What We Love About Disneyland Paris
We continue our “Why We Love” series with Disneyland Paris. The following notes page is a scene by scene outline of our key insights from this park, but be sure to check out the podcast for the complete review, which also includes a discussion of Walt Disney Studios Park. I’m grateful for my good friend, Drew Ostler, who joined me for this recording. Definitely check it out!
You can find our podcast here on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, MyTuner, and ListenNotes. Be sure to subscribe and share with others!
Overview
Let’s take a photo journey that helps give visual to our podcast. We also have some exclusive videos to check out.
Entering Disneyland Paris we pass underneath the Disneyland Hotel.
Before we enter, here’s an overview of Disneyland Paris by the Imagineering team that made this park possible. This is a rare video, that I just recently released. It’s not been made available until lately.
Disneyland Paris Park
We enter Disneyland Paris by passing underneath the train station. Let’s enter Main Street, U.S.A. We find much that is familiar and much that is unique.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Welcome to City Hall, it has its own unique design.
So does the Main Street Transportation Company across Town Square.
Visitors to Magic Kingdom will recognize this corner store.
But this one is unfamiliar.
On each back side of Main Street, U.S.A. there are arcades that allow dry, warm passage in inclement weather.
The Liberty Arcade behind the Emporium is a salute to France’s gift to the United States.
Looking back down Main Street U.S.A. we see the Disneyland Hotel toward the front of the park.
Eddie Soto led the design of Main Street U.S.A. and offers fascinating insights to the details behind this land.
Discoveryland
Discoveryland is Disneyland Paris’s version of Tomorrowland. The centerpiece is Space Mountain.
The Columbiad offers shotgun transportation to the moon and beyond.
This map shows the layout of the Nautilus Submarine nearby.
Imagineer Tim Delaney offers a terrific overview of Discoveryland.
Fantasyland
It’s on to perhaps the most beautiful Fantasyland of them all.
Step inside the floors of the castle to re-discover the story of Sleeping Beauty.
And down below lies the lair of the dragon! You can see how this castle compares to others in our Castle Comparison podcast/post.
The courtyard is a medieval fantasy unfolding.
The carousel has a level of detail unlike any other.
Alice’s Curious Labyrinth offers a new of the maze and of Fantasyland beyond.
“it’s a small world” is bright and colorful.
It’s the first version of this attraction that includes a salute to North America. You can visit our podcast & post comparison of all “it’s a small world” attractions across the globe to see how it stacks up.
Storybook land canal boats offers some unique miniatures.
Included on this attraction is the land of Oz, which we couldn’t find. But here is an image of the house Hansel and Gretel lives visits.
Tom Morris showcases Fantasyland. We also have a wonderful podcast that features Tom sharing his insights about this unique land.
Adventureland
The land of the Arabian nights welcomes you to Adventureland.
There are actually many smaller lands within this Adventureland, and also some fun attractions as well. This one is themed to Indiana Jones.
In the center of this land is Adventure Isle, which thematically centers around three famous Disney films: Swiss Family Robinson, Peter Pan, and Treasure Island.
Much of the experiences on this island are reminiscent of what you find on Tom Sawyer Island, with caves, trails and bridges.
Imagineer Chris Tietz shares his love of Adventureland:
Frontierland
Frontierland stars with an old style fort stockade, similar to the kind you find on Tom Sawyer Island. Only this is the entrance to Frontierland.
Inside the fort you find scenes like this of Davy Crocket.
Beyond the fort lies Phantom Manor, Disneyland Paris’s take on the Haunted Mansion.
Phantom Manor has some humorous tombstones in its exit.
Here is the Lucky Nugget, the park’s version of the Golden and Diamond Horseshoe.
There are two ships, one being a side-wheeler named Molly Brown.
Both sail around Big Thunder Mountain, which sits on an island in the middle of the river.
Imagineers Jeff and John Patrick Burke share their love of Frontierland below.
We leave Disneyland Paris as day turns to dusk. Again, a truly beautiful park.
More to Hear & See!
Our podcast goes on to share “what we love” at the Walt Disney Studios Paris, to include new attractions that are going to grow this park immensely. So be sure to listen and subscribe to our podcast.
We asp have more ahead of us in our “What We Love” series about the parks, as the world gets ready to eventually re-open these amazing parks. Next we head to the Disneyland Resort. Meanwhile be sure to Subscribe to our YouTube Channel where you can see videos from all of these parks! From Shanghai to Epcot, you won’t want to miss it!
Let’s Travel
Has all this chat made you hungry for a Disney adventure? Now is the time to dream and plan for your future travels. Be sure to reach out to David Zanolla, owner and agent of of Out The Door Travel, LLC to make arrangements. There’s no cost–but it could save you a lot of time–and even money–especially when you put it in the hands of someone who really knows Disney and travel. Call today at 309-863-5469 or reach out to him via zanolla@otdtravel.com
