Sundays in Paris: Comparisons & POTC Blowout

Thanks to a request I made previously, Jenny is back with today's DLP Column, "Differences between Attractions at Disneyland Paris and Other Disney Parks."

Similar rides can be found in many of the Disney theme parks around the world but the park in Disneyland Paris has more differences than any other.

Phantom Manor & Haunted Mansions (photo courtesy of David Jafra)

There are three Haunted Mansions in Disney parks, plus the unique Phantom Manor in Paris Disneyland - given its name so that non-English speaking people could easily associate it with ghosts as they are not familiar with the word ‘haunted’. Phantom Manor is based in Frontierland, so has an “old west” atmosphere, as well as a storyline that’s much darker than the other versions with an evil Phantom taking over the house.

Whereas the Haunted Mansions around the world have a neat outside/spooky inside rule with pristine red bricks, the Phantom Manor looks worn out and abandoned both inside and out, and was intended to resemble Bates Manor in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’.



Pirates of the Caribbean (photo courtesy of Loren Javier)

The Pirates of the Caribbean ride was the inspiration behind the famous film franchise of the same name, starring Johnny Depp. When the ride in Disneyland Paris was built, the scenes were arranged in a different order to the other versions, with the pirates raiding the fort being first, followed by the battle scene and the prison scene.

The attraction in Paris currently remains loyal to its roots as it still has the original ride, whereas the other versions had a revamp in 2006 that included the introduction of Audio-Animatronic figures of Captain Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa. There are however plans to include these in Paris in the near future.



Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing & the Jungle Cruise (photo courtesy of Loren Javier)

All of the Disney parks include a boating experience with the majority favouring a fun and exciting Jungle Cruise. The Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing at Disneyland Paris however, is a more laid-back affair, featuring two majestic river boats - Mark Twain and Molly Brown - which provide a relaxing journey as they navigate the Rivers of the Far West around Frontierland.
The Jungle Cruise in the other Disney parks is an entertaining ride for kids, featuring various boats (27 feet long), which use a 4-cylinder Chevrolet engine, with names such as Amazon Belle and Ganges Gal. Sailing around jungles and rivers from across the world, the attraction brims with exotic Audio-Animatronic jungle animals and tropical foliage.

Many thanks to Jenny for contributing this post! As a bonus for the recent release of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," I am including a few extras, beginning with an interview from Geoffrey Rush, the talented actor who portrays Hector Barbossa in the movie. He is also one of the few to win the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Oscar ("Shine"), a Tony, and an Emmy.



Are you a fan of the extras that come along with DVDs and Blu-Ray disks?
I love the bonus material you find on DVDs. In a funny way, the bloopers and the behind-the-scenes coverage is like a great personal home movie for me. Some actors like to photograph their experiences on a movie set. They take pictures of the friends and the mates they work with, but I never get around to it. However, I recently looked at the DVD bonus features for a movie called Elizabeth and it felt like I was watching a home movie of all of my friends. The DVD teams manage to record everything much better than I could. It’s very professionally done, not like a hand-held camera.

Have you got used to the scale of the sets involved with the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies?
I don’t think you ever get used to working on a movie like this. The scale of everything on these films is always jaw dropping. The scale or performance that’s required is sometimes jaw dropping, too.



How long does it take you to get into character each day?
At first, it seems to take an eternity – but as the shoot goes on, you get much slicker. We got the time in makeup down from about two-and-a-half hours to one-and-a-half because everybody becomes really efficient with time.

What does the makeup process involve?
There’s a lot of preparation involved with my character’s makeup. You have to rough up the skin, stick on the beard, put on the wig – and then you put on his clothes once you’re ready. You slowly build up to Barbossa, which is great for getting into the character. However, I always feel that the hat completes everything. Once the hat goes on, I enter into the spirit of it and I truly become Barbossa.



What is the secret behind the success of the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise?
At its heart, I think the great diversity of characters in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise has been very appealing to audiences, especially with Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow. Johnny created an entirely new and different pirate, and everybody fell in love with the character.

Did you know how popular the franchise was going to become when you first started work on the original movie?
The first film took everyone by surprise because there had been a 50-year period where nobody had been able to crack the pirate genre. People had tried to reboot it in many different forms, but it just didn’t capture popular imagination. When the first Pirates Of The Caribbean film came out in 2003, I was reading one of the entertainment magazines and I remember seeing about 50 movies mentioned, including a lot of talk about Charlie’s Angels 2 and The Incredible Hulk. However, Pirates Of The Caribbean was buried somewhere down the bottom.

Do you remember the tide turning when the movie was released?
Yes, and I think Jerry Bruckheimer’s instincts were quietly accurate because he chose a very late weekend in the summer to release the film. The first movie came out in the States in July, not May, and it just sort of ignited.



Did your kids visit the set during the film shoot?
My kids have visited a number of sets during the filming of the various Pirates Of The Caribbean movies. In fact, I’ve got a series of photographs from 2002 onwards from their various set visits. There are photos where they are up to my hips, then my chest, them my ears and now they’re even taller than me. Barbossa always stays the same, but the children have grown up a lot.

Do people remember you more from Pirates Of The Caribbean than from your Oscar-winning role in Shine?
It completely varies. If I’m out and about in public and someone makes eye contact, I can tell what movie they recognize me from. I can see them approach me and I think, ‘This is going to be a House On Haunted Hill or a Pirates Of The Caribbean moment.’ You can pick the different demographics.

Are there any similarities between Barbossa and Aksenti Poprishchin, the character you recently played in the play, The Diary Of A Madman?
I like to build up a diverse gallery of characters, but the theater is a very different medium because you take ownership of the performance almost exclusively. You collaborate with other actors and the director, but ultimately – when the show is running for two hours every night – you’re in charge of it. There’s nobody editing your performance.

Are there any similarities at all?
I guess there is an overlap between Barbossa and Poprishchin in the sense that I gravitate towards characters who operate in some kind of extreme world. I’m not as interested, nor as skilled, at playing the nuances of smaller lives. For me, the bigger the better.

You’re quoted as saying there’s a scary side to acting. What do you mean by that?
There’s a certain vulnerability to the job description and at the same time you constantly want to better yourself or outdo yourself – but it can be really scary. However, you up certain technical capabilities with experience. I now know that when I work in the theater, I will get four or five weeks to rehearse and I know how to get the best value out of that time frame so that I’m ready and prepared. But at the same time, you’re constantly thinking that you could go out there and bomb really badly. That’s scary, too. It doesn’t matter if you’re working on movies or in the theater, there’s always something at the back of your mind that says, ‘Are you going to bomb today?’



You’ve spent many years working on Hollywood movies. Why do you still live in Australia and not in Los Angeles?
I was in my mid-40s when I made my first film, but I was probably set in my ways and I knew that I wanted my kids to grow up in an Australian education system. It was practical for me to be able to live in Melbourne, Australia, but still be able to work internationally. The studios say to me, “Well, we’ll fly you over. That’s fine.” And that’s great for me. Work keeps happening and now I have a lot of frequent flyer points. I couldn’t be happier!

See more Disneyland Paris photos on my Disneyland Paris web page.

Sundays in Paris: Tower of Terror

In honor of the Halloween season, Jenny has written today's DLP Column, "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Paris Disneyland." The first five photos for today's post are by David Jafra.

The Hollywood Tower Hotel was the epitome of style and glamour in the 1930s, but after one thundery night in 1939, something dark and unexplainable took place. Guests at the Paris Disneyland Resort will discover that nothing is as it seems in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. In fact it’s the most daunting elevator they’ll ever step foot in.



After almost six years of construction, costing over 180 million Euros, the attraction first opened at the Walt Disney Studios Park in 2007. Its official name is ‘La Tour de la Terreur - Un Saut dans la Quatrième Dimension’, which translates as ‘a jump into the fourth dimension’. This downtown Hollywood hotel has an eerie feel about it, with the lettering on the façade hanging at an angle and its neon lights flickering unnervingly.



Although it was constructed using concrete instead of steel due to French construction guidelines, the ‘hotel’ is identical in almost every way to the version in California. It rises to a height of 183ft making it the tallest attraction on Disneyland Paris holidays, with a further 40ft of basement space to fall into The Twilight Zone. Faster than the speed of gravity, the drop is around 160ft and plunges guests 13 floors.



This unique attraction uses three of the largest vertical vehicle conveyance motors ever built. They are three times as large as the biggest standard high-speed elevator motors and even quicker than the fastest high speed-elevator in the world, plummeting at a staggering 39mph.



Photo by Neal Whitehouse Piper

The ageing Hollywood hotel is steeped in history, complete with abandoned luggage and creaking boiler room. Props from France, Holland and the UK decorate the hotel, with many coming from one collector in Holland, which all add to the ambiance of this most chilling attraction.


Rounding out today's post are two photos from Christoph Juergens:





Here's a comparison shot of the Directory from DCA's Tower of Terror:



See more Disneyland Paris photos on my Disneyland Paris web page.

Top 10 Scariest Disney Film Moments, Pt. 2—Halloween Festival at Disneyland Paris

Guest columnist Jenny gives us part 2 today from her Top 10 Scariest Disney Film Moments series.

Before visiting Disneyland Paris take a look at our countdown of the top 10 scariest moments in Disney movies. Here are the top five…



5. 101 Dalmatians – Cruella De Vil Snaps The evil Cruella has a huge fur fetish but when she can’t find any dalmatian skin, she suddenly snaps and reveals her inner monster. Frantically driving after the lorry full of dalmatians, Cruella tries to knock them off the slippery roads with a face of thunder and eyes almost popping out of her head.

Snow White at Disneyland Paris, by Kate



4. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – The Forest If the sight of a giant Huntsman looming over the defenceless Snow White with a huge dagger wasn’t scary enough, Snow White then runs away into the terrifying woods. In the forest she’s greeted by frightening owls, bats and alligators, as well as trees that are monsters and every branch is a petrifying hand. Experience the story for yourself at Eurodisney Paris by visiting the Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains ride – if you dare!

Neige-et les Sept Nains at Disneyland Paris, by Loren Javier





3. Fantasia – A Night on Bald Mountain Many people find Fantasia both fascinating and terrifying and the final animation sequence, ‘A Night on Bald Mountain’ is probably the scariest of the lot. The chilling Chernabog manages to give you the creeps without even speaking. Summoning evil spirits from their graves, they dance and fly through the air before the sun forces them to retreat.

Ursula in the Disneyland Paris Parade, by Sam Lavi



2. The Little Mermaid – Ursula After accidently killing her beloved pets, Ursula gets angry – her eyes bulge and she grows into a super giantess in a bid to destroy her enemies and rule the ocean. The scene where she tries to kill Ariel and Eric, when rising from the ocean with the pair on top of her crown, is truly terrifying.



1. Pinocchio – Pleasure Island The boys find themselves locked on Pleasure Island and their indulgences lead to a wholly disturbing transformation into donkeys before they are shipped off in boxes to the salt mines. The demonic grin of the Coachman gets creepier by the scene and is by far the most haunting part of the sequence.

Now go and enjoy your Sunday...before I ship you off to the salt mines!



See more Disneyland Paris photos on my Disneyland Paris web page.

Top 10 Scariest Disney Film Moments, Pt. 1—Halloween Festival at Disneyland Paris

Guest columnist Jenny has prepared a 2-part post to get you in the mood for Halloween! The first photo for today's post, showing a Maleficent float in a Disneyland Paris parade, is from Sam Lavi.

With Halloween fast approaching, the Paris Disneyland Resort will be celebrating throughout the month of October with their Halloween Festival. To get you in the mood, we’ve listed the top 10 scariest Disney film moments of all time that have had viewers cowering behind their sofas.

10. Dumbo – Pink Elephants The clowns drop some whiskey in Dumbo’s water bucket and the poor elephant gets drunk. Dumbo then has some weird hallucinations, which involve pink coloured elephants dancing around. It’s not scary in the conventional way but it’s just incredibly bizarre.

9. Mickey and the Beanstalk – Donald Duck goes Crazy In Disney’s retelling of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk story, it all becomes too much for Donald as he is forced to share one bean with Mickey and Goofy. Donald goes crazy, eating his plate and silverware before grabbing an axe and attempting to kill the cow in the garden. Mickey and Goofy manage to get the axe off him just in the nick of time.



8. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Transformation of the Wicked Queen Jealous that her magic mirror keeps stating Snow White is the ‘fairest of them all’, the Wicked Queen uses a magic potion to transform herself from icy beauty to an old crone in order to trick Snow White. Her hands become bony and pointy, her nose grows and she looks truly hideous. Enough to scare anyone!

7. The Lion King – Mufasa’s Death The death of Mufasa is both shocking and terrifying. The King of the Jungle is betrayed by his brother Scar, before being trampled to death by a stampede of wildebeests. Not only that, but the whole thing is witnessed by poor little Simba. (Note: Be sure to check out the new Lion King 3D version in theaters. Don't delay; you have less than two weeks before its limited theatrical run ends!)



6. Sleeping Beauty – Maleficent When visiting Sleeping Beauty’s Castle on Disneyland Paris holidays, you better hope the evil Maleficent is not hanging around. One scene in the film shows her standing in a dark fireplace with just the knob of her staff glowing bright green and her evil eyes staring back at you. Creepy!



The Top 10 Disney Film Moments, Part Two, will be with you on Sunday 25th September, so prepare to be even more spooked…


Here's a photo of Donald and Mickey at Disneyland Paris, by Loren Javier. I'd hate to leave you all with nightmares!



But wait, there's more! Here's another recipe in commemoration of the September 20th 70th Anniversary Blu-ray release. Just click on the photo to download the pdf recipe for Mini Corn Dog Muffins:



Still want more? How about a FREE pair of collectible kid-sized "Lion King" 3D glasses (recommended for children 8 years and under)? Two lucky Daveland readers will win a pair; just leave a comment on today's post (before Monday, 9/19 at noon) and you'll be entered into a drawing to receive these way cool golden peepers!



See more Disneyland Paris photos on my Disneyland Paris web page.

Sundays in Paris: Pt. Quatre, Alice in Wonderland

Jenny has submitted another DLP Column, "The Making of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland: Follow Alice’s Footsteps at Disneyland Paris"



Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010) is one of the most intriguing Disney films in recent times and uses many state-of-the-art special effects. Experience the weird and wacky world of Alice in Wonderland for yourself at Disneyland Paris as you join Alice in some action-packed adventures.



Many different techniques were used by Burton throughout the film - it was constantly evolving as it was the director’s first experience shooting a 3D film. 90% of the scenes were shot in just 40 days, with actors performing in front of a green screen.



The movie was shot using conventional cameras and then the footage was converted into 3D during post-production. A Panavision Genesis Digital Camera System was primarily used, shooting 1 to 50 frames per second, but in order to film close ups of the actors and scenes that involved objects being blown up; a Dalsa Origin 4k Camera was required.



The whole of Wonderland in the film is actually a CGI creation, with CGI animation being used for the characters and their movements. The Tweedles (played by Matt Lucas) wore special suits to track their movements so their bodies could be animated, while their faces were both his own. Other digital effects were used to distort the physical appearance of the actors, such as the size of the Red Queen’s head and the height of Alice.


Alice in Wonderland float at Disneyland Paris, photo by Kate

For those who love all things Alice and want to take the 3D experience one step further, head to Eurodisney Paris. Here, you can weave your way through Alice’s maze and discover Alice’s Curious Labyrinth for all sorts of sights and surprises.


Alice's Curious Labyrinth Disneyland Paris, photo by Cea

You’ll also be invited to ride the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups to experience more twists and turns than a rabbit hole.


Mad Hatter at Disneyland Paris, photo by Kate

Kids will even get the chance to meet Alice or watch her with friends in the wonderful Disney parade at various times throughout the day.

See more Disneyland Paris photos on my Disneyland Paris web page.

Sundays in Paris, Pt. Trois: Pushing the Boundaries of Technology

Two interesting construction shots with notations on the back; I can only assume that this collection came from someone who actually worked on the project, as the notes are fairly technical in construction jargon.

Boat in the Blue Lagoon. This will be the tunnel you go through to start your Ride. Falls will be on both sides (Ride test). Early in '91'

I will also assume these are for Pirates of the Caribbean.





Bombardment Scene. Left side of tunnel Entrance. This is Bottom of Down Ramp I. Scratch Cote 2 meters up on Surface of Rock. (Ride Test) Early in '91'



Back to current days of Disneyland Paris, Jenny is back with another column:

Disney has always combined imagination with original and innovative ideas. As technology becomes more advanced, many new features have been added to the Paris Disneyland Resort to enhance the Disney experience.



New creations are integral to the development of Disney, who have perfected over 100 technological patents, which include special effects, ride systems and interactive technology. For example, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror uses gravity-defying technology to plunge guests 13 floors from the top of an elevator shaft, while the Stitch Live! show uses ‘real time’ animation technology to allow guests to interact and talk with an animated Stitch.

Disneyland Paris became the first theme park in the world to be visible with Google Street View, taking over 85,000 photos for the project. Disney fans are able to use Google Earth to zoom into the park from the comfort of their own homes and enjoy 360˚ street-level pictures to see every magical detail. A great way to plan your trip, step by step!



Bluetooth technology was introduced to the Walt Disney Studios Park in 2008. Guests were able to pick up a Bluetooth signal for free at certain points to find out show times and the length of waiting lines. Flashcode technology or QR Codes – a 2D barcode that users can take a picture of on their phone to connect to a mobile website – were introduced a year later. Visitors can scan these codes on signs, menus and even screens to find out all sorts of information.

As technology continues to develop, tourists on Disneyland Paris holidays are now able to download a free iPhone application. It’s the first Disney Park to have such an app, which helps guests customise their visit and optimise their time with tonnes of information available, from admission rates and recommended itineraries to videos of the latest attractions. An interactive map is also accessible, which pinpoints your exact location in the park, via GPS. Disney continually finds the courage to try new things by pushing the boundaries of technology to benefit its guests. I can’t wait to see what they introduce next.

See more Disneyland Paris photos at my regular website.

Sundays in Paris, Pt. Deux

More on DLP from guest columnist, Jenny Bailey:

In order to preserve its magic, the secrets of the Paris Disneyland resort have always remained hidden away from public eyes. Hard work and meticulous preparation helps create that unique Disney experience, but what actually goes on behind the scenes?
Careful planning and dedication backstage has ensured Disneyland Paris holidays have been loved for almost two decades. Hours of rehearsals for shows and parades take place in the studios in front of floor-to-ceiling mirrors, allowing the likes of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White to perfect their dance routines. Around 60 hours of choreography were needed to prepare for the Magical Moments Festival alone.

Every effort is taken to maintain the Disney image, which means none of the characters can be seen talking, eating or sitting down at any time. Many hidden pathways are used so the trained team of actors can enter and leave the park at any time. Behind Main Street USA, yet more paths lead to the staff complex, complete with shower block, canteen, cash machine and even a board with a daily weather forecast.



The ten in-house costume designers create thousands of intricate outfits a year in the 100-metre long hangar with vaulted metallic ceiling. This is where the magic really takes place and there are around 50,000 complete show outfits housed there. Mickey and Minnie have hundreds of different ensembles each and Pluto goes through a staggering 200 tongues a year because of kids pulling on it so often. The ‘It’s a Small World’ attraction has up to 320 dolls, whose costumes are changed twice a year – a massive 30 to 60 hours of work goes into making each one!

A few more Disneyland Paris construction photos for you to round out this post. Another shot of what appears to be the Wicked Wench from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction:



Disneyland Paris has two Riverboats: The Mark Twain (a sternwheeler) and The Molly Brown (a side-wheeler, in honor of the boisterous Titanic survivor). Here's one The Twain under construction.



Two of Disneyland Paris' Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction under construction:





To pull it all together, here's a DLP postcard showing the art for what this finished area, known as The Rivers of the Far West, would look like:



See more Disneyland Paris photos at my main website.