Euro Disney Facts

The Euro Disney venture did not receive automatic approval from the citizens of France. The population feared changes to their culture because of the park. On opening day, locals tampered with electronic billboards pointing the direction to the park. Three thousand employees quit because of strict dress codes and mandatory use of English in meetings. Both violated French laws forbidding both. Only 50,000 people joined the remaining Euro Disney cast members for its first official day. Unfortunately, the park suffered low numbers, both in visitors and profit.

Two years later, Euro Disney reached the end of the financial rope and foreclosure loomed just over the horizon. In a brilliant move, Euro Disney, Inc.---the segment of Disney in charge of the theme park---gave the banks in charge of the debt an ultimatum: either restructure the debt or the company would walk away. And Euro Disney, Inc. made all the necessary moves to leave. They ordered a meeting of shareholders and made an announcement to the media. The banks choose to restructure. The Walt Disney Company dug a little deeper and provided more francs to Euro Disney, Inc.

Along with the brighter financial picture, the theme park yielded to public pressure substantially in its first years. Euro Disney lowered prices on food, drink and tickets. The theme park put wine and beer on their sit-down menus. And they loosened the rules on dress codes and English only rule in meetings for cast members.

In the early days of the Euro Disney, the accepted name remained as originally advertised---Euro Disney. As disaster after disaster struck the theme park, the name changed several times to different versions of Euro Disney, before finally settling on Disneyland Paris. The last name change, in particular, served to separate the theme park from its shaky past.

Disneyland Paris struggled with both money and visitors during the early part of the 21st century. Restructuring occurred. The recession received the blame for the park's new financial woes.

When Walt Disney Company began the process of creating a Euro Disney, it did so with the intent that the theme park be from the same mold as Tokyo Disney, Disney World, and Disneyland. For the most part, Euro Disney, Inc. achieved a similar theme park. However, each ride is slightly different, aiding in making Disneyland Paris, a separate experience from its sister parks.