by Sam Vlas

Today Disneyland Paris celebrates 22 years as being Disney's most beautiful park in the world. On 12 April 1992, Euro Disney Resort and its theme park, Euro Disneyland, officially opened. Visitors were warned of chaos on the roads and a government survey indicated that half a million people carried by 90,000 cars might attempt to enter the complex. French radio warned traffic to avoid the area. By midday, the car park was approximately half full, suggesting an attendance level below 25,000. Speculative explanations ranged from people heeding the advice to stay away to the one-day strike that cut the direct RER railway connection to Euro Disney from the centre of Paris. Regardless of all that chaos Disneyland Paris went on to celebrate the opening of one of its most beautiful parks. Continue after the page break as we take a look back at the opening of Disneyland Paris...

by Keith Mahne

Tomorrow Disneyland Paris will celebrate its 22nd Anniversary. Following the success of Walt Disney World, plans to build a similar theme park in Europe emerged in 1972. Upon the leadership of E. Cardon Walker, Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983 in Japan with instant success, forming a catalyst for international expansion. In late 1984 the heads of Disney's theme park division, Dick Nunis and Jim Cora, presented a list of approximately 1,200 possible European locations for the park. By March 1985, the number of possible locations for the park had been reduced to four; two in France and two in Spain. Both nations saw the potential economic advantages of a Disney theme park and offered competing financing deals to Disney. Continue after the page break as we join Disneyland Paris in celebrating 22 magical years...

Passengers on board a plane in Australia got quite a show recently. The Australian cast of Disney’s The Lion King surprised the passengers by performing the show’s opening song ‘Circle of Life’ while they sat in their seats. Talk about in-flight entertainment! Continue after the page break for the special performance...

By Keith Mahne

Today we begin a new segment here on Disney Avenue called Disney Magic Maker. This segment will pay tribute to the men and women who helped dream up the best theme parks in the world. We will start off with none other than Orlando Ferrante. During his 40 years at Walt Disney Imagineering, former vice president of engineering, design, and production Orlando Ferrante helped create magical Disney lands around the world. From Walt Disney World to Disneyland Paris, Orlando’s keen administrative and planning skills, his “can do” attitude, and his humble and fun-loving heart served him well when orchestrating the combined efforts of inspirational artists, engineers, production, and installation teams creating Disney theme parks. Continue after the page break as we pay tribute to one of the best Disney Magic Makers, Mr. Orlando Ferrante...