Details II

It's all about attention to details, they say. Disney parks worldwide are a huge tribute to this way of thinking and Arabian Coast at Tokyo DisneySEA is no exception. Infact, even though the attractions of this area are not that good in my opinion, the way it is build goes way beyond just stage settings and becomes architecture, just like the Tower of Terror at MGM-Disney Studios or Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris.

I love New York

A wonderful detailed window from the American Waterfront at Tokyo DisneySEA, just to let you know I will bi visiting NEw York City for the following week, so updates will be be in about seven days. I will be visiting the main New York City attractions uf course (such as the Guggenheim, the MoMA etc.) and taking tons of pictures. And there will even be some Disney experiences: a detailed exploration of World of Disney Fifth Avenue, a night at the New Amsterdam Theatre watching the Mary Poppins musical and a night at the Minskoff Theatre watching The Lion King. Wish me some fun!

Details I

In the following installments, I'll post random pictures of those well hidden details that makes every visit to a disney theme park so special. This one for instance was taken while waiting in line to ride Bitg Thunder Mountain ad Disneyland Paris. If waiting areas are staged so well, it's such a pleasure to wait (...well, at least is not so painful :-) and it really helps set the ride mood to fully enjoy the story narrated with the attraction.

It's a Small World

It's a Small World is definetely one of my favorite rides. In the Disneyland Paris version a little gem not to skip it's the area past the attraction (even thought it's a basically a huge display of the main sponsor of the attraction, France Telecom). You have to walk through a pathway surrounded by very elaborate and colorful reproductions of the most important building in the world. It's a very nice and colorful space and I never miss it!

Speaking about Italia settings...

In my last post I talked about the Italian/Mediterranean street Disneyland Paris was supposed to have and, speaking about Italian settings and theming of course Tokyo DisneySEA's Mediterranean Harbor. The style of this land pushes much more towards realism (a little too much maybe?) than Pizzeria Bella Notte and it's so well done it makes you feel really small.

A Happy Valentine chez Pizzeria Bella Notte

Pizzeria Bella Notte is one of my favorite restaurants at Disneyland Paris!
Ok, the food is definetely nothing special, especially if you're from Italy and/or know what a goof pizza should taste of, but the efforts Walt Disney Imagineering put into designing this place are just worth the microwaved pizza (and let's not even talk about the maccheroni with bolognese sauce...)The exterior of the Pizzeria Bella Notte has a distinctive italian flair. In fact, the original plans for this area featured an Italian/Mediterranean Street in a romantic and kind of maritime setting. Don't forget that just in front of Pizzeria Bella Notte Eric's Castle from The Little Mermaid was supposed to rise (and host inside The Little Mermaid dark-ride).

Again, details are just to many to fit this blog but the real show is inside the building. Don't believe me? Watch the pictures then...

Happy Valentine's Day everybody!

Outside Dragon's Lair

In the previous post, I showed the dark caves under the castle where a dragon built its lair. Now, see this pacific green hill surrounding the castle? Well, here's where the lair is supposed to be, cleverly hidden under this pastoral view.

And a little bit to the right, the majestic view of the castle...

Disney's Dungeons & Dragons

Sleeping Beauty Castle truly is an attraction in itself, full of hidden gems easily forgotten, especially if you're already visited Orlando's Magic Kingdom and Disneyland thus making the wrong assumption castles are basically a nice corridor leading to Fantasyland. Disneyland Paris Castle is different. For instance, under the castle, well hidden under the cheerful lawns and trees of the hills around the castle, there's a dark humid cave and a living dragon, chained still frightening!

Sleeping Beauty Castle Interiors

This weekend post is dedicated to the beautiful interior designed for Sleeping Beauty Castle in Paris.

Disneyland Resort Paris is renown for its incredible attention to details and Sleeping Beauty Castle is no exception: just look at this blueprint of the interior and you'll know what I'm talking about. (thanks to sparkyfra for the pictures)

...and these are some pictures of the interior as it was built.




...right, it's supposed to be just entertainment and you happen to face an example of art.

Main Street U.S.A. Paris Panoramic Shots

Main Street East Side


Main Street West Side


Main Street Crossroads

My favorite land of all Disneylands is Disneyland Paris' Main Street U.S.A.
The vibrant colors, the elaborate decorations of the buildings, the right balance between nostalgia and enthusiasm about the future... in my own opion it's basically what Disney is all about.
My endless love for Main Street once pushed me to take this panoramic shot of both sides of Main Street, Disneyland Paris. The effect is kind of whimsical, though quite close to the real thing and it give a good impression of the rich details disneyland paris' main street is blessed by.

Beware: these panoramic shots are quite heavy, so downloads can be quite long!

Port Discovery Part III

In the yesterday post I talked about the wall separating Port Discovery and the real sea and I thought it would be nice to show what I was talking about, so I managed to find this picture. I tried to take better pictures, but it was hard to get a good shot of such small and quite far detail, so here's the best I did!

Port Discovery - Part II

Here's another shot of Port Discovery. This area of the park is basically a futuristic shoreline facing the real sea. I always asked myself how could they manage such a strong intrusion of reality into a theme park. What they did was quite clever. They didn't try to hide the sea but cleverly used it as part of the show. A huge steel wall stays betwen us and the sea, giving the impression that that steel wall is actually holding the sea like a dam. They even added some water sparkling from the juctions as if the water of the sea is pulling will all its strength!

Port Discovery - Part I

Port Discovery has a style much close to the one used in Discoveryland from the Disneyland Resort Paris.

Mermaid Lagoon -Part III

Here's my final shot (by now) of wondrous Mermaido Ragoon, as Japanese guests call it. Sugoi desu ne!

More Mermaid Lagoon

Here's another amazing view of the exterior. I spent out there taking picturea about an hour. Hope the final work is worthy!