Disneyland Paris has reported a strong 2022 fiscal year after severe financial struggles throughout a global pandemic that dramatically impacted businesses and lives across the entire world.

Opened in 1992 as Euro Disney, this sprawling resort property was blessed with incredible detail and high budgets for almost every element of construction to ensure qualitative perfection; however, it has also been routinely cursed with economic turmoil. To this day, the accomplishment of turning a profit is still somewhat of a rare and impressive occurrence — though the situation has vastly improved over the years.

After a decade low of $968 million in 2021, revenue has ballooned to an all-time record high of $2.6 billion over the course of a single year, with a $51 million operating profit. These figures come from a recent feature on the resort’s success and earnings reports penned by Forbes.

Part of this major turnaround is attributable to general tourism recovery in Europe as the global pandemic gradually transitions from crisis to memory; however, the Avengers Campus opening at Walt Disney Studios Park certainly helped as well. This momentous event premiered the second park available to guests at Disneyland Paris, and opened for the first time on July 22, 2022.

While the grand opening of Avengers Campus is only the first phase of expansion, its popularity has driven attendance to new heights. Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure and Avengers Assemble: Flight Force are the two marquee attractions, along with a variety of merchandise, entertainment, and dining experiences available.

Disneyland Paris also features a night-time drone light show, something that hasn’t been experienced at a Disney location since the drone lights holiday feature at Disney Springs in 2016.

As part of a long-term plan to boost the resort’s revenue in 2018, Disney CEO Robert A. Iger and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the official Parisian Presidential residence — the Palais de’Élysée — where Iger announced a staggering multi-billion, multi-year expansion of the resort, almost entirely emphasizing the Studios park.

The plan tentatively teased three new areas based on “Frozen,” “Star Wars,” and “The Avengers,” to be opened in phases. While the “Star Wars”: Galaxy’s Edge land has likely been cancelled, speculation of a potential “Avatar” land now stands in its place. The “Frozen” area is currently well into its construction.

The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro recently visited Disneyland Paris on the 21st anniversary of Walt Disney Studios Park to take a look at construction progress.

Disneyland Paris’ Attention to Detail

The Parisian Disneyland Park in Marne-la-Vallée is well-known for its incredibly immersive, expansive, and walkable landscapes. Attractions such as Alice’s Curious Labyrinth, and superb versions of classics such as Big Thunder Mountain built under the leadership of Imagineer Tony Baxter are well-loved by guests.

These details are part of what has helped Disneyland Paris grow in tourism popularity and revenue.

Disneyland Paris has journeyed a long way to reach this point. Between 1992 and 1995, permanent closures were being seriously considered. The introduction of Space Mountain: De la terre à la Lune generated enough interest and excitement to revive interest and save the park.

At the end of 1995, with the help of this new ride, the resort recorded its first ever yearly profit.

Disneyland Paris is reported to be the single most-visited tourist destination on the continent of Europe, as well as one of the most important facets of France’s tourism sector. If this year’s success is part of an upward trend, it certainly bodes well for the future.

Take a look at some of our other Disneyland Paris coverage below:

• Nearly All Nooses Removed from Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris
• Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro Set to Visit Disneyland Paris for Anniversary of Walt Disney Studios, Proposed New Theme Park Land Implications
• Disneyland Paris Version of ‘Pandora – The World of Avatar’ Land Seems Likely Given Disneyland Announcement

What is your favorite attraction at Disneyland Paris? Let us know in the comments!

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Universal Destinations & Experiences have filed trademarks for the names of three new Epic Universe hotels that no longer use the standard possessive apostrophe of other Universal Orlando Resort hotels.

New #EpicUniverse trademark filings show the possessive apostrophe being removed from the resort names. pic.twitter.com/dn0VD3xW0Z

— Cygnus (@CygnusParkYT) March 30, 2023

Twitter user @CygnusParkYT was the first to notice the trademarks and the change. These three resort hotels would be connected to or near Epic Universe, the new Universal Orlando Resort theme park expected to open in the summer of 2025.

The hotel names are Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort, and Universal Terra Luna Resort. Compare to the names of current Universal Orlando Resort hotels like Universal’s Aventura Hotel and Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort.

Just because Universal filed the trademarks, doesn’t mean they have to use these names. As always, things could change in the future.

We reported a few days ago on several other trademarks for Epic Universe like Curse of the Werewolf and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders which are likely attraction names. Though only Super Nintendo World has been confirmed, rumored Epic Universe lands include a Universal Classic Monsters land, How to Train Your Dragon land, and a third The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Among the attraction trademarks are the names Starfall Racers and Constellation Carousel, which would not be based on any IPs. Alongside the new hotel names, it seems Epic Universe will have an astronomical theme. Helios is the Greek sun god, while stella nova refers to a sudden burst in brightness from a star, and terra luna refers to the Earth and moon. One of these will be directly connected to the park, as seen in concept art.

Starfall Racers is reportedly the park’s new dual-racing coaster, while Constellation Carousel is obviously a carousel. These can both be seen at the center of the park in concept art.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be inspired by Place Cachée, the Parisian version of Diagon Alley seen in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” Construction photos reveal a version Porte Saint-Denis, an arched gateway built in the late 1300s in Paris. The Wizarding World ride, however, will transport guests to the U.K. Ministry of Magic.

The How to Train Your Dragon land will resemble the Isle of Berk and include several attractions, including a roller coaster and stage show.

The Universal Classic Monsters land will have its own roller coaster, rumored to be a spinner. Check out our most recent Epic Universe construction update.

Super Nintendo World will open with the Mario Kart and Yoshi’s Adventure rides from Universal Studios Japan as well as a Donkey Kong roller-coaster. Guests will enter through a green warp pipe into the enclosed land, just like in Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Universal recently renamed the Universal Parks & Resorts department to Universal Destinations & Experiences. They unveiled updated logos for Universal Orlando Resort, including Epic Universe.

What do you think of these potential Epic Universe hotels? Let us know in the comments.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

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Stephan Mikés, a live performer known for his sitar performances as Chakranadi at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, has suffered a medical emergency requiring quintuple bypass surgery. His family created a GoFundMe campaign to help bolster finances regarding the musician’s medical expenses and lost income during healing.

Sitar Performer at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Receives Quintuple Bypass Surgery

Quintuple bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to treat blocked coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are the blood vessels that provide the heart with its own blood supply. When these arteries become blocked, a person becomes afflicted with a condition known as coronary artery disease. It is possible to have one or more arteries blocked in this manner, which can pose a significant risk to the heart.

When someone requires a quintuple bypass, it means they have five blocked arteries.

Stephan has started his recovery from his 18-day hospital stay, 14 of which were spent in the ICU. His recovery time will depend on how long his sternum bone takes to heal. The family estimates this to take between 6-8 weeks.

Stephan Mikés’ musical ability ranges from performing classical Indian ragas and meditation or relaxation music to rock and reggae classics. His original compositions include the pieces he created specifically for his live performances at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Chakranadi’s performances occurred in the Anandapur village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. Disney described the experience as guests discovering “exotic tunes” that would become “increasingly mesmerizing.” Disney also claimed guests would feel as if they were “transported to a new place through the sounds of charming Indian instruments.”

The performances were scheduled hourly from noon to 5:00 p.m. during Disney’s “Festival of All Seasons” celebration, and the show lasted about twenty minutes.

Watch a live performance of Stephan Mikés as Chakranadi at Disney’s Animal Kingdom above.

Stephan Mikés plays a sitar, which is a stringed instrument that belongs to the lute family. It is a well-known instrument in Hindustani music and culture. The sitar is characterized by its deep, hollow, rounded body and wooden faceplate. The neck of the sitar is made from either a member of the mahogany family called Tun Wood, or Teak.

The sitar is different from the guitar because it has a shorter neck, a larger body, and more strings. It is a popular instrument in Indian classical music.

A sitar’s sound is created by its wide bridge with its gently sloped surface. The strings vibrate along the bridge, producing sound. According to Stephen Mikés’ site, both the sound from the vibrating string along the bridge as well as the maintenance of the bridge are referred to as jawari. Jawari means “to bring to life.”

Take a look at our coverage of Stephen Mikés performing Chakranadi below:

• PHOTOS, VIDEO: Chakranadi Returns With Live Sitar Music in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

You can visit Stephan Mikés’ GoFundMe page here.

Did you watch Stephan Mikés perform as Chakranadi at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? We’d love to read about your experiences in the comments below.

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At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “Fantasmic!” showtimes will be reduced to one performance per evening instead of two beginning in late April 2023.

According to the calendar on the Walt Disney World website, “Fantasmic!” will be performed at 9:00 p.m. each night beginning Sunday, April 23, 2023. This will last through at least Monday, May 29, which is as far as the Walt Disney World calendar is currently available. The showtimes are being reduced as spring break season winds down and fewer guests are expected at Walt Disney World parks.

Through April 22, “Fantasmic!” is still being performed at 8:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. each night. The second showtime was added late last year, despite Walt Disney World entering a slow season. The second showtime will likely return in the summer when the parks get busier again.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is still scheduled to close at 9:30 p.m. for the foreseeable future. The only thing that remains open after 9:30 p.m. is “Fantasmic!”

In addition to “Fantasmic!,” Disney’s Hollywood Studios has “Wonderful World of Animation,” a nighttime projection show on the Chinese Theatre façade. “Wonderful World of Animation” is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. performances through April 30, 2023. No performance times are listed after that date, but the calendar may be updated later.

‘Fantasmic!’

“Fantasmic!” originally debuted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in October 1998. It was suspended in March 2020, along with most Walt Disney World Resort operations, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The famous nighttime spectacular returned to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in November 2022 after a two-and-a-half-year absence. The show will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

For its November return, “Fantasmic!” received upgraded lighting and audio systems as well as a new “hero” sequence.

The original “Pocahontas” scene with Governor Ratcliffe and the colonizers was removed. As an homage to the previous scene, Pocahontas leads the new sequence. She’s followed by Mulan, Aladdin, Elsa, and Moana in a series of short scenes. The water screens play a montage featuring other heroes including Hercules, Megara, Tiana, Tarzan, Jane, and Quasimodo. The video montage ends with Mirabel from “Encanto” opening the door to the rebuilt Casita Madrigal.

The newly added characters also now appear on Steamboat Willie during the finale.

Earlier this month, guests witnessed Aladdin misstepping during his scene and crashing into the side of the mountain. “Fantasmic!” was temporarily paused but the show was able to go on. Thankfully, the Aladdin cast member appeared to be unharmed.

Watch our full 4K video of “Fantasmic!” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, featuring the new sequence, below.

“Fantasmic!” returned to Disneyland Park in May 2022. The two versions of the shows are already different and at Disneyland saw no changes for its return.

Have you seen the updated version of “Fantasmic!” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? What’s your favorite part of the show? Let us know in the comments.

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