Swing Into Spring at Disneyland Paris

Spring is in the air at Disneyland Paris, and Max from DLP Welcome has news and a behind-the-scenes look at the Swing Into Spring celebration. –Rick

Disneyland Paris Swings Into Spring
by Max, DLP Welcome

On Tuesday, February 24th, Disneyland Paris invited the blogging community to witness the results of a full year of planning for this season’s Swing into Spring that begins today, March 1st and continues through May 31, 2015.

Here we see the recording studio for the French Disney parks. The studio is located behind it’s a small world. All the sounds of the parks originate and are managed in this studio.

In this studio, behind the master console, we join Vasile Sirli, Musical Director of Disneyland Paris, Robert Fienga conductor, Michael and the rest of their team as we preview this season’s new music.

Just like last year, this year’s show is based on a solid foundation of upbeat music!

(Warning video below is in French).

This year, the theme “Spring Fever” returns and forms the backbone of the soundtrack, but there is new music too! The park has chosen to use some music from Tokyo Disney Resort. Rescored and rewritten, the music has been renamed “Welcome to The World Of Spring” especially for Paris’ Spring Festival. Why repurpose music from Tokyo Disney Resort? I say, if it’s good – why not?

Listen to the music. You will soon be under its spell! (music start at 00:45)

A new orchestra will also make their debut as early as Saturday at Walt Disney Studios Park.

After we say goodbye to the music team, we’re off to the Disneyland Hotel, where Fanfan (Françoise), Director of Production in charge of creating costumes and spectacles for Disneyland Paris, welcomed us.

This season improves on last year’s show in many ways. First of all, the show “Welcome to Spring” is now onstage at The Castle Stage rather than in the street. The show will lose the charm and bustle of Main Street, but the new venue will allow Mary Poppins, Bert, and the 4 penguins to appear onstage with 12 performers for a 10 minute show, 4 times per day, 5 days per week (dark Thursday and Friday). The entertainment on Main Street will be limited to the Jolly Holiday Band.

Goofy’s Garden Party, a new version of last year’s Disney’s Spring Promenade will play on Central Plaza and at the end of Main Street USA. This show consists of 22 Disney characters (Goofy and Clarice will have new costumes) and 56 dancers in new Topiary costumes (4 different versions for men and women). More than 6 new float/topiaries (push units) representing a fountain, a butterfly as well as swans have been created in addition to the two vehicles that will return from last year. The show will begin with the arrival of the units on Central Plaza, a show stop and their departure. This show will be also played 4 times per day, 5 days per week (except Mondays and Tuesdays). A podium will be installed before each performance at the centre of Central Plaza with flowers of seven feet high!

Here’s video of Disney’s Spring Promenade:

Minnie’s Little Spring Train, composed of two wagons that are decorated with many rabbits, eggs and flowers. It will appear twice a day, every day on Main Street USA and some rarely seen Disney characters including Miss Bunny and Thumper (a premiere at Disneyland Paris).

Last year, the Spring Fling debuted sans merchandise due to the lead time required to design and manufacture custom items. This year, we’ll see a lot of merchandise including t-shirts, bags, pins, cups, iPhone cases and more.

The month of March will be without flowers because the weather is just too cold and wet. Colored wood chips will provide some color in the flowers absence. Only fake flowers and topiaries with dried flowers are back. Town Square decorations remain the same as last year.

Small touches of spring have been added on Main Street, with daisies in the shape of Mickey head on a few street lights (such as on the train station).

The station also remains unchanged apart from daisies in the shape of Mickey and the addition of leaves at the Swing into Spring.

This season there will be an opportunity to meet Thumper and Miss Bunny for the very first time at Casey’s Corner at the giant ‘Spring’ heart. Minnie will appear on the side of Boarding House (still on Main Street USA) in her outfit of the season. And finally, the princess Rapunzel will be near the enchanted tree in Fantasyland as she was at Christmas.

Spring season extends to the Disneyland Hotel this year with brand new decorations in the lobby and restaurants.

Cast members in yellow vests were busy installing the decorations of the season. On the other side, the directors are starting the last night of rehearsals.

Here’s a quick summary in pictures and video (subtitles in English).

Some after hours photos:

We warmly thank everyone who has worked so hard to bring this wonderful seasonal celebration to Disneyland Paris Resort. Special thanks to Mathias Dugoujon and the DLP Communication Team.

I hope to see you this weekend!

Max DLP Welcome

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