Credit: Disneyland ParisAn update has been provided after a bomb weighing nearly 500 kg disrupted or canceled thousands of Disney vacations.
Intense planning is part of every Disney trip – especially since the onset of features like Lightning Lanes and Disney Premier Access – but the reality is that some things lie out of even the most avid vacation planner’s hands.
Bomb Discovery Cancels Disney Vacations
That was the case yesterday when hundreds, if not thousands, of excited Disney parkgoers were forced to cancel or delay their vacations due to the discovery of a bomb.
Workers inadvertently dug up the unexploded WW2 bomb near the train tracks in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis – roughly a mile away from the city’s primary station, Gare du Nord. While unexploded bombs from the war aren’t super rare discoveries in France or the UK, those of this size certainly are; the bomb weighed nearly 500 kg.
French Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, told Reuters: “Finding bombs around the railway network is something that happens. But in proportion, like the one today with a bomb of this size, it’s really quite exceptional.”
Train services were axed en masse, including Eurostar services. Following efforts to defuse the bomb, local train services in Paris restarted yesterday afternoon. However, Eurostar services through, to, or from Paris remained out of service for the remainder of the day.
Impact on Disney Vacations
Direct Eurostar services between London and Disneyland Paris were axed in 2023 in what was ultimately a side-effect of Brexit. However, a huge number of guests still use the service to travel between London and Paris before then transferring to another service to travel to Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy train station, AKA the nearest stop to Disneyland Paris.
With tens of thousands of passengers left stranded at either end of the Eurostar tunnel, yesterday’s cancellations unsurprisingly took a big toll on prospective Disney vacationers. Reports emerged of families calling off Make-A-Wish trips while social media was also flooded with complaints from those waiting to travel to or from the resort.
Fortunately, today brings good news as the Eurostar has resumed services.
Guests can once again travel from St Pancras International in London to Gare du Nord, before catching a TGV to Disneyland Paris. Eurostar also confirmed plans to run two extra trains, one that left London to Paris in the morning, and another traveling from Paris to London this afternoon.
This isn’t the first time Disneyland Paris has been disrupted by a bomb-related scare. In 2017, Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy was hit by a bomb scare that saw guests evacuated from the train station. The scare was sparked by a suspicious package, with bomb disposal teams rushed to the scene until the station reopened later that afternoon.
Upcoming Celebrations at Disneyland Paris
Eurostar disruption aside, Disneyland Paris marked the debut of its newest restaurant – La Forêt Secrète par Jean Imbert – yesterday at Disneyland Hotel. Led by Michelin-starred chef Jean Imbert, this offers a three-course discovery menu for €140 ($152) or a five-course tasting menu for €200 ($217), not including drinks.
The resort is also set to kick off the Disney Music Festival in April. This will see “Disney and Pixar Characters star in live concerts, dance shows and street gigs that celebrate the latest and greatest Disney hits” at Disneyland Park.
Meanwhile, Walt Disney Studios Park is in the process of adding its own version of World of Frozen (currently found at Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea), as well as Disney’s first theme park land inspired by The Lion King (1994).
Have you ever faced unexpected disruption on a Disney vacation?