“To all who come to this happy place, welcome,” Michael Eisner said on April 1st, 1992. “Once upon a time in America, a master storyteller named Walt Disney was inspired by Europe’s best loved tales and used his own special gifts to share them with the world. He envisioned a Magic Kingdom where these stories would come to life, and called it Disneyland. Now his dream returns to the land that inspired him. Euro Disneyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration for all the world.” They chose the destination of Europe’s Disney to be in Paris, France because it was close to both Germany and the UK, and the Channel Tunnel would soon be opening to bring more visitors directly to the park.

Despite its current success of $37.7 million in profit, 86% occupancy and 12 million visitors each year, Euro Disney in Paris got off to a rough start. Initially, the Disney crew believed that Europeans were ready to immerse themselves into a “totally American experience.” After all, the Disney movies sold better in Europe than they did in the U.S., and Hong Kong Disney was outperforming Disneyland in Anaheim. However, they had to make some changes to accommodate a multicultural audience. Now they sell espresso at refreshment stands, wine and beer with lunch and hand out park maps in six different languages. Currently the Disney strategy is to expand beyond the French market to attract other European visitors (40% of all tourists come from France) and to encourage people to stay at the parks and resorts longer, since the average stay is only about 2 days, compared to 4 to 5 in other parks.

Disneyland, Paris rides are fashioned after many of the American parks’ rides. In Disneyland Paris, visitors will have access to several different “lands” all within the same park: Discoveryland, Frontierland and Adventureland. Space Mountain 2 recently opened in Discoveryland as a high-speed, fast-moving coaster. Also nearby, guests can find the Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, which is a shoot-em-up arcade-style game for kids, and Star Tours, a “Star Wars” simulation ride. In Frontierland, families will find the quick Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster and the creepy Phantom Manor haunted house. Adventureland houses one of the best-known Disney rides — the Pirates of the Caribbean and also the new Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril ride. Over at the other park, Walt Disney Studios, visitors will find intense thrills at the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the Aerosmith Rock N’ Roller Coaster and Crush’s Coaster.

There are numerous ways to get to Disney hotels in Paris. From Charles de Gaulle International Airport, one can hop aboard a high-speed train from Terminal 2 and arrive in Disney within just 10 minutes. From the Orly Airport, guests will need to take three trains: the Orlyval train to Antony, the RER B train to Chatelet-Les-Halles and the RER A4 train to Marne-la-Vallee Chessy. There are also direct bus routes from either airport for €13 to 17 per person. Some people opt to drive to Disney on the highways from Germany or the UK. While it’s easy enough to find, it could cost €30 in highway tolls, though. The train is surely the best way to reach Disneyland Resort Paris, since it has its own railway station; the “Marne-la-Vallee Chessy.” Taking this train from Paris hotels takes about 35 minutes on the RER A4. From London, the Eurostar runs daily from St. Pancras or Ashford station directly to Marne-la-Vallee Chessy, which takes about two hours.

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