Credit: Perry Tak, FlickrDisneyland Paris has undergone continuous evolution since its 1992 opening as Euro Disney, adapting to European market preferences while maintaining Disney’s signature themed entertainment standards and gradually expanding beyond its initial two-park configuration.
Walt Disney Studios Park, which opened in 2002 as the resort’s second gate, has long faced criticism for limited capacity, underwhelming theming compared to Disney’s other studio-themed parks, and a hodgepodge identity that never quite cohered into the compelling destination Disney intended when addressing European guests seeking experiences beyond the classic Disneyland-style Magic Kingdom.
The park’s struggles to establish distinctive identity and justify full-day visits have been well-documented, with many guests treating it as a half-day addition to Disneyland Park rather than a destination worthy of dedicated attention and multi-day tickets. However, Disney’s ambitious reimagining of the property represents the most significant transformation any existing Disney park has undergone, comparable in scope to the comprehensive overhauls that created Disney California Adventure 2.0 or the ongoing EPCOT evolution, though concentrated into a shorter timeline with more dramatic name changes and thematic repositioning.
The March 29, 2025 debut of Disney Adventure World, featuring the expansive World of Frozen land alongside comprehensive park-wide enhancements, park renaming, and promises of future major additions including The Lion King, signals Disney’s commitment to establishing Disneyland Paris as a legitimate multi-day European destination rather than a pleasant but limited alternative to American Disney parks.
Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris officially rebrands to Disney Adventure World on March 29, 2025, debuting a massive expansion headlined by the new World of Frozen land featuring multiple attractions, dining locations, and immersive theming inspired by the popular franchise.
The Park Transformation
Disney Adventure World represents comprehensive reimagining beyond simple name changes. The park will feature five distinct lands with enhanced entrance areas allowing guests to step onto red carpets leading to World Premiere Plaza, where Disney and Pixar stories come to life through shows, attractions, and character meet-and-greets.
The transformation addresses longstanding criticisms that Walt Disney Studios Park lacked cohesive theming and sufficient attractions to justify full-day visits. The new identity positions the park around adventure and immersive storytelling rather than the studio backlot concept that never quite resonated with European audiences the way Disney hoped when the park opened in 2002.
The rebrand coincides with substantial physical additions rather than mere cosmetic changes, with World of Frozen serving as the anchor for demonstrating Disney’s renewed commitment to the Disneyland Paris resort.
World of Frozen Details
The new land draws inspiration from the World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland, featuring vibrant atmospheres, multiple attractions, character experiences, and themed dining that transport guests into the Frozen universe.
Frozen Ever After, the boat ride attraction that exists in versions at Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, and EPCOT, anchors the land’s ride lineup. The Disneyland Paris version takes inspiration from established iterations while incorporating elements specific to the European park.
Character experiences include “Rencontre Royal” inside Arendelle Castle, where guests meet Anna and Elsa in elaborately themed spaces featuring family portraits and design elements pulled directly from the films, including recreations of famous artwork like Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s “The Swing.”
A roaming Olaf animatronic will interact with guests throughout the land, while a daytime show staged on Viking longships in Arendelle Bay provides entertainment beyond attractions and meet-and-greets.
Dining Expansion
World of Frozen introduces two substantial dining venues addressing Disneyland Paris’s need for increased food service capacity.
Nordic Crowns Tavern serves as the land’s quick-service option for lunch and dinner, featuring customizable dining inspired by Nordic cuisine. The menu offers 16 possible combinations starting with bases like mashed potatoes or quinoa, paired with proteins including grilled salmon or Nordic meatballs, seasonal vegetables, and sauces. Desserts include blue sorbet, vanilla ice cream with customizable toppings, snowflake treats, and traditional pastries.
Regal View Restaurant & Lounge provides table-service dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in refined atmospheres decorated with embroidered drapes, floral tapestries, and wood moldings. The restaurant features a Princess character dining experience with Belle, Merida, Jasmine, Aurora, Mulan, and Ariel appearing throughout meals.
The venue incorporates ornamental plates inspired by Disney Princesses, designed and handmade by Royal Delft, a renowned Dutch porcelain manufacturer. The entrance features a canopy with ironwork from 19th-century Alsace workshops, adding authentic European craftsmanship to the themed environment.
The attached lounge represents the first bar in either Disneyland Paris park, dedicated to animal companions of Disney Princesses including Heihei, Pascal, and Mushu. Guests can enjoy signature cocktails while viewing Adventure Bay and World of Frozen fireworks.
Adventure Way Additions
Beyond World of Frozen, Disney Adventure World introduces 14 new food and beverage locations along Adventure Way, the park’s main promenade.
La Terrasse Panoramique serves hearty bread bowls, New York rolls, and hot beverages. Café Luminosity features original hot dogs with four signature recipes paired with cinnamon rolls and other sweet treats. Mobile food carts offer filled brioche rolls, stuffed potato waffles, and desserts inspired by Disney Princesses.
The promenade also features themed gardens including Tangled Garden and Toy Story Garden, along with seasonal entertainment rotating throughout the year. Spring brings “Rapunzel and Flynn’s Musical Encounter,” summer features “Mary Poppins and the Pearly Band,” fall showcases “Miguel’s Latin Festival,” and character greetings begin in November.
Mickey and Minnie will meet guests in new Victorian-inspired costumes, with additional characters promised for future appearances.
New Attractions and Entertainment
Tangled Spin (Raiponce Tangled Spin) opens March 29 alongside World of Frozen, featuring boats identical to those in the film that whirl guests beneath floating lanterns while “I See the Light” plays. Mandy Moore returns as Rapunzel, voicing exclusive audio announcements for the attraction.
Disney Cascade of Lights provides a nighttime spectacular featuring water, light, and sound effects with hundreds of drones, pyrotechnics, and choreographed fountains in 360-degree presentations.
Future Expansion
Disney has confirmed plans for a Lion King-themed land and ride coming to Disney Adventure World, though opening timelines haven’t been announced. This represents continued expansion beyond the March 29 debut, suggesting Disney views the Adventure World transformation as an ongoing multi-year project rather than a single opening event.
The promised Lion King addition indicates Disney’s commitment to substantial continued investment in Disneyland Paris following the initial Adventure World launch.
What This Means for Visitors
The transformation from Walt Disney Studios Park to Disney Adventure World represents the most significant change for Disneyland Paris since the resort’s opening. Guests planning European Disney vacations should consider the March 29 date as marking a genuine new era for the resort rather than simple incremental additions.
The World of Frozen alone adds substantial capacity and experiences, while the comprehensive food and beverage expansion addresses longstanding concerns about limited dining options at the park. The addition of 14 new food locations plus two substantial World of Frozen restaurants dramatically improves guest options beyond what previously existed.
For guests who previously dismissed Walt Disney Studios Park as a half-day experience, Disney Adventure World’s expanded offerings may justify reconsideration and dedicated full-day visits, particularly once the promised Lion King land adds further capacity in future years.
If you’re planning a Disneyland Paris trip and you’ve been waiting for the resort to justify multi-day visits the way American Disney parks do, March 29 marks the date when that transformation genuinely begins, though whether the additions ultimately create experiences worthy of Disney’s Orlando or Anaheim properties remains to be seen once guests actually experience everything in person rather than just viewing concept art and promotional materials that always look more impressive than operational realities sometimes deliver.