Welcome back to a new edition of the DLP Report! We’ve got another jam packed article for you with some progress at World Premiere Plaza, two shop openings and of course the launch of the Disney Music Festival! Let’s dig in.
Disney Music Festival
The time has come! After quite a bit of teasing it’s finally time for the Disney Music Festival, a new “formula” for a season that’s not really a season but more of an array of smaller entertainment offerings centered around music.
It all started in Friday with a day of soft opening and the installation of a number of decorations and markers across Disneyland Park. Overall it’s pretty simple and tasteful.
In the morning, Mickey in his Disney Music Festival outfit greets guests from Main Street Station.
As with most seasonal offerings, the merchandise department got into the mix and for the Disney Music Festival it’s actually all pretty fun, centered around pastel colors for a summery vibe. You’ll find everything from clothing to mugs, magnets and of course plush and headbands.
The food department was also briefed and for a change we have a wide array of snack across several locations. The good news is that they actually all look pretty good.
We got to try quite a lot of them. The Chip & Dale brookies are pretty fun, they taste a little funny. At Gibson Girl you can pick your flavor of ice cream sandwiched into macarons. Victoria’s has a pretty extensive range of Lilo & Stitch snacks that are all instagramable. Tastes and preferences will vary but overall a decent effort from the food department.
Now for the shows! Mary Poppins and her Pearly Band starts the day in Town Square with one of her signature lovely performances. Note that the first show of the day is exclusive to the EMT guests.
On Main Street, it’s Minnie’s Marching Band. Another simple but effective performance with great outfits.
Next, in Central Plaza, Goofy’s Orchestra is a funny but pretty uneventful little happening. Nothing major here.
Getting into the lands, Donald and Daisy Accordionists is a cute happening that shows off some beautiful new costumes. You’ll have guessed, a lot of shows are short and sweet and that’s the idea.
At the Old Mill, Rapunzel and Flynn present an interactive music and dance session with Guests which is proving very popular. So far guest flow has been okay but with no microphones and a tight space let’s see how the summer goes.
In Adventureland, Moana and her musician perform traditional dances in a little show that is absolutely fantastic and has been one of our favorites.
Staying in Adventureland, the Matadance is back! This popular show dating from the Lion King and Jungle Festival makes its return in a roughly unchanged format – a crowd favorite as always.
Across the way in Discoveryland, Stitch is doing his best Elvis impersonation.
Note that since April 18, Guests must book this experience in the app just like at the Hero Training Center. The same types of rules apply. The system will then slowly roll out to Meet Mickey, Princess Pavilion, and more locations.
Also in Discoveryland we have of course the Disney Music Hits concert which we previewed last week. The show is okay, but Chip & Dale as Daft Punk is really why we’re here for.
Let’s not forget Frontierland where Miguel is bringing “La Fiesta Latina”. Again here short and sweet is the name of the game. Come enjoy the music, meet and play with the character and be on your way – in the nicest way possible.
At the end of the day two units get pushed on Central Plaza for the “Grand Orchestra Finale”. The idea is to bring together all the shows Guests have come across during the day for one big final.
While the finale fits the briefs and does what it says on the tin, the problem is that we’re used to much bigger headliner shows on Central Plaza. It’s a great occasion to see characters again – or maybe catch some you didn’t – but overall it does feel a bit empty.
So! The Disney Music Festival. Not a season. But seasonal entertainment. Fun, colorful, summery! A new way to produce seasonal entertainment which actually works pretty well. It’s great to see the care that has been taken in thinking up and producing all the happenings, and while they’re not all the same “size” production or appeal, they do all fit together nicely. It’s actually possible to see everything in one day, if you’re organized. Plus the merchandise and snacks are pretty good. A lovely musical summer ahead for Disneyland Paris!
Shopping
It’s not enough to open a whole new slate of entertainment, this week we also open two additional new stores at Disney Village. A re-imagined LEGO Store and Deco by Disney, a new homeware and decoration store.
At the LEGO Store, gone is the iconic yellow brick ceiling, replaced by a more generic design. The various collections are better organized and overall it feels more current and dynamic which will likely appeal to the targeted audience. Up front, the new photo location is very detailed and overall fantastic !
A nice fun touch for the fans: many Attraction posters have been remade as LEGO, including some former attractions like Le Visionarium. That alone is worth a stroll inside the shop.
Next door at Deco by Disney we’re talking everything for your home: dishware, decorative items, art and more. The shop is packed with merchandise that’s sure to appeal to anyone interested in having a little Disney touch at home. There’s even a permanent Disney Villains corner!
Notably, the store features exclusively the artwork from the facade which is just stunning, as well as prints signed by Eddie Sotto. Nice to see the location has retained a little bit of the former Disney Gallery when it comes to interesting artwork.
Disney Village director Bruno Chastain and head of merchandise Jean David were on deck for the opening ceremony. Welcome to the two new shops that are yet another milestone in the transformation of the district.
I’m a Model
After being showed at D23 and on April 12 at Disneyland Paris. The latest up to date version of the Disney Adventure World project is now viewable by all Guests at Animation Celebration. Make sure to stop by and take a look to get a better idea at everything coming to the expansion of the park.
World Premiere Plaza
Talking about! Look at all that space!
This week walls moved way back in what is now closer to World Premiere Plaza, revealing the new look and the former Hollywood Blvd.
With this move we also get an idea of the perspective down Adventure Way when the project will be finished. The clock tower from the World Of Frozen Attraction is taking center stage, framed by the trees. It’s only once we venture on .. Adventure Way that the trees will slowly open up to show the North Mountain Peak, and then the laguna which is actually slightly lower level, down a set of stairs. The scale of the lake will only be felt once we reach that point. A nice reveal sequence that I’m very much looking forward to experience again once finished.
There’s also been some movement at Animagique Theater, technically also part of World Premiere Plaza, with walls partially down so that the theater can reopen next week with a new season of Mickey and the Magician. The style here is very similar to the other side at Studio Theater – clean, functional, more trees and benches.
