It’s rare that a Disney theme park brings back old features, but that’s exactly what happened this week at one resort.
Upon opening Disneyland Park in 1955, Walt Disney promised that it would “never be complete.” That’s proven to be true, with all six Disney resorts scattered across the globe regularly adding (and axing) attractions, experiences, restaurants, characters, and more.
While fans take some of these removals in their stride (is anybody truly still mourning the loss of Primeval Whirl?), some of these decisions can cause all-out chaos among the most diehard parkgoers.
The closure of Splash Mountain, for example, triggered much more backlash than one would expect from a refurbished log flume attraction. The same was true when Walt Disney World Resort shuttered The Great Movie Ride in 2017, with guests waiting hours to say one last goodbye to the Hollywood Studios staple.
It’s not just rides that generate this kind of nostalgic dedication. Disney being Disney, it’s the small things that make the parks so special. Features that serve to “plus” the parks (as Walt would say) can also cause great upset when they’re permanently removed.
These include the Magical Express (the free service that once took Disney World resort guests from Orlando International Airport to their hotel), FastPass, and – in the case of one resort – park maps.
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In an effort to cut down on waste, Disneyland Paris got rid of free paper maps at the entrance to its two theme parks (Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, soon to be Disney Adventure World) in 2022. Instead, guests were encouraged to navigate the parks using the Disneyland Paris app – a fate that anyone who’s ever visited the resort and tried to rely on said app will tell you is pretty dire.
This move sparked mass outrage at the time, but Disney eventually relented slightly and began distributing paper maps upon request in gift shops and hotels.
Now, however, it seems that the resort has reversed its decision entirely, with DLP Report revealing that map display units have returned to the entrance of Disneyland Paris.
Display units have returned under Main Street Station, as the self service distribution of paper Park Maps in French and English will soon resume.
Guests are still encouraged to use the Mobile App if possible, to avoid waste.
https://twitter.com/DLPReport/status/1798695693705757124/
Disneyland Paris guests have responded positively to the news, with one writing “so many good decisions lately” and another noting that it is “pretty amazing to see these small, yet very good changes!”
As we said, it’s pretty rare for Disney to bring back a small touch it once deemed irrelevant to the success of its parks, so we’re glad to see that Disneyland Paris is listening to guest feedback. Next up on our manifestation list: filling said maps up with new attractions (that aren’t just trees).
What do you wish Disney would bring back to its theme parks? Let us know in the comments!
Fast passes.