You never forget your first time setting foot in a new Disney theme park, especially your first international one. We both still fondly and vividly recall the day, back during the 20th anniversary, when we walked into Disneyland Paris for the first time. At the risk of sounding cliche, it was nothing short of magical.
It wasn’t just our first international park; it was our first time traveling abroad, period. The City of Paris and France as a whole exceeded expectations, feeling very much like the dreamy places Hemingway or Fitzgerald brought to life in their writing. France was like a fairytale, and even the most romanticized Hollywood depictions didn’t fully do it justice. We fell in love immediately, to the point that we’ve returned several times and even made it a goal to visit every “Impressions de France” filming location.
Disneyland Paris was an extension of that. Lovingly designed and lavishly detailed, the castle park was everything we hoped it would be and more as fans of Imagineering. That first visit, we spent several days in Disneyland Paris, poring over Main Street and the Arcades, Thunder Mesa, Discoveryland, and Fantasyland. We dined at Walt’s, explored every restaurant and resort, rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Phantom Manor, and Pirates of the Caribbean repeatedly. We just couldn’t get enough. Like Paris, the castle park exceeded our high expectations and made us eager to return.
It wasn’t until our final day of the trip that we visited what was originally known as the Walt Disney Studios Park. Keep in mind that this was ~15 years ago, during the nascent days of social media and before YouTube and vlogging had really blown up. I had never seen any footage of the park, and only a few photos.
Nevertheless, WDSP had a reputation that preceded it. And not a good one. Friends had warned us that the second gate at Disneyland Paris was bad, and we had read plenty of similar sentiment online. There was a reason why we saved it for the end of the trip after getting our fill of Parc Disneyland.
But after being blown away by the castle park, we had a sense that maybe Disneyland Paris fans just had unreasonably high expectations or perhaps the WDSP hate was hyperbole. Perhaps the ornate castle park made the studios park look bad by comparison, but not when zooming out a bit more. We were no strangers to studio parks, and figured this was not just possible–but probable.
Walking into the Walt Disney Studios Park for the first time gave new and different meaning to the phrase “words cannot do it justice.” Upon seeing Disney’s California Adventure in 2001, Disney Legend John Hench famously remarked that he liked it better as a parking lot. Well, if Mr. Hench was a parking lot aficionado, he would’ve loved the WDSP, which was basically Parking Lot: The Theme Park when we first visited.
The park as it existed then was a disgrace to the Disney name and brand. With the exception of a few attractions, Disneyland Paris would have been better off if the second gate did not exist. It weakened the overall experience of the resort. It made circa 2001 DCA look like a masterpiece.
Against all odds, WDSP was even worse than its reputation. It was by far the worst Disney theme park on the planet. When we wrote about the highlights at the time of our first visit, #1 on our list was that “the exit is pretty easy to find.”
In the years since, we have spent a ton of time at Disneyland Paris, but prior to March and April 2026, we had probably spent more time at the Earl of Sandwich in Disney Village than the second gate. That’s not really a joke; there were a couple of trips we skipped WDSP completely, whereas we ate at Earl’s almost every evening.
Even knowing the background of WDSP, I still cannot completely fathom how this opened as it did back in 2002, especially right next door to one of the starkest contrasts in themed design. In fact, prior to the Ratatouille expansion debuting, we argued that the Walt Disney Studios Park was not actually a “Disney” theme park.
WDSP wasn’t just the worst Disney park by a wide margin, it lacked the defining characteristics of a Disney theme park, and accordingly, was inappropriate to categorize it as such in the absence of that, despite “Disney” right there in the name.
Suffice to say, that perplexing article title from over a decade ago arguing that a park with “Disney” in the name was not actually a Disney theme park is how we’ve arrived at another confusing title asserting the obvious: that the renamed park, also with “Disney” in the name is, in fact, a Disney park.
Stated differently, unlike its predecessor, the reinvented second gate at Disneyland Paris does possess the defining characters of a Disney theme park. Disney Adventure World is a triumph in the most important sense: it’s finally a park that is worthy of Walt Disney’s name and legacy. It’s still not a perfect park, and the reimagining is far from flawless, but Imagineers nevertheless pulled off the impossible in reinventing the second gate into Disney Adventure World.
This is their third such success, and a bit of a full circle moment for the company. Bob Iger more or less began his tenure as CEO by overhauling Disney California Adventure, and ended it by doing the same at WDSP. In between, a slew of similar projects effectively did the same with Hong Kong Disneyland. Without a doubt, the transformation of Disney Adventure World was the most challenging of this trio, and Imagineering mostly stuck the landing.
The difficulty posed by the second gate at Disneyland Paris was partly that it was a series of disjointed attractions plopped down on what was basically a glorified parking lot, dotted by soundstage-looking buildings in between. It was also that seemingly no master planning was done during the initial build out for future expansion.
The first decade of the park’s development felt like it was done by drunken chimps throwing darts, with concepts derived by manatees pushing around idea balls. It still boggles my mind that the original Imagineers, who knew they were building this park on the cheap as a contractual obligation, did not do so with future expansion in mind.
The reinvention of Disney Adventure World occurred, essentially, as equal parts expansion and placemaking projects, fixing the front half of the park and building out the back half around a central lagoon–and one that includes several expansion pads tailor-made for future development.
Longtime Disney fans have probably heard the tall tales about the original concept for EPCOT Center coming together by pushing together two models, one for Future World and one for World Showcase.
That is essentially what has happened here with the legacy WDSP park getting a facelift, with an extended thoroughfare connecting that to the all-new Adventure Bay and World of Frozen. The addition of this area roughly doubles the size of the park, and ironically enough, that back half feels vaguely like World Showcase.
This transformation plan for Disney Adventure World, came to fruition thanks to a 2-billion-euro investment to expand the park, as announced in 2018 (albeit with several changes since).
This began in earnest with the debut of Marvel Avengers Campus in 2022, followed by the reimagined World Premiere opening act that refreshed the Disney Studio 1 soundstage. All told, more than 90% of the second gate’s opening day offerings were reimagined as part of the overhaul.
There’s plenty of praise about the redone Disney Adventure World, but honestly, a decent amount of this is lipstick on a pig or making lemonade out of lemons. World Premiere is a noticeable upgrade over the old soundstage…but it’s still a soundstage. It’s not nearly as dramatic of transformation as going from Sunshine Plaza to Buena Vista Street at DCA.
To its credit, World Premiere looks lovely and is a much more inviting space with old Hollywood charm. It’s a bit surface level, and I would’ve preferred an entirely new entrance area, but the outcome here was better than expected. I enjoyed my time in here, especially unwinding on the upper level at the end of the day, people-watching and ‘enjoying’ a meal (although Earl of Sandwich still wins there).
Exiting World Premiere is when the reimagined front half of the park really starts to exceed expectations. There’s more placemaking than anticipated up here, and it was done in a way that makes the spaces feel less disjointed, cramped, and parking lot-esque.
Little things like pavers, landscaping, and fresh facades definitely help. It’s still far from the pinnacle of themed design, to be sure, but this area feels so much more warm and inviting than it did previously. And although I’ll miss CineMagique, the best attraction in the OG park, it certainly helps to have a formidable stage show and ride roster up here.
Whereas the placemaking exceeds expectations, one element of the actual overhaul disappoints: Avengers Campus.
Substantively, this is a remix of the land found at DCA, but without Mission Breakout (it’s still Tower of Terror here) and with a half-hearted reimagining to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. It’s fine, I guess. Like a worse version of Hyperspace Mountain, but Marvel.
The real issue is the themed design. Knowing this park already felt cold and uninviting, Disney should’ve chosen a concept that was not themed to an office park. Avengers Campus once again is overly industrial and sterile, and that drags down this park more than it does DCA. Neither version of the Marvel land is an exemplar of themed design, but this one is worse, and at the park that needed it more.
Fortunately, Adventure Way and beyond pick up the slack. This vibrant promenade is lined with trees brimming with popcorn lights and bona fide design. It’s a long stretch, but it also opens up to the existing lands, and offers the park a bit more breathing room.
One of the things that stood out to me when first visiting the OG second gate was just how little landscaping and water it featured (hence the parking lot comparisons–it was a veritable sea of concrete with no water features). I didn’t play “count the trees and gardens,” but this is essentially an antidote to that.
Adventure Way features a number of gardens, from Tangled to Toy Story, as well as entrances into the legacy lands. There are also meet & greet spots, and a seemingly never-ending parade of live entertainment. This all feels seamless and alive; fears or complaints that this corridor is too long are overblown.
Adventure Way also features a new family teacups-style attraction, Raiponce Tangled Spin. Seated in sculpted gondolas, guests whirl beneath a sky illuminated with floating lanterns, surrounded by frescoes depicting Rapunzel’s adventures.
There’s not a ton that needs to be said about a flat ride, but as a firm believer that this type of thing is valuable in rounding out the ride roster, I want to at least call attention to its quality. Raiponce Tangled Spin features lavish design befitting of the first gate, and would’ve been perfectly at home in Fantasy Springs in Tokyo DisneySea. Our daughter loved it, and I find it to be a lovely addition.
In the not too distant future, you’ll also soar into the whimsical world of Pixar Animation Studios’ Up. This family-friendly, flying carousel will add motion and energy on Adventure Way. It’s unclear when this Up attraction will open, but our expectation is 2027.
Disneyland Paris claims that there are 15 brand-new food and beverage locations along Adventure Way, but either that’s an exaggeration or I can’t count to 15. (Neither can be ruled out.) There are a couple of permanent locations, La Terrasse Panoramique and Café Luminosity, serving mostly lighter meals (hot dogs and bread bowls). The rest are more like festival-style marketplaces (chalets).
While Disney arguably embellishes the abundance of dining options, one thing that cannot be overstated is the attention to detail in the design of La Terrasse Panoramique and Café Luminosity. Both are rich in Art Nouveau stylization, with gorgeous and gratuitous ornamentation. These feel distinctly Parisian, reminiscent of the Guimard Metro entrances, with stunning stained glass marquees, light fixtures, and cast iron rails.
It would be fair to say that just these two tertiary dining options are more detailed than anything in the original Walt Disney Studios Park. And although these are prominent and eye-catching examples, the same is true throughout Adventure Way and circling Adventure Bay. The depth of design and texture is far superior to the landscape of the old park.
At the end of Adventure Way is Regal View Restaurant & Lounge. This table-service restaurant serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a refined atmosphere decorated with embroidered drapes, floral tapestries, delicate wood moldings, and murals of Disney Princesses.
You’ll also have the chance to meet a few princesses at Regal View Restaurant & Lounge. Appearing royalty includes Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Merida from Brave, Jasmine from Aladdin, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Mulan from Mulan, and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
Every detail of The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge has been crafted meticulously with artistry in mind. It is, without a doubt, one of the most stunning and lavishly-designed Disney restaurants in the world. I had a chance to dine here, and left thoroughly impressed. It’s easily the best in-park restaurant at Disneyland Paris–not that that’s a high bar. I hope to have a full review at some point, but it’s definitely a restaurant I’d recommend if cost is no concern (small caveat!).
There’s been a decent amount of discourse about how Adventure Way and Bay effectively double the size of the park while only adding a couple of attractions and dining options. This leads to a lot more walking and (supposedly) dead space.
I disagree. One of the more pleasant surprises about the Adventure Way and Bay areas is just how delightful these landscapes are, despite being substantively lighter. There’s a tremendous amount of depth and environmental engagement, which is a stark contrast to the flatness of the old WDSP.
These areas feel like quintessential Disneyland Paris: detail for detail’s sake. As someone who enjoys placemaking and leisurely strolls, perhaps I’m more tolerant of this, but I also feel like it’s a nice counterweight to the attraction-dense, detail-light front half of the park.
Adventure Bay is also the stage for the new “Disney Cascade of Lights” nighttime spectacular. This 360° show features a ballet of hundreds of aquatic drones, choreographed fountains, water screens, and pyrotechnics, all set to an orchestral score.
Designed in a 360° configuration with tiered viewing areas making for a high-capacity show, Cascade of Lights allows visitors to enjoy great views from around the bay. The show features Mulan, Hercules, Moana, and Zootopia, Pixar’s Up, and stuff the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I had a chance to catch Cascade of Lights a few times from around Adventure Bay and it grew on me with each subsequent viewing. Still, my big-picture view is that the nighttime spectacular leans a little too heavily into its high-tech wizardry, to the point that it’s a bit distracting. During my first viewing, I kept fixating on the low-level drones, which hover at eye level even while not activated.
It doesn’t help that Cascade of Lights doesn’t feature much semblance of a story, and focuses almost entirely on films from the 2000s. I didn’t dislike Cascade of Lights, but I’m also in no huge rush to see it again. It’s not the caliber of signature nighttime spectacular the reimagined park needed, similar to World of Color.
On the plus side, I found it very easy to see Cascade of Lights, even with minimal effort, so the show being relatively low stakes is certainly a win! The tiered viewing area is also thoughtfully designed, and it adds to the landscape.
The park’s flagship addition is World of Frozen, which opened up its gates for the first time in forever as part of Disney Adventure World relaunch. This Arendelle area features stunning architecture, including the towering North Mountain crowned by Elsa’s Ice Palace, and a vibrant village square inspired by Nordic design. From handcrafted décor to new music composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the land is designed to immerse guests in Arendelle.
The only attraction in World of Frozen is Frozen Ever After, a family-friendly boat ride that journeys through iconic scenes from the films, enhanced by lifelike Audio-Animatronics figures and other technology. Discover a Royal Encounter with Anna and Elsa “inside” Arendelle Castle, or join in the festivities with “A Celebration in Arendelle,” a daytime show staged on Viking longships in Arendelle Bay that brings the Snowflower Festival to life.
The land also offers quick-service dining at Nordic Crowns Tavern, exclusive merchandise at Arendelle Boutique, and interactive surprises like meeting Rúna, a baby troll companion. There are other free roaming characters like the Oaken (who, true to his name, wanders) and Mossie. Of course, there’s also the Olaf Audio-Animatronics, who recently cleared concussion protocol after a viral incident.
World of Frozen is one of the best lands Imagineering has ever done. Despite this, enthusiasm for the Disney Adventure World seems fairly muted. Fans assume this is “third place” to the Arendelle areas in Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
Those are two world-class lands, so third place here isn’t necessarily bad. Fantasy Springs is kind of its own thing, so it isn’t really comparable. World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland is the more direct comparison, and that land punches way above its weight.
World of Frozen is better at HKDL, which is mostly due to the natural landscape and natural mountains serving as a ‘borrowed scenery’ backdrop. It is not, however, better due to the second ride. Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs looks nice, but is incredibly underwhelming as an attraction.
“A Celebration in Arendelle” is the entertainment offering exclusive to the Disneyland Paris version of World of Frozen! Presented several times a day, the fjord show unfolds aboard three majestic Viking longships, featuring fan-favorite characters (including the Olaf robot), catchy music, and fun effects as it brings the Snowflower Festival to life. This show is not to be missed; arrive early, as views are limited around the fjord.
“A Celebration in Arendelle” is easily better than that kiddie coaster. The actual disappointment, at least for our young family, is swapping out the interactive Playhouse in the Woods for a traditional meet & greet. But perhaps that’s because we had zero success with the virtual queues for princesses in Paris.
For the average guest, “A Celebration in Arendelle” plus Frozen Ever After is probably going to beat the attraction lineup in World of Frozen at HKDL. The land as a whole is still better there, but each are excellent. And it’ll be interesting to see how this version continues to evolve, especially given how well Disneyland Paris does entertainment.
In terms of other quick hits from World of Frozen, I was pleasantly surprised by Nordic Crowns Tavern. It’s one of the better quick-service restaurants at Disneyland Paris (a very low bar), serving edible food. The menu is limited, but the salmon is serviceable.
The merchandise is top-tier; better than HKDL or TDS. I’m not normally a merchandise person, but the quality and attention to detail here impresses. There’s truly something for everyone, and that reality will soon be reflected on our credit card statement.
World of Frozen is a tremendous asset to the landscape of the park. The rockwork of the mountains and Norwegian wooden architecture offer range and variety to the area, making it feel at once grand and cozy.
But it’s the fjord and looking past Arendelle Castle that really impressed me, where the woods and waterway (plus a hidden Bruni) evoke the remote wilderness. This vast scenery feels worlds away from the old WDSP, and it’s hard to believe it’s a stone’s throw from the old parking lot park.
Although the second gate has now relaunched, DLP isn’t done with Disney Adventure World. Construction is underway on the other themed-land at Disney Adventure World. This will be the first themed area dedicated to Disney Animation’s The Lion King, known informally as the Pride Lands.
Set on Adventure Bay, this new land will feature a major attraction combining water-based thrills with next-generation Audio-Animatronics figures and unforgettable songs from the 1994 animated masterpiece, plunging guests deep into the Pride Lands to follow Simba’s adventures.
The plot of land that’ll be home to the Lion King was previously going to be a truncated version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge; it’s our understanding that this was quietly cancelled even pre-COVID after the tepid initial response of the domestic lands.
It’s unfortunate that this land was delayed so long and didn’t open with Disney Adventure World, as having an all-new and exclusive land would’ve made the relaunch more impactful. Again, the original announcement of the second gate expansion and overhaul came back in 2018, so we’re looking at the Lion King Pride Lands realistically taking roughly a full decade from then to come to fruition.
All in all, the reinvented Disney Adventure World exceeded our expectations. We can’t wait to see the park continue to grow and evolve, and are looking forward to returning. Those were not words I ever thought I’d type after experiencing the Walt Disney Studios Park for the first time.
Honestly, there was a time that I thought this park was irredeemable, with no amount of new attractions fixing the baked-in problems. The Adventure Way and Bay expansion along with ample placemaking around the front half of the park were the perfect solution, and make the second gate feel like a true Disney (emphasis added) park (more emphasis).
Disney Adventure World has a sense of place and purpose, and themed environments that make you want to linger as opposed to getting in, doing a few rides, and getting out as quickly as possible.
If you visit Disney Adventure World for the first time today, you might not appreciate just how radically this overhaul has addressed the structural woes of this much-maligned park. You might still be a bit underwhelmed, finding the ride roster a bit lacking. On paper, the transformation is not as impressive as the results at DCA or HKDL, which have superior attraction lineups.
As a practical reality, though, this overhaul was much more of a herculean undertaking; the bones of those parks weren’t nearly as bad to begin with. Not only that, but Disney Adventure World does have a sneakily good slate once you account for the world-class shows (Together plus Mickey and the Magician are a fantastic one-two punch). And although a couple of the headliner rides are overrated (looking at you, Crush’s Coaster and Ratatouille), the totality of the lineup is still strong.
Disney Adventure World is already a bona fide full-day park. And one that’ll only get better in the years to come as the lush landscape matures, Lion King opens, and the entertainment evolves. All of this has me more excited for the future of Disney Adventure World; again, not words I expected to ever type about this park.
The second gate being more than a few-hour park also has exciting implications for Disneyland Paris as a whole. I’ve long felt that DLP was master-planned exceptionally well, and Disney Adventure World being a full-day park makes the Disneyland Paris a 3-day destination-worthy resort complex.
Add to that easy access to Paris, one of the world’s greatest cities, and I’m excited to more enthusiastically recommend Disneyland Paris trips to Americans. That’ll be doubly true once the Lion King opens, Disney Village reimagining wraps up, and Sequoia Lodge (my favorite DLP hotel) overhaul is completed.
My biggest complaint is that all of this has happened too slowly and with too few attractions, but it’s still a massive win for Disneyland Paris. A massive leap forward in the right direction after years (decades?) of neglect and underinvestment in the European parks.
When comparing the first decade of WDSP to Disney Adventure World, it’s a night and day difference, and an almost unfathomable improvement. I hope the relaunch of Disney Adventure World is an immediate smash success, and the result is that the company immediately greenlights and expedites further expansion. Hopefully, we’ll learn more at the 2026 D23 Expo!
For the basics of planning a visit to Disneyland Paris, check out our Disneyland Paris Trip Planning Guide. Find the best place to stay in Disneyland Paris Hotel Reviews. Check out 101 Disneyland Paris Tips for some (101, to be exact) of our best random tips for doing DLP like a pro. See Disney Park Tickets Tips & Tricks for ways to save on tickets. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. Finally, for advice beyond Disney, check out our Ultimate Travel Guide to Paris, France.
Your Thoughts
Have you visited the reinvented Disney Adventure World? Thoughts on the big relaunch of the second gate at Disneyland Paris? Opinions on World of Frozen, Adventure Way, Disney Cascade of Lights nighttime spectacular, or anything else? Do you view these as good additions? Are you excited for the Lion King Pride Lands or any other future additions? Hope more is announced at the 2026 D23 Expo? Excited to finally stroll around the central lake and experience the reimagined park? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
