All Aboard For Disney's Christmas Carol Train Tour!

[Dustysage]

Disney's "A Christmas Carol" coming soon to a train station near you



Disney is about to embark on a cross country journey by train to take it's upcoming "A Christmas Carol" movie on the rail to cities near you.



Along the way, the train will travel through 40 cities in 36 states. First stop Los Angeles.




The train contains a screening room, interactive displays, and activities.

Here's the press release from Disney:

ALL ABOARD FOR “DISNEY’S
A CHRISTMAS CAROL” TRAIN TOUR

FROM SNEAK PEEKS OF EXCLUSIVE 3D FILM FOOTAGE
TO SUMMERTIME SNOW – DISNEY PULLS OUT ALL THE WHISTLE STOPS FOR 40-CITY TRAVELING EXPERIENCE

Departing Los Angeles May 22; Tour to Cover More Than 16,000 Miles

Burbank, Calif. (May 8, 2009) -- Disney is pulling out all the whistle stops and taking its show on the road with a spectacular immersive and interactive 40-city train tour including a 3D sneak peek of film footage from the upcoming movie “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” it was announced today (05/08/09) by Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. Set amidst a snowy backdrop—complete with all of the sights and sounds of Christmas including carolers, decorations, giveaways and many more surprises in each of the 40 cities—the Train Tour is being launched with HP on board as the title and technology sponsor and driven by Amtrak. This family event is for guests of all ages and is free to the public.

Starring Jim Carrey and directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” opens in theatres November 6 in Disney Digital 3D™ and in IMAX 3D®.

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, “‘Disney’s A Christmas Carol’ Train Tour is an incredibly fun way to introduce families across the country to the wonders and spectacle that is Robert Zemeckis’ unique and spectacular new holiday film. We are so proud of the movie, and think the 3D footage is so incredible, we just had to give everyone a chance to see it in Disney Digital 3D. From Los Angeles to New York, and all points in between, guests are going to have a fabulous time discovering things about the making of this extraordinary film, participating in their own festive fantasies, and getting into the holiday spirit all year round. ‘Disney’s A Christmas Carol’ is great entertainment for moviegoers of all ages, and this is the perfect introduction to a fun and exciting new holiday classic.”

Among the highlights of the tour are authentic artifacts on loan from the Charles Dickens Museum of London; artwork, costumes and props from the film; demonstrations of performance capture technology; and a chance to morph your face into one of the film’s characters using HP TouchSmart PCs. At each stop along the way, a state-of-the-art Disney Digital 3D Theatre will be erected, where guests can get a sneak peek of “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and see other exclusive behind-the-scenes materials from the movie. The latest details about tour stops and scheduled events are available at Please wait..

Featuring four custom-designed vintage rail cars full of behind-the-scenes attractions, entertaining demonstrations, and fun activities, the tour will have its inaugural stop at Los Angeles’ Union Station over Memorial Day Weekend, from May 22nd through May 25th. During the next 24 weeks, the train will make 40 stops in 36 states, as it travels its way across more than 16,000 miles of track. The tour will finish at New York’s Grand Central Terminal over the weekend of October 30th through November 1st.

At every tour stop, Radio Disney will invite kids to enter for a chance to become a Movie Surfer representing their hometown. Each Hometown Movie Surfer will get a chance to appear on Disney Channel by filming their very own Movie Surfer’s segment! They’ll also receive a prize package of exclusive Movie Surfer and "Disney’s A Christmas Carol” gear.

ABC television stations across the country will run local promotions. At each stop, guests will have the chance to win an HP TouchSmart PC and an HP Photosmart wireless printer. Additionally, Disney is working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America organization to provide an early Christmas experience to kids across the country. Disney will present the organization with a donation in the amount of $100,000 at the May 21st launch in Los Angeles to further the organization’s efforts of helping kids grow up to be great and will invite Boys & Girls Club kids to be part of the tour when it comes to their town. Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the nation are impacting the lives of 4.8 million young people each year with after-school programs that emphasize education, career exploration, community service, technology skills, financial literacy, the arts and more to help them reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens.

A variety of innovative HP technologies helped to make the Train Tour possible. HP ProLiant servers and HP ProCurve switches will provide Disney with the computing power that will allow guests to collect and upload photos. Throughout the train exhibits, Disney is using HP TouchSmart PCs to run an interactive face morph application and HP monitors to showcase performance capture technology as well as images and digital effects from the film. Additionally, each train car will be wrapped with Disney’s Train Tour logo using the versatility of HP Scitex printers.

“For decades HP and Disney have joined together to captivate audiences through technology innovation and digital entertainment,” said Michael Mendenhall, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, HP. “HP technology used in the making of ‘Disney’s A Christmas Carol’ has enabled Disney to push the boundaries in performance capture technology. The Train Tour offers an innovative way for guests to interact with HP’s latest technology and experience the magic behind the film.”

Amtrak locomotives and engineers will lead the four-car Train Tour (plus a private car), across the US, with stops ranging from 1-3 days along the way. Each train station will be themed with holiday decorations, and feature artwork from the film, Christmas Carolers, fun activities for the entire family, and snow!

“Rail travel continues to influence the way people connect with each other and celebrating the release of a true classic is a perfect way to further that connection,” said Emmett Fremaux, Vice President Marketing and Product Management, Amtrak. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be teaming up with Walt Disney Studios for this 40 city tour to help educate Americans about the benefit of rail travel.”

Dolby Laboratories will be supplying its Dolby® 3D Digital Cinema solution for the traveling Digital 3D theater, and Barco is providing the DP2000 digital projectors. Panasonic provides some of the latest high resolution large screen technology available to consumers today throughout the train cars. And, the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is encouraging guests traveling to and from the train to Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time!

ABOUT THE MOVIE
“Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking, performance-capture 3D motion picture event. Ebeneezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) begins the holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (Gary Oldman) and his cheery nephew (Colin Firth). But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey, revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late. Through the magic of performance-capture technology, Jim Carrey tackles seven roles, including Scrooge and all of the Christmas spirits.

[tinkermonkey]

thanks for posting this! We were already talking about this as another possible NW MiceChat meet!! But not loving that it will be in Seattle over the 4th of July weekend.

[Disney Magic]

Thanks for posting this, sounds interesting. Will have to check it out when it stops here in September!

[tonyrr1]

I will most definitely be there and submit a trip (or is that a "stop") report from Memphis, TN when the train's in town in August...

[munchiegurl]

that is so cool! thank you for reminding me i had already forgotten! looks like i get to be the first one since i live in l.a. how fun!

[daragez]

thanks for sharing!....

[SnorkletsMom]

We're planning to go on Friday (5/22) I will take as many photos as possible and try to get them posted soon after.
The train looks like fun, not sure about the actual film.

[TikiRoomLiz]

I'm going on Friday as well to check it out after work. Lucky for me the Metro Red line is a block away and I can just take that and head over to Union Station!

[Ride Warrior]

http://www.magicalmountain.net/WDWNe...sp?NewsID=2189


Disney News > Disney News Article
All Aboard For Disney's Christmas Carol Train Tour!

All aboard for the best free event ever! "Disney's A Christmas Carol Train Tour" starts this Memorial weekend and extends into Novemember. The event is sponsored by HP and is intended for families and individuals of all ages. Immerse your fun loving self in this interactive experience as AMTRAK whistles while it works itself across the nation, bringing the Disney techonology exibit to 40 major cities. The train tour will include a sneaky peaky at digital 3-D clips from the coming flick, Disney's A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carey. A snowy setting embellished with the wintertry wonderland sites and sounds of the Christmas holiday season.

The train will be decked out in decorations, and include carolers as well as givaways and unexpected surprises ..including lots of fun activities, and snow! London's Charles Dickens Museum has provided authentic artifacts (artwork, costumes and props from the film). You and your family will have the opportunity to choose a chracter and morph your face with their's, using HP TouchSmart PCs. For all to enjoy will be an actual Disney Digital 3-D Theater. Demonstrations of performanc capture technology will be available for guests to explore.

"The Train Tour offers an innovative way for guests to interact with HP's latest technology and experience the magic behind the film."

Radio Disney will be on hand, offering kids a chance to enter a contest and the winners will become an official Movie Surfer for their respective hometowns...and receive a prize package of Christmas Carol and Movie Surfer gear. Guests will also be afforded the chance to win an HP TouchSmart PC along with an HP Photosmart wireless printer.



The Digital 3-D Theater will give "guests a sneak peek of "Disney's A Christmas Carol" and see other exclusive behind-the-scenes materials from the movie. The latest details about tour stops and scheduled events are available at www.christmascaroltraintour.com."


http://www.magicalmountain.net/WDWNe...sp?NewsID=2189

^..........^...........^
Refer to the above link for "DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL" TRAIN TOUR SCHEDULE.

[Dustysage]

Al Lutz just sent us the following picture from his iPhone during the event today. Pictured is actor Jim Carey.



Al and Sue Cruz will have details for you soon.

-Dusty

[OCBear]

I saw the train come in to Union Station on Monday, it looks beautiful!

[disneytim]

Disney's press release from today's opening "Train Tour" event at L.A.'s Union Station:

ALL ABOARD!

JIM CARREY AND DIRECTOR ROBERT ZEMECKIS LAUNCH
“DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL” TRAIN TOUR
AT LOS ANGELES’ UNION STATION

JIM CARREY and Director ROBERT ZEMECKIS joined Walt Disney Studios Chairman DICK COOK to kick off “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” Train Tour with a traditional opening ceremony, press conference, festive photo opportunity and an incredible 3D sneak peek of actual footage from the movie, which opens in theaters nationwide on November 6, 2009. The Train Tour will travel across the country with stops in 40 cities, offering visitors an exclusive 3D sneak peek of the movie as well as a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the making of the movie. It culminates in November at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal.

ABOUT THE TRAIN TOUR

Sponsored by Hewlett Packard, the Train Tour will travel more than 16,000 miles and pass through 36 states. Amidst a winter wonderland with holiday décor and Christmas carolers, visitors will see footage from “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” inside a 48-foot-wide, 2-story, inflatable 3D theatre which will be erected in each city. Visitors can also check out the cutting-edge technology behind the film, as well as artifacts from the Charles Dickens Museum and interactive games. The whole experience is free. A list of cities can be found at Disney.com/christmascaroltraintour.

ABOUT THE MOVIE

“DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL,” a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3D motion picture event.

Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (Gary Oldman) and his cheery nephew (Colin Firth). But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late.

Check out www.Disney.com/christmascaroltraintour

-Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Publicity

Publicity shots courtesy of Disney:

The "Christmas Carol" train parked at Union Station.

The inflatable theater where visitors can catch sneak previews of the film in 3D.

Jim Carrey under the watchful eye of his Scrooge doppleganger.

Carrey entertains the crowd while producer/director Robert Zemeckis looks on.

Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook says a few words.

Cook, Carrey and Zemeckis.

Inside the train:

Various displays give a behind the scenes look at the making of "A Christmas Carol." On the right are maquettes of Ebenezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchit. At center is a scale model of Big Ben.

More video screens show the technology and artistry involved in making the film.

Morph your own face into Scrooge's or those of other "Christmas Carol" characters.

Actual period clothing was used as a guide to create the digital costumes seen in the film.

Jim Carrey tries his hand at one of the interactive kiosks.

All photos © Imagemovers Digital, LLC. All Rights Reserved.