1. Chris Moseley

3.  Opened in 1983 – First expansion outside of United States.  Disney took no equity in the project and invested no money for construction. 10% admissions and 5% food and souvenir.  30 million Japanese lived within 30 miles of the park. 3x the number in proximity to the Anaheim location.  All signs were in English (slight Japanese translation)  The majority of the food was American-style.  All of the attractions were cloned from American parks  Japanese have a strong appetite for American Entertainment and leisure.

4.  Initial bidding involved Germany, France, and Spain.  Labor and tax incentives as well as 20,000 acres of land were offered by Spain. Ideal weather conditions.  France offered to improve domestic transportation to supplement the construction. The Euro Tunnel was opened in 1994.  France had the largest population base. 30 million people were located within a day’s ride from Belgium, England, and Germany.  France’s high humidity and 20 degree temperatures was the only drawback.

5.  Invested $2.5 Billion and $160 Million in equity to build the park.  28,000 new jobs were created for the development.  Hired employees of nationalities proportional to expected visitor counts ( 45% French, 30% other European countries, and 15% outside of Europe.)  Top jobs and management positions were American expatriates.  Hiring process was heavily criticized.  French cast members had to break cultural aversions to being polite.  American Managers did not adapt to European work habits & ethics.

6.  A great emphasis on making the park extremely “American” to guests.  Hotels, Rides, and gardens were named in a way that carried a heavy western flavor in an attempt to appeal to the European appetite for an American experience.  The park was received concerns it was too Americanized.  The French media decried “cultural imperialism” by Euro Disney  It was felt the emergence of Euro Disney would encourage unhealthy American brand of consumerism.

7.  Euro Disney turned to be relatively “international”  The park featured food from across the world.  Fantasyland, carried only European dishes with a variety of origins.  Originally, French was agreed to be the primary language, but most signs were bilingual, as were the park’s employees.  The park did not serve wine, although drinking wine at lunch is a common practice in Europe.  Europeans were intolerant to waiting in long lines for rides and food.

8.  Opened in Paris, France in 1992. Euro Disney was renamed Disneyland Paris in 1994.  The park was not perceived as French or International and as a result, attendance was much lower than expected.  The park did not turn a profit until July 1995.  The cost of the overall experience was a detriment for many French visitors. Visitation from the rest of Europe was higher than expected.  It received positive feedback for the park’s originality and the unique experience.  It was created for those who could not afford to go to America.

9.  Disney should have focused on adapting the park to specifically French and European cultures.  Must find a way to promote the park in such a way to cut costs in public relations and operations, while providing affordable entertainment.  An increased focus on employee morale and adoption of European culture will prevent high turnover and improve customer service.