Top 10 Facts about Disneyland Paris

Top 10 Facts about Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is owned by the Walt Disney Company, the second resort to be opened outside of the United States. It was called Euro Disney when first opened. The name was however dropped as its connotation was too ‘economical’.  Disneyland Paris has grown to offer many recreational and entertainment venues. This amazing and magical resort sits on about a whopping 5,510 acres! It took roughly 4 years to build.

Disneyland Paris has all its visitors start their adventure at a central location called ‘Main Street’ heading off to various locations and interests within the park.  This feature in itself is unique as most recreational parks do not take this approach. To further explore, here are fascinating top 10 facts about Disneyland Paris.

1. Disneyland Paris may have ended up in France or Spain

Disneyland Paris panoramic view- Wikimedia Commons

A warmer setting would have been ideal for this Disneyland location. You therefore would be shuttled off to Costa Dorada in Spain or Marne-la-Vallée in France to sample the fun that this piece of Disneyland has to offer instead of heading to Paris.

Walt Disney decided to have Disneyland Paris at its current location as it is four hours by road and two hours by air away from at least 300 million people in central Europe-perfect business sense.

2. Disneyland Paris has a network of underground tunnels

Underground corridor tunnel- Pixabay

This ‘secret’ is not such a secret anymore- Disneyland Paris has a network of underground tunnels that enable the characters stationed there to dash from one end of the park to another, to allow for all the visitors to experience the magic at the park. Thanks to these tunnels, Disneyland Paris is able to have single characters within the whole resort which gives a sense of reality to the visitors.

3. Disneyland Paris receives famous visitors

Disneyland Paris- by flightlog – Wikimedia Commons

The magic of Disneyland Paris does not only attract children but adults as well. It has attracted quite a few famous people such as Michael Jackson, George W. Bush, François Mitterrand, Claudia Schiffer, and Buzz Aldrin among others.

4. Disneyland Paris is one of three resorts open outside the United States of America

Apart from Disneyland Tokyo and China, Disneyland Paris is the only other Disneyland resort outside of the United States. As already mentioned, a lot of thought went into the decision to have it in France and not in any other country. Paris may, therefore, pride itself on being the ‘chosen one’.

5. Disneyland Paris’ use of Forced Perspective has enlarged a section of it

Disneyland Paris Main Street- by Alfred A. Si- Wikimedia Commons

Forced perspective is a trick used to create the illusion of a larger space. Disneyland Paris has used this to make its Main Street appear larger so that when you get into the park the castle seems distant but in actuality is really close by.

To achieve the illusion, the facades of the building along Main Street have been widened out, the further down the street you move. This technique can be likened to the one-point perspective Leonardo da Vinci used in ‘The Last Supper’.

6. Walt Disney paid tributes through Disneyland Paris

Walt Disney with his wife Lily- by SAS Scandinavian Airlines- Wikimedia Commons

Main Street in Walt Disney Paris is where its creator pays homage to close people and items in his life. Walt Disney’s father was a barber, therefore Walt saw it fit to honor him by having a real barber showcase his craft right within the resort, on Main Street.

The interior décor in this barbershop includes furniture and accessories from a Chicago Barber who was retiring at the time of Disneyland Paris’ creation. This special tribute to Walt Disney’s father is replicated in all Disney Parks.

Main Street’s Lilly’s Boutique is also named after Walt’s wife, Lilian and there are some pictures of the couple in the shop. The big tribute in Walt Disney Paris is to Walt Disney’s hometown, Marceline, Missouri- Main Streets’ architecture was inspired by Walt’s hometown. You will not some similarities between Main Street and Marceline.

7. Disneyland Paris goes big on Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse- by Celebrity Productions- Wikimedia Commons

Disneyland Paris keeps up with the theme ‘Mickey’, a cartoon character and Walt Disney’s mascot. You will find hundreds of Mickey heads all round Disneyland Paris in the most unexpected places such as on tiling patterns, doors, clocks, and railings among others.

There is an ongoing playful challenge to find all the Mickeys at the park.

8. Disneyland Paris’ Castle stands out

Sleeping Beauty Castle at night- by FA Jon- Wikimedia Commons

The castle at Disneyland Paris stands out from other castles that are found at all the Disneyland locations. Its inspiration from Mont Saint- Michel is reflected in its fairy tale outlook and not historical as the castles in other Disneyland locations.

The Disneyland Paris Sleeping Beauty Castle was designed in pink hues to cheer up its entire outlook as the skies in Paris are mostly grey throughout the year.

9. Disneyland Paris plays host to many cats

As with most buildings with many cats, Disneyland Paris does not have to worry much about rodents as the many cats that live there keep the rodent population low to none! These rogue cats are taken care of- there are food stations all around Disneyland, adult cats are spayed and neutered while kittens are put in a shelter to ensure their survival- a mutually beneficial relationship you may say.

10. You may run into a wild animal at Disneyland Paris

Children interacting with Pinocchio- by M.Minderhoud- Wikimedia Commons

Many animals sometimes run wild in Disneyland Paris. But do not imagine these to be lions and tigers!  You may bump into a squirrel here and a rabbit there. For this, the Wildlife Department of Disneyland was created to deal with the animals. They may be caught and released into the wild.

While Disneyland Paris was a welcome addition to the Disneyland family, it has carved a niche for itself. Disneyland Paris definitely carries the tags of adventure, fun, and magic for its visitors. From the fastest Space Mountain ride that spins its passengers upside down to the mesmerizing storytelling Sleeping Beauty Castle’s interior, Disneyland Paris sure is a must-see destination, not only amongst the Disneylands of the world but as a fun and exciting location.

As Walt Disney had it, Disneyland Paris isn’t complete for as long as the world is magical. At the time of your first visit to it, you may find attractions that were previously not there!