A tour of Walt Disney Studios in Paris Pt.1

While in Paris with the family in February of this year, we decided to spend a couple days over at the Disneyland Paris parks. Of course, I remember the place as EuroDisneyland from back when I worked on it in 1992 prior to its opening.

So here we go on the first part of my day at the Walt Disney Studios Park.

Okay, that’s not really the way to enter this park, but I figured it was a good way to start this tour.

The Animation Theater has a semi-live show presentation that can be seen inside. Because of our limited time, I did not get a chance to see it. My kids did and said it was good. But my purpose in showing this is that it demonstrates one of the significant problems with this park. Where do you look? The layout of the park, at least the original portions, seem to have nothing to direct your eye to the next area to visit. Frankly, Tony Baxter would have done a better job with the layout – even hamstrung as they were by a very limited budget back then.

We ventured to our right to see the area based upon the “Ratatouille” Disney/Pixar animated movie. This area was definitely more immersive and well themed. Though a bit strange to be walking a “typical” street in Paris, when the real thing is just a few miles (kilometers for those in Europe) away.

This is the “big ticket” attraction in the park called “Ratatouille L’Aventure Totalement Toquee de Remy.” You get the chance to be the size of one of the rats in the movie as you go on this adventure. Very well done and feels a lot more like a Disney attraction than some of the others in the park.

This was a nice touch for a supposed access to a sewer line.

The action takes place in Gusteau’s restaurant. But while in the line “outside” the restaurant, Gusteau occasionally comes to life and talks to us while we wait. Once inside, After queuing on the rooftops of Paris, guests board their “ratmobiles” and find themselves “shrunk” down to rat size on the roof of Gusteau’s restaurant, with Remy and spirit of Auguste Gusteau trying to decide what meal they shall serve the riders. After deciding on their famous ratatouille dish, Remy and the riders fall through a swinging roof glass-pane, winding up on the restaurant kitchen floor. This starts a chase sequence with Remy leading the riders and other rats away from the cooks, passing through the cold room and under the hot oven.

The ride ends at the Bistrot Chez Rémy restaurant, where guests are bid farewell by the rat colony and the spirit of Gusteau and invited to join in.

There were a number of outdoor food booths in the Ratatouille area, across from the entrance to the attraction.

Crush’s Coaster, based on the Disney/Pixar film “Finding Nemo,” is a roller coaster type of attraction that takes you on a trip in the ocean with Crush. The ride vehicles are spinning cars, that add an element to the attraction that is in the dark at times.

Well that ends part one of the tour. More to come.

Click here to go on to Part 2 of the tour of Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris.

Want to see all about food in Paris? Then click on this link.

Take a trip on the Seine in Paris here.

Here’s a look at Main Street at the Disneyland Park.