Disneyland Paris Expansion Project -- Blue Sky Imagineering

[Evilgidgit]

Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art. -- Leonardo Da Vinci

To all who come to this happy place: Welcome! Disneyland Paris will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022, and faces quite the ambitious and forward expansion in the next few years, though this appears to be limited to the Walt Disney Studios Park. Despite having a rocky start, Disneyland Paris has become the number one tourist destination in Europe, and its 30th celebration and beyond should be spread to the entire resort.

That is the purpose of this project, which has been almost a year or so in the making. A blue sky imagineering project which express my love for Disneyland Paris, incorporating the intended new elements to the resort, as well as my own ideas that are semi-realistic but my personal desires all the same.

DISNEYLAND PARIS EXPANSION PROJECT​

The aim of this project is to present new concepts and ideas to Disneyland Paris Resort as a whole, tackling the three existing entertainment areas one at a time, in an imaginary series of phases that would occur between 2020 and 2035, although there won't be a legit timeline used here. Disneyland Paris is one of the most beautiful of parks, but has not technically had a new attraction (that wasn't a refurbishment) since 1995 with Space Mountain. There is space for new attractions and entertainment in all of the established lands, while in WDSP, the intended expansion shall remain but with new additions and parkwide alterations.

Our journey through the new Disneyland Paris will be split into two phases for now, with an additional third and fourth phase at a later date.

1. The refurbishment of Disneyland Paris (technically called Disneyland Park, but we'll be referring to it as Disneyland Paris). In my headspace, these changes would occur either during or after WDSP's own expansion.

2. The Walt Disney Studios Park expansion, including new Star Wars, Marvel, and Frozen lands, a new lake, and additiona new lands and attractions across the park, creating a new identity and overall theme.

3. A reimagining and update to the Disney Village.

4. A third gate with a new hotel and possible shopping complex.

Though my plans are what I am pleased with, I open the floor to alternate suggestions and ideas, as well as my own depending on the feedback from readers.

Without further ado, let us begin our tour around Disneyland Paris!

DIRECTORY​

Phase One: Disneyland Park
--Main Street USA
--Fantasyland
--Frontierland
--Adventureland
--Discoveryland
--Attractions, Dining & Shopping List
--Entertainment and Ocean of Dreams Parade
--The Main Street Electrical Parade

Phase Two: Walt Disney Studios Park
--Introduction
--Hollywood Boulevard (Part One and Part Two)
--The Great Movie Ride
--Pixar Place
--Toy Story Playland
--Avengers Campus (Version 1)
--Lake Melies (and Mickey's Magic Lantern Parade)
--The Muppet Studios
--Enchanted Gardens
--Mickey's Toontown (Timeless River)
--Kingdom of Arendelle
--The Realms of Tim Burton
--Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
--Fantasmic: Dreams Into Dust

Phase Three: Disney Village Expansion

 

[Evilgidgit]

PHASE ONE: DISNEYLAND PARIS

I originally intended on doing this expansion in phases, but decided to tackle this in a more straightforward, linear fashion, covering the changes land by land. Disneyland Paris is one of the most beautiful theme parks in the world, and this treatment should be upheld. Attractions should be maintained, everything should look fresh, and merchandise should blend in and match the theming of the lands that they are in.

MAIN STREET, U.S.A.
Our tour begins down Main Street, U.S.A. Or rather, guests enter the park through the Main Street Railroad Station into Main Street. Actually, that is a good place to start – the Disneyland Railroad. The track and layout remain the same, with stations in Main Street, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Discoveryland. The railroad would go up onto a raised track between It’s A Small World and Discoveryland Station, due to a new extension of Fantasyland, which we shall get to later.

The locomotive leaves Main Street Railroad Station, passing through the Grand Canyon Diorama, then onwards to Frontierland Station. The train goes around the back of Adventureland, passing through an unknown cave that is a part of the archaeological site that makes up the Temple of Peril. Guests will feast their eyes on long lost treasure and ruins given way to the jungle, a sinister leopard watching on a perch as the train rolls on by. The train then passes through Pirates of the Caribbean, Fantasyland Station, outside It’s A Small World, over the entrance to the new Fantasyland expansion, Discoveryland Station, and then a new diorama, the Martian Landing Diorama, a Jules Verne-inspired scene depicting what a human colony on Mars might have looked by 19th century visionaries.

In Main Street, The Storybook Store is closed and replaced with a new take on The Walt Disney Story, now depicted as a small historical society’s headquarters. The small walkabout exhibit depicts Walt’s love affair with France and Europe, his time in World War I as an ambulance driver in France, the creation of the various Disney resorts, the importance of New Orleans Square, and the various movies set in France, as well as the story of Disneyland Paris.

In the town square, a new bronze rededication plaque stands in front of the gazebo, along with a bench depicting a new statue called The Brothers Statue, depicting Walt, Roy, Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit all sitting together, cast in bronze.

Just about everything else remains the same. The Dapper Dans return to Main Street to perform on a daily basis. Another new addition is The Aristocats’ Cabaret Corner, a short entertainment show, where Berlioz, Marie, Toulouse, and Edgar join a Main Street pianist for a musical medley of some Disney favourites and European songs for guests to sing and dance along with.

I don’t particularly care for meet and greets where you have to queue. Walk around characters are a lot more fun and allow for spontaneous interactions. These would be emphasized a bit more at Disneyland Paris, plus the more rarer characters would appear a lot more frequently. Character wise for Main Street, it would be limited to Mickey and friends. I never really understood why Mary Poppins and Bert are in an American setting. The period isn’t even the same.

The park would gain a new daytime parade, a new nightime parade, the expected fireworks show, and a variety of seasonal events and festivals. These will be covered in the entertainment section later on.

Out in the central plaza, the Royal Castle Stage to the right of the castle gets a new series of shows: Royal Theatre Presents Fairy Tale Folios. Two professional actors, Paige Scribe and Woodford Scroll, lead the re-enactments of classic fairy tales. There are at least two-to-three performances a day, as Scribe and Scroll try to make sure their plays go according to plan, assisted by special guests from aforementioned story. The plays are based on Tangled, Frozen, Aladdin, Cinderella, Snow White, and Alice in Wonderland.

 

[Evilgidgit]

FANTASYLAND

Next up on our magical tour is Fantasyland, perhaps the most prettiest of lands at Disneyland Paris. I had a lot of ideas for Fantasyland, but decided to whittle them down for simplicity’s sake.

First off, all of the attractions get refurbishments, and Peter Pan’s Flight gets a new queue line matching those in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. Storybook Canal Boats gain some new models, mixing classic and more modern films, now including Tangled, Frozen, and Brave.

The Mickey Mouse M&G hall is demolished to open up that path to the Fantasyland train station. Beyond the train station, a brand new attraction will coming to Fantasyland, with a route running back around next door to Casey Jr. Travelling under the train tracks, guests will wander down a leafy path into a quaint, peaceful British forest, and find themselves in the world of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh. Most of this lovely wooded area will be filled with many paths to walk about and explore. Due to limited space and needing the firework launch area to remain, the Hundred Acre Wood will consist of a lone attraction and gift shop, so the walk around paths make up for it.

Pooh’s Blustery Rescue is based on Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, but rather than being a standard dark ride, it is an indoor river ride in umbrella-shaped rafts. Guests travel through Christopher Robin’s childhood home, through the shed, greenhouse, and into his bedroom before the walls give way to enormous storybook pages, leading us into Pooh’s world where umbrella-shaped rafts await us in the loading area. The river is at first gentle, and the umbrellas spin slowly around, giving the guests a full view of their surroundings.

It is a very blustery day in the Hundred Acre Wood. The chatty Gopher hopes everyone has a Happy Winds Day, but Pooh and Piglet get blown away on a kite, flying through the scenes as the umbrellas follow them down the river. Kanga is trying to keep an excited Roo from blowing away, Eeyore’s stick house is knocked down by the wind, and Rabbit gathers his vegetables as an endless stream of carrots are blown into his wheelbarrow. We sail past Owl’s waning treehouse, as he absent-mindedly regales stories about his eccentric aunt. Pooh and Piglet are blown away, as Tigger arrives, bouncing around so hard that it causes the water to become more rougher.

The umbrellas spin around, and pass by Pooh’s house, where he and Tigger eat honey, but Tigger dislikes it, claiming only Heffalumps and Woozles like it, stealing honey. Around the bend, Pooh falls asleep, and we are drawn into the riotous, colourful nightmare of Heffalumps and Woozles. The greedy monsters guzzle up Pooh’s honey, but a bolt of lightning stirs Pooh from his dream, and taking us back into the Hundred Acre Wood, which is now flooding with water. Things get rocky as umbrellas spin wildly down the river, passing by Pooh’s friends as they brace the storm. Christopher Robin comes to the rescue, pulling Tigger, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo to safety in their own umbrella, whilst Eeyore searches for Pooh and Piglet.

We pass Pooh, who is head deep in a honey pot, whilst Piglet is trapped on a chair, spinning around a miniature whirlpool. Owl perches on an overhead branch, warning the guests to watch out for the waterfall ahead. Guests plummet down a small drop into the final scenes of the river adventure, showing Pooh and Piglet have been saved by their friends, and throw a party celebrating their heroic work. Guests sail to the unload area, and exit the attraction into Pooh’s Corner, a large shop selling exclusive Pooh merchandise. The shop would also sell local products, including an original honey brand using ingredients from the United Kingdom.

The Disney Princesses are perhaps the most popular of characters at the Disney parks save Mickey, but their pavilion in Disneyland Paris is puny, being a small converted hut outside It’s A Small World. We are going to give the princesses a meet-and-greet pavilion that is fitting of their legacy.

The Princess Royal Pavilion would open opposite the Mad Tea Party, between Sir Mickey’s and Fantasia Gelati. It was would resemble a medieval hall, with a rich 14th century décor, making it resemble a getaway chalet for the many princesses. Guests will go through a foyer, and then two different chambers, meeting any of the fourteen Disney princesses at random, though Elsa and Anna will be clustered together. On occasion, they will be accompanied by friends like their respective princes or sidekicks. Guests would enter from the left side of Sir Mickey’s, and exit the other side of the building. The pavilion would look like a carousel of sorts from the outside, marked with an impressive weatherwave, made up of symbols representing each princess, with a golden crown atop.

The later new addition to Fantasyland will be in the space between ISAW and Discoveryland. This new route would intercept the current parade route entrance, so for guests, a hedge path will open up to the right of the Fantasyland parade gate, joining to the defunct Discoveryland path to the left of Star Tours. As mentioned before, the Disneyland Railroad would go onto an elevated bridge, passing over the new pathway, but obscuring the behind-the-scenes roads. Beyond that, is a brand new enchanting dark ride: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.

This isn’t just a carbon copy of the attractions at DCA and in New Fantasyland, but based on Tony Baxter’s unfulfilled virtual pitch for such a ride, built within a two-level show building, with most in the basement level. Guests find rocky, wet walls, covered in barnacles and shells, guiding them to a new, more exotic location. Beyond the walls, we find ourselves on a balmy coastal beach, where Prince Eric’s magnificent castle sits. A not-to-scale galleon sits in a lagoon, with its figurehead carved to resemble a certain mermaid. To the right, guests can see the wreckage of another ship, though we won’t come to that yet.



We travel through beachy caverns at low tide, but can hear the sounds of seagulls and the waves, as well as a mysterious but beautifully entrancing voice. There are several interactive games in the queue line, like helping a hermit crab fine his extensive family within the rockwork and coral. We come to the loading area, hidden within the rock, where large colourful oyster shells or clams await us. Each can hold about four people, swapping out the Omnimover systems for a more personal experience.

Upon boarding our clam shells, we travel through a pair of wooden timber-doors, out into open sea, passing by Eric’s ship, where he and sailors dance to a jaunty tune. Ariel, Flounder, Scuttle, and Sebastian watch on from a rock, Ariel hoping to be part of Eric’s world. Sebastian coaxes her – and us – under the sea, our clams descending “underwater” into the basement level. We catch a glimpse of the beautiful Atlantica, and pass into a fantastic scene of “Under the Sea”, where Sebastian leads a musical school of fish to convince Ariel that life is the bubbles below the waves.

In the next scene, Flounder presents the statue of Eric to Ariel within her grotto of thingamabobs. However, the shadow of King Triton lurks in the doorway. We hear him angrily destroy the grotto, telling Ariel that their two worlds must remain separate, accompanied by flashes of destructive red. We pass by the grotto from the other side, finding it now in ruins and Ariel in tears. Cue Flotsam and Jetsam, who claim they know someone who can help Ariel get what she wants.

The clams swim through a dark crevasse, revealing the dead sea creature’s skull, and we enter Ursula’s lair, where she performs “Poor Unfortunate Souls”, before telling Ariel how to become human and must kiss Eric within three days. Through a little magic, we see Ariel swap out her fish tail for human legs.

We swim back up to the surface, finding ourselves in a moonlit lake as Ariel and Eric sit in a boat together. We join the dance of fish and birds, as Sebastian tries to coax Eric to “Kiss the Girl”. Afterward, we pass by Ursula seizing the trident from a cursed King Triton, and then out into stormy seas as Ursula turns jumbo sized and tries to kill Ariel, but Eric piledrives a shipwreck into Ursula, causing her to be struck by lightning and perish. The sun comes out as we move onto the final scene, showing Ariel and Eric’s wedding outside the castle bay, as King Triton creates a rainbow in the sky, Sebastian bidding us farewell as we leave the sea and exit out shells.

We go into the hull of a shipwreck, finding the gift shop, Scuttle’s Nest. The dopey seagull has converted the old wreck into his personal home and “storage unit” for Ariel’s growing grotto. It sells gadgets and gizmos a plenty, with an ocean’s worth of The Little Mermaid merchandise, but more unique items such as coral or strange things found on the ocean floor from around the world.

 

[Evilgidgit]

FRONTIERLAND

Westward bound, young front-ears-men. The American Frontier and wild west are heavily romanticized in Europe, but there is nothing wrong with that. Frontierland may have the most immersive story of all in the park, and everything in the land relates to the overall story of Thunder Mesa, especially Big Thunder Mountain and Phantom Manor. But, the western side of the land towards the train station is lacking in anything that really draws in crowds. This section will be improved with an e-ticket attraction, and then a brand new expansion which will appear beyond the train station. Phantom Manor maintains its wonderful new updates, as does Big Thunder Mountain, with the new Disneyland/MK ending and tributes to Nature's Wonderland.

The River Rogue Keelboats returns after years of absence, now with a fresh new story. Instead of one or two boats, there are around six (Raccoon, Coyote, Bobcat, Jackrabbit, Chipmunk, and Caribou) keelboats. Guests board a keelboat, which has three crew members, a captain, narrator, and fire officer, in case the boat must be evacuated. Normally, the boats rotate with the Mark Twain Riverboat, to avoid any potential disasters.

The River Rogues were a group of clever smugglers who raided the rivers of America, but has since retired to Thunder Mesa. Nowadays, they don’t do much stealing, but instead the nostalgic narrator guides guests around the Rivers of America, giving them a chance to enjoy the peaceful scenery, roaming wildlife, and final vagrants of the smuggling industry. The boats leave Smugglers’ Cove, hidden by large rocks, travel along the river’s edge, passing by Old Joe and his barking dog, who live a quiet life in their own riverside cabin. The boats then pass by the impressive geysers, the beautiful Wilderness Island and its smaller cousins, before travelling under the Rainbow Arch and past Big Thunder Mountain to return to the dock.

Pueblo Trading Post remains, but the Pocahontas Indian Village is removed, replaced by the Teatro Mariachi, an small outdoor amphitheatre where the Mariachi Cobre perform, including the 20-minute play, The Story of Coco, featuring the wooden Miguel puppet. The Mexican decorations and entertainment are co-shared with Fuente Del Oro Restaurant.

Over in the Chaparral Theatre, which would not be renamed the dull title of Frontierland Theatre, a musical show, Pocahontas: Colours of the Wind, a 45-minute performance that tells an abridged version of the 1995 film, using additional songs, and better authenticating the culture of Powhatan’s people. Still, the new show on The Lion King seems hugely popular, and it could make returns every other year.



The Big Thunder Ranch doesn’t seem to be in use anymore, so it would be suitable land to introduce the first new e-ticket attraction into the land, and it would give the empty side of Frontierland some much needed attention. An attraction that would combine a dark ride, a rollercoaster, and a drop tower all in one. You may have guessed it by now.

Geyser Mountain is an impressive if foreboding structure, a dark ride/launcher that squeezes into the space between the train station and the Cowboy Cookout. Whilst not as big as intended, the attraction would provide some great thrills to match the fastest ride in the wilderness across the way.

As per the story of Thunder Mesa, Geyser Mountain was a structure built by Henry Ravenswood’s rival, Cletus Cottonwood, to mine underground at a faster pace without any lives being threatened. But, like every good idea, it doesn’t always work. The name Geyser Mountain alludes to the geysers on the other side of town, with blueprints and scribbled notes in the queue area hinting that Cletus had to build them across the river for safety reasons. But, little does anyone know, that there are underground geysers beneath the rocky spot Cletus built his mining tower on.

Guests walk through Cletus’ workshop and home, then through the mining facilities, before coming to the unique drilling machine. The journey begins through some colourful caves, many with huge dug out tunnels. Eventually, things get rickety and rocky as the drill gets caught in an earthquake, actually the geysers rumbling below. The drill machine is suddenly propelled forward, and right up the mining tower through the power of the geyser. Guests hold onto their hats as they rocket back down the track, in and out of tunnels, before the brakes kick, and the drill pods are returned to the unloading bay. This attraction would have several vehicles in operation, so when one is at the top of the tower, the next is on its way to speeding up. There would be around four in operation at the same time.

Frontierland will be gaining a new subland, built across the railroad and accessible through a rocky ravine opposite Chaparral Theatre. Critter Country was considered, but it did not really fit with the theming and storyline of Frontierland (though it could be an alternative). Instead, we are going with something more original and authentic. It will located across the train tracks, using a backstage area.
area

Raven Canyon is a rocky landscape built around a signature water ride, taking inspiration from the Navajo territory in Monument Valley, and serves as a cousin of sorts to Grizzly Peak. The name of the canyon comes from the avian-shaped peak in the middle of the rugged terrain. This sub-land represents and honours a variety of Native American cultures and peoples, but offers new adventures and wonders.

Entering the canyon, guests pass by a totem pole themed around American animals, before entering the expansive village of the resident tribe. It contains some small retail areas, and the large indoor table service restaurant, The Longhouse, simple in design and catering, offering American cuisine.

A collection of wigwams and hogans represent various regions and cultures of the indigenous Americans. The village area features numerous attractions, small in scale, but enjoyable nevertheless. Artisans and carpenters encourage guests to try their own hand at traditional craftsmanship. The Powhatan Amphitheatre would house several traditional pow-wows, dances, and celebrations on a daily basis.

Walkthrough attractions are a big part of Disneyland Paris, and Raven Canyon features the long, winding Journey of the Spirits, circling around the canyon and giving many views of the sub-land’s major E-ticket ride. Journey involves exploring ancient caves, rainbow-hued caverns, and several exploratory/interactive spots. The Raven Rapids is a traditional river rapids, which at first appears fairly routine, until a giant coyote strikes the water with a log, causing the watercraft to take a detour, right into the spirit world, depicted as a deep mystical redwood, encountering numerous cryptids from folklore along the way. Guests are bound to get soaked on this exciting thrill ride.

The highest point of the canyon is Starpoint Lookout. Here, there is a large cave where guests can sit down with a local storyteller, and engage in an interactive experience where they are told tales from across the various American peoples, complete with cave paintings that come to life and animal spirits that appear to surprise and enthral the visitors. Guests may meet Pocahontas, Meeko, John Smith, and Governor Ratcliffe in this area.

 

[Evilgidgit]

ADVENTURELAND

Adventureland, ho! Our next destination are the mysterious jungles of Adventureland. The dynamic and layout of Adventureland work relatively well to compliment each other. But, there will be some changes and new additions to this exotic land of pirates and lost temples. Speaking of, The Blue Lagoon name returns to the Pirates restaurant, cause, why would Jack Sparrow be running a restaurant?

The oasis area around Colonel Hathi’s Pizza Outpost is changed to fit an African setting. Hathi’s Outpost undergoes a transformation, now becoming The Explorers’ Club, with heavy ties to both S.E.A. and the extinct Adventurers Club. The club would be set in the 1930s, run by explorer and botanist, Professor Birch Greenway, who built the building around a large tree, allowing it to flourish out through the roof. Many tropical birds live in this tree, and will occasionally sing a pleasant song. The restaurant serves a British/Italian/West African-based menu. It has strong ties to S.E.A., with a “private” dining room that the members meet in, and has links to Mystic Manor, Jungle Cruise, and the Temple of Peril.

The Coolpost is removed, replaced by a photo op spot, and a small corner for a traditional Ghanaian musical band. Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost is reimagined as an original gift shop, and is now Trader Sam’s Outpost, selling African products and The Lion King merchandise, with many in-jokes and references to the Jungle Cruise.

For years, there has been rumours of another Indiana Jones attraction to be built in Disneyland Paris. I decided to go ahead and introduce a conceptual dark ride/adventure attraction into the unused northern-west corner of Adventureland between the Temple of Peril and Pirates. This allows a full path to circle the whole land without guests having to walk back around to reach Pirates of the Caribbean. The Temple of Peril is intermixed into this narrative, creating a new sub-land for Adventureland connecting these two attractions, and the Explorers Club too. The coaster gains a new storyline, the temple being a place of worship for a vicious snake god, that wrapped itself around the temple and turned to stone. The ride is cursed, and the snake god will come alive as the coaster flies around the temple.

Indiana Jones and the Golden Kingdom is a brand new take on Indiana Jones Adventure, taking inspiration from its international cousins. It is set within a long lost Great Zimbabwean temple site, uncovered by English and American archaeologist, and Indiana Jones is flown in to uncover its secrets. But, the temple is overrun by thieves looking to steal the legendary treasure from its deep troves, and perhaps turn the site into a black market for ivory traders. Indy and the new intrepid explorers will venture into the depths of the great temple to stop the thieves, boarding jeeps which can sit six guests at a time. The temple houses ancient forgotten religions based around animal deities, including the sacred golden idol of an Hanuman, a gorilla god. It is also said that the temple is home to a family of rare gorillas, smarter and wiser than most animals.

The queue lines goes through an ancient basilica, carved from stone, every wall covered in beautifully preserved sculptures and artwork. They go on through several archaeological areas, including a workshop with a map eluding to the other Indy attractions worldwide. We eventually come to the loading area, half a lost chamber, half a dug out tunnel. Over a radio, we hear the thieves have broken into the temple to look for the treasure. Off we go to stop them, with Indiana Jones telling us to watch out for traps and angry spirits, though he seems a little jokey about that last part. The vehicles are hi-tech and advanced, “leaping” over gorges, and evading booby traps

The jeeps pass through another dig site, catacombs, a room filled with light-reflecting mirrors which open the door to the next chamber. The jeeps go across a rickety rope bridge over a deep, dark abyss, where we can glimpse many skeletons below, lost in a pit of stalagmites. The vehicle nearly runs into a column that begins to collapse, pushed by a thief, causing it go to “off-route” and down a slope, right into the lost treasure rooms. It is filled with many exquisite jewels and golden treasures, some even from other parts of the world. But, the thieves arrive to chase us out. Someone shouts that they have found the golden idol of Hanuman. Around a corner, we find two thieves trying to push the enormous golden gorilla out, only for its eyes to start glowing a sinister green. One of the thieves screams that the temple is cursed. Magic flies from the walls and gold, and a thousand angry eyes appear in the shadows.

As we flee the treasure chamber into a tunnel, we find an army of gorillas waiting for us, and we hear a voice telling us to get out soon, or everyone will be punished. The attraction speeds up as we fly through a series of booby traps. Poison darts are thrown at us, but impale a thief on the wall. Part of the ceiling begins to cave in, but we escape, only for a huge boulder to appear and roll after the jeep. It hits a pocket it can’t fit through, but the impact blasts the jeep back up to ground level. We glimpse a very civilized-looking gorilla, almost human, who tells us that the thieves will be punished, hearing their screams as they are consumed by the curse, warning us not to return. Indiana Jones sees us out as we return to the unloading area and exit the attraction.

Adjacent to the ride is a counter service bar called Jock & Reggie’s, complete with a rusting seaplane parked next door, and a small reptile house next to that.

Across on the other side of Adventureland, the Agrabah plaza undergoes an expansion to include extra attractions. First of all, the Arabian Bazaar returns, replacing the Agrabah Café, creating a small immersive indoor market with many individuals stalls and eccentric characters, with Aladdin himself occasionally dashing through. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin are moved from WDSP to be placed in the extended plaza, placed atop a small lagoon.

 

[Evilgidgit]

DISCOVERYLAND

Now, my personal favourite! Our final port of call is Discoveryland, which presented the best idea for overcoming that pesky issue of dating technology in Tomorrowland. It did away with trying to predict the future, and instead reworked it to be themed around 19th century ideas of the future, based on the works of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.

Discoveryland is a collection of imaginary futures, with an emphasis on what is now considered steampunk, and fantastical ways the future could have evolved. Nowadays, Discoveryland has lost its message along the way, and theming is fractured like its international cousins. Tony Baxter rationalised this as presenting different futures imagined by several authors, including Verne, Wells, and George Lucas. This refurbishment intends on fixing this, removing the unrelated, more modern sci-fi IPs like Buzz Lightyear and Star Tours (eventually), and unifying the land once again, with some brand new if familiar attractions.

Astro Orbitor (or the Orbitron) remains the same, whilst Space Mountain ditches its Star Wars overlay forever, returning either to Mission 2, or becomes a new version of its original “From the Earth to the Moon” storyline.

Constellations is primarily a space race-themed merchandise shop, celebrating the wonders of astronomy, astrology, the study of the cosmos, space travel and colonisation. The ceiling shows a detailed constellation map, and has a visual history of man’s relationship with space travel – Mickey is in a Da Vinci flying machine, Donald clings to a steampunk rocket, Pluto represents the first dog is space (and the NINTH planet!!), and Goofy wears a 1960s-era spacesuit, tangled in his air cord, and has somehow got a goldfish in his helmet.

Additionally, because I like these little details, the star map will have the constellations portrayed by Disney characters, including the zodiac, to mirror the eastern zodiac’s presence in Shanghai: Aries (Merlin as a ram), Taurus (Babe the Blue Ox), Gemini (Chip and Dale), Cancer (Sebastian), Leo (Simba), Virgo (Snow White), Libra (Jiminy Cricket), Scorpio (Scroop of Treasure Planet), Sagittarius (Merida), Capricorn (Ariel), Aquarius (Moana), and Pisces (Marlin and Dory).

Replacing Buzz Lightyear is a new attraction that morphs the lost Le Visionarium together with The Time Machine, but keeps the ride mechanics of Buzz: The Timekeepers.

The Timekeeper and 9-Eyes are back, and have been meddling with time again, creating a replica of the titular time machine from H.G. Wells’ book. Unfortunately, their tampering with time has warped history, causing the past to cluster together, and in the future, the Moon has been broken, allowing strange ape-like creatures called Morlocks to appear throughout time. Guests board their own time machines, traversing the twisted timeline to defeat the Morlocks using harmless stun blasts, so the Timekeeper can collect them and return them to their own spot in history, wherever that may be. This would be a fun attraction, similar to Astro Blasters, but a little more immersive and educational.

Over in the Videopolis pavilion, well, Videopolis is going bye-bye. The Hyperion Café remains, and replacing the Videopolis Theatre is a new immersive restaurant and retro arcade called the Astronomer’s Club. Set in an opulent Victorian setting, specifically an enormous bronze observatory-turned-private club, the Astronomer’s Club is home to a number of famous astronomers and scientists. It is home to a cousin organization of S.E.A., called S.T.A.R., or the Society of Terrestrial Astronomy Researchers. The exterior would take inspiration from the Yerkes Observatory.

Historical scientists, inventors, and astronomers like Galileo and Leonardo da Vinci are honoured, but so are fictional scientists like Dr. Montgomery Moonstone and Hailey Kommet. In the centre of the club is a magnificent planetary system model, which guests can control to align the planets.

Autopia remains, though its 1950s semi-science freeways, inspired by Disney’s Magic Highway, are gone. I decided to re-theme it to better suit Discoveryland’s overall themes. Autopia transforms into the Lunar Rovers, essentially imagining a turn-of-the-century idea of what life on the Moon might be like, with retro-futuristic lunar vehicles rolling down highways across a bumpy, mountainous surface akin to the Moon. Guests now have full control of the vehicles on the tracks, but without threat of turning over, bumping into other cars, or crashing.

The presence of Mickey’s PhilharMagic in the Discovery Theatre makes no sense to me. What does a fantasy/magic-based musical show, that features zero sci-fi theme IP, have to do with Discoveryland? I would remove it and add in a brand new show worthy of the theatre. Voyage of Discovery is a 30-min animatronic show similar to The American Adventure, celebrating the journey of discovery through the centuries, hosted by Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci, as they travel through history. The performances goes through the great Age of Discovery, the Renaissance, the discovery of the New World and all that followed, the development of trains and the industrial age, the first flight by the Wright brothers, the evolution of space travel, and what lies ahead in the future.

Star Tours will eventually disappear from Discoveryland, once Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in WDSP. For a while, I debated on what could replace it. I finally decided to mix a popular existing attraction together with another fine 19th century novel: Soarin’ Around the World in Eighty Days. This new Soarin’ takes inspiration from Tokyo DisneySea’s version of the attraction, and the adventures of Phileas Fogg. Instead of the traditional hand glider, the ride vehicle will be a 3D hot air balloon model. Guests would sit in a circular platform attached to the base of the huge balloon, and go on a complete 360 degree adventure, using simulator technology and a CircleVision-inspired experience.

Guests venture through the offices and halls of Phileas Fogg’s personal travel pavilion, filled with many wonders, foreign antiquities, and one messy study after another. Fogg may also be another member of S.E.A. Guests eventually find their way to the Balloon Platform, there being two identical chambers containing the simulated balloons. There are two rows on the balloon, with around 90 seats for a singular ridethrough. An animatronic Phileas Fogg appears on a platform, welcoming guests and preparing them for their international tour. The balloon then ascends up into the 360̊ globe dome, beginning its voyage around the world in eighty days (or eight minutes), using cleverly timed transitions:

-Across the French countryside, near Bordeaux, over endless fields of a vineyard.

-Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, surrounded by an autumn forest.

-Mount Everest and the Himalayas.

-A Kenyan savannah where elephants and giraffes roam.

-The Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

-The Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh, India.

-The Great Wall of China.

-Mount Fuji and its surrounding environment in springtime Japan.

-The Lau Islands in Fiji.

-Sydney Harbour in Australia.

-The ice caps of Antarctica.

-Iguazu Falls of Argentina.

-The Amazon Rainforest.

-Monument Valley in the United States.

-The Northern Lights over Icelandic mountains.

-And finally, the city lights of Paris, finishing with the Eiffel Tower, before the balloon returns to its loading bay.

Adjacent to Soarin’ Around the World in Eighty Days is Voyage Vignettes, primarily an arts and craft shop based within Phileas Fogg’s photography shed, selling a lot of Soarin’ merch, a huge collection of international postcards, and an assortment of other Discoveryland-based items.

The final attraction would be a little hard to miss, judging by the large volcano that now stands at the back of Discoveryland. The route that went to the rubbish Pizza Planet location is now repurposed to take guests to the volcano of Mount Njord. Though not quite as big as DisneySea’s Mount Prometheus, it is still impressive to behold. The route does lead to backstage, but such gates are hidden from view by an enormous, rusting drill machine, which guests may recognise.

Mount Njord is home to a lone ride, Atlantis Underwater Voyage, inspired by both DisneySea’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Based on the underrated animated film, this attraction is a mix of indoor dark ride and simulation. Creating the illusion we are submerging into subterranean ATVs, which house up to 25 guests, and venture through the depths of the earth to find the lost city of Atlantis, experiencing scenes from Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Milo Thatch and other characters are on hand, speaking through the radio to warn us of various dangers, and thrill us with information about Atlantis. Moliere hijacks the radio to talk about his love of dirt. We eventually find Atlantis, which is threatened by an underground eruption. Kida merges with the Heart of Atlantis, creating a spectacular display of power as the volcanic eruption is stopped by the city’s ancient guardians, creating an energy forcefield to protect us and the city.

Guests exit the attraction through a small gift shop called Hearts of Atlantis, housed with the hull of an old explorer’s submarine, with the items on sale crafted by Atlantean blacksmith and jewellers, but also various sections created by the expedition crew – for example, Moliere has put out crystals, rare rocks, and a coloured magic sand pit, Audrey sells mechanical devices and toys, Cookie sells cookbooks and food products, etc. Every guest who rides the attraction will receive a free Atlantean crystal as a gift.

 

[Evilgidgit]

We will come to the new Disneyland Paris Entertainment schedule momentarily, but first, here is the list of attractions, restaurants, and shops present by the end of this expansion for the first gate.

ATTRACTION LIST

Main Street, USA;
-Disneyland Railroad (transport)
-Main Street Vehicles (transport)
-The Walt Disney Story (walkthrough)
-Dapper Dans (streetmosphere)
-The Aristocats’ Cabaret Corner (streetmosphere)
-Liberty Arcade and Discovery Arcade (walkthroughs)
-The Brothers Statue

Shops/Restaurants;
-Walt’s – An American Restaurant (TS)
-Plaza Garden Restaurant (TS)
-Casey’s Corner (CS)
-Market House Deli (CS)
-Victoria’s Home Style Restaurant (CS)
-Cable Car Bake Shop (CS)
-The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlour (CS)
-Cookie Kitchen (CS)
-The Coffee Grinder (CS)
-The Ice Cream Company (CS)
-Main Street Deliveries (flower carts)
-The Emporium (department store)
-New Century Notions & Flora’s Boutique (music and flower boutique)
-Boardwalk Candy Palace (sweet shop)
-Disney Clothiers Ltd. (all genders clothes store)
-Main Street Motors (character merchandise)
-Lilly’s Boutique (female clothiers)
-Disney and Co. (toy store)
-Harrington’s Fine China and Porcelains (china, crystal, glassware)
-Disneyana Collectibles (character collectibles)
-Bixby Babies (baby store)
-Plaza East / West Boutiques (flower boutiques)
-Glass Fantasies (glassware)
-Pin Trading Cart


Frontierland;
-Big Thunder Mountain (runaway train coaster)
-Phantom Manor (dark ride)
-Mark Twain and Molly Brown Riverboats (transport)
-River Rogue Keelboats (transport)
-Legends of the Wild West (walkthrough)
-Rustler Roundup Shootin’ Gallery (shooting arcade)
-Teatro Mariachi – The Story of Coco (entertainment)
-Chaparral Theatre – Pocahontas: Colours of the Wind (entertainment)
-Geyser Mountain (coaster/drop tower/dark ride)
-Powhatan Amphitheatre (entertainment)
-Raven Rapids (river rapids)
-Journey of the Spirits (walkthrough)
-Starpoint Lookout (entertainment)

Shops/Restaurants
-Silver Spur Steakhouse (TS)
-The Lucky Nugget Saloon (TS)
-Cowboy Cookout Barbeque (CS)
-Fuente de Oro Restaurante (CS)
-Last Chance Café (CS)
-Mrs. Winner’s Hot Dogs (QS)
-The Longhouse (CS)
-Tobias Norton & Sons (Americana clothiers)
-Bonanza Outfitters (Americana clothiers)
-Eureka Mining Supplies (American food, snacks, toys, costumes)
-Pueblo Trading Post (character merchandise)
-Big Thunder Photographer (photography shop)


Adventureland;
-The Enchanted Passage of Aladdin (walkthrough)
-Agrabah Bazaar (shopping-entertainment complex)
-The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (spinner)
-Pirates of the Caribbean (boat ride)
-Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril (coaster)
-Indiana Jones and the Golden Kingdom (EMV dark ride)
-Adventure Isle – Pirate Beach (playground)
-Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse (walkthrough)

Shops/Restaurants;
-The Blue Lagoon (TS)
-The Explorers’ Club (CS)
-Hakuna Matata Restaurant (CS)
-Café da la Brousse (QS)
-The Captain’s Counter (QS)
-Jock & Reggie’s (CS)
-The Curious Giraffe (African-themed clothe and merchandise)
-The Treasures of Scheherazade (Aladdin merchandise)
-The Captain’s Chest (POTC merchandise)
-Trader Sam’s Outpost (character merchandise)
-Temple Traders Boutique (Indiana Jones gift shop)

Fantasyland;
-Sleeping Beauty Castle
-The Gallery of Sleepy Beauty (walkthrough)
-The Dragon’s Lair (walkthrough)
-Royal Theatre Presents Fairy Tale Folios (entertainment)
-It’s A Small World (boat ride)
-Peter Pan’s Flight (suspended dark ride)
-Snow White’s Scary Adventures (dark ride)
-The Voyages of Pinocchio (dark ride)
-Dumbo the Flying Elephant (spinner)
-The Carousel of Lancelot (carousel)
-Mad Hatter’s Teacups (spinner)
-Alice’s Curious Labyrinth (hedge maze)
-Storybook Canal Boats (boat ride)
-Casey Jr. Circus Train (kiddie coaster)
-Royal Princess Pavilion (M&G)
-The Sword in the Stone (entertainment)
-Pooh’s Blustery Rescue (indoor boat ride)
-Ariel’s Undersea Adventure (dark ride)

Shops/Restaurants;
-Cinderella’s Courtyard (TS)
-Au Chalet de Marionette (CS)
-Pizzeria Bella Notte (CS)
-Toad Hall Restaurant (CS)
-Fantasia Gelati (QS)
-March Hare Refreshments (QS)
-The Enchanted Tree (QS)
-The Old Mill (QS)
-The Castle Boutique (princess boutique)
-Merlin’s Magic Shop (magic shop)
-The Cottage of the Seven Dwarfs (character merchandise)
-Confectionary of the Three Fairies (sweet shop)
-Sir Mickey’s Boutique (character merchandise)
-Geppetto’s Workshop (toys)
-The Little House of Toys (toy kiosk)
-Pooh’s Corner (Winnie the Pooh merchandise)
-Scuttle’s Nest (The Little Mermaid merchandise)

Discoveryland;
-Space Mountain (coaster)
-Orbitron (spinner)
-Les Mystères du Nautilus (walkthrough)
-Voyage of Discovery (animatronic theatre show)
-Lunar Rovers (transportation ride)
-The The Timekeepers (indoor shooting dark ride)
-Soarin’ Around the World in Eighty Days (simulation)
-Atlantis Underwater Voyage (simulation/dark ride)

Shops/Restaurants
-The Astronomer’s Club (TS/arcade)
-Café Hyperion (CS)
-Cool Station (QS)
-Rocket Café (QS)
-Constellations (character boutique & merchandise)
-Voyage Vignettes (toys)
-Hearts of Atlantis (Atlantis merchandise and crystal ware)
-Centauri Photographers (photograph store)
-Light Speed Photography (photograph store)

 

[Evilgidgit]

ENTERTAINMENT

To clarify, these changes to Disneyland Paris would hypothetically occur at the same time as the expansions to WDSP, through several phases. Thus, the entertainment held throughout the day and night, would exist for a length of around five years, between 2020 and 2024.

For starters, meet-and-greets are a little more balanced. Disneyland Paris is a bit looser with the M&G characters that wander, while the other resorts appear to only feature popular or certain characters. As said before, I don’t really care much for queued M&Gs with set characters, but some will still be included in the park, since they are a staple of the park. However, spontaneous wandering characters also allows for more magical and longer encounters, rather than just time for a photo and autograph signing. Characters would, of course, be assigned to suitable locations and lands to avoid breaking the illusion (save during parades and shows). Below are some examples for scheduled M&Gs and characters who can be met in each land:

--Main Street: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Oswald and Ortensia, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, the Aristocat Kittens, Main Street Citizens (OCs).

--Frontierland: Mickey (cowboy), Minnie (showgirl), Goofy (cowboy), Chip and Dale (natives), Donald (fiesta) Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles, Pocahontas, Meeko, John Smith, Governor Ratcliffe.

--Adventureland: Donald (explorer), Daisy (explorer), Goofy (explorer), Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, Genie, Abu, Jafar, the Sultan, Timon, Rafiki, Baloo, King Louie, Indiana Jones, Professor Greenway (OC), Emperor Kuzco, Captain Jack Sparrow, Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee.

--Fantasyland: Mickey (Sorcerer’s Apprentice), the Disney Princesses and their respective Princes, the Seven Dwarfs, the Evil Queen, Maleficent, Lady Tremaine and her daughters, Cruella de Vil, Merlin, Pinocchio, Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket, Fairy Godmother, Alice, Mad Hatter, March Hare, Queen of Hearts, White Rabbit, the Tweedles, Ariel and her sisters, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, Eeyore, Olaf, Quasimodo, Esmerelda, Phoebus, Frollo, the Aristocat Kittens.

--Discoveryland: Mickey (steampunk), Minnie (steampunk), Goofy (steampunk), Pluto (steampunk), Captain Nemo, Milo Thatch, Kida, Jim Hawkins, BEN, Lilo & Stitch, Push the Talking Trashcan.

Oh, and most importantly -- THERE WON'T BE ANY AUTOMATED-CAMERAS IN M&G AREAS PERIOD!

In other topics, the park gains a new daytime parade, a new nighttime parade, and the traditional fireworks show above Sleeping Beauty Castle.

OCEAN OF DREAMS PARADE


The brand new daytime parade at Disneyland Paris is the Ocean of Dreams Parade, following the usual parade route through Fantasyland, down Main Street, and around the town square before exiting backstage. Set sail above and below the sea in this whimsical and charming new parade, themed around the magic, wonder, and adventure of the ocean. Each float is based around the water, the oceans, or seafaring, celebrating characters from Disney’s oceanic films, as well as the mysteries and discoveries of the unknown beneath the waves. Like most parades, the soundtrack consists of new mixed versions of classic animated songs.

The parade begins with Steamboat Beginnings, an entirely black and white cartoon steamboat, rocking back and forth on a swirling river. Guests will recognise this as Steamboat Willie, sailed by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, both waiting black and white sailor uniforms. This would also double as homage to the Steamboat float used in the Wonderful World of Disney Parade.

Next up, swimming down the parade route is the Dreamy Whale, a silvery whale floating on a sea of cloudy foam. This is Pinocchio’s float, an idealised version of his story without the perils, one created from his dreams of becoming a real boy. The puppet sits atop the whale’s head, which has a glittering version of Pleasure Island on its back. Every now and again, a small spray of water jets out of the whale’s blowhole.

Parading down the route next is the multi-part Coral Cabaret, the lively fish and merfolk of Atlantica are having a calypso party. Sebastian leads the parade in his own chariot, pulled by two twin giant goldfish. The next float features Ariel sitting in a giant clam, atop a mountain of coral, as many fish dance around it, playing instruments (the newt plays the flute, the harp plays the carp, etc.) A large King Triton sits on the back of the float, holding his trident aloft, crafting a dazzling rainbow across the sky. Dancing merfolk and a woman in a stylish lionfish-inspired frock follow Sebastian’s chariot.

Finding Nemo is represented next in Beyond the Big Blue, featuring a large animatronic of Crush cruising down the route. His son Squirt and several other baby turtles swim alongside him as Crush tells people to “rock on” and take it easy along the E.A.C. Puppeteers follow with Marlin, Dory, and Nemo, and dancers with spinning seahorses and jellyfish-themed parasols.

The call of the wind and water bring forth Moana on the Shining Seas. Moana stands aboard her boat. Hei Hei and Pua are by her side, though as usual, the brainless chicken is trying to swallow a rock. Moana’s sail swings in the breeze. Perched atop the mast at the back of the float is Maui in his giant hawk form, holding his magic fish hook in his talons. His animated tattoo mini-Mau can be seen dancing around his body. Moana performs “How Far I’ll Go”. Following the parade is the magnificent manta ray spirit of Moana’s grandma, bringing us into the spirit world.

The next float takes us to Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters, a wild, eerie, yet vibrantly coloured destination. The plants are weird and wild, a peculiar masked creature that is a mix of plant and monkey menaces the audience, and standing in the centre is a large puppet of Tamatoa, singing “Shiny”, as his shell of treasure glistens with gold.

Our waters soon get choppy as the Flying Dutchman sails into view as the next float, Stormy Seas. Onboard the ghost ship, Captain Jack Sparrow is caught in an eternal swordfight with Davy Jones at his crew of sea monsters. Almost blending into the timber of the ship is the Kraken’s tentacles, wrapping around the hull of the Dutchman. Ghoulish pirates and Davy Jones’ crew lead the float.

Though things appear stormy, the final float returns us to a more tranquil but fun journey as our ocean of dreams come to an end. Cerulean Paradise brings together the characters of Peter Pan and Lilo & Stitch together, playing an adventurous game of pirates. Mixing Hawaiian traditions, and Neverland’s childhood innocence, the float is a jungle wrapping itself around a makeshift pirate ship. Lilo and Stitch, dressed as pirates, stand and play on the bow of their playful pirate ship. A large tree stands towards the back of the float, its roots overtaking everywhere. A sail has been hung from it, and Peter Pan and Wendy (on bungee cords) fly about it. On the back of the float, Tinker Bell hides in her own little grotto, waving to guests, followed by the crowd control bannermen.

Soundtrack:
-Steamboat Beginnings – The Mickey Mouse Club Theme / Zip-A-Di-Doo-Dah
-Dreamy Whale – I’ve Got No Strings / An Actor’s Life For Me / Give It A Whistle
-Coral Cabaret – Under the Sea / Part of Your World / Kiss the Girl
-Beyond the Big Blue – Somewhere Beyond the Sea / Finding Nemo score
-Shining Seas – How Far I’ll Go / You’re Welcome / We Know the Way
-Lalotai – Shiny
-Stormy Seas – He’s A Pirate / Yo-Ho! A Pirate’s Life / Hoist the Colours
-Cerulean Paradise – Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride / You Can Fly / Following the Leader

As for the nighttime parade, any old favourite is returning in a new form!

Note: Commentary and suggestions for the rest of the resort are greatly welcome and appreciated.

 

[Evilgidgit]

THE MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE

In thousands of sparkling lights, and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds, Disney’s beloved nighttime pageant returns to Disneyland Paris: The Main Street Electrical Parade. Though brought into the 21st century with new technology and floats, this new incarnation of the classic parade will uphold the magic and beauty that has delighted guests for years. The MESP follows the same parade route as the daytime parade, and has a longer line-up of floats to rival Tokyo Dreamlights.

The show begins with the familiar opening spiel – “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Disneyland Paris proudly presents our spectacular nighttime pageant of magic and sound. In millions of sparkling lights, and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds – The Main Street Electrical Parade!”

As the familiar tune stirs up memories of nostalgia in the old, and curiosity in the hearts of the young, the parade begins!



Everything needs a story, and that first spark of light to create a million more. Luckily, Mickey Mouse is on hand to light the way on the first float, A Spark of Light. Donning Yen Sid’s sorcerer hat and gown, Mickey summons the magic of starlight to enchant the parade. Enchanted broomsticks have covered the float in water, creating a sea of blue twinkling lights, and constantly pour water into an endless bucket. Mickey stands atop a spiral of water, commanding the night sky to do his bidding, paving the way for the Main Street Electrical Parade, as spiralling magic flutters and dances about the floats.

Following Mickey, we hear the toot-toot of the Casey Jr. Circus Train, or the Dreamlights Express, a smiling steam train driven by Goofy, with Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck perched on platforms on the locomotive’s star-wheeled carriage. Puffs of smoke and magical stars emerge from Casey Jr.’s chimney, Mickey’s magic dancing around the wheels. Lights at the front and back of the train project glow-in-the-dark lights on the ground, making it look like the train is following a hidden railway of light. Perched on the roof of Casey’s cab in Dumbo, watching the lights, with Timothy Mouse in his hat, and the magic feather held in Dumbo’s trunk.

Wonders of Wonderland is the Alice in Wonderland section, bringing back everyone’s favourite buzzy bugs together. Alice leads the section atop the back of an enormous grinning Cheshire Cat, whose purple and pink body disappears and reappears. A cavalcade of buzzing bees, friendly fireflies, leaping ladybirds, and a speedy tortoise follow, along with the Caterpillar perched atop a giant mushroom, releasing starry smoke from his hookah. Bringing up the rear is the Mad Hatter’s tea party, he and the March Hare sitting atop a long tea table, with spinning teacups, and teapots that spew streams of light into each other’s funnels.

The Enchanted Ball begins with a grand moonlit royal coach rolling down the parade route, actually Cinderella’s transformed pumpkin coach, pulled by four white stallions, that appear to be floating on stars. The Fairy Godmother sits on the back of the coach. Following the coach, an open ballroom/garden pavilion, surrounded by a canopy of glowing white and blue flowers and birds. Prince Charming dances with several women, whilst avoiding Anastasia and Drizella, who squabble so they can both waltz with him.

Snow White is celebrated next in Diamonds and Wishes, split in-between two sections. Snow White herself stands under a grand apple tree by a wishing well, singing “Someday My Prince Will Come” and “I’m Wishing”. Several white doves are perched on the well, singing in time with Snow’s song. Following her, Dopey sits in a convoy of mine carts, each loaded with magnificently beautiful rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds. The six other dwarfs - Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, and Sneezy – are busy at work in their mine, decorated with even more gemstones, whilst singing “Dig, Dig, Dig” and “Heigh-Ho”.

Pinocchio follows in the Carnival of Pleasure. Pinocchio sits in a booth resembling a puppet theatre, surrounded by red curtains and marionettes. Behind him, we see a larger than life Geppetto puppeteering dancing marionettes on the back of the float. A secondary float follows, depicting a carnival-esque Pleasure Island, complete with a ferris wheel, helter skelter, and other carnie rides. One building resembles Moulin Rouge, as a little nod to French culture.

It wouldn’t be the Main Street Electrical Parade without Pete’s Dragon. Elliot’s Lantern brings forth the huge, green and purple dragon Elliot, carrying his friend Pete within his arms. Pete addresses guests, triggering a timed trick that turns Elliot invisible. Elliot carries a lantern within the coils of his tail.

The next float is The Cat’s Meow, featuring the Aristocats in a swinging, jazzy rendition of the parade’s theme song. Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse dance to the beat, based around a large glittering piano, Scat Cat and his band of swinging alley cats playing “Everybody Wants To Be A Cat”, while Roquefort the mouse spins uncontrollably from a lamp on top of the piano’s lid.

Golden Lanterns is one of the most beautiful of floats, depicting Rapunzel’s tower, decorated with both Rapunzel’s golden hair, and many lanterns, set up by Eugene. Rapunzel watches in awe as her tower comes to life with amazing golden lights, emphasized by her long, braided hair lighting up around the tower, illuminating its interior as well.

Frozen Fractals emanates an icy blue glow as Elsa, Anna, and Olaf go down the parade route, standing on the stairway to Elsa’s mountain palace. Snowflakes flutter down from the top of the palace, as the sisters admire the wonderful night and celebration. Olaf ice skates in a loop at the front of the float, and Elsa causes trails of light and snow to dance around the palace with the wave of her hands.

Pooh’s Sweet Dreams plunges Winnie the Pooh and friends into a sticky situations, as Pooh delights in a dream filled with gigantic honey pots and rivers of his favourite meal spiralling and intertwining. Harmless Heffalumps, resembling honey bees, buzz around the honey pots, as Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, Eeyore, Owl, Kanga, Roo, Gopher, and Lumpy all have some fun along with Pooh. The float is guided by dancers dressed as bees, playing with huge flowers.

Spirits That Touch the Earth brings the beauty of nature and the characters of Brother Bear to the parade. An enormous float of Kenai in bear form moves down the route on a rocky slab, with Koda riding on his back, brown and golden in colour. Their fur turns different shades of magical colours, as spirits of ancient ancestors, appearing as animals fly across their bodies. Following the bears is a large puppet of a bald eagle, glowing gold and orange in colour.

WALL-E and EVE follow next in the Axiom Dance, floating together through space, using a fire extinguisher as a rocket, leaving a trail of foam behind them, resembling a shower of stars. The two robots are animated, slowly rotating together sideways, on their journey through the starway of love.

Lamplights of London brings the toe-tapping music of Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Returns to Disneyland Paris. The chimney tops and roofs of London come into view, illuminated by many street lamps, tended to by lamplighters, whilst chimney sweeps dance about to songs from both movies. Mary Poppins herself sits on one of the chimneys, participating in the songs, alongside Bert. Admiral Boom sits in his own crow’s nest, so to speak, and fires a cannon off every now and again. A mix of sweeps and lamplighters lead the float, inviting gets to step in time and trip a little light fantastic!

And finally, our spectacular nighttime journey ends with Straight On Til Morning, featuring Peter Pan and Wendy, as they fly through the area (on wires/bungees), over miniatures of London town including Big Ben, with an enormous crescent moon shining for us, winking his eye. Once again, Tinker Bell brings up the rear, bringing a final sprinkle of pixie dust with her, as the Main Street Electrical Parade draws to a close, promising to return again.

Soundtrack
The theme song, Baroque Hoedown, of the Main Street Electrical Parade plays out through the whole parade in various renditions that blend in with each float.
-A Spark of Light – “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”.
-Dreamlights Express – “Casey Jr.” / “When I See An Elephant Fly”.
-Wonders of Wonderland – “Golden Afternoon” / “The Unbirthday Song”.
-The Enchanted Ball – “A Dream Is A Wish” / “Bibbity Bobbity Boo” / “So This Is Love”.
-Diamonds and Wishes – “I’m Wishing” / “Someday My Prince Will Come” / “Heigh-Ho”.
-Carnival of Pleasure – “An Actor’s Life For Me / I’ve Got No Strings”.
-Elliot’s Lantern – “Brazzle Dazzle Day” / “I Saw A Dragon” / “Candle On the Water”.
-The Cat’s Meow – “Scales and Arpeggios” / “Everybody Wants To Be A Cat”.
-Golden Lanterns – “I See the Light” / “I’ve Got A Dream” / “When Will My Life Begin”.
-Frozen Fractals – “Let It Go” / “Do You Want To Build A Snowman” / “Summer”.
-Pooh’s Sweet Dreams – “Little Black Raincloud” / “Heffalumps and Woozles”.
-Spirits That Touch the Earth – “Great Spirits” / “Welcome To Our Family”.
-Axiom Dance – “WALL-E soundtrack”.
-Lamplights of London – “Step in Time” / “Trip A Little Light Fantastic” / “Can You Imagine That?“ / “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” / “Let’s Go Fly A Kite”.
-Straight On Til Morning – “The Second Star to the Right” / “You Can Fly”.

 

[DisneyManOne]

I am really enjoying these ideas so far! I've only been to Disneyland Paris once, and I found it to be quite beautiful as is; but I think these ideas would really help to enhance the place.

However, I'm a little surprised you didn't do anything Beauty and the Beast-related for Fantasyland, especially considering its French ties. I think that if you got rid of Casey Junior/Storybook Land, you'd have enough space to do the trackless ride coming to Tokyo.

 

[Evilgidgit]

However, I'm a little surprised you didn't do anything Beauty and the Beast-related for Fantasyland, especially considering its French ties. I think that if you got rid of Casey Junior/Storybook Land, you'd have enough space to do the trackless ride coming to Tokyo.

NEVAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

I did think about putting Beauty and the Beast where I put Pooh, and it is a no brainer, but I wanted to do something a little different. I had seen the artwork of the Pooh river raft with umbrellas and immediately knew I wanted to use it. Of course, there can be alternate versions of this park concept. I have considered during "alternate pitches" like putting Critter Country in Frontierland, so you may see B&TB appear.

 

[Miru]

I am really enjoying these ideas so far! I've only been to Disneyland Paris once, and I found it to be quite beautiful as is; but I think these ideas would really help to enhance the place.

However, I'm a little surprised you didn't do anything Beauty and the Beast-related for Fantasyland, especially considering its French ties. I think that if you got rid of Casey Junior/Storybook Land, you'd have enough space to do the trackless ride coming to Tokyo.

I agree with this, but I’m also surprised there’s no JII in Discoveryland. Really excited for how Studios could be saved... (KH! Muppets! Pandora! A better GE/A.C.! Indiana Jones!)

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Studios would most likely have Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Frozen, Pandora, and The Simpsons.

 

[Miru]

Studios would most likely have Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Frozen, Pandora, and The Simpsons.

Even then, hopefully some others get standalone attractions, even if they don’t need lands.

 

[Evilgidgit]

Marvel, Star Wars and Frozen will be appearing in my Walt Disney Studios Park upgrade, though Pandora and The Simpsons will not.

 

[EmFromPlanetEarth]

When is Walt Disney studios park coming?

 

[EmFromPlanetEarth]

I feel like you should consider a Simpsons dark ride in the toon studio area, but rename toon studio to toontown. Something like the cat in the hat ride at universal studios Florida. It could Take up part of the building between crush’s coaster and ratatouille, the rest of it maybe we could put in toy story mania or something. Really consider it.
story:
The Springfield Tourism District, or STD for Short (yes, that is intentional) takes guest on a tour of Springfield, going through all of the locations that the show is famous for, only to be interrupted by the famous Simpsons family.... multiple times.....

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

With Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Mickey’s current voice Chris Diamantopoulos for the 2013 Mickey cartoons could reprise since he voice Mickey in French in some of the Paris theme episodes.

 

[Evilgidgit]

I feel like you should consider a Simpsons dark ride in the toon studio area, but rename toon studio to toontown. Something like the cat in the hat ride at universal studios Florida. It could Take up part of the building between crush’s coaster and ratatouille, the rest of it maybe we could put in toy story mania or something. Really consider it.
story:
The Springfield Tourism District, or STD for Short (yes, that is intentional) takes guest on a tour of Springfield, going through all of the locations that the show is famous for, only to be interrupted by the famous Simpsons family.... multiple times.....

I am reconsidering my plans for WDSP. I was unsatisfied with some of the choices I made, so will be rewriting some parts. However, I will not be included The Simpsons in my plans. Universal has the licensing too them, and it would seem rather pointless having two suburban cartoon locations in one park. MMRR will be appearing though.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

I am reconsidering my plans for WDSP. I was unsatisfied with some of the choices I made, so will be rewriting some parts. However, I will not be included The Simpsons in my plans. Universal has the licensing too them, and it would seem rather pointless having two suburban cartoon locations in one park. MMRR will be appearing though.

Actually licensing doesn’t work that way. Universal has the theme park rights to The Simpsons in the US, and in Orlando & Japan Universal has the Theme park rights to Marvel while Disney has the theme park rights to Marvel in California, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai so Disney could put Springfield, and The Simpsons Ride in WDSP as a sub area to 20th Century Studios with Pandora the World of Avatar since The Simpsons is popular in Europe without any licensing issues from Universal.