The Six Genius Ideas of Disneyland Paris Imagineers

As announced previously Disney and more will be "closed" all August for a break. I won't be in vacation all month but mostly working on others projects that i can't find time to do. If there was a major announcement i will do an article about it though it is unlikely as August is not really the month with big theme park news. And we'll see in September if i continue or not Disney and more but just in case i won't today's article will end  D&M like it all began with a tribute to Disneyland Paris!

Disneyland Paris "Magic Kingdom" is for sure the most beautiful that WDI Imagineers have created - if you've never visited the park ask anyone who did - and it's a masterpiece of well thought design and master plan, a true achievement and a reference of what a theme park should be. Everything was brilliantly designed by WDI Imagineers, but there is six ideas that DLP imagineers had when they designed the park, and in my opinion it's truly six genius ideas which makes Disneyland Paris unique.

The first genius idea happen when you even have not enter the park, and it's the majestic Victorian Disneyland Paris hotel with Fantasia Gardens at the park entrance - picture on top. With it's light pink color cleverly chosen by Imagineer John Hench you know instantly that you've just entered in another reality. Magical.

The next genius idea is from WDI Imagineer Eddie Sotto and it is Main Street U.S.A Arcades. Arcades were a tradition in 19th Century Paris but the reason why Liberty and Discovery Arcades are great at DLP is because, thanks to them, your mind has a totally different feeling when you're walking up or down Main Street. At Disneyland or WDW Magic Kingdom you'r stuck in this central street and you can't escape it, it creates a feeling almost claustrophobic. At Disneyland Paris you can escape the central street, and even if you don't need to your mind know that it is possible and this change everything. If you don't want to watch the parade you can turn left or right, and walk to Central Plaza or Main Street Station, or simply walk through the wonderfully themed arcades without having to find your way through the hundred of people watching the parade. And of course the covered arcades are precious when it is raining.



Disneyland Paris Fantasyland is the best designed Fantasyland ever, no doubt about that, but Sleeping Beauty Castle is the the best, the most fairy tale castle of any Disney theme park. Not to mention the inside of it and even under it with La Caverne du Dragon and its awesome Audio-Animatronic dragon. Designed with an exquisite good taste by WDI Imagineer Tom Morris the castle is neither too small or too big, just the right size and, believe me,  you will remember DLP Castle forever.



Imagineer Jeff Burke along with all Frontierland Imagineers did an awesome job on Frontierland but the genius ideas has been to put Big Thunder Mountain as an island in the middle of DLP Rivers of the Far-West. Not only it's an incredible "weenie" as Marty Sklar would have said but here is a Big Thunder Mountain that won't disappear anytime soon, the fact that it is in the middle of the lake will protect Tony Baxter iconic ride forever.

I'm among the one for whom Adventureland is one of his favorite land and Chris Tietz Adventureland in Paris is the biggest and nicest of them all. The genius idea here is of course Adventure Isle with its caves, Captain Hook pirate ship and the Swiss Robinson Tree nearby  - another weenie - and DLP Pirates of Caribbean is also the best version of the classic version of the ride, and have a more logic storyline as here the pirates skeletons scenes are placed at the end of the ride and not at the start.



Imagineer Tim Delaney was the show producer of Discoveryland and here Tim genius idea was to create a "Tomorrowland" that time won't catch anytime soon. With what we call now a "steampunk" design Space Mountain with its huge cannon and the 20000 Leagues Nautilus are visually stunning day and also by night with the surreal lighting done by Michael Valentino.



There is of course plenty others "genius ideas" in the park, but these are truly my favorites. If you're among the ones who still have never visited the park the best season to do it is now, until late October and you'll come back for sure with great memories that will last all your life!

If you miss Disney and more magic while i'm not here, the gorgeous Disneyland Paris book - from which all pictures of this article are coming from - has all August a special offer on the very last copies of the English edition - sorry, no more printed copies of the French edition but i send the PDF of the full French text for those who don't understand english - and you can order your copy for 60€ + 22€ shipping worldwide ( except Belgium and Italy: 29€ ).  Payment by Paypal or credit card is possible, just send me an email to place your order at: amplittaye@gmail.com and i'll tell you how to do.

And if your native language is French the new eBook of the French edition is now available and pictures will look gorgeous on your phone, tablet or computer! In addition the eBook edition include 62 videos links to the best available videos of each attractions of the park, including hotels and park making-of.

The eBook is available NOW on the Apple iBooks store HERE or Google Books Android Store HERE or on Amazon Kindle HERE. If you've never seen the book before, don't miss the video below showing the 320 pages of this beautiful book which has 750 pictures including 250 concept-arts from Walt Disney Imagineering!




Pictures: copyright Disney