News / Shows

It emerged last year that The Legend of the Lion King at Videopolis Theatre could be heading into the park’s entertainment archive perhaps sooner than we expected. And so it did — for now, at least — going on what the American Disney Parks often call “hiatus” since 4th January 2009.

Just this week, however, there are suggestions from some — apparently including the African Tam Tam players, who now have the stage all to themselves this Winter — that the show will return, as a high season-only affair, possibly from as early as May onwards.

Another, arguably even more popular large-scale entertainment production hasn’t been so lucky. It has now been confirmed that The Tarzan Encounter will NOT return to The Chaparral Theater in Frontierland this year at all. The entire production has been cancelled just this week, and the show will not see its tenth season play out in 2009 as planned.

The Tarzan Encounter has remained the most popular live stage show at the resort, possibly only beaten by its snowy cousin Mickey’s Winter Wonderland, which continues to play until March, performing to a huge audience of 1,350 guests in the resort’s second-largest park show space after the Moteurs… Action! arena (capacity 3,000).

So, whilst The Legend of the Lion King has been suspended mostly due to the very limited capacity of Videopolis’ theatre seating not making budgetary sense for the entertainment department to continue running the expensive show 5 days a week for just a few hundred guests, why cancel a second show, for an entire year?

If we’re to believe the latest information from posted online, the entertainment department had a decision to make — a very last-minute one, apparently. The Mickey’s Magical Party event ‘It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland‘ was originally only due to be performed on five days each week. By cancelling The Tarzan Encounter, it can now be a full 7-days-a-week production.

A strange decision, if true, since the cost of running Tarzan versus two extra days of DJ Stitch must be slightly imbalanced — not to mention it being unlikely that that same 1,350 people who could see each Chaparral Theater show will be able to crowd around the outdoor location of the dance-along in the streets of Discoveryland…

It’s a bad announcement for many fans, then, but not necessarily for those still holding out hopes that a water-based attraction along the lines of Splash Mountain could one day arrive at the back of Frontierland as originally planned. Rumour has it this cancellation will also allow preparatory work for a new attraction where The Chapparal Theater currently stands.

Though yes, true, we’ve had such unlikely things happening as a jungle ape-man on-stage in an American Old West setting, Euro Disney SCA going ahead with a hugely expensive new attraction in Frontierland would be pushing the believability scale a little too far for now… wouldn’t it?

The special video sees Mickey Mouse rushing from corner to corner all over the resort, meeting up with other characters who are shown to be preparing their entertainments for the upcoming Magical Party.

Several of the scenes were obviously filmed at the same time as some of the still photo shoots we’ve been seeing this past week, but — along with giving a first look at the Stars ‘n’ Cars vehicles as they’ll appear in Paris — there is one huge, enormous spoiler in here… the music!

We posted the lyrics just yesterday and only introduced the concept of this new song — “It’s Mickey’s Magical Party Time” — just last week, but already, here it is! Well, almost… as you might guess from the synthesised opening, this is actually a special remix of the song. Far more “dance” flavoured than the true number, and in fact likely to be the version heard during It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland.

Here’s the video:

And a series of stills:

Mickey rises bright and early to begin another day of hard work…

Another close-up of the Minnie’s Party Train concepts — note that the third carriage will be different again from both the first and second.

Mickey arrives in the Stars ‘n’ Cars garage to surprise Goofy

Mushu steals the show in Mulan’s car

Characters polish up their cars

Mickey peers through a curtain to see Playhouse Disney — via greenscreen!

In the Radio Disney studios, Stitch prepares his beats to some wild camera work

The characters rehearse their moves for “It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends” backstage — with the show’s additional stars from The Jungle Book and The Lion King

Mickey emerges from the baloons…

That’s Mickey’s Magical Party!

As for the “It’s Party Time!” song, hearing a slightly wacky dance remix before the real thing maybe isn’t the best way to be introduced to the new theme music of the year, but what do you think so far? Is this another Disneyland Resort Paris song destined to stay with you almost every hour of the day?

With Candleabration‘s last show on its now seemingly quite dull, circular stage still fresh in the mind, the pace of construction for a brand new stage on the same spot is certainly surprising.

Even more surprising, though, is that guests are no longer greeted by a wall of green construction fences at the end of Main Street, but a pleasant, colourful teaser for Mickey’s Magical Party filling the entire perimeter of the construction area…

The walls, decorated with a new mural of the Disney VIPs in CGI style dancing amongst balloons, have messages popping out of envelopes which read rather placidly: “A big party is being prepared. All my friends will be ready to celebrate Mickey’s Magical Party …rendez-vous on 4th April 2009! -Mickey”.

And so, to the construction itself — the choice spot of viewing being the Castle drawbridge. The steel frame for the main body of the stage has already progressed well and already appears far larger than its predecessor, filling a greater area of the Central Plaza hub.

White tarpaulins currently cover the areas where the four “satellite” stages will connect onto the body, which also already features a noticeable feature from the concept illustrations and visuals we’ve seen so far — a circular, raised section at its middle.

What? That doesn’t excite you? Well, if you can bear to be let in on quite a large spoiler for the show to come, some posts from our friends on magicforum reveal a surprising secret about that circular black device in the centre…

As admin Kristof writes, “Mickey will magically appear and disappear through the use of a lift amid a cloud of streamers and confetti.”

Now, there’s a party trick to look forward to!

It has also been confirmed that the new show will be performed five times daily.

Photos from the latest Photos Magiques trip report, here!

Just like the new Central Plaza show and the redecorated Party Train, Discoveryland’s brand new daily street spectacle — It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland — has been given the full Disney marketing treatment with its own logo and a full poster-style visual:

Certainly the most ambiguous visual of the lot, this one might take some extra explanation. It’s Dance Time will be an outdoor street show in Discoveryland — the land’s first for over a decade, perhaps? — somewhat in the same vein as the High School Musical shows over at Walt Disney Studios Park.

How exactly? Because, several times a day, DJ Stitch will roll out into the land aboard an apparently jet-powered set of mixing decks, styled to look similar to his rocket ship from Lilo & Stitch (as also seen at the end of Stitch Live!). Therefore, there won’t be a permanent stage for this event but a designated area of the land — as yet, not confirmed — that will be covered in brightly coloured dance mats.

The inspiration here is clearly the home video games such as “Dance Dance Revolution”, with the audience then invited to step up onto one of the mats and follow Stitch’s directions to dance along to the contemporary music.

In French, the show will be known as ‘Place à la Danse… à Discoveryland’:

As you’ve no doubt already guessed, this new daily entertainment event is hardly going to be a winner for those fans of the “true” Discoveryland. It seems unlikely there’ll be any reference to the great dance moves of the visionaries such as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, and the searing colours of the logo above will likely allow those same Discovery fans to even forgive Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast entirely for any wrongdoing.

But, pitched against the land’s often bizarre history for live entertainment, it is a better match than African animals or Californian beach festivals… isn’t it?

Whether you’re convinced or not, Mickey Mouse seems to be happy with the preparations. After taking a look at Minnie’s concept art for the new Party Train, he hopped over to the Radio Disney studios — housed in those infamous areas at the back of Videopolis which were meant to connect to Discovery Mountain — to hear Stitch’s rehearsals…

With the red mixing decks dotted with bolts and a view of Space Mountain through the Nautilus-inspired window, these scenes are almost worthy of the fans’ Discoveryland seal-of-approval… were it not for the grey skies, dirty glass and reflections!

Stitch won’t be alone for this show, though — it has been revealed that the little blue alien will bring along a special dance troupe to help get each show going and encourage the audience to take part. Auditions have been held alongside those for this year’s High School Musical show, particularly pushing for dancers with “street and hip hop” ability.

Here’s the casting notice:

The Talent Casting Department are organising auditions for the positions in the stage show: HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL ON TOUR!, IT’S PARTY TIME… WITH MICKEY AND FRIENDS and IT’S DANCE TIME… IN DISCOVERYLAND.

It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland, good jazz technique, strong stage presence, knowledge of hip hop/street dance is a plus, girls should be 5’4 – 5’7 and boys should be 5’7 – 6’0.

Jules Verne must be spinning, grinding and bopping in his grave…!

All photos, logos and visuals © Disney.

Careful how you read that — it really will be a sad day when the 15th officially comes to a close and Candleabration is no more, but wow — this show has been through quite a few changes, hasn’t it?

Now, you could argue that’s not surprising when a show runs for almost two entire years in the most prominent spot in the park, but with the candle illumination ceremony now notching up its seventh tweaked instalment (can you list them all?), that’s unheard-of for the park.

This time, however, there’s a very good reason indeed. Simply put, the stage is gone:

Yes, to prepare for the new Mickey’s Magical Party show, ‘It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends’, the entire hub of Central Plaza has been barricaded by green construction fences and, behind those, the old stage already completely removed. You can read more here.

So what about Candleabration? This should be its’ big finale, its’ sparkling Disneyland swan song! Don’t worry, the show directors have certainly pulled quite a special trick out the bag for these next few months… the balcony of Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant!

Images from gochaton‘s YouTube video, below.

In a true “first”, both Mickey and Minnie now present the show direct from the front balcony of the Castle every night. In addition, the show has been tinkered with — quite literally — to add an extra “wow” to its finale: As the candles finish lighting, Mickey calls out to Tinker Bell, who then transforms the Château into its frosty Ice Palace overlay, something only ever seen during the park’s Christmas Season before now.

Then, as the 15th Anniversary theme “Just Like We Dreamed It” plays out, a whole mob of various Disney Characters burst out from the Castle’s gate and run down to meet and dance with the gathered crowds.

The entertainment directors’ plans to try to get Mickey and Minnie onto the balcony was first revealed here on DLRP Today in our exclusive interview with Christophe Leclercq about The Enchanted Fireworks last Summer. Though the couple couldn’t make it for Summer, obviously the people “behind the magic” have tried and tried again to make it happen: You might notice a small safety rail now appears along the balcony, each night.

Something which may surprise is the sense of scale the two characters give to the park’s icon when they’re stood right on it. With the golden 15th statues appearing like miniature toys atop its spires, seeing these real, human-sized characters up there makes clear just how big and grand Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant truly is.

Enjoy the full show, in video (begins around 1 minute 50 seconds in):

Two years and over 650 performances on, seeing Mickey and Minnie atop the Castle itself makes for a must-see farewell to this 15th Anniversary classic indeed.

— Video with thanks to gochaton on YouTube.

The main show of the celebration is titled It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends, or, in French, ‘Place à la Fête avec Mickey et ses Amis’. Though performed on Central Plaza, with Le Château as a backdrop, this won’t be a simple reworking of Candleabration…

Though, as the new key visual below shows, ‘It’s Party Time’ will naturally be led by Mickey Mouse, the official press release for the event (so far released only in French) confirms that he has been joined by Goofy to help prepare a special party celebration.

That celebration will, unlike Candleabration, take place several times each day and almost certainly mostly during daylight hours. No reliance on an illumination ceremony at 7pm in the early Summer this year.

Along with Mickey’s friends, the characters of The Lion King, Aladdin and The Jungle Book will be the stars of the show, bringing an exotic flair — and naturally, their famous soundtracks — to the stage.

We won’t just be hearing “Hakuna Matata” or “Bare Necessities” though — the new press release also confirms that a brand new song has been created for Mickey’s Magical Party. Entitled “Mickey’s Magical Party Time!” and 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, those who’ve managed a preview describe it as a very modern, pop sound and in a similar vein to the Disney Characters’ Express theme or Hannah Montana.

The show itself will play heavily on guest interaction, with visitors encouraged to dance and sing along. Not a lot more is known about the event than that, but, as the visual above clearly shows — and the press releases are keen to advertise — it will all be happening on a brand new Central Plaza Stage.

In fact, no time has been wasted at all in removing the old tall, golden and circular 15th Anniversary stage from its position, despite Candleabration still running until 7th March:

Photo: Alex, Disney Central Plaza forum.

The old stage was a heightened and redecorated version of the one first introduced for Christmas 2003 (when it featured a pile of books and a writing quill), simply circular in shape and therefore quite distant if you weren’t stood within one of the four entrances to the plaza.

The new stage, as you can see in the key visual, will actually extend outwards with four special “satellite” stages, bringing to the action closer to a greater number of guests and hopefully reducing the — how can we describe it — “front-centric” performance style of Candleabration that made it pointless to stand anywhere other than directly in front of the stage.

Leading down from the stage, you’ll see another new feature — though one that has already been up for much debate: the stairs. This addition would help to add a new depth to the shows presented here, as well as making the giant stage less of a “wall” as you walk down Main Street. The debate has been whether  or not these will appear in the final build, and the outlook isn’t good.

The placement of the satellite stages might also suggest Central Plaza will entirely lose all its trees. If these “arms” extend right into the four small grass-covered hills, rather than onto the existing paved area, the trees would have to go, wouldn’t they?

Any fans despising this extended take-over of Central Plaza — an area that is meant to be open and relaxing, the parkland of nearby, bustling Main Street — then thank your Blue Fairy that the department’s full rumoured plans for the park hub didn’t come to life, cancelled due to worries about underground drainage and utilities.

Markings for a new show/parade viewing platform?
Photo: Disneytheque.com.

These plans would — if the rumours are to be believed — have involved brand new seating areas taking over the grass berm to the left of the Castle, next to the Adventureland entrance, to allow people a better view of the parades and shows in this area…

Rather like the kids in Toy Story who bring bedsheets and a lunchbox to the party, perhaps?

— Find a new preview guide all about It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends here.

Key visual © Disney.

Partly a commemoration of the mouse himself hitting 80 years old, partly another excuse to decorate the park and introduce some brand new entertainment, Mickey’s Magical Party will be a brand new year-long event taking over both parks and introducing new decorations, new shows, a new parade-event and a whole new attraction.

The theme is bright — balloons, characters and colour — and fully intended to feel as fresh and new as possible after the two, more nostalgic, years celebrating the 15th Anniversary.

The Logo

So let’s begin, with the logo:

The balloon theme will never be far away this year, at least in the resort’s advertising, with the colour of red seeming to be a obvious replacement for the copious amounts of blue we’ve seen during the 15th.

A second logo has also been produced, featuring Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Pluto bursting out from a circular Castle background:

The logos themselves are quite deceptive, however — the “Candy Script” font chosen is inspired by South America — brush-like and quite classical — unlike the proposed events themselves…

The Events

Surprisingly, it’s Walt Disney Studios Park that will once again steal the show, enjoying the launch of both a new attraction and a new parade/event (which you’ll know by now) — whilst, over the esplanade, Disneyland Park has to make up its own party games:

• Disney’s Stars ‘n’ Cars
The renamed and reworked Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade from Florida finally opens in Paris as part of the event. As we’ve reported previously, it likely won’t run as a parade but as a series of drive-in meet ‘n’ greets and photo shoots. (More news…)

• Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!
Currently being fitted out right next to Stitch Live! in the Walt Disney Television Studios building and classed as a full new attraction, this will be a live puppet show for the younger audience, featuring Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and My Friends Tigger & Pooh. (More news…)

• It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends
Here we come to the key event of the party, a daytime show on a rebuilt Central Plaza Stage that aims to get the entire audience dancing along with characters from The Jungle Book and Aladdin in particular. (More news…)

• Minnie’s Party Train
You might recognise this one, just a little. It’s the Disney Characters’ Express in a new polka-dot guise, still travelling between Main Street and Central Plaza with its trainload of Disney characters. (More news…)

• It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland
Jules Verne won’t know what hit him — Stitch is due to roll into Discoveryland atop a moving podium of DJ decks, “pumping out tunes” and encouraging everyone to dance along using special coloured dance mats. (More news…)

Look out for much more in-depth news and features about all these events — and the party itself — on DLRP Today every day from now until the official launch.

The Launch Date

Speaking of which — when does Mickey’s Magical Party really launch? The UK brochure states Friday, 3rd April 2009, whilst other official publications state the Saturday — 4th April. Those are the official launch dates, then there’s the actual launch, the press preview, when these events really begin rolling into the parks — which seems to be set on Saturday, 28th March 2009.

Watch this space…

This year, we’ll be enjoying Disney’s Fairytale Christmas from 8th November 2008 to 6th January 2009. A time for snow falling on Main Street, Santa Claus in his Frontierland workshop, Princesses dancing beside the castle, transformed into an ice palace, and much, much more…

But do take note of that name — it’s not ‘Disney’s Christmas Season‘ any more, at least not in any of the promotions. Disneyland Resort Paris are focusing all of their efforts on Disneyland Park to give it the biggest seasonal makeover we’ve ever seen. And of course, for one more year, it’ll have an extra 15th Anniversary flavour…

Here’s the press release in full:

Disney’s Fairytale Christmas 2008/09

Meet Santa this Christmas at Disneyland Resort Paris

– BRAND NEW for 2008, Santa Claus Village and Mickey’s Magical Christmas Dinner –

London, 24th July 2008 — Where better to kick off the Christmas season than at magical Disneyland Resort Paris! The spirit of Christmas comes alive this year from 8th November, 2008 to 6th January, 2009. Celebrate the most joyous time of year with your family in the company of the Disney Characters in their Christmas costumes.

Santa Claus’ Village comes to Disneyland Resort Paris for the very first time in 2008. Children are invited to enter Santa’s winter wonderland to meet the man himself and pose for a memorable photo. What’s more, in the heart of the village children can find the Santa Claus Post Office where they can post their Christmas wish-lists in time for a Christmas Eve delivery. And with the help of a little Disney magic, the children will receive Santa’s response sent directly to their homes!

Also new for 2008, Disneyland Resort Paris will host Mickey’s Magical Christmas Dinner*, a unique new dining experience where guests can join the Disney Characters for a huge Christmas buffet feast, complete with sparkling lights and sing-along music that will make hearts warm and spirits soar! (Ticket only event).

And for a guaranteed white Christmas, snowflakes will fall from the sky on Main Street U.S.A giving everyone the special Christmas memory they have always dreamed of!

Christmas season festivities include:

‘¢ Enchanted Candleabration — Mickey and his friends invite guests to Central Plaza for an unforgettable evening ceremony held in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, which transforms into a glistening ice palace
‘¢ Disney’s Fantillusion — Princes, Princesses and other Disney characters emerge on Main Street, U.S.A. at nightfall to host a magnificent parade where Disney’s best-loved fairytales are retold
‘¢ Santa Claus, VIP guest of Disney’s Once Upon a Dream Parade — Santa Claus appears at the end of this magical procession to wish everyone a Merry Christmas
‘¢ Minnie’s Jolly Holidays Show — Minnie Mouse, along with her Chorus Boys and Girls, invites guests to join her in the celebration of Christmas as she hosts a fantastic show with many jolly surprises
‘¢ Meet Goofy Santa — Lovable Goofy dressed as Santa Claus in his sleigh will welcome children for a souvenir photo
‘¢ Belle’s Christmas Village — With picturesque taverns and snow-covered stalls, Fantasyland transforms into an authentic medieval village at Christmastime
‘¢ Mickey’s Winter Wonderland — Mickey and his pals put on their ice skates for a winter spectacular the whole family will love
‘¢ Christmas at Disney Village — Disney Village will be the home of a traditional Christmas Market this year

The Celebration continues… big time with a ‘Kids Under 7 Stay and Play’ free offer until 7th March 2009. The package is valid for up to three children per one paying adult per room booked, and includes a stay in a Disney Hotel and entrance to both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.

* Mickey’s Magical Christmas Dinner will take place on 6th, 13th and 20th December from 7-9pm. Tickets will be available in advance at £39 for adults and £14 for children (3 to 11 incl.)

And that’s the jolly, jolly, jolly holidays that lie ahead!

So, what’s new? According to the press release, ‘Santa Claus’ Village’! But wait… didn’t we all see Father Christmas Village last year, that makeover of the then-brand-new Woody’s Roundup Village at the former Critter Corral, Frontierland?

The addition of a new Santa Claus Post Office could at least hint that the makeover will see substantial improvements or changes for its second year. This brand new feature will make use of the second new building in the village, which sat empty last Christmas, allowing children for the first time ever at Disneyland Resort Paris to post a letter to Santa Claus and then receive a real reply to their home in time for Christmas Eve.

The popular late addition to the 2007/08 season — Minnie’s Jolly Holidays, a musical revue which brought life to Central Plaza Stage throughout the daytime — successfully returns for a second season, now promoted in advance for the first time — though it is currently unknown if it will run for the entire season, rather than just the final, busiest few weeks.

The biggest addition to the season, and another sign that it takes in even more of the British/American Christmas traditions is Mickey’s Magical Christmas Dinner. To be hosted at the Pavillion conventions tent behind Discoveryland, usually used by the resort’s profitable Business Solutions department, this will not be a dinner show like that previously held at Disney’s Newport Bay Club but a kind of large-scale character meal.

Plans include several brand new, unique photo locations for a variety of popular Disney characters, to be set out around the edge of the giant ballroom, with appearances throughout the meal. Imagine it a little like spending your Christmas Dinner with Mickey Mouse and many other Disney characters, with chances to pose for photos and dance to music between the courses.

Be sure to stay with DLRP Today.com for much more news about Disney’s Fairytale Christmas in the lead-up to the season. (Until then, enjoy the Summer while it lasts!)

— Discover last year’s season in great detail and countless photos at our dedicated guide.

[Pictures/Logos © Disney]