Customer Reviews

Disney Parks: The Secrets, Stories and Magic Behind the Scenes [Blu-ray plus DVD and Digital Copy]

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Watched Blu-Ray version on a 37 inch 1080p Sharp Aquos using a Slim PlayStation 3.

Purchased at $18.99.

-1 Blu-Ray disc containing Disneyland Resorts: Behind the Scenes (51 min), Undiscovered Disney Parks (44 min), and Ultimate Walt Disney World (44 min) of both locations, and Extras

-1 DVD with the same content as the Blu-Ray, and a Digital Copy. The Digital Copy included includes 3 .mp4 files (Disneyland Resorts: Behind the Scenes, Undiscovered Disney Parks, and Ultimate Walt Disney World) that you simply copy off the DVD yourself. There is no code to redeem through iTunes or Windows Media Player, but I did import them into the iTunes library.

-Blu-Ray case is inside a cardboard slipcase. This version may not be as extensive as the 6-Disc DVD set which I have never seen

Picture and sound quality was just fine for something like this.

I'm reviewing this mostly from a content point of view.

I have personally been to Disney World (FL) at least 8+ times. To some that may be a significant amount, others not so much. After watching this Blu-Ray, I can honestly say that I have missed out on at least 80% of what Disney World alone has to offer. The Disney World part is not as intricate as the Disney Land one; but if you've been to Disney World, you can easily compare everything between both parks. It takes you through the major attractions, whether it be the Main Street Parade, or the amazing thrill rides that each park offers. Interviews with Imagineers, creators, and directors of these attractions are intertwined throughout.

- Disneyland Resorts: Behind the Scenes covers Disney Land and California Adventure's, and all their individual sections with tons of background information.

- Undiscovered Disney Parks covers the things that visitors may not know exist as attractions at all the parks

- Ultimate Walt Disney World covers all the major rides (noted as thrill and dark) and attractions within the 4 main parks (+ 1 water park) at Walt Disney World

- The Extras are entitled

Walt Disney's Apartment

King Arthur Carrousel

Disney's Resort Hotel

Tips for Travelers

The Disney Dream

Disney Dream AquaDeck

The Haunted MAnsion

Goofy's Barnstormer

Catastrophe Canyon

Absolutely informative and extensive, you would want to view this once or twice whether you're planning a trip, or have been there before. Having never been to Disney Land, I will now make it a point to go some time in my life. Thanks to a single viewing, nostalgia has set in and I plan to return to all the magic very soon.

It reminds me of the specials you would find on the Travel Channel (assuming it hasn't already been played on there). I highly recommend this if you have even the slightest excitement for Disney Theme Parks.

Picked this set up today at one of the local stores. Thought I'd share some comments.

The set consists of six DVDs, each in an individual thin case - which are stored in a cardboard sleeve. Most of the videos are "widescreen", but a few are "full screen" 1.33:1 ratio and they all lack close-captioning. These videos document what there is to do at the parks and attractions, with a lot of interviews of park employees and with actual customers. It does start to seem like a hour long commercial for Disney, but I guess that is expected given that it's a detailed look at a theme park and it's attractions.

Listing of the discs;

1) Walt Disney World Resort: Behind the Scenes. 52 minutes with two extra features; What's New in the Haunted Mansion & Stitch's Great Escape. Not sure just how long each of the extra features are - but they seem to be around 8~12 minutes. This DVD reminded me of the History Channel's documentary Modern Marvels - Walt Disney World (History Channel).

2) Disneyland Resort: Behind the Scenes. 55 minutes with two extra features; Walt Disney's Apartment on Main Street & King Arthur's Carousel.

3) Ultimate Walt Disney World. 57 minutes with two extra features; Goofy's Barnstormer & Catastrophe Canyon.

4) Disney's Animal Kingdom. 42 minutes, no extra features.

5) Disney Cruise Line. 52 minutes with two extra features; Sneak Peek at the Disney Dream & Virtual Ride on the Disney Dream AquaDuck.

6) Undiscovered Disney Parks. 50 minutes with two extra features; What's New at Walt Disney World's Resort Hotels & Tips for Walt Disney World Travelers.

What a disappointment. This six video set seems nothing more than an extended version of the travel planning video you can order from the Walt Disney Company for free.

While there are a few scenes you will not see elsewhere, such as an inside look at the private Club 33 at Disneyland, this does not justify the cost.

The title is also very misleading "The Secrets, Stories and Magic Behind the Scenes". There is very little behind the scenes material.

Finally, the production is sloppy. Each video is only about 45 minutes long, even with the "Extras" which themselves are only a few minutes each. In that 45 minutes they often use the same scene over and over, such as the same surfer surfing the same wave at Typhoon Lagoon. What, did they run out of original footage to fill out the 45 minutes?

The videos are pretty to look at and the Disney Parks look beautiful, but that is more a credit to Disney than to the producers of this project which is not worthy of the Disney name.

I plan on picking these up in the near future...Please keep in mind that the 6 pack dvd version contains more then the blu ray. Why? Don't know...you would think all of it would be on blu ray. Just keep in mind that if you buy the blu ray that you get the same movies on dvd + 3 more and all the extras. Since blu ray players will up convert, it might be a better deal to go with the dvd version.

I have purchased both the 6 DVD version and the Blu-ray versions. If you choose the Blu-ray version you'll get Disneyland Resort: Behind the Scenes + Ultimate Walt Disney World + Undiscovered Disney Parks. The DVD version has in addition Disney Cruise Line + Disney Animal Kingdom + WDW Resort: Behind the Scenes.

The Blu-ray quality is absolutely fabulous, almost, dare I say, like being there !

True fans will no doubt just have to have both versions, but if I had to choose I would have to choose quality over quantity and go for the Blu-ray.

For customers in the UK it appears that there are no regional coding restrictions on either the DVDs or the Blu-ray.

Although this DVD set is mostly a giant advertisement for Disneyland and Disney World, this set is a must have for Disney fans and Disney research. Considering that for the price, you are getting 6 DVDs with about 6 hours worth of material. In those 6 hours, you get a lot of information that is valuable for study.

However, even though this set is great and has a lot of information, if you want deeper meat of study, you would want to get History Channel's Modern Marvels - Walt Disney World, DISNEYLAND RESORT: Imagineering the Magic, MAGIC KINGDOM: Imagineering the Magic, and the various Disney Treasures collections about Disneyland (i.e. Walt Disney Treasures - Disneyland USA, Walt Disney Treasures - Disneyland - Secrets, Stories & Magic, and Walt Disney Treasures - Your Host, Walt Disney). Sadly, the Disney Treasures sets are REALLY GREAT, but can be REALLY expensive. With all of that being said, this DVD set about the Disney Parks deserves to be among that collection.

My only complaint (not about this set in particular but about these specials in general) is that the other Disney Parks in Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and eventually Shanghai are never discussed in these documentaries. I would really like an in depth study of those parks as well.

I was looking forward to purchasing this DVD package since I am a Disney fan

I have always enjoyed programming about the theme parks.

It is a good DVD package BUT it is NOT great.

6 discs.

Discs 1, 3, 4 & part of 6 is on Disney World. Discs 2 & part of 6 on Disneyland. Disc 5 on the cruise line.

So, YOU HAVE TO ASK, where are the discs for Paris & Tokyo?

Each disc is under an hour long, disc 4 is only 42 minutes.

Disc 1 CLAIMS to last an hour. Last time I heard an hour is 60 minutes NOT 52 minutes. Disc 3 "Ultimate Walt Disney World" claims they did NOT have enough time to feature all the attractions. Dishonest. Yes you do, make the feature time longer, make another DVD, etc.

You do NOT get to see a lot of detail on all attractions, restaurants, hotels, etc. It is normal we do a few of them. SOME are done more than once . In both the Disneyland & Disney World featured discs "Pirates of the Caribbean" is mentioned. They mention the refurbishment to input the as I write this 3 films with Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow BUT THEY BARELY SHOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CHANGES BECAUSE OF THIS. I WANTED TO SEE THIS. VERY DISAPPOINTING.

Disney 1 Disney World has a brief extra on changes to "The Haunted Mansion". We see the "Toy Story" attraction more than once, same as "Mission Space". BUT other major attractions are not shown at all of briefly seen.

You see how many times how "Soaring" was made, I saw this on 3 of the discs.

As I said above, this is a good collection BUT it is still disappointing. MORE should have been shown on other attractions, restaurants, hotels, shops, etc.

I really love everything Disney, but these DVDs did seem more like extended commercials for the parks, cruises, etc. I was hoping for a little more behind the scenes information than they provided. I am going to keep the set as they are great to watch when I'm feeling particularly "homesick" for the parks, but I was a little disappointed.

this is simply one long running walt disney world commercial. it is interesting, but not all that imformative. it will probably not tell anything you dont already know. unless you have never been to disney world of course. it is very well done, for a 6 hour commercial that is.

This is basically all the shows that was shown on the Travel Channel during their Season of Disney program.I love that i am able to watch it over and over again without having to wait for it to come on Television. I suggest this dvd box set for hardcore Disney Fans or Newbies who havent been or would like to know the ins and outs of Walt Disney World