Disneyland Park

Disneyland Resort Paris is based 20 miles outside of Paris city centre in Marne-la-Vallée, and opened it's doors on 12th April 1992. One of Europe's leading tourist destinations, the Disneyland Park channels the Disney magic that has enchanted people for generations. Mesmerising characters welcome visitors to a land where dreams come true, where make believe is real, and where imagination become reality. Through breathtaking shows and parades and exciting rides relive the Wild West, explore the Middle East and African jungles, discover the future, and see fairytales come to life.

Main Street, USA | Frontierland | Adventureland | Fantasyland | Discoveryland

Once guests emerge into the Town Square from the Main Street station they are transported to small town America at the turn of the century. The decor is of a 1920s theme, with influences from flappers and ragtime and emphasis on baseball culture and the rise of the automobile. Everything down to the litter bins and fire hydrants have been carefully designed to fit the period. There is also a wonderful piece of deception by the Disney Imagineers; the top storeys of the buildings are subtly graduated in size so that Sleeping Beauty's Castle appears to be much further away than it really is.

Main Street USA is the entrance to the park, and where guests can ask for information, store belongings in the lockers provided, rent wheelchairs and strollers, book guided tours, and find lost property. The rest of Main Street USA is devoted to shops, arcades and places to eat. At the Town Square guests can board one of the period vehicles which will transport you to the Central Plaza where Sleeping Beauty's Castle stands. You can also take a train from Main Street Station and either go on a complete circuit of the Disneyland Park, or get off at Frontierland, Fantasyland or Discoveryland. Trains arrive every 10 minutes, and it takes 20 minutes to go right around the Park.

Parades

Disney theme parks are famous for their lavish parades which are a major attraction and focal point of Main Street USA. They generally start near Fantasyland and proceed down to the Town Square. You will find the area very crowded, and it is advisable to find a spot to watch from at least 20-30 minutes in advance.

Disneyland Resort Paris's current day time parade is the Once Upon A Dream Parade which begins at 4pm (Paris time) and contains floats and characters from all of Disney's greatest classic films.

Also be sure not to miss the Candlebration (weekdays 7pm, weekends 8pm) which takes place at the Central Plaza and sees Mickey and his friends light up the 15 candles on Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

Frontierland is the largest of all of the five lands and is recognisable by it's Arizona style landscape. Unlike the other lands, Frontierland has an elaborate back story concerning the town of Thunder Mesa, founded by Henry Ravenswood to support the mining of Big Thunder Mountain. If parts of Frontierland look surprisingly authentic, that's because they are. Disney Imagineers collected genuine artifacts from around the US and transported them here for special effect.

Fort Comstock and Legends of the Wild West

Guarding the main entrance to Frontierland, Fort Comstock is a replica of the sort of buildings constructed by early pioneers as a defence against Native American attack. Inside, a series of scenes depict life in the American West with the help of legendary characters immortalized in famous westerns, such as Buffalo Bill and Davy Crockett.

Phantom Manor

Phantom Manor was built and owned by Henry Ravenswood, the rich owner of Thunder Mesa Mining Co. The mansion overlooked the mining town of Thunder Mesa, and Henry lived there for many years with his wife Martha and daughter Melanie. Melanie was a beautiful young woman and soon attracted the attention of an intelligent train engineer who planned to take her away from Thunder Mesa. Henry Ravenswood was furious at the engagement and tried everything within his power to try and stop his daughter from marrying her lover. However his efforts were soon brought to a halt when an earthquake hit Thunder Mesa, killing Henry and his wife, among many others. On Melanie's wedding day a mysterious Phantom arrived in the manor, luring the groom to the attic where he was hung from the rafters. Melanie waited for her suitor to arrive, and as her heart broke she never gave up hope and spent the remainder of her life awaiting his return. It is not known what became of Melanie or whether she is dead or alive, as her melancholy voice can still be be heard singing softly, and lights are sometimes seen in the windows. Many believe that the murderous Phantom was Henry Ravenswood himself seeking vengeance from beyond the grave, and it is suspected that his spirit along with the others who died from the earthquake tragedy continue to haunt the manor.

Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing

A paddlewheel boat trip around Thunder Mountain. See Smuggler's Cove, Wilderness Island, Settler's Landing, and Geyser Plateau where steaming mineral rich water jets over dinosaur bones. The Molly Brown riverboat is an authentic reconstruction of the paddlewheel riverboats that plied the Mississippi and Sacramento rivers at the time of the Gold Rush and was built specifically for Disneyland Park. It carries around 400 passengers and the trip lasts around 15 minutes.

Rustler Roundup Shootin' Gallery

Instead of bullets the guns fire electronic impulses at a Wild West scene containing 74 animated targets. If you hit them, all kinds of surprises await. There is a charge for this attraction.

Big Thunder Mountain

A roller coaster ride aboard a runaway mine train. Unlike most roller coasters, Big Thunder Mountain is unpredictable and once the train goes into the sheltered mine workings anything can happen. Even the queuing is creative as guests shuffle steadily through the Big Thunder Mesa Mining Company's headquarters. Once you are aboard and the train pulls away guests are plunged into the darkness of the caverns of the mine workings, full of stalactites and glowing bats eyes, before being hurtled through a reconstructed Arizona style landscape which rises up to a height of 36m tall. Children under three or below 102cm in height are not allowed to ride, and it is advisable not to attempt this ride if you are pregnant or have neck or back problems.

Pocahontas Indian Village

An imaginative playground for young children.

Adventureland is inspired by three different continents, the islands of the Caribbean, the Asian desert and the African jungle, which all blend together seamlessly. It's much simpler than most of Disneyland with climbing tree houses, wobbly bridges and exploring caves. The central feature is Adventure Isle, a moated double island connected by two bridges, which due to successful landscaping feels much larger than it really is.

La Cabane Des Robinson

Prominent on Adventure Isle is a artificial tree rising to a height of 28m tall. Guests can climb the steps high into this tree and find where the Swiss Family Robinson's made themselves a home from shipwrecked timbers.

Pirates Beach

A playground for young children aged between 3-9 years. Minimum height requirement is 140cm. This attraction is only open when the weather permits.

Le Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin

As guests walk through a setting inspired by the Arabian Nights scenes from Disney's Aladdin appear your eyes, with animated figures and special light and sound effects.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril

A high speed roller coaster culminating in a loop the loop. The setting is an ancient temple full of hidden treasures in a wild, untamed jungle. The queue wanders through an abandoned base camp toward the temple where guests climb a staircase to get to the entrance and aboard a mine car. The minimum height requirement for this ride is 140cm and it is advisable not to attempt this ride if you are pregnant or have neck or back problems. Between April 1st 2000 and 27 November 2004 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril was reversed and ran backwards in order attract more interest to the attraction. The interiors of the mine carts were reversed and two extra seats were added to each car turning the train from an 8 seater to a 12. Lighting and props had to be reversed throughout the ride to ensure guests didn't see any of the "backstage" signs and the track itself has to be altered and re profiled at some points.

Adventure Isle

The north section of Adventure Island is given over to a pirate theme full of secret coves and hideouts for guests to explore.

Pirates of the Caribbean

The Paris version of this attraction is the only one not to feature the movie characters, and due to the having the latest Audio Animatronics technology gives an even wider range of special effects. The ride begins with guests traveling by boat through a lagoon at nighttime with the thundering of waterfalls everywhere. Gradually the sound of distant gunfire grows louder and guests head toward a fortress that is being shelled by a pirate ship. The boats go down a waterfall in the side of the fort caused by a cannon ball and through the town amid the plunder and mayhem. The dialogue of the ride is mostly in colloquial French but clues are entirely visual so there is no loss of enjoyment for non-French speakers.

The theme of Fantasyland, as it's name suggests, is the world of fairy tales, and the European origin of these fairy tales is heavily emphasized. The architecture ranges from quaint cottages to the medieval.

Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant

Sleeping Beauty's Castle. The design is loosely based on the architecture of Normandy's famous monastery of Mont Saint Michel and on illustrations from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. The castle stands at 45 metres tall, and a "forced perspective" technique has been employed to give an illusion of even greater height. As well as shops on the ground floor, the building contains La Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant, a gallery of stained glass windows and tapestries illustrating the story of Sleeping Beauty. The castle is also home to an audio-animatronic dragon, which at 27 metres from head to tail was the largest Animatronic figure ever built when the park opened in April 1992. The castle has received several overlays throughout the years, and is currently celebrating the 15th Anniversary. It features golden Disney characters displayed on top of the turrets holding candles which light up during the evening candlebration. The rest of the castle is draped in gold finishes and the front of the castle displays a plaque featuring a large 15.

Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This attraction mostly focuses on the darker aspects of the story such as the Evil Queen's transformation and a menacing forest where the trees appear to have faces and talon like "hands". The ride finishes with a happy ending of Snow White with her Prince. May frighten young children.

Les Voyages de Pinocchio

Pinocchio's Fantastic Journey. This also focuses on the darker aspects of the Disney film such as Pinocchio's kidnap, boys transforming into donkeys, and the whale. The cars pass from Alpine landscapes into the dangers and temptations, before emerging back into Gepetto's shop where Pinocchio becomes a real boy. May frighten younger children.

Le Carrousel de Lancelot

A classic merry-go-round with 86 ornate medieval war horses. A gentle ride.

Peter Pan's Flight

A dark ride in which guests fly over London and through Neverland in boats as the story of Peter Pan is told through audio-animatronic characters and displays.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Passengers ride in Dumbos which can be maneuvered up and down with a joystick, enabling guests to decide the height at which the elephant flies.

Alice's Curious Labyrinth

A hedge maze attraction which is exclusive to Disneyland Resort Paris. The designs for some parts of this attraction are unusual, and feature moving figures and displays illustrating Alice's adventures through Wonderland. The maze's route is similar in shape to the body of the Cheshire Cat, and the attraction features a large semi-floral recreation of the characters face. At the end of the maze is a small Purple castle belonging to the Queen of Hearts which offers an aerial view of Fantasyland. The castle used to have a slide from the top floor but this was closed off after the first year of the parks opening due to safety issues. Outside of the maze is the Queen of Hearts red throne which serves as a photo opportunity.

Mad Hatter's Tea Cups

The theme of this ride is the Unbirthday Party between the Mad Hatter and March Hare in the film Alice in Wonderland. The ride is one large turntable rotating clockwise which contains three smaller turntables which turn anti-clockwise. Each of the smaller turntables hold six teacups which also turn. Their speed is controlled using the steering wheel in the centre of the cup.

Casey Jr. - le Petit Train du Cirque

A roller coaster for small children through the miniature sets of Storybook Land. This gives good views of the Storybook Land Castle and objects which are not viewable from the canal boats.

Le Pays des Contes de Fées

Storybook Land. Unlike it's American counterpart, guests do not have a guide on board, and the boats are controlled by an underwater wire. Guests enter the boats on a slowly revolving platform and see miniature landscapes from different fairy stories. The various landscapes include: The dwarf's mine from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; the gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretel; Prince Eric's castle from The Little Mermaid; snow covered landscapes from Peter and the Wolf; Pinocchio's village; Night on Bald Mountain scene and the Greek temple from Fantasia; The Sword in the Stone; Belle's village and the Beast's castle; and the Emerald City from Return to Oz. The boats enter the Cave of Wonders from Aladdin halfway through.

"It's a Small World"

Guests take a ride in canal boats past a gathering of audio-animatronic children from all around the world as a theme of global peace. The backgrounds and music are individual to Disneyland Resort Paris and the song is sung in English, French and German. In the Middle Eastern section of the ride the song can be heard in Arabic. There is also a North American room which is missing from the US parks, featuring Canada and the USA. The Paris version of the ride is considered by many to be the best version due to the impressive scenery, however it is also the shortest of the versions at only 6.30 minutes long.

This European version of Tomorrowland looks back at the great inventors of the past, focusing on famed European visionaries. The architecture is futuristic with lights and flashing lasers, and is inspired in design by Jules Verne's vision of the future.

Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast

This attraction only opened in 2006 and is inspired by Toy Story 2. Evil Emperor Zurg has a fiendish plan to power up his robot invasion army with the batteries stolen from every toy in the universe, and Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear calls on Disneyland Resort Paris' guests to help him stop the Emperor. Guests have to shoot as many targets as they can during the ride, and at the end are given a point score.

Orbitron

Bronze, copper and brass globes spin on various axes, the opposite way from the direction of your two seater craft so if you are at a maximum height (controlled from inside) it seems quite fast.

Videopolis

Here guests can enjoy videos played on four giant screens and live performances such as The Legend of the Lion King. The Cafe Hyperion offers a good view of the stage. Doors are opened for the shows 20 minutes before the start time. Start times are available in the Disneyland Park programme.

Star Tours

Based on Star Wars, this is a simulator ride. Whilst queuing guests can watch friendly droids working, and the area is designed to look like a spaceship boarding terminal.

Honey, I Shrunk The Audience

An interactive 3D film inspired by the Disney films Honey I Shrunk The Kids and Honey I Blew Up The Kid. Guests watch as the accident prone inventor Wayne Szalinski demonstrates his shrinking and enlarging machine which inevitably ends up getting pointed at the audience. The attraction contains 3D visual effects, surround sound and touch sensations on the leg and face. The film is in English but headphones are offered in French and German.

Les Mystères du Nautilus

This walk through attraction is inspired by Disney's movie of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, which is based on Jules Verne's novel. Docked in Discoveryland's lagoon, the Nautilus is Captain Nemo's submarine, the strange universe of an eccentric visionary who plays the organ at the bottom of the sea. An undersea passage, reached through a nearby lighthouse, leads to the interior of the submarine.

Space Mountain: Mission 2

Space Mountain was originally designed as a view on space travel from a Victorian perspective and was based on Jules Verne's book From The Earth To The Moon: The train entered the "Lunar Mining Co" at high speed, then went past a huge meteorite before approaching the Moon, which was designed as a tribute to the famous Georges Méliès A Trip to the Moon silent movie. In 2005 the ride was renovated and became Space Mountain: Mission II with the promise of taking guests "beyond the moon". One of the major changes to the attraction was to the catapult system. The ride has always begun with the trains being catapulted into the ride using a system similar to a cannon that Jules Verne invented to fire people into space. For Mission II the catapult was lowered down the cannon which results in a higher G-Force (1.5G). The ride is also much darker inside, and features various special light effects and projections of galaxies, comets and the supernova explosion. The score for the ride was also rewritten by Michael Giacchino, composer for The Incredibles. The Paris Space Mountain is the fastest of the five versions of the ride and is widely considered to be the best. The minimum height requirement for this ride is 132cm and it is advisable not to attempt this ride if you are pregnant or have neck or back problems.

Autopia

This attraction consists of driving a 1950s style car through cities and landscapes. The vehicles are kept firmly on a specific track and all guests have to do is press the accelerator and steer. The minimum height requirement for this ride is 81cm if accompanied by an adult, unaccompanied users have to be a minimum of 132cm tall.