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Happy 13th Anniversary Walt Disney Studios Park!
DisneyDan  Monday, March 16, 2015 9:25:59 AM
Today is the 13th anniversary of the grand opening of the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris. In the past the park has often been criticised for lacking any good, solid attractions and shows, however, time has been good to the park, and with the addition of the Ratatouille attraction last year, the park has now really started to come into its own. With 18 full attractions and permanent long-term shows - six of which are completely unique to the park! - it actually currently has more attractions and permanent shows than Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Epcot or Disney's Hollywood Studios. While you can argue that those parks have a lot more non-fixed entertainment and good dining options, it is undeniable that the Walt Disney Studios is, finally, stepping up its game. The new Ratatouille attraction has become one of my favourites in the whole Disney Parks world, and I hope that it is a sign of the many good things to come over the next 13 years.

In our usual style, I'm going to share a cavalcade of photos from our many adventures at the park.

Happy 13th anniversary Walt Disney Studios Park!

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Frontlot

DLP April 2012 - Wandering around Walt Disney Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - The new Ratatouille at night

DLP April 2012 - Wandering around Walt Disney Studios

DLP Feb 2010 - Watching Animagique

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Production Courtyard

DLP Dec 2010 - Playhouse Disney Live on Stage!

DLP Feb 2013 - Wandering through Backlot

Moteurs... Action! Stunt Show Spectacular

Meeting Lightning McQueen

DLP April 2014 - Wandering through Back Lot

DLP April 2012 - Wandering around Walt Disney Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Toon Studio

DLP Feb 2013 - Wandering through Toon Studio

Animation Academy

DLP April 2012 - Cars Quatre Roues Rallye

DLP April 2012 - Riding Cars Quatre Roues Rallye

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

DLP Dec 2013 - Cinémagique

DLP Feb 2013 - Wandering through Toon Studio

Walt Disney Studios by night

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Toon Studio

DLP Halloween 2009 - Wandering around Toon Studio

DLP Aug 2014 - The new Ratatouille at night

Exploring the brand new Ratatouille area

The brand new Ratatouille area by night

The brand new Ratatouille area by night

Ratatouille L'Adventure Totalement Toquee de Remy

DLP Aug 2014 - The new Ratatouille at night

DLP Aug 2014 - Riding L'Adventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy

DLP April 2012 - Wandering through Toy Story Playland

DLP June 2011 - Riding RC Racer

DLP April 2012 - Wandering through Toy Story Playland

DLP Feb 2009 - Exploring Walt Disney Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Toy Story Playland

Wandeirng thru the Studios

DLP Dec 2010 - Stitch Live!

DLP Dec 2010 - Stitch Live!

DLP Halloween 2010 - Riding a Terrorific Tram Tour

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Toon Studio

Tower of Terror

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Toy Story Playland

Meeting Spider-Man

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Production Courtyard

Wandeirng thru the Studios

Disney Blockbuster Cafe

DLP Halloween 2012 - A Yummy Lunch at Café des Cascadeurs

DLP April 2012 - Wandering around Walt Disney Studios

Lunch at Restaurant des Stars

Wandering thru Studio 1

DLP April 2012 - Wandering through Studio 1

DLP Aug 2014 - Checking out the new Ratatouille area

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

DLP Feb 2013 - Exploring Studio 1

DLP Halloween 2012 - Wandering through Walt Disney Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Frontlot

DLP April 2012 - Wandering through Front Lot

DLP Feb 2013 - Wandering through Production Courtyard

DLP Feb 2013 - Wandering through Production Courtyard

DLP April 2012 - Wandering through Toy Story Playland

DLP Aug 2014 - Wandering through Toy Story Playland

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

Wandering thru the Studios

Studio Services

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

Wandering thru the Studios

Wandering thru the Studios

DLP Aug 2014 - Heading out of the Studios

Exploring the brand new Ratatouille area

DLP Aug 2014 - Riding L'Adventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy

Bistrot Chez Remy

DLP Aug 2014 - Eating at Bistrot Chez Remy

DLP Aug 2014 - Eating at Bistrot Chez Remy

DLP Aug 2014 - Eating at Bistrot Chez Remy

Bistrot Chez Remy

DLP Aug 2014 - Eating at Bistrot Chez Remy

Dan.
Disneyland Paris August 2014 Trip Report and Photo Round-Up - including Ratatouille!
DisneyDan  Thursday, August 14, 2014 11:56:17 AM
Hello everyone,

Last week Jon and I were in Disneyland Paris again for three days. As always, we had an awesome, action packed time! I wanted to share with you some photos from our trip.

Let's start on Main Street USA with the brand new "New Century Notions - Flora's Unique Boutique" that has replaced the former Town Square Photography. It should be noted that PhotoPass pictures can still be viewed and purchased here.
  [ Read More... ]
News and Rumours - Tokyo's Tanabata Star Festival, Summer and Halloween, Unleash the Villains at WDW and MUCH more!
DisneyDan  Friday, June 20, 2014 7:47:41 AM
Hello everyone,

Sorry for the lack of news updates lately. I, as always, have been quite busy with normal life. Anyway, there are a number of things I want to talk about that have come up in the last couple of weeks.

We'll start with Tokyo Disney Resort, and work our way around the world.

From 24th June until 7th July at Tokyo Disney Resort, you can celebrate the magic of Disney Tanabata Days, also known as the Star Festival. At Tokyo DisneySea you can meet ShellieMay and Duffy in their special Disney Tanabata Days costumes at Cape Cod's Village Greeting Place in American Waterfront. You can also see Mickey and friends in a very special show on Mediterranean Harbor, three times per day (10.45am, 1pm and 4.30pm) wearing their special Star Festival costumes.
At Tokyo Disneyland there is a special parade each day at 11.20am and 4.15pm, featuring your favourite Disney friends wearing yet more beautifully crafted costumes.
At both parks guests will be given the opportunity to make a wish on special cards, and tie them to specially dedicated "Wishing Places" in the parks.

After the Disney Tanabata Days end, summer season arrives at the resort, and so does the water! Jon and I have been to Tokyo Disney Resort in the summer before, and I must warn you - prepare to get wet!
At Tokyo DisneySea's Summer Festival, Minnie's Tropical Splash is described as being a "carnival celebrating the bountiful harvest of fruit" and where "hot Latin rhythms begin to throb as colourful fruit themed barges appear on the Harbor". The TDR website then goes on to describe the "torrent of water" that then sprays from the barges and the shore! Characters appearing in the show - and in new costumes this year too - are Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Clarice. The show will be presented three times daily and lasts about 20 minutes.
At Tokyo Disneyland's Natsu Matsuri event, "hot and lively dances" are the thing at the Castle Stage, during Garyo Gunbu. Team Miyabi Kenran starring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Max and Pluto compete against Team Ryobu Shippu's Donald, Daisy, Chip, Dale and Clarice in a water filled dance battle! We've seen these water canons in action, and trust me when I say, if you don't want to get wet, avoid Central Plaza during your visit! The show will be presented three times per day and lasts about 13 minutes.
The other show at Castle Stage will be Ondo-Ko-Don! which will be presented once per day, morning only, lasting 11 minutes. It will feature Mickey, Minnie, Donald and "others" in a special performance of a Japanese dance called the "ondo".
At both Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland there will be special merchandise, decorations and menu items to accompany these events.
Summer season at both parks runs from 8th July through 31st August inclusive.

We have a discussion topic about the summer fun, here on our forum.

A week later on the 7th September, the long running Legend of Mythica will end. If you're visiting before then, be sure to see this jaw dropping show before it goes away forever!

After the summer, we come to Halloween. At Tokyo DisneySea, the park will be filled with Disney Skeletons! In American Waterfront you can join the skeletons as well as the Disney characters in special costumes for their brand new show "New York's Halloween Follies". At Mediterranean Harbor you can join skeletons for "Welcome Skeleton Friends" in a participation show as they try to make new friends. In the Lost River Delta you can watch Chip 'n' Dale's Skeleton Fiesta, and finally "Street Party of the Skeleton" will be carried out in multiple areas of the park, where skeletons will dance and play around, interacting with guests and greeting them.
At Tokyo Disneyland, from what I can make out from the Japanese release, the Happy Halloween Harvest parade will return with the theme of a Halloween fair.
As with every event in Japan, there will be decorations, merchandise and food involved, too! Halloween at Tokyo Disney Resort runs from 8th September until 31st October inclusive.

Don't forget that throughout the year you can enjoy the brand new nightly spectacular at Cinderella Castle, Once Upon a Time. You can read my review of it from opening week, last month, here.

Additionally, remember that Oswald the Lucky Rabbit made his Disney Parks debut just about 8 weeks ago at Tokyo DisneySea's American Waterfront! He is super cute and gives you yet another reason to visit this summer - as if you needed ay more excuses, right?! You can check out my blog post about meeting Oswald for the first time, here, and our dedicated Oswald page, here.

Finally for Tokyo, member Ryo on our forum posted that OLC have announced some new changes to Dreamlights in 2015, including the addition of Rapunzel and an update to Peter Pan's float! I can't seem to find the actual OLC release for this, as it's probably entirely in Japanese, but if I do, I'll link it here.

Ok, moving on to Walt Disney World now, and the Disney Parks Blog released a short list of some of the characters we can expect at the Unleash the Villains event on 23rd August this year. This is the only official list posted so far, but rumours have been flying around the internet of all sorts of rare appearances! None of the characters on the current list come as any great surprise, so it'll be interesting to see who else they put into the mix. We have a discussion topic about the event here on our forum, so join us in the speculation!

The new Harambe Theater District opened in Animal Kingdom just recently, and is now the new home to the Festival of the Lion King, after a short hiatus when it closed in Camp Minnie-Mickey. Not too much to report here, but people seem to like the new location and the show remains as popular as ever. I'm glad that Timon and friends have now moved back to their native Africa after spending the past ten years in an American Summer Camp!

Finally for WDW, our friends on our forum noticed that when visiting the Magic Kingdom recently, Winnie the Pooh has decided to sport a slightly different expression! Check out this discussion thread to see how he looks now when greeting at the Crystal Palace.

Jumping across the continent to Disneyland in California, and summer has kicked off with a special Frozen pre-parade at Disneyland Park. You can check out this video of it from Inside the Magic here, and discuss it here on our forum.

Also at Disneyland, Merida has now stopped meeting at her location near "it's a small world", and has been moved to inside the Royal Hall, where I guess her appearances will be more random (switching with her royal friends). In other princess news, Anna and Elsa's greeting times have apparently been extended, and they now meet until 8pm daily.

Flying across the Atlantic to Disneyland Paris, the press preview of the brand new Ratatouille attraction and restaurant happens this weekend. The restaurant is believed to be character dining (based on concept art and even one lady on the reservation line at Disneyland Paris), but is yet to actually be confirmed - we shall find out in the next day or two for sure! Rumours have been circulating for quite some time now, and have additionally strongly suggested that Linguini will appear in the new area (not inside the restaurant)! I'll let you know of any developments on those rumours as the weekend progresses. Jon and I have reservations for Chez Remy in August, and cannot wait to see the new land! You can join our discussion topic about Chez Remy (the new restaurant), here on our forum.

Staying in France, and DisneylandBerry on Twitter (who is often very reliable) has suggested that long running show Animagique will close at some point in 2015. As much as I love this show, it would be great if they put in a brand new show, since this once has been here for over 10 years now! Disneyland Paris are notoriously bad at announcing anything, so we won't know if this is actually true for quite some time yet, I would imagine. Our members are discussing this topic here on our forum.

Finally for Disneyland Paris, InsideDLParis revealed that from 5th July this year Disney's Stars 'n' Cars parade would end. The meet 'n' greets that currently take place using the same characters and cars would be extended to include more set times, and 4 of the current cars would be used to transport the characters on and off set from the greetings. InsideDLParis also revealed that the Incredibles would return to the park for the summer near the new Spider-Man location.

To our final topic today, Iron Man. Our good friend DisneyMart discovered something interesting yesterday, while randomly poking around the Disney Consumer Products website. The recent Disney Consumer Products at Licensing Expo 2014 featured Iron Man as a character, alongside Mickey Mouse, Stormtroopers and Buzz Lightyear! What's interesting is that his appearance has been kept so quiet. He did appear at D23 last year, but since then fans have discovered that the Marvel characters at the event were not wearing their official Disney outfits, meaning that Iron Man and Spider-Man were not appearing as they will at the Disney Parks. I have no idea if this is the case for this most recent appearance, and it could be why Disney have kept hush about it, not wanting people to believe they have already developed Tony Stark's new outfit for him, but instead using an older outside design of his!

Finally, although it was a couple of weeks ago now, why not check out my previous news post to read about the Frozen Disney On Ice show and Hong Kong Disneyland's new nighttime parade!

Ok, that is everything for today! Have a great weekend everyone,

Dan.

To read my May 2014 review of Tokyo Disneyland's Crystal Palace Character Dining, click here.

To read my May 2014 review of Tokyo Disneyland's Mickey and Company Dinner Show, click here.

To read my May 2014 review of Tokyo Disneyland's Mickey and Minnie's Polynesian Paradise Dinner Show, click here.

To read my May 2014 review of Tokyo Disney Resort's Chef Mickey Character Dining, click here.

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