Disney Adventure World

Disney Adventure World (formerly known as Walt Disney Studios Park) is the second of two theme parks built at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France. The park opened on 16 March 2002, and it is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. Upon opening, it was dedicated to show business, movie themes, production, and behind-the-scenes. In the 2010s, in a similar manner to Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, it began to distance itself from the original studio backlot theming. It entered a new direction of attraction development inspired by Disney stories. The park is represented by the Earffel Tower, a water tower with Mickey Mouse ears similar to the one formerly located at Disney's Hollywood Studios, which in turn was inspired by the water tower at the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California. In 2024, the park hosted 5.59 million visitors, making it the 20th-most visited theme park in the world and the fourth-most visited in Europe. In 2026, the park underwent a €2 billion overhaul that would double the footprint of the park, adding Adventure Way featuring a new central lake, Adventure Bay, and a World of Frozen land. History Initial plans for a second theme park, named Disney-MGM Studios Europe or Disney-MGM Studios Paris, were scheduled to open in 1995, though these plans were canceled around mid-1992 due to the resort's financial issues at the time. After the resort began to make a profit, these plans were revived on a much smaller scale. The park was announced on 29 September 1999. Construction would officially begin a year later in 2000. Walt Disney Studios Park officially opened to the public on 16 March 2002 to coincide with the resort's 10th anniversary. Out of the park's nine original attractions, three rides were able to open on time, which were "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Avec Aerosmith", Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic and Flying Carpets Over Agrabah. The park was initially a commercial failure due in part to the downfall of tourism after the September 11 attacks, cheap studio backlot theme, lack of attractions, rushed construction and low attendance levels. In the 2019 documentary series The Imagineering Story, Bruce Vaughn, the Chief Creative Executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, described his reaction when he visited the park when it first opened: The first time I went to Paris' second gate, it was after hours. No kidding, for the first ten minutes, I'm walking through, and I was like, 'When are we gonna be in the park?' And he turned to me, and he goes, 'You're in the park.' And I'm like, 'I'm on stage?' He goes, 'You're on stage.' Like, 'This looks backstage.' It's a bunch of gray warehouses. He goes, 'Yeah. It's supposed to be like a studio.' But again, it was this notion of, 'Ah, the people… the guests will buy it. This is what a studio really looks like. The guests, they just want, you know,' and it's like talking yourself in at the highest levels of, the guests… the guests would just buy this stuff. In 2007, Walt Disney Studios Park began expanding. June 2007 saw an expansion to Animation Courtyard opened along with the new area-wide name "Toon Studio". It is themed as a "toon backlot", representing the film studio workplace of animated characters, where they produce their animated films. The concept has been created exclusively for Walt Disney Studios Park and features two rides not seen in any other Disney theme park, along with small merchandising locations and many character meet-and-greets. This expansion phase added Crush's Coaster, an indoor spinning roller coaster, and Cars Quatre Roues Rallye themed after Pixar's 2006 film Cars. A similar ride is found in Mermaid Lagoon at Tokyo DisneySea. On 22 December 2007, Production Courtyard grew in size with the introduction of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which soft opened with the new Hollywood Boulevard. In March 2008, a variant of Stitch Encounter was imported from Hong Kong Disneyland with the new name 'Stitch live!'. It was one of two shows introduced to replace the Disney Channel Studio Tour and Cyberspace Mountain attractions. In 2009, new entertainment opened at Walt Disney Studios to run alongside Mickey's Magical Party, which began in April 2009. Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! was the second of the two shows to replace the Disney Channel Studio Tour and was presented in French, English and Spanish. In addition to Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! came the opening of Disney Stars 'n' Cars, a smaller version of Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade imported from Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, Florida. The parade was introduced to replace 'Disney's Cinema Parade' which had been operating since opening in 2002. In August 2010, expansions continued with the opening of Toy Story Playland to coincide with the new Disney·Pixar film Toy Story 3, "shrinking" guests to the size of a toy. The three attractions are a Half Pipe coaster named RC Racer, a parachute jumpstyle ride named Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop, and a Music Express train named Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, all themed intricately around the first two Toy Story films. The first push of expansions came to an end with the addition of 'Ratatouille: L'Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy', soft opening on 21 June 2014 and fully opening on 10 July. On 27 February 2018, Bob Iger announced a transformative multi-year expansion, opening in phases from 2021. The cost of this expansion is €2 billion. It will feature new areas based on Marvel and Frozen, all surrounding a new lake. This second round of expansion began with the closing of Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux on 31 March 2019, followed by "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Avec Aerosmith" (2 September 2019), Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic (6 January 2020) and The Moteurs... Action! (13 March 2020) for both the walkway to the lake expansion to be started (demolition of the tram tour station) and for Avengers Campus to replace the Backlot area of the park. On 14 March 2020, Walt Disney Studios Park, alongside Disneyland Park, temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France. Both parks reopened on 15 July 2020 with strict rules such as limited guest attendance, social distancing, and mandatory wearing of face masks. The park closed again on 29 October 2020 following a second nationwide lockdown, the resort's original intended reopening on 2 April 2021 was ultimately deferred to 17 June. On 15 June 2021, the new changes and expansion to the park started to arrive with the soft opening of Cars: Road Trip. This attraction consists of the loop for 'Catastrophe Canyon' from the Studio Tram Tour redecorated with props and characters based on the world of the 2006 film Cars. On 9 July 2022, Avengers Campus soft opened as the first phase of the aforementioned expansion. It opened with the Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure and the rethemed "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Avec Aerosmith", known as Avengers Assemble: Flight Force. On 12 April 2024, Disney announced that as of the opening of the now-named 'World of Frozen', Walt Disney Studios Park would be rebranded as Disney Adventure World. The park will consist of the areas 'World Premiere' (Formerly Studio 1), World Premiere Plaza (which will incorporate Toon Studio and Production Courtyard), 'World of Frozen', 'Adventure Bay' (The lake), and 'Adventure Way'. These will be joined by Front Lot (which was being permanently closed to make way for World Premiere Plaza), Worlds of Pixar, and Avengers Campus scheduled to debut in 2025. On 24 May 2024, it was announced that The Moteurs... Action! was replaced by a new outdoor show, Alice & The Queen of Hearts: Back to Wonderland, and the area was renamed Theater of the Stars, which became part of the last remaining Production Courtyard area until 29 September 2024 and right behind the location of Avengers Campus, since the final performance of The Moteurs... Action! and Backlot area would be permanently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Paris for over four years ago. At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2024 on 11 August 2024, it was announced that "World of Frozen" was delayed to 2026, while a new Lion King Land will be built at Disney Adventure World. On 30 September 2024, a new nighttime show called Doctor Strange: Mystery of the Mystics was announced for the Avengers Campus at Walt Disney Studios Park. The following month in October, the park unveiled plans for a new temporary show, Minnie's Musical Moment, scheduled to operate in Studio D from 1 November 2024 until 30 March 2025. World Premiere and World Premiere Plaza opened on 15 May 2025, and World Premiere occupies the area where the Front Lot was formerly situated. On 24 November 2025, it was announced that the opening date for Adventure Way and World of Frozen would be 29 March 2026 at Disney Adventure World. On 29 March 2026, the park was renamed Disney Adventure World with the opening of the new lands, Adventure Way and World of Frozen and a new lake called Adventure Bay. Areas Disney Adventure World is divided into five "worlds." Originally, these were to represent various aspects of film production present at a Hollywood film studio, though this connection has weakened over time with the addition of lands themed for prominent film franchises. When the park was referred to as Walt Disney Studios Park, the lands were referred to as "studio lots." World Premiere Plaza World Premiere Plaza features attractions and shopping based on Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios franchises, including a live show, Disney Jr. Dream Factory, Stitch Live!, TOGETHER: a Pixar Musical Adventure, Animation Celebration and Mickey and the Magician. The land also contains Hollywood Boulevard, which features Hollywood-inspired street sets and the attraction The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - A New Dimension of Chills. Since the venue closed in April 2024, it was reopened in May 2025 after a refurbishment as World Premiere (as a new entrance area) in Disney Theater, with the counter-service restaurant Hollywood Gardens Restaurant. Worlds of Pixar Formerly a part of the Toon Studio section, the Worlds of Pixar area features rides, attractions, shopping, and restaurants based on Pixar's Finding Nemo, Cars and Ratatouille franchises. Toy Story Playland Toy Story Playland is a sub-area of Worlds of Pixar themed to the Toy Story franchise, which opened on 17 August 2010 to market and promote Toy Story 3. The area shrinks guests down to the size of the toy as they ride three over-sized attractions. Marvel Avengers Campus Marvel Avengers Campus, a world themed around the Marvel Cinematic Universe, soft opened on 9 July 2022, and opened to the public 20 July 2022. Anchored as a transformed Paris-based secret location for S.H.I.E.L.D., the area's attractions and dining include Avengers Assemble: Flight Force (an Iron Man re-theme of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Avec Aerosmith) and Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure (a clone of Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure from the American version of the land at Disney California Adventure). This area replaced the previous "Backlot" lot of the park. Adventure Way Adventure Way opened in 2026 and features gardens and Art Nouveau architecture that lead from the front of the park to the new lake, Adventure Bay, and the new worlds being built off the lake. The world features Raiponce Tangled Spin experience and a new upcoming swing attraction based on the movie Up located on Adventure Way. The upcoming attraction began construction in the fall of 2025. Adventure Bay At the centre of the extension, is a new central lake, Adventure Bay, and The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge, a character dining location featuring Disney Princesses. The restaurant will also feature views of the nighttime spectacular, Disney Cascade of Lights, on Adventure Bay. World of Frozen and the upcoming Lion King land will circle the new lake. World of Frozen The second phase of the expansion will be World of Frozen which was originally scheduled to be open in 2023, but was delayed to 29 March 2026. The world will be set in the kingdom of Arendelle (after the events of Frozen and before Frozen 2), where Queen Elsa has declared a Summer Snow Day for its citizens. A new and expanded version of Frozen Ever After will debut with the world as well as a restaurant and a shop. Former areas Backlot The Backlot was an opening day lot themed after actual movie backlots with an industrial theme. This lot featured the attractions Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Avec Aerosmith, the Moteurs... Action!: Stunt Show Spectacular, and the special effects show Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux. The cafeteria service restaurant Blockbuster Café, the buffet Restaurant des Stars, and a small diner Café des Cascadeurs were also part of the Backlot. The Backlot's background music consisted of soundtracks from various action-oriented films, most notably Mission: Impossible 2, Planet of the Apes, Spy Game, Men in Black, Top Gun, Speed, Twister, Batman, Waterworld, The Replacement Killers, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Enemy of the State, A Knight's Tale, The Peacemaker, Backdraft, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Independence Day and Atlantis: The Lost Empire. This area was closed in 2019 to make way for Avengers Campus, except for Theater of the Stars. Front Lot Front Lot serves as the park's main entrance and is home to most shops and services of the park, the Earffel Tower is located here. The entrance courtyard, La Place des Frères Lumière, is designed in Spanish Colonial Revival style, a style common in Hollywood in the 1930s. It is based on the design of the original Disney Bros. Studios on Hyperion Avenue. The central feature of the courtyard is a large Fantasia fountain. The name of the courtyard is a tribute to the French inventors of cinema. Since the area was being permanently closed in April 2024, it was announced that the area will be redefined as part of World Premiere Plaza. Future areas On 27 February 2018, Bob Iger announced that The Walt Disney Company will invest €2 billion into the Disneyland Paris resort. The Walt Disney Studios Park will be expanded with two new areas based on Marvel and Frozen. In addition to the two new areas, the expansion includes a new lake, which will be the focal point for entertainment experiences and will also connect each of the new park areas. Lion King area In August 2024, it was announced that a Lion King area with a flume ride based on the original 1994 animated film will be added to the park. Attendance Top 4 amusement parks in Europe by annual attendance (in millions) Shows and parades Current *As of 11th May 2026 Parades & Cavalcades: Disney Princess Cavalcade: Begins 24th July 2026 Daytime Shows: Disney Marching Band: 2026–present A Celebration in Arendelle: 2026–present Mickey and the Magician: 2016–2020, 2022–present Together: a Pixar Musical Adventure: 2023–present Stitch Live!: 2008–present Doctor Strange: Mystery of the Mystics 2024–present Alice & The Queen of Hearts: Back to Wonderland: May - Sept 2024, May - Aug 2025, Returning in 2027 Nighttime Shows: Disney Cascade of Lights: 2026–present Retired Parades & Cavalcades: Disney Cinema Parade: 2002–2008 Stars 'n' Cars: 2009–2014 Daytime Shows: Animagique: 2002–2016 CinéMagique: 2002–2017 Moteurs... Action! Stunt Show Spectacular: 2002–2020 Disney Junior Dream Factory: 2021–2024 Nighttime Shows: Avengers: Power The Night: 1 September – 5 November 2023, 1 December 2023 – 7 January 2024 See also Disneyland Park (Paris) List of Disney Adventure World attractions Disney's Hollywood Studios, similar theme park in Walt Disney World Resort Disney California Adventure, the second theme park of Disneyland Resort Incidents at Disneyland Paris References External links Official website