From: opus@athena.mit.edu (Dave J.)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Review of EuroDisney (Long)
Date: 17 Apr 92 15:25:38 GMT
Organization: Massachvsetts Institvte of Technology

Ok, here is the first review of Parc EuroDisney that I've seen on the
newsgroup.  I'm covering a lot of topics here, which means a long
posting.  Throughout, I add personal thoughts and observations of my
own; it's your task to separate these from actual facts.  I went to
WDW quite a lot last year, so all of my comparisons will be to that
resort.  All prices are given in French Francs (FF).  The exchange
rate is currently 5.2FF = 1US$.

Pre-Opening:

The Parc was open to about 40,000 invited guests for a few days before
the official opening.  That is where all the video clips came from
that were shown in the CBS special on the 11th (yes, before the
official opening).  I attempted to get in to that evening ceremony -
fat chance.  I watched the fireworks from my hotel, and the ceremony
on French TV.  Yes, Mr. Eisner mangled his French accent.

Opening day (April 12, 1992):

I arrived (by car) at 7:00 a.m., and joined a mile-long line of cars
at the entrance.  They didn't open the parking lot until 7:45.  The
French have not learned (yet) how to form a queue.  Anyone who has
been to WDW knows that the parking lot is filled in a very orderly
fashion, each car fitting into a specific spot, one after another.
Many French cars decided that they should knock over the cones and
drive diagonally through the lot to beat the cars following the queue.
This caused some problems, naturally.  Parking is 30FF per day, 50FF
for campers.

There are no trams to bring people to the ticket counters, just a
moving sidewalk.  One then has to walk a fair distance, past Festival
Disney (similar to Pleasure Island) and the Metro Station.  There was
a Metro strike that day, so the only way in was walking or driving.
One rumor I heard was that Disney closed the station themselves, in
order to reduce the chances of "just anyone" riding up to the entrance
and causing trouble.  There were a lot of security guards everywhere -
I think terrorism was thought to be a possibility.

I had bought my tickets a month in advance, so I went right past the
massive crowd waiting to buy them.  Immediately, lots of people
followed me, and were upset when they weren't allowed in - Lemming
Effect, I guess.  I got into a crowd (queues do not exist in France)
waiting to go through the turnstiles to Main Street when the Parc
opened.  Tickets are 225FF/day, 550FF for three.  There is also a
two-day rate, but I can't remember it.

Due to the crowd size, they opened the turnstiles at 8:20.  EuroDisney
uses credit card tickets, with magnetic stripes - supposedly to make
entry easier.  Unfortunately, half of the machines jammed immediately,
causing the crowd to start running to the turnstiles which *did* work.
They fixed the jam in about fifteen minutes.

Half of the Parc was roped off for the opening ceremonies and parade.
The public was not admitted to the opening ceremony (ribbon cutting),
and we were encouraged to visit the Parc, rather than attempt to watch
the parade.  It's kind of understandable, given the number of people
flooding in, but I would have liked to have seen the ceremony.  So
would have about 50,000 others.

All in all, everything seemed to proceed fairly smoothly.  I did not
stay in a Disney hotel, and from talking to people the first day, it
was a good thing.  Apparently, Disney reservations was a royal mess,
with rooms being double booked and reservations lost or incomplete.  I
hope they fix that one soon.

Everyone who went opening day got a commemorative pin.  They also had
other inaugural items for sale, which will not be produced again after
the first batch is sold.  Most items were sold by the end of the first
day.

EuroDisney hours are 9-9 daily, 9-11 weekends.  The Electric Light
Parade (on loan from WDW) runs only on weekends at 9:00 p.m.  I don't
know if fireworks will be done on weekends; they are not used during
the week - probably due to complaints by local residents.  Those same
residents have been complaining about the train whistle from the train
which runs around the Parc.

Parc EuroDisney:

The Parc itself is modeled after the other Magic Kingdoms.  Sleeping
Beauty Castle is in the center, Main Street is the entrance.
Clockwise from Main Street are: Frontierland, Adventureland,
Fantasyland and Discoveryland.  The attractions seem to be mostly from
the Magic Kingdom, with some Epcot and MGM Studios thrown in.  I am
working from memory, so if I miss an attraction below, someone will
remind me, I'm sure.

Main Street:
This is mostly the same, but City Hall is on the wrong side.  In fact,
most things seem to be mirror imaged from WDW.  Shops and restaurants
are similar, and very American - Ragtime is always being played
through the loudspeakers.

Phantom Manor:
This is the Haunted Mansion.  The house is modeled after the one in
"Psycho", and is really well done.  The ride is mostly the same, with
some detail changes, and a different order to things inside.  There is
no running commentary during the ride, and (I think) Vincent Price did
the commentary in the elevator down.

Thunder Mountain:
The mountain itself is an island in the lagoon.  The ride starts in a
tunnel which runs under the lagoon, then runs about on the island, and
finishes by returning through another tunnel.  There are a few detail
change, and the track course is fairly different.

Lagoon attractions:
There is are two river boats, the keel boats, and canoes (for about 20
people).  I didn't go on any of these, so that's it.

Adventure Isle:
This seems to be a small replacement from Tom Sawyer's island.  There
is a pirate cave which can be explored, and Captain Hook's pirate ship
holds a restaurant.  The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is here, and
it seems to be just like the one in WDW.

Pirates of the Carribean:
The ride starts by passing by a restaurant (similar to Mexico in
Epcot).  There is one extra waterfall that we ride down, other than
that, the ride is the same.

Peter Pan:
Hop into Hook's ship and fly through the Peter Pan story.  This is
aimed at the younger crowd, like everything in Fantasyland.

Dumbo:
This is the same ride; Sit in Dumbo and go round-n-round & up-n-down.

Cheshire Cat's Maze:
Now this one is new.  It is mostly a hedge maze, with various items
from Alice In Wonderland appearing to entertain while you navigate the
maze.  The goal is to find the way to the tower in the center, then
find the way out.  The view from the tower is wonderful.

Tea Cups:
See how fast you can spin without getting sick to your stomach.

Merry-Go-Round:
The horses have lots of details, and almost every one moves up and
down.

Snow White and Pinnochio:
Two similar rides; hop in a car and drive through the respective
stories.

It's a Small World:
Take a boat ride through a land of singing dolls, while listening to
the song sung in too many languages to count.  I think it's the same
as WDW, but I haven't done the ride there for many years.

Le Visionarium:
This is the Circlevision 360 degree theatre, changed into a time
machine.  Since the story is so complex, it is spoken in French, with
telephone handsets providing English, German and Italian.  It's an
amusing and fun voyage through time, slightly reminiscent of "Bill and
Ted's Excellent Adventure".

Orbitron:
Space ships flying in a circle, with a new look.

Race Cars (I forgot the name):
Drive a Mattel car around a race track.

Star Tours:
Same ride as in MGM studios - ride a flight simulator space shuttle to
the moon of Endor.  The ride is conducted in French, but I don't know
if that will cause trouble, since I know the monologue already.

Captain EO:
Watch Michael Jackson in 3D.  The same as in Epcot center.

Sleeping Beauty's Castle:
Yes, I left the best for last.  This castle has to be seen in person.
Disney has outdone themselves in the amount of detail put into this
building.  The architecture is wonderful, which can be seen from
photographs, but the texture of the stone is almost real.  The stained
glass windows on the second floor, which depict the story of Sleeping
Beauty, are handmade works of art.  I can't describe how wonderful
this castle is.

Dragon Cavern:
In the basement of the castle is the cavern of the Dragon.  This is a
very life-like animatronic Dragon, which sleeps most of the time.  But
when he awakes, look out!  He breathes smoke, and his eyes glow red.
The tail twitches and moves, and when he sleeps, one can see his chest
move as he breathes.

Well, that's it for my review of EuroDisney.  It only took me three
days to see (and photograph) it all.  More sane people can do it is
two days, or possible one on a weekend, when the Parc is open from
9-11.
--

-David Jedlinsky
opus@athena.mit.edu