Disneyland Paris
March 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Disneyland first started out in Anaheim, California and was based on the imagination of Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and friends. This multi-million dollar enterprise soon expanded its parks and resorts to Orlando, Florida; Hong Kong, China; Tokyo, Japan; and Paris, France. Built in 1992, the Disneyland Paris park cost $4.4 billion dollars and is the biggest theme park in all of Europe. Walt Disney Productions say they chose France because of its close proximity to Germany and London, as well as the fact that the Channel Tunnel high-speed rail line was opening in 1993 to bring even more passengers to their gates.
Despite its current success of $37.7 million in profit, 86% occupancy and 12 million visitors each year, Euro Disney in Paris got off to a rough start. Initially, the Disney crew believed that Europeans were ready to immerse themselves into a “totally American experience.” After all, the Disney movies sold better in Europe than they did in the U.S., and Hong Kong Disney was outperforming Disneyland in Anaheim. However, they had to make some changes to accommodate a multicultural audience. Now they sell espresso at refreshment stands, wine and beer with lunch and hand out park maps in six different languages. Currently the Disney strategy is to expand beyond the French market to attract other European visitors (40% of all tourists come from France) and to encourage people to stay at the parks and resorts longer, since the average stay is only about 2 days, compared to 4 to 5 in other parks.
Disneyland Resort Paris consists of two parks: Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Paris. There is also a shopping district called Disney Village. Disneyland Paris is comparable to Orlando’s Magic Kingdom with different “lands,” whereas Walt Disney Studios is more like Orlando’s Hollywood Studios with a movie-making theme. The whole Euro Disney experience is magical, from the sophisticated audio-animatronic robots and the beautifully landscaped grounds to the detailed settings and themed restaurants that borrow from Disney character films. Children are spellbound by the magic of Disney, but there is much for adults to enjoy as well. Sometimes children are too young to really enjoy the experience, so generally, parents should wait until their kids are between seven and twelve. It’s true that some kids as young as two have a perfectly fine time with no tantrums, whining or complaining, although they won’t remember the trip when they’re older.
Visiting Disneyland Resort Paris is around the same cost as any of the other Disney parks around the world. Visitors may choose from several different ticket options. The 1 Day 1 Park ticket for either Disney Studios or Disneyland Paris costs €43 for children and €51 for adults. The 1 Day Park Hopper ticket lets visitors move freely between Disneyland and Disney Studios all day long for €54 for children and €62 for adults. For extended stays, there is also a 2 Day Park Hopper (€47.50 to €56 per day) and 3 Day Park Hopper passes (€39.33 to €46.33 per day). The three day pass is naturally the most economical option. Of course, Disney makes all their money on the resort stays. Yet Disney offers a great system to book accommodations and park tickets together for a discounted rate, so interested travelers should first consult www.disneylandparis.com.