Le Visionarium

Report by André Willey

One of the best themed attractions in the park. Based on Circle-Vision 360 technology, The Timekeeper and his robot assistant, Nine-Eye, are your hosts on a Circle-Vision trip through time, picking up Jules Verne en route. Very impressive period detail; must have been quite a feat to film! Features Michel Piccoli as Jules Verne, and guest stars Gerard Depardieu as an airport baggage handler, Franco Nero as Leonardo da Vinci, Jean Rochefort as Louis XV and Jeremy Irons as H.G. Wells. "From Time to Time" was directed by Jeff Blyth (who also did Cheetah for Disney) and produced by John Badham.

The show is in French, but headsets are provided with English, German and Italian soundtracks. The animatronic guides are excellent, and the pre-show waiting room is fascinating, with lots to see: a video wall (French narration, translated in English, German and Italian by LED signs), plus models of real, futuristic, and Wells/Verne modes of transport hanging from the ceiling.

A MUST-SEE ATTRACTION.

(This is now also showing at Tokyo Disneyland, and in a slightly modified form at WDW, Florida. Apart from the layout of the pre-show waiting areas, the main differences are in the voices and the Red Square/Concorde section has been replaced with shots of New York).

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