Developing Update: Entrance Sealed Off Entirely at Disney's “Worst Theme Park”

Disneyland Paris has been making a lot of changes over the past few years, and now one of its theme park entrances will soon be closing down entirely.

As we previously discussed, Disney Studio 1 at Walt Disney Studios Park in Disneyland Paris is set to undergo a significant transformation starting this month, which will include an entire year of closure for the dramatic theme park entrance.

Beginning April 25, Restaurant en Coulisse, Legends of Hollywood, and Hollywood Jewel Box will all be shuttered, which likely means that Studio 1 will be closed the next day. If that theory is true, April 24 will mark the final opportunity for guests to experience Studio 1 in its current form.

Studio 1, while enclosed, serves as the park’s entrance and functions akin to Main Street, U.S.A. It currently boasts a thematic design resembling a bustling studio and sound stage, complete with sets and backstage elements. It’s set truly set the stage for the overall theme of the park, however, with the new Disney Adventure World name change, the film aesthetic is likely on the way out.

In the studio, there is tons of shopping and dining. For example, Restaurant en Coulisse offers guests the ambiance of dining on a movie set during their catered meal break, but that will also be changing.

As per the plans revealed last summer, the restaurant will undergo a transformation into a movie premiere garden party setting, with facades around it replaced by expansive trees. The restaurant’s capacity will be augmented to accommodate 530 guests, with a streamlined single-line checkout system featuring eight stations. Additionally, the park entrance will receive a new awning to evoke the appearance of a cinema.

Studio 1 is slated to reopen in April 2025, with a temporary park entrance established along a side alley during the closure period.

So what is this temporary entrance going to look like?

DLP Welcome, Disneyland Reporter, has shown what the new entrance to Walt Disney Studios Park will look like. They were able to obtain the paper maps, which are no longer given out to guests unless asked for. On the left side of Studio 1, we can see that a pathway has been highlighted to indicate the new route for guests coming in and out of the park.

Note: “Studio 1” is now closed and the alternative route during the works to the left of the building has been illustrated.

Note: "Studio 1" est maintenant fermé et le chemin alternatif durant les travaux sur la gauche du bâtiment a été illustré. pic.twitter.com/DBe4BZnwQT

— DLP Welcome (@DLPWelcome) April 15, 2024

If you have ever been inside Walt Disney Studios Park, you know that Studio 1 creates a compact funnel, which slows down entering and exiting the parks during busy times in the day. With the entrance and exit now becoming an even more narrow path, guests should be ready to pack some extra patience.

Many guests are happy to see these changes as Walt Disney Studios is dubbed time and time again as the “worst Disney park in the world”.

Major Changes Coming to Walt Disney Studios Park

Bid farewell to Walt Disney Studios… But fear not, the Parisian theme park isn’t shutting its gates; it’s simply undergoing a name change! Disneyland Paris unveiled this news during a press conference on Friday, April 12, 2024, coinciding with the destination’s 32nd anniversary. The conference was packed with surprises, including revelations about World of Frozen and Adventure Bay, but the most notable announcement was the name change, which had been anticipated by Inside the Magic.

Out goes Walt Disney Studios, and in comes Disney Adventure World! This name alteration aligns with the ongoing efforts to redefine the park’s identity. The entertainment giant has been working on this identity shift for years, which is evident in various projects announced and implemented thus far. From the park expansion unveiled by Bob Iger in 2018 at the Élysée Palace, alongside President Macron (which includes Avengers Campus, operational since 2022), to the restructuring of the studio entrance to accommodate the World of Pixar zone, Disney has been committed to reshaping the park’s experience.

“Embracing a transformation that involves the overhaul of more than 90% of Walt Disney Studios Park since its debut in 2002, we’re unveiling a fresh creative vision that has completely redefined our second gate,” Natacha Rafalski, President of Disneyland Paris shared. “It’s set to offer unique adventures in immersive worlds, serving as a perfect complement to Disneyland Park.”

The debut of Disney Adventure World will herald the onset of a fresh narrative, commencing with the unveiling of the park’s revamped entrance sequence in spring 2025! Guests will be transported into a dynamic, contemporary open-air movie studio known as World Premiere, where they’ll be warmly greeted to a dazzling movie premiere set amidst the glamour of Hollywood. The existing “soundstage” ambiance will be replaced with brand-new elements that pay homage to historic movie theaters.

Stepping outside, visitors will find themselves immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of World Premiere Plaza, the newly established Art Deco-inspired theater district that currently celebrates Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios. Those who have recently visited the park may have already observed the dedicated teams from Walt Disney Imagineering Paris hard at work, transforming the former central square into something truly extraordinary.

What do you think of the new look for Walt Disney Studios Park? Will it be worth visiting during the extensive refurbishment?