Lord Fozzinator
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Citrus Dreamin' - Game Thread - The Rapid River Rushes on!
- Thread starter Pi on my Cake
- Start date
TheOriginalTiki
Well-Known Member
@JokersWild will be joining Pi and I tonight at 9:30PM Eastern/6:30PM Pacific for a special extended edition of the recap podcast where we'll be pitching other games based on the prompt as well as going over the projects.
Disney-Universal Fanboy
Active Member
@Pi on my Cake i swear if you don’t make a reference to the title “The Amazing Digital Adventure” I will make orange bird a real orange milkshake, it would be funny if you put a thought bubble above OB with him thinking that he hates me. It would be hilarious
- In the Parks
- Yes
OB (Both the character and the real person "puppeteer") doesn't hate you. The multiple blending/eating jokes just made them a bit uncomfortable
Disney-Universal Fanboy
Active Member
But still if you din’t put a ref to the title of expedition 4 I will sent OB to the void
TheOriginalTiki
Well-Known Member
Let's refrain from physically threatening our co host, shall we? Even if he is fictitious and you're just joking, it doesn't belong in the game.
Last edited:
- In the Parks
- Yes
The party has already started! And I'll be hopping in soon!
cdunlap
Well-Known Member
This is something I never thought I would read!
Lord Fozzinator
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I forgot to point this out last round but I have made it farther in this game than manor of mysteries.
- In the Parks
- Yes
This Expedition Ends in roughly 24 Hours, 34 Minutes, & 42 Seconds
Architectural Guinea Pig
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
@Architectural Guinea Pig | @Brer Panther | @Disney Warrior | @Lord Fozzinator | @Outbound | @Tegan pilots a chicken | @ThemeParkPriest | @spacemt354 | @WaltWiz1901
PRESENTS...
AceAstro
Well-Known Member
Journey In Animation
Introduction
Needless to say, when Galaxy's Edge did open that glorious summer, the Launch Bay closed and work began on an all-new addition. Animation was coming back to Animation Courtyard.
First announced at the 2019 D23 Expo, Journey Into Animation would bring guests into the process of making an animated movie in a new and immersive way. Building on the revolutionary technology of the Na'vi River Journey at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Journey Into Animation would use immersive projections, glorious sets and lighting and even newly-created hand-drawn and CGI animation to create an experience unlike anything ever seen before. The entire building was demolished and rebuilt from the ground-up. It took five years to construct the new building and create the world of this ride, but believe me, once you ride Journey Into Animation for yourself, you'll agree that such a long construction process was absolutely worth it.
The ride is set to open on May 1, the very day Disney's Hollywood Studios turns 35. But lucky you, we're giving you an exclusive first look at what Journey Into Animation will entail!
Queue
Entering the former animation pavilion isn't too immediately different from how it's been since 1989. Guests first pass into an open air space, the former Backlot Tour queue, and pass through some switchbacks before finally entering a building labeled "Walt Disney Animation Studio." The inside looks pretty similar to how the animation studio used to look. Guests pass a a number of animator's desks and through offices littered with concept art and story boards, all of which are accompanied by informational signs explaining the steps of the preproduction process.
Finally, guests pass through a door labeled "Ideas Dept." and enter a space entirely different from the rest of the studio. Sterile tiled flooring fades into inconspicuous black carpeting. The bright, inviting space of the animator's offices has been replaced by a dark, undefined space. Occasional bursts of color dance around the walls, sometimes joining together to create the image of a character, Olaf, Goofy, Rapunzel, and more. At the far end of the room is the attraction's load area.
The load area is again pretty undefined. A multicolored storm of dense clouds rages on behind the loading area, which services an endless supply of black and white bateaux. Soon, guests are guided to the loading dock and into their boat as they embark on their own Journey into Animation.
The Ride
The boats slowly drift out of the loading area and into darkness. Drifting through the void, a few staccatoed piano tones accent ethereal swirls of changing colored light which dance around guests and through the surrounding undefined space and the barely visible waterway. Floating further, the void becomes brighter as a sparse cover of technicolor clouds dot the area, further accented by that same ethereal light. As the tones of the piano build into melody, more and more clouds appear before guests are finally forced to pass through them. Inside the clouds, storms of color and flashes of light guide guests deeper and suddenly down, as they fall back into darkness.
Emerging from darkness, guests find themselves in a lagoon devoid of color. As they traverse the ink-black water, they begin to pass shapes of various size and type. Some sit half submerged in the water, some float mysteriously above guests’ heads, but all are pure white, devoid of color. Occasionally strange scribbles appear on the shapes, before disappearing as quickly as they appeared. Continuing, the shapes begin to become more plentiful as they merge into some larger shapes. As guests venture closer, the shapes finally begin to change. With a flash, a line is drawn. Quickly more appear to create what looks like a sketch of something. More and more appear as the sketch begins to take shape - a forest.
A dense and serene forest of colorless pencil etchings has formed. The forest continues to grow, becoming more detailed as guests drift further down the river. Suddenly, two rocks shift as something strange begins to move towards guests - color! Or, rather, a stream of pure blue water, which flows out from the forest and into guests’ path, introducing vibrant color. The stream meets the waterway, turning the colorless water into a vibrant blue as the two mix. Streams of different colors too begin to flow into the main waterway, mixing and turning it into a striking tie-dye. Large swaths of color begin to cover the hand-drawn forest, as it becomes more vibrant and alive. The somewhat abstract piano music has finally built into a full melody and harmony.
As the forest becomes colored, the Spring Sprite from Fantasia 2000 appears as she darts around and brings more life to the forest in the form of colorful flowers, vines, and moss. She quickly notices the passing guests, and looks at them curiously. Suddenly, she takes flight and passes over guests’ heads. As she does, a sparkle envelops the boats, which suddenly become colorful as well. The piano, now accompanied by strings with the introduction of the Spring Sprite, swells.
With this introduction of life to the forest, animals begin to appear, first as crude pencil sketches before quickly becoming more detailed and fully animated. A bird on a branch can be seen trying to chirp, though nothing comes out. It stops and clears its throat before trying again, this time successfully. With the bird’s chirping, diegetic sound is finally introduced. The tranquil sounds of birds, wind, and rushing water are finally heard, accompanied by the now fully orchestrated score. More familiar forest creatures can be spotted in the forest. Bambi and his friends can be seen playing with the Fox and the Hound. Robin Hood and Maid Marion dance in a clearing. Sharp-eyed guests may catch a glimpse of Baloo and Mowgli back further in the forest, or Grandmother Willow and Meeko. As guests pass through a more open area of the waterway, Moana suddenly appears aboard a pencil sketched canoe. As she comes up beside the guests, she suddenly kicks her canoe in the opposite direction, playfully splashing them with a CG wave. This wave also pushes guests left, past the forest.
The remnants of the passing forest begin to change before guests’ eyes. The trees and plant life begin to take on a more digital look before completely changing into more man-made shapes. Medieval buildings of various architectures crop up, first as digital skeletons before becoming textured and fully rendered. As the music swells, a festival appears, at which all kinds of Disney characters are celebrating. Guests first pass the modern characters. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider can be seen dancing with Anna and Kristoff as Pascal and Olaf watch on. Luisa can be seen carrying an impossible amount of materials for the festival. Overhead, Elsa stands on a balcony as she summons a stunning array of sparkling snow which falls over guests. Passing further past digital buildings and hand-drawn trees, more and more characters appear from a variety of beloved animated films. Peter Pan and the Darling children can be seen as they pass in front of the moon as Dumbo cautiously flies overhead.
Straight ahead, the party has reached its climax. Tinkerbell and Star zip around overhead, leaving trails of pixie dust and magic in their wake. Hand-drawn fireworks explode all around, washing the digital village in colorful light. At the far end is a large bridge on which the mouse who started it all, Mickey Mouse, stands surrounded by his friends and other Disney characters. He waves at guests as they pass under, leaving the world of animation behind for the unload area. From here guests disembark and exit into the post-show.
Technological Details
A variety of techniques are used to create the immersive world of Journey into Animation. First and foremost, this attraction utilizes a variety of projection techniques similar to those found at the popular tourist attractions teamLabs Planets and Borderless to fully immerse guests in its world. The water, which changes color as the story unfolds, uses projection effects to portray color and simple dye to portray its initial black murky color. The actual sets utilize technology similar to the blackbox technique used in Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, albeit on a smaller scale. Almost every effect in the attraction is achieved through light or projection.
The bateaux's color change halfway through the attraction is done partially with projections during its initial change, but largely done with electric photosensors built into each boat's shell. The process reverses during the journey from the unload platform back to the load area.
Post Show
As guests exit the attraction they enter an interactive post show area with various activities inspired by the art of animation and the history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Animayou
Hoot and holler, yell out "Animayou" as you become the star of your very own animated film.
Animayou utilizes the latest in AI technology to transform guests into animated characters. Guests step into a booth that takes facial scans and feeds information to the Animayou AI that begins to assemble an animated portrait of the guest. Guests are shown their animated faces and are able to make adjustments on the touchscreens in each booth as well as choosing the setting and outfit theme for their Animayou. Guests are then able to email their Animayou to their email or share right to the Metaverse. Guests can utilize a Magic Band 2.0 to sync their band with their Animayou - which allows them to have a character avatar on Play DisneyParks that interacts with the park map in unique ways.
Colortones
Vibrant, fun and new all it takes is some Colortones and you for a musical sing-song day!
Guests listen to various pieces of classical music and are able to assign Colortones to various chimes and short snippets of iconic song. These colortones change in color to the song and effect from waves to spirals to zig zags. Colortones are ever changing and shifting. Colortones are shown throguhout the post show area on LED panels that bring to life guest creations live and in time with what is created.
Wishgranter
Join Star from Disney's Wish as they zip around various iconic Disney scenes and look for the missing magic to make a wish come true.
Guests are able to play a version of "I Spy" that incorporates scenes from a variety of WDAS films that contain magical elements that have gone missing. Star will zip around these scenes around characters and backgrounds to find the missing element with the guests tapping around to send Star looking for the missing magic.
Meet an Animated Star
During the 100th Anniversary, guests will be able to meet the character that started it all: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit! This limited time meet and greet is part of a revolving meet and greet location meant to highlight films that are up and coming or celebrating a large milestone.
Additional Upgrades
In addition to the new attraction, the rest of Animation Courtyard is set to be updated with a heavier emphasis on more relevant animated projects. As the attraction was being constructed, Voyage of the Little Mermaid closed down and the building as well as those attached to it were retrofitted into a new table service dining experience. This restaurant is “The House of Mouse,” a restaurant themed to the old Disney Channel animated series and is a character dining experience where patrons watch clips of various Disney animated projects, from old shorts like “Steamboat Willie” and “The Skeleton Dance” to the Pixar shorts, Frozen shorts, and other clips like music videos for songs featured in the animated films, shows, and other projects.
As for the Disney Junior Live on Stage, the show remains mostly the same, featuring ongoing popular properties like Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins as well as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the 2025 reboot of the series, but also, two new shows join the lineup, with Young Jedi Adventures getting a segment in the show as well as the only non Disney-owned project entering the show with the ever popular Bluey joining the show for its final segment. The characters from each of these shows continue to meet and greet outside the space, rotating between Sophia, Doc McStuffins, the Jedi younglings, and Bluey herself.
Last edited:
- In the Parks
- Yes
Thirty-five years ago, Disney's Hollywood Studios opened to the public. Among its many features in its early days was The Magic of Disney Animation, where guests could see actual Disney animators at work, bringing the magic to life. Even after hand-drawn animation was temporarily shut down, the experience remained open with unique games, exhibits, character meet 'n' greets and even a how-to-draw class; and it remained open until 2015, whereupon it was replaced by Star Wars Launch Bay, a cheap Star Wars-based exhibit area solely meant to tide fans over until Galaxy's Edge opened in 2019.
Needless to say, when Galaxy's Edge did open that glorious summer, the Launch Bay closed and work began on an all-new addition. Animation was coming back to Animation Courtyard.
First announced at the 2019 D23 Expo, Journey Into Animation would bring guests into the process of making an animated movie in a new and immersive way. Building on the revolutionary technology of the Na'vi River Journey at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Journey Into Animation would use immersive projections, glorious sets and lighting and even newly-created hand-drawn and CGI animation to create an experience unlike anything ever seen before. The entire building was demolished and rebuilt from the ground-up. It took five years to construct the new building and create the world of this ride, but believe me, once you ride Journey Into Animation for yourself, you'll agree that such a long construction process was absolutely worth it.
The ride is set to open on May 1, the very day Disney's Hollywood Studios turns 35. But lucky you, we're giving you an exclusive first look at what Journey Into Animation will entail!
Queue
Entering the former animation pavilion isn't too immediately different from how it's been since 1989. Guests first pass into an open air space, the former Backlot Tour queue, and pass through some switchbacks before finally entering a building labeled "Walt Disney Animation Studio." The inside looks pretty similar to how the animation studio used to look. Guests pass a a number of animator's desks and through offices littered with concept art and story boards, all of which are accompanied by informational signs explaining the steps of the preproduction process.
Finally, guests pass through a door labeled "Ideas Dept." and enter a space entirely different from the rest of the studio. Sterile tiled flooring fades into inconspicuous black carpeting. The bright, inviting space of the animator's offices has been replaced by a dark, undefined space. Occasional bursts of color dance around the walls, sometimes joining together to create the image of a character, Olaf, Goofy, Rapunzel, and more. At the far end of the room is the attraction's load area.
The load area is again pretty undefined. A multicolored storm of dense clouds rages on behind the loading area, which services an endless supply of black and white bateaux. Soon, guests are guided to the loading dock and into their boat as they embark on their own Journey into Animation.
The Ride
The boats slowly drift out of the loading area and into darkness. Drifting through the void, a few staccatoed piano tones accent ethereal swirls of changing colored light which dance around guests and through the surrounding undefined space and the barely visible waterway. Floating further, the void becomes brighter as a sparse cover of technicolor clouds dot the area, further accented by that same ethereal light. As the tones of the piano build into melody, more and more clouds appear before guests are finally forced to pass through them. Inside the clouds, storms of color and flashes of light guide guests deeper and suddenly down, as they fall back into darkness.
Emerging from darkness, guests find themselves in a lagoon devoid of color. As they traverse the ink-black water, they begin to pass shapes of various size and type. Some sit half submerged in the water, some float mysteriously above guests’ heads, but all are pure white, devoid of color. Occasionally strange scribbles appear on the shapes, before disappearing as quickly as they appeared. Continuing, the shapes begin to become more plentiful as they merge into some larger shapes. As guests venture closer, the shapes finally begin to change. With a flash, a line is drawn. Quickly more appear to create what looks like a sketch of something. More and more appear as the sketch begins to take shape - a forest.
View attachment 780083
A dense and serene forest of colorless pencil etchings has formed. The forest continues to grow, becoming more detailed as guests drift further down the river. Suddenly, two rocks shift as something strange begins to move towards guests - color! Or, rather, a stream of pure blue water, which flows out from the forest and into guests’ path, introducing vibrant color. The stream meets the waterway, turning the colorless water into a vibrant blue as the two mix. Streams of different colors too begin to flow into the main waterway, mixing and turning it into a striking tie-dye. Large swaths of color begin to cover the hand-drawn forest, as it becomes more vibrant and alive. The somewhat abstract piano music has finally built into a full melody and harmony.
View attachment 780084
As the forest becomes colored, the Spring Sprite from Fantasia 2000 appears as she darts around and brings more life to the forest in the form of colorful flowers, vines, and moss. She quickly notices the passing guests, and looks at them curiously. Suddenly, she takes flight and passes over guests’ heads. As she does, a sparkle envelops the boats, which suddenly become colorful as well. The piano, now accompanied by strings with the introduction of the Spring Sprite, swells.
With this introduction of life to the forest, animals begin to appear, first as crude pencil sketches before quickly becoming more detailed and fully animated. A bird on a branch can be seen trying to chirp, though nothing comes out. It stops and clears its throat before trying again, this time successfully. With the bird’s chirping, diegetic sound is finally introduced. The tranquil sounds of birds, wind, and rushing water are finally heard, accompanied by the now fully orchestrated score. More familiar forest creatures can be spotted in the forest. Bambi and his friends can be seen playing with the Fox and the Hound. Robin Hood and Maid Marion dance in a clearing. Sharp-eyed guests may catch a glimpse of Baloo and Mowgli back further in the forest, or Grandmother Willow and Meeko. As guests pass through a more open area of the waterway, Moana suddenly appears aboard a pencil sketched canoe. As she comes up beside the guests, she suddenly kicks her canoe in the opposite direction, playfully splashing them with a CG wave. This wave also pushes guests left, past the forest.
The remnants of the passing forest begin to change before guests’ eyes. The trees and plant life begin to take on a more digital look before completely changing into more man-made shapes. Medieval buildings of various architectures crop up, first as digital skeletons before becoming textured and fully rendered. As the music swells, a festival appears, at which all kinds of Disney characters are celebrating. Guests first pass the modern characters. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider can be seen dancing with Anna and Kristoff as Pascal and Olaf watch on. Luisa can be seen carrying an impossible amount of materials for the festival. Overhead, Elsa stands on a balcony as she summons a stunning array of sparkling snow which falls over guests. Passing further past digital buildings and hand-drawn trees, more and more characters appear from a variety of beloved animated films. Peter Pan and the Darling children can be seen as they pass in front of the moon as Dumbo cautiously flies overhead.
Straight ahead, the party has reached its climax. Tinkerbell and Star zip around overhead, leaving trails of pixie dust and magic in their wake. Hand-drawn fireworks explode all around, washing the digital village in colorful light. At the far end is a large bridge on which the mouse who started it all, Mickey Mouse, stands surrounded by his friends and other Disney characters. He waves at guests as they pass under, leaving the world of animation behind for the unload area. From here guests disembark and exit into the post-show.
Technological Details
A variety of techniques are used to create the immersive world of Journey into Animation. First and foremost, this attraction utilizes a variety of projection techniques similar to those found at the popular tourist attractions teamLabs Planets and Borderless to fully immerse guests in its world. The water, which changes color as the story unfolds, uses projection effects to portray color and simple dye to portray its initial black murky color. The actual sets utilize technology similar to the blackbox technique used in Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, albeit on a smaller scale. Almost every effect in the attraction is achieved through light or projection.
The bateaux's color change halfway through the attraction is done partially with projections during its initial change, but largely done with electric photosensors built into each boat's shell. The process reverses during the journey from the unload platform back to the load area.
Post Show
As guests exit the attraction they enter an interactive post show area with various activities inspired by the art of animation and the history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Animayou
Hoot and holler, yell out "Animayou" as you become the star of your very own animated film.
Animayou utilizes the latest in AI technology to transform guests into animated characters. Guests step into a booth that takes facial scans and feeds information to the Animayou AI that begins to assemble an animated portrait of the guest. Guests are shown their animated faces and are able to make adjustments on the touchscreens in each booth as well as choosing the setting and outfit theme for their Animayou. Guests are then able to email their Animayou to their email or share right to the Metaverse. Guests can utilize a Magic Band 2.0 to sync their band with their Animayou - which allows them to have a character avatar on Play DisneyParks that interacts with the park map in unique ways.
Colortones
Vibrant, fun and new all it takes is some Colortones and you for a musical sing-song day!
Guests listen to various pieces of classical music and are able to assign Colortones to various chimes and short snippets of iconic song. These colortones change in color to the song and effect from waves to spirals to zig zags. Colortones are ever changing and shifting. Colortones are shown throguhout the post show area on LED panels that bring to life guest creations live and in time with what is created.
Wishgranter
Join Star from Disney's Wish as they zip around various iconic Disney scenes and look for the missing magic to make a wish come true.
Guests are able to play a version of "I Spy" that incorporates scenes from a variety of WDAS films that contain magical elements that have gone missing. Star will zip around these scenes around characters and backgrounds to find the missing element with the guests tapping around to send Star looking for the missing magic.
Meet an Animated Star
During the 100th Anniversary, guests will be able to meet the character that started it all: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit! This limited time meet and greet is part of a revolving meet and greet location meant to highlight films that are up and coming or celebrating a large milestone.
Additional Upgrades
In addition to the new attraction, the rest of Animation Courtyard is set to be updated with a heavier emphasis on more relevant animated projects. As the attraction was being constructed, Voyage of the Little Mermaid closed down and the building as well as those attached to it were retrofitted into a new table service dining experience. This restaurant is “The House of Mouse,” a restaurant themed to the old Disney Channel animated series and is a character dining experience where patrons watch clips of various Disney animated projects, from old shorts like “Steamboat Willie” and “The Skeleton Dance” to the Pixar shorts, Frozen shorts, and other clips like music videos for songs featured in the animated films, shows, and other projects.
As for the Disney Junior Live on Stage, the show remains mostly the same, featuring ongoing popular properties like Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins as well as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the 2025 reboot of the series, but also, two new shows join the lineup, with Young Jedi Adventures getting a segment in the show as well as the only non Disney-owned project entering the show with the ever popular Bluey joining the show for its final segment. The characters from each of these shows continue to meet and greet outside the space, rotating between Sophia, Doc McStuffins, the Jedi younglings, and Bluey herself.
Another Expedition has come to a close, and with it our journey through the Winding River wraps up as well
Tomorrow I will be writing reviews and getting the results out as soon as I can. Recap podcast (unless plans change last minute) will not be tomorrow, but sometime in the next few days. This will not be an easy decision as after reading through them initially tonight both of these rides don't just look amazing, but look like they were custom designed to appeal to me specifically lol
Truly great work!
Tomorrow I will be writing reviews and getting the results out as soon as I can. Recap podcast (unless plans change last minute) will not be tomorrow, but sometime in the next few days. This will not be an easy decision as after reading through them initially tonight both of these rides don't just look amazing, but look like they were custom designed to appeal to me specifically lol
Truly great work!
Chaos Cat
Well-Known Member
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but some of your images aren't working...Thirty-five years ago, Disney's Hollywood Studios opened to the public. Among its many features in its early days was The Magic of Disney Animation, where guests could see actual Disney animators at work, bringing the magic to life. Even after hand-drawn animation was temporarily shut down, the experience remained open with unique games, exhibits, character meet 'n' greets and even a how-to-draw class; and it remained open until 2015, whereupon it was replaced by Star Wars Launch Bay, a cheap Star Wars-based exhibit area solely meant to tide fans over until Galaxy's Edge opened in 2019.
Needless to say, when Galaxy's Edge did open that glorious summer, the Launch Bay closed and work began on an all-new addition. Animation was coming back to Animation Courtyard.
First announced at the 2019 D23 Expo, Journey Into Animation would bring guests into the process of making an animated movie in a new and immersive way. Building on the revolutionary technology of the Na'vi River Journey at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Journey Into Animation would use immersive projections, glorious sets and lighting and even newly-created hand-drawn and CGI animation to create an experience unlike anything ever seen before. The entire building was demolished and rebuilt from the ground-up. It took five years to construct the new building and create the world of this ride, but believe me, once you ride Journey Into Animation for yourself, you'll agree that such a long construction process was absolutely worth it.
The ride is set to open on May 1, the very day Disney's Hollywood Studios turns 35. But lucky you, we're giving you an exclusive first look at what Journey Into Animation will entail!
Queue
Entering the former animation pavilion isn't too immediately different from how it's been since 1989. Guests first pass into an open air space, the former Backlot Tour queue, and pass through some switchbacks before finally entering a building labeled "Walt Disney Animation Studio." The inside looks pretty similar to how the animation studio used to look. Guests pass a a number of animator's desks and through offices littered with concept art and story boards, all of which are accompanied by informational signs explaining the steps of the preproduction process.
Finally, guests pass through a door labeled "Ideas Dept." and enter a space entirely different from the rest of the studio. Sterile tiled flooring fades into inconspicuous black carpeting. The bright, inviting space of the animator's offices has been replaced by a dark, undefined space. Occasional bursts of color dance around the walls, sometimes joining together to create the image of a character, Olaf, Goofy, Rapunzel, and more. At the far end of the room is the attraction's load area.
The load area is again pretty undefined. A multicolored storm of dense clouds rages on behind the loading area, which services an endless supply of black and white bateaux. Soon, guests are guided to the loading dock and into their boat as they embark on their own Journey into Animation.
The Ride
The boats slowly drift out of the loading area and into darkness. Drifting through the void, a few staccatoed piano tones accent ethereal swirls of changing colored light which dance around guests and through the surrounding undefined space and the barely visible waterway. Floating further, the void becomes brighter as a sparse cover of technicolor clouds dot the area, further accented by that same ethereal light. As the tones of the piano build into melody, more and more clouds appear before guests are finally forced to pass through them. Inside the clouds, storms of color and flashes of light guide guests deeper and suddenly down, as they fall back into darkness.
Emerging from darkness, guests find themselves in a lagoon devoid of color. As they traverse the ink-black water, they begin to pass shapes of various size and type. Some sit half submerged in the water, some float mysteriously above guests’ heads, but all are pure white, devoid of color. Occasionally strange scribbles appear on the shapes, before disappearing as quickly as they appeared. Continuing, the shapes begin to become more plentiful as they merge into some larger shapes. As guests venture closer, the shapes finally begin to change. With a flash, a line is drawn. Quickly more appear to create what looks like a sketch of something. More and more appear as the sketch begins to take shape - a forest.
View attachment 780083
A dense and serene forest of colorless pencil etchings has formed. The forest continues to grow, becoming more detailed as guests drift further down the river. Suddenly, two rocks shift as something strange begins to move towards guests - color! Or, rather, a stream of pure blue water, which flows out from the forest and into guests’ path, introducing vibrant color. The stream meets the waterway, turning the colorless water into a vibrant blue as the two mix. Streams of different colors too begin to flow into the main waterway, mixing and turning it into a striking tie-dye. Large swaths of color begin to cover the hand-drawn forest, as it becomes more vibrant and alive. The somewhat abstract piano music has finally built into a full melody and harmony.
View attachment 780084
As the forest becomes colored, the Spring Sprite from Fantasia 2000 appears as she darts around and brings more life to the forest in the form of colorful flowers, vines, and moss. She quickly notices the passing guests, and looks at them curiously. Suddenly, she takes flight and passes over guests’ heads. As she does, a sparkle envelops the boats, which suddenly become colorful as well. The piano, now accompanied by strings with the introduction of the Spring Sprite, swells.
With this introduction of life to the forest, animals begin to appear, first as crude pencil sketches before quickly becoming more detailed and fully animated. A bird on a branch can be seen trying to chirp, though nothing comes out. It stops and clears its throat before trying again, this time successfully. With the bird’s chirping, diegetic sound is finally introduced. The tranquil sounds of birds, wind, and rushing water are finally heard, accompanied by the now fully orchestrated score. More familiar forest creatures can be spotted in the forest. Bambi and his friends can be seen playing with the Fox and the Hound. Robin Hood and Maid Marion dance in a clearing. Sharp-eyed guests may catch a glimpse of Baloo and Mowgli back further in the forest, or Grandmother Willow and Meeko. As guests pass through a more open area of the waterway, Moana suddenly appears aboard a pencil sketched canoe. As she comes up beside the guests, she suddenly kicks her canoe in the opposite direction, playfully splashing them with a CG wave. This wave also pushes guests left, past the forest.
The remnants of the passing forest begin to change before guests’ eyes. The trees and plant life begin to take on a more digital look before completely changing into more man-made shapes. Medieval buildings of various architectures crop up, first as digital skeletons before becoming textured and fully rendered. As the music swells, a festival appears, at which all kinds of Disney characters are celebrating. Guests first pass the modern characters. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider can be seen dancing with Anna and Kristoff as Pascal and Olaf watch on. Luisa can be seen carrying an impossible amount of materials for the festival. Overhead, Elsa stands on a balcony as she summons a stunning array of sparkling snow which falls over guests. Passing further past digital buildings and hand-drawn trees, more and more characters appear from a variety of beloved animated films. Peter Pan and the Darling children can be seen as they pass in front of the moon as Dumbo cautiously flies overhead.
Straight ahead, the party has reached its climax. Tinkerbell and Star zip around overhead, leaving trails of pixie dust and magic in their wake. Hand-drawn fireworks explode all around, washing the digital village in colorful light. At the far end is a large bridge on which the mouse who started it all, Mickey Mouse, stands surrounded by his friends and other Disney characters. He waves at guests as they pass under, leaving the world of animation behind for the unload area. From here guests disembark and exit into the post-show.
Technological Details
A variety of techniques are used to create the immersive world of Journey into Animation. First and foremost, this attraction utilizes a variety of projection techniques similar to those found at the popular tourist attractions teamLabs Planets and Borderless to fully immerse guests in its world. The water, which changes color as the story unfolds, uses projection effects to portray color and simple dye to portray its initial black murky color. The actual sets utilize technology similar to the blackbox technique used in Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, albeit on a smaller scale. Almost every effect in the attraction is achieved through light or projection.
The bateaux's color change halfway through the attraction is done partially with projections during its initial change, but largely done with electric photosensors built into each boat's shell. The process reverses during the journey from the unload platform back to the load area.
Post Show
As guests exit the attraction they enter an interactive post show area with various activities inspired by the art of animation and the history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Animayou
Hoot and holler, yell out "Animayou" as you become the star of your very own animated film.
Animayou utilizes the latest in AI technology to transform guests into animated characters. Guests step into a booth that takes facial scans and feeds information to the Animayou AI that begins to assemble an animated portrait of the guest. Guests are shown their animated faces and are able to make adjustments on the touchscreens in each booth as well as choosing the setting and outfit theme for their Animayou. Guests are then able to email their Animayou to their email or share right to the Metaverse. Guests can utilize a Magic Band 2.0 to sync their band with their Animayou - which allows them to have a character avatar on Play DisneyParks that interacts with the park map in unique ways.
Colortones
Vibrant, fun and new all it takes is some Colortones and you for a musical sing-song day!
Guests listen to various pieces of classical music and are able to assign Colortones to various chimes and short snippets of iconic song. These colortones change in color to the song and effect from waves to spirals to zig zags. Colortones are ever changing and shifting. Colortones are shown throguhout the post show area on LED panels that bring to life guest creations live and in time with what is created.
Wishgranter
Join Star from Disney's Wish as they zip around various iconic Disney scenes and look for the missing magic to make a wish come true.
Guests are able to play a version of "I Spy" that incorporates scenes from a variety of WDAS films that contain magical elements that have gone missing. Star will zip around these scenes around characters and backgrounds to find the missing element with the guests tapping around to send Star looking for the missing magic.
Meet an Animated Star
During the 100th Anniversary, guests will be able to meet the character that started it all: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit! This limited time meet and greet is part of a revolving meet and greet location meant to highlight films that are up and coming or celebrating a large milestone.
Additional Upgrades
In addition to the new attraction, the rest of Animation Courtyard is set to be updated with a heavier emphasis on more relevant animated projects. As the attraction was being constructed, Voyage of the Little Mermaid closed down and the building as well as those attached to it were retrofitted into a new table service dining experience. This restaurant is “The House of Mouse,” a restaurant themed to the old Disney Channel animated series and is a character dining experience where patrons watch clips of various Disney animated projects, from old shorts like “Steamboat Willie” and “The Skeleton Dance” to the Pixar shorts, Frozen shorts, and other clips like music videos for songs featured in the animated films, shows, and other projects.
As for the Disney Junior Live on Stage, the show remains mostly the same, featuring ongoing popular properties like Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins as well as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the 2025 reboot of the series, but also, two new shows join the lineup, with Young Jedi Adventures getting a segment in the show as well as the only non Disney-owned project entering the show with the ever popular Bluey joining the show for its final segment. The characters from each of these shows continue to meet and greet outside the space, rotating between Sophia, Doc McStuffins, the Jedi younglings, and Bluey herself.
JokersWild
Well-Known Member
That's odd. I can see them all. Which section has the broken images?
Architectural Guinea Pig
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
For me it’s the last three that are broken
JokersWild
Well-Known Member
Lizzy May Bee
Well-Known Member
Elizabeth May’s Official Guest Review of Team Boats Projecttm
Hey All! Elizabeth May on guest judge duty this time, you may all objectively be better at this game than me but I’ll still do my best to offer up some fair criticism, fair criticism for the Boats for now that is (I’ll try not to let my bird bias affect my review).
I have major thoughts about two primary aspects of the project, your collective eye for detail and the actual ride, since the detail thing is more of a general statement than a long series of notes, I’ll start with that.
Detail:
What immediately struck me as the strong suit of this project (and perhaps your team as a whole) was how detailed it got without ever getting annoyingly granular. While hitting the broad strokes is important in a project, whenever the broader canvas is touched up by the smaller brush of detail it leads to a feeling that this project could be real, y’know?
While more tangential I wanted to point out that the restrained sense of humor in this project was a place where details really shone, you were going for a more serious thing so I appreciate you still took the time to add in a bit of Imagineering board quirkiness where it fit. The themed boats were clever enough on their own but the jab at the birds really completed it (side note, I love the sense of rivalry between the two teams building up, it’ll be sad to see any eventual team change or even a merge get rid of that), the Lumiere quote after the Wells one got a good chuckle out of me, and the only thing that could’ve made the end funnier was if you did away with the aforementioned restraint and just cut things off there haha.
With my thoughts about detail and humor put aside it’s probably time to get to the actual, y’know, project.
That actual project everyone’s talking about:
First off I wanna give my thoughts on the premise, well it’s obviously pretty straight-forward and not even anything too new for this park, it does hit me as a hint too nerdy for the park compared to TGMR or the Bird’s approach, but that does admittedly make it way more distinctive so it’s hard to use this as an actual criticism.
The bit on magic successfully sets up later moments in the ride well, but does feel a little bit tangential to me, I think you could cut a sentence and still get the point across.
The queue fits perfectly for me, relevant to the ride and entertaining, but not just show scenes moved over to on foot portions.
I like the audio track itself (especially when Chirp from Minecraft shows up lol), but I think this is one part that could’ve been more detailed, as the lack of the narration creates somewhat of a disconnect between what I’m reading and hearing, and makes it seem more like bizarre ASMR than an immersive addition to me.
I’m actually not gonna get into the mud with each show scene as my thoughts on most of them are pretty much the same, all good of course! But all the same amount of good, more or less. I will say that the choices are appropriately notable films, with maybe the exception of Alice which feels a little repetitive with the presence of Mary Poppins, obviously I get the former is meant to set up to the latter and I appreciate that but I still can’t help but feel it’s a little indulgent on the Disney.
the end of the project which is also the end of the review:
To run through the end real quick, the Walt quote was pretty cliche but fits well enough, I appreciate the mention of what happens after unloading, again great detail, and my praise about detail also extends to the elements surrounding the ride. To conclude, despite a few nitpicks I’m impressed by the consistent ride-through and amount of cute little details put in this nice, grounded, project. End.
(also to echo the joke about not having any credits, I’ll skip the usual meme comparison I do in guest reviews this time around)
The way monochromatic motifs played heavily into both projects is incredible.
- In the Parks
- Yes
There was a point where both teams were discussing similar enough themes/visuals that I was starting to think it was going to be a Disney Adventure/Dubai LegoLand situation lol. Kind of amazing with how many parallels there are between the two projects how different and distinct they feel. Really great stuff!
I'm getting some breakfast, then I'm gonna start writing reviews