I have just returned from a 10 night Disney cruise around the med and we were lucky to have had two presentations from Michael Jung Vice president Theatrical Projects Walt Disney Imagineering which were both superb but extremely frustrating to see all the ongoing projects in virtually any Disney park but ours!!
After his second talk he had no time for questions from the floor, but I managed to have a word with him outside the Buena Vista Theatre and think he was somewhat taken aback when I asked him why the live entertainment in Paris was so poor! I qualified my question with the rider that there where major viewing problems and all of our theatres are empty for most of the year and although he did not respond directly to my suggestion that it was down to finanace he just smiled at this point! I asked him what imagineering thought of the hub stage and he confirmed it was their idea and one of the poorest decisions that they made regarding Paris and it would be replaced "soon" he would'nt say what with though! He also confirmed that a new spectacular involving the castle moat,lasers,projection and maybe even fireworks are in the planning stage, another smile when I asked if we would get this for the 20th!!
He was in such demand that I could'nt really keep him any longer, but he did confirm after the first presentation that it IS planned for us to have Star Tours 2 "in the future"
So all is not doom and gloom, but I wish Anaheim was in France!!
It is looking like the 20th is going to be the year to come!
I went to a presentation a few weeks ago about the 20th and the new show in front of the castle looks like it's going to be amazing along with a huge facelift to the parade...
That sounds like great news, and I'm hoping the "huge facelift" for the parade is better than the "pluses" they added this year.
well at this stage it is looking good... we will see a big difference. :-)
This has made my day. Anything is better than the Central Hub stage. I wonder what it could be replaced by? Whatever it us, it'll be unique to the Paris park. Having a secondary stage so close to the Castle stage is really ridiculous.
I take it that the fact he didn't say what it'd be replaced with suggests it wont be returned to the beautiful, lush garden it was?
Unless we see something along the lines of the World of Color viewing area with fountains intergrated into flowerbeds? Not only could that be a beautiful renovation of the hub, it would certainly add some comedic justice to the guests who trample the current flowerbeds..
I think I'm in a bit of a dream land wanting this though..
YEEEEESSSSS!!!
I was shouting that in my mind when I read this! xD This is great news to hear! It's fantastic to hear that this has been confirmed! :D
I really hope this is true and that the ugly stage will be removed soon.
It seems WDI is also ashamed about the way DLRP has taken.
Wow, amazing news. Hopefully it will go back to its original state, I never have been the old flower beds personally, but in pictures it looked pretty and simple.
I really hope we get something like the World of Color, even if it is a small projection.
:thumbs:
However they'll do more stage shows for places like the Castle theatre. :D
I really hope it's something unique rather than World of Colour personally. I think the full blown World of Colour show should be saved for WDS, as something that can really draw in the crowds.
Although, saying that, with DLP's lack of fireworks every night, coloured fountains are a perfect substitute, and a firework show at the end of the day at the castle is a Disneyland tradition. DLP could be that wee bit differant and have fountains.
I think it will be a small laser and projection show that includes a few fountains. I'm sure it can't be compared with WoC.
I wonder when the Hub stage will be replaced.. and with what? How soon is "soon?" Soon enough for the 20th anniversary?
Quote from: "Columbiad"I wonder when the Hub stage will be replaced.. and with what? How soon is "soon?" Soon enough for the 20th anniversary?
We shouldn't get our hopes too high. Just because an Imagineer on a Disney ship says it will be replaced/removed doesn't mean it's really going to happen. DLRP's management still has the last word and I'm not sure if they want an expensive stage removed after just a few years.
Quote from: "dagobert"I think it will be a small laser and projection show that includes a few fountains. I'm sure it can't be compared with WoC.
Still, I'm sure it's going to improve all of the future shows that we have! :) Imagine what it will be like on New Years Eve!
Quote from: "Columbiad"I wonder when the Hub stage will be replaced.. and with what? How soon is "soon?" Soon enough for the 20th anniversary?
I don't think it would make sense if it was after the 20th. :)
I like the fact that wdi has acknowledged that dlp has become sloppy. Maybe they'll take more time now, rather than letting carnival rides. I can see them keeping the plaza closed, but putting in some of the fountains
Now here is another interesting point. If the fountains are going to happen, what about the issue that people get soaked during WoC. And also the fact that the most simple fountains are turned off all winter. Presumably this would only be in use part of the year? So many questions.
If the weather (ice, snow) wasn't such a problem, I'd like to see the planters mixed with small ponds, possibly with fountains in.
I like the idea of a massive fountain in the middle of the hub, like the Fountain of Nations at Epcot.
(//http://wdw.disneydreams.net:8080/images/ThemeParks/Epcot/FutureWorld/fountain1.jpg)
now that would be interesting, rewove the hub, replace with a pond and fountain that can be used for light and projections to augment a castle based show, be it with or without fireworks.
Sounds interesting. This has got my hopes up for a visit during the 20th anniversary!
I was expecting to only see the fountains in the moat, but putting them in the Plaza as well would look rather nice. :)
As long as it is bigger and better than the one at Blackpool or the Hotel Colloseo, otherwise it will feel an also ran.
I really want to know what the changes to the parade will be
I presume when talking about the hub, you are referring to disney plaza stage? If so, is this not too recent to think about replacing?
Not if both management and imagineering agree that it was a mistake. What excites me is that now, shows will be on the castle theatre, which means the dance express thing( if it stays next year) will be over there(like insidedlparis said will happen soon), so the main street vehicles will run more often. Is it too early to suggest that we could be looking at a return to earlier years?
One can only hope Peter, one can only hope.
It certainly does look like someone, somewhere has gone 'it's the park's 20th birthday this year.. maybe we could have some money to try to make it look almost as good as it did opening day?'. The extensive renovations, switching to 'classier' finishes (brick paving/Castle refurb), and now the prospect of the return of the classic and beautiful hub to support a great new night time show..
I hate to say it, but I think some of our Wishes really will come true! (That was cheesy, I apologise now.. ;) )
Quote from: "peter"Not if both management and imagineering agree that it was a mistake. What excites me is that now, shows will be on the castle theatre, which means the dance express thing( if it stays next year) will be over there(like insidedlparis said will happen soon), so the main street vehicles will run more often. Is it too early to suggest that we could be looking at a return to earlier years?
That would by far be the Best thinkable result of a removement of the hub scene - Think about a Main Street USA with all the vehicles running throughout the entire day and not only right after morning opening.. To be able to stand in the Town Square and look down Main Street and see the omnibus, horse-drawn vehicles, etc. With the beautifully refurbished Castle as a backdrop... That would be Amazing and a true magical moment :-)
Add in the Dapper Dans, the piano player at Casey's Corner, and a brass band and I could happily be on Main Street most of the day!
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Add in the Dapper Dans, the piano player at Casey's Corner, and a brass band and I could happily be on Main Street most of the day!
Let's hope we didn't jinx it, cause that would be terrific!
Quote from: "peter"Is it too early to suggest that we could be looking at a return to earlier years?
Let's hope so, by goodness...But I have to admit that I am really afraid of Star Tours 2 - the last "version 2" in Discoveryland was a complete disaster...
however, star tours is impressive. sure its not world first stuff, but recently, disney have been letting merlin entertainments do that. do you not think though, that it could be advertised as "50(or however many there are" different attractions, by doing a bit of cleaning? surely that would be a great way to bring people in.