Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast

**Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast** is an upcoming trackless vehicle attraction being developed at Shiresland Australia based on *Beauty and the Beast*. It's scheduled to open April 15, 2010.

## Summary

*Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast* retells the story of the film strictly through the lens of events taking place within the enchanted castle. Passing over the fog-filled gorge across the bridge into the castle courtyard, the queue takes guests through several rooms, passing the enchanted objects in a non-active state. Lumiere and Cogsworth can be seen on a fireplace mantel, Mrs. Potts and Chip (who can occasionally be seen moving) sit on a tea table in the den.

After passing through an armory hall, guests enter the pre-show room at the Main Foyer. A stained glass image of the Prince comes to life as a narrator tells the story of the Beast's enchantment. As the story ends, an animatronic of the Beast emerges from a balcony on the right gazing at the Enchanted Rose while Belle comes in from the left balcony holding a lantern, asking the Beast to come into the light. After Belle is frightened by the Beast's appearance and leaves the room, the Beast looks lonely and the doors open into the queue for the loading area.

As guests pass through the hallway, Lumiere and Cogsworth can be seen reacting to the shadows of the Beast's outbursts towards Belle when she refuses to come to dinner. Making their way towards the kitchen past a dishwashing area, Chip can be seen talking to his mother in shadow behind a cloth. Entering the loading area and going past Chef Bouche, guests board the ride vehicles, taking the form of enchanted serving dishes that dance along to the music of the show scenes.

The attraction begins with "Be Our Guest", with Lumiere appearing from a mantel to conduct our dishes to dance through the song. As we move around the room, watching animated dishes dancing in the cases, the dining room table acquires more elements as the song builds to its finale. We then move to the snow-covered gardens outside the castle for "Something There", with animatronics of Belle, Phillipe and Beast out in the winter cold. As we move into the next room for the ending of the song with the enchanted objects commenting on the romance, with Belle and Beast in their ballroom attire, the happy moment is quickly interrupted by the arrival of Gaston's mob, seen as shadows through the window. As we escape, we pass the Wardrobe trying to barricade a door where torches and pitchforks can be seen popping up through the top. A strike of lightning can be heard as we pass the last petal of the enchanted rose falling and see Belle mourning the dying Beast. Through an elaborate Pepper's ghost effect, the figure of the Beast transforms back into the Prince as the curse is lifted and the castle returns to its original self. The finale of the attraction takes us into the The Ballroom to waltz around Belle and the Prince on a small central stage, with the human forms of the servants looking on. Moving into the unload area, the vehicles pass a restored rose on a fountain with the stained glass image from the film's ending hanging behind it.