In today's Telegraph interview DLP CEO Philippe Gas announced indirectly the WDS Ratatouille attraction project. It's the first time that he mentions Ratatouille and although he don't talk specifically about an attraction it's easy to read "between the lines". He didn't announced an opening date but, still, it's one more confirmation that the project is not pure DLP fan fantasy. In two words, it's not a rumor anymore.
He didn't talked about Star Tours 2 coming to DLP but it doesn't mean that they won't do it. They still have plenty of time - almost one year - to take their decisions and i won't be surprised if they were waiting for the ST2 opening at DL and WDW next year to see how good it is to make a decision.
I've told you in my latest DLP pdate that the park envision changes in major DLP attractions like Phantom Manor and Pirates of Caribbean and it's interesting to note that in his interview Philippe Gas mentions that the park "have enough cash today...to pay for rehabilitation of current attractions in the park".
He also talked about the third park and confirmed that the decision to build the third park may not be made until 2020.
Here is excerpts of the Telegraph interview:
“You cannot think about Disneyland Paris as a five-year play or a 10-year play. We are looking at 2035. We’re not looking at tomorrow – so, looking at this strategically, investing in a second park was the right thing to do.”
Mr Gas said the group is committed to paying back 25pc of its current debt by 2013. He plans to significantly expand the Studios Park and is now talking about developing a third theme park on its Disneyland Paris site.
“Honestly, we have enough cash today to pay our debt, to finance our expansion and to pay for rehabilitation [of current attractions in the park],” highlighted Mr Gas, denying recent speculation that the company came close to breaching banking covenants...
...High on Mr Gas’s agenda are the development of the Disney Studios, where he plans more attractions and restaurants with the intention of turning it into a “one-day experience”. New Disney characters he is keen to feature at the park include Disney’s Cars and Ratatouille.
“Ratatouille is perfect, as it is set in Paris,” he said, pointing to a large wall poster of the film in his office. Furthermore, there is the agreement to build homes as part of the development of Marne la Vallée, where Disneyland Paris is located, as well as a nature park that will be set up with French holiday company Pierre et Vacances."
Later down the line, the construction of a third theme park is also on the agenda...
...Mr Gas said a decision to build the third theme park may not be made until 2020, though it may be brought forward if planned work on the existing Disney Studios Park is completed."
You can read the full Telegraph interview HERE in which Philippe Gas also defends DLP workers condition.
Text: copyright Telegraph.co.uk
So there is a lot of spare money on DLP to pay its debt, to finance the expansion and to pay for rehabilitation of current attractions in the park! So DLP is probably better off than Tokyo Disneyland and we can expect major improvements and big new E-ticket attractions very soon!!! They're so prosperous that I think the third theme park is going to be even more impressive than Tokyo Disney Sea.
ReplyDeleteHi Alain
ReplyDeleteWound't the Star Tours upgrade also be described as a rehabilitation in the same was as the Phantom Manor and Praites upgrade?
It's good there is a plan for WDS as there seems to be a lack of overal theme to recent developments. Are you aware of how studios theme will be put back into the park?
Michael, I'm not aware how they will put back the studio theme at the WDS and to be honest i'm not sure they will!
ReplyDelete2020 to make a decission... and at least 7 or 8 years more to come the third gate. Awful. "We have enough cash to pay for rehabilitation of current attractions in the park". Amazing. It's not any Cheap'o Park Bangalore, it's a Disney resort in Paris :O
ReplyDeleteAbout the inconsistent theming in WDS... I think the main problem here is the lack of planning. It's the difference between the decissions taken in DCA and WDS.
"Honestly, we have enough cash today to pay our debt, to finance our expansion and to pay for rehabilitation [of current attractions in the park],” highlighted Mr Gas"
ReplyDeleteReally? Has this guy been in the parks lately? They look like crap! I thought that Walt Disney World was bad at maintenance but was shocked at how many rides were dirty, had peeling paint or even Cast Members that weren't up to snuff. My wife was very disappointed in the whole thing. We visit Disneyland in California a few times a year and always wanted to see Paris with its unique castle. After the experience, she never wants to go back. I thought that WDW could learn from Tokyo and Disneyland, but Paris needs even more than them to understand that Disney means quality. Right now, it's not even close. We didn't even attempt to go to the Walt Disney Studios since it looked worse than DCA. I saw pics last week of the damage done to the new Toy Story Playland after only being open a month. Wow, I can't believe how disrespectful guests there can be. I hope whoever did it got kicked out or prosecuted. I'd like to visit again, but it'll be after they fix WDS and I'm able to convince my wife that they've changed their attitude with the park. Who did they hire to clean that place, people that work at Six Flaggs???
Great blog Alain, keep up the good work. Sorry for the rant. Just be happy my wife isn't writing this! She'd use a lot less kind words after her experience.
While the Ratatouille mention is yet more indication that the Ratatouille ride is happening (which is really exciting) the thing I found most interesting was the mention of Cars.
ReplyDeleteThere has been speculation since shortly after the announcement of Cars land in DCA that something similar (but possibly scaled down some) could replace the backlot tour of DHS if it proves successful.
No idea if those speculations have any basis in reality; however, his "Cars" comment as well as the comment about wanting to turn WDS into a full day park make me wonder if they are considering something like that. While the recent additions definitely help I think WDS would need at least a few more attractions (along with the new areas of the park they would open up) and probably some seasonal nighttime entertainment after Ratatouille before I would really considered it a full day park.
To Frank: Actually DLP is doing a not-so-bad job in maintenance, although not as perfect as TDL does. They regularly repaint buildings in each land as they did recently for Main Street and Frontierland and of course do maintenance in attractions.
ReplyDeleteBut what you're probably talking about is the daily maintenance, and there it's another problem, i should even say a "cultural" problem. It seems that in Europe guests can be more destructive or don't care to throw paper everywhere but not in the garbages which are everywhere in the park. The park can't be, of course, responsible for that and although they have special teams cleaning the park at night it's clear that during the day the park might look not as clean as it looks when it is opening.
I agree that it's sad that some guests don't care more but alas that's how things can happen in the times we're living...
Hiring more people to take care about it is an option, too...
ReplyDeleteYeah, what say Mr. Gas hires just one more CM for each land. Four or five people more a day. That wouldn't be too bad and then they could go around and make sure it's a little more clean. I too noticed people's lack of caring for how the park looked when I was there last year. Too bad, it was a lovely designed park, but people were very careless with their trash and some of the youths I saw were very, very rude. No respect for anything. I feel sorry for Rex after seeing that pic online. And after only one month. I sure hope they caught and punished whoever did it.
ReplyDeleteTo Alain: I was at the DLP parks recently (May) after a thirteen year hiatus and I totally agree with Frank. I too thought WDW was bad until I went back to the parks in Paris. Just the walk up to the hotel was uncomfortable to see; cracked pavement, rusting fences... And then once inside the park, old trash everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe worst offender was Thunder Mountain- there were dusty cups and meal trays on the roof outside of the queue, and some of it looked like it had been there for some time!
I took my wife and son to show off what an amazing park it was (I was a regular the first seven years it was open!) (we've been to all of them and Tokyo and Anahiem are by far the best taken care of) and she was really disappointed. I mean, the storm was broken as the bateaux approached the fort in Pirates, and the auctioneer actually had a black plastic bag over his left hand, and it was held in place with duct tape!
I want to go back some day but I'm not in a hurry... Show should be paramount but when several effects are turned off in Phantom Manor and some of the Thunder Mesa denizens just don't move...
Heartbreaking.
I was there begin 2009, and I think DLP is very different than other European parks, the trash isn't that bad and the need to refurbish isn't that big, while they're refurbishing a lot the last year. A big plus for DLP is the polite staff, there are lots of people and they are very friendly. You should visit other parks in Europe, there's a huge difference!
ReplyDeleteBut to get back ontopic, I thought the first signs to confirm Ratatouille are the Parisian road with the rat sign on the benches?