WDS Sharedholders' Preview - 23 February 2002

CafeFantasia · February 10, 2009, 05:57:04 PM

Were any of you at the Shareholders' Preview Day of the Walt Disney Studios? It was on 23 February 2002, a rather cold and windy day.

There's a great article about it still online, on LaughingPlace.com. It's quite interesting to read the author's first impressions of the park. And it's interesting to see how much (or how little) the park has changed in 7 years! Yes, it was 7 years ago now. Crazy:

http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID505490.asp

Anthony · February 10, 2009, 08:06:24 PM

It was seeing some of these first photos from the park that made me sign up to the old DLP Guidebook forum and ultimately become a genuine, certified DLRP fan. Though looking back, I can't explain why.

There's an even "better" photo tour here actually: http://www.mouseplanet.com/paris/studio1.htm

Ouch.

Willow · February 10, 2009, 08:53:51 PM

Here are a few things I picked up on from the Mouse Planet Photos. (I can't remember any of the Studios in 2002, maybe my mind has made me forget it :lol: )

It looks so much better these days, the work with the new attractions in the last few years (and the coming years) have and will improve the park considerably. The park has a lot of potential.
The park has a lot of potential. I loved the detail of HTH, I never knew about that!

I feel that some of the comments by Mouse Planet were a bit too negative. Cinemagique and Flying Carpets for example.

pussinboots · February 10, 2009, 08:58:32 PM

Yes, ouch.

It was an embarrassing time for everyone. I wasn't at the preview, personally, having to make do with these two articles (and indeed DLP.info) but I was there with my family soon after with an amount of vicarious shame never before felt outside of Joe Biden's family.

Remember this?
http://www.dlp.info/History/Constructio ... Half01.htm

bigrossco · February 10, 2009, 10:26:13 PM

they have great pics of the construction and very interesting to see the building of RNRRC

Willow · February 10, 2009, 10:28:36 PM

I like the old Main Entrance sign:

Walt Disney Studios
.........Paris

bigrossco · February 10, 2009, 10:49:29 PM

just noticed that the now lmao

Just sad when you go to view pics of Disney Village Construction they wont load

CafeFantasia · February 11, 2009, 02:05:18 PM

Great links. In particular it was interesting to go back through the DLP.info construction photos of WDS. Somebody should upload those all to Flickr and tag them, so they're more accessible.

CafeFantasia · February 15, 2009, 05:42:30 PM

I'm sure I remember, the very same day that the "exclusive" Shareholders' Preview was on, I saw a sign in the Newport Bay Club basically saying that the Walt Disney Studios were open to regular hotel guests. Anyone else remember this?

If the park really was open to regular hotel guests on that day, then Disney kind of misled their Shareholders. A lot of us booked trips specifically because of the exclusivity of the event.