InsidEars – a social club for Disney-holics – just invited a whole bunch of influencers and fansite aficionados to a huge event where they revealed all kinds of exciting deets on what’s to come in the world of Disneyland Paris.
I’ve already let slip a few things I’m looking forward to over the next few years in Disneyland Paris, but this has shed light on new revelations as well as giving us some more info on things we already kinda knew about.
SPOILER ALERT: there’s some good stuff coming!
Phantom Manor is BACK!
Probably the biggest news (and the thing I’m most excited about, because it’s happening the soonest!) to come from #InsidEars is that we finally have an opening date for Phantom Manor! Or a re-opening date, I should say.
It’s been undergoing refurbishment for what – 16 months now?! Basically, a crazy long time, and we’ve been waiting to see what’ll happen when it comes back to life. And we’ll find out when it opens on 3rd May 2019!
From what we’ve heard, the pre-show will now be presented in both English and French, the story has been reimagined for an entirely different journey, many of the animations and effects have been tweaked inside the ride and the outer building has been totally renovated.
Phantom Manor (or Haunted Mansion in the American parks) has always been a popular Disney ride, so expect queues to rack up as people are eager to check out the changes – but luckily the continuous stream of Doom Buggies should cut through crowds pretty quick!
A new ‘Frozen’ attraction is coming
It’s no secret that the Art of Animation attraction will be closing down, and it’s no real surprise either. It was getting pretty dated – although I think it’s cool to see the history behind some of Disney’s most famous animations so I’ll miss that.
But alas, it’s being given the boot to make way for a new Frozen attraction which, let’s face it, will be WAY more popular! We don’t have an official name or opening date yet, but the ‘new Frozen experience’ will find its home at the forefront of the Walt Disney Studios Park.
The attraction will apparently take you through singalong rooms with your favourite Frozen characters like Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf. It sounds as though this is the first step towards rumours that Disneyland Paris will open a Frozen land in the near future, so let’s see where this one goes!
‘Cars’ is taking over ‘Studio Tram Tours’
Studio Tram Tours hasn’t long reopened but it looks like we should already expect another closure since #InsidEars announced that this attraction is revving things up with a Cars-themed overlay!
Not only that, but the loading station is being moved too, so basically the entire feel of this ride could be flipped on its head – and, truthfully, it’s about time.
The Studio Tram Tour has some great moments, but last time we visited the attraction it felt horribly dated, particularly the VTs that talk you through the ride. Seriously guys, the cringe is real! Also, it feels like there could be some much better props for us to really feel like we’re going “behind the magic”.
No-one is sure how the Cars overlay is going to work, but we’ll find out when the ride opens in summer of 2020!
‘Tower of Terror’ is shaking up Halloween this year
When one door opens, another closes – or something like that! When Phantom Manor reopens on 3rd May, work will begin that very same day on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to renovate the outside of this famous building.
We don’t know exactly what the refurb will entail but what we do know is that, just in time for Halloween, we will be introduced to completely random drop fall sequences on the Disneyland Paris version of this ride. Similar to the Orlando tower, which promises “never the same fear twice!” you’ll never know how or when your elevator will drop – so you better be ready!
We found out all about the new Marvel hotel
We already know that Disneyland’s Hotel New York is being overhauled and turned into the Art of Marvel hotel, expected to open in 2020. But what does that actually mean?
Well, it means a totally immersive (duh!) superhero experience. The hotel will apparently feature four restaurants, regular character meet and greets, rooms with comic book decor, and the theme of each floor based on a different Marvel superhero.
Sounds pretty awesome, right?!
Everything you need to know for the Lion King & Jungle Festival
This year’s seasonal event, the Lion King & Jungle Festival, is fast approaching (30th June to 22nd September 2019) so it makes sense they’re trying to build up the hype for it – not that there’s any need, we’re already pretty stoked!
According to #InsidEars there are going to be new songs, new snacks, new merchandise, new parade floats, new seasonal character looks, new stage shows… basically, they’re stuffing the festival with absolutely everything possible to make it a success, and we don’t blame them.
We’re getting a new Disney Village – at last!
The details are vague, but just the promise of a Disney Village revamp is enough for me!
I’ve talked before about how I’m desperate for Disneyland Paris to improve the Disney Village and it looks as though it’s only a matter of time now. Fingers crossed…
Apparently the designs for a new Disney Village are around 95% done on paper so now it’s just a case of getting them off the page and into reality! According to what we’ve heard, they include a stronger Disney theme throughout the village, new stores and restaurants being introduced, and an aim to embrace the digital aspects coming to the parks.
Disneyland Paris is going digital!
Speaking of digital, this is the final – but one of the most interesting – points brought up at this year’s #InsidEars. We all know Orlando has the My Disney Experience app where you can book your fastpasses, make restaurant reservations and mobile order at counter service eateries, as well as check queue times and trawl the park maps.
You can check up on ride queues and find your way through the parks on the current Disneyland Paris app… but that’s about it. It sucks that you can’t really utilise any digital aspects in the park, especially in this day and age where we expect everything to be at our fingertips.
We don’t know exactly how Disneyland Paris plans to go digital, but several hints have been well and truly dropped. The entrance turnstiles are going to be modified later this year, they are looking to get rid of all paper coupons (so I guess that means tickets and fastpasses?), the park wifi will be improved and a new app will be launched that will include extra features, such as which rides have the shortest queues and the wait times for park restaurants.
We expect there will be A LOT of changes in this area and the park officials haven’t given away too many details just yet. But we’ve heard that within the next 3 – 5 years Disneyland Paris hopes to be entirely paperless – so they won’t be hanging around on this idea for too long.
The following accounts helped me find out loads of the information discussed in this post, check them out!
Disneyland Paris Works (@DisneylandWorks)
DLP Town Square (@DLPTownSquare)
DLRP Roundup (@dlrproundup)
Cafe Fantasia (@CafeFantasia)
The DLP Geek (@thedlpgeek)
DLP- Character Live (@DLPCharacterLiv)
Capturing Disney Parks (@captdisneyparks)
DisneyBrit (@DisneyBrit)
Le Parcorama (@parcorama)
#ThisGirlEats 