Pins heading your way in 2014. (Picutres included)

A couple of weeks ago, Disneyland Paris hosted their end of year pin trading event, as usual it was a chance to preview some of the fantastic new pins on the way in 2014. (Unlike at the Summer event, where the art work said 2014, but they were mostly released in the Autumn). Thanks to Disneyland Paris pin trading facebook pin trading pages, we can show you a few of these pins. Overall, the pins this coming year are very promising, and have two very clear themes: Dreams! and Paris. Paris is going to be everywhere in Disneyland Paris this year, and why not? Not every Disney Park can celebrate being that close to one of the world's most beautiful cities.

 Let's begin with what is, for me, the stars of the show. The wonderful attractions pins from 2013 return and get even better. We've already seen the release of the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster pin in December, January sees the release of the Pirates of the Caribbean, Tower of Terror and Crush's Coaster pin. Coming up are some even more amazing pins, Big Thunder Mountain, Alice's Curious Labyrinth, Blanche Neige et les sept nains and Flying Carpets over Agrabah. All of these are essential to my collection, what about yours? I know these have gone down very well with Disneyland Paris fans, which means we are perhaps likely to see even more after this.

 

Next up, are the Cast Member refresh pins, these are pins given to Cast Members wearing a lanyard with the aim of giving them to guests through pin trades. A good set this year, I really like the Sheriff Woody badge and the Flynn Rider pin. 

The next set of pins are of a Minnie Mouse dots theme, these are super stylish and could even be described as 'Parisian chic' beginning a bit of a Parisian year for Disneyland Paris.

So, this is the first set of true Parisian pins which are in the style of the Paris metro, they look fantastic and keep very much in the traditional Parisian style. Characters are featured from films including Aristocats, Hunchback of Notre Dame and 101 Dalmatians.

More Parisian pins here, this time in the form of Eiffel Towers, these are Eiffel towers with a very subtle Disney twist, the tip of the tower is made out of a Mickey head. Very nice design, a wide variety of Patterns, I'm sure most people will see at least one that they like. (I'm rather fond of the Cheshire Cat and Mickey ones).

From Paris to America now (with a little Union Flag to keep the British happy?). These pins look 'ok'. The idea is nice, the execution is ok. I really don't like the big rectangle shape one featuring Mickey and the three flags. On the other hand, the Main Street USA circular pin really catches my eye.

And Disneyland Paris come out with a new set which I really must own. These look very similar in style to the Dreams pin that came out last May, so I imagine these will be ever so slightly 3D. I really like them, that Rapunzel is going to be hard to find though!

And the Disney Store set continues here with two pins that are going to be park exclusives. The crazy nature of the Disney Store sales means that I won't be buying these - but good luck to those who do.

Finally, the Valentines Day pin for this year which features the Queen of Hearts (get it? It's funny.) I really like it, it's a pin on pin. It's going to look fantastic in real life.

So, what are your opinions on the 2014 releases that we've seen? Obviously this isn't all of them, but from what we can see, 2014 is a bright year in pin trading. All of the pins have artistic merit.  I can't wait to see more and add some of these to my collection.

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Pin Releases - January 2014

We're heading towards the final week of the year, and so it's time for another new pin trading poster. And it's good news all round, this month sees some absolutely fantastic pins!

Saturday 4th January really is a bumper pin day in Disneyland Paris with no less than 7 pins released.
The first of which is a Paris limited edition piece featuring Quasimodo in front of Notre Dame, this is a nice looking pin, but is perhaps a slight bit underwhelming compared to the rest of the weeks releases. Another Hunchback pin will be released on the same day as the Disney Store's website collection continues over in Disneyland Paris (making completing the set for the majority of Europeans a much more difficult task - and a move I'm really not fond of). The pin itself is rather nice and features perhaps one of the most beautiful scenes of the Dreams! show. This will be very highly sought after. The final limited edition pin of the month is actually last month's Happy New Year pin, which will actually be released in the New Year - a move which makes a lot of sense.
The attractions collection continues for a second month with three stunning pins depicting Pirates of the Caribbean, Crush's Coaster and the Tower of Terror. Collectors will be pleased to see this beautiful collection continue to evolve. The final pin to be released on the 4th January is the traditional yearly sorcerer Mickey pin. One I'm sure many of you will be adding to your collection.

Saturday 11th January sees a Mickey and Minnie chef pin being released, excellently timed for the Ratatouille themed ride later in the year.

Finally Saturday 25th January sees the continuation of the Good Luck/Bad Luck series that we have seen been released over the last six months or so. These pins have not proven to be the most popular despite their rather nice design.

Overall, a fantastic month for pins, and I can honestly say that it is a month in which I would buy all the pins given the opportunity. 2014 seems set to be a fantastic year for pins. See our preview of what's to come later in the week.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

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Save Town Square Photography!

One of the things that was confirmed during the What's New, What's Next event that took place in Disneyland Paris in September 2013 was that Main Street USA was to get a complete refurbishment. Disneyland Paris fans rejoiced at those words; the down side of that announcement was that Town Square Photography was to be completely ripped out and would start life again as a brand new store.  The new store Flora's Boutique will be designed as a Parisian boutique selling the resorts range of Paris merchandise.

So goodbye Eddie Sotto's Town Square Photography that has delighted Disneyland Paris, and photography fans for over twenty years, and hello a new boutique. A French group named ED92 - Pour un retour aux standards et aux valeurs de 1992 à DLP (ED92 - For a return of the standards of values of 1992 at Disneyland Paris) have started a campaign to save this store  - A campaign that I wholeheartedly endorse. Has photography evolved within the past twenty-one years? Beyond recognition. Walt Disney himself once stated that Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world. However, one could argue that Main Street is almost a museum, it is a memory of the past and whilst yes, it can evolve. Should that be at the price of one of the best pieces of imagineering in existence? In the past that Main Street seeks to represent, these types of photography stores will have existed, and thrived. Town Square photography contains phones in which you may listen to conversations, old photography devices, and Eddie Sotto's office. 

I'm not arguing that the store needs to change it's product line, I'm arguing that it should not be at the expense of beautiful themeing. Take Main Street Motors, it's a beautiful shop - but does not sell cars. There is a real risk that we are about to lose something quite beautiful. Disneyland Paris is not a museum, but it does (to some extent) represent the past, and can educate youth as to what a turn of the century town will have looked like.  Let's not lose that. 

How can you support this action? - By joining the facebook event

As a rule, I tend to avoid posting about these sorts of petitions. I believe that this store represents the best of Disneyland Park, and would not like that to change. 

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Disney Art on Demand is just like we dreamed it.

Back in September, as the 20th Anniversary celebrations were coming to an end, Disneyland Paris hosted an event in which some of our friends were invited to named 'What's New, What's Next' aimed at showing the community just some of what is planned after the year and a half long celebration. During that weekend, the resort unveiled Disney Art on Demand. This is a service which allows guests to order prints of pieces of Disney art directly to their front door from a wide selection of pieces of work.

As you walk into the Disney Gallery store in Disney Village, you are confronted with the above wall showcasing the types of art that can be purchased from the touch screen computer. The computer itself is very easy to use and can be used in either French or English.

Upon starting, you are presented with the 'highlights' of categories with options to view more. Categories included photos of Walt Disney, paintings of Disney characters, film stills and film posters, as well as the highly anticipated Attraction poster series. It's very easy to switch from category to category and from page to page within the category.
Art works include the above pictures Mickey drawing, as well as other drawings and paintings already available in the resort; the film stills were largely standard affairs, the selection was good, and is recommendable if you want a collection of those in your house. The vintage film posters are perfect for fans of the Disney films, the Mary Poppins poster is especially good.

 Once you have selected your chosen piece of art, you then proceed to select your printing options. Whether it be on paper or canvas, then the size, followed by the option to select a frame (this is not obligatory and is the most costly part of the experience). The cheapest printing option ends up at €17.99 (with a €6 delivery charge).
Once you input your address details, you walk over to the cashier and alert them to the fact you have made an Art on Demand order, they will then retrieve your order and put it through the system and begin the printing process. Orders are given a guideline of a 2-3 week delivery window, although ours turned up at our front door in less than a week. An automated e-mail is sent out to you upon dispatch with a Royal Mail tracking number (orders are printed and dispatched in the United Kingdom using the UK Postal Service: Royal Mail).

The packaging upon arrival was plenty for the item, the print arrives in a thick cardboard tube marked 'Fragile' by tape. Once the tube has been opened, the unframed print that we ordered was wrapped in tissue paper.

The print itself was of an exceptional quality with a large white border. The colours are vibrant meaning this will make a fantastic print to hang on the wall in any home.

In conclusion, Disney Art on Demand at Disneyland Paris allows guests to choose from a wide range of high quality art pieces and get them delivered direct to your front door, the ease of the system makes the ordering process incredibly straightforward. The quality of the print is of a very high standard, meaning that for a reasonable price Disney fans can have beautiful pieces of art adorning their walls. We look forward to seeing how this service grows. 

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Frozen: Review

Ever since The Princess and the Frog was released in 2009, Disney Animation Studios have been on an unstoppable role of fantastic films. Who can forget the widely acclaimed 50th Animated classic Tangled followed by the roller coaster Wreck it Ralph, this year Disney's Animation department have released a film based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen entitled Frozen. The film essentially see Anna (Kristen Bell) trying to end an winter brought on by her sister Elsa (Idina Menzel).

What is really nice about this film is that the story is essentially about sisterly love, during her coronation ball, Elsa argues with Anna and plunges Arendelle into thick winter. This film takes a few Disney conventions than throws them out of the window, and that was refreshing to see; the omission of a big villain running throughout the entire film, the ending perhaps wasn't as clean cut as recent films (But much more beautiful), and the refreshing portrayal of the princesses. Perhaps the best word to describe Frozen is refreshing.

Let's start with the soundtrack, and wow what a soundtrack. Christophe Beck and Robert & Kristen Anderson-Lopez did a fantastic job with both music and lyrics. This film merits a cinema sound system, the soundtrack bounces off the walls and creates a real Nordic feel. The songs themselves are diverse and include many different styles of song from pop to folk. The lyrics work for the characters which they were written for and are deep in meaning. There is no weak link here, all the songs are strong; however the songs are mostly earlier on the film allowing for plot setting; that is not a criticism at all, on the contrary, it works exceptionally well. Let it Go should win the Oscar for Best Original Song, I'd go as far as calling it are sure-in.

The characters in Frozen are mostly padded out properly, we understand their character without needing too much characterisation work in the first section of the film. Anna is an instantly likable character with a personality that a lot of people will likely be able to relate to, she is quirky and modern. Perhaps the greatest accolade this film can get is the changing way in which the princesses are represented, they have flaws and are not perfect but can stand on their own feet and are not playing the 'Dansel in distress'. Elsa is this mysterious figure that suffers from not having as much characterisation, however it works as a plot device. The stars of the show are Olaf and Sven, Olaf the snowman that dreams of summer provides us with our comic relief in the way Sven just cannot. Olaf provides lines of pure hilarity and is the quotable character. It's easy to see why people fell in love with him based on trailers, the reality of the character in the film lives up to expectation. Sven is another comedic element, at times played a 'conscience' role, but also had amusing interaction between himself and Olaf. The male characters work for the plot of the film, they play a very similar role to that of Flynn in Tangled.

The plot worked just perfectly. There are no bad words to say about it, the pacing was spot on, Time never felt like it was passing and was genuinely surprised when the film ended having enjoyed almost two hours of film. The fact I really cared for the characters meant the emotional attachment was there, the film tied up very nicely in a very unrushed way.

Frozen is an excellent piece of animation, something for the whole family to enjoy this festive season, I cannot think of a more enjoyable film to watch during the Christmas holidays. If you were wondering if the film could live up to the hype, it does. If you wanted to wait for the DVD, don't; this film needs a cinema and a shared moment. But, the film has many layers to enjoy that will allow for repeat viewing for many years. This is, simple, the best Disney film in the current era. I know that I will certainly be seeing it again soon.

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Technical Profile

Frozen
Studio: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Staring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel
Running Time: 108 Minutes
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Pin Trading Releases - December 2013

It's the final month of the year, and it's time for a brand new month of pin releases. This month sees a fantastic mix of pins, so without further or do, here are December's releases.

Saturday 7th December sees a huge day of releases, with the Christmas 2013 lanyard (that has actually been available in the resort for some weeks now). A Violetta pin, which is a Disney Channel television show - This one looks a tad plain but should satisfy fans of the show. Next up, is a pin I'm incredibly excited about - the Attraction series has returned! I'm not so much of a fan of this one, but it's still a must have as far as I'm concerned. A Paris Mickey pin which looks a lot like the Signature collection logo for the 20th Anniversary. Finally, the final seasons of 2013 pin for Winter seeing Sneezy with a snowman. I have all the Season pins so far for 2013, and I'd love to add this to my collection.

Saturday 14th December sees 3 princess carriage pins, featuring Merida, Mulan and Pocohontas. These are nice looking pins which will make princess fans happy. Again.

Finally, Saturday 21st December sees a big limited edition pin release. The final princess locket in the series (that began back in January) will be released featuring Tinkerbell (not that she is actually a princess). The Bonne Année pin looks simply amazing, it's very Dreams-esque. I will need to find a way to add this to my collection. Finally, a Frozen pin depicting Anna and Olaf, which is sure to sell out incredibly fast.

A good month of pin releases, with the return of the attraction pins, as well as the final season and Happy New Year pin.

Will you be adding any of these to your collection?

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We need a Disney Christmas now...

During last years Christmas season, Disneyland Paris introduced the new Christmas Cavalcade to huge praise from the Disneyland Paris community. The short parade consisted of three floats, and many many performers along the route.

This year, the Cavalcade has been extended and improved, and whilst the improvement don't make it feel any more festive (Since it already felt incredibly festive), they do make the parade feel different enough to still call it new for this years season. If you want to experience the Cavalcade, make sure you watch our YouTube video now:


It all begins with my favourite Toy Soliders; these smiley, fun characters were always a joy to see perform, but this year, they have a new leader in Goofy.

 The jolly Christmas music fills the air, the emotion of childish happiness fills the air, people begin dancing and skipping. Many characters have been given entirely new costumes for this changed cavalcade, it's a more subtle Christmas in some respects.

For fans of the Disney characters and parades, these cavalcades provide the perfect opportunity to see many different (Occasionally rare) characters in a short space of time. Such as the surprise inclusion of Mr. and Mrs. Incredible.

Another great feature of this Cavalcade, is the chance to see those seasonal, yet much loved characters such as the Gingerbread Men.

The new found trend in the Cavlacades that Disneyland Paris has begun to produce is a high quality parade, with a lack of dead space, by 'dead space' I mean from the moment the first dancer arrives at your location, to the moment the final dancer leaves, there is no blank space. These are spectacularly filled with fun, happy dancers; something that really gives the parade a feel good factor.

The grand finale has changed from the core Disney characters of last year, to Santa Claus passing through with some very special young ducks.

As I have already alluded to, I am a huge fan of these new Cavalcades introduced to the park, they really help fill up Disneyland Park's daily schedule. I really hope they continue to grow into something even more perfect in the years to come. 

Disney's Enchanted Christmas runs from the 10th November 2013 until the 6th January 2014. The Christmas Cavalcade runs three times daily during this period. Check the programme available at the Park entrances for exact timings.

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