Transformative Multi-Year Expansion Announced for WDS Paris

[The Empress Lilly]

Let’s say we generously manage to remove the substations, theatre of the stars and cars road trip, we could make 4 plots around the lake besides frozen and pride lands (and all 4 would need to be long and thin unlike pride lands which sits more parallel to the lake shore)

Now each of these plots would be about the size of frozen. So let’s assume 1 E ticket, QSFB and a shop

If we filled every plot there would be 6 E tickets around the lake, flight force, web slingers, TOT, ratatouille, crush and Toy Story land

Don’t get me wrong it’s much better but it’s still very small. I’m not sure people who haven’t been to Hong Kong (not saying this is you but just in general) know how small the frozen land is

It’s a 20 second walk from end to end

Well an optimist would say that DAW will have a larger footprint than Disney-MGM Studios without the tram tour. And that has been one of the best parks ever. They are second gates, they dont have to pull an entire resort. HKDL does, and yes that one's too small. But that's also its charm, part of its endearing nature. Marti takes six week holidays there!

I do have seen every Frozen area in the world. HK's small-ish indeed, and that one even has a coaster (one that ended quicker and more abruptly than the hopes of Star Wars fans for Disney to shoot an awesome VII-VIII-IX trilogy).

For a park, density and quality can make up for size. DAW will likely forever be lacking in charm and place and theme, but add Lion King and four more quality D/E-tickets in the next two decades, and there's a solid ride roster.

 

[marni1971]

Rainy days are often light crowd days

No mate. Not unless it’s a deluge (fond memories of one in particular!)

 

[IMDREW]

What are the substations?

 

[marni1971]

Wasn't the plot for the rumored Star Wars Land just between the Railroad tracks and the access road? So just the Discoveryland Theater, the former Pizza Planet site and the spaces around that. As far as I know a smaller Star Wars Land with one RotR sized attraction would fit there just fine without removing any of the current buildings, maybe just rerouting the street a little bit.

A Rise sized snow building would just about fit. The exterior and queue would need some modification but it’s not like they didn’t do that before. Personally if this happened I’d want it in DAW. DL could do with more build out in Fantasyland or Adventureland.

 

[wdrive]

They really can't, as back of the house, that building (Imagination Building) is one of the resort's 3 costuming department. From 2000 until recently, its where both parks cast members went to change and get their work uniforms. Unlike WDW and DLR, cast members cannot go home with uniforms and need a place to get changed before and after their shift. It was a nice upgrade then, as the "Baloo building" where the original costuming was located was quite deep backstage and it took longer for cast members to get there and back. When I worked at DLP, they had just switched over to Imagination and along with an excellent cafeteria, it was a quick walk from the RER station to get changed.

The persistant rumor of a giant Star Wars Land behind Discoveryland ignores that a brand new costuming building was built behind Star Tours. This is to service cast members working in Fantasyland/Discoveryland and free up capacity for the Disney Adventure World expansion. There is less space than expected back there now, especially when the RATP (Paris transport commission) took some of the backstage there to expand the storage tracks for the RER A that goes to the park.

I mean they could move it if they really wanted to or even integrate a new costuming into a show building if need be.

 

[cjkeating]

What are the substations?

It converts the energy voltage from the higher voltage that energy is transported in to lower voltages that are used across the resort. It is not something you'd ever want to move unless you have no other resort.

Interestingly however DLP are about to build a new substation near the third park land which is assumed is to future proof for further expansions across the resort. Could it be this substation could make the one at DAW redundant? It's possible.

Does anyone know when the DAW substation was built?

 

[marni1971]

Does anyone know when the DAW substation was built?

Google earth suggests 2021-4

 

[waltography]

Don’t get me wrong it’s much better but it’s still very small. I’m not sure people who haven’t been to Hong Kong (not saying this is you but just in general) know how small the frozen land is

It’s a 20 second walk from end to end

Hong Kong also has Oaken's and Playhouse in the Woods going for it too (which the DAW version doesn't have the luxury of and thus makes the land feel even smaller).

 

[Supersnow84]

Yeah that was my point I didn’t phrase it well

If you’ve been to Hong Kong and walked around its land then just imagine it ending at the bridge you’ll know just how small the Paris land will be

Literally a 20 second and to end walk

 

[Aramar]

Yeah that was my point I didn’t phrase it well

If you’ve been to Hong Kong and walked around its land then just imagine it ending at the bridge you’ll know just how small the Paris land will be

Literally a 20 second and to end walk

The street in Paris is wider and deeper than the one in Hong Kong, and the lighthouse is located further away, so despite lacking the coaster, I think Paris surface might be bigger than in Hong Kong

 

[marni1971]

Paris does have the view across the lake. In Hong Kong the railroad would be where the Parisian promenade is. The new one also has a widened attraction facade.

Despite Paris having less I think it’ll feel bigger.

 

[cjkeating]

Google earth suggests 2021-4

Ah. So this isn't going anywhere then. And was clearly built there to take into account future expansion.

 

[nickys]

Literally a 20 second and to end walk

Literally huh? Less than 50m. Making a round tour of the lake the size of a 400m running track, probably less. OK!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Yeah that was my point I didn’t phrase it well

If you’ve been to Hong Kong and walked around its land then just imagine it ending at the bridge you’ll know just how small the Paris land will be

Literally a 20 second and to end walk

Sure. But yet, HK Frozen does a reasonably good job of making the land feel large. Mountain, fjord, castle, village. Disney parks everywhere make twenty second walks feel like you've visited a world. Some WS pavilions too have surprisingly small walkable footprints.

What I find nigh impossible to visualise in my head is to what extent you'll feel you're in Frozen in DAW, when approaching it from either direction. Especially coming from the bridge side. That can play with one's perception of expansiveness.

I'm more concerned about there just being one ride. That's a long walk around the lake for a long wait time for just one boat ride I don't find half as enjoyable as IaSW. Though one presumes that for many a guest as much as for management, Frozen is considered a headliner E-ticket.

 

[cjkeating]

Sure. But yet, HK Frozen does a reasonably good job of making the land feel large. Mountain, fjord, castle, village. Disney parks everywhere make twenty second walks feel like you've visited a world. Some WS pavilions too have surprisingly small walkable footprints.

What I find nigh impossible to visualise in my head is to what extent you'll feel you're in Frozen in DAW, when approaching it from either direction. Especially coming from the bridge side. That can play with one's perception of expansiveness.

I'm more concerned about there just being one ride. That's a long walk around the lake for a long wait time for just one boat ride I don't find half as enjoyable as IaSW. Though one presumes that for many a guest as much as for management, Frozen is considered a headliner E-ticket.

I think we can all debate this endlessly until we've all been and then we'll probably all have different views.

Would it be nice if the DAW lake/lagoon/bay had more around it? Yes. Is more coming? Yes.

I went to Epcot Frozen and rode it a few years ago. It was fine. I preferred Maelstrom. When I go to Epcot now I skip it.

I went to HK Frozen last year and my thoughts? It was tiny. Cramped. It felt small. I walked in went on Frozen with a 10-15 minute wait and left the area. There were other things in that park that interested me. The coaster? It satisfies no-one.

I went to Tokyo Frozen last year and my thoughts? Frozen? Honestly I didn't even realise there was any Frozen there other than the ride entrance. As a "land" it's far worse than Hong Kong. On my first visit I paid for Premier Access and the ride broke down and I waited about an hour. On my second visit I roped dropped it and it broke down before I got on and it never opened for the rest of the day. So not a good impression.

I'm going to Paris in June and... I'm looking forward to Frozen. The land is bigger. It's more spread out. We don't know what the logistics will be like but... I don't think it's going to be as bad as people think? DLP rival and best other Disney parks ops when it comes to throughput from my experiences. I think it's going to be more immersive than Epcot or Frozen and... maybe Hong Kong? I know everyone talks about the mountains but you don't notice them in the land? Or if you do it's just like... oh the mountains that are near the park? They looks great in photos but I don't think they add anything? I get your concern that the land will be open onto the lake but... so what? There are very few lands that are perfectly enclosed and I think guests have an understanding of where they are in a park if it is set up correctly. I know some people get offended when they can see the castle park castle from other lands but I see the castle as the anchor of the park. So being able to look out across the lake to the rest of the park needs to be seen as a feature?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I think we can all debate this endlessly until we've all been and then we'll probably all have different views.

Would it be nice if the DAW lake/lagoon/bay had more around it? Yes. Is more coming? Yes.

I went to Epcot Frozen and rode it a few years ago. It was fine. I preferred Maelstrom. When I go to Epcot now I skip it.

I went to HK Frozen last year and my thoughts? It was tiny. Cramped. It felt small. I walked in went on Frozen with a 10-15 minute wait and left the area. There were other things in that park that interested me. The coaster? It satisfies no-one.

I went to Tokyo Frozen last year and my thoughts? Frozen? Honestly I didn't even realise there was any Frozen there other than the ride entrance. As a "land" it's far worse than Hong Kong. On my first visit I paid for Premier Access and the ride broke down and I waited about an hour. On my second visit I roped dropped it and it broke down before I got on and it never opened for the rest of the day. So not a good impression.

I'm going to Paris in June and... I'm looking forward to Frozen. The land is bigger. It's more spread out. We don't know what the logistics will be like but... I don't think it's going to be as bad as people think? DLP rival and best other Disney parks ops when it comes to throughput from my experiences. I think it's going to be more immersive than Epcot or Frozen and... maybe Hong Kong? I know everyone talks about the mountains but you don't notice them in the land? Or if you do it's just like... oh the mountains that are near the park? They looks great in photos but I don't think they add anything? I get your concern that the land will be open onto the lake but... so what? There are very few lands that are perfectly enclosed and I think guests have an understanding of where they are in a park if it is set up correctly. I know some people get offended when they can see the castle park castle from other lands but I see the castle as the anchor of the park. So being able to look out across the lake to the rest of the park needs to be seen as a feature?

I meant to say that DAW Frozen might end up appearing larger than HK, owing to possible grand vistas from around the lake. I don’t know at what point in the approach you start to feel you're in Frozen, this aspect more than anything needs to experienced in situ. Possibly quite early when coming from the bridge direction. Arendelle is a port city, after all, the water is part of the land. You're already in the land before you can touch any structure.

 

[IMDREW]

I think we can all debate this endlessly until we've all been and then we'll probably all have different views.

Would it be nice if the DAW lake/lagoon/bay had more around it? Yes. Is more coming? Yes.

I went to Epcot Frozen and rode it a few years ago. It was fine. I preferred Maelstrom. When I go to Epcot now I skip it.

I went to HK Frozen last year and my thoughts? It was tiny. Cramped. It felt small. I walked in went on Frozen with a 10-15 minute wait and left the area. There were other things in that park that interested me. The coaster? It satisfies no-one.

I went to Tokyo Frozen last year and my thoughts? Frozen? Honestly I didn't even realise there was any Frozen there other than the ride entrance. As a "land" it's far worse than Hong Kong. On my first visit I paid for Premier Access and the ride broke down and I waited about an hour. On my second visit I roped dropped it and it broke down before I got on and it never opened for the rest of the day. So not a good impression.

I'm going to Paris in June and... I'm looking forward to Frozen. The land is bigger. It's more spread out. We don't know what the logistics will be like but... I don't think it's going to be as bad as people think? DLP rival and best other Disney parks ops when it comes to throughput from my experiences. I think it's going to be more immersive than Epcot or Frozen and... maybe Hong Kong? I know everyone talks about the mountains but you don't notice them in the land? Or if you do it's just like... oh the mountains that are near the park? They looks great in photos but I don't think they add anything? I get your concern that the land will be open onto the lake but... so what? There are very few lands that are perfectly enclosed and I think guests have an understanding of where they are in a park if it is set up correctly. I know some people get offended when they can see the castle park castle from other lands but I see the castle as the anchor of the park. So being able to look out across the lake to the rest of the park needs to be seen as a feature?

HKDL Frozens mountains merging into the real ones visually has to be one of the most incredible things wdi has done tbh. It has to be seen to be believed. I personally hate the north mountain view from mainstreet though.

 

[marni1971]

? I know everyone talks about the mountains but you don't notice them in the land? Or if you do it's just like... oh the mountains that are near the park? They looks great in photos but I don't think they add anything?

Oh they certainly do add to it. Every time we were in the land we commented on them. From a layman’s view you may not really notice them as much unless they weren’t there but for us they made an astonishing backdrop. We called it the perfect immersive berm that they didn’t pay for.

Either way I think both versions do/will work in their own way.

Speaking of Paris… when in June ?

 

[cjkeating]

Speaking of Paris… when in June ?

7-10th

 

[Gusey]

The Harbour boat show does look good and adds something extra to Paris' compares to Hong Kong, think it helps make the land feel deeper that it has its own water area that's separated from Adventure Bay