Disneyland Paris unveils its 30th Anniversary celebration highlights
Disneyland Paris has unveiled details of its 30th Anniversary celebration, highlighting new costumes, shows, aerial drone show, and a collaboration with fashion designer Stella McCartney.
The whole celebration, which starts on March 6, aims to transport guests into a new era of Disney’s big Paris resort, which initially opened on April 12, 1992.
Now Europe’s top tourist destination, Disneyland Paris will mark its big occasion with a transformation powered by new creativity and technology, for a totally immersive guest experience.
Highlighting this anniversary will be the new daytime show, “Dream… And Shine Brighter,” which will be presented several times a day on Central Plaza in front of the newly-refurbished Sleeping Beauty Castle.
It will consist of three themes that celebrate the power of laughter, passion, and dreams, featuring more than 30 Disney characters – including Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy in “iridescent” costumes created especially for the event – on colorful floats, and set to a unique soundtrack.
Other characters include the Genie from “Aladdin,” Princess Rapunzel, and Jessie and Woody from “Toy Story,” who all combine to mark the history of animation.
At nightfall, a dramatic new state-of-the-art sequence will precede the evening’s big “Disney Illuminations” finale on the iconic Castle. Called “Disney D-Light,” this novel pre-show combines movie projections, illuminated water jets, lighting and mist effects, plus the special innovation of drone choreography, accompanied by famous Disney songs.
It will be the first time a Disney park uses drone technology as part of a daily display above its Castle, and it will also be used to kick off the anniversary celebration for a limited time, with a separate light and air presentation featuring 200 drones that concludes the new pre-show.
Flying in close formation, the synchronized drones will form a sparkling figure “30” in the sky above Sleeping Beauty Castle while the theme song created for the 30th Anniversary – “Un monde qui s’illumine,” or “A world of light” – plays in the background. The soundtrack was recorded by a symphony orchestra at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, with a special arrangement to add to the emotional effect.
Guests will discover more new elements in front of the Castle, where 10 themed “Gardens of Wonder” celebrate nature through the diversity of Disney and Pixar characters. Featuring 30 kinetic art pieces, the special sculptures will come to life in an enchanted promenade of natural splendor created by the park’s horticultural and entertainment teams.
Each Garden will have its own theme based on classic characters, from princesses to villains. For example, the Garden of Asia will include sculptures of Baymax (“Big Hero 6”), Mushu (“Mulan”), and Sisu (“Raya and the Last Dragon”).
In addition, the entire Disneyland Park will be decorated using the “iridescent” theme of sparkling blue and purple motifs, with neon lighting and backlit kinetic mobiles highlighting iconic settings, such as the Gazebo and Main Street Station, as well as into the Disney Village area.
Another major Anniversary highlight will be a collaboration with internationally renowned designer Stella McCartney, who has created the first custom-made, ultra-chic pantsuit for Minnie Mouse.
As part of a global partnership with The Walt Disney Company, McCartney will also market a unique Minnie T-shirt as part of the International Women’s Rights Day in 2022. It will be available online and in Stella stores on March 8, and, starting this spring, McCartney will launch a limited-edition product line inspired by the classic Disney movie “Fantasia.”
McCartney said: “I am delighted to be working with the one, the only, the iconic Minnie Mouse. She has always had a special place in my heart. We share the same values. What I love about her is the fact she embodies happiness, self-expression, and authenticity, and she inspires people of all ages around the world. Plus, she has such great style!
“I wanted Minnie to wear her very first pantsuit at Disneyland Paris,so I have designed one of my iconic costumes – a blue tuxedo – using responsibly sourced fabrics. This new take on her signature polka dots makes Minnie a symbol of progress for a new generation, and she will wear it in honor of Women’s History Month, in March 2022. I can’t wait for you to see it!”
More Disneyland Paris Anniversary magic will be provided by a range of specially-created food and beverage offerings. More than 60 dishes will showcase delicious desserts, exclusive cocktails, and vegetarian options such as a vegan panini and salted mashed potato waffle.
Iconic desserts for the resort’s table-service restaurants include Le Bouquet Final, a white chocolate and strawberry cake served under a dome, while the buffet restaurants will feature a 30th Anniversary-themed macarons assortment.
Original beverages include the pink “Happy Birthday Cocktail,” the blue “Enchanted Flute,” and the “Smoothie with a Twist” consisting of blueberry puree, banana, and coconut.
There will also be souvenir merchandise and unique gift items to celebrate the occasion as part of the biggest product development program ever conducted at Disneyland Paris, for its 63 boutiques and shops.
Among the items sure to interest collectors and Disney fans worldwide will be limited edition collectibles, key chains, Anniversary plushes, ear headbands, and eye-catching sweatshirts, with additional collections being added during the course of the celebration.
Finally, the 30th Anniversary will mark the highly anticipated opening of the Avengers Campus area, which is an integral part of the transformation of the Walt Disney Studios Park.
Beginning in summer 2022, Super Heroes from the MARVEL universe will gather here to invite guests to embark on an epic journey of heroic adventures and missions, thus extending the immersive experience in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which started with the opening of Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel in 2021.
