Reopening of Disneyland Paris: "I am very moved and excited to redo my favorite attractions"

The wait seemed endless to them and they stamped with impatience for long minutes, so when the doors opened they set off to find the amusement park that they had missed so much in recent months.

The first visitors were back this Thursday morning at the Disneyland Paris amusement park, which reopened its doors in Chessy (Seine-et-Marne) with a limited capacity after more than seven months of closure.

Chessy (Marne-la-Vallée), Thursday, June 17, 2021. The president of Disneyland Paris, Natacha Rafalski officially announces the reopening of the amusement park.

LP / Hendrik Delaire

Closed since October 29, 2020, the first European amusement park has put the small dishes in the big ones to amaze visitors weaned from the magical atmosphere and magic during these many months.

A guard of honor by the employees

To be present, all the lucky ones had bought their tickets online by booking in advance.

No sooner have they crossed the gates than the visitors are greeted by Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto who greet them from the top of the balcony against the backdrop of emblematic tunes from several licenses of the franchise, such as "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" of the "Lion King".

It was a moving moment for visitors, young and old, who sometimes greeted their favorite characters for long minutes or immortalized their arrival with their cell phone in their hands.

Chessy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. On the occasion of the reopening of Disneyland Paris, employees have made a guard of honor for the first visitors.

LP / HD

“I came especially from Lille (North) to find the park and the attractions and discover the novelties.

And also the Disney fan friends that I made on social networks during the first confinement and that I had met last summer.

Before the health crisis, I sometimes came several times a week and I will come back at the beginning of July to celebrate the birthday of a friend, ”enthuses Emilie, 24 years old.

"I am very moved and also excited to finally be able to redo my favorite attractions such as the Studio Tram Tour, the Mine Train and to discover the new Cars Road Trip attraction", adds her friend Diane, who came from Issy-les-Moulineaux (Hauts-de-Seine).

Chessy (Marne-la-Vallée), Thursday, June 17, 2021. The first visitors were greeted by the emblematic characters of the franchise.

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Others, like Floriane who came with her son disguised in Darth Vader outfit, are even on the verge of tears.

“It is very important that my son can find magic and fairyland after this very long confinement.

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Mandatory mask wear and new attractions

Announcements repeated at regular intervals, remind visitors that wearing a mask is compulsory for over 6s, as well as barrier gestures and distancing measures.

If they respect them, they do not pay much attention and enter Main Street, the street that serves as a central avenue of the park to discover for some the new attraction Cars Road Trip which plunges visitors into the universe. from the famous animated film whose characters are automobiles.

Chessy (Marne-la-Vallée), Thursday, June 17, 2021. Visitors were able to try out the new Cars Road Trip attraction, which immerses them in the world of “Cars”.

LP / HD

All along the artery lined with shops and restaurants which leads to the attraction of the Sleeping Beauty castle, the employees form a guard of honor to acclaim visitors with a precise choreography.

"A real return to childhood"

An hour earlier, the president of Disneyland Paris, Natacha Rafalski, had announced to an audience of handpicked media, the official reopening of the two parks of Disneyland Paris and the Newport Bay Club hotel as well as the other novelties that will be unveiled. in the days to come such as the new show "The Factory of Dreams Disney Junior", which will open on July 1st, or the opening, on the 21st, of Disney's Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel, completely renovated in the colors of superhero of the franchise.

Read alsoReopening of Disneyland Paris: “It's a new chapter full of hope and optimism that opens!

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“It's a real throwback to childhood and we are enjoying wonderful weather.

With my kids, we couldn't wait to come back as we had taken an annual pass a month before closing last October.

Since then, we have wondered each month when the park would reopen.

We wanted to discover the Buzz Light Year attraction, which has been renovated and is magnificent, ”says Pauline, a 37-year-old mother who came from Angoulême (Charente) with her children.

Her passion drove her to get the image of Sleeping Beauty's castle tattooed on her back.

Chessy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Pauline, a 37-year-old mother from Angoulême with her children, has the Disney universe in her skin.

LP / HD

But the visitors were not the only ones to rejoice that the places come back to life. “I couldn't wait to get back to work and reunite with visitors and colleagues. It feels good to rediscover social ties and see happy faces after spending long months on short-time work. We went back to work a week ago and it's weird to see the park empty, but now all visitors are delighted, ”says Ludivine, who runs the Tea Cups attraction and has worked at Disneyland Paris for four years. .