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Disneyland Paris

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

A beautiful view of Fantasyland at Disneyland Paris, showing colorful attractions and a peaceful stream.

Disneyland Paris is a fun place to visit in Marne-la-Vallée, France, close to the city of Paris. It has two big theme parks, several hotels, places for big groups, a golf course, an arena, and many shops and restaurants. It opened on April 12, 1992, and is run by Disney Experiences, a part of the Walt Disney Company.

It was the second Disney park to open outside the United States, after the one in Tokyo. The first park, Disneyland Park, opened in 1992, and a second park called Disney Adventure World (which was first named Walt Disney Studios Park) opened in 2002.

The resort is on a large area of land, with plans for more buildings in the future, including a new community called Val d'Europe. Disneyland Paris is the most visited theme park in Europe and helps provide jobs for many people in France. It has welcomed hundreds of millions of guests since it opened.

Ownership

The Walt Disney Company made a plan to help Disneyland Paris in 2014. The park had a lot of debt and wasn’t doing well. Disney didn’t own most of the park then. In 2017, Disney bought more shares and became the main owner. They added more money to improve the park. By 2018, Disney fully owned Disneyland Paris and planned more investments to make it better.

History

Seeking a location for a European resort

After the success of Disneyland in California, plans started in 1966 to build a similar park in Europe. Possible places included Frankfurt, Paris, London, and Milan. By 1985, the choices were two sites in France and two in Spain. Both countries wanted the park because it would help their economies.

The French site in Marne-la-Vallée was chosen because it is close to Paris and in the middle of Western Europe. Building started in 1988, and the park opened on April 12, 1992.

Design and construction

The resort had plans for seven hotels with 5,800 rooms, all with an American theme showing different U.S. regions. An entertainment and shopping area called Festival Disney was also built, designed by architect Frank Gehry. The park wanted to welcome up to 55,000 visitors a day with 29 restaurants inside and more in the hotels.

Recruitment/employment

Disney wanted to hire permanent workers instead of seasonal ones. They set up casting centers in Paris, London, and Amsterdam. By 2011, the park gave thousands of jobs in France, and by 2022, it was one of the biggest employers in the area.

Opening day and early years

Disney Newport Bay Club

Euro Disney opened on April 12, 1992, after preview days for employees and families. Early problems included traffic and a European recession, which made it hard to get visitors and money. A new Indiana Jones ride opened in 1993 but had some early technical problems.

Financial, attendance and employment struggles

In the early years, the park had money problems with a lot of debt and fewer visitors than expected. By 1994, Euro Disney had $3 billion in debt. Adding alcohol to menus helped, but the park needed money from banks and The Walt Disney Company to get better.

1995 turnaround

In 1995, the park was renamed Disneyland Paris. A new Space Mountain ride opened, and the number of visitors started to grow. By the end of 1995, the park made its first profit and kept getting better.

2000–2017

Over the next years, Disneyland Paris had changes including the opening of Walt Disney Studios Park in 2002 and some money ups and downs. By 2012, it had helped the French economy a lot and gave many jobs. The park closed for a short time in 2015 after events in Paris but opened again soon after.

2017–present: Expansions

In 2017, The Walt Disney Company took full control of the resort. New areas like Marvel Avengers Campus opened, and in 2022, the park celebrated its 30th anniversary with special events. In 2026, Walt Disney Studios Park will be renamed Disney Adventure World, with a new World of Frozen land based on the popular Disney movie. The park will keep growing with new lands and experiences planned for the future.

Entertainment shows

Disneyland Paris has special entertainment shows and festivals. In 2017, they celebrated their 25th anniversary with a music festival called Electroland. The festival came back in 2018 and 2019. The 2019 event was inspired by the movie The Lion King. Plans for a 2020 festival were cancelled due to the Coronavirus.

In 2021, Disneyland Paris started a new 20-minute show called Disney Junior Dream Factory. It encourages visitors to believe in their dreams. A version in French sign language is shown every weekend. In 2023, they introduced a new show called "Together." It features characters from Pixar movies like Dory, Coco, and Buzz Lightyear. The show has live music and actors on stage.

Other events

Minecon 2012

In November 2012, Disneyland Paris hosted a special event called Minecon. This event was for fans of the game Minecraft. It happened in many places around the resort. Many people came to enjoy the event. During Minecon, the creators of Minecraft announced a new update. The event also had popular Minecraft YouTubers and guests from Mojang.

Regional impact

Disneyland Paris has helped grow the area around it, called Val-d’Europe, by bringing many tourists. It is one of the most visited places in Europe.

The park has added a lot of value to the French economy since it opened in 1992. It also helps create jobs. Disneyland Paris brings in a big part of France’s tourism money. By 2023, over 375 million people had visited.

Environmental sustainability

Since 2019, Disneyland Paris has made changes to help the environment. They stopped using plastic straws and bags, switching to paper ones and bags made from recycled materials. In 2013, they started a program to use water more wisely. The park now has its own special system to clean and reuse water, saving lots of drinking water.

In 2022, Disneyland Paris announced plans to install 82,000 solar panels. These panels will create clean energy each year and will be the largest solar plant of its kind in Europe. This project will also help reduce harmful gases in the air. In 2023, the park joined a big worldwide clean-up event, encouraging everyone to help keep the planet tidy.

Sponsorships and commitments

Since it opened in 1992, Disneyland Paris has helped with the Pièces Jaunes operation. The park also offers special visits for children staying in hospitals. On May 18, 2022, 500 children and their families were invited to enjoy a day at Disneyland Paris.

Awards

In 2020, Disneyland Paris was named 'Europe's Best Family Park' at the European Star Awards. That same year, it also won awards for 'Best Dark Ride or Media Based Experience', 'Best Large Park', and 'Best Live Entertainment'.

In 2022, Disneyland Paris won the World Travel Awards' title of 'Europe's Leading Theme Park Resort'. It has won this award many times. In 2022, it also won 'European Amusement Park of the Year' at the Parksmania Awards. The Spider-Man W.E.B Adventure was named 'European Top New Attraction' by the Parksmania Awards. For its 30th Anniversary, Disney D-Light was honored as Best Live Entertainment at the Park World Excellence Awards in London.

Name changes

Disneyland Paris has had many names since it opened. It began as the Euro Disney Resort on April 12, 1992. It was then called Euro Disneyland Paris, and later just Disneyland Paris. For a time, it was named Disneyland Resort Paris, but today it is called Disneyland Paris again.

Theme years

Disneyland Paris has celebrated many special occasions. These include anniversaries, such as the 1st in 1993, the 5th in 1997, the 10th in 2002, and up to the 35th planned for 2027.

There have also been festive events not tied to anniversaries. Examples include the Happiest Homecoming on Earth from 2005 to 2006, Mickey's Magical Party from 2009 to 2010, and the Disney Symphony of Colours starting in 2024. Upcoming events include the Disney Music Festival in 2025.

The complex

Disneyland Paris is a big fun place in Marne-la-Vallée, France, close to Paris. It has many exciting spots to explore.

The resort has two main theme parks, hotels, shops, restaurants, and lots of entertainment. Disneyland Park opened in 1992 and is inspired by classic Disney stories. Disney Adventure World opened in 2002 and features popular movies and superhero areas.

Outside of Val d’Europe shopping centre

Visitors can enjoy famous rides like It's a Small World, Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain.

The resort also includes special hotels, transportation options, and areas to help everyone enjoy everything comfortably.

Main article: List of Disneyland Park (Paris) attractions

NameManufacturerSpeedHeightLengthPark (Section)Opened
Big Thunder Mountain RailroadVekoma65 km/h (40 mph)22 m (72 ft)1,500 m (4,900 ft)Disneyland Park, Frontierland1992
Casey Jr. Circus TrainVekoma45 km/h (28 mph)3 m (9.8 ft)unknownDisneyland Park, Fantasyland1994
Hyperspace MountainVekoma71 km/h (44 mph)32 m (105 ft)1,000 m (3,300 ft)Disneyland Park, Discoveryland1995
Indiana Jones and the Temple of PerilIntamin58 km/h (36 mph)18 m (59 ft)600 m (2,000 ft)Disneyland Park, Adventureland1993
Avengers Assemble: Flight ForceVekoma92 km/h (57 mph)24 m (79 ft)1,037 m (3,402 ft)Disney Adventure World, Avengers Campus2002 (as Rock 'n' Roller Coaster avec Aerosmith), 2022
Crush's CoasterMaurer Söhne60.7 km/h (37.7 mph)16 m (52 ft)545 m (1,788 ft)Disney Adventure World, Worlds of Pixar2007
RC RacerIntamin80 km/h (50 mph)25 m (82 ft)82 m (269 ft)Disney Adventure World, Worlds of Pixar2010
NameThemeDesignNumber of roomsOpening datePriceRating
Disney Davy Crockett RanchWilderness and adventureSet back from the parks, the ranch is located in the midst of a large forest. Guests stay in cozy log cabins with access to swimming pools and other sports facilities. There is a restaurant and a bar.59512 April 19922*
Annual attendance
YearDisneylandWalt Disney StudiosTotal
199210,000,00010,000,000
19939,800,0009,800,000
19948,800,0008,800,000
199510,700,00010,700,000
199611,700,00011,700,000
199712,600,00012,600,000
199812,500,00012,500,000
199912,500,00012,500,000
200012,000,00012,000,000
200112,200,00012,200,000
200210,300,0002,800,00013,100,000
200310,200,0002,200,00012,400,000
200410,200,0002,200,00012,400,000
200510,200,0002,100,00012,300,000
200610,600,0002,200,00012,800,000
200712,000,0002,500,00014,500,000
200812,688,0002,612,00015,300,000
200912,740,0002,655,00015,395,000
201010,500,0004,500,00015,000,000
201110,990,0004,710,00015,700,000
201211,200,0004,800,00016,000,000
201310,430,0004,470,00014,900,000
20149,940,0004,260,00014,200,000
201510,360,0004,440,00014,800,000
20168,400,0004,970,00013,370,000
20179,660,0005,200,00014,860,000
20189,843,0005,298,00015,141,000
20199,745,0005,245,00014,990,000
20202,620,0001,410,0004,030,000
20213,500,0001,880,0005,380,000
20229,930,0005,340,00015,270,000
202310,400,0005,700,00016,100,000

Notable incidents

Main article: List of incidents at Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris has had some important events. These can happen for different reasons, like if a guest didn’t follow safety rules or had health problems. The park reports these events so they can be checked and understood.

Images

An escalator inside Gare de Marne-la-Vallée - Chessy train station in France.

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Disneyland Paris, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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