World of Disney in Disney Village (Now Open)

pussinboots · April 29, 2012, 01:29:08 PM

I don't think it has, thanks!

Note the gate between the store and the IMAX entrance. I'm really not sure what the big idea is there. Why not place it on the other side of the IMAX? This doesn't seem like it will greatly improve business for them...

pussinboots · April 30, 2012, 11:55:00 PM

Also, I wonder if the master plan for Disney Village includes names (or for that matter, plans) for the different areas that are to come into existence. The street that is now home to the IMAX, the Vinci parking structure and the southern entrances of the World of Disney is technically a part of the Avenue Paul Séramy, I suppose, but the "main street" is nameless as far as I know. I have a feeling they might one day be renamed as "Magic Boulevard" and "Fantasy Street" or something similar.

And what makes these two areas different from each other in 2030? Is the old street the entertainment area while the new street has a more relaxed, or mall-like atmosphere? I'm very curious to see how this develops.

Anthony · May 03, 2012, 09:35:52 PM

Quote from: "pussinboots"I have a feeling they might one day be renamed as "Magic Boulevard" and "Fantasy Street" or something similar.

Not Baxter Boulevard or Eisner Avenue?

I can't quite picture how it's going to work yet either, as the two areas will surely be so wildly different in their design. There's also the rumour that they're going to have a single security check so you can go freely between Disney Village the parks, with Disney finally assuming control of the central area. I can't quite see yet how you'd fit a security check outside the station, or block off the route across the hub like that. As fun as it is to step out of the train station and be immediately at Disneyland, with the benefit of hindsight they really should have built it just a 20-30 metres or so further back. It encroaches far too much on the central space.

The big "Disney Village" archway itself will begin to look more and more out of place whatever happens, surely that won't be with us for much longer. They might be better off with something smaller or more free-standing, now that the Village won't have such a definite entrance: (not this specifically)

Josh · May 03, 2012, 11:13:28 PM

Does anyone think that the red and silver striped look is getting at bit tired, now, as well? Ever since they got rid of the Village's charm and replaced it with those balloon things, I've felt as though its current aesthetic doesn't work any more. Plus, each restaurant has it's own façade, anyway. I think it'd be quite good if the Village matched the style of the WoDS. But that's easier said than done...

pussinboots · May 03, 2012, 11:34:56 PM

Quote from: "Anthony"Not Baxter Boulevard or Eisner Avenue?

I can't quite picture how it's going to work yet either, as the two areas will surely be so wildly different in their design. There's also the rumour that they're going to have a single security check so you can go freely between Disney Village the parks, with Disney finally assuming control of the central area. I can't quite see yet how you'd fit a security check outside the station, or block off the route across the hub like that. As fun as it is to step out of the train station and be immediately at Disneyland, with the benefit of hindsight they really should have built it just a 20-30 metres or so further back. It encroaches far too much on the central space.

The big "Disney Village" archway itself will begin to look more and more out of place whatever happens, surely that won't be with us for much longer. They might be better off with something smaller or more free-standing, now that the Village won't have such a definite entrance: (not this specifically)

Well, I was trying to think of the names we'd get, not the names we'd like, haha.

I see your point about the station, although I have a hard time minding it as a carless person. Surely the presence of a TGV hub and a station on Paris' main artery makes Disneyland Paris the most luxuriously connected leisure destination in all the world, and I am grateful for it each time. No one I explain this to can quite believe their ears when they hear TGVs and Eurostar trains actually call inside the resort. The design of it, though, leaves something to be desired, particularly the RER part that does really encroach too far onto Fantasia Gardens, and yes, it would be awkward to squeeze the security checks in between it and the esplanade. I see a stretch of iron gates from the Fantasia Gardens all the way to the Disney Village archway... The Disneyfied, vendor-less esplanade had better be worth this intrusion.

Anyone remember when you could actually take a shortcut from the RER station to the Disneyland Park? The "Welcome" archway still stands. Such innocent times...

By the way, for anyone who wants to get lost in Disney Village/esplanade/hotel expansion plans and hasn't seen this map yet: (Scroll down)
http://www.disneygazette.fr/projet-hote ... s-496.html
It's a few years old by now, but it doesn't seem to have gotten much circulation on the web.

pussinboots · May 04, 2012, 12:07:16 AM

Quote from: "Josh"Does anyone think that the red and silver striped look is getting at bit tired, now, as well? Ever since they got rid of the Village's charm and replaced it with those balloon things, I've felt as though its current aesthetic doesn't work any more. Plus, each restaurant has it's own façade, anyway. I think it'd be quite good if the Village matched the style of the WoDS. But that's easier said than done...

I think everyone feels that way, and that deco style seems to be the direction in which we're headed, judging by the Earl of Sandwich. The big question is what's going to happen to the Disney Store side in the next few years.

Anthony · May 04, 2012, 12:22:23 AM

Quote from: "pussinboots"By the way, for anyone who wants to get lost in Disney Village/esplanade/hotel expansion plans and hasn't seen this map yet: (Scroll down)
http://www.disneygazette.fr/projet-hote ... s-496.html
It's a few years old by now, but it doesn't seem to have gotten much circulation on the web.

In fact you can see something which looks like a perimeter fence on that plan (thin red line), wrapping around the train station and creating a small corridor in front of World of Disney through to the hotels. The other gate from that new concept art, at the edge of World of Disney but before the IMAX/NEX Arcade can also be faintly seen.

Seems like a rather inelegant solution around the station, looking at it like this anyway. In an ideal world they should really think about removing the square glass RER intrusion into the hub, which is a real waste of space and often a frustrating barrier across the front of the station.

Quote from: "pussinboots"Anyone remember when you could actually take a shortcut from the RER station to the Disneyland Park? The "Welcome" archway still stands. Such innocent times...

They do still use that on busy mornings (often for Extra Magic Hours, I think?), with security of course.

paterdave2 · May 06, 2012, 12:22:52 AM

Quote from: "pussinboots"Anyone remember when you could actually take a shortcut from the RER station to the Disneyland Park? The "Welcome" archway still stands. Such innocent times...

Were would we be able to find this litle secret?

Josh · May 07, 2012, 11:10:48 PM

The 20th Anniversary book has an interesting comment about the WoDS: The Disney Village Art Director (it has an art director!!!

) says, "[It's] part of our vision for the future of the Disney Village. We have plenty of great ideas and plans for this unique place, but it's too early to tell you any more about that!"

So it looks like we can expect future stores to have this kind of style!

Anthony · May 08, 2012, 12:00:07 AM

The interior concept art in the book (which I think was also published in a smaller size in a Backstage magazine last year) also shows that the installation currently going into the atrium is for the hot air balloon, which will float above the space surrounded by the stars. Having the underside of the globe there instead would have been nice, but perhaps it just wouldn't have worked logistically or looked right.

I'm also very excited about the future of Disney Village, it seems to finally found a good direction (now, what to do about the old one...).

Anthony · May 21, 2012, 06:48:22 PM

Opening date confirmed: 12th July 2012 http://www.dlrptoday.com/2012/05/21/wor ... s-release/

And here's that final concept art:

The Mickey and Minnie statues have actually come all the way from New York:

Photo: cre8or (Flickr)

Donald-Duck-Malta · May 22, 2012, 11:51:11 PM

The first logo for WORLD OF DISNEY STORE installed!

Looking good so far! :thumbs:
Photo source: via InsideDLParis

DedicatedToDLP(Steve) · May 25, 2012, 01:06:00 PM

Photo from the official DLP twitter account of the inside, and it looks fantastic:

The illuminated film scenes looks great and the décor looks very classy. Great job DLP, can't wait to see more.

Anthony · May 25, 2012, 06:35:27 PM

So to answer those who didn't understand earlier: yes, this really is worth getting excited about.

It's not "just a shop", it's pretty much the first piece of new Disney architecture outside the parks since 1992, not counting add-ons like the Newport Bay Club convention centre. This makes looking at pictures of the equally beautiful Carthay Circle Theater that much more bearable.

ed-uk · May 25, 2012, 07:14:00 PM

Yes, it does look beautiful and I'm looking forward to going inside. DLP is moving even further away from Frank Gehry's original design for Festival Disney (as it has been for sometime of course ) which I found rather cold and industrial looking, with no festival atmosphere. The World of Disney Store looks much grander. I just hope the complaints don't come fooding in when fans see the merchandise, like "it's the same old stuff we can buy in the parks."