An unavoidable part of the Disneyland park, Main Street U.S.A. opens the door to the Enchanted Kingdom and will seduce you with its incredible stores and details. Main Street U.S.A. is a land just like Fantasyland, Frontierland and others…
After passing the ticket office and Town Square, what a pleasure to be in Main Street U.S.A., to discover its thematic stores but also its little secrets…
Composition of Main Street U.S.A.
Attractions
- Discovery Arcade
- Disneyland Railroad
- Horse-Drawn Streetcars
- Liberty Arcade
- Main Street Vehicles
Restaurants
- Cable Car Bake Shop
- Casey’s Corner
- Cookie Kitchen
- Market House Deli
- Plaza Gardens Restaurant
- The Coffee Grinder
- The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlour
- The Ice Cream Company
- Victoria’s Home-Style Restaurant
- Walt’s – an American restaurant
Stores
- Boardwalk Candy Palace
- Dapper Dan’s Hair Cuts
- Disney & Co.
- Disney Clothiers
- Emporium
- Fauteuils roulants et poussettes
- Harrington’s Fine China & Porcelains
- Lilly’s Boutique
- Main Street Motors
- New Century Notions Flora’s Unique Boutique
- Plaza East Boutique
- Plaza West Boutique
- Ribbons and Bows Hat Shop
- The Storybook Store
Welcome to Main Street U.S.A., the entrance to the Enchanted Kingdom!
Main Street U.S.A. is the replica of the main street of a small American town, Marceline. Located in Missouri, it is where Walt Elias Disney lived at the beginning of the 20th century. This street quickly became the lungs of the city. Over time, thanks to technological innovations (such as radio and electricity), the precarious dwellings gave way to buildings constructed in hardwood and to a neat architecture. In the 19th and 20th centuries, this street was transformed with the arrival of various manufactured products.
This period was a turning point for the United States. It symbolized the period of Walt Disney’s idealized youth.
Nostalgia is present in Main Street U.S.A. Indeed, it reflects very well the charm of this era tinged with Victorian elements. It moves visitors with its architecture, the fashion of dress and the life of the inhabitants of this period.
Main Street U.S.A. is full of subtle and infinite little details. As many winks to the creators and imagineers as to the actors who filmed for Disney. Look up and look around!
Details of Main Street U.S.A.
Different aspects of this street underline a particular scenaristic will. Disney leaves nothing to chance. The windows of the lowered storefronts allow the youngest visitors to see inside. The red paving stones of the sidewalks reinforce the green spaces (opposite colors).
This famous main street is also built on the technique of forced perspective, created by the image makers.
This technique is applied to the buildings located at the end of the street, closest to the castle, to give the illusion of a longer street. The windows become narrower as the floors go up to obtain an even more realistic look.
Composition of Main Street USA
Main Street consists of four roughly equal “blocks” separated by Main Street and two cul-de-sacs. The first part of the street is mostly stores, while the second part has restaurants and some boutiques. The latter have an entrance on the street, as well as another in the galleries I mention below.
On a light retro air, you will stroll there pleasantly!
The Arcades
To the left of Main Street is the Liberty Arcade, themed around the Statue of Liberty. To the right is the Discovery Arcade themed around various retro-futuristic discoveries. If you follow the latter, your path out to the right will take you directly to Discoveryland.
Liberty Arcade
This gallery is beautiful because of its covered cast iron design and gaslighting. Numerous display cases showcase old photos and drawings illustrating the birth and construction of the Statue of Liberty. These two references evoke the history and collaboration between France and the United States of America. You can even witness the christening of the statue on a mythical painting.
Discovery Arcade
This pleasant gas-lit gallery pays tribute to the ideas and inventions of visionaries. There are also amazing posters and display cases filled with retro-futuristic devices. The structure is made of wood and wrought iron painted green.
Shopping in Main Street U.S.A.
- Disney Clothiers Ltd: clothing store.
- Boardwalk Candy Palace: for those with a sweet tooth and nostalgia!
- Lily’s boutique: store of Disney souvenirs, each one more attractive than the other!
- Emporium: the biggest store on Main Street! There is something for everyone!
- Harrington’s fine china and porcelains: a glassblower works in front of you to make decorative objects. And for jewelry lovers, there is a PANDORA Corner across the street.
- Plaza West: located after leaving the entrance ticket booths.
- Disney and Co: ready to wear clothing themed with the various Disney characters.
- Main Street motors: sells, today, ready to wear for adults but when Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, it was a car museum! As a souvenir, a gasoline pump is in front.
- News Century Notions – Flora’s Unique Boutique: is located at the beginning of Main Street on your right. Its name is a tribute to Walt Disney’s mother. It specializes in seasonal items, in accordance with the festivities of the moment (Halloween, Christmas, Spring etc..). Previously, this store was dedicated to photography.
- Gibson Girls: an early 20th century ice cream shop that offers a wide variety of “Ben & Jerry’s” flavors.
- Dapper Dan’s Hair Cuts: the barber of Disneyland Paris! This place is too little known by visitors. However, Domenico Canzoneri will offer you different services. Like beard trimming, shaving or haircutting. And of course, this barbershop faithfully reproduces the one in Marcelline where Walt Disney grew up.
- Casey’s Corner: located on the lower left of Main Street. This restaurant, dedicated to baseball, will offer you American specialists. Whether it’s fast food in the dedicated room or on the terrace overlooking the castle.
Finally, this famous street will begin to immerse you in enchantment. It will lead you with wonder to the Sleeping Beauty Castle.