Credit: DisneyHundreds of Disney vacations are in peril after authorities warned guests not to travel.
The past few years have been tough on some Disney theme parks. Since COVID-19, Walt Disney World Resort has experienced a notable drop in attendance, with the parks left surprisingly empty during once-packed peak periods such as Fourth of July and Memorial Day Weekend.
There are plenty of theories as to why this is happening. Some believe that it’s due to soaring prices, with peak season tickets for Magic Kingdom reaching a staggering $184. Meanwhile, its “budget-friendly” hotels, known as Value Resorts, such as All-Star Music, Movies, or Sports, now cost nearly $200 a night, despite the nightly cost once being about $85.
Free perks, such as FastPass, have now also been monetized, while the likes of the Disney Magical Express – which once took guests from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to their Disney hotel – have been axed completely.
At the same time, however, price increases have occurred at all Disney theme parks in recent years – but not all of them share in Walt Disney World Resort’s fate.
Disneyland Paris, for example, had a turnover of $2.6 billion in 2023. The resort’s two theme parks – Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park – and hotels raked in profits of $174 million, marking a record-high for the French location.
What makes this particularly significant is that Disneyland Paris has historically faced its fair share of challenges. When it first opened as Euro Disney Resort in 1992, it encountered substantial resistance from local residents. Despite being arguably Disney’s most stunning and intricately designed castle park, it was on the brink of bankruptcy within just a few years of its launch.
The situation worsened when its contractually obligated second gate, Walt Disney Studios Park, opened in 2002 and rapidly gained the unwanted rep of Disney’s worst theme park. – something Disney is still trying to fix 22 years later.
It added Avengers Campus in 2022, while the next few years will see the addition of World of Frozen, a Tangled (2010) ride, and a new lake area to boast nighttime spectaculars, plus a brand-new entrance fit for the park’s new identity: Disney Adventure World.
Disneyland Park itself may still be woefully neglected (it hasn’t added a new attraction since Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast in 2006), but visitors are still showing up (and spending big) for Disney’s European resort.
This week, however, the resort may be seeing far fewer guests than usual.
On Thursday night and early Friday morning, the French rail network was the target of arson attacks and mass vandalism. According to French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, vandals targeted the main routes towards Paris ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Trackside signal boxes were set on fire, and cables on the lines were also cut.
France’s high-speed rail lines were the major target, with fires set along three lines. A fourth fire on another line was stopped.
Attal claimed that “hundreds of thousands” of people would be stranded while attempting to visit Paris for the Olympics or regular vacations, such as Disneyland Paris.
The attacks have massively impacted the Eurostar, which transports guests from the UK to Paris and is often favored by Disneyland Paris guests, and has been forced to dramatically slash its services. The rail operator – which axed its direct service between London and Disneyland Paris in 2023 – has said that one in four of its trains will not run this weekend.
Four trains between London and Paris have been canceled today (July 27). A notice on the Eurostar website reads: “Due to the major network incident in France today, your train is canceled.” This has led the Eurostar to urge travelers to postpone their journeys if possible.
On X (formerly known as Twitter), multiple guests have shared their current struggle to get to or from Disneyland Paris.
“Well, those French vandals picked a cracking day,” wrote @BorisBedd. “Due to get train back to England today from Disneyland Paris. Train to Lille currently cancelled, so hiring a car. Hopefully there’s still a Eurostar train when we get to Lille.”
Meanwhile, @topphotography1 complained about the lack of support for those trying to get from A to B. “Where were the coaches to transfer Disney land passengers to Lille for their Eurostar???” they wrote. “Now €1358 down and had to book flights tomorrow. Staff knew nothing, no help at all, abandoned!!! Disgraceful!”
The good news is that the damage is said to be repaired by the end of the weekend. Railway police teams, drones, and maintenance workers have also been dispatched to monitor the rail network. Fingers crossed that Disney vacations are back to normal ASAP.
Have you been impacted by the Eurostar cancelations?