The world of Frozen opens at Disneyland Paris

Frozen fans will be overjoyed.
image: dr

After years of construction and a 2 billion euro investment, Disneyland Paris inaugurates its colossal extension this Sunday. With the village of Arendelle, a three-hectare artificial lake, and unprecedented attractions, the second park changes era and officially becomes “Disney Adventure World.”

Marie-Morgane LE MOEL/ afp

New attractions, an artificial lake, and especially the village of the Snow Queen: after several years of work, Disneyland Paris, in Seine-et-Marne, opens its new expansion to the public this Sunday, a 2 billion euro project.

The new space, meant to boost the attendance of what is already Europe’s top private tourist destination, offers a wandering experience through several worlds of the Disney universe.

At the heart of this area, a three-hectare lake designed for a nighttime show, with water jets, pyrotechnic effects, and hundreds of aerial and aquatic drones.

In the background, the snow-covered mountain from the world of the Snow Queen rises to a height of 36 meters, overlooking the fictional Scandinavian village of Arendelle and its pointed houses arranged around an icy fountain, straight out of the 2013 movie.

“Frozen ever after,” the flagship attraction, takes visitors into the icy world of Anna and Elsa, a boat and music journey, with river descents and encounters with the main characters of the classic.

The thematic area of the Snow Queen is intended to enhance the appeal of the Walt Disney Studios park, the 2nd park of Disneyland Paris – which will be renamed “Disney Adventure World” for the occasion. Opened in 2002, the space did not achieve the popularity of the classic park founded in 1992.

But the expansion also offers access to other Disney universes: the movie Rapunzel inspired a spinning boat attraction. And the work is not yet finished: in the coming years, the park will host an attraction based on another major company success, The Lion King.

Macron invests

Shops and restaurants complement the offer, including an Art Nouveau restaurant with a view of the lake and a bar that serves alcohol, a first at Disneyland Paris.

The extension was announced in 2018 by the Walt Disney Company on the Marne-la-Vallée site, with a multi-year development plan totaling 2 billion euros.

«This investment decision is a vote of confidence from Disney in France, the rest of Europe, and the potential of our company», explained the then CEO, Bob Iger, citing a change in the “political, economic, and social climate” since the arrival of Emmanuel Macron in power the previous year.

The President of the Republic welcomed this announcement on social media, seeing it as a sign that “France was back.”

The Head of State will visit the Disneyland Paris complex on Friday afternoon for the final inspection of the new park, to “highlight the importance of these investments in the development of territories, support for employment, and strengthening the economic attractiveness of France,” the Elysée announced on Thursday.

Image: AFP

Upon its transformation, this park will have “almost doubled in size,” stated Natacha Rafalski, President of Disneyland Paris, last fall.

Disneyland Paris, which employs around 19,000 employees, remains very discreet about its attendance figures or revenues. But its new attractions are expected to attract more customers and make them stay longer, with more overnight stays in the region.

Disney boosts tourism

«Disney is a major lever for economic and tourist attractiveness,” emphasizes Alexandra Dublanche, Vice President of the Ile-de-France region in charge of economic development and attractiveness, mentioning 63,000 indirect jobs.

Image: AFP

«Foreign tour operators demand new things. This can give visitors a good reason to come back,” she says, while betting on the territory’s overall radiance.

«The goal is then to reveal another facet of the region after Disney,” she says, mentioning notably the Fontainebleau Castle, also located in Seine-et-Marne.

Disneyland Paris – which manages 7 hotels and two conference centers – has already warned visitors on social media to expect long wait times on Sunday.

Image: AFP

Image: AFP