Thank you! In less than a year, our first HD video of Disney Dreams! at Disneyland Paris has been viewed over half a million times. The current tally on our YouTube Channel stands at a simply astonishing 510,879 views. Purely testament to the sheer quality of this stunning show. Read More…
The new spring season of late March and early April normally brings refreshes to most Disneyland Paris restaurant menus, but until then we’ve been getting the current pages up to speed with a slate of updates from the winter season to help you plan your impending trip. Read More…
We’re all ready for a new year of magic with the latest Calendar updates from Disneyland Paris. Read More…
Of a greedy disposition? Still keeping up with your New Year diet? Best skip this one.
The world-renowned, Parisian luxury cakes and pastries brand Ladurée is, surprisingly, a fan of that Mouse out in Marne-la-Vallée. For this Paris institution and tourist must-taste, famed for its “double-decker macaron, fifteen thousand of which are sold every day”, has teamed up with –yes– Disneyland Resort Paris.
The very Parisian “Chef pâtissiers” are helping to launch the very American resort’s new year-long event, Mickey’s Magical Party, by creating… the Mickey macaron.
Now, “what’s a macaron?”, you ask…? Ladurée’s creation sees two outer shells — crispy on the outside, soft and chewy like a cookie on the inside — sandwich a thick, rich layer of ganache filling. They come in over 20 varieties — with a new one added each season — and in all the colours of the rainbow.
Disneyland Resort Paris has captured the entire process for us to feast over…
First, a stencil for the base needs to be created. Then, the “pâtissiers” fill it with three circles of thick, raspberry macaron mixture.
Next, the creamy raspberry-flavoured ganache (imagine the inside of a chocolate truffle) is smothered all over the bright red base, with three separate, circular macaron shells added to finish this special creation — one rich chocolate, one vanilla and the largest raspberry.
The creators at Ladurée appear to be rather proud of their special creation — 17 years on, has Disneyland Resort Paris finally become “acceptible” in the mean, disparaging streets of Paris?
If the intoxicating sweetness of the Mickey macaron itself wasn’t enough, it comes wrapped in possibly the sweetest gift box ever seen, featuring a child-like Mickey Mouse in black and white above the Ladurée logo.
And to taste their final creation, the Mouse himself even travelled into the city to the luxurious flagship pâtisserie of Ladurée…
How can you get a taste of the Mickey macaron? It’ll be on sale in that cute gift box at Disneyland Resort Paris, in Walt’s – An American Restaurant in Main Street, USA and California Grill at Disneyland Hotel for two months from 4th April 2009, costing 12 euros.
Then, for a limited time from 4th to 10th May 2009 (perhaps they’re not that keen on promoting the Mouse after all), it’ll be on sale in the spectacular Ladurée boutique on the Champs-Elysées itself, setting you back a slightly inflated 14 euros.
Now, get a cloth and wipe that drool from your keyboard, will you?
Pictures © Disney/Ladurée.
The song, of course, is for Mickey’s Magical Party and will therefore unsurprisingly be titled “It’s Party Time!”, with the actual chorus proclaiming “It’s Mickey’s Magical Time!”.
Beginning with a lone chorus singing out “It’s Mickey’s Magical Time… Everybody’s ready it’s time to play”, the song builds through a quick jazzy brass intro before launching into the first verse with drums, heavy guitars and some very pacey vocals from both a male and female lead. The brass element returns several times, but the overall feel is very much a progression of the modern pop/rock touched upon with “Just Like We Dreamed It“.
Unusually, the full lyrics are already out!
It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time,
Everybody’s ready it’s time plaaayyyyy……
(Its time to party, come have a party, ohh yea, you know its party time)
Verse 1:
Welcome everybody, let the fun being
(Oh oh it’s party time)
A Disney celebration with all of our friends!
(You know its party time)
Young, Brand New – we’re so glad that you’re here!
(Oh oh it’s party time)
It’s a magical invitation to the party of the year
(You know its party time)
With Disney magic excitement grows, Grab a balloon – come on lets go……
Chorus:
It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time,
Everybody’s ready it’s time to play…
At Mickey’s Magical Party Time, yea yea
The party of the year, and it’s happening here!
It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time,
We’ll let the music out load – dancing with the crowd!
At Mickey’s Magical Party Time, hey hey!
(Its party time, its party time, if you wanna party, you know its party time!)
Verse 2:
Kiddies, right we’re coming, it’s getting a little wild!
(Oh oh it’s party time)
Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and every child.
(You know its party time)
Lint, then needles with ribbons and bows!
(Oh oh it’s party time)
Lets decorate to celebrate with everyone we know
(You know its party time)
With Disney magic excitement grows….
Everybody Grab a balloon – come on lets go……!!!
Chorus:
It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time,
Everybody’s ready it’s time to play…
At Mickey’s Magical Party Time, yea yea
The party of the year, and it’s happening here!
It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time,
We’ll let the music out loud – dancing with the crowd!
At Mickey’s Magical Party Time, hey hey!
Verse 3:
We’re dancing in the street to a party-time beat –
lets shoot for the stars that’s what you will do…
We’re dancing in the street to party-time beat – everybody let loose!
People from all around the world – have come from far and near!
Everybody clap, everybody cheer – the party of the year and it’s happening here!!
Chorus:
It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time,
Everybody’s ready it’s time to play…
At Mickey’s Magical Party Time, yea yea
The party of the year, and it’s happening here!
It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time,
We’ll let the music out loud – dancing with the crowd!
At Mickey’s Magical Party Time, hey hey!
We’ll let the music out loud – dancing with the crowd!
Mickey’s Magical Party Time, yea yea
The party of the year, and it’s happening here!
At Mickey’s Magical Party Time, hey hey!
Everybody’s let loose
(Party time, oh yea, its Mickey’s magical party, yea, party time, yea yea)
ITS PARTY TIME!!
Though very much a generic “event” tune, the lyrics do make reference to several of the key Mickey’s Magical Party emblems, such as “Grab a balloon — come on let’s go…”. The full details of where and when during the celebration it’ll actually appear has yet to be confirmed, but we can certainly count on it being used for It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends and It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland, if not Minnie’s Party Train too.
As mentioned previously, the song is produced by Scott Erickson, who worked on a variety of direct-to-video releases such as Mickey-Donald-Goofy in The Three Musketeers, Bambi II and Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch.
Finally — yes, the song will be catchy. Very catchy. In fact, from April 4th, be very prepared to have nothing but “It’s Mickey’s magical party time” ringing through your head, until May at the earliest…
With many thanks to Poppy the Monkey for the lyrics.
It’s the much anticipated grand opening of dark ride Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney’s California Adventure park and the impending US release of sure-fire Summer blockbuster WALL-E that has brought the business world’s attention back to the mouse’s relationship with that desk lamp.
Whilst it was Disneyland Resort Paris that benefited most from the rekindled Disney-Pixar relationship last year, with inspiration for the Toon Studio expansion, all this talk of big-budget films and 4D interactive dark rides certainly doesn’t leave our homeland completely in the dark.
In a post on CNBC.com’s Media Money blog, found by member Yesitsme on magicforum, writer Julia Boorstin investigates how Disney has used the characters of Pixar to bring a new generation to their theme parks. Hinting at projects yet to come, she name-checks the well-known ‘Carsland’ expansion at California Adventure, and then something a little less well-known, for much closer to home…
There’s no question that Pixar is an increasingly important driver of Disney parks. The last big attraction Disneyland launched was its “Finding Nemo” Submarine ride last year, it’s working on a big “Cars” attraction for Disneyland and a “Ratatouille” ride for Euro Disney outside Paris. All these rides further proof of the fact that Disney’s acquisition of Pixar was about much more than just a movie studio, it was about building brands to exploit across all its platforms, which is CEO Bob Iger’s big strategy.
That’s it, folks. A ‘Ratatouille’ ride for Disneyland Resort Paris!
More specifically, as we’ve all already guessed, for the back of Toon Studio at Walt Disney Studios Park. To repeat the rumours from DCP forum member Grandmath we shared in our last update, some current plans spotted backstage show a very large showbuilding connected onto the Costuming building and sitting across part of the current Studio Tram Tour road, which has been rerouted.
The balloon height tests appeared to suggest a building about the same height as Studio 5 — the Crush’s Coaster building. The exterior is widely suspected to be based on Gusteau’s restaurant from the film, but this fact has yet to extend beyond a guess.
What kind of timescale are we looking at? If DLRP Today sources are correct, don’t expect to meet Rémy in any way other than a meet ‘n’ greet on Toon Studio Plaza for some time yet. The good news here, though, is that this attraction will reportedly be something quite special. As in, something good enough for the 20th Anniversary…
But, thanks to CNBC, the Rat is officially out of the bag a full four years early.
You’ve adored the film, fallen in love with Giselle, bought the DVD and played it ’til your neighbours wish you’d be thrown into a well. But did you also read the rumours?
Wishes, the Summer fireworks show at Disneyland Park for the past three years, has had its day. The projection, laser and firework “story in the sky” will not be returning for the 2008 season. Instead, as the whispers have been suggesting for many weeks, an even more Enchanted theme is to take its place.
Finally, we have confirmation! From two sources, no less. First, an official French press release about the Summer season:
“Chaque aprés-midi, alors que les rèves d’imagination, de joie, d’amitié, etc. sont mis en scène dans la Parade des Rèves Disney, le rève d’amour s’exprime, à la nuit tombée dans le parc Disneyland, par le tout dernier spectacle pyrotechnique, Les Feux Enchantés. Cette véritable ode aux grandes histoires d’amour fera vibrer les visiteurs au rythme de la musique du film Il était une fois.”
This excerpt suggests an “ode to great love stories”, “set to the music of Enchanted“.
Secondly and more publicly, an email advertisement sent out to everyone on Disneyland Resort Paris’ UK mailing list has confirmed the show direct to guests:
That’s how we know.
The Enchanted Fireworks — or ‘Les Feux Enchantées’ — will be presented every night over Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant in Disneyland Park, from 5th July to 31st August 2008.
Big, explosive shells are again out of the question — the huge cost for the resort and noise pollution for local towns is too prohibitive for an event running almost an entire two months. The clever laser and projection effects of Wishes are also not confirmed to be a part of the show. Given the spectacular projection show created just for one night with the opening of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, however, it wouldn’t be too naive to expect those wizards to work at least a little of their magic here.
The music has long been rumoured to be the ‘Enchanted Suite’ from the official soundtrack album. The opening and finale of this track are certainly perfect for fireworks, but a long stretch in the middle — where slower songs such as ‘So Close’ are featured — would likely not lend itself very well at all.
The length of the entire track, at just 4 minutes 35 seconds, is also far shorter than the 9 minutes of Wishes. Should we assume the ‘Enchanted Suite’ will be the basis of the show, but with additions from other parts of the soundtrack?
It is expected the show will be similar and style and size to the popular Tinkerbell’s Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks (1998-2004), which featured the jolly, bouncy songs of Disney’s Peter Pan set to simple, colourful and lively fireworks. This show lasted 6 minutes 50 seconds. In contrast, the slower, story-driven Wishes, though never unpopular with guests, as some fans might suggest, did often fail to make such an instant connection to the audience.
With those brilliant Oscar-nominated songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz such as ‘That’s How You Know‘ and ‘Happy Working Song’ to build upon, The Enchanted Fireworks will likely be more of a “Tink’s” than a “Wishes”, and rather enchanting too.
We’ll know for sure on 5th July.
We say “line the coffers” because those already-expensive Limited Edition pins are now stuck at the regular price of € 10.90 each month. It’s only 40 Euro cents more, but a bit of a kick to the people who want buy these pins — who are, in general, the guests who will already have donated plenty more of their money to the resort via annual passes and so on.
Enough moans, here are the pins…
Saturday, 5th April 2008
Mickey Tower of Terror Lift Boxed
Reference number 209401007061
Price 16.90 Euros
Pin Trading Starter Kit: Stitch Tower of Terror
Reference number 209411008004
Price 19.90 Euros
Saturday, 12th April 2008
Saint Patrick’s Day 2008
Reference number 209501008050
Limited edition 600 ex
Price 10.90 Euros
Nightmare Before Christmas: Jack Framed
Reference number 209401008014
Prix : 6.00 euros. Price 6.00 Euros
Nightmare Before Christmas: Sally Framed
Reference number 209401008015
Price 6.00 Euros
Stitch Europe Invasion No. 3: Belgium
Reference number 209401008015
Limited edition: 900ex
Price 10.90 Euros
Friday, 25th April 2008
Pin Trading Night
at Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe from 6.00pm onwards
Again no artwork, the official website is stuck on February 2008.
Public art installations. We’ve seen colourful Cow Parades, Super Lamb Bananas and many more… but a crashed lift? This is something new. Jutting at an angle from smashed and upturned paving slabs, a very familiar elevator cabin first appeared yesterday in Leicester Square, one of the busiest public spaces in London’s West End and best known as the home to most European and British film premieres.
Just across the way from the Empire Cinema, a cracked and rusted elevator cabin appeared overnight in the square, surrounded by black and yellow hazard tape, as if dropped out of the sky from a great height through an opening in the Twilight Zone. The cables and mechanisms on top were rusted and snapped, the words “Service Elevator” clearly written above the doors.
Through the murky and dirty windows, passers-by could peer inside to see mysterious imagery from the attraction and The Twilight Zone television series. Keeping guard throughout the day were a team of real bellhops, dressed in the now-familiar Parisian Tower of Terror costumes, creeping around the public who dared to look closer, and hosting several special games and entertainments as the crowds gathered. Written on the sides of the box was simply “www.towerofterror.co.uk”.
It was a little piece of Hollywood Tower Hotel magic in the heart of London, as the resort continues to build momentum with its large-scale advertising campaign for the new attraction. Not since the opening of the resort in 1992, when a miniature Sleeping Beauty Castle toured European cities, have we seen such exciting initiatives to create a buzz about the magic.
Also today, the resort issued a national press release for the UK mapping out 13 Twilight Zone “hotspots” around the country, places where surprising levels of paranormal activity — and belief — have been recorded. Here it is in full:
NATIONAL PRESS RELEASE UK 13 TWILIGHT ZONE HOTSPOTS REVEALED
Brummies beware! According to new research out today from Disneyland Resort Paris, Birmingham is the twilight zone capital of the UK, recording the highest levels of supernatural phenomena.
The research, which looked at strange happenings and unexplained mysteries across the country, reveals the UK’s ‘capital’ and 13 hotspots for twilight zone activity. Commissioned to celebrate the launch of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror* – a new attraction at Disneyland Resort Paris, inspired by the 1950s TV series The Twilight Zone® – the research has formed the basis of a spotter’s guide to the UK’s real twilight zones.
UK 13 TWILIGHT ZONE HOTSPOTS
‘¢ Birmingham — the twilight zone capital of the UK
‘¢ Bristol
‘¢ Nottingham
‘¢ Leicester
‘¢ Kent
‘¢ Manchester
‘¢ London
‘¢ Reading
‘¢ Coventry
‘¢ Brighton
‘¢ Southampton
‘¢ Edinburgh
‘¢ CardiffWith almost two thirds (61%) of Brummies believing in the supernatural it’s hardly surprising that the city boasts some of the country’s most bizarre twilight zone activity — from giant hailstones and alien rocks plummeting from the heavens, to phantom policemen, mysterious fires and mince-pie eating Martians.
One example of bizarre Brummie behaviour is when Sylvia Mowday, from Sutton Park, Birmingham, was walking through the park on 12 June 1954, when there was a sudden downpour. She said, “My four-year old daughter put up her little red umbrella and we heard things thudding against it. To our amazement it was a shower of frogs, coming down from the sky, hundreds of them. We looked up and saw frogs coming down like snowflakes”.
The rest of the country shares the same paranoia, with over half (59%) of Brits believing in the paranormal. Other UK hotspots include Bristol, where 12-year old Vvyan Jones from Henbury, broke his arm and for the next two days his hair stood on end. He developed the power to give people strong electric shocks, make lights flicker, watches stop and the TV crackle. Now that’s what you call a shocking excuse for late homework!
If you’re Scottish, watch out for strange happenings in Edinburgh, specifically the Tranent area. In 1997 a phantom lamp lighter began turning on street lamps during the day for no apparent reason — luckily he vanished unharmed, otherwise Burn’s night would have taken on a strange new meaning!
For those of you not sure whether you’ve ever been to a twilight zone before, Disneyland Resort Paris, with the help of author David Sutton, has created ‘A spotter’s guide to the UK’s real twilight zones’. Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, the information contained in the guide will help dispel any doubts, with an A-Z of twilight zone phenomena, as well as tips on how to enter the fourth dimension and side-effects to watch out for. Drop in to www.towerofterror.co.uk to download your copy!
David Sutton, editor of the Fortean Times and author of this spotter’s guide to the UK’s real twilight zones says, “There are millions of unexplained happenings in our world that can occur anytime and anywhere. This guide throws open the door to the 4th dimension for all to see. It’s a fun starting point for your personal exploration of the UK’s real twilight zones.”
Dr. Kenny Webster, Resident Scientist at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum remarks: “It will come as no surprise to the residents of Birmingham that we live in our very own twilight zone. Birmingham has the youngest population in Europe and it is well recorded that children are highly susceptible to paranormal events, there are many cases of ‘imaginary friends’ in children which are now being attributed by some as ghostly interactions.”
Miguel Piedra, PR Director, Disneyland Resort Paris comments: “We haven’t had anything as odd as frogs falling from the sky in Disneyland Resort Paris, but we can certainly offer everyone the chance to drop 13 floors when they ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disneyland Resort Paris — they may even get to enter the 4th dimension!”
The ‘Spotters Guide to the UK’s Real Twilight Zones’ can be downloaded via the Library of the official Tower-of-Terror.co.uk website here (click the lamp on the left of the screen), a downloadable mini-book with countless fun stories of strange apparitions and paranormal events across the UK. A good idea, not only because Brits seem to have a strange appetite for these kind of mysteries, but because it brings the feelings of the attraction itself a little closer-to-home for people right across the country.
The guide also reveals the firm who appear to be behind some of the events so far — Cow PR (you can find their website here). Their slogan is “We’re not sheep”, and they promise to not follow the herd when it comes to advertising. “We steer clear of ‘factory-farmed’ PR and look for new ways of getting in front of your audiences,” they say. They’ve certainly achieved that with the Tower of Terror.
No information about the crashed elevator cabin appearing in other cities has been released, however, but given the quality and scale of the “art installation”, it would seem a strong possibility this wormhole into another dimension won’t be a one-off.
Keep your eyes open… you never know when The Twilight Zone will open up again…
— Find more details of the UK publicity campaign here. The campaign is due to officially begin from 5th April. Amongst the plans, the Centrepoint billboard in London will be turned into a giant reproduction of The Hollywood Tower Hotel for four weeks.
Have no fear, DLRP Today is still here and ready to make a comeback after a long, long Christmas break. Whilst there’s a lot to catch up on (how does practically half a park being re-themed and a massive E-Ticket add up?) the January 2008 pin releases seem like a good place to get started.
Because, after all, 2008 will be the year of the Tower of Terror at Disneyland Resort Paris, and no doubt you’ll want to get over to Tower Hotel Gifts a.s.a.p. to complete your pin collection with the two new Tower additions for January:
Saturday, 5th January 2008
2008 Mickey pin
Reference number 209401008016
Price 6.00 Euros
Hight School Musical 2 pin
Reference number 209401008010
Price 6.00 Euros
Hannah Montana pin
Reference number 209401008013
Price 6.00 Euros
Tower of Terror Mickey, Donald & Goofy Scared pin (Plus Pin – special design)
Reference number 209501007060
Limited Edition 900 ex.
Price 11.90 Euros
Saturday, 12th January 2007
Disneyland Resort Paris Eiffel Tower logo pin
Reference number 209401008006
Price 6.00 Euros
Nightmare Before Christmas Wreath pin
Reference number 209401007146
Price 6.00 Euros
Nightmare Before Christmas Jack & Zero Graveyard pin
Reference number 209401007147
Price 8.90 Euros
Tower of Terror Mickey Lift Shaft pin
Reference number 209401008001
Price 6.00 Euros
Retrospective 2003: Fantillusion pin
Reference number 209501007054
Limited Edition 900 ex.
Price 10.90 Euros
Saturday, 19th January 2008
Ratatouille Set of 4 pins
Reference number 209401008009
Price 18.00 Euros
Stich Invasion Europe 1: UK pin
Reference number 209501008036
Limited Edition 900 ex.
Price 10.90 Euros
– – –
UPDATE: Wednesday 3rd January 2008 — the Pin Trading team contacted us with dates for the next two Pin Trading Nights today. Also note the comment below from Gary Jans — the first Tower of Terror pin released this weekend is Limited Edition x900, not open edition as the original release list suggested!
Pin Trading Nights
18th January 2008
Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne
from 6pm onwards
22nd February 2008
Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe
from 6pm onwards
