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Volume 2, No. 7. April 12, 2002

New Arrivals

It’s a theme park!
The Walt Disney Company announces the arrival of Walt Disney Studios Park, Paris, France, March 16, 2002. Measurements: 25 hectares, four sections, nine attractions, six eateries and five retail outlets. Delivered by Vekoma and Zamperla.

Walt Disney Company officials made sure they had something to celebrate: the 10th anniversary of Disneyland Park’s opening in Paris (they even kicked off the birthday a month early), inducting filmmakers, actors and musicians into the Disney Legends program and, by the way, opening a new theme park. They had logistical reasons to combine the celebrations: easier to get dignitaries and celebrities into town for a multi-purpose two days. It also made marketing sense: reservations are up 40 percent at Disneyland Resort Paris since the new park opened.

Still, this park deserved the spotlight to itself upon its debut. For this installment the Disney Company went back to its roots, literally, in its celebration of the company’s founder and the Hollywood he helped create. In doing so, Walt Disney Studios Park pays homage to a man who was as much a cinematique icon in Europe—especially France—as he was in America. Plus the park incorporate’s Walt’s many inspirations from Europe.

This is a thoroughly European park, not at all a copy of MGM Studios in Florida or the Hollywood section of Disney’s California Adventures in Anaheim. Walt Disney Studios Park is European in practical matters, like offering some attractions in six languages. It is European in scope, such as the movies it honors at Cinamagique. It is European in the craftsmanship, particularly in the Animagique, which uses black light theater and puppetry from Prague to celebrate the artistry of Disney’s animations. And it has its own signature attractions, most notably the Moteurs. . .Action stunt show created by automobile stunt wizard Rémy Julienne, and the Armageddon Special Effects attraction which re-creates the movie’s meteor shower on the Russian space station.

The opening day ceremony under perfect spring weather stressed this park’s European foundation. Joining Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner, Vice Chairman Roy Disney, Euro Disney Chairman and CEO Jay Rasulo and Mickey Mouse were 135 children from seven countries’ children’s charity associations. They opened the park with a yell of “Lights! Camera! Action!” then seven “first families”—one each from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom—entered the park.

In its first few weeks of play, Walt Disney Studios Park appears to be a box office hit.

For completed coverage of Walt Disney Studios, see Amusement Today.