We love Disneyland Paris for its family attractions and thrill rides, for the iconic characters that roam the park, for its shows and parades... But also for its shopping and dining area: Disney Village! And there's good news for those who love strolling through the village and shopping: to mark the destination's 30th anniversary, Disneyland Paris announced in March 2021 a major multi-year transformation plan for Disney Village! According toOutsidEars, this titanic project will cover the area's 40,000 m2 and take 5 to 6 years to complete.
A brand-new visual identity for Disney Village at Disneyland Paris, offering a timeless, family-friendly setting that will be complemented by attractive new shopping, dining and entertainment experiences. During the day, stores and restaurants will attract visitors, while at night, thousands of lights will transform the area into a lively, enchanting place. Promenades around the lake, embellished walkways and other green spaces complete the picture, for a new breathing zone on the resort.
"Our Disney Village transformation project is yet another example of how we continue to reinvent our destination, in line with the major multi-year expansion plan we have undertaken at Walt Disney Studios Park," explained Natacha Rafalski, President of Disneyland Paris. She continued:"We're excited to enrich Disney Village with new, iconic and timeless concepts that will appeal to a new generation of visitors from our destination hotels and surrounding towns. We look forward to surprising and delighting our visitors with all these new features."
On December 2, 2022, Greg Ashton, the project's chief architect, will say more, explaining that he was inspired by the Parisian art of living:"Our team wasn't inspired by a single, specific location. It was primarily interested in the active, dynamic lifestyle that our visitors are looking for". Thechallenge," he continues,"is to integrate this dimension into the Disneyland Paris context and make it viable all year round.
He continues,"For Disney Village, our approach is more focused on celebrating the stories and experiences that visitors love so much." He concludes by explaining that this new Disney Village will include"illuminations, music and a series of original art installations that represent our characters and stories in contemporary styles".
The Café Mickey, located near Disney's Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel, has been completely transformed into a typically Parisian brasserie run by the Bertrand group. Named Rosalie, this new contemporary brasserie now offers traditional cuisine combining regional diversity and seasonal produce, as well as the best of French art de vivre, in a resolutely modern and elegant setting. The brasserie also offers an écailler.
The 500-seat restaurant opened its doors in December 2023. Table service will be offered, complemented by counter service, with a full range of viennoiseries and products from French bakeries. A terrace overlooking Lake Disney is also planned.
Opposite Rosalie, The Royal Pub opened in February 2023, replacing King Ludwig's Castle. A restaurant in the purest tradition of British pubs, offering the best of English gastronomy! Guinness beef, pies, finger food, fish & chips... A real treat! And of course, the restaurant also offers an English breakfast!
The restaurant remained open during Rosalie's refurbishment, allowing visitors to enjoy lunch in complete peace of mind. The decor is in keeping with the British pub theme, with plenty of reminders of the local London pub.
And in the place of Planet Hollywood, which is currently being demolished, a brand-new restaurant offering Italian cuisine will take its place. Called Casa Giulia, it will offer a menu with table service, as well as takeaway options. Scheduled to open in 2026.
For the next stage, it was Jean-Marc Mounet, Senior Project Manager for the Disney Village transformation, who gave a preview. It will be the façade of the Disney Fashion Junior boutique: "This will be the first of many new façades along the entire street.It will also serve as a concept test, meaning we can use it to test and adjust our design and construction techniques for subsequent facades," he points out.
On April 12, Disneyland Paris provided an update on the progress of the project, explaining that Disney Style was well underway. The store will offer fashion items, accessories, jewelry with collaborations, as well as homeware. Fans will find numerous references to Edna Mode, the talented and eccentric creator of The Indestructibles, notably in the store's visual identity and decor. You'll even be able to personalize certain items in a dedicated corner, or enjoy macaroons between purchases.
Right next to Disney Style, Disney Glamour completes the offer, with a fine range of elegant jewelry, clothing and accessories, including creations by Pandora, but also capsule collections by other brands. Where there's fashion, there's decoration! That's what déco by Disney will be offering, with a multitude of products for the home, for all interior design enthusiasts. On the program: decorative objects, limited-edition Disney collectibles, as well as the possibility of printing Disney works of art with the Art on Demand service.
"As part of the transformation of Disney Village, we wanted to offer a totally new shopping experience to surprise our visitors," explainsJean-David Marque, Director of Merchandise & Retail at Disneyland Paris.We wanted to offer unique and exclusive products, collaborations, personalization and much more," he continues. The stores are scheduled to open in spring 2025.
As for theLEGO Store (which opened 10 years ago), the store will be upgraded to feature sculptures at the entrance, popular and Disney Village-exclusive LEGO products and interactive installations. Reopening at the end of 2024. And for the Disney Store, products will evolve with the seasons and franchises. It is scheduled to open at a later date. The Sports Bar and McDonalds will also be refurbished by 2026. As for Annette's Diner, it will remain unchanged. In short, the perfect opportunity to rediscover the village and its stores, and enjoy the moment with family and friends!
