Just found this (//http://www.youtube.com/user/PhineasEzraGus#p/u/2/l8AbNmZqW3Y) channel with a couple of beautiful videos from January 1996, the first time I have been to DLP. I especially love this little show that took place on the ice skating rink in front of Hotel New York. [youtube:1lahd7eq]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqrG7Gb7lvw[/youtube:1lahd7eq].
Ah, those were the days. I remember this show as a cute little bonus after a beautiful day in the park. One more detail that made the resort so magical in the early years. Me and my (back then) girlfriend just stopped at the rink for some Irish coffee (you could get one there back then) and watched the kids having fun on the rink when suddenly this show started. Great surprise. And take a look at the old parade, you can get a glimpse of the Central Plaza decoration which was really beautiful and classy. (Just a snowy landscape with an angel in snowglobe and various animals) And you can see the arches on Main Street...
Other things I remember from this visit that sadly no longer exist:
- the Saloon show
- the ability to visit the Labyrinth AFTER dusk, with gazillions of little lights glowing. Now THAT was romantic.
- A real high quality character breakfast at the Hotel New York (even though we stayed at Cheyenne)
- The festival of fairytales with the gingerbread house walkthrough (nothing special, but a nice plus) and Aurora's wedding ceremony in the castle front court. And loads of characters everywhwere.
- the Space exhibition in the tent that was to become Pizza Planet
- Beauty and the Beast at Videopolis
- the old "Good Morning Main Street U.S.A." parade
- Le Noel de Mickey
- the well maintained Astroport
- the Main Street Electrical Parade which I still prefer over Fantillusion.
And of course TImekeeper and Space Mountain: De la terre...
Just some random thoughts, there were so many little details back then that you never noticed until they were gone but they were part of the magic. Everytime I visit now I get this feeling that something is missing that I cannot quite put my finger on, but it somehow lacks the magic it used to have. And this isn't about discontinued or closed attractions, this is about all those things that made it possible to have a great day in the park without visiting one attraction.
Do you have any pictures of the Labyrinth after dusk with all the lights? What happened to those lights? Were they removed due to Disney's efforts to "plus" the attraction? :lol:
DLRP was indeed so much more magical back then, I wish I would have been there back then. Thanks for the video!
Quote from: "dagobert"Do you have any pictures of the Labyrinth after dusk with all the lights? What happened to those lights? Were they removed due to Disney's efforts to "plus" the attraction? :lol:
I had some as well as pictures from the gingerbread house, the wedding ceremony and the Central Plaza Diorama but I cannot find them. Could be that I lost them while moving or that my ex-girlfriend kept them. Don't know. I remember that most of the lights were in the tunnel when you entered the labyrinth.
Oh man, those were the days. And people wonder why I campaign to try to get Disney to restore the magic. It does not have to be the same stuff, just simply on the same scale would be nice. So many people discovered DLP later on, and are not sure what they are missing. I envy them. But at the same time, I wish a leader would come along who gets it, and sorts it out.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Oh man, those were the days. And people wonder why I campaign to try to get Disney to restore the magic. It does not have to be the same stuff, just simply on the same scale would be nice. So many people discovered DLP later on, and are not sure what they are missing. I envy them. But at the same time, I wish a leader would come along who gets it, and sorts it out.
This leader has to be like Michael Eisner and Frank Wells. Maybe it's time for Disney to restore a dual leadership like during the great time of Eisner and Wells. One is responsible for the creative stuff while the other one cares about the financial stuff. I had high hopes in Robert Iger after he fixed the problems with Pixar and brought John Lasseter to WDI.
I wholeheartedly agree with both of you but tbh, even back then you could sense the problems and the changes that were to come. We went there from Friday to Monday and realized that the parks were nearly deserted on the weekdays (and this was Christmas Season) and packed on the weekends, so we managed to do all of the rides on Friday and Monday and enjoyed the rest of the park on Saturday and Sunday. But we wondered back then how they could possibly survive with so few visitors on weekdays. It was clear that painful cuts had to be made. But still, the whole place just felt different back then. We had one hell of a time just wandering up and down on Main Street with green, red and golden ornaments and yellow lights as the predominating colors (not this tacky LED stuff they so love today). No burnt-out lightbulbs anywhere.
Sigh...
It's so sad that these wonderful Christmas lights arches over Main Street are gone. The current poles with the princesse's faces look terrible. Many will call me nitpicking, but they just don't belong to a turn of the century street. This messing with the themes annoys me a lot. It's really time for Disney to bring back a classy decoration without any toons. It's a themepark, not a toonpark.
The broken lightbulbs are not only a problem at Main Street, they are a problem in the whole resort. At WDW we haven't seen one broken lightbulb on Main Street. How much would it cost to change the broken bulbs at least once a week or two weeks.
Here's the lights at dusk and at night and not a dead bulb to be seen! I fear we may never see the like again, neither the will nor the money appears to be around these days!
(//http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx319/PeteHawke/daylight.jpg)
(//http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx319/PeteHawke/night-time.jpg)
I'd also like to point out the lights in the trees in Rockefeller Plaza. Has anyone seen the recent (and refurbished!) state of them? Such a simple thing, you wouldn't think it possible that anyone could mess that up.
Damn how fast time passed by, i remember all my visits to Disneyland Paris, 2 times 1992, 1993, 2 times 1994, 1995, 1996, 2times 1998, 1999, 2000 and then i had a break till 2003... and why you ask.. because the quality got down, and my parents didn´t wanted to visit again, so i had to wait til i had my driver license and go for myself.
there were so much little thing´s that made every visit special and magical. to bad not everyone had the chance to visit pre 2000´s.... The park was so clean, the food excelent, the cm very friendly and they tryed to make your vacation more magical. The Waterfall inside Big Thunder Mountain, the geysers, lava rocks in discoveryland, electrical parade, different merchandise in every land, walkaround charakters everywhere, the sparkling lights in the trees at the castle, the lights in the trees by the hotels, fantasia in the sky fireworks, all the great shows, and many more...
to bad no one cares about this stuff anymore.. i know its a bussines who needs to make money, and when things don´t work out like it should be things needs to be cut. but common all this nice and little effects, they cannot cost that much to fix and run. all the money they spending on things that aren´t needet, could stop and they should invest in all this effects and nice little touches that made this park so special and differen to every other themepark...
i wished i still had the video from 1992, but as lucky i am a few pics i have still somewere around...
Yep, agreed. Instead of Toy Story Playland or these stupid marketing campaign with a newly painted toon train, I think visitors who missed out on the early stuff would have been amazed with what DLP would be like. There is one poster who continually asserts DLP is better today now that it is bigger, than back in the 90's. They are entitled to their opinion, but I totally disagree. Back then it was quality, and to be honest there is not much quantity extra except WDSP (which I would trade for the quality in a heartbeat, and i like the Studios).
But yes, real entertainment everywhere, merchandise that was entertainment in itself to look at, greater diversity of choice in the restaurants, real fireworks, working effects. It made DLP very special. Now, although still better than the competition in many ways, it is a shadow of it's former self, and most of the stuff we enjoy have been there since day 1.
I think we could fill pages about the bad quality of DLRP today. I wish I had experienced DLP during the 90s. Unfortunately we live in a society that cares more about quantity than quality. Most people aren't willing to spend money on quality stuff. For me the best example is the food. Otherwise I can't explain why fast food is so popular. And the same is happening at Disney. As long as it says Disney on a cheap merchandise product or on an attraction there are people out there who are happy. Maybe they are even happy with a bare steel structure with a printed Disney character on it. That's how it is done at our local fair.
It doesn't cost a lot of money to keep the park maintained. Why is it so hard for DLRP, for example, to avoid overloading dustbins? Why is it so hard to keep the parks clean? Why is it so hard to keep effects working? Why is it so hard not to change broken lightbulbs? Now everyone is going to say, because of the bad financial situation of ED SCA. But there was money for bad themed years. There was money for overprozed bad new attractions. There was money for an iceskating rink that no one needs during summer. There was money for a stage on Central Plaza, while there are so many in the whole resort that aren't used. And there was money for fixing the queue of TSPL, because it can get slippery. DLRP was built nearly 20 years ago and WDI still doesn't know that there can be snow in Paris. Well done!!! I can go on like this.
QuoteIt doesn't cost a lot of money to keep the park maintained. Why is it so hard for DLRP, for example, to avoid overloading dustbins? Why is it so hard to keep the parks clean? Why is it so hard to keep effects working? Why is it so hard not to change broken lightbulbs? Now everyone is going to say, because of the bad financial situation of ED SCA. But there was money for bad themed years. There was money for overprozed bad new attractions. There was money for an iceskating rink that no one needs during summer. There was money for a stage on Central Plaza, while there are so many in the whole resort that aren't used. And there was money for fixing the queue of TSPL, because it can get slippery. DLRP was built nearly 20 years ago and WDI still doesn't know that there can be snow in Paris. Well done!!! I can go on like this.
hmmm now you hit the nail on the head, but wait someone will say something against it. but i argee with you,
they have money to fix a lot of things in the parks, but they don´t care about it, they love to spend money on
stuff that isn´t needet. It dosen´t mean because its disney it is good. this time is over you can say this.
The problem is we can´t just complain about disney, we also have to complain about the visitors.
If i think back, i remember of entering the park, welcomed by a very friendly CM, who is asking where you from
and then speaks with you in your language, gives you a park map personaly and tell you when the parade or fireworks starts, then the CM wishes you a magical day. I miss those days at disney...
But also i have to say, it´s disneys own fault. first stoping the europe wide advertisment, then the problem with the language, in my opinion its realy bad that to much is in french. Kids from spain, germany, austria, ect. don´t understand anything, thats not okay. A lot of friends or people from my work wanna go to DLP, they ask me everytime if its now more english so they can understand everything, i always have to dissapoint them. The Rides should be all in English, thats just fair, the speaking in the shows also should be in english and the music in every other language. I don´t know anyone who learns french just because they go to DLP. i know maybe am the only one who thinks like this, but i also know that
my thinking is not wrong.
Just how much would it cost to repair special effects like this?
(//http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx319/PeteHawke/BigThunder.jpg)
I gave up on DLP. I am a huge disney fan, but every year i get more and more dissapointed with DLP. They just chosed to go a wrong way and although every year i am hoping it is not happening and i do not want to think about that anymore. Disneyland was always about being in a diferent world and seeing faraway lands, adventure, seeing spectacular shows which only "Disney can do". Well it is not happening in Paris. What they do here is maybe ok for small kids with parents who are gonna be happy about meet and greets. Since 90s they didnt do or build anything spectacular, neither they are planning in near future. Ok WDS with tower of terror, well it is a still failure... i am not wow about it, one small hollywood street with peeling poster walls and one great ride is not gonna make for a park disney should be ashamed of.
I love Disney but next time i am rather going to WDW, which can afford to put on a show. I am sorry for Paris i know it is not completely their fault - debts - but too bad, i rather spend my money somewhere else.
I've just seen that the Good Morning Main Street USA parade has been added to the above mentioned channel. Man, a small and sweet parade that was more magical and classy than any stupid painted train. What a perfect way to start a day in the park. And this parade cannot have cost a fortune with ca. 15 performers. What a shame.
But I have to admit, things have improved under the management of Holtz and Gas, if only they would prevent the entertainment department from creating ANY decorations in the future and spend the money on restoring the lost effects.
And don't forget, things started to go downhill in 1997, with Pizza Planet, the Pocahontas playground, the castle makeover and the brilliant idea that every castmember everywhere (including Phantom Manor) had to wear a stupid Jester's hat.
But the future direction seems to be quite clear. Anyone remember the guest survey in the hotels, if guests would like more "disneyfied" hotels/hotel rooms? Well, regarding the changes at Sequoia Lodge, Santa Fe and Manhattan Restaurant, we can all make an educated guess how this one turned out...
I think this whole "They have no money to keep the standads up"-thinking is totally wrong. I remember well that they made profit after the opening of space mountain till the opening of WDS.
I work in a marketing/advertising department and we also have some recreational facilities on our plan. The first thing for us is always to make sure that you won´t be disapointed by visiting our places because the advertising was that great. Quality should always be the first thing.
Over the last years DLP rised the prices for hotels and everything year by year. In the same way they seem to have less money for operational things. They took their money to make things come true that haven´t to do much with magic or a deeper feeling for emotions (Dagobert mentioned the points: a stage on central plaza, an on and on of things that were good for a year but not for five (Characters Express, 15. deco on castle and main street....). Just cause you scream loud out "THAT´S PURE DISNEY MAGIC!" it won´t be magical (meanwhile, I hate the sentences "as only disney can create..." it´s so tacky now). Disney magic is a feeling. Not a claim.
Disney magic is the feeling that you get if you have a nice diner at rockefeller plaza with sparkling lights and live music all around you. Disney magic is the feeling of eating a wonderfull skull liquorice lollipop in scull design (which is so tastefull because you can only get it at the POTC shop) while you are searching for a way through the jungle of adventureland (with african tam tam sound in the distance). Disney magic is sitting on a sunny day on main street - watching the people that see the park the first time in its life while eating a freshly baked cookie. Disney magic is that you can´t choice because of tooooo much choices (A lopster at NPBC? A nice diner at walt´s?). Diney magic is to stroll true a real adventure bazar with real craftsmans around you that make wonderful high class merchandise and eating one of this wonderful oriantal sweets that you could bought there for a while. Disney magic is to take a journey to the moon, endor and under the sea in one day, while you realize about great inventors of the world. Disney magic is the feeling that you get when you leaving the Autoroute 4 and seeing flowers, nice plantings and a magical place from beginning (nowadays flowers don´t seem there anymore). Disney magic is a feeling of beeing home in wonderful lands of imagination.
So the question is: Wouldn´t it be much more cost-effective and economic to create disney magic then just to scream out what disney magic should be? They´ve done this in the years between 1995 and 2001 - and that wasn´t a bad time on the financial side. What should we do with all this loud and tacky things that seems to base on a marketing claim without any content? New generation, Magical Moments, Mickey magical party.....They also had themed years in the past. But that were years of other tunes. There was no neat to make a tacky stage appear on central plaza.
So DLP come back to the roots: If you deliver quality and real magical feeling you will have guests that spent more money by choice (good merchandising and good food) and not because they rise the prices again. And you will have more money for everything. But that means also that they hardly have to fix the studios and refurb also the other parts of the resort that aren´t in the parks (For the parks it seems to get better with the refurbs of castle, ships and facades.).
Quote from: "Filip"I love Disney but next time i am rather going to WDW, which can afford to put on a show. I am sorry for Paris i know it is not completely their fault - debts - but too bad, i rather spend my money somewhere else.
Do not go to WDW, in some ways (many) it is worse than DLP. Go to California or Tokyo instead. We went to WDW and stayed in Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2007, it was one of the most disappointing Disney trips as they were shoving toons everywhere and the quality was worse than DLP in so many ways (maitnenance of AAs). We went to DLP that year and DLP was much better (though we still had the Tarzan and Lion King shows). We then went to Disneyland in California the following year and had the best time of all, where still dumbed down compared to my childhood, they put on the best show of all. do not kid yourself, WDW might be huge, but most of the great stuff there was built over 10 years ago and the MK sucks compared to DLP.
@Reibi =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> :thumbs: :ears: You totally get it. You understand what I used to love about Disney and why it is getting to the point where I try to pursuade my family we need to go somewhere else now. Heck, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen inspired Walt, and it now feels more like DL than DLP does.
Very well written, Riebi. You put that into words what I wanted to say with all my posts. I just couldn't discribe the so called Disney feeling. If I want to ride some attractions, I can go to any amusement park, but I go to Disney to be transported to other worlds.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Quote from: "Filip"I love Disney but next time i am rather going to WDW, which can afford to put on a show. I am sorry for Paris i know it is not completely their fault - debts - but too bad, i rather spend my money somewhere else.
Do not go to WDW, in some ways (many) it is worse than DLP. Go to California or Tokyo instead. We went to WDW and stayed in Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2007, it was one of the most disappointing Disney trips as they were shoving toons everywhere and the quality was worse than DLP in so many ways (maitnenance of AAs). We went to DLP that year and DLP was much better (though we still had the Tarzan and Lion King shows). We then went to Disneyland in California the following year and had the best time of all, where still dumbed down compared to my childhood, they put on the best show of all. do not kid yourself, WDW might be huge, but most of the great stuff there was built over 10 years ago and the MK sucks compared to DLP.
I have to admit we loved WDW, but not the MK. That park is very disappointing compared to DLP. Unfortunately WDW struggels as well to maintain their parks properly, but you get an overall better experience in terms of hotels, food and CMs. I haven't been to DL in Anaheim, but I can't wait for next year, because we plan to visit Walt's park.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Quote from: "Filip"I love Disney but next time i am rather going to WDW, which can afford to put on a show. I am sorry for Paris i know it is not completely their fault - debts - but too bad, i rather spend my money somewhere else.
Do not go to WDW, in some ways (many) it is worse than DLP. Go to California or Tokyo instead. We went to WDW and stayed in Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2007, it was one of the most disappointing Disney trips as they were shoving toons everywhere and the quality was worse than DLP in so many ways (maitnenance of AAs). We went to DLP that year and DLP was much better (though we still had the Tarzan and Lion King shows). We then went to Disneyland in California the following year and had the best time of all, where still dumbed down compared to my childhood, they put on the best show of all. do not kid yourself, WDW might be huge, but most of the great stuff there was built over 10 years ago and the MK sucks compared to DLP.
I agree totally with this , we returned to WDW in Feb 2010 after a 10 year break , and we had been a lot before , every year and sometimes twice in a year , so we knew the parks very well . We were so shocked on our return visit the MK looked awful , so cramped and a bit dated , DLP it simply way ahead in terms of the layout and design . It was only because we had been away so long we really appreciated the differences , the customer service was lacking and the general maintenance was definitely not what it used to be ! TBH we thought the MK was quite tacky and false looking in comparison ,the railroad is so pathetic compared to Paris , I think people assume that Florida will be so much better than Paris but in reality it is not as pleasing on the eye at all . It does have lots of other parks of course , although after ten years there was very little change to things like shows etc , you think the scripts to some of attractions would be altered a bit , but word for word the CMs were saying what they did a decade ago . Last visit we just missed out on the change to Dinoland , my god it was the most depressing sight of the whole trip , how on earth they got this thing approved to be built in a Disney park is beyond me !!! I was going to do a trip report but was too depressed after the trip to bother !
Overall , and I could go on and on , it really made me appreciate how beautifully themed and pleasant Disneyland Paris is !!
Quote from: "Timbo"I was going to do a trip report but was too depressed after the trip to bother !
Overall , and I could go on and on , it really made me appreciate how beautifully themed and pleasant Disneyland Paris is !!
I am so glad to read this. THis web site is not the only one where posters get angry with me, on the American boards people talk about how wonderful WDW is, but they have very little points of comparison. DLP is still in much better state (except the pirate ship) than much at WDW. But DL for me is the crown jewel, and I desperately want to make it to Tokyo as many say that while TDL is the ugliest, the shows and cast are amazing, and TDS does look amazing.
Quote from: "Timbo"I agree totally with this , we returned to WDW in Feb 2010 after a 10 year break , and we had been a lot before , every year and sometimes twice in a year , so we knew the parks very well . We were so shocked on our return visit the MK looked awful , so cramped and a bit dated , DLP it simply way ahead in terms of the layout and design . It was only because we had been away so long we really appreciated the differences , the customer service was lacking and the general maintenance was definitely not what it used to be ! TBH we thought the MK was quite tacky and false looking in comparison ,the railroad is so pathetic compared to Paris , I think people assume that Florida will be so much better than Paris but in reality it is not as pleasing on the eye at all . It does have lots of other parks of course , although after ten years there was very little change to things like shows etc , you think the scripts to some of attractions would be altered a bit , but word for word the CMs were saying what they did a decade ago . Last visit we just missed out on the change to Dinoland , my god it was the most depressing sight of the whole trip , how on earth they got this thing approved to be built in a Disney park is beyond me !!! I was going to do a trip report but was too depressed after the trip to bother !
Overall , and I could go on and on , it really made me appreciate how beautifully themed and pleasant Disneyland Paris is !!
I'm sure most people here knoe that I don't like TSPL, but compared to Dinoland, especially Hester and Chester's Dinorama, TSPL looks really nice. Dinoland is the worst thing I have ever seen in a Disney park. It's really a shame that those tacky carnival rides were built in such a lovely park. At least Dinosaur is a great ride in that area. It's really a shame for Disney that attractions like TSPL and Chester and Hester's Dinorama got built.
I don't get it why so many people think that Florida is so much better than Paris. I have already mentioned that we we enjoyed our stay there a lot, just because the hotel was nicer, the vegetarian food options are A LOT better than at DLRP and we really liked DAK and EPCOT. But it is the MK that represents Disney and it is the worst park in Florida. The park is dated, except Haunted Mansion, and it is far behind Disneyland Paris. Even WDS is in many aspects better than DHS. I have to admit that I liked that park, because I think it is nicely themed, but the attractions in Paris are better, more modern. Disney just has to fix Production Courtyard and improve the STT and WDS would be a lovely park.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"I am so glad to read this. THis web site is not the only one where posters get angry with me, on the American boards people talk about how wonderful WDW is, but they have very little points of comparison. DLP is still in much better state (except the pirate ship) than much at WDW. But DL for me is the crown jewel, and I desperately want to make it to Tokyo as many say that while TDL is the ugliest, the shows and cast are amazing, and TDS does look amazing.
I just purchased a book about TDR and now we want to go there as well. Judging from pictures I have seen TDL doesn't look that great, but TDS is just amazing. Jack Spence from Allearsnet.com did wonderful blogs about TDR, HKDL and DLRP. And there is tdrfan.com to get jealous about TDR.
Great to read your feedback , davewasbaloo I just knew you would agree with what I said , glad I am not the only one who is not in awe of WDW , though once I was ! I really love AK for its immersive theming and some of the rides , and DS because I like the way it is laid out and the architecture , except of course for the disgusting sorcerer Mickey hat that blocks one of the best views in any theme park , and doesn't really serve much purpose either !
As you both said a trip to Tokyo would be amazing , especially TDS , have to see if we can get a group booking rate !! LOL
So back to DLP instead of how worse other resorts might be? ;)
I find it a pity those little touches disappear and are replaced with recycled entertainment. Quality pays itself.
I found a may 1993 video including the Main Street Electrical Parade (presenté par Philips), Belle et la Bête and live country music in Billy Bobs. If anyone is interessted I will upload and post it? :)
yaay^^ post it, right now please :-D
I will do my utterly best to post it asap. I first have to edit it and upload it on youtube. It appears to be over 1,5 hrs of footages. :shock: :)
Quote from: "*TIMMIE*"I will do my utterly best to post it asap. I first have to edit it and upload it on youtube. It appears to be over 1,5 hrs of footages. :shock: :)
Thanks for your efforts. I can't wait to see it.
Oh wow, I look forward to seeing it, especially seeing the Moody Brothers again at Billy Bob's
Here's another proof how wonderful the resort was during the 90ies! Designing disney has posted a new article about the lost treasures of the resort:
http://www.designingdisney.com/2011/04/ ... rland.html (http://www.designingdisney.com/2011/04/lost-treasures-frontierland.html%22%20onclick=%22window.open(this.href);return%20false;)
It's really a shame that the Woodcarver's Workshop had to close! I really wish that I would have experienced the resort back then.
They did forget to mention the other Frontierland Treasures such as the Indian Pueblo Trading Post with basket weaving and jewelry making; the Lucky Nugget Revue and of course the shootouts on the roofs of Frontierland.
Disneyland Paris is still the most popular tourist attraction in Europe, it can't be for nothing even if the wood carvers shop has gone. More people go to DLP now and stay in the hotels than they did in the 90's. Just to put a positive spin on things.
DLP is good, yes, but is it the best themed resort in Europe? I am not sure if I am of that opinion anymore.What they built originally, yes, but not much designed since 2000 that has been (remember TOT was designed before that) And the marketing machine of Disney is huge.
and the others are catching up - Europa Park and Phantasialand both offer far more highly themed and entertaining hotels than DLP.
You liked WDS when that first opened in 2002. But not so much now i know. I'll see how Europa Park does when thay open their second park? Surely DLP is the best Disney themed resort In Europe, infact it's the only Disney themed resort in Europe, if I want Disney characters and Disney magic where else would I go, not Europa park. And I think the Disney hotels are wonderfully themed. The Disney brand it strong, and there's a good reason for that. If I want a different themed resort I could go to Alton Towers or Chessington. I also notice Europa Park is closed for about four months of the year, including Christmas Eve and Christmas day.I think this must make a big difference to the working of the resort. DLP is open every day of the year for people to enjoy, including Christmas Eve and Christmas day.