What's next at Disneyland Paris?

I honestly predict that if anything happens at disneyland paris, it will be to the studios park, not the actual disney one.

I do think that the main park needs more atractions to boost atendance, but I don't see it happening

I agree, the Walt Disney Studios Park would probably see new attractions and/or lands. I also agree that Disneyland Park could use more attractions. Yes, that's true, Disneyland Park probably won't see any new updates.

As I think I've mentioned before, I don't really follow the international parks much, but based on the little I've read about Disneyland Paris it sounds like a major overhaul of Walt Disney Studios will be the next project. My best guess is that this will come in the form of Marvel Land and perhaps one or two other attractions (they're supposed to get Toy Story Midway Mania at the park as well). At one point, there was consideration in duplicating Pandora there, but Disney is trying to avoid cloning attractions in Paris to keep it appealing. Don't expect anything anytime soon, however...with the only announcement for the resort at D23 being a Marvel hotel, I'm guessing new attractions won't be coming until the early/mid 2020s.

Splash Mountain, Soaring Around the World, Indiana Jones Adventure and Festival of the Lion King, along with attractions themed to Beauty and the Beast, Frozen and Tangled can be appropriately added to Disneyland Paris and ALL have the tracts of land available within the park to allow it to happen. The addition of just a couple of these attractions together with the best versions of Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Pan rides can catapult Disneyland Paris as the #1 BEST of the Disneyland type parks. As it stands now, Disneyland Paris is a beautiful park short on new attractions. The focus of the resort's future investments should not overlook Disneyland Paris. I would be more inclined to visit a great Disney park with a subpar second gate than to visit a good Disney park with a subpar second gate. Let's be honest, Walt Disney Studios park is very far off from being considered a good Disney park and a $1B upgrade will not be enough to elevate it as a Disney park that I would want to visit - attraction wise, and more importantly, thematically, WDS is in a deep, deep hole. The money for the resort would be better spent on Disneyland Paris receiving at least half of the investments.

AJ, thank you for the information. I can see Disneyland Paris getting Marvel Land. Keith, I totally agree with everything you said. Soaring, Frozen, Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, and Indian Jones would all fit perfectly. The only one I’m not sure about is Splash Mountain. It tends to get very cold in France during the winter. It would probably only be a seasonal ride, mainly during the summer.

I agree, Disneyland Paris has the best versions of Space Mountain, Big Thunder, and Peter Pan. Phantom Manor is better than the Haunted Mansion too. Yes, Walt Disney Studios Park needs a lot of work. They need a major upgrade. I would suspect Marvel Land would be built here.

Disney have announced the next major addition to the parks will be in 2024. No one knows what that will be - quite possibly Disney themselves aren't certain - but my money's on a Galaxy's Edge clone, assuming that goes down well stateside. (If TWDC are dropping big coin on the troubled resort, I doubt they'll do it on anything less than their safest bet.)

However, contrary to popular rumours, I think it's more likely to follow the California template and go into the castle park, tucked into the southern corner behind Frontierland and Adventureland. Ultimately, WDSP doesn't have the operational capacity to handle the mass influx of crowds a Star Wars land will bring - whereas the castle park does. And as far as Disney's concerned, it doesn't make a jot of difference where guests go, so long as they're on resort and spending money.

Before 2024 however - again, anyone's guess. There's a complete rebuild of the Chaparral Theatre beginning soon. And Marvel summer is happening next year, so a cheap and simple overlay of some older WDSP attractions (Rock'n'Roller, Armageddon, Moteurs... Action) makes sense if that goes down well. Mission: Breakout rumours keep floating around, though I'm starting to wonder if reworking R'n'R to the Guardians design planned for Epcot is more likely.

Who knows? Makes for fun speculation, in any case.

disney land paris has an indiana jones atraction in adventureland. I don't think it needs another.

sorin might be good to have, and perhaps an original show (it certainly needs new shows!)

I don't remember, does disneyland paris have the country bears?.
what about a beauty and the beast atraction. that's french isn't it?

I know america did it, but it can be slightly changed for the paris park.

or just do something based on walt disney's carocell of progress.

I'm not asking for a complete copy of the show, but why not in discoveryland have something where it talks about inventions and discoveries through time.

oh yes, and they need to work with what they have to make the atractions more reliable

when I go, big thunder mountain, disney's tram tour and indiana jones are always down for 2/ 3 hours per day

A 6-8 month refurbishment of Phantom Manor is due to begin in January 2018 with new scenes, effects and possibly the addition of the original narration voiced by Vincent Price to be added to the attraction, so great news there.
As for adding Star Wars Galaxy's Edge to the Disneyland Paris Resort, I would expect it to be either behind the Tomorrowland Train Station where Pizza Planet and the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids/Captain Eo theater currently stands right next to Star Tours in Disneyland Paris or behind the Tram Tour entrance in WDS. As for WDS, Galaxy's Edge, Marvel Land and Cars Land with the addition of Toy Story Midway Mania and a built out Hollywood Blvd would definitely help the park out, but that would require an estimated $2B-$3B investment. That along with another $1B investment to Disneyland Paris would do wonders for the resort. The question is will Disney be willing to invest $3B-$4B to its Paris Resort? If so, I would definitely make the trip from South Florida to Paris for a week long vacation in France with 2-3 days spent at the DLP Resort.

Keith, I didn't know that Phantom Manor is being updated. I like it. That was my favorite ride at Disneyland Paris when I visited. I could see Star Wars Galaxy's Edge being built in Disneyland Paris. I feel all the park around the world will eventually have it. It makes sense. Star Wars is popular world wide. It would be a great addition to Walt Disney Studios park.

Speaking of Walt Disney Studios Park, Marvel and Cars Land would be great additions to the park. As well as Toy Story Midway Mania. I did like the Ratatouille ride when I was there. It will be a nice addition to Epcot when it's built there. However, that park needs helps. I can see Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission Breakout replacing the Tower of Terror. I hope to see Disney invest more in Disneyland Paris. After all, it's very popular in Europe. It's one of Europe's most visited tourist attractions.

At this point it's become clear DLRP will be getting major upgrades in the upcoming decade. It will be fascinating to see with all of the upgrades if it actually starts to make money, something it hasn't done consistently in 25 years. I guess at this point they should make the place a lot better for brand reasons but it would be a shame to see the property improved so much and still be losing the company tons of money.

I hope Disneyland Paris will finally be able to make some money. It is a shame, it's a wonderful park. I enjoyed it very much when I went there. Walt Disney Studios Park, on the other hand, definitely needs major improvement.

I'm surprised that it hasn't made the amount of money they thought they would? After all, it is very popular among tourists throughout Europe. However, it may not be as popular from other countries outside of Europe. Maybe that's why it hasn't been as successful as Disney hoped? I doubt many Americans visit Disneyland Paris. When most people visit France, they often think of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Notre Dame Cathedral. I doubt many people intend to visit Disneyland Paris. Unless, they have children. Otherwise, they either visit Disney World, or Disneyland.

The property should not have been built in Paris there is no question about that. With a massive outdoor year round vacation destination like that, the last thing you want is bad weather and strong union/high labor costs like France has. I went to DLRP in January once and it was freaking miserable: in the 30s all day every day with dark clouds and freezing rain, and the place was EMPTY. I'm talking half empty trains on Space Mountain. They still operate all those hotels and everything in the cold but seriously who would want to pay money to go vacation there in that climate?

They get pretty busy during warmer months but lose tons of money in the winter. I don't understand why they never fully embraced indoor waterparks like the Dells as that seems to be a big draw there, although the Village Nature has one but that's not even on really on Disney Property (and the waterpark doesn't look that great).

That is in addition to all of the bad PR they got because of what the French perceived as cultural imperialism. I mean if you think about what Disney did, they literally built a huge sprawling American icon right next to the snootiest anti-American culture place there is. Eisner even said in his book that they got cocky because of how much of a hit Tokyo Disneyland was, didn't take into account how much Japanese love American culture and how much the French dislike it. When I was a kid Paris was where you went to see Versailles, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, eat snails, etc. The idea of building a huge Disney World there was like a joke when it was announced, especially when you consider all of the hotels at DLRP are themed to traditional Americana and the entrance of the park is Main Street USA. The media had a field day when it tanked the first few years it became a big joke.

Then when you consider the deals that Disney got from the French government (building the train, buying the land for nothing, etc) it left a sour taste in a lot of peoples mouths.

Then you have to consider the fact that a lot of people around Europe do not like the French and would rather go to America. Most European countries get guaranteed 4+ weeks vacation a year from the government in labor law, while many will go to Disneyland Paris, there are a lot as well that would rather go to America and get the "real experience" as they view it. Look how many Brits vacation to Orlando, millions a year, ask any of them why they came here instead of Paris they are all like "F that place!"

It was built in Paris because ease of access from the rest of Europe and its already high attendance numbers, but the property would have been better off somewhere people are more likely to be a vacation destination like Barcelona or Madrid.

That being said I don't think it's all doom & gloom. The millennials don't really know or care about all of this baggage and are much more likely to view DLRP with favor. I think Disney sees these these new generations as a fresh start (hence why they bought it out). If Disney improves the place substantially, to genx/millennials, it will just be another great Disney Destination like the rest of them. I think it would make sense to build an indoor waterpark or two to drive attendance during winter.

The_man, I completely agree with everything you said. They should have built Disney in a city with a warmer climate. Much like Disney did with California and Florida. Spain would have been a better option. Barcelona would have been perfect. Even the south of France would have been a better idea as well.

That’s true, many British prefer to visit Disney World, as opposed to DLP. Although, I will say this...Disneyland Paris is a very pretty park. It’s prettier than Magic Kingdom in Florida. But not quite the same mystique as Disneyland park in California. Disneyland park will always be my favorite. I agree with you that DLP should look to build an indoor water park. It would be nice, especially during the cold winter months.,

I’ve never visited DLP in the winter, only in the summer. But I can imagine it’s very cold. That’s why they could never had a ride like Splash Mountain. It would be too cold to ride much of the year. Probably only the summer months. I agree, that’s probably why they’ve lost money on DLP. Nobody wants to go to a theme park that is cold during the winter. I know I wouldn’t. At least California and Florida you can visit year round. I agree with you why Disneyland was built in Paris. It’s accessible and easy to get to Paris from other countries in Europe. But, yes, Spain would have made for a better destination.

timbo, I'm not sure where you're from, but you can't really make a blanket statement like "nobody wants to go to a theme park that is cold during the winter." Would it be as busy as during the warmer months? No, but the popularity of special winter events, such as Winterfest at Kings Island, shows that many of us who survive up here in the colder climates would love to be able to bundle up and venture out into the cold to ride a coaster, watch a show, eat a bowl of hot chili while strolling down the midway and having a great time admiring the seasonal lights and events at one of our local parks. Would a park like Cedar Point need to have the entire park open in February? Probably not, but if perhaps a portion could be open, say Frontier Town and Trail, with fires burning in the fireplaces of the cabins and stands selling hot cider and hot chocolate along the snow-lined paths, I think that it would be a wonderful attraction and a great excuse to get out into the cold, fresh air.

James, I’m from New York. So I know what it’s like to live in a cold climate. I understand what you’re saying, Winterfesf sounds like fun. As well as Cedar Point. Maybe I should have phrased it better. Yes, there are people who would enjoy a theme park during the cold, winter months. I guess it depends on where you’re from. Someone from a warm climate, such as Florida, may not want to visit a theme park in a cold climate during the winter months.

What I was trying to say was Disneyland Paris may not be as enjoyable for some, during the winter months, as it would be during the summer months. Maybe I should have phrases it this way.

You're from New York? You know cold! I'm curious to hear what those from warmer climates who have been to DLP say about this. I'm thinking about Douglas Hindley, who's from LA but was in DLP when it was snowing. Would it be as enjoyable? Possibly in a different way. Lap bars would need to be more forgiving, since we'd be wearing much heavier clothing than the usual summer clothes ;+)

Perhaps less traditional rides and more special events, food and drink festivals, seasonal attractions, dark ride overlays, things like this to attract guests.

Once again, uttering my name has summoned me!

Last January I visited DLP during a snowstorm, not by plan so much as by random circumstance. My only time there. I certainly enjoyed the visit, despite many rides closed for refurb and others (like Big Thunder) shutting down repeatedly due to the weather. I wore a heavy winter coat all day (snug lap bars), keeping warm with movement and hot cocoa and crepes.

It was brisk and bracing. Not what I'd normally enjoy, but the park's beauty and uniqueness, and the wintertime adventurousness of it all, made it fun. Not on its own a good vacation destination, though, certainly not compared to a fully-functioning park in a temperate climate. And if tourists and investors both expect something more like Florida, something snowy like this (while fun) has more niche appeal.

Random aside: Visiting HKDL in September, when the humidity and heat were both nearing 100, was like the opposite problem. Neither weather extreme was as conducive for regular park touring as an average mid-70s day in Anaheim.

Douglas Hindley, I’m sure it was very pretty when it was snowing. Yes, Disneyland Paris is a very beautiful park. I’ve been there, it’s very nice. Yes, I’ve been to both Disney World and Disneyland during the summer, when the weather was very hot. I’ve also been to both during Christmas time, when the weather was very comfortable. But also temperate. I’m fact; I was in Disney World the first week of December at the beginning of this month. The weather was in the 80’s, but not overbearing.

James, yes, I agree, visiting Disney park when it’s cooler is enjoyable in its own way. I agree with that. Especially during Christmas time, when the parks are all decked out. It’s beautiful. I don’t like the extreme weather - cold, nor hot. But I feel when the weather tends to be a little warmer, you will get more out of your Disney park experience. As Douglas said, during his visit many rides were closed for refurbishment, or closed due to the cold weather, and snow. I know he said he still had a good time, which I’m sure I would too. However, you may not be able to get the full “Disney experience,” as you would when the weather tends to be warmer, and all the rides are up and running. As well as the shows and fireworks. It may be hard for some to sit and watch a parade, or fireworks when it’s cold, and snowing out. Some may like that, but some may not.

Douglas, yes, nothing beats a mid 70’s day in Anaheim. Nothing like that California weather. Although, the even the weather there is changing. It was recently in the 90’s and 100’s. Which led to all the fires burning across the state. This was as recent as the beginning of December. So who knows if Anaheim will have those classic mid 70 days anymore? The climate is changing. I hope they stil do.

Common people, Paris is not that cold. And it is Europe's biggest tourist destination. Attendance became a problem just in the last few years, since there was few new attractions. The big problem was profitability, not attendance.

My suggestion of new rides would be:

Disney Studios - On the right side I would add Toy Story Mania, to complete the Pixar theme. On the left side I would add Soarin. In the center and back of the park I would transform in Marvel studios. Convert the TOT in GOTG, like Disneyland California. The motors stunt show would become an avengers show, and the roller coaster should be retamed to X-man. I would also bring the Iron Man experience from Hong Kong.

Disneyland - On Adventureland I would bring two attractions, Indiana Jones from Disneyland, to be build besides the Indiana Roller Coaster, and after it a copy of voyage to the center of Earth from Disney Seas. On fantasyland I would add Little mermaid. On Tomorrowland I would save a place to build Star Wars Galaxy Edge latter.

By building mostly clones of other Disney's attractions, the cost would be lower.

Flavio, I like your ideas of new rides to bring to DLP. Toy Story Midway Mania should have been built there already, as well as Soarin’. Other than Tokyo (which will be built), Soarin’ currently exists in the rest of the Disney resorts world wide. It’s about time it comes to Disneyland Paris.

As far as Disney Studios Park, which needs a major upgrade, Marvel Land will fit nicely in that park. I feel that will be one of next major announcements at Disneyland Paris. Iron Man Experience makes sense. As well as a roller coaster that is Marvel themed.

Indian Jones Adventure, from Disneyland would be a nice addition to Adventureland. Journey to the Center of the Earth would be amazing if it was brought to DLP. Or any other Disney park, for that matter. In Fantasyland, they could add pretty much any dark ride. But the Little Mermaid would fit.
One day Star Wars Galaxy Edge will be built in DLP.