Just one respectively two days ago we summed up the rumors regarding the entertainment offerings at the Disneyland Park and at the Walt Disney Studios Park coming to the conclusion that the range might be rather limited despite the “New Generation Festival” starting in April – in particular since one announced happening in the studios, “Monsters Inc. Scream Academy”, is rumored to have been cancelled prior to its premier (despite its cast having already been assigned) and the fact that it is still not confirmed whether the rumored show “Disney Showtime Spectacular” (replacing “It’s Party Time … with Mickey and Friends” on the Central Plaza Stage) in the Disneyland Park will be performed multiple times throughout the day or just once in the evening. However, now we learned that TODAY an open casting is conducted by Disneyland Paris for an all new show in a dance studio in Pantin! …[more] »
The Army Men have arrived at Toy Story Playland
February 3rd, 2010 by Dirk
Disneytheque managed to get a photo of the latest progress of the construction for the Toy Story Playland in the Walt Disney Studios Park. Seen rising high above the construction walls is now the central metal tower of the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop. Later on the arms will be added at the top of the metal column from which the “parachutes” / seats for guests will be suspended. However, the metal column with the “suttle” camouflage paint job the arms will remain free standing without any major changes, even so some planting (most probably bamboo) will at least cover the lower section of column from walkways outside the future Toy Story Playland. The metal column is the first element of the vertical construction that is visible and already sports its finalized look – all buildings currently under construction are still frames or bare concrete walls only and will receive their themeing at a later point. In the background of the photo the crane can be spotted that was used to errect the metal column. For a closer look check out the original full size photo at Disneytheque!
Photo by Disneytheque
Entertainment Rumors Summed Up – Part II
February 3rd, 2010 by DirkAfter yesterday’s (in the meantime twice updated) look at the rumors regarding the entertainment in the Disneyland Park for the upcoming months, today it’s time to look at the second theme park at Disneyland Paris: the Walt Disney Studios Park. First the good news: all of the major entertainment offerings will continue – but then it was never doubted that Animagique, CinéMagique, Playhouse Disney Live on Stage! (only added in 2009), Stitch Live! or Motors … Action! Stunt Show Spectacular would continue. Sure the number of performances are tweaked every now and then (in particular for the stunt show) depending on the season but those shows are among the landmark attractions of the theme park for certain groups of guests. However, the offering of additional entertainment on the streets of the park as well as on the Production Courtyard stage is something different … …[more] »
Entertainment Rumors Summed Up (updated)
February 2nd, 2010 by DirkOver the years the various entertainment offerings in both theme parks at Disneyland Paris have been closely scrutinized by fans, a considerable group of whom in the recent years became more and more vocal. Subject of the criticism were in particular the limited amount of entertainment offered outside high season, the sometime as stale or not popular enough perceived offerings and what can only be seen as waste of money by the entertainment team in the form of ordering the construction of a major stage on Central Plaza, when other stages sit mostly unused.
With the “New Generation Festival” starting in April 2010 for both theme parks and the heavy emphasize that the resort itself put on the entertainment offerings the rumor mills started turning fast again and then jumping into overdrive when suddenly reports about the pre-opening cancellation of a small happening planned for the Walt Disney Studios Park surfaced during the past weekend. Unfortunately that is not the only bad report / rumor coming out of the resort for the entertainment offerings … time for a “rumor sum up”! …[more] »
The Economic Impact of Disneyland Paris
February 1st, 2010 by DirkThe Délégation Interministérielle au Projet Euro Disneyland à Paris in late December released an extensive study on the economic impact of the Disneyland Paris since its opening on the local economy covering the time up to and including 2008. While everyone following the development of the resort and the numbers of guests it attracts certainly will have expected that it had a long-term impact on the area and its economy the extent of the impact might be surprising to some. It has been repeated over and over that Disneyland Paris is “the number one tourist destination in Europe” with 15.6 million guests in 2008 – as also once again confirmed by Daniel Canepa, head of the Délégation Interministériell”, at the presentation of the study. Just for comparison its “best local competitors” regarding visitor numbers: Musée du Louvre – 8.4 millions, Tour Eiffel – 6.7 million, Versailles – 5.6 millions, Musée d’Orsay – 3 millions and Centre Pompidou – 2,7 million (all data from 2008) … so no risk that they may get ahead of DLp anytime soon.
But would you have guessed that the resort is the fifth most important hotel location in all of France after Paris, Lourdes, Nice and Lyon (based and occupancy) and is responsible for more than 10.11% of the total number of hotel nights booked in the Ile-de-France region and up to 71% of the hotel nights booked in the Seine-et-Marne area? Quite impressive, especially as the resort only makes up 4.,73% of the hotel capacity in Ile-de-France and 46.8% of the hotel capacity in Seine-et-Marne indicating much higher occupancy rates than the hotels outside the resort. …[more] »
A Dream Gift from a Kind Heart
January 29th, 2010 by Andy de MaertelaereA trip to Disneyland Paris can bring happiness to many children and parents. For some this joy isn’t always that easy to get. Not every family has it easy or the extra money to visit the happiest place in France. But for one family in the UK a dream could become reality when a kind-hearted man want to send over one family to enjoy a holiday of a lifetime.
Stephen Grayson is offering to pay a full trip for one family to go and play at Disneyland Paris. Stephen has no children of his own but tries to help those in need by donating for children’s charities. This time he wanted to go a step further and wants to help a family with one or two disabled children to go and have a holiday in Disneyland Paris. The trip would be for next year August so families can contact Stephen if they would like to take up on this generous offer. This is a wonderful gesture and shows that there is still a lot of good in this world.
To take up on the offer you can do the following. Write to The Star at 23a Hardshaw Street, St Helens, Merseyside. WA10 1RT or email news@sthelensstar.co.uk. (original story St Helens Star)
Alternative airline for UK guests – UPDATED
January 28th, 2010 by Dirk
Since its grand opening in 1992 Disneyland Paris has been closely associated with Air France which acted as the resort’s official airline. Last year Air France was even recruited by the resort in its effort to bolster the attendance numbers by handing out free one day passports to its passengers flying into Paris (as we reported over on the Mousekingdom Blog). However, unnoticed by many flybe, a low cost carrier flying from various UK airports into Paris (using Charles de Gaule airport there) and thus a competitor of Air France on some routes, run a similar promotion for a free one day passport as well plus a 15% discount on all additional passports (even so the promotion ended prior to the Air France promotion already at the end of June instead the end of September).
The promotion must have been a success as the resort teamed up one more time with flybe later in the year, offering up to 50% discounts on 2 night packages in the Disney Hotels leading up to the christmas days (and yes, this promotion has ended as well). Looking back these two promotions seem to have been tests by the resort’s management and the UK airline whether a partnership made sense. The results of the tests? …[more] »
Construction Work in Winter
January 27th, 2010 by Dirk
With the heavy snow fall and extremly cold temperatures of the last weeks the winter is showing itself from its strongest side. Certainly this is having an effect on Disneyland Paris as well – and one exceeding the magical twist that the snow cover brought to the theme parks and the whole resort. In fact the cold weather and snow is impacting the construction and rehab work planned or already under execution outdoors, where work had to be halted or at least slowed down. However, the resort is not sitting there and just waiting for the coldest part of winter to pass by. …[more] »
Night Time Experience
January 26th, 2010 by Dirk
Cold and snowy days, early night fall… the early days of the year are still deep winter – even so the days are getting longer again.
Visiting Disneyland Paris at this time of the year, right after the end of the Christmas season and prior to the onset of spring, has disadvantages (especially the cold temperatures but also the limited off-season entertainment schedule and the start of the seasonal rehabs resulting in the closure of selected attractions) but also quite a few advantages – not the least of which is the special pricing at the Disney hotels and especially the low crowds in the theme parks making many rides a walk-on and resulting in characters at Meet’n'Greets (especially in the Disney Hotels) having more time to spend one-on-one with guests. …[more] »
Box it up
January 25th, 2010 by Dirk
Guests of Disneyland Paris certainly do not only shop for themselves but also for presents for their friends and family back home. Therefor packaging and transport options available for merchandise do not only have to be practical but also – at least optionally – be suited for gift giving. Disneyland Paris has reacted to these requirements by offering several sizes of colorful cardboard boxes to place gifts in.
In 2007 and 2008 obviously those boxes were featuring the 15th anniversary themes. However, late in 2009 a new more generic design has replaced the older motives. …[more] »