Thousands Flock to Disneyland Paris Music Festival Amid Mass Stabbings at Concerts in France
Despite the alarming reports of mass stabbings at concerts across France last weekend, Disneyland Paris Resort’s Music Festival continued as planned, with thousands of guests flocking to the park to enjoy the event. More than 145 people were reportedly stabbed with syringes at various free performances during the Fête de la Musique (World Music Day) celebrations across the country.
The inaugural Disney Music Festival, which started in April and will run until September, features live performances and unique “musical encounters” with beloved Walt Disney Animation and Pixar characters throughout the park. Guests can enjoy the event across Discoveryland, Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Main Street, U.S.A., with performances in genres ranging from classical to pop, rock, and electronic music. As is the case with any Disney Park event, exclusive merchandise and themed food and beverages are also available for guests.
While Disneyland Paris Resort hosted its music festival, France saw chaos unfold at public concerts. Across the country, 145 people were reported to have been pricked or stabbed with syringes at outdoor events during Fête de la Musique, with 13 incidents occurring in Paris. The victims, many of whom were teenagers, reported feeling unwell after the incidents, and several were taken to the hospital for toxicology tests. The authorities did not disclose whether drugs like Rohypnol or GHB were involved.
Authorities arrested 12 suspects across France. Four individuals in Angoulême were reportedly responsible for over 50 of the incidents. One 20-year-old man, known to the police for previous violent activities, was arrested in Metz.
Despite the troubling events happening throughout France, Disneyland Paris Resort remained unaffected. Disneyland Park hit capacity on Monday evening, with its gates closing to further guests, but this was unrelated to the violence occurring elsewhere in the country. Both Walt Disney Studios Park and Disney Village continued to operate as usual, and the Disney Music Festival was not impacted by the external events.
Have you visited Disneyland Paris Resort during the Disney Music Festival? Share your thoughts on the event with Disney Dining in the comments!