Another morning – another quick update from the construction of the first Earl of Sandwich restaurant in continental Europe (check out yesterday’s update for the background why it is only the first in continental Europe). Today InsideDLParis shows us some new progress on the decorative turret / “hat” element sitting on top of the building’s roof at it’s front corner. The steel skeleton of the two top levels of the element (looking a bit like the structure of a layered / multi-level cake) has now been covered receiving it’s finalized look (judged based on the concept artwork), while the third and lowest level still shows the bare steel skeleton.

Photo by InsideDLParis

Following our report from Tuesday here is already another update of the construction at the first European first Earl of Sandwich restaurant in continental Europe - thanks to InsideDLParis. Taken on Wednesday from the elevated position (at the Café Mickey) it becomes visible that the construction crews are already preparing the floor surrounding the future restaurant. While the resort decided to switch from concrete floor to pavements laid of stones inside Fantasyland for the parade route, the floor in Disney Village is kept a concrete floor. The design of the concrete floor in front of the Earl of Sandwich continues the patterns already in place for the surrounding concrete floor of the Disney Village.

In addition to the work on the flooring the photo also shows, that the staircase leading up to the terrace in front of the facade facing toward Lake Disney has yet to be installed. Only the massive concrete base for the upper part is already in place. It can be seen at the far end of the facade. Once the staircase is installed someone at the vintage point from which this photo was taken would look right onto the staircase.

UPDATE:
As Park Paradise pointed out in its comment the upcoming Earl of Sandwich is NOT the first Earl of Sandwich restaurant in Europe. The chain opened a restaurant in London, near St. Paul’s, on April 18, 2011 – as detailed on it’s official UK website - which did beat the location in Disney Village by a month and a half (based on the currently scheduled opening). However, the official French website still calls the Disney Village location the chain’s first European restaurant (“Earl of Sandwich ouvre sa première Sandwicherie haut de gamme en Europe” which translates as “Earl off Sandwich opens its first top-of-the-range Sandwicherie in Europe”). This should more correctly now read “first … in continental Europe”.

Photo by InsideDLParis

Finally once again some visible progress at the outside of the future Earl of Sandwich restaurant. Yesterday, Monday May 9, 2011, the light-up letters “Earl of Sandwich” appeared in the glass facade facing toward Lake Disney.

There is more work to be done to the exterior of the restaurant as well – so there should be more visible progress in the next days. For example the low row of covered panels between the ground floor windows and the first floor windows is still to be finished. Furthermore, the roof still sports a construction railing just as the outdoor terrace to the left of the main building in the photo above – note that the outdoor terrace is actually on the level of the first floor, with the stairs leading up outside the the building right in front of it.

The photo by InsideDLParis also shows that the beige construction fence blocking off the view onto the bridge across the small side arm of Lake Disney were taken down. The bride is still blocked off … but this should change soon, after all Disneyland Paris on it’s official twitter account already confirmed June 1st as the grand opening date for the Earl of Sandwich.

With the same tweet the resort also shared a photo taken inside the restaurant and even allowed to put it on other websites via twitpic – so here it is! The photo was tweeted past Friday, May 6, 2011 but it is not stated when it was taken, It shows still some work to do as the stairs leading up to the first floor are still missing any railing. However, the fake library front covering the large backwall of the restaurant looks nearly finished.

As the Earl of Sandwich come June 1st should look all new and shiny the Rainforest Cafe next door is trying to improve its exterior at least a little bit. After getting the upper (unthemed) part of its facade facing toward Lake Disney freshly painted in a light blue now the rockwork of the crocodile pool next to the restaurant’s main entrance got a fresh coat of paint (as can be seen in the photo on the left). Unfortunately the fake rockwork covering the lower level of the building now looks even more washed out…

Exterior photos by InsideDLParis; interior photo tweeted by the official twitter account of the resort in English