Today Disneyland Paris released a 30 minute documentary on the past of the Hollywood Tower Hotel – The Tower of Terror.
Check it out https://youtu.be/KxkofLkKKFQ
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Category: News
Five years, five months ago, Disneyland Paris began preparing for its Summer 2014 headline attraction, the follow up act if you will to the 20th anniversary – Ratatouille: The Adventure. It began behind closed doors and would be the final major addition in the former CEO Philippe Gas legacy in Disneyland Paris.
Over the years the fan community watched from afar and from above – thanks to the helpful placement of the Toy Story Parachute drop. It emerged from the ground in an expansion pad in the corner of the Walt Disney Studios. Originally we fathomed it would just be a ride, but as it grew it became clear from the foundations and from the slowly leaking details it would be a world of its own.
We take a look now, nearly six months from its opening at its story.
Designed to fill a family need in the park, Ratatouille was positioned to become a “E-Ticket” (top tier ride) for the park, using the very latest in projection, trackless car design and integrated oversized reality – it was to be one of the most immersive rides and environments to be deployed by Disneyland Paris – showing off a unique skill set of Paris to deliver some of Disney’s best attractions.
It was bold, especially as competitor Universal Studios (across the pond in Florida) opened its new Harry Potter London/Diagon Alley on the same timetable. While Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts went on to win the 2014 award for Best Ride, Paris held its own with Best Restaurant. You can see our thoughts on having ridden and seen both: Harry Potter and the Parisian Rat
Taking in the absolute pleasure of being hosted by Disneyland Paris for the opening and fan press event for Ratatouille, I had the time to get to know the history of the ride, learn the inner thinking of the imagineers and understand the concept and goals. Lofty goals to mark the starting of a park revamp and rebrand to something less garish and less bland – it achieved that for sure.
I could recall details and feature highlights from the hour long presentation, but you’re far better reading the full story from our friends; such as the excellent transcript by @CafeFantasia – The Making of Ratatouille (Presentation), Ratatouille: The Adventure – The fantastic new addition to Disneyland Paris by @DLPTownSqaure, or listen in to Dedicated to DLP Episode #40 (@DedicatedToDLP) which discusses the fan event in detail.
Six months on, and the proof is well and truly in the pudding. Disneyland Paris proudly mentions the attraction at every press event they hold. Wait times sky rocket and the guests love it. We’ve included a varying selection of commentary from some of our twitter followers, hopefully showcasing the variety of opinion and discussion.
@DLRPWonders: I loved it! The theming, the “ratmobile”, the 3D element..I really had the feeling to be in the film. However they could’ve made a better use with certain elements like the fire, which isn’t noticable at all until you’re already on to the next scene.
@IamAJuicyGirl: If I had to choose between that ugly Backlot or La Place de Rémy, I’d wait 3 hours in line too.
@NI_DLP_Geek: Very poor. The change from props to projector is too immersion breaking with the latter giving no actual sensation of movement.
@basatwork: It’s amazing!!! You don’t know what happens.. Even the 2nd time..You are part of the show….
@emmahibbs: just amazing! You notice different details each time, my family’s new favourite ride. You feel part of the movie.
@RamshackleMac: I’m a huge ratatouille fan, and the ride really gave me a feeling of being in the film. Not just great ride technically, but also animation/soundtrack/restaurant theming adding so much. Ride itself very immersive, especially the huge screens! Maybe some of the effects could be enhanced (spray from champagne was great first time, next time barely felt it).
This week (November 28th) marks the opening of the Chez Marianne boutique. The final crowing piece on the Ratatouille chess board. Early photo’s and leaked information tells us that it will be a lovely addition, eloquently themed and perfect for increasing the profitability of the area.
Crushing Crush is the best way to describe the success and demand of Ratatouille, not only does it beat the long standing holder of the perennial longest wait, it does so with a much higher capacity with all the modern tricks of Fastpass, EMH and Single Rider. By all rights, it is now the longest wait in Disneyland Paris, and after six months, still holding this crown is a testament to its build quality and story telling ability across the age ranges.
Ratatouille has delivered for Disneyland Paris, and it will be interesting to see the crowd demand fluctuate over the yearly announced theme park admissions statistics. The area and ride being so successful that now Disneyland Paris offer EMH to two parks during certain months of 2014 – a strategy rarely seen before, even in the states.
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Harry Potter and the Parisian Rat
Harry Potter and the Parisian Rat (Ratatouille)
It’s been a big year for theme parks, across the world expansion has been the keyword, from New Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom (Orlando), Ratatouille in Disneyland Paris’ Walt Disney Studios, and Harry Potter Diagon Alley in Universal Orlando. Now we’ve managed to visit them all and I’d like to work through some thoughts and comments.
In the show off from a boy wizard and an animated rat – theres no clear comparison, they both take the time to service two very different needs.
I’ve spoken before on the spectacular theming in Place de Remy. WDI took the time to work a Remy-esque Paris into reality in a beautiful set thats takes you on an immersive journey that leads you from the facades of Paris, to the rooftops, before riding through a technically special ride system, before finally exiting in one of the nicest restaurants on property.
Diagon Alley is the Universal move to further develop the Potter-mania franchise and expand its footprint in its parks. It’s wildly successful so far, with Universal looking to have their busiest ever year in the studios. Diagon Alley also shows real commitment from Universal to being better, real showmanship in the immersive atmosphere. No warehouse shots from the side of the attraction with this debut.
Diagon Alley sits alongside the great immersive transporting locations, Adventureland in Disneyland Paris near Pirates, New Fantasyland of the Magic Kingdom Orlando. It really does take you on a journey away from the reality of life. It’s intricate, it’s detailed, it’s expansive. It’s damn impressive. Once you turn an unassuming corner on the London front, you enter a world you cannot see from any other angle. Truly you become a wizard. It’s alive, it’s buzzing, its all new.
I took a good number of photos and found myself wandering, constantly looking further, above, beyond, behind and excitedly trying to see what else was here. I spent about 45 minutes exploring. I can’t do it justice. @CafeFantasia would have a field day, and possibly a second and third day just taking photo’s of all there is. Universal laid down a gauntlet and happily showed they can play the high quality game in placemaking.
Surely it’s not all that good? There must be a downside?
Yep.
Sadly the ride is lacking. Gringotts is up first. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. The queue is expansive, outside its quite bland, a ton of switch backs, in the gardens, a few posters as you get near to the ride. One prop to keep you company for the hour you’ll wait in this one switch back. A snack bar half way is a nice touch. As you come back on yourself, you leave the queue to use a locker, a member of your party holds your spot – the official procedure is to climb/duck the fence to get back in. It shows where Universal lack the experience of Disney, either not enough lockers, no onside storage allowed (and there was plenty room and no physical reason why you couldn’t take a bag on with you), or just not thinking through how to rejoin the queue.
Inside Gringotts is spectacular, on a par with inside Hogwarts for the forbidden journey, the goblin animatronics work perfect and look real. You pass on further and into a photo room where you get a quick snap and a card to buy the picture. Identification for the bank apparently. Apart from a Harry Potter frame, theres nothing memorable about the photo, no props, no background, no characters.
Onwards and into the pre-show elevator to the vaults of Gringotts, well done to Universal for this, it’s like a mini ride within ride. Wakes you up a fair bit before, even more queueing. Again lack of experience shows here, Universal occasionally has to shut down an elevator of the two because too many people enter the “safety goggle” station – over the next 30 minutes its apparent theres no reason or logic other than a crew member using a walkie talkie to tell them not to use side B for a bit.
Load station is particularly bland. Crew members cheer at cars as they come back, causing the returning guests also to cheer, a tad forced and a tad cheap. Many simply do not respond to the crew members.
The ride. It runs a good few minutes. It’s fast moving, sharp turning and stopping. It’s the Mummy Returns ride. Two scenes have physical props, the rest is a six screen run. Unlike our friendly little Rat, Potter simply moves from one IMAX screen to another, throwing in every Potter character you can imagine. Theres no Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey type scenes with dementors leaping at you using massive set pieces. Theres no Mummy Returns real fire, props or characters. Theres no novel movement between screen. It becomes incredibly predictable.
Take the slingshot start of Rocking RollerCoaster, hit the breaks, show a 20 second video, CATAPULT to the next screen. Quick fight. Quick tour of all the characters involved in the movie. Queue Harry to save the day (in less than 6 seconds!) and done. Clapping maniac spots you and begins again. Exit.
Surprisingly, the story isn’t told as well as the movie. It’s quick and they cram in far too much during the 20 seconds. Where they excelled before and laid the way for attractions to have video and props. They’ve decided movies were good enough this time. The props in the two scenes with props are not dragons, or cars screaming towards you. Nope, they’re backgrounds, tunnels (which you don’t visit), walls, podiums.
I suppose the bench had been set high with Forbidden Journey, Mummy Returns, and Transformers. The ride was rushed.
The Hogwarts side still has the better ride. I’ll cover the Park to Park train ride on the Hogwarts express on the next post.
Boy Wizard on theming, immersivity and atmosphere. Ratatouille is a more impressive ride. Less adrenaline the latter but visually more appealing and interesting. Potter 2 wants to be a mega coaster, but is held back by the family aspect. The Rat is a family ride that accepts what it is.