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Credit: Innocente Ruggiero via flickr (background image)
On January 6, 2024, Disney allegedly threatened the fans of Disneyland Paris with legal action.
If you have ever been to or watched a big Disney expo, like D23, you know that when the Disney Parks and Experiences panel hits, everyone gets excited. This is where we are able to learn of updates coming to Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris Resort, Shanghai Disneyland Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (as well as plans for Disney Cruise Line). When news is announced at the theme parks, however, not everything is shared equally.
For example, at the 2022 D23 Expo, we learned about the Kingdom of Arendelle land coming to Walt Disney Studios Park, as well as a Tangled-themed attraction, but that was it. Disneyland and Disney World, on the other hand, took over with a majority of the announcements, sharing multiple possible expansions and updates coming to the parks.
Since the 2022 D23 Expo, we still have not heard much information regarding the future of Disneyland Paris, so other fan sites and accounts have taken it upon themselves to discover what Disney is not sharing by gaining information through their own Imagineer sources.
Outsidears (@OutsidearsDLP), Disney park fan site bloggers, has been the account to share the most, with their most recent post exploring the “Expansion of the Walt Disney Studios park: A second pavilion, three kiosks and two awnings to create the area around the lake.” The post included concept art that has not yet been released.
🔴 Expansion du parc Walt Disney Studios : Un deuxième pavillon, trois kiosques et deux auvents pour aménager les abords du lac. 🔽https://t.co/TkaytqKARN
— OutsidEars (@OutsidEarsDLP) November 29, 2023
Ally (@aalllllyyyyyy), the co-founder of Outsidears, also shares photos she states are provided by Walt Disney Imagineering, in what appears to be mock-ups of the Studio 1 transformation beginning in April of this year. While this idea was later rejected, as we can see in Ally’s post below from July 2023, it shows that Ally and Outsidears are giving the Disneyland Paris the information they want to know about the parks — since Disney is not.
We will get there!
Several versions of the restaurant plan were considered during the project. Here, a model created by Walt Disney Imagineering presents a version that was ultimately rejected due to excessive overflow onto the main aisle.
On va y arriver!
Plusieurs versions du plan du restaurant ont été envisagées au cours du projet. Ici, une maquette réalisée par Walt Disney Imagineering présente une version finalement écartée en raison du débordement trop fort sur l'allée principale. pic.twitter.com/heD1qwDxRD— Ally! (@aalllllyyyyyy) July 24, 2023
Recently, Outsidears shared a photo of a legal notice that they received from Disney regarding the content and news they are putting out and sharing. A response to this original post did state, “Rest assured, we have no plans to close Outsidears.”
— OutsidEars (@OutsidEarsDLP) January 9, 2024
The post, translated into English, states:
“Dear,
We have been informed of the publications you are making publicly on your X/Twitter account “@aalllllyyyyy” and your website http://Outsidears.fr, notably concerning future projects under study for Disneyland Paris.
As you cannot ignore, all information and documents relating to these projects marked as “strictly confidential”, given to a very limited number of employees and therefore not having been the subject of any official communication from us are qualified and protected by the Commercial Code under business secrecy.
In this regard, getting and disseminating information protected by business secrets, without the slightest authorization from us, is considered illegal and exposes you to prosecution.
We therefore hereby ask you to kindly stop any dissemination of information of this nature which you have not obtained through an official channel, failing which we reserve the right to take any action that we consider useful to you.
Best regards,
The legal department of Disneyland Paris”
Outsidears is not planning to close shop, and Sanjay d’Humières (@sanjaydhumieres), CEO and head of operations for RTCX,” shared some information that suggests Disney’s letter was more of a scare, than a real legal warning, “The problem is, this document isn’t signed and doesn’t have a proper letterhead. In a court of law in France this email would have no legal standing. It is a strategy of intimidation. Until such time as a litigation isn’t sent officially, I wouldn’t worry!”
The problem is, this document isn’t signed and doesn’t have a proper letterhead. In a court of law in France this email would have no legal standing. It is a strategy of intimidation. Until such time as a litigation isn’t sent officially I wouldn’t worry !
— Sanjay d'Humières (@sanjaydhumieres) January 10, 2024
Related: Disney Files Twelve Lawsuits Over “Excessive” Property Taxes in Florida
An Outsidears follower, DLPoutpost (@DLPoutpost) shared that the reason that companies like Outsidears need to exist is the lack of communication from Disneyland Paris with its fans. “They said, “If only there was some official communication. The only thing we’ve got the past 5 years was the Frozen expansion… It takes so long the enthusiasm for this expansion has faded away… Give us some Star Wars and not like in 2030. I’m getting old people.”
