! Paypal and credit card payment are accepted, so make sure you to place your order now!

You can use the Paypal button below for the english edition, and for orders of the french edition or for credit card payment please send me an email at: neverlandeditions@gmail.com



Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality - Include shipping
 




Don't know yet the Disneyland Paris book? Have a look at the video below or on the book website HERE.




Pictures: copyright Michael Sandstrom

Friday, April 11, 2014

WDI Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Video Introduces New Generation of Audio-Animatronics


WDI has released a new video showing some of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Audio-Animatronics and the amazing retro projection effect on the faces. It's very probably the same technique that was used for the face of the big Buzz Lightyear AA that you can see in the Buzz Lightyear ride pre-show, but here for the first time they use it on Audio-Animatronics moving much more than the Buzz Audio-Animatronic, which is of course more difficult to achieve.

Now, you probably have heard that a major update is scheduled on some of Disneyland Anaheim dark rides, and specially on Peter Pan's Flight, Mr Toad Wild Ride and Alice in Wonderland. According to Mice Age the budget for these updates still have the green light so it should be ready for DL 60th Anniversary. So, have a closer look to these animated faces as it is the same technique that WDI intend to apply on all the characters faces of the Peter Pan's Flight ride, and most probably on the Queen of Heart in the Alice in Wonderland ride. This, of course, will allow the characters to have more expressive faces. It don't looks like but it's a new generation of Audio-Animatronics which was unveiled today!




Picture and video : copyright Disney

" Helium Harvey ", Charming Short Animated


Helium Harvey is really a lovely short animated. Written, directed, and animated by Daniel Savage, "Helium Harvey" tells the story of a young child who is swept away on a magical trip across the globe after accidentally swallowing a helium balloon. But as you'll see at the end it what really happened might be a bit different... Charming short, with a great music score, just as good as if the music had been written for a Pixar short animated. Go ahead, watch it!




Picture and video: copyright Daniel Savage

D&M Exclusive : Disneyland Paris 1992 Grand Opening Report - Part Three: April 11 Grand Opening Party By Michael Sandstrom


Here is the part three of Michael Sandstrom fantastic report on Disneyland Paris Grand Opening. In this part three Michael share with us great pictures of the April 11 Grand Opening party. 

Michael Sandstrom:

As i told you yesterday, on late afternoon, April 11, everyone was asked to leave the park for a few hours while the evening party was set up. A few hours later everyone went again in the park  to acclaim the arriving celebrities on the red carpet. 

Michael Eisner, chairman of the Walt Disney Company is but one of the dozens of famous celebrities entering the park for the evening festivities on 11 April 1992...




Among them, Michael J. Fox is still today on TV...



Jane Seymour still works...


Candice Bergen makes for a classy ex-pat...


George Lucas was at quiet time in his career, but StarTours was opening here at DLP too. The next morning, on opening day, it was just he and I alone on the hub for a few minutes while all the action was coming down the street.... Excuse me George, I gotta get this shot for the magazine.....


Margaux Hemingway only survived another four years...


Jeffrey Katzenberg, then head of Walt Disney Studios, riding on many big successes, now the head of his own studio. I would later that night, casually find myself standing next it him at the top of Main Street near the hub, along with his powerful friend Barry Diller. Chocolate truffles we're being passed between us by gloved staff on silver trays, as we all watched fireworks explode across the hub over the castle, and then suddenly erupt from several buildings surrounding us. It was the first time Disney had done fireworks in the round! And it brought an impressed gasp from quite a glam crowd. It moved me to tears literally, just standing there. It was a dream come true, done so very well in every detail.


Eddy Murphy, in 1992 at one of his high points...



A few minutes later, the Grand Opening party in Frontierland. Note draped tables offering food and drinks, and thousands of cast members on hand, even chefs. Also seen are the sweatshirts distributed as a sort of entry ticket. Everyone had to have one of five styles to be there. 


Opening eve was a very posh party, in an extraordinarily pretty place.


All storefronts were open and well stocked. All the restaurants were open that day too, and free. We were after all invited guests, I as an American journalist. 


This preview day was obviously not crowded, yet fully operational. The 11th was a lovely evening, especially for April, this...being...near Paris!


Later in the evening, Angela Lansbury singing Beauty & the Beast on the castle stage with Adventureland in the background.



Probably one of the very first "night" picture shot of DLP Sleeping Beauty Castle, with the Renault airship flying in the sky!



The next day was going to be April 12, with DLP Grand Opening Celebrations, and you'll see tomorrow in the part four article all of what happened during that memorable day!


Don't miss tomorrow the part four article and in the meantime i remind you that, to celebrate Disneyland Paris 22nd Anniversary, i'm also doing a special offer price on the great Disneyland Paris "From Sketch to Reality" book - for both ENGLISH or FRENCH editions - and in addition to the special price valid until April 30 it also include a "surprise gift" that everyone who will order the book will receive, and believe me you will love it!  Thanks to this special offer you will save $50 on the normal price, so if you don't own the book yet i'm sure you don't want to miss it! Paypal and credit card payment are accepted, so make sure you to place your order now! 

You can use the Paypal button below for the english edition, and for orders of the french edition or for credit card payment please send me an email at: neverlandeditions@gmail.com



Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality - Include shipping
 




Don't know yet the Disneyland Paris book? Have a look at the video below or on the book website HERE.




Pictures: copyright Michael Sandstrom