Broken-down rides, reheated food and cancelled shows: Thousands of people across Britain and Europe sign petition against Disneyland Paris amid claims it's 'literally falling apart'
http://jattravel.blogspot.com/2013/09/broken-down-rides-reheated-food-and.html
It is a magical kingdom that has brought joy to millions of families throughout the world.But now, a 5,000-strong petition has been launched against Disneyland Paris, claiming the popular holiday resort has been 'seriously damaged' and is 'literally falling apart'.
It comes amid complaints about reheated food, broken rides and cancelled stage shows.
Hundreds of Brits have shown their support for the petition, which has 5,147 signatures so far.
Petition: Thousands of people have signed a
petition against Disneyland Paris (pictured) in France, amid claims it
is 'seriously damaged' and 'literally falling apart'
It has been addressed to Bob Iger, chief executive of the California-based Walt Disney Company, which owns 39.8 per cent of the French resort.
'The upkeep of parks, attractions and hotels has been neglected so often during the past 20 years that many facilities are not "Disney standard",' it reads.
'Many themed elements are decaying and crumbling, while others are literally falling apart.'
Jake Howarth, from London, was one of the Brits to sign the petition. He said: 'I have long been a visitor to Disneyland Paris, and over the last few years have sadly seen a decline in a number of things, all of which have been mentioned in the petition.
'What strikes me about all of the Disney resorts I have visited is that, no matter where people are from, the one thing that remains the same world over is the Disney magic.
'Therefore, I feel it is unfair that Disneyland Paris has been allowed to decline so sadly, and its visitors are allowed to experience what I believe is now an inferior experience.'
Tim Nightingale from Chatteris in Fenland, Cambridgeshire, added: 'I expect value for money and having stayed there a number of time, I feel the value has dropped with each subsequent visit.'
On parade: Cartoon characters Mickey and
Minnie entertain crowds at the French resort
He told The Independent he was shocked to discover four of the shows had been cancelled, two attractions were closed and a high number of rides kept breaking down.
He also claimed that food in one of the resort's most expensive restaurants appeared to have been re-heated.
'We received our dishes in less than five minutes which is obviously too short a time for our food to have been cooked after we ordered,” said Mr Gallant.
The petition, which has been translated into six languages, claims the park's fast food outlets are steep in price and cannot compete with other nearby restaurants, such as McDonald's.
It also highlights the 'early' closing times of the resort's restaurants.
'When Disneyland Park closes at 11pm, you would expect to be able to have a nice evening dinner, not to discover the restaurant closed at 7.30pm,' it reads.
'These short opening hours make it impossible to book a meal for later in the day - you either have to plan ahead or settle for counter service offerings in Disneyland Park or Disney Village.'
Fight: The petition was addressed to Bob Iger
(pictured), chief executive of the California-based Walt Disney Company,
which owns 39.8 per cent of Disneyland Paris
It also acknowledges the number of stage shows that have been cancelled due to budget cuts.
These include The Tarzan Encounter show at the Chaparral Theater, The Legend of the Lion King show at Videopolis and the iconic night-time parade, Disney's Fantillusion!
Disneyland Paris, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, has long been considered Europe's number one tourist destination.
Despite a rocky beginning - seeing low visitor numbers and financial problems - the park went from strength to strength and now houses five themed lands, featuring 49 attractions.
Last year, it saw a record 16 million people go through its ornate iron gates - giving it nearly as many visitors as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre combined.
However, it has always been considered a poorer imitation of its sister resort in Florida, which has three times more parks and considerably better weather.
The petition, which claims the park's quality has been sacrificed in a bid to boost attendance figures and reduce costs, is another blow for Disneyland Paris, which has recently been the subject of much controversy.
Earlier this year, Euro Disney, the company that runs Disneyland Paris, and two former gendarmes were fined 150,000 euros for using spying tactics on candidates applying for jobs at the theme park.
And last year, an array of the park's cartoon characters went on strike over low wages,
Disneyland Paris was unavailable for comment.
'SAVE DISNEYLAND PARIS': PETITION HOPES TO REVIVE THE HOLIDAY PARK
The petition, titled 'Save Disneyland Paris, has been launched in a bid to restore the French holiday park to its former glory.
The resort opened its ornate gates for the first time in April 1992.
It has highlighted a range of issues at the park, which it claims is 'literally falling apart', including:
Maintenance
'The upkeep of parks, attractions and hotels has been neglected so often during the past 20 years that many facilities are not “Disney standard”.
'Many themed elements are decaying and crumbling, while others are literally falling apart.'
Budget cuts
'The Tarzan Encounter show at the Chaparral Theater, The Legend of the Lion King show at Videopolis, and the iconic night-time parade Disney’s Fantillusion! were all cancelled this year.
'Meanwhile, other show venues, such as Le Théâtre du Château, have been left disused and empty for years'
'The lack of maintenance combined with the budget cuts have created a never-ending cycle of ride breakdowns, which affects all types of rides'
Food
'In recent years, the quality of the food offered at the more expensive table service restaurants has been declining.
'Dishes of industrial pre-cooked meals are served in mere minutes after taking up the order, an indication the food was not made-to-order.'
Walt Disney Studios Park
'The lack of attractions, the bare environment, the unclear overall theme, the poorly designed master plan and the low capacity of the new attractions are all major issues.
'This park needs a serious placemaking project and a complete reevaluation of its theme to bring it up to the standards of your company.'
The resort opened its ornate gates for the first time in April 1992.
It has highlighted a range of issues at the park, which it claims is 'literally falling apart', including:
Maintenance
'The upkeep of parks, attractions and hotels has been neglected so often during the past 20 years that many facilities are not “Disney standard”.
'Many themed elements are decaying and crumbling, while others are literally falling apart.'
Budget cuts
'The Tarzan Encounter show at the Chaparral Theater, The Legend of the Lion King show at Videopolis, and the iconic night-time parade Disney’s Fantillusion! were all cancelled this year.
'Meanwhile, other show venues, such as Le Théâtre du Château, have been left disused and empty for years'
'The lack of maintenance combined with the budget cuts have created a never-ending cycle of ride breakdowns, which affects all types of rides'
Food
'In recent years, the quality of the food offered at the more expensive table service restaurants has been declining.
'Dishes of industrial pre-cooked meals are served in mere minutes after taking up the order, an indication the food was not made-to-order.'
Walt Disney Studios Park
'The lack of attractions, the bare environment, the unclear overall theme, the poorly designed master plan and the low capacity of the new attractions are all major issues.
'This park needs a serious placemaking project and a complete reevaluation of its theme to bring it up to the standards of your company.'
