Hello! We are back with a new edition of the DLP Report, a multi week edition due to some holidays and the general lack of activity currently at the Resort. Nevertheless we’ve got a big recap for you from a new snack location to Women’s Day, show announcements and AP Party. Let’s go!
International Women’s Day
March 8 was International Women’s Day, and as with previous years, the Mickey planter became a Minnie planter!
The fantastic landscaping team who did the work.
The day was the chance for Guests to surprise meet many of Disney’s classic or new leading ladies with notably the Fairy Godmother and Mirabel ! The happenings are not advertised but more of a surprise for the lucky ones who happened to visit that day.
Overland Trail Cafe
After months of work, the new snack location across from Big Thunder Mountain, Overland Trail Cafe, has opened.
The location is expertly themed and looks like it’s been there forever. It also has an intricate backstory according to Disney:
In Frontierland’s backstory, the Overland Trail Café is a takeaway for travelers on their way west, whether by stagecoach or wagon! It also served as a mail relay for the famous Pony Express postal service of the time. Its name, Overland Trail, alludes to one of the main routes linking the East and West of the United States, used by the Pony Express, stagecoaches (Overland Mail) and gold seekers on their way to California.
It serves churros. Which are not bad but not great – the usual standard of Disneyland Paris food, “kinda eatable”.
“Alice and the Queen of Hearts: Back to Wonderland”
Yes they’re really doing it. More details were revealed about upcoming new show “Alice and the Queen of Hearts: Back to Wonderland” at the Theater of the Stars, formerly “Moteurs Action”. The show is slated to debut late May.
While we don’t know the exact plot, we know it’ll be interactive, with Guests choosing between one of two endings.
As revealed by the audition process there will be BMX stunt performers as well as acrobats, with many trampolines setup through the set.
With a big number of visuals and big promotional plans, it looks like Disney is confident this will be one of the very few highlights for Paris in 2024. Can’t wait to see how this turns out!
Mobile Key
Touted as a feature may moons ago for Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel and other hotels (a feature available for just as many moons in other Resorts), mobile room key has finally launched.
It’s available directly in the app (not wallets because it uses Bluetooth, not NFC), the process is pretty simple and quite well branded, with some animations and an overall simple and consistent UI (which is more than we can say for other services like mobile food order which is still not seamlessly integrated in the app and its design codes).
The service should also launch soon at the Disneyland Hotel.
St. Patrick’s Day
Once a big day of celebrating in Disneyland Park with character meets, shows and nighttime fireworks, St. Patrick’s Day has been relegated to Disney Village.
Still lots of fun to be had at the various Disney Village venues and a few fun nods at Disney Hotels.
Oh yeah there was one thing at Disneyland Park: St. Patrick’s Day champagne (face palm).
Construction and Refurbishments
We start with these photos of the Walt Disney Studios Park expansion site where progress is being made on all fronts: Frozen themed land, lake, Rapunzel attraction, lakeside restaurant, landscaped avenue, viewing areas, general theming and place making. Still a lot of work to do.
Disney will provide an update on this and all ongoing projects on April 12 so stay tuned for our coverage of this media event.
At Disneyland Park work has started on the new Casey’s Corner covered terrace and Gazebo. It’s creating one long hallway.
The finished product. Looks like it’s gonna be lovely.
Work also started in Fantasyland at Pays des Contes de Fées. Two scenes are being replaced in an overall refurbishment project expected to last until late July.
The Discoveryland Theater has also closed for unknown refurbishment until April 12.
And at Sleeping Beauty Castle scaffolding has finally started going down on these expertly refurbishment Castle Courtyard buildings. No more big tarp boxes.
Disney Village continues its transformation with a musical chair game of walls and these new designs.
Recently, the awning of Billy Bob’s starred being dismantled, likely to allow for guest flow while the nearby area gets resurfaced.
Treasure Night
As part of the (soft) promise to hold 4 Disneyland Pass parties a year, this past Friday Disneyland Park hosted “Treasure Night”, a scavenger hunt type of event with character selfie spots, meets, shows etc. The event appeared to not sell very well, likely due to the vagueness of the theme and general fatigue. European Guests see events in the US like 90’s night that have a more specific, if also more niche, theme that brings more uniqueness and excitement.
Yep that’s 22 photos of characters. At this point should they just host “character nights”? Our teammate attended the night and prepared a review article, watch out for that in the next days!
Show wise, sadly the weather canceled a lot of the offering but Videopolis did host a new version of the great show “Disney Classics Celebration” which this time also featured Asha and Maribel. you can check out our full video of the show below:
It looks like the next event in June is no longer planned so we’ll have to wait and see what ideas they’re coming up for the fall. Pop Up Surprised should also return in the next couple months with a new opportunity to meet rare characters.
This and That..
The promised new Star Tours adventures will launch on April 5, including at Disneyland Paris. Stay tuned for our coverage of the addition.
And in the “so awful I kinda want it” category, the PIZZA merchandise collection is now available in the Disneyland Paris shops.
