Previous names Euro Disneyland Opened 12 April 1992 Owner Euro Disney S.C.A. | Website Official website Area 57 ha | |
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Location Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, Paris, France Theme Fairy tales and Disney characters Operated by Euro Disney S.C.A.
(The Walt Disney Company) Rides Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, Phantom Manor, Indiana Jones et le Temple d, Le Carrousel de Lancel, Disneyland Railroad Similar Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney Studios P, Disneyland, Disneyland Hotel, Parc Astérix | ||
Disneyland Park (French: Parc Disneyland), originally Euro Disneyland, is a theme park found at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France. The park opened on 12 April 1992 as the first of the two parks built at the resort. Designed and built by Walt Disney Imagineering, its layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California and Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. Spanning 56.656 ha (140 acres) (the second largest Disney park based on the original, after Shanghai Disneyland Park), it is dedicated to fairy tales and Disney characters. In 2013, the park hosted approximately 10.43 million visitors, making it the most-visited theme park in Europe, and the sixth-most visited theme park in the world.
Contents
- History
- Lands
- Main Street USA
- Adventureland
- Frontierland
- Fantasyland
- Discoveryland
- Seasonal and special events
- Shows and parades
- Current
- Future
- Seasonal and retired
- References
The park is represented by Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, a replica of the fairy tale castle seen in Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty.
History
In order to make things more distinct and not be a mere copy of the original, modifications were made to the park's concepts and designs. Among the changes was the change of Tomorrowland to Discoveryland, giving the area a retrofuturistic theme. Other altered elements include the Haunted Mansion, which was redesigned as Phantom Manor and a retro, more intense version of Space Mountain. The park's location brought forth its own challenges. Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant is said by its designers to have been necessarily reevaluated for a continent on which authentic castles stand. Modifications to the park were made to protect against changes in weather in the Parisian climate. Covered walkways referred to as "arcades" were added, and Michael Eisner ordered the installation of 35 fireplaces in hotels and restaurants.
The park, as well as its surrounding complex, initially failed to meet financial expectations, resulting in an image change in which the word "Euro" was phased out of several names, including Euro Disneyland. The park was known as Euro Disneyland until May 1994, Euro Disneyland Paris until September 1994, Disneyland Paris until February 2002, and Disneyland Park (English) and Parc Disneyland (French) since March 2002.
As Michael Eisner noted, "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."
Lands
Disneyland Park is divided into five themed "lands", which house 49 attractions. Designed like a wheel with the hub on Central Plaza before Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, pathways spoke out across the 140 acres (57 ha) of the park and lead to the lands. The 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Disneyland Railroad runs along the perimeter of the park and stops in Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Adventureland
Frontierland
Fantasyland
Discoveryland
Seasonal and special events
Different seasons offer different park opening hours and different entertainment offerings.
Shows and parades
Disneyland Park hosts a range of daytime and nighttime entertainment throughout the year, although the nighttime entertainment is seasonal.