Where is Disneyland Paris?
Disneyland Paris, originally Euro Disney Resort, is an entertainment resort in Marne-la-Vallée, a new town located 32 km (20 mi) east of the center of Paris and is the most visited attraction in all of France and Europe.
What is behind the gates of Disneyland Paris?
The resort covers 4,800 acres (19 km2) and encompasses two theme parks, several resort hotels, a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, and a golf course, in addition to several additional recreational and entertainment venues.
When did Disneyland Paris open?
Disneyland Park is the original theme park of the complex, opening with the resort on April 12, 1992. A second theme park, Walt Disney Studios Park opened in 2002.
Disneyland paris was the second of the disney parks to open outside the U.S behind Disneyland Tokyo.
Plans to build a Disneyland in Europe emerged as early as 1972. Disneyland Tokyo opened in 1983 with instant success, However Disneyland Paris didn't do as well as they had first though and the park didn't make a profit until 1995, even so, the resort still has trouble being profitable because of its large debts.
Why Disneyland Paris?
- 4 locations were decided for the park that was to be Disneyland Paris. Two in Spain and Two in France.
- The location in which Disneyland Paris now sits was chosen as this location was estimated to be no more than a four-hour drive for 68 million people and no more than a two-hour flight for a further 300 million.
'By the year 2017, Euro Disney, under the terms specified in its contract with the French government, will be required to finish constructing a total of 18,200 hotel rooms at varying distances from the resort'
American theme vs. European theme...
- Menus and prices were varied with an American flavour predominant and Disney's precedent of not serving alcoholic beverages was continued in the park. However this was changed later on after the french had complained.
- 2,300 patio seats (30% of park seating) were installed to satisfy Europeans' expected preference of eating outdoors in good weather. In test kitchens at Walt Disney World, recipes were adapted for European tastes.
- Critics, who included prominent French intellectuals, denounced what they considered to be the cultural imperialism of Euro Disney and felt it would encourage in France an unhealthy American type of consumerism.
-a Parisian stage director, named the concept a cultural Chernobyl a phrase which would be echoed in the media and grow synonymous with Euro Disney's initial years.
The Opening of disneyland Paris:
- Disneyland Paris opened on April 12th 1992, it was estimated through government surveys that about 500,000 people would flock to the park on opening day in some 90,000 cars.
- This however did not reign true as by midday the car park was only half full, 'suggesting an attendance level below 25,000.'
- It was speculated that the low crowd was due to either a railway strike or a warning to people to avoid the roads around Disneyland Paris.
- Due to the recession in August 1992 the Park had heavy financial trouble.
- In 1994 the resort was still having financial troubles and almost had to declare bankruptcy however they managed to negotiate with the banks about helping with the debt.
Disneyland Paris Revival.
- On the 31st May 1995 a new ride premiered in the park (Space Mountain) which they had saved for a revival in public interest.
- On 25 July 1995, Euro Disney S.C.A. reported its first ever quarterly profit of US$35.3 million.
- On 15 November 1995, the results for the fiscal year ending 30 September 1995, were released; in one year the theme park's attendance had climbed from 8.8 million to 10.7 million – an increase of 21%.
- Hotel occupancy had also climbed from 60 to 68.5%. After debt payments, Disneyland Paris ended the year with a net profit of US$22.8 million.
- On 21 January 2005, Euro Disney S.C.A launched a new marketing plan to bring new, first-time European visitors to the Resort.
- In 2005, having been open fewer than fifteen years, Disneyland Paris had become the number one tourist destination for Europe, outselling the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.
The growth and success of Disneyland Paris.
- In 2006, Disneyland Resort Paris launched the advertising campaign, “believe in your dreams” and paired with the TGV East European Line to encourage European family attendance to the Resort.
- August 2008 brought the Resort’s 200 millionth visitor.
- 2008 made for the third consecutive year of growth in revenues for the Resort as well as record a record of 15.3 million visitors in attendance.
- followed by stable revenues at 1.2 billion in fiscal 2010.
Disneyland and the french economy.
A study done by the Inter-ministerial Delegation reviewing Disneyland Resort Paris’ contribution to the French economy was released in time for the Resort’s 20th anniversary in March 2012. It found that despite the Resort’s financial hardships, it has generated “37 billion euros in tourism-related revenues over twenty years,” supports on average 55,000 jobs in France annually, and that one job at Disneyland Paris generates nearly three jobs elsewhere in France.
Disneyland name changes.
- As Americans, the word ‘Euro’ is believed to mean glamorous or exciting. For Europeans it turned out to be a term they associated with business, currency, and commerce. Renaming the park ‘Disneyland Paris’ was a way of identifying it with one of the most romantic and exciting cities in the world.—Michael Eisner
Inside the park:
- Disneyland park
- Walt Disney studios park
- Disney village
- Golf Disneyland
Hotels:
A railway station, Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy, is located between the theme parks and Disney Village. It opened on 1 April 1992 with a connection to the suburban RER network, line A. A connection to the TGV high-speed rail network opened on 29 May 1994 with the Interconnexion Est line. Thalys no longer operates from the station, but there are daily services from London St Pancras on the Eurostar.
Free shuttle bus to all Disneyland hotels except Davy Crockett ranch.
All information thus far originally sourced from Wikipedia
Fun facts about Disneyland Paris, in we can be able to imagine the depth and size of the park:
- 225,000 light bulbs light the façades on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland Park.
- There are 580,000 bricks on Main Street, U.S.A., laid out in a pattern similar to New York at the turn of the century.
- More than 1,000 artists work at Disneyland Resort Paris (700 actors and dancers, 50 musicians, 150 designers, artist and decorators, 100 technicians, 30 couturiers…).
- 14 hours of live shows take place each day.
- Approximately 500 parades are staged each year in the Disneyland Park. The parade route is over 700 metres long.
- The Walt Disney Company does not own the Disneyland Paris park but has shares of around 49%. The company that owns it, is called Euro Disney. This is the same case as the Disney resort in Tokoyo but with a different company owning it.
- During the construction phase, 120 million cubic metres of earth were moved and 710,000 m² of buildings and 51km of roads were built. 3,000,000 m² of earth were used to create the hill that lines the periphery of Disneyland Park.
Who does Disneyland Paris attract as far as audience is concerned?
- It can be analysed from the above advert that the main audience to attract into the park is children, however, children are not able to make it to the park by themselves and so any advertising created by the park is to attract the parents also, therefore making Disneyland Paris a family orientated park.
The park devotes itself to entertaining everybody, although many would assume that Disneyland is for children, there are many clues that Disneyland aim to entertain as many people as they can.
- There are a range of 55 ATTRACTIONS at Disneyland Paris.
- Space mountain: mission 2, the minimum height for this ride is 1.32m, and recommended riding age is people over 10 years old, directing this at thrill seekers. Although this is a family based park, and the rides are considered family rides, this pushes towards the demographic of older children, teenagers, and even those young couples wanting to relive their childhood.
- Although the park attracts families, it also acts as a gateway for some young adults as a journey back into their childhood. Not only do the nostalgic Disney gimmicks attract them, but the more thrill seeking rides such as Space mountain, Indiana jones and Rockin' roller coaster mean that they can enjoy the rides just as anyone else does.
- There are also activities for those who don't particularly like rides, such as the array of shows (stunt shows, musicals) and parades at the park as well as shopping in the disney village and going to the cinema in walt disney studios park.
- There is also the availability for those who want to take time doing other activities to do so whilst their group head into the Disneyland Park. Other activities available include:
- Playing golf
- A treetop adventure trail
- Playing Tennis
- Rolling Bulles
- Pony rides
- Swimming. (For disney hotel residents only)
- Taking a short hot air balloon flight over lake disney.
- As well as eating or drinking at many of the onsite bars and restaurants.
- '39% of visitors come from France, 22% from the U.K., 6% from Germany, 8% from Belgium, 8% from the Netherlands and Luxembourg, 9% from Spain and Italy, and 8% from other countries. ' Source
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