DLP Walt Disney Studios Expansion Plan Officially Released !

Walt Disney Studios Park Extension Project Plan - Horizon 2026

Remember when last July the master plan of DLP WDS expansion was leaked and posted on Disney Central Plaza forum by someone named Andrew Ryan? Well, actually it was not the real master plan but a pretty faithful copy of it. But this week the original master plan - the real one, this time - was released by EPA, a government organization as it is requested by law in this kind of project which require to be unveiled and submit to people living nearby in a public consultation.

EPA released a PDF from where are coming the pictures above and below and, although a big part of it is about French regulations process and won't interest most of you, there is some part of it talking about the description of the extensions which include some interesting infos. First, see on the above picture this blue line which cut the future WDS lake in half? Apparently it marks the limit of EuroDisney property. meaning that everything under it, and more specifically where will be built the Frozen and Star Wars land, the other half of the lake, some restaurants around the lake, etc... would be on a land that DLP don't own and so EuroDisney will need to buy it to EPA. Chances are of course that the operation will happen smoothly but we're in France and if some people object for whatever reasons about the sale of the land to EuroDisney there could be potentially some delay or eventually a cancellation. Apparently previous agreements indicate that chances that the sale won't happen are extremely low, so don't worry. See below in the translation how many hectares EuroDisney will buy to EPA and what is planned to be built on them.

Other interesting point revealed: on the 2 Billion euros expansion plan, 1.5 billion are allocated to WDS expansion, and on these 500 million euros will be used for the construction of new buildings, i.e show buildings, shops and restaurants and probably the lake, and the water reservoir near Frozen land. The other 1 billion ( of the 1.5 billion ) are for everything else, show design, sets, ride vehicles, shops and restaurants theming, etc. But what about the remaining 500 millions euros of the 2 billion, you ask? Well, either the 1.5 billion they're talking about don't include the Marvel land - but it would be surprising that the Frozen and Star Wars lands plus the lake and the reservoir would cost 1.5 billion, specially considering that they will be in smaller versions than the U.S or HKDL ones, OR it could mean that these 500 millions will be spent for new attractions in DLP first park which will be most welcome and by the way the PDF text is talking about "opening new attractions on the two existing parks, and possibly creating a third theme park", but this might be a reference to the original 1987 convention with the state. Don't dream too much of a third park, personally i'll believe it when i'll see it and these 500 millions will definitely NOT be used for a third theme park.

Below the english translation of the interesting part, with a additional plans.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXTENSIONS

Walt Disney Studios Park Extension Project Plan - Horizon 2026

On February 27, 2018, the Disney Group announced a development plan over several years of 2 billion euros for Disneyland Paris. This investment is partly used to transform the Walt Disney Studios park, whether it is to renovate the existing "Marvel" projects, or to expand the park to create a pleasure lake. and new attractions, shops and restaurants dedicated to the "Frozen" and "Star Wars" universe. out of these 2 billion, 1.5 billion is allocated to the extensions of the Walt Disney Studios park on a new location immediately adjacent to the park, property of epaFrance to be acquired by Euro Disney, and this in accordance with agreements previously concluded with public partners.

On these new sites, only 500 million euros will be allocated to the construction of new buildings. the 1 billion euros difference is allocated to the costs of designing and producing the attractions and all the elements that make up them, such as scenography, sets, shows, vehicles, rails, etc.

General Location Map of the Walt Disney Studios Park Extension Project in the scope of the 1987 Convention (1 March 2018)

Project scope

The Walt Disney Studios park extension project covers 31 hectares to be acquired from epaFrance, 12 hectares of which will be developed for the realization of the attractions: two new "lands" and a lake consisting of attractions, restaurants and shops that are under study and design that include:
- A pleasure water plan
- A new land "Frozen"
- A new land "Star Wars"
In addition, 8 hectares are dedicated to the staff (behind the scenes of the park), which include the service buildings of the attractions, company restaurants, the workshops of realization of the sets, costumes, scenography, the warehouses intended for the supply of the parks and office buildings and services for employees. Finally, 11 hectares are dedicated to the construction site and the roads. the park and its wings are served by an internal road network. In addition to the extension of the Walt Disney Studios Park, separated by a landscaped and acoustic merlon, the "Quartier des studios" is developing.
(within the Zac studios and congresses). This district is composed of a part dedicated to housing / offices / shops and another part of equipment / activities / offices. This second part will eventually be inserted between the Walt Disney Studios Park and the housing area. It will provide additional built-in protection.

Walt Disney Studios - Horizon 2026 Park Extension Project Plan in the Long-Term Urban Context

A STRATEGIC PROJECT FOR ENTERPRISE AND TERRITORY

A project that fits into the development strategy of Euro Disney:
Globally, tourist flows should double by 2020. It seems essential that Paris and Île-de-France remain at the top of the list of family, heritage and cultural tourism destinations in the world.
To date, the two parks do not cover 100% of the area assigned to them. the projected extensions will still leave a quarter of the available space to develop. At present, the entire site hosts about 15 million visitors per year. At the end of the investment plan, an increase in these flows is expected. studies are underway to evaluate these flows.

Superposition of Walt Disney Studios Park extension perimeter and PLUi zoning 

A project planned to integrate with its environment:
The Walt Disney Studios park expansion project is part of the perimeter and programming agreed in 1987 with five main goals:
- doubling the capacity of the theme parks, by opening new attractions on the two existing parks, and possibly creating a third theme park;
- the tripling of the hotel's accommodation capacity, thanks to the possibility of creating 14,700 additional rooms north of the A4 motorway;
- the development of sustainable tourism, with the implementation of Nature Villages south of the a4 motorway and near the interchange 14;
- the continuation of the residential and economic development of Val d'Europe: welcoming new populations (Val d'Europe could count up to 60,000 inhabitants in 2030), economic diversi cation, promoting a sustainable city policy and balanced.
- the perpetuation of the dissociation of access flows to the Val d'Europe with two separate penetrating roads dedicated respectively:
- to the tourist flows (penetrating East) with a direct arrival to the parkings of the Disney parks,
- urban flows (penetrating west).

Pictures: copyright EuroDisney SCA