Welcome to our 150th edition of the DLP Report! We hope you’re enjoying these articles and finding value in the updates and the long term records they provide. This week, we welcomed the Disney Electrical Sky Parade, a new edition of “Pop Up Surprises”, and even The Mandalorian. Let’s take a look!
Disney Electrical Sky Parade
This week we welcome a fantastic new show: the Disney Electrical Sky Parade. Building on the experience and success of Disney D-Light, “Avengers: Power the Night” and special events, Disneyland Paris once again worked with market leader Dronisos to bring the nostalgia of the Main Street Electrical Parade to the cutting edge of drone technology. 500 drones illuminate the sky to a remixed tune of the classic ear worm each night (weather permitting).
You can watch the full show in 4K with our video above.
The show is complemented by projection mapping and fountains.
Wile Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street received a rainbow of colors before and after the show, with a few touches of light during the show as well, linking together the new production with the overall seasonal theme of “Symphony of Colours”.
Talking about, “Symphony of Colours” is now featured in a few food elements and a poster at the park entrance. The next chapter of this non-season season of marketing will be the premiere of “A Million Splashes of Colours” on February 10.
Our congratulations to the creative and technical teams on once again making something the American fans are jealous of!
Disneyland Hotel
It’s been 4 years and a pandemic in the making and it’s almost here: the Disneyland Hotel will soon reopen, on January 25. While Guests will begin discovering the hotel on that date, the media event will take place on Feb 3/4 – note that the hotel will be completely closed to non media invitees all weekend, including the common areas.
It’s the popcorn lights at the end of the tunnel with the return of the iconic twinkly highlights of the building. A production light was also spotted this week as the marketing crews produce content for the reopening period and beyond. Next week, lucky Cast Members who have won an internal lottery will get to be the first to stay in the hotel – under NDA except for a few selected photo locations.
In the Fantasia Gardens, no less than 3 projection booths have been installed for a unique show presented during the media event in February.
On the park side of things we can now see inside as the crews rush to finish all the little details before the big day.
And around the buildings, walls have slowly been removed, restoring all these lovely views of the “pink hotel” we know and love (it’ll all look show ready after a visit from landscaping of course).
We also have a peek at the new gorgeous gold Disneyland Hotel name tags.
This week Disney also shared a first look at some of the fantastic art that will be on display at the “Royal Banquet” restaurant. All centered around royalty or iconic characters and food. And horses!
We can’t wait to take you to the re-imagined Disneyland Hotel with an extra special coverage starting opening day.
Pop Up Surprises
Anna or Elsa meeting guests daily at Disneyland Paris ? Well yes it’s possible under the very controlled system of reservation for “Pop Up Surprises”. There is minimal wait and guests get to meet one of the Arendelle sisters in this gorgeous sets plus:
Pass holders are loving this new concept which is let’s face it a much better use of resources than the online tv show (there I said it). This edition of Pop Up Surprises runs until Feb 4 and is now mostly sold out but spots do open occasionally.
PAREEEE
We were just beginning to recover from the 2024 collection shock that the merchandise team hit us again with this questionable “PARIS” collection. Arguably this is probably aimed at the more touristy / Olympics crowd and some items are kinda cute but overall – oof.
Construction and Refurbishments
Flags flags flags for everyone. This week the “flag” project was deployed, a clever way of telling Guests if a shop or restaurant is open using themed flags. This is a result of new environmental rules that require the locations to keep the doors closed to preserve heat (or air conditioning in the summer). You can find them in both parks and at Disney Village. Well done!
The painful but necessary remodel of Toon Studio / Studio 1 / Hollywood Blvd. / Production Courtyard aka the “ugly parts” of Walt Disney Studios Park has taken another step with a large number of walls installed across all areas. Studio 1 will close at the end of April, for a whole year.
Walls are ALSO up at Flying Carpets over Agrabah which will not be removed but refurbished in the same was as Orbitron (taken apart and rebuilt) before reopening in the fall for some reason.
Walls have returned to Station Plaza, likely to installe the new plaque on the ground.
And at Disney Village, work has started on renovations of the exit side and the entire fence all the way to World of Disney.
This and That…
Until Feb 4, Disneyland Paris is partnering with “Operation Pieces Jaunes”, a charity drive supporting children in hospitals.
For the first time, merchandise items are on sale with all profits donated to the operation.
First Lady Brigitte Macron will visit the Resort on Jan 17.
The sales season has started in France. By law, it will last until February 6, while stocks last.
Disneyland Paris shops have some pretty good 50% off deals this year on a wide variety of items.