LPWire: Mickey, Donald, Other Disney Characters To Appear in 3-D in New Magic Kingdom Attraction

Click here for larger version
Mickey's PhilharMagic immerses guests in classic Disney music and films such as "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "Peter Pan," "The Little Mermaid" and "The Lion King," unfolds on the largest seamless screen ever created for a three-dimensional film -- a 150-foot-wide canvas -- and showcases a fourth dimension of dazzling in-theater effects.(c)Disney
 

Disney magic meets Disney music in a new 3-D film spectacular debuting in 2003 at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort.

"Mickey's PhilharMagic" will star Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other favorite Disney characters animated in a way they've never before been seen: grand, glorious, in-your-face three dimensions.

"We're really excited about this new attraction," said Al Weiss, president of Walt Disney World Resort. "Guests love the Disney characters and films, and this gives them the chance to take a magical ride right into the world of Disney animation."

Click here for larger version
In Mickey's PhilharMagic, Mickey and Donald both play integral roles. As Imagineers explain the storyline to Disney's most beloved characters, one is happy with his part and one (can you guess?) is not so pleased. (c)Disney

The "Mickey's PhilharMagic" cast will include Mickey and Donald, as well as Ariel from "The Little Mermaid," Aladdin and Jasmine from "Aladdin" and Simba from "The Lion King."

Set in the PhilharMagic Concert Hall, which replaces "Legend of the Lion King" in Fantasyland, the eye-popping 3-D experience will unfold on one of the largest screens ever created for a 3-D film, a 150-foot-wide canvas. Complete with in-theater effects, the attraction will immerse guests in the richly animated world of the Disney characters.

The Walt Disney Company has experimented with animating the Disney characters in 3-D before, most notably in "Working for Peanuts," a 1953 Donald Duck/Chip 'n' Dale cartoon short, but never on a scale as grand as "Mickey's PhilharMagic." The attraction is being produced through the combined efforts of Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Feature Animation.

Click here for larger version
In Mickey's PhilharMagic, a new 3-D spectacular which debuts in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in October 2003, Donald finds himself chasing Mickey's Sorcerer hat through scenes from classic Disney films, including the "Be Our Guest" scene from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." Walt Disney World Resort is in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (c)Disney

"We're always exploring ways to take 3-D to the next level," said Tom Fitzgerald, executive vice president and senior creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. "From 'Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D' to 'Honey, I Shrunk the Audience' to 'It's Tough to be a Bug!' we keep looking for new ways to allow guests to become a part of the action and story."

'Mickey's PhilharMagic' will be the most animated, energetic and magical 3-D show we've ever created!"

--Posted September 23, 2003
Source: Walt Disney World Resort