So now that we’ve all recovered (finally) from staying up all night with Disney’s One More Day event last month, it’s time to saddle up for our next Disney excursion.
Disneyland Paris, née EuroDisney, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The park, born April 12, 1992, had a rocky beginning–local reception was mixed, with some labeling it a “cultural Chernobyl.” Employees protested the stringent appearance code; and attendance was underwhelming, possibly due to a widespread recession at the time. By 1995 however, the park’s prospects had turned around with a new name and the opening of Space Mountain (and possibly the initiation of liquor sales within the park,) and by 2008 it was said to be the most visited attraction in Paris.
Along with a new parade, the spearhead of the 20th Anniversary activities looks to be a new nighttime water/light extravaganza currently being created by Steve Davison (World of Color, TDS’s Fantasmic!) called Disney Dreams. A link is here: http://20th-anniversary.disneylandparis.co.uk/#disney-dreams-nighttime-show showing an introduction and some clips from the show’s creators.
So with all this in addition to the novelty of it being my first visit to this resort, it looks to be an exciting trip. For more information on Disneyland Paris, I encourage anyone to check out Jack Spence’s comprehensive blogs (/blogs/jackspence/disneyland_paris/) on the topic.
Jusqu’Ã la prochaine fois!
I’ve been to DLP twice; please let me know if I can help you at all! You can see the trip report from my first trip here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=32662457#post32662457
Yes, Crush’s Coaster is great! I wish it was in Florida!
Jeanine: Thanks! I’ll be sure to give it a read.
I live in the UK and have visited Disneyland Paris a few times over the years (we go to WDW more, my inlaws live about an hour away, lucky me!). The Crush coster is excellent, and don’t miss the film show (I think it’s called Animagic) in the Studios either, the guide map doesn’t make it sound like much and we only went in to get out of the snow (it was January) but it’s wonderful.
The castle is beautiful too, make sure you pay a visit to the dragon in the dungeon! I hope you have an great time and I look forward to reading your trip report!
Jeanine: Thanks! I hear nothing but raves about the castle and its dragon–hopefully it’ll be enhanced with the installation of the Dreams water show in front of it.
Bon voyage!
And for a musical alternative may I recommend the classic big band album “April in Paris” (Verve, 1957) by Count Basie and his orchestra. Fifty-five years and this royal banquet is still swinging. “One more time!”
Jeanine: I considered putting in the clip from “Blazing Saddles,” but thought it might be too much of a non sequitur. 😉
I visited Disneyland Paris for its 15th anniversary and loved it. I’m very curious what you will think of it. My favorite ride there was the Crush coaster. If only Disney World would build one here! But the load and unload time is very slow. I’m not sure it could handle WDW crowd levels.
Don’t miss eating at Walt’s on Main Street. To me, it is the Paris version of Club 33 but anyone can eat there. We had lunch during a time when there was a parade and had a window seat to watch from Walt’s. That is one of my favorite memories of the trip.
Jeanine: I’ve heard the Crush coaster is really good and the highlight of the Studios park out there–looking forward to riding it, although not looking forward to the long lines I’ve heard about for it!
I think we have lunch reservations at Walt’s as well as Inventions in the Disneyland Hotel. Should be fun!
We were stationed in Belgium when EuroDisney opened, and I took my high school age daughter on the 2nd day it was open. We had a blast seeing it all shiny and new, and soaking up the AMERICAN feeling, while living overseas! It was great!
Jeanine: That’s terrific–I would have loved to see it new, although I hear they’re doing a lot of spit-and-polish for the anniversary right now.