20 Days to 20 Years- 1997

Welcome friends, to our year-by-year countdown to the 20th Anniversary of Disneyland Paris. Today, my co-hosts Beth and Manda will hand me the reins- for this one day- and allow me to tell the tale of 1997.  However, I could not do so without the generous sharing of information and images from Anthony at Euro Souvenirland; this site is a virtual encyclopedia of artifacts and memorabilia.  I suggest you stop by and take a gander.

Five years, boy, that went fast!  I am excited to look back before we look ahead.  The year 1997 brought a full program of fanfare and celebration to Disneyland Paris, and a review of the 5th Anniversary of this European Disney Park might just foreshadow what is to come on April 1st of this year…

Image used with the written permission of Euro Souvenirland

Walt Disney Pictures released The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1996, and it seemed the perfect backdrop to the french festivities.  With a “Festival of Fools” theme, the Park turned into a medieval carnival.  The daily “Carnaval des Fous Parade” was described as the Parks “most extraordinary to date”, and featured 150 actors, dancers and characters who invited Park guests to join the merriment.

Image used with the written permission of Euro Souvenirland

The giant birthday cake float that Mickey is hopping a ride on was originally used for the 1st Anniversary, rolled out again for this 5th birthday party, and then recycled again for the Park’s 10th in 2002.  (One wonders if it will make a return performance next month?!)  Se bon pedestal Mickey!  What you can also spy in the above photo is a complete Castle transformation.  Disneyland Paris turned Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant into a giant birthday cake for its 1st birthday, (Walt Disney World guests no doubt have the image of Cinderella Castle and its 25th birthday cake makeover seared in their memories), but for this 5th Anniversary, it became “Chateau des Fous”; complete with giant, multi-colored jesters hats on its turrets.  The Central Plaza in front of the Castle became “Gargoyle Square”, and was adorned with the grand bells of Notre Dame. 

Image used with the written permission of Euro Souvenirland

This gigantic, flat billboard sat at the end of Main Street USA, and framed the “foolery” perfectly!  The rest of Main Street USA was festooned with 5th Anniversary banners, and the melody of the 5th Anniversary songs filled the air.

In September of that year, the celebration took a decidedly American tack, and “Disney’s California Dream Festival” came to Disneyland Paris’s Discoveryland.  This series of special events included surfer boys, wanna-be Hollywood stars, roller bladders, cool cars and pom-pom carrying cheerleaders.  (As an ex-Californian, I can say that about sums it up!)

Image used with written permission of Euro Souvenirland

It is no wonder the slogan from 1997 was, “The Year to be Here”!  Disneyland Paris broke all of its records for Park attendance (12.6 million for the year) and hotel occupancy (78%), and firmly established itself as the leading tourist destination in Europe.  They had every reason to celebrate like “fools”- the tide was turning for Disneyland Paris…

Please return tomorrow!  Ami, @DisneyAmiBE, the original Disney Goddess, will share her trip to Disneyland Paris in the year 1998.