As 2024 draws to a close, we’re looking back at some of the big events that took place at Disneyland Paris this year – and what it might mean for your future trip planning. Who’s ready to look back with us?

Electrical Sky Parade launches

Way back in at the beginning of January 2024, the Electrical Sky Parade debuted! This show featured hundreds of drones and paid tribute to the classic Main Street Electrical Parade, the night-time parade that has visited many Disney parks around the world.

When the show launched it used drones in new ways for Disney, including having attached fireworks and smoke effects! The show has been a big hit and even won awards – its only downside (which it shares with all drone shows) is that it can often be impacted by bad weather. We were at Disneyland Paris for 5 nights in February 2024, and the show didn’t run any of them!

As you can imagine, the show is extremely popular and acts as a sort of pre-show to the nightly spectacular, Disney Illuminations. However when it comes to future trip planning, to see this show you need to act quickly as it runs for the last time on 9th January! But this doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on drones completely, because from 10th January they’ll be an integral part of the new night-time spectacular!

Disneyland Hotel reopens

Also back in January 2024, the Disneyland Hotel reopened after a long refurbishment. The hotel took on a new princess theme (before it was sort of Fantasia themed) and introduced a new level of luxury to the Disney hotel scene.

With the reopened hotel came two new dining experiences – the Royal Banquet, a buffet featuring Mickey and friends in suitably royal attire, and La Table de Lumiere is a character meal with princesses and princes greeting guests. Also opening was My Royal Dream, where little ones can be robed in their best princess attire, and have their hair and makeup done too! (Adults can also have hair and makeup by the way, but can’t buy a dress there sadly. Boo.)

The reopening of the Disneyland Hotel gives another option for those looking to stay on site at Disneyland Paris to look into – so it might be worth considering for your next trip. A word of warning though, this is a luxury experience with a luxury price tag to match! So be prepared to dig deep to stay here.

Even if you’re not staying there though, guests at any of the Disney hotels can book the meals and the My Royal Dream experience, and anyone can now walk in to admire the stunning new lobby and more!

A Million Splashes of Colour hits Disneyland park

In February, A Million Splashes of Colour debuted in Disneyland park. This mini parade and show all in one featured several floats dedicated to Disney animation, which travelled up Main Street and then stopped at the Castle for a dance break before travelling back again, all to incredibly catchy music!

Alongside the show, Main Street USA also receive new colourful decorations. The show was extremely popular and well-received.

Sadly this was a seasonal offering and closed in September – but for future planning, Disneyland Paris often offers seasonal events like this in the periods between Christmas and the following Halloween. In 2025 it will be Disney’s Music Festival! (Look back at our ‘What’s happening in 2025‘ blog to learn more!)

Walt Disney Studios Park is out, and Disney Adventure World is in!

On the resort’s birthday on 12th April it was announced that the current Walt Disney Studios park would be receiving a new identity – it will be renamed Disney Adventure World once the new World of Frozen opens in 2026!

The idea behind the new name is that the recent and soon-to-be updates at the park is moving the Studios well, away from being a Studios! While there will still be a Studio aspect to the park at the entrance, once in the main park they aim to immerse the guests in new immersive worlds and experiences. Hence Disney Adventure World!

I get where they’re going with the name, but I still think I’ll be calling this park ‘the Studios’ for years to come out of sheer habit!

Big changes in the Studios

Aside from an impending name change, the (currently!) Walt Disney Studios park had some other big changes this year. One was the opening of a new show Alice and the Queen of Hearts: Back to Wonderland.

The new show features musical numbers and BMX tricks and stunts, and is held in the old Light, Motors, Action amphitheatre at the back of the park. (Still miss that show but oh well!) As the name suggests the performance focuses around Alice in Wonderland, with Alice and the Queen of Hearts have a sing-off! (Is that a word?! No idea). Because of the nature of the stunts this show went on a lengthy hiatus over the winter, but is due back next spring – so worth factoring into your plans if you’re visiting Disneyland Paris in spring, summer or early autumn. The amphitheatre is huge but the shows are popular so try to get there at least 30 minutes before showtime to snag a seat!

The old entrance building, Studio 1, was also closed. It’s currently undergoing work to transform it into World Premiere Plaza (again, see out what’s coming in 2025 blog for more on that). Alongside this a lot of work has been taking place on the grounds behind the old Studio 1, with the Partners statute and the Monsters Inc photo-op both being removed for the work. (It’s said that Partners should be returning at some point – no word on Monsters Inc though!).

With this work going on, getting in and around the Studios this year has been… interesting. And VERY construction wall heavy. But the park has kept going despite this, with the Magic Carpets of Aladdin reopening after a lengthy refurb, and the ever popular shows and Avengers Campus drawing in crowds. If you’re planning on visiting early in 2025, expect some construction walls in the Studios, although don’t let that make you think this park doesn’t have a lot to offer – it does! Hopefully the (re)opening of World Premiere Plaza next spring will improve things a lot, although that’s not the end of the building work at this park…

We just can’t wait… for a Lion King land?

The other really big announcement of the year for the Walt Disney Studios / Disney Adventure World park was that a new land themed to the Lion King is going to be added!

This was announced at the D23 event back in August. The land is going to feature an immersive new water-ride themed to the original animated film, and allow guests to visit the Pride lands!

While the choice of putting a water ride in the often-chilly (and sometimes downright freezing!) Disneyland Paris is interesting, as someone who LOVES the Lion King I can’t wait for this land to open! Construction is due to begin next year so it’ll likely be a few years before we can visit Pride Rock. As for visits for 2025, as this construction is taking place right at the back of the park in an area not accessible to guests at present anyway it really shouldn’t impact your experience much, except maybe the odd peek of a crane above construction walls!

Also at D23 it was confirmed that the World of Frozen will open in 2026, alongside a new night-time show on the lake the World of Frozen and Lion King areas will be alongside. As the Studios only has seasonal night-time shows at present this will be a big plus up for the park! Again, no direct affect on 2025 visits, though it may be a reason to come back in 2026 and beyond…

Big changes in Disney Village

The Studios park isn’t alone in experiencing a lot of construction this year. The Disney Village has also seen its fair share of work!

This has included the closure of several shops to be transformed into new locations, the demolition of the old Planet Hollywood and its announced replacement of an Italian restaurant, and the announcement of the closure for a massive refurbishment of the Sports Bar area.

All of this work is to update the Village from its current ‘stuck in the 1990s’ vibe to a more upscale look and feel. From concept art it’s giving me strong feels along the lines of the Town Square and Landing areas in Disney Springs in Orlando, if that’s any help to folks.

Like the Studios, this work has meant that this year the Village has been construction-wall heavy. However in 2025 a lot of new shops and the refurbed Sports Bar should open to guests, giving this area a new lease of life! So if you’re visiting earlier in the year expect some construction, but hopefully the amount will reduce as the year goes on (although Planet Hollywood’s replacement isn’t due to open until 2026).

(Side note, we wish they’d do something with the old Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show building – it’s been empty since the pandemic!)

Le Pays de Contes de Fees reopens with new scenes

Back over in Disneyland Park, in August Le Pays de Contes de Fees boat ride at the back of Fantasyland reopened after a refurbishment with new show scenes.

This gentle ride takes guests past miniatures of scenes from well-known Disney tales. New to the ride are scenes from Frozen, Winnie the Pooh, and Pixar’s Up.

We’re really pleased they gave this attraction some of the TLC it needed! Be sure to plan a ride in 2025 to see the new show scenes. And if you like, you can also try and spot the scenes from the Casey Jnr mini roller coaster that also circles the area.

New gazebo on Main Street USA

It probably seems small after some of the other events of the year, but in November a new covered Gazebo opened on the top of Main Street USA, next to Casey’s Corner.

This spot will allow character meet and greets to take place here year-round and in all weathers – Santa Stitch took the first honour for the Christmas season!

Next door to the gazebo, a very much needed covered seating area for Casey’s Corner is also under construction, due to open in 2025. So for trip planning, look out for what characters may be meeting in this new spot, and look forward to enjoying your hot dogs in covered-seating comfort!

New night-time shows to close out the year

As 2024 drew to a close, Disneyland Paris offered two limited-time night-time shows. In Disneyland Park, the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral was celebrated with a limited time drone show featuring scenes and music from the Hunchback of Notre Dame; while over in the Studios the Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange and Agatha Harkness took over Avengers Campus in Doctor Strange: Mystery of the Mystics.

While both are short-term offerings, they do demonstrate the resort’s commitment to limited time offerings and seasonal celebrations!

But while it may be too late to enjoy the Notre Dame show, the Mystery of the Mystics in due to run until March 2025 – so visitors for early next year, be sure to factor this show into your plans! And whenever you’re visiting next year, keep an eye of Disneyland Paris’ (or our!) social media channels for announcements of new limited time shows and offerings.

And finally, we launched!

And last (but certainly not least) we launched Magically Different Mouse in 2024!

We’ve got so much more to share, and big plans for the months, and years ahead. But if you’ve joined us on our journey so far, thank you, and we hope you’ll continue to join us in 2025 and beyond as we share more tips, tricks and information on Disneyland Paris!