In response, French philosopher Michel Serres noted, “It is not America that is invading us. It is we who adore it, who adopt its fashions and above all, its words.” Euro Disney S.C.A.'s then-chairman Robert Fitzpatrick responded, "We didn't come in and say O.K., we're going to put a beret and a baguette on Mickey Mouse. We are who we are."[1]
Topics of controversy further included Disney's American managers requiring English to be spoken at all meetings and Disney's appearance code for members of staff, which listed regulations and limitations for the use of make up, facial hair, tattoos, jewelers and more. French labors unions mounted protests against the appearance code, which they saw as “an attack on individual liberty.” Others criticized Disney as being insensitive to French culture, individualism, and privacy, because restrictions on individual or collective liberties were illegal under French law, unless it could be demonstrated that the restrictions are requisite to the job and do not exceed what is necessary. Disney countered by saying that a ruling that barred them from imposing such an employment standard could threaten the image and long-term success of the park. “For us, the appearance code has a great effect from a product identification standpoint,” said Thor Degelmann, Euro Disney's personnel director and a native Californian. “Without it we couldn't be presenting the Disney product that people would be expecting.”[11]
Opening day
On April 12, 1992, Euro Disney Resort and its theme park, Euro Disneyland, officially opened. Visitors were warned of chaos on the roads and a government survey indicated that half a million people carried by 90,000 cars might attempt to enter the complex. French radio warned traffic to avoid the area. By midday, the parking lot was approximately half full, suggesting an attendance level below 25,000. Speculative explanations ranged from people heeding the advice to stay away to the one-day strike that cut the direct RER railway connection to Euro Disney from the centre of Paris.[9]
Financial, attendance and employment problems
In May of 1992, entertainment magazine The Hollywood Reporter reported that about 25% of Euro Disney's workforce -- approximately 3,000 men and women -- had resigned their jobs because of unacceptable working conditions. It also reported that the park's attendance was far behind expectations. Euro Disney S.C.A. responded in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, in which Robert Fitzpatrick claimed only 1,000 people had left their jobs.
In response to the financial situation, Fitzpatrick ordered that the Disney-MGM Studios project would be put on hiatus until a further decision could be made. Prices at the hotels were reduced.
Despite these efforts, in May 1992 daily park attendance was around 25,000 (some reports give a figure of 30,000) instead of the predicted 60,000. The Euro Disney Company stock price spiraled downwards and on July 23, 1992, Euro Disney announced an expected net loss in its first year of operation of approximately 300 million French francs. During Euro Disney's first winter, hotel occupancy was such that it was decided to close the Newport Bay Club hotel during the season. Initial hopes were that each visitor would spend around USD $33 per day, but near the end of 1992, analysts reckoned spending to be around 12% lower.[12]
Efforts to improve attendance included serving alcoholic beverages with meals inside the Euro Disneyland park, in response to a presumed European demand, which began June 12, 1993.[13]
In January 1994, Sanford Litvack, an attorney from New York City and former Assistant Attorney General during the Jimmy Carter presidency, was assigned to be Disney's lead negotiator regarding Euro Disney's future. On 28 February, Litvack made an offer (without the consent of Eisner or Frank Wells) to split the debts between Euro Disney's creditors and Disney. After the banks showed interest, Litvack informed Eisner and Wells. On March 14, the day before the annual shareholders meeting, the banks capitulated to Disney's demands. The creditor banks bought USD $500 million worth of Euro Disney shares, forgave 18 months of interest and deferred interest payments for three years. Disney invested USD $750 million into Euro Disney and granted a five-year suspension of royalty payments. In June that same year, Saudi Arabian Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud cut a deal whereby the Walt Disney Company bought 51% of a new USD $1.1 billion share issue, the rest being offered to existing shareholders at below-market rates, with the Prince buying any that were not taken up by existing shareholders (up to a 24.5% holding).
In 2002, Euro Disney S.C.A. and the Walt Disney Company announced another annual profit for Disneyland Resort Paris. However, it has incurred a net loss in the three years following, and the park is approximately US$2 billion in debt as of 2007. In 2005, the Walt Disney Company agreed to write-off all debt to the Walt Disney Company made by Euro Disney S.C.A.
1995 turnaround
On May 31, 1995, a new attraction opened at the theme park. Space Mountain - De la Terre а la Lune had been planned since the inception of Euro Disneyland, but was reserved for a revival of public interest. With a redesign of the attraction (which had premiered at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in 1975) including a 'cannon' launch system and an on-ride soundtrack, the USD $100 million attraction was dedicated in a ceremony attended by celebrities such as Elton John, Claudia Schiffer and Buzz Aldrin.
On July 25, 1995, Euro Disney S.C.A. reported its first ever quarterly profit of USD $35.3 million. On November 15, the results for the fiscal year ending September 30 were released; in one year the theme park's attendance had climbed from 8.8 million to 10.7 million -- an increase of 21%. Hotel occupancy had also climbed from 60 to 68.5%. After debt payments, Disneyland Resort Paris ended the year with a net profit of USD $22.8 million.
The complex
Disneyland Resort Paris encompasses 4,800 acres [15] (19 km), including theme parks, resort hotels, nightclubs, a golf course, a railway station and more.
Theme parks
Main articles: Disneyland Park (Paris) and Walt Disney Studios Park
The Disneyland Park is based on a formula pioneered by Disneyland in California and further employed at the Magic Kingdom in Florida and Tokyo Disneyland in Japan. Occupying 566,560 m (140 acres), it is the largest Disney park based on the original in California.
On March 16, 2002, the Walt Disney Studios Park opened its doors to the public. At 27 hectares, it is a continuation on an earlier, never realized concept; the Disney-MGM Studios Europe.
The April 2007 issue of trade magazine Park World reported the following attendance estimates for 2006 compiled by Economic Research Associates in partnership with TEA (formerly the Themed Entertainment Association):
Disneyland Park, 10.6 million visits (No. 5 worldwide);
Walt Disney Studios, 2.2 million visits.
Other recreation
Main articles: Disney Village and Golf Disneyland
The Disney Village entertainment district contains a variety of restaurants, bars, shops and other venues and stays open after the parks close.
Golf Disneyland features 9-hole and 18-hole courses.
Hotels
The complex features seven Disneyland Resort Paris hotels. The Disneyland Hotel is located over the entrance of the Disneyland Park and is marketed as the most prestigious hotel on property. A body of water known as Lake Disney is surrounded by Disney's Hotel New York, Disney's Newport Bay Club and Disney's Sequoia Lodge. Disney's Hotel Cheyenne and Disney's Hotel Santa Fe are located near Lake Disney, Disney's Davy Crockett Ranch is located in a woodland area outside the resort perimeter.
Disneyland Resort Paris includes six Associated Hotels which are not managed by Euro Disney S.C.A. but provide free shuttle buses to the parks: Marriott's Village d'lle-de-France, Radisson SAS Hotel, a Holiday Inn Hotel, Vienna International Dream Castle Hotel, MyTravel's Explorers Hotel and a Kyriad Hotel.
Transport
A railway station, Marne-la-Vallйe - Chessy, with connection to the suburban RER network and the TGV high-speed rail network is located between the theme parks and Disney Village. Thalys no longer operates from Marne-la-Valle train station, but there are daily services from London on the Eurostar. On June 10, 2007, a new TGV line, LGV Est, began service between Paris and Strasbourg.
Free shuttle buses provide transport to all Disney hotels (except Disney's Davy Crockett Ranch) and Associated Hotels.
The background...
When, under Michael Eisner, the Disney CEO and miracle worker who is generally credited with having turned Disney around in the early 80s, Disney was looking for a European site the choice was between Spain and France. Spain had everything going for it - established tourist industry, the weather, sympathetic government, the weather, good air links, the weather...
Paris, however, had two major points in its favour; an extremely good position- almost in the centre of Europe and a large expanse of flat, featureless land. Disney has never wanted people to be drawn away from its parks by beautiful countryside neither has it wanted anything to interfere with the theme park experience. Also, the French government was willing to 'make it worthwhile' for Disney to build in Marne la Valee. For a more detailed account of the first ten years of the resort's fortunes,
But why should you choose Paris Disney?
Basically, it's a better theme park than the Magic Kingdom in Florida. Disney has learnt from Disneyland, WDW's Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland and have created something rather special in Disneyland Paris. Besides being physically the largest Park of the four, it has a number of intimate little paths and hidden corners on much the same lines as those which imbue the Californian park with such charm. The rides are, of course, technologically more recent (Pirates of the Caribbean is much superior to its WDW cousin) and, owing to the different safety legislation in France, you don't have the illusion in the 'darker' rides spoilt by seeing little red 'Exit' signs! It's also achieved a European flavor, has fewer controls than the States (probably because the Paris natives don't listen to anyone!) and is a more up to date, intimate park than Florida overall. Besides which, if you hate long flights in economy class, then it's only an hour away!
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