A MAGICAL MAKEOVER
Paris’ Disneyland Hotel has been reimagined – and the fantasy lives on
AS A former resident of the French capital, where famously glib waiters might slam your croque monsieur down accompanied by an unintelligible grunt, I was intrigued, when, in 1992, Disneyland debuted in Paris.
Within weeks, I’d whisked my daughter, Lili, to the Disneyland Hotel and now, more than 30 years later — and following its two- year renovation — we’re here again, joined by Lili’s children, Bodhi, five, and Cosmo, two.
Arriving at the station, the sight of the palatial pink fairy-tale hotel injects a frisson of excitement into excited wannabe pirates and princesses. And Disneyland Hotel is still the flagship place to stay.
While Smarties for breakfast is Lili’s prevailing memory, I recall swathes of swagged curtains, ruched blinds and questionable carpets reminiscent of a Cincinnati convention centre, disporting an unashamedly U.S. ethos.
Today a 12,000-piece Bohemian crystal chandelier dangles above the massive, multi-height reception space, crafted by one of some 200 French and European companies involved in the revamp.
The pool is crowned with a new conservatory, a kids’ club provides nursery services, and stylists at My Royal Dream transform children into Disney characters. Princesses are everywhere. The top floors are dedicated to the Castle Club, where 41 rooms and 18 themed suites proffer the ultimate in children’s opulence.
At the Royal Buffet, Bodhi and Cosmo are entranced by Mickey and Minnie, just like their mother had been, while La Table de Lumière, inspired by Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors, where Belle and her prince stopped by our table for a chat, conveyed a notably elevated standard of cuisine. Inside the park, which, since our first visit, has welcomed 375 million visitors, much was recognisable, including the queues, although purchasing Premier Access to skip them remains an option.
Cosmo’s favourite ride is It’s A Small World, introduced by Uncle Walt himself in 1964. I’m never sure what he’s telling me, but it could’ve been; ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!’.
An entire new park, Walt Disney Studios, St di appeared di in 2002, 2002 within ithi which the Marvel Avengers Campus was launched in 2022, with state- of-the-art rides such as Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure, and Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, requiring the realignment of my internal organs.
Overall, Disneyland Paris — and especially the Disneyland Hotel — is a beguiling blend of the best America and France has to offer. Vive la difference and pass the Smarties.