Transformative Multi-Year Expansion Announced for WDS Paris

[EPCOTCenterLover]

This will shock you but I took a group of three adults who’d never been to Disney before and we did our first day at DL Park and the second day at WDSP. We did every ride, every show, witnessed the streetmosphere, ate at Remy’s, snacked at the Christmas market stalls and saw the drone show…. Guess which park they preferred? WDSP!

They said it felt more modern, was easier to navigate, less walking, more thrilling, more relaxed.

I obviously don’t agree but I think for people who are first time visitors or just like to pick and choose attractions based on relevancy to them and what they perceive as Disney they don’t see all the flaws fans do and enjoy WDSP.

Unfortunately, "modern" goes out of date. The first park is "timeless"- and I much prefer that. But I can certainly appreciate other's differing opinions.

 

[DonniePeverley]

I can at least understand this expansion is more of a transformative tool, the lake is supposed to become the new centre of the park and they can expand into new lands from there without having the slightly wonky arrangement of the front half of the park get in the way

It’s like a rebirth expansion but they kinda have only put in the bare minimum to make the current expansion worth it

So it’s kinda changed the park from “actively bad” to “tolerable 3/4 day park with a good future if they deliver” which I mean is a massive improvement for WDS

So to clarify what you mean to say is they have cleared lands, tidied everything up - and all they are missing is the 'actual attractions'.

I don't know but i would have thought after so many years the main issue should have been putting in attractions rather than tidying up.

 

[mrflo]

They have the money. They don’t have the resources currently. Not that something already planned needs more R&D mind.

Could you elaborate on your comments, please? Didn't Forbes just recently declare that Imagineering staffing & funding in Paris are at a record high? Wouldn't the actual construction heavily rely on 3rd party companies anyway?

 

[Supersnow84]

So to clarify what you mean to say is they have cleared lands, tidied everything up - and all they are missing is the 'actual attractions'.

I don't know but i would have thought after so many years the main issue should have been putting in attractions rather than tidying up.

Well yes and no, the park looks better than when it launched, though that isn’t really saying much, some of the new mini lands don’t look half bad (specifically the ratatouille one) though the park still lacks a lot of thematic cohesiveness and a lot of the legacy problems (like how 90% of the original parks design budget went into studio 1) still are present on what remains of the legacy lands

And like you said for all the changes and stuff that have already happened they still haven’t moved the needle on rides, cars replaced the old studio tour ride, the marvel coaster replaced rock n roller coaster and even if you take the boat ride across the lake as a “ride” at the end of the expansion the park will have a whopping 13 rides of which 5 are generic flat rides, 1 is horrible retheme of an existing barely okay ride

For all the “land cycling” they are doing the park just really isn’t getting any better, every plus comes with a minus, arendelle is the only true no strings attached addition to the park and even it’s barely half a land

But if the plans do come to fruition that they will add 3 more full lands around the lake that will be something to consider

 

[marni1971]

Could you elaborate on your comments, please? Didn't Forbes just recently declare that Imagineering staffing & funding in Paris are at a record high? Wouldn't the actual construction heavily rely on 3rd party companies anyway?

Recent staff cuts hit a lot of places

 

[mrflo]

Recent staff cuts hit a lot of places

I see. Thank you for the clarification. I had assumed that mainly the media business was impacted by the layoffs.
Makes you wonder how this will impact any expansion plans beyond the current phase if they are already struggling at the current one.

 

[Rush]

WDS has modern I.P's. The actual park is not modern. In fact, it's quite uninspiring and has sections that are far more outdated than anything found in Parc.

 

[DonniePeverley]

So to clarify in metaphorical format - They have cleaned up the bedroom, removed all the junk, and made it clean. But they haven't put a bed in, no desk, no tv, and no lights. But they have put a small plant pot in the far side of the room.

Would that be about correct ?

 

[MisterPenguin]

So to clarify in metaphorical format - They have cleaned up the bedroom, removed all the junk, and made it clean. But they haven't put a bed in, no desk, no tv, and no lights. But they have put a small plant pot in the far side of the room.

Would that be about correct ?

You're trying to state an opinion but couching it in the form of a question.

It's OK to state your opinion.

Just don't pass it off as fact. And be cool if people have a different opinion.

 

[Supersnow84]

Though it is fair to say it’s the majority opinion

No matter how many times the park “reinvents” it’s lands it’s core problem is (and has always been) the fact that it’s ride count equals 11 of which 5 are generic flat rides and with its 2.0 expansion that will expand to a whopping 13 (if you count a means of transport as a ride otherwise it’s 12)

For reference the next smallest park is HK at 16(18) and plans for 17(19) and people deride HK for also being too small (DAK and EPCOT are too hard to characterise here)

The park is simply too small

 

[Jordan dby]

The existence of the lake is promising as it shows the park will be big enough to be compared with other disney parks at some point in the future. 3 clear expansion pods which when full will have nearly doubled the park.

But then the actual new stuff we are getting, still 2 years from now apparently, is underwhelming. It's even less than what disney announced 5 years ago now.

So yeah, reasons to be optimistic and a little ed off.

 

[Supersnow84]

The existence of the lake is promising as it shows the park will be big enough to be compared with other disney parks at some point in the future. 3 clear expansion pods which when full will have nearly doubled the park.

But then the actual new stuff we are getting, still 2 years from now apparently, is underwhelming. It's even less than what disney announced 5 years ago now.

So yeah, reasons to be optimistic and a little ed off.

Yeah if we went blue sky and said that they would add 3 full sized lands to the new expansion pads and each land had 2-3 attractions and one was an e ticket that would give the park

20 total rides and 6 (7 if you count ratatouille) e ticket attractions

That puts it solidly in castle park territory

But as it stands the current expansion is topping out at 12(13) so it’s kinda “bright future if they can pull it off but the current confirmed plans only really put it in the not actively horrible anymore territory”

 

[DonniePeverley]

The existence of the lake is promising as it shows the park will be big enough to be compared with other disney parks at some point in the future. 3 clear expansion pods which when full will have nearly doubled the park.

But then the actual new stuff we are getting, still 2 years from now apparently, is underwhelming. It's even less than what disney announced 5 years ago now.

So yeah, reasons to be optimistic and a little ed off.

"some point in the future" you say ?

 

[LondonTom]

This will shock you but I took a group of three adults who’d never been to Disney before and we did our first day at DL Park and the second day at WDSP. We did every ride, every show, witnessed the streetmosphere, ate at Remy’s, snacked at the Christmas market stalls and saw the drone show…. Guess which park they preferred? WDSP!

They said it felt more modern, was easier to navigate, less walking, more thrilling, more relaxed.

I obviously don’t agree but I think for people who are first time visitors or just like to pick and choose attractions based on relevancy to them and what they perceive as Disney they don’t see all the flaws fans do and enjoy WDSP.

To be fair to WDSP, I often go in an Adult Only group and we do end up spending a decent amount of time in WDSP. I wouldn't at all call it better, but I think a bit like DCA, in an Adults-Only group you feel like you can relax a bit more and be slightly more inappropriate in your jokes etc, drink a bit more. The castle parks are a constant reminder you are around kids (Not that I haven't enjoyed a glass of champagne with a view of the castle).

The market stalls are great, and I hope with the lake they can a get proper area with some more seating etc. (Maybe change them more seasonally like Epcot).

 

[Sir_Cliff]

At least it looks better than what was there before, I guess?

there are regional theme parks in far flung places like Australia...

Careful now!

 

[DonniePeverley]

I think we can all agree it's been a ghastly attempt at a 'transformative expansion' - utterly shameful.

 

[wdrive]

The first time I’ve ever advocated for the removal of trees at a Disney park but I wish they’d remove those trees peeking over the facade. Really drives home the fact it’s a flat facade.

 

[JakeDLP]

I think we can all agree it's been a ghastly attempt at a 'transformative expansion' - utterly shameful.

One repainted photo op ruins the whole expansion and is utterly shameful ok

 

[cjkeating]

I think we can all agree it's been a ghastly attempt at a 'transformative expansion' - utterly shameful.

Noted. I’ll DM Natacha and tell her to pull the plug on the expansion hold on.

Or you can reserve some judgement for when the main phase of the expansion is complete in summer 2025.

 

[J4546]

Noted. I’ll DM Natacha and tell her to pull the plug on the expansion hold on.

Or you can reserve some judgement for when the main phase of the expansion is complete in summer 2025.

While I agree it seems underwhelming, calling it ghastly is a bit much imo. Though I will say frozen land should def gotten at least 2 rides.