In 1992 Euro Disney Resort opened in Marne-la-Vallee, about a 45 minute train ride from the heart of Paris. The park now has two theme parks and seven hotels and an entertainment district called the Disney Village. Over the years I have seen the parks name change many times.
The parks name was changed in 1994 to Euro Disneyland Paris for a short period of time until, in October of that same year, it changed to Disneyland Paris.
The park still gives a nod the it’s previous names over the years and if you look carefully you can find these clues. I think imagineers may have thought nobody would notice the original name still being displayed at the park and with the park having financial issues over the years, until just recently, I am sure Disney decided to leave these Euro Disney reminders in place to avoid the cost of changing them.
The best place to find references to Euro Disney is the Disneyland Train Station. This is the first thing that greats you after you walk under the Disneyland Hotel and enter the park.
The Clock and the window at the Train Station still sport the Euro Disney logo
References in the Arcades set the stage for the time period of Main Street USA. The two arcades run behind the shops on Main Street USA and can be used to move crowds easily in and out of the park and also allow you to keep dry and shop on cold rainy days. Exhibits, signs, gas and Electric lights fill these two arcades.
Euro Disneyland Main Street Station Signage still exists to keep with the storyline
When you walk under the Main Street USA train station you will also notice insignias in the corners of the moldings that have the letters EDL RR – Euro Disneyland Railroad. These, along with the rest of the train station, have been left just like they were on opening day back in 1992.
Notice the EDL RR logo.
Now the question is do the locomotives themselves have any Euro Disneyland references on them? That is a good question and I have never looked. On my next trip out to Disneyland Paris I will be sure to take a look. If you travel to Disneyland Paris, Disneyland in California, or Walt Disney World in Orlando, it is always fun to look at these extra details and discover the story that imagineers are telling. So next time don’t run to Fantasyland or to Space Mountain, take your time and enjoy the details.
