LP Lotion: Disneyland Paris at Christmas
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Posted January 24, 2008

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If ever there was a Magic Kingdom park that was designed for Christmas it is Disneyland Paris. The scale of Main Street and the spectacular Sleeping Beauty Castle are pitch-perfect backdrops for a host of festive decorations. The decorations begin in Town Square with a giant Christmas Tree and a Meet �n� Greet with Santa Goofy in his sleigh. The park has opted to keep the 15th anniversary decorations that flank Main Street and added the Princess chandeliers that were used in �06. The combination of the illuminated banners and chandeliers means that Main Street is awash in light and color in the evening. The sparkling lights that have been a fixture on Sleeping Beauty Castle for a number of years return to complement the golden 15th anniversary statutes that grace the turrets of the majestic castle.

The Disney Characters� Express has also been dressed for the season with Casey sporting several nifty garlands. The majority of the 15th anniversary entertainment has been retained for the Christmas season (the exception is Alpha Bet You Are).

Elsewhere the Critter Corral has been transformed into Woody�s Roundup. One of the biggest queues in the park this season has been the Meet �n� Greet with Santa in his den at this location. The interior of the structure features a series of animated elves making toys. As guests exit they have the opportunity to have their photographs taken with three-dimensional figures of Bullseye and the Prospector. Even Woody or Jessie is on-hand for autographs.

Unlike in previous years the daytime parade has been left unscathed by a seasonal layover. Once Upon A Dream Parade has only been running for ten months and therefore the majority of guests have not seen the new 15th anniversary procession. Instead the park opted to add Santa Claus (more commonly called Father Christmas in Europe) at the end of the parade with his sleigh being pulled by real-life reindeers. He is joined by a host of toy soldiers, goofy reindeers and dancers. The music is the festive music that previously graced The Christmas Parade (the exceptionally catchy Chante, C�est Noel! by the park�s resident composing team of Jay Smith & Vasile Sirli).

Finally as evening sets in guests gather around Central Plaza for the Enchanted Candleabration ceremony. Throughout the anniversary year Mickey and the gang have gathered to light all fifteen candles on the castle. For Noel the park has opted to combine the Enchanted Fairytale Ceremony that has run in previous years to light Main Street with Candleabration. The gang attempt to light the park without Mickey and the power fails. It takes the arrival of Mickey to summon up the magic required to light the candles (to the tune of James Newton Howard�s Flying from his Peter Pan soundtrack that has been adopted as the theme for the Year of A Million Dreams). Once the candles have been lit the gang is joined by Disney Princes and Princesses as the dance around the stage to the (rather unusual choice) music of One Man�s Dream. The ceremony concludes with the traditional tree and Main Street lighting (using a suite of beautiful music composed by Sirli called Lumina and Ring the Bells).

Candleabration and the Once Upon A Dream Parade are part of Disneyland Resort Paris� 15th anniversary celebrations. Issue 10 of Tales from the Laughing Place magazine featured a Disneyland Paris-themed cover (one of two special edition covers with the second featuring Finding Nemo � The Musical at Disney�s Animal Kingdom park). In addition the issue featured interviews with the creative team behind the Once Upon A Dream Parade and numerous photos from the celebration itself.

For more information visit: http://www.talesfromthelaughingplace.com/TalesfromtheLaughingPlaceIssue10.html and http://www.laughingplacestore.com/Product-9010.asp

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