France Rougeot, Housekeeping Manager at Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel

As the opening of Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel approaches, meet France, Housekeeping Manager at Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel

• Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Disneyland Paris?

Right now, I am preparing for the opening of Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel. I was recruited in Fall 2019 to be Housekeeping Manager. Along with my team, we are in charge of the well-being of our Guests. We prepare their rooms before their arrival and assist them with their wishes right up until their departure. I am like the homemaker with the responsibility of ensuring that our Guests are comfortable and that the team is too. Everything must constantly be cleaned and maintained. I work with my team, hand in hand, as well as with all the hotel teams (Maintenance, Front Office, Concierge, Floral Decorators, etc.) and service providers (linen, amenities, etc.)

• Tell us about your career at Disneyland Paris.

I had previously been at the Ritz Hotel in Paris for four and a half years, and I wanted to discover another type of hotel. So, at the end of 1995, I joined the Disneyland Hotel as Assistant Housekeeper and then was appointed Housekeeping Manager of Disney’s Hotel New York in October 1998. I stayed for five years before returning to the Disneyland Hotel, and then in 2019, I transferred again to prepare for the opening of Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel.

• Where does your affinity for Disney come from, and more specifically to Disneyland Paris?

I discovered this extraordinary Disney universe! I believe that Walt Disney was a visionary. I discovered multicultural teams and their real open-mindedness.

• How did you join the adventure of Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel?

Starting in February 2019, I participated in the rewriting of an operational guide for my profession while preparing the opening of the hotel. It therefore seemed natural for me to want to apply for the Housekeeping Manager role and live this new heroic adventure!

• In your opinion, what makes the hotel opening so original and unique?

For the first time since opening in 1992, a Disney hotel has undergone a transformation on a massive scale. We now have a hotel that is unique around the world, immersing guests in the atmosphere of a modern art gallery with more than 350 works of art on display. You can even see Spider-Man! The energy of New York City, the iconic city of the Marvel Universe, is also very much present.

• What were your first steps in the hotel?

My first visit to the construction site was in Spring 2019. It had a profound impact on me. Only the walls of Disney’s Hotel New York were left. Disneyland Paris was ready to build a completely new hotel.

• Can you introduce us to your team? How many people are on it?

If you include our service providers, we are about 120 people in all.

• As a leader, how do you guide your team on this new adventure?

The Cast Members and the Team Leaders wanted to join the hotel, they are very happy and motivated to be here.

For the moment, we are putting everything in place – preparing and distributing Cast costumes, setting up our cleaning service providers, following up on the cleaning of the entire hotel – inside and out – after construction work is completed, getting the linens ready, verifying that everything is ready in the rooms, even down to the soap and stationary. We all have responsibilities, and we move forward together every day.

• Do you have any anecdotes to share with us about your work in the hotel?

We have gathered more than 30,000 items for the rooms – mattresses, bed frames, trash cans, coffee machines, hangers, kettles – and 10,000 costumes are in place at the hotel’s Costume Distribution area with fittings in progress.

• What do you want to provide the guests who will be staying at the hotel?

Comfort, well-being, happiness and personalized service in an urban and vibrant atmosphere!