Walt Disney Studios expansion – February 2024

From the air, via Balloon PanoraMagique, we bring you an update on the construction of the Walt Disney Studios Park expansion at Disneyland Paris. From the lake and its surroundings with its Rapunzel ride to the world dedicated to Frozen, to name but a few, find out our update on the work in progress in this month of February 2024.

World of Frozen

In Arendelle, in the future area dedicated to the animated film Frozen, the village buildings are gradually taking shape. A near-perfect clone of the one that opened recently at Hong Kong Disneyland, there are a few major differences, starting with the absence of the wooded half, but above all with a wider street that actually extends to the foot of the castle bridge. It should be noted that in terms of pedestrian area, the zone will not be much larger than the Rue de Paris area.

The facades on the Marina side are now almost complete and even protected to prevent premature wear and tear. With its green roof, you can’t miss the entrance to the future meeting point with the “Majestic Sisters”.

The teams are now working their way up the future aisle on the front of the shop (called Tick Tock Toys & Collectibles in Hong Kong Disneyland), which will also serve as an exit for the attraction (Frozen Ever After, also in Hong Kong).

The bell tower that will serve as the entrance to the attraction this time is also beginning to take shape. The roof structure is currently being assembled.

In a more distant shot, you can’t miss the large building that will house this boat attraction, which will have 2 waterfalls, one of them reversing! Still in the open air, it should soon be covered to allow the erection of the mountain chain that will hide it from the public.

At the front, the building for the drive-in restaurant (Golden Crocus Inn, also in Hong Kong) has almost reached the end of its shell. It should therefore soon be able to move on to the theming stage.

Table service restaurant and new Rapunzel ride

Now let’s change the direction of our visit by taking the long walk that awaits us from the start of the extension to the entrance to Arendelle.
This entrance is located just after a swing bridge over the canal leading to the technical basin, which is still undergoing resistance tests, identifiable by the yellow bags lined up on top.
The advantage of this photo is that everything can be seen at once.

In the foreground, the metal star encircled by a concrete disc will soon form “Mad Rapunzel’s Tea Boats”. In other words, an attraction similar to the famous cups at Disneyland Park, but with boats. Its opaque roof and the many lanterns that will serve as backdrops promise a beautiful play of light, if not a new type of attraction for the destination.
Now that the mechanical structure is complete, it shouldn’t be long before the building goes up around it.

In the centre of the image, the collection of concrete slabs is not a future domino-themed extension to Toy Story Playland, but the future Art-Nouveau-style Table Service Restaurant with its adjoining bar, which will have beautiful terraces offering incredible panoramic views of the lake and its future shows.
But there’s still a bit of assembly to be done before we get to the result below.

The lake and its banks

The most significant news about the lake in recent days is that it is gradually starting to fill up. This will take several months.
The final level of the basin is already easily identifiable. Eventually, the lake embankment (the sloping concrete section) will be completely submerged in water. The first boulders have been installed and the various facilities (low walls, footpaths, steps, etc.) are gradually taking shape. Although mainly flat, the Walt Disney Studios Park extension will benefit from a certain amount of relief descending towards the lake. This should provide optimum viewing conditions for future spectators. Imagine these spaces in a few months’ time, when the paving stones, vegetation and furniture will have found their place.

East pavilion

As we continue our walk beyond Arendelle and return to the central alley, the structural work on the East Pavilion is in full swing. Its entire footprint is already clearly visible. Visitors will be able to find a range of snacks and takeaway food facing the lake. On either side, terraces equipped with awnings will provide shelter during meals.

The building will also house a sanitary block and the control room for future shows on the lake. The control room will be located on the roof of the building, giving technicians an unrestricted view of the lake. Finally, a nearby covered public shelter will complete the area in case of bad weather.