You've read here recently my article about the Europa City project, to be build at 10km from Paris not far from Charles De Gaulle airport. It's a huge project with a giant shopping mall, a water park, an indoor ski park AND a theme park. Currently the project is under discussions with different sectors about its impact on the region, shops currently existing around it and for ecological reasons. So, IF - and only "if" they succeed to go through all these discussions and get the approvals then the Europa City project will be build.
Now, as you've read the project include a theme park. Sure, the theme park won't be as big or as sophisticated as Disneyland Paris BUT as i said in my previous article Chinese Billionaire Wang Jianlin is now an investor and he has more money than they will ever need. AND he is also the owner of theme parks in Asia, including the Wanda Movie Indoor Park in Wuhan. France President François Hollande even met with Mr Wang to congratulate him for its major investment in Europa City.
Now, i've read on DLP forums comments from some DLP fans thinking that the Europa City theme park won't hurt DLP, that DLP has nothing to worry about it, etc... Sure, as i've said, the Europa City theme park won't play in the same category than DLP, but the whole project - if built like announced - will include enough elements to attract a lot of people and it will be something "new". Now, some doubt that the Europa City rides will be as good or exciting as the ones as DLP . Well, before going further in your certainty, i suggest you have a look at the video below showing the "Journey to the West" ride at Wanda Movie Park, an "interactive 3D shooting dark ride"... which is obviously a rip off of Toy Story Mania - but not that bad at all for a rip off. Wanda Movie Park include others ride "inspired" - to stay polite - by others famous rides like Terminator 3D or Soarin' ( with different themes of course ). And this Mr Wang who has signed recently the deal with the others partners of Europa City - Auchan Group, see picture below, mr Wang is the last on the right on the second row - has the rights on all the rides of "his" theme park, rides that Wanda Group could eventually import in the theme park of Europa City, all they'll need to do would be to change the movies when these are too "distinctly Chinese".
Disneyland Paris has in project to build Toy Story Mania at DLP WDS since a long time but except if i'm wrong i think that i've read recently that the project was on hold or at least delayed. Same, by the way, for a Soarin' version that DLP fans are awaiting for at the WDS since a long time and which finally may be build at DLP Adventureland as others rumors are saying. My feeling is that they should build them as soon as they can if they don't want to have others competitors - Europa City for instance - to be the first to build these kind of rides... In the meantime have a look at the video below, and you'll understand why Disneyland Paris should really not make the mistake to don't take this Europa City project seriously.
Video: copyright Wanda Movie Park.
