News / Shows

Continuing on from the reveal of Mickey’s signature costume for the show and a preview of Discoveryland’s addition to the celebrations, the time came for the MC to introduce the main event of Mickey’s Magical Party.

But, surprisingly, it wasn’t Mickey who began the show, but Sébastien — a live speaking host. In fact, Mickey Mouse didn’t appear until around 10 minutes into this 15-minute performance, which the MC described as “an exact take out of the show”…

The video begins with a quick interview with the show’s director, Christophe Leclercq, during which the host announces a quite startling fact about It’s Party Time…with Mickey and Friends: a cast of 40 people on-stage! And absolutely correct that is — as Poppy the Monkey on magicforum confirms, there will be about 30 dancers alone, many brought to the resort from Disneyland in California, with the remaining cast members being the Disney characters on each of the five areas of the new stage.

Compared to the meagre casts of Candleabration, which dwindled from a large cast of flag bearers and dancers to just the seven VIP characters and eventually just Mickey and Minnie, this represents a show on an unprecedented scale for the resort in recent years — performing five times a day, too.

Also confirmed by Poppy the Monkey is more of the show’s running order. There will indeed be a live speaking host, and the dancers (in orange and white) will open the show, joined by the Disney Characters who will appear together via the new under-stage lift. Mickey Mouse, wearing that “luminous” new costume, will appear even later in the show, via the same lift.

As for the show itself, the preview above shows most of the final characters who will appear: Mickey, Pluto, Baloo, Timon, Tigger, Donald and Peter Pan. Wendy and Goofy will complete the final line-up. The actual premise seems a little hard to pin down, and the heavy emphasis on guest interaction and learning dance moves seems to overlap somewhat with It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland.

One of the most promising aspects of the preview above is the addition of various international, European dance styles — such as Spanish salsa and Irish dance — whilst the modern, jazz-orientated instrumental soundtrack appears to be brand new just for this show.

Video by Photos Magiques.

Travel trade partners visiting Disneyland Resort Paris earlier this week for an “educational” trip were also given a special surprise as part of that product education — an exclusive first look at the key events of Mickey’s Magical Party. Since these are the people who’ll be trying to sell the resort and its new celebration over the next year, the organisers pulled out all the stops for an in-depth event-by-event preview.

First up, after the revelation of Mickey’s flashy new costume for It’s Party Time, the first presentation: It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland.

Lights dimmed and Stitch suddenly appeared as a silhouette at the far end of the stage, rushing up toward the real DJ’s decks only to be intercepted by the event’s master of ceremonies and the upcoming show’s director, Emmanuel Lenormand…

As the crowd were whipped up in anticipation, the music began and those pink and blue-dressed sci-fi-like dancers we’ve seen before came parading onto the stage with a hugely energetic routine. Each section of the show introduced new dance steps for the audience to retrace.

The music, as anyone familiar with the California or Florida resorts will instantly recognise, comes straight from Block Party Bash, including the Motown classic “Dancing in the Streets” and… “YMCA”. Whilst the dancers’ costumes suggested the show might be tailored a little more to its Discoveryland location than we first expected, the soundtrack — at least for this preview — doesn’t quite fulfil that hope.

Toward the end of the 11-minute performance, the live host encouraged the crowd in the convention hall to repeat a chant back to the cast. Stitch, wearing an orange baseball cap, remained silent for the whole presentation. It’s expected — but not confirmed — that he will speak in the show, whereas no thought before now was given to the possibility of a live human host.

Since these presentations aim to just give a “feel” for the events and lack the actual stages and performance cues of the real shows, we’ll have to wait and see come 4th April just how much of this preview is true to fact.

Video by PhotosMagiques.com.

The Legend of the Lion King ended after almost five years on 4th January 2009, with unconfirmed word of a return in high season only. But now, despite the huge Lion King stage set still filling the theatre, a new event has been confirmed for the space inside Videopolis as part of this year’s celebrations.

Unlike the other Mickey’s Magical Party events, however, this one won’t be focused strictly on bright, modern themes and might even not be too scared to mention Mickey’s 80-year age. Confirmed in our interview with creative director Kat de Blois, we’ll soon see the entertainment/dining venue become home to Cinéma Mickey, an all-too-rare chance to watch the classic cartoons that began Mickey’s career.

Kat announced in the interview:

“That said, Mickey will be not only present on the stage in front of the Castle, but also at Videopolis in Discoveryland.

“The theater will be transformed into a big cinema, Cinéma Mickey. Be it in the stalls, or eating upstairs, you’ll be able to watch a bunch of Mickey cartoons that made him the star we know, introduced by himself. A new way to celebrate with him, this time as a cartoon character.”

Videopolis interior with current Legend of the Lion King set-up

Mickey Mouse cartoons at Videopolis? It’s true, after all, that Discoveryland presents the future according to the past — and so, this “new” event will take heavy inspiration from something we’ve been enjoying at the venue for as long as we can remember…

Classic cartoons from the Disney archives have always been played on the big screens above the restaurant space to provide entertainment in-between theatre shows, and now it seems they’ll be becoming the main attraction. Kat de Blois’ announcement that Videopolis Theatre will be “transformed into a big cinema” must surely suggest some major changes to the stage area itself, especially with the added confirmation that we’ll now be able to enjoy the cartoons “in the stalls”, without food, too.

But will this be closer to a real stage show or a simple cinema? Kat states that “Mickey will be not only present on the stage in front of the Castle, but also at Videopolis in Discoveryland” and that the cartoons will be “introduced by [Mickey] himself”. It’s up to our own interpretation for now whether this means Mickey will appear on-stage to introduce the cartoons, or simply via a pre-recorded video clip or narration.

• Read the full Mickey’s Magical Party interview with Kat de Blois here!

First — the location! We thought we had it pinned down when the construction walls went up between Star Tours and Star Traders…

Photo: PhotosMagiques.com

But then they came down to reveal a fresh floor (and not much else), and the TV spot threw a mixtape into the decks (or something hip like that) by showing DJ Stitch in front of Space Mountain…

Photo: Disneytheque.com

Now, thanks to creative director Kat de Blois, we’ve got the confirmation: It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland will be performed right next to Star Traders, at the back of the land.

From our interview with Kat de Blois:

All day long, at certain magical times, special events will happen in both parks. For instance, if you’re passing by Star Traders in Discoveryland, you’ll be able to see Stitch jumping in with his ship and his Star-Trek-like dancers to invite you to the dance. The party will be everywhere!

Everywhere the Party may be, but it will still have its limits. In fact, as the latest official texts released by Disneyland Resort Paris announce, this new dance-along show will only be performed from 4th April to 8th November 2009.

“A new entertainment experience, It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland (Disneyland Park) will be held 5 days a week several times, from April 4th till November 8th 2009…”

After Sunday, 8th November 2009, the cold weather will likely make the prospect of Dance Time, outside in Discoveryland, less attractive, and the extra entertainments of Christmas season will command more of the Entertainment budget. The quote above raises another query about the show, though — will it be five days a week, or seven?

It was recently clarified that the recent “cancellation” of The Tarzan Encounter (the show will now return for July and August only) was apparently actually down to a plain budget cut, rather than extra resources being required for these Mickey’s Magical Party shows, with the promotion of It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland to 7-days-a-week performances then merely filling a gap in the show schedules.

The press release quoted above stating “5-days-a-week” was published just this week, but could itself be out-of-date with this development in the time taken to pass through the resort’s departments. Watch this space…

• Read the full Mickey’s Magical Party interview with Kat de Blois here!
• Discover our updated guide to the new attraction here.

Photos as credited.

Those key visuals released several months ago for It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends were certainly a little loose with the truth, but, as the new Central Plaza continues to take shape, the final result might just look better than the artwork. More in-keeping with its surroundings, at least. Let’s see…

Posted by thunder1000, the latest construction photos from Disneyland Park show the bare metal of the stage beginning to receive its final overlay. On top, a non-slip carpet in shades of yellow and grey — with a Mickey Mouse shape on each satellite stage!

And, wrapping itself around the satellite nearest Discoveryland, the first pieces of the stage’s walls and sides. Not golden as the marketing visuals depict, but in shades of grey stone matching that little landmark just nearby — Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, of course. The walls are even being given little inlets and openings to match the Castle’s style and break up the sides of the stage.

Right the way around the stage and its satellites, a white edging — again inspired by Sleeping Beauty Castle — is a finishing touch to hold in the carpeted top, whilst four sets of stairs wind their way up to the top. From these photos at least, the stairs don’t look much wider than the tricky steps up to the old stage…

With the stage now well on its way to completion, another major difference can be spotted — one which has been confirmed earlier, but can now be seen for real: the four satellite stages don’t extend diagonally into the grass planters of Central Plaza, but vertically and horizontally — onto the flat concrete sections which used to provide access to the hub.

This means the final stage will have the footprint shown above, with all of the inlets into the plaza hub taken over by the satellite stages and two sets of stairs up to the stage from either side. There won’t be any stairs at the front. In the centre, that special surprise we mentioned previously.

It remains to be seen just how close guests will be able to get to the stage — whether children will truly be “partying” alongside the characters, standing around each of the satellite stages, or if we’ll be kept at a slight distance, with the entire central area cordoned off.

Photos: Thunder1000, Disney Central Plaza; Plan: Google Earth/DLRP Today.

The announcement wasn’t popular. When rumour turned to confirmation that Disneyland Resort Paris had cancelled plans to bring the popular Tarzan: Le Rencontre (The Tarzan Encounter) acrobatic stage show back to The Chaparral Theater in Frontierland for its tenth season, fans near enough shouted outrage.

Even more so when it emerged the main reasoning behind that decision — to ensure the Mickey’s Magical Party street shows could run seven days a week for the entire season.

Well, sellotape back together your Passeport Annuel…

The Tarzan Encounter WILL return!

Entertainment has now decided once and for all that Tarzan will swing back into the Chaparral — but only from 4th July to 30th August 2009, the Summer high season.

This is much shorter than his usual schedule from early April to late September, but will still come as a pleasant surprise for the show’s many fans after their earlier disappointment.

• Prepare for the new season with our show guide here.

Source: magicforum; Photo: © DLRP Magic!

It seems like this final week in February has become an annual time to see the latest marketing campaigns and TV commercials of Disneyland Resort Paris being premiered. Exactly one year ago today, we saw The Celebration Continues… Big Time! unwrapped on our TV screens, whilst two years ago, the ever-beautiful advertisements for the 15th Anniversary itself unravelled.

This year, the TV spot is… floating onto our screens, naturally filled with hundreds upon hundreds of colourful balloons to advertise Mickey’s Magical Party.

The lively spot begins with a stunning shot of balloons flying above the clouds, mountains in the background, with a strong yellow tint. As the second shot appears, of balloons flying around the side of a bushy, clearly sun-drenched hill toward a noticeably distant city from most of North West Europe, it looks like those balloons have reached further than any of us could have predicted…

Indeed, to film this new commercial, production was taken all the way to… South Africa! According to admin Kristof on magicforum, even the It’s Dance Time DJ podium and a replica of one corner of the new Central Plaza stage were taken, along with all the characters and costumes you see, to then only be filmed in front of green-screen with the real Disneyland Resort Paris backdrops inserted later!

This practice isn’t uncommon though, as member experiment627 adds, “a lot of commercials are being shot in South Africa, for there are landscapes that resemble Europe quite a bit and you pretty much got sun and blue skies most of the year.”

As the balloons reach the city streets, one bumps right into a young boy running home from school.

He grabs hold of it, pulls the invitation from its string…

And opens up the envelope to reveal a Mickey shape and the Mickey’s Magical Party logo.

Miraculously, he’s then transported immediately to Disneyland Resort Paris!

The voiceover of the TV spot is different again to previous years, with a clearer and more placid voice beginning “This year, it’s Mickey’s Magical Party, and Disneyland is expecting an extraordinary hero… you!”.

“Discover DJ Stitch’s first fantastic show,” he continues, as shots of the new Dance Time podium and its blue and pink-dressed cast in front of Space Mountain play, with several other guests dancing on the multi-coloured dance mats.

“…The new attraction, Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!,” continues the announcer, with shots of the Playhouse Disney puppets…

…the young boy laughing along, and a full depication of the stage (though likely not the real thing), as if set up for the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse scene…

The advert reaches its conclusion as another balloon sweeps across the screen to reveal a lively Mickey Mouse running across the new Central Plaza stage — another green-screen creation.

The voiceover adds “…and Mickey and friends’ exciting new show, and many more surprises”.

Here we see Mickey and Goofy dancing on a recreation of the stage, with brightly-dressed dancers behind, mostly in white and red colours, with the men wearing orange shirts.

Notice also that the Castle has been touched-up with its recently-revealed overlay of new decorations. Here, though, the “Mickey & Friends” plaque covering the main window appears to match its oval shape, rather than the uncomfortable circle seen in the concept.

Mickey shows us some moves, then we suddenly cut to the generic Disney Parks endboard…

As with the commercials of the previous two years, it seems Disneyland Resort Paris are required to use this generic branding to end their TV advertisements, featuring a bizarre mélange of all the Disney castles but now with added ballons.

The endboard is clear and the colours do work well with the red of Mickey’s Magical Party, but the overall effect is probably slightly jarring to the viewer, being so different to the footage just seen — and featuring a Castle that, as anyone knows, doesn’t exist anywhere — especially not Disneyland Resort Paris.

Please, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, can’t we have the real Castle for each resort?

Click here to watch the full advert.

It’s a lively, colourful, sunny and very well-produced TV spot, though, and it’s certainly brilliant to see real Disneyland Resort Paris locations used for once, if only via green-screen. You’ll probably notice two large elements of the party are entirely absent, however. Well, one major element and one not-so-major: Disney’s Stars ‘n’ Cars and Minnie’s Party Train.

To skip the Party Train is obviously no surprise, but many fans would agree they’d have expected to see something of the Studios’ large new parade event in the TV spot. Looks like the resort’s old fear, of mentioning the existance of Walt Disney Studios Park in a TV commercial, lives on…!

The TV spot is playing now in the UK, international versions will appear from next month.

Screencaps © Disney.

What’s more surprising — that, for once, a Disneyland Resort Paris television commercial features the actual locations and landmarks of the Parisian park, not Florida or California’s, or that, to achieve such a visual, the production crew apparently headed all the way to South Africa, taking those kitsch costumes and Stitch’s brand new DJ podium with them?

Still, with a spot of green-screen special effects, you’d never know, and the sun is almost guaranteed… unlike Paris. And so, here it is — the large, colourful, apparently jet-powered podium which will roll into Discoveryland for the new show It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland, Stitch standing atop scratching up the dance tracks on a set of mixing decks.

The podium is like a small parade float in its construction, expected not to remain in Discoveryland all day long but to only roll into the land specifically for each show time, similar to the High School Musical shows at Walt Disney Studios Park.

You’ll notice those circular shapes with different coloured quarters all over it, too — as mentioned in several previous articles, guests will be invited to step onto the circular dance mats shown above and follow the colour-coded dance steps. Quite how these will be announced to a multi-lingual audience remains to be seen, but the bright primary colours certainly won’t be easily missed amongst the bronze and turquoise tones of Discoveryland.

So, has the new advert revealed the location of the show, too? Almost certainly not — well, not unless the Entertainment department are planning to bring complete chaos to the land by blocking a main thoroughfare and the entrance to Space Mountain: Mission 2. It’s likely this location was simply chosen because it looks so good on camera.

Will it go over by Star Tours as rumoured then? Don’t be too sure of that either — the fences were taken down just this weekend to reveal…

…a relayed floor. Brighter, no longer full of holes — yes. But no clues whatsoever that this is where the show will be presented. Keep watching this space (and preparing your dance moves), Stitch fans…

Screencaps © Disney; Photo © Disneytheque.com.