Welcome to a new edition! Short and sweet this week as we gather again for part 2 of the Disney Enchanted Christmas launch. We’ve also got some random Disney Village news and a look at a few ongoing projects.
Still Christmas
You gotta feel bad for Guests who don’t read the fine print every year and come for the published launch date of Disney Enchanted Christmas only to realize a week later that there’s a whole bunch of shows they’ve missed.
Launching this week was the “Holiday Gathering”, a non-parade Christmas parade cavalcade which – I am guessing – uses the remaining time available on the Cast’s clock for the day. It’s nice to see the well-amortized cars and as always, Santa and the Disney Friends.
Talking about well-amortized, the carriages from last decade carry the Disney Princesses around Central Plaza for the Disney Princess Holiday gathering on the Central Stages (guessing the second half of the Cast with time left).
Over in Castle Courtyard, Aurora and Philip have their own greeting, joined by the fairies.
Overall while these are all very cute daytime happenings, it’s nowhere near the entertainment value of Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade, or even the shows formerly performed on Castle Stage.
It Takes a Village
It’s been a little bit since we got an official update for the Disney Village reimagining and now we have the road map up to the end of 2026:
Construction is speeding up at the Sports Bar and Lounge and it rightly should as the location is set to reopen on November 22!
The location will serve food from breakfast to dinner with a special accent on sports themes. Disneyland Paris shred photos of some of the themed food and drinks and well – it looks promising !
Coming out of left field is the revelation that a football shop “Pelé Soccer” will take the spot of the former arcade at the back of the Sports Bar. Guess it all fits within the sports theme and at least it’s not another Disney merchandise store.
Next on the agenda is Annette’s which will close on January 5 for a remodel of the kitchen and a complete refresh of the dining room.
We’ll then get to experience the new flagship of McDonald’s France with the biggest most cutting edge restaurant in the country, early 2026.
The Disney Store will also close soon for its transformation into Disney Wonders set to open “sometime in 2026”.
And at the end of the year 2026, Italian Restaurant Casa Giulia and its takeaway counter Giulia Express is set to open. The location is managed by Groupe Bertrand, so think Rosalie, but Italian.
Disney also mentioned the Gaumont Cinema which is quite literally FALLING APART (despite this lovely photo above from when it opened), stating that they are working with owner Pathe to agree on remodeling plans. The location will likely become Pathe-branded but it’s unclear what the facade might look like – modern / glass like the current one, or matching World of Disney for example.
While this week’s news release covers the fate of the entire left side of the street, the bottom of the right side and McDonald’s, it also suggests that most of right side won’t be happening in 2026: Rainforest Cafe (supposed to get a refresh), The Steakhouse (who eats there?), Billy Bob’s (the inside isn’t expected to change much, but what about the facade?), the “temporary” Royal Pub, and Starbucks’ eventual relocation. So lots more to come on this multi-muuulti year project!
Construction and Refurbishments
We’re reaching that point where Disney Adventure World is so close to completion that everyone is begging to open up the gates! Thankfully on November 24 we will know a lot more with a special look at the Disney Adventure World pre-opening media event and hopefully.. THE date. So join us for one of our trademark Special Report.
At Disneyland Park the most high profile refurbishment currently is Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast. The entrance has been regaining some color after a deep refurbishment (which didn’t seem was needed but apparently was). The Attraction is set to reopen on December 19.
Nearby at Videopolis it’s another episode of the saga “Disneyland Paris glass doors” – in a good way this time as the automatic door project has extended to the entrance by Cafe Hyperion.
