Universal applies for Special Development Order for its proposed Bedfordshire theme park.

Bedford Today are reporting that Universal Destinations and Experiences have approached HM Government and applied for planning permission directly from the Government, via a Special Development Order (SDO) for their proposed theme park project in Bedfordshire, England.

In the House of Commons during an exchange with culture, media and sport secretary, Lucy Frazer, the North East Bedfordshire MP Richard Fuller said: “The secretary of state will be aware of the proposal by Universal Studios for a theme park in Bedfordshire – a £10 billion investment in the country.

She will also be aware of the strong local support, led by Conservative Mayor Tom Wootton, so can she assure me and other Bedfordshire MPs that she is working hard with the Treasury to get a response to that proposal, and that a Government proposal will be forthcoming before the summer?”

Ms Frazer said: “My honourable friend is right to raise this very exciting opportunity for Bedfordshire, which I am pleased to have discussed with him. We are liaising closely with the Treasury, and I am also happy to continue liaising with my honourable friend.”

Universal has purchased a 480-acre (195 hectares) brown feild site in Stewartby, Bedfordshire between Bedford and Milton Keynes, 60 miles (97km) from London.

Universal has written to residents, advising that plans for the resort are in the very early stages and has recently held two open meetings to discuss their plans with local residents.

The company has resorts in Orlando and Hollywood in the United States, as well as Osaka in Japan and Beijing in China.

Song of the South receives HD Blu-ray release in Italy.

The 1946 Walt Disney classic film “Song of the South” has received a new limited edition 2 disc Blu-ray release in Italy from Sinister Film.

Iracconti Dello Zio Tom is available in a high definition limited edition release of 500 copies. The release features the film in both Italian and the original English.

The 1946 classic stars Bobby Driscoll, James Baskett, Hattie McDaniel, and Luana Patten.

Based on the Uncle Remus stories about the ingenious bunny Brer Rabbit using live action and animation. Following the separation of his parents, a young boy goes to live in the American South. There he meets Uncle Remus, who gives the boy valuable insights into his problems via the stories he tells about Brer Rabbit.

Two versions of the film with two different restorations from 2K scans are included, together with a collectible 24 page booklet with an essay on the film. The discs also come with a reproduction of the original film poster.

Also included are the documentaries ‘The Secret History of Song of the South’ and ‘The Sound of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah’ and
the traditional movie trailers.

The film has been lovingly restored by Sinister Film and the picture and sound quality is superb.

“Iracconti Dello Zio Tom” is available from Amazon Italy priced €44.00 for the Blu-ray and €21.99 for the DVD edition.

Disneyland Paris to end partnership with Mastercard Inc

Euro Disney SCA will end their long term corporate partnership with Mastercard Inc the American multinational payment card services corporation on 30 April 2024.

Mastercard Prepaid, Debit, Credit, Business and Maestro cards will still accepted as a form of payment at the resort.

The end of the partnership will see the termination of the reserved priority seating area in Disneyland Paris theatres for Mastercard cardholders.

Princess character breakfast returns to Auberge de Cendrillon at Disneyland Paris

From 29 June 2024 the Princess themed character breakfast will return to Auberge de Cendrillon at Disneyland Paris. Two slots will be available, at 08:15 and 09:45 a.m., at a cost of €60 per adult and €40 per child.

The Auberge de Cendrillon restaurant at Disneyland Paris

Reservations are available from today, via the Client Relation Center in a pre-paid version for guests with a stay package, or on the mobile app 3 days before the visit (payment on site), subject to availability.

Please note that the 08:15 slot is only accessible to Disney Hotel residents (with the exception of Disney Davy Crockett Ranch) and Disneyland Pass and Annual Pass holders with access to Extra Magic Time. The 09:45 slot will be open to all guests.

A Wonderful World celebration for Earth Month.

Disneyland Paris is celebrating Earth Month this April with a special nighttime projection pre-show to Disney Dreams, presented by National Geographic.

From April 5th to April 30th, Sleeping Beauty Castle serves as a backdrop for “A Wonderful World,” an awe-inspiring nighttime sequence created in collaboration with National Geographic that takes guests on a wonderful journey around the world.

Through projections of breathtaking images featured in National Geographic documentaries, guests have the chance to discover some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth along with a wide variety of animals in their natural habitats.

This spectacular homage to nature reminds us of the importance of protecting the ecosystems that surround us.

“A Wonderful World” will take place nightly prior to the scheduled nighttime spectacular Disney Dreams!

Overland Trail Cabin opens at Disneyland Paris.

Opening today (6 March 2023) at Disneyland Paris is “The Overland Trail Café” located in Frontierland adjacent to the Big Thunder Mountain attraction.

The Overland Trail Café

Disneyland Imagineers have supplied the following narrative history for the new food location.

Opposite the Big Thunder Mountain attraction, near the Casa de Coco – Restaurante de Familia restaurant, visitors can now discover a new food and beverage outlet: the Overland Trail Café!

In Frontierland’s backstory, the Overland Trail Café is a takeaway for travelers on their way west, whether by stagecoach or wagon! It also served as a mail relay for the famous Pony Express postal service of the time. Its name, Overland Trail, alludes to one of the main routes linking the East and West of the United States, used by the Pony Express, stagecoaches (Overland Mail) and gold seekers on their way to California.

As with Frontierland, the Imagineers drew their inspiration from both historical facts and popular culture’s depiction of the Far West.

The architecture of the kiosk blends the two main styles of the land’s buildings, with the central part built in stone and wood, and the extremities in adobe, creating a natural transition between the Thunder Mesa entrance and the Pueblo-style facades, a blend typical of the Western films created in Europe, such as those by Sergio Leone. The wink doesn’t stop there, as the list of stagecoach stops displayed on the kiosk’s facade includes some of the most emblematic names of this beloved film genre.

To mark the opening of the Overland Trail Café, a menu designed for the occasion will offer passing visitors the famous turkey drumsticks or the essential churros for a gourmet break.

The Overland Trail Café Menu

A money saving tip for U.K. Disney+ subscribers.

If your U.K. Disney+ account is due for renewal in March (which is apparently the most common renewal month) it will automatically renew to the Premium+ tier for £109.90 per year unless you downgrade on the website ahead of time.

Some people will not benefit from the Premium+ service and can therefore subscribe to the Standard tier at £79.90, the extras for Premium+ are 4K/UHD, Dolby Atmos sound, and four concurrent streams rather than two.

There is also a £4.99 per month option available with additional advertisements, if you choose this you will not have offline viewing privileges.

Thanks to Thomas Ralph from the fantastic Disneyland Paris Advice Facebook group for this money saving tip.

Disney Premier Access launches for Pirates of the Caribbean.

The monetisation of Disneyland Paris attractions continues today as Disney Premier access becomes available for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

To skip the queue will cost you 5€ for a single ride via Disney Premier Access One, bringing the number of attractions included in the system to 17.

The attraction is also included in Disney Premier Access Ultimate.

Avis car rental opens at Marne-la-Vallée Chessy train station.

As part of the Avis sponsorship agreement with Disneyland Paris a new Avis & Budget car rental office has opened in the Marne-la-Vallée Chessy train station in the Disney Village.

Guests staying at Disney hotels will receive a discount on their car hire.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid comes The Secret Garden in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

The Nine Lives Theatre Company together with a 13 piece orchestra is bringing Disney’s The Little Mermaid to The Secret Garden in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire this Easter.

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages.

With music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl,” and “Part of Your World.”

Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above and bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.

Tickets available from:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/wisbech/the-secret-garden/disneys-the-little-mermaid/e-jgoeve