Transformative Multi-Year Expansion Announced for WDS Paris

mrflo

mrflo

Well-Known Member
I am originally from Germany and also don't see Universal opening a park there. They should rather pick a location that is already attractive to international visitors with a great transportation hub. Paris or London could be good options if there is space.

Btw, in 1996 around 15% of all visitors to Disneyland Paris came from Germany - vs. 41% from France, 20% Benelux & 10% UK. Attendance by German visitors has dropped significantly over the years with only 3% left in 2016. With local parks like Europa-Park investing more and more in their offerings - new themed hotels, higher quality rides & shows, etc. - it has become more attractive to visit the local parks instead. DLP could do a lot more to increase attendance with international visitors like from Germany. One of the main keys for this would be to open new E-ticket blockbuster attractions like Space Mountain in 1995.
 
joojoo

joojoo

New Member
I agree. Disneyland Park was the most beautiful theme park in Europe when it opened. But in the last 20 years, what happend in this park? Not much. While other great parks like Efteling, Phantasialand, Europa Park or Parc Asterix invest almost every year in new attractions. Sorry, Disneyland - you were the best park in Europe. But this time is over and it breaks my heart.
 
Sir_Cliff

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
mrflo said:
I am originally from Germany and also don't see Universal opening a park there. They should rather pick a location that is already attractive to international visitors with a great transportation hub. Paris or London could be good options if there is space.

Btw, in 1996 around 15% of all visitors to Disneyland Paris came from Germany - vs. 41% from France, 20% Benelux & 10% UK. Attendance by German visitors has dropped significantly over the years with only 3% left in 2016. With local parks like Europa-Park investing more and more in their offerings - new themed hotels, higher quality rides & shows, etc. - it has become more attractive to visit the local parks instead. DLP could do a lot more to increase attendance with international visitors like from Germany. One of the main keys for this would be to open new E-ticket blockbuster attractions like Space Mountain in 1995.
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I've always been curious as to why Germany wasn't a bigger market for Disneyland Paris. One thing I noticed when living in Cologne from 2013-2016 was that Disneyland Paris itself didn't seem to consider Germany a great market. Cologne is part of a major population centre that is relatively close and well-connected to Paris, but I saw virtually no reference anywhere to Disneyland Paris when I lived there. Indeed, I saw more promotion for Disneyland in Anaheim when I was back in Australia over January! Living now in The Netherlands, I see promotions for Disneyland Paris all the time.

May just be that they are out-competed by quality local parks (Phantasialand is basically on the outskirts of Cologne, for example), but it is curious to me that they don't even seem to try to attract German visitors anymore.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
joojoo said:
I agree. Disneyland Park was the most beautiful theme park in Europe when it opened. But in the last 20 years, what happend in this park? Not much. While other great parks like Efteling, Phantasialand, Europa Park or Parc Asterix invest almost every year in new attractions. Sorry, Disneyland - you were the best park in Europe. But this time is over and it breaks my heart.
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I’d still say it’s the best. The design, architecture and lavish details are second to none for a theme park. Upkeep has done an amazing u turn in the last 5 years.

But as for new attractions… only attendance will dictate that sadly. There’s also the catch 22 that Parc Disneyland needs additions, but so does the Studios. Can they afford both? Yes. Will they spend it?
 
U

UpAllNight

Well-Known Member
Port Aventura is a very Universal feeling theme park & resort other than random IP that I imagine might cause some licensing issues. The biggest “off brand” example of this is Ferrari Land, which feels very random in Port Aventura never mind a Universal branded park.

Add some further dark rides into the main park, modernise the hotels and water park, and then build a studios style park and they’re pretty much there as a top worldwide destination.

But yeah, Ferrari Land…not sure on a work around there!
 
tcool123

tcool123

Well-Known Member
UpAllNight said:
Port Aventura is a very Universal feeling theme park & resort other than random IP that I imagine might cause some licensing issues. The biggest “off brand” example of this is Ferrari Land, which feels very random in Port Aventura never mind a Universal branded park.

Add some further dark rides into the main park, modernise the hotels and water park, and then build a studios style park and they’re pretty much there as a top worldwide destination.

But yeah, Ferrari Land…not sure on a work around there!
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Fast and the Furious Land of course 😉
 
fradz

fradz

Well-Known Member
UpAllNight said:
Port Aventura is a very Universal feeling theme park & resort
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Maybe because Universal used to operate it? 😅

Edit: it’s also stated in the article posted by Robbiem, whoops, you might have been referring to that

Port Aventura is not a bad park but their operations really suck. Did not not a great time in October 2021.
 
Sir_Cliff

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
But as for new attractions… only attendance will dictate that sadly. There’s also the catch 22 that Parc Disneyland needs additions, but so does the Studios. Can they afford both? Yes. Will they spend it?
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This is why I am kind of surprised they're not dropping Runaway Railway into Parc Disneyland. Nothing they do will be cheap, but that would seem like at least a relatively easy addition to Disneyland in addition to their expansion of the studios.

Of course, I would prefer something original in the Adventureland plot, but I am realistic!
 
montydysquith-navarro

montydysquith-navarro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Sir_Cliff said:
This is why I am kind of surprised they're not dropping Runaway Railway into Parc Disneyland. Nothing they do will be cheap, but that would seem like at least a relatively easy addition to Disneyland in addition to their expansion of the studios.
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The question is, where would it go without it being its own land? Though, I suppose if they managed to shoehorn Mickey into Fantasyland (Meet Mickey Mouse) and Discoveryland (Mickey's PhilharMagic), anything can happen.

Still rooting for the Studios to receive Runaway Railway though, with its own facade and a queue with the same level of detail as Anaheim's...
 
Moon knight

Moon knight

Well-Known Member
joojoo said:
Universal Germany? That's totally new for me. Everybody speaks about PortAventura, nut I never heard about new plans for Germany after the canceled plans for Krefeld... Can you tell us more, please?
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From what I've been told Universal would rather put attractions like the future one from Las Vegas in Spain (UNIVERSAL HORROR UNLEASHED), but not a whole resort. PortAventura would require too much work to integrate Universal's franchises like Harry Potter or Jurassic Parc/World. Most of the attractions are too small for a park that wants to compete with the most developed resorts in the world. I'd be surprised if they reverse this decision.

Germany is so far the most serious candidate, France is starting to become an increasingly restrictive country for large projects of this kind (#Europacity) and the Brexit makes it inconceivable to implement such a project. Some German leaders are seeking to bring in Disney's rival by explaining that the European Union is gradually expanding to the East and that Germany will soon be the center of a stronger and larger Europe...
 

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