Well, week 1 is finished! WOO! I made it!
This job is so much more difficult than I would've ever thought! It's also much more fun, and I'm discovering that there is lots of opportunity during my stay here...
Everyone who works at Disneyland Paris as a performer plays Atmosphere/Fuzzy Characters (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, etc...) So even though I was hired as a Face Character (i.e. Princess), I don't find out until Monday if I even will officially be approved to play any of these characters, and if so, which ones. Being employed in the Character and Parades department here at Disneyland Paris means that you perform as an Atmosphere and/or Face Character, doing Meet-N-Greet sets in the park, Photo-Location sets, Dining experiences, Parades, and sometimes shows (there's a Sleeping Beauty show that I really want to be a part of!!!) At this point, I just really want to be a Face Character...every time I see a Princess, I think "I cannot WAIT to do that job!" I sincerely hope (and even pray!) that I get the opportunity to. Otherwise, I'm in for some REALLY toasty work over the next 8 months. I had a mandatory medical exam today and discovered that I've already lost 5 pounds...I hate to think what I'll look like in 8 months at this rate! There might not be enough of me left to return to California, as I will have sweat it all off.
Well, Disneyland here in Paris is quite different from Disneyland at home. I really, really like it though! I have yet to see the whole thing, and even to learn my way around, but so far, there are many parts of it that I actually prefer to Anaheim. Some comparisons...
1. Attention to detail here (on the attractions and around the park) is incredible! The buildings, roads, decor, landscaping...everything seems just perfect and so very artistic! It's very clear that a lot of thought and effort was put into making this park aesthetically pleasing for a specific yet broad audience. At the same time, I feel like the detail put into the performers and their performances are not as good of quality as at Disneyland in Anaheim. I'm really interested to see how a handful of Americans with a very different work ethic will affect this type of presentation. As a newcomer to Disney and to Paris specifically, I was not necessarily expecting to be coming in somewhat on top. Yet from what I've seen, it seems like a lot of people do this because it's a job, and not because it's something they love or even enjoy. I'm hoping that I can keep a positive attitude during the duration of my contract, and remember why I'm here in the first place!
2. The size! It's fabulous, and really perfect! Andrew and I went to Disneyworld for our honeymoon, and we agreed that the Magic Kingdom there was just sort of, well, clumsy. As if they had a mentality of "bigger is better", when in reality, bigger is just bigger! We're used to Disneyland, which is quaint, original, but also bursting at the seams!! Disneyland Paris is much more spacious than Disneyland in Anaheim, and understandably so, being only 17 as opposed to 55 years old. I feel that here though, one has room to breathe, to navigate, appreciate, and enjoy all aspects of the park. While I have yet to experience a truly "packed" day, I don't think that this place could ever seem overcrowded, as Disneyland Anaheim has seemed to become over the past couple of years.
3. The interesting thing about Disneyland Paris is that it really has to cater to a certain type of audience...a people with a history. Now you may not realize, but Disneyland Paris is set up in the same way as Disneyland Anaheim, complete with Main Street USA (very UN-French), Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Discoveryland (the same as our Tomorrowland). So, while it has the same basic outline, what is inside each of the lands provides the contrast from what I'm used to. At Disneyland back home, I've always experienced a kind of whimsical "other-world" feel from the each respective land/area of the park. But in Disneyland Paris, one experiences a kind of whimsical "other-time" in each land, where history seems to have left a mark on each and every aspect of that area in a unique way. In the Castle walk-through, for instance, instead of looking at animated scenes made with mirror tricks (like at home), the story of Sleeping Beauty is told through stained-glass windows and tapestries! VERY French! These things will have meaning for and affect a European audience in ways that Americans would react very differently to. Fantasyland itself feels like an actual Medieval town! The Carousel, rather than boasting the gallant white horses of Anaheim, shows off fully armored and ready-for-war Steeds, surrounded by coats of arms! I expected knights in shining armor to appear at any moment...
I hate to admit (especially on this "happy Disney" post) that I'm a fan of Eddie Izzard, who is a rather crass but also extremely hilarious British comedian. However, he brings up a good point and perspective when talking about the Disneyland Paris park, and that's what I'll leave you with so you may better understand what I'm trying to say:
This job is so much more difficult than I would've ever thought! It's also much more fun, and I'm discovering that there is lots of opportunity during my stay here...
Everyone who works at Disneyland Paris as a performer plays Atmosphere/Fuzzy Characters (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, etc...) So even though I was hired as a Face Character (i.e. Princess), I don't find out until Monday if I even will officially be approved to play any of these characters, and if so, which ones. Being employed in the Character and Parades department here at Disneyland Paris means that you perform as an Atmosphere and/or Face Character, doing Meet-N-Greet sets in the park, Photo-Location sets, Dining experiences, Parades, and sometimes shows (there's a Sleeping Beauty show that I really want to be a part of!!!) At this point, I just really want to be a Face Character...every time I see a Princess, I think "I cannot WAIT to do that job!" I sincerely hope (and even pray!) that I get the opportunity to. Otherwise, I'm in for some REALLY toasty work over the next 8 months. I had a mandatory medical exam today and discovered that I've already lost 5 pounds...I hate to think what I'll look like in 8 months at this rate! There might not be enough of me left to return to California, as I will have sweat it all off.
Well, Disneyland here in Paris is quite different from Disneyland at home. I really, really like it though! I have yet to see the whole thing, and even to learn my way around, but so far, there are many parts of it that I actually prefer to Anaheim. Some comparisons...
1. Attention to detail here (on the attractions and around the park) is incredible! The buildings, roads, decor, landscaping...everything seems just perfect and so very artistic! It's very clear that a lot of thought and effort was put into making this park aesthetically pleasing for a specific yet broad audience. At the same time, I feel like the detail put into the performers and their performances are not as good of quality as at Disneyland in Anaheim. I'm really interested to see how a handful of Americans with a very different work ethic will affect this type of presentation. As a newcomer to Disney and to Paris specifically, I was not necessarily expecting to be coming in somewhat on top. Yet from what I've seen, it seems like a lot of people do this because it's a job, and not because it's something they love or even enjoy. I'm hoping that I can keep a positive attitude during the duration of my contract, and remember why I'm here in the first place!
2. The size! It's fabulous, and really perfect! Andrew and I went to Disneyworld for our honeymoon, and we agreed that the Magic Kingdom there was just sort of, well, clumsy. As if they had a mentality of "bigger is better", when in reality, bigger is just bigger! We're used to Disneyland, which is quaint, original, but also bursting at the seams!! Disneyland Paris is much more spacious than Disneyland in Anaheim, and understandably so, being only 17 as opposed to 55 years old. I feel that here though, one has room to breathe, to navigate, appreciate, and enjoy all aspects of the park. While I have yet to experience a truly "packed" day, I don't think that this place could ever seem overcrowded, as Disneyland Anaheim has seemed to become over the past couple of years.
3. The interesting thing about Disneyland Paris is that it really has to cater to a certain type of audience...a people with a history. Now you may not realize, but Disneyland Paris is set up in the same way as Disneyland Anaheim, complete with Main Street USA (very UN-French), Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Discoveryland (the same as our Tomorrowland). So, while it has the same basic outline, what is inside each of the lands provides the contrast from what I'm used to. At Disneyland back home, I've always experienced a kind of whimsical "other-world" feel from the each respective land/area of the park. But in Disneyland Paris, one experiences a kind of whimsical "other-time" in each land, where history seems to have left a mark on each and every aspect of that area in a unique way. In the Castle walk-through, for instance, instead of looking at animated scenes made with mirror tricks (like at home), the story of Sleeping Beauty is told through stained-glass windows and tapestries! VERY French! These things will have meaning for and affect a European audience in ways that Americans would react very differently to. Fantasyland itself feels like an actual Medieval town! The Carousel, rather than boasting the gallant white horses of Anaheim, shows off fully armored and ready-for-war Steeds, surrounded by coats of arms! I expected knights in shining armor to appear at any moment...
I hate to admit (especially on this "happy Disney" post) that I'm a fan of Eddie Izzard, who is a rather crass but also extremely hilarious British comedian. However, he brings up a good point and perspective when talking about the Disneyland Paris park, and that's what I'll leave you with so you may better understand what I'm trying to say:
"I grew up in Europe, where the history comes from. Oh, yes. You tear your
history down, man. "It’s 200 years old, let's smash it and put a car park
here." I have seen it in stories. I saw a program on something in Miami.
"We've redecorated this building to how it looked over fifty years ago!"
People are going, "No, surely not! No! No one was alive then." We've got
tons of history lying about. Big old castles. They just get in the way.
"There's a blasted castle, I'll have to drive around." Disney came over and
built Euro Disney. They built the Disney castle there. Everyone was like,
"Make it bigger, they've actually got them here…and they're not made of
plastic." We've got tons of them. You think we all live in castles and we do.
We've got a castle each. We're up to here with castles. We just long for a
bungalow or something."
I love your insight. Great observations and the way you explained it made it feel very alive. Thank you for the time you put into your posts. We all love you guys go much. Go eat some fatty, delisious French food before you become a wafe!
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