Opening back in 2002, Walt Disney Studios Park became the second theme park in the Disneyland Paris Resort complex. Taking after Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, it’s also dedicated to all things motion pictures – production, behind-the-scenes, etc. WDSP ranks as the 22nd most-visited theme park in the world.
At present, Walt Disney Studios Park is the last Disney theme park with a replica of the water tower from Disney’s Burbank, California studios, which is topped in this instance by Mickey Mouse ears and dubbed the “Earffel Tower”. Here’s a list of their themed areas, known as “Studio Lots”.
- Front Lot – WDSP’s counterpart to Main Street, USA is the location of the Earffel Tower and “La Place des Frères Lumière”, a courtyard honoring the pioneers of French cinema; its Disney Studio 1 reconstructs a Hollywood street and connects Front Lot to the rest of the park
- Toon Studio – area for classic animated characters of Disney and contemporary ones from Pixar, originally named Animation Courtyard; a major expansion in 2009 is the Toy Story Playland, expanded into a whole area (Toy Story Land) in Disneyland Hong Kong and Shanghai, and soon in Anaheim’s Disney California Adventure
- Production Courtyard – themed after the craft of film production, with a spotlight of movie legends; it has the newest version of the “Twilight Zone Tower of Terror” attraction (opened 2007), and has live shows based on Lilo & Stitch and Disney Junior
- Backlot – showcase area for action set-piece attractions like its namesake Hollywood studio backlots; has a walkthrough attraction for 1998 asteroid film Armageddon, from Disney’s older-audience Touchstone Pictures label; its “Rock n Rollercoaster avec Aerosmith” ride is currently closed due to being converted into a Marvel-themed coaster; soundtracks from blockbuster films are piped into the background here