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January 8, 2016

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Disney magic comes alive in Fantasyland

RIGHT behind the Enchanted Storybook Castle in the soon-to-open Shanghai Disney Resort sits Fantasyland, where Disney’s beloved films will be brought to life by a series of exciting attractions. According to Lori Coltrin, Executive Creative Director of the themed land, and Wei Tingting, Fantasyland’s project coordinator, the goal when creating this enchanting land was to bring Disney stories to life for visitors at a destination that is both authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.

“This is a very unique Fantasyland at all of our parks,” said Coltrin. “The Enchanted Storybook Castle is raised on a hill, so guests can view the castle throughout the whole of the land.”

Disney designers took advantage of this layout to create one of the area’s signature attractions, Voyage to the Crystal Grotto. In this first-of-its-kind attraction, visitors can embark on a fancifulride down a waterway that leads to an underground chamber right beneath the enchanted castle. Along the way, they’ll take part in a journey celebrating classic tales of magic and imagination.

“The experience is sure to inspire the dreams and imaginations of all who make this wondrous voyage,” said Wei.

Another centerpiece of Fantasyland is Peter Pan’s Flight. Here, riders can sail through the skies over London and off to Never Land with Peter, using Disnely’s newly developed ride system. Riders will find themselves right in the action as they swoop and dive through the ride’s exciting scenes.

A show based on the recent Disney hit “Frozen,” can also be found at Fantasyland.

Visitors will also join Elsa, Anna and Kristoff from “Frozen” for a fun and warm-hearted interactive showcase packed with a flurry of stories, music and sing-alongs.

Located in the Fantasyland forest, there’s the Tangled Tree Tavern, inspired by the Snuggly Duckling, the pub featured in “Tangled.” Warped by time and the roots of an enormous nearby tree, the richly-detailed tavern is imbued with an atmosphere befitting the film’s colorful ruffians. Here, guests can enjoy a hearty meal in a lush woodland environment.

Of course, like the park’s other themed areas, Chinese elements will be dotted throughout the land, waiting to be discovered.

“We blend authentic Disney and traditional Chinese design principles,” said Wei. “We feel that traditional Chinese stories and the Disney world share important concepts and values.”

Having been with Disney for nearly two decades, Coltrin has worked at Hong Kong Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. “I started my job in the company as a creative designer, and I kind of worked my up to here,” she explained.

Meanwhile, the Shanghai project marks Wei’s first major theme park job with Disney. Born in Shanghai, Wei moved to the United States at the age of nine.

“It feels good that I can come back here again and share my cultural background with the team to design Fantasyland,” she said.

“Disney has always had a special place in my life and working for the company is like a dream come true.”

Wei added that as a child, her mother worked hard to save money to take her to Disneyland in the US.

“That was the only family vacation that my mother ever took me on,” she said. “The trip was so amazing. It has always stayed with me.”

How would you describe your job at Shanghai Disney Resort?

Lori Coltrin: My job is to establish the vision for Fantasyland, and look into the design and concept to make sure they stick to the movies. It’s like being a director for a movie, but just Fantasyland is our movie.

 

Wei Tingting: Having been working on the project for five years, my current job is to stay in contact with everyone involved, including imagnineers, cast and vendors, to reinforce each other’s efforts.

 

What do you think is the biggest challenge in designing Fantasyland?

Coltrin: I think the biggest challenge is how vast it is, because it is the biggest Fantasyland Disney has created so far. There are so many different neighborhoods, architecture styles and so on. And I appreciate that we have such a great team working on it. Our teamwork and collaboration has been amazing.

What is the best part about working for Disney?

Coltrin: It’s definitely the people. They are the ones keeping me going. Our commitment to collaboration, teamwork, and mutual success enables us to create magical and innovative experiences that only Disney can do.

 

Wei: I think it’s knowing what the Disney brand means to the world and being responsible for doing the right thing in the right way.




 

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