The bond between Mickey Mouse and Disney Parks goes back a long way. At the end of the 1940s, when Walt Disney was planning construction of the first theme park in history, he called it "Mickey Mouse Park" to begin with, going on to call it "Disneyland" in the end. But Mickey Mouse still has a place of honour at Disney Parks. Some Cast Members have the affectionate nickname of "the boss" for him, and plenty of guests on their way to Disneyland Paris simply say they're going over "to Mickey". There's no doubt that the most famous mouse in the world is a powerful symbol for the tourist destination, featuring in shows, attractions and even the décor all at the same time.
In this article we remember all of the major events that Mickey Mouse has attended throughout the history of Disneyland® Paris.
CHAPTER 1: MICKEY THE ICON
The first thing you notice on arriving at Disneyland Paris is that his image can be seen all over the tourist destination in many different forms – a kind of treasure hunt with the promise of magical encounters. In front of Disneyland Hotel, Mickey takes the form of a floral display – giving us a warm welcome before we enter Disneyland® Paris. It's spectacular creation measuring 30m in circumference and depicting his face with over 2,500 plants.
Mickey had already taken a more temporary plant form at the Disney's Newport Bay Club Hotel roundabout back in 1997 – a creation marking the start of the Tour de France: the grass was covered in a giant straw figure of Mickey wearing a jester's hat inspired by The Hunchback of Notre-Dame animation film. To mark the occasion, the Horticulture department even put yellow jerseys on Mickey-shaped topiary!
And fans won't have forgotten the imposing Mickey Mouse made of ice that took pride of place on Central Plaza for the 1999 Christmas season. His finger pointed at the Christmas tree at the other end of Main Street, U.S.A.®, which he lit up every evening as if by magic.
As for Walt Disney Studios®, it's the famous Earfell Tower that guides us towards the Place des Frères Lumière presided over by the elegant Fantasia Fountain depicting Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, whose hat can be found at the Art of Disney Animation attraction. Having passed through Disney Studio 1, we find the bronze statue entitled "Partners" on the other side – designed by the legendary Imagineer Blaine Gibson and showing Mickey and Walt Disney side by side. The sculptor took his inspiration from the handshake between the famous mouse and the conductor Leopold Stokowski at the end of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" Fantasia sequence in Fantasia.
CHAPTER 2: LEADING THE PARADE
With our parades, the arrival of Mickey is always an invitation to go on a journey – around the world, on board his "Magigolfière" in "La Parade Disney ImagiNations" (1999), via the big animation classics, by rocket in "La Parade Disney" (1992), by balloon in "La Parade des Rêves Disney" (2007), by boat at the tiller of "Steamboat Willie", in "La Parade du Monde Merveilleux Disney" (1998) and by train in the iconic "Main Street Electrical Parade" (1992).
Mickey's arrival is also a chance to immerse yourself in the world of fantasy – the sparkling "fairy garden" of the "Disney Fantillusion Parade" (2003) or the back-to-the-future world of the latest "Disney Stars on Parade" (2017), where Mickey appears as an explorer from the future!
Mickey also guides us through the seasons, especially the "Festival Halloween Disney" and "Noël Enchanté Disney", each with their own parade. When "La Célébration Halloween de Mickey" Cavalcade began in 2013, he took us all back to the origins of the festival, with autumn harvests and a float shaped like a Horn of Plenty. And this year, Mickey has a family festival with a few shivers in store for us in the shape of "Le Manoir aux Illusions de Mickey" float event with plenty of magic tricks. And finally, with "La Parade de Noël Disney", he gets everyone moving to the same beat from his candy cane rostrum to the sound of "Christmas is here".
For other parades, Mickey's appearance is also a way of ending the event on a high note, such as "Disney Cinema Parade" (2002) at Walt Disney Studios®, where Mickey invited us to a screening in a real mobile movie theatre designed by "Cirque du Soleil" director Franco Dragone or "La Magie Disney en Parade"! (2012) with his amazing double "Fêtons la magie ! “
CHAPTER 3: "EN SCÈNE S'IL VOUS PLAÎT!"
A cartoonist in "Animagique" (2002), competing with Donald in the inspiration stakes, Mickey was also the Sorcerer's Apprentice in "Mickey et le Livre Magique" (1992), bringing the most wonderful fairy tales to life with a fabulous giant pop-up book, on stage at the Théâtre du Château and more recently as the Magician's Apprentice in "Mickey and the Magician" (2016) at Animagique® Theater. In this enchanting show, as he is cleaning the studio of a great Magician, Mickey meets a series of Disney Characters who reveal the true nature of magic to him.
The supreme artist, he sings and dances in every style at Fantasy Festival Stage in "En Scène s'il vous plaît!" (1997), he cuts a romantic dash on ice skates at Chaparral Theater in "Mickey's Winter Wonderland" (1997) and shows off his impressive skills as a drummer in "Mickey's Christmas Big Band" (2017) in Walt Disney Studios® Park.
But, above all else, Mickey is famous for being a master of Ceremonies par excellence. In 2001, he took charge of things as Monsieur Loyal in the amazing "Disney's TOON Circus" which took over Main Street, U.S.A.® every day with its clowns and acrobats. Having lit the Christmas tree in "Mickey's Magical Christmas Lights" assisted by a child picked from among the guests, he was a shoe-in for directing "Bougillumination" for the 15th anniversary, lighting all fifteen candles on the turrets of Sleeping Beauty Castle by magic.
He naturally presided the 90th anniversary celebrations marking his first appearance in Steamboat Willie, but you will remember that he also enjoyed the place of honour for the "La Fête Magique de Mickey" season, electrifying Disneyland® Paris in 2009, featuring "Place à la fête… avec Mickey et ses amis", a highly interactive show in the company of Donald and Goofy, Tigger, Peter Pan, Baloo and Timon, performed on the imposing 360° stage then built on Central Plaza, enabling the Parade Performers accompanying the Disney Characters to get as close as possible to the audience in all four corners of the square.
CHAPTER 4: HEART ON HIS SLEEVE
But people don’t just adore Mickey for his imagination and many talents. They also love him for his heart of gold. In 1991, even before Euro Disney Resort opened, the "Club Bénévole" was set up for Cast Members wanting to provide a bit of magic and support for sick children. And Mickey was first in line to support their initiative. Today, the work is continued by our Disney VoluntEARS, and Mickey still gives a helping hand, inviting children and their families to Disneyland Paris and visiting Île-de-France hospitals with all his best pals.
For him, nothing’s too good when it comes to helping children, and Disneyland Paris has organised a host of socially responsible initiatives down the years. One of the craziest has to be the tennis court created bang in the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. for an epic set between Gaël Monfils and Mickey on 20 May 1999 to benefit Yannick Noah’s "Fête le Mur" association, which promotes education and social inclusion through sport for young people.
CONCLUSION
And there are so many other memories we could mention – that’s how powerful Mickey’s influence is at Disneyland® Paris. Meeting him for the first time or seeing him regularly – he’s our host, our guide and our friend, and we all have our own Mickey experience, making every visit unique. Disneyland Paris is a magical place, and it’s all thanks to Mickey Mouse. Because, as Walt Disney loved to say, "It all started with a mouse".
Article and photos by Disneyland Paris.
In this article we remember all of the major events that Mickey Mouse has attended throughout the history of Disneyland® Paris.
CHAPTER 1: MICKEY THE ICON
The first thing you notice on arriving at Disneyland Paris is that his image can be seen all over the tourist destination in many different forms – a kind of treasure hunt with the promise of magical encounters. In front of Disneyland Hotel, Mickey takes the form of a floral display – giving us a warm welcome before we enter Disneyland® Paris. It's spectacular creation measuring 30m in circumference and depicting his face with over 2,500 plants.
Mickey had already taken a more temporary plant form at the Disney's Newport Bay Club Hotel roundabout back in 1997 – a creation marking the start of the Tour de France: the grass was covered in a giant straw figure of Mickey wearing a jester's hat inspired by The Hunchback of Notre-Dame animation film. To mark the occasion, the Horticulture department even put yellow jerseys on Mickey-shaped topiary!
And fans won't have forgotten the imposing Mickey Mouse made of ice that took pride of place on Central Plaza for the 1999 Christmas season. His finger pointed at the Christmas tree at the other end of Main Street, U.S.A.®, which he lit up every evening as if by magic.
As for Walt Disney Studios®, it's the famous Earfell Tower that guides us towards the Place des Frères Lumière presided over by the elegant Fantasia Fountain depicting Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, whose hat can be found at the Art of Disney Animation attraction. Having passed through Disney Studio 1, we find the bronze statue entitled "Partners" on the other side – designed by the legendary Imagineer Blaine Gibson and showing Mickey and Walt Disney side by side. The sculptor took his inspiration from the handshake between the famous mouse and the conductor Leopold Stokowski at the end of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" Fantasia sequence in Fantasia.
CHAPTER 2: LEADING THE PARADE
With our parades, the arrival of Mickey is always an invitation to go on a journey – around the world, on board his "Magigolfière" in "La Parade Disney ImagiNations" (1999), via the big animation classics, by rocket in "La Parade Disney" (1992), by balloon in "La Parade des Rêves Disney" (2007), by boat at the tiller of "Steamboat Willie", in "La Parade du Monde Merveilleux Disney" (1998) and by train in the iconic "Main Street Electrical Parade" (1992).
Mickey's arrival is also a chance to immerse yourself in the world of fantasy – the sparkling "fairy garden" of the "Disney Fantillusion Parade" (2003) or the back-to-the-future world of the latest "Disney Stars on Parade" (2017), where Mickey appears as an explorer from the future!
Mickey also guides us through the seasons, especially the "Festival Halloween Disney" and "Noël Enchanté Disney", each with their own parade. When "La Célébration Halloween de Mickey" Cavalcade began in 2013, he took us all back to the origins of the festival, with autumn harvests and a float shaped like a Horn of Plenty. And this year, Mickey has a family festival with a few shivers in store for us in the shape of "Le Manoir aux Illusions de Mickey" float event with plenty of magic tricks. And finally, with "La Parade de Noël Disney", he gets everyone moving to the same beat from his candy cane rostrum to the sound of "Christmas is here".
For other parades, Mickey's appearance is also a way of ending the event on a high note, such as "Disney Cinema Parade" (2002) at Walt Disney Studios®, where Mickey invited us to a screening in a real mobile movie theatre designed by "Cirque du Soleil" director Franco Dragone or "La Magie Disney en Parade"! (2012) with his amazing double "Fêtons la magie ! “
CHAPTER 3: "EN SCÈNE S'IL VOUS PLAÎT!"
A cartoonist in "Animagique" (2002), competing with Donald in the inspiration stakes, Mickey was also the Sorcerer's Apprentice in "Mickey et le Livre Magique" (1992), bringing the most wonderful fairy tales to life with a fabulous giant pop-up book, on stage at the Théâtre du Château and more recently as the Magician's Apprentice in "Mickey and the Magician" (2016) at Animagique® Theater. In this enchanting show, as he is cleaning the studio of a great Magician, Mickey meets a series of Disney Characters who reveal the true nature of magic to him.
The supreme artist, he sings and dances in every style at Fantasy Festival Stage in "En Scène s'il vous plaît!" (1997), he cuts a romantic dash on ice skates at Chaparral Theater in "Mickey's Winter Wonderland" (1997) and shows off his impressive skills as a drummer in "Mickey's Christmas Big Band" (2017) in Walt Disney Studios® Park.
But, above all else, Mickey is famous for being a master of Ceremonies par excellence. In 2001, he took charge of things as Monsieur Loyal in the amazing "Disney's TOON Circus" which took over Main Street, U.S.A.® every day with its clowns and acrobats. Having lit the Christmas tree in "Mickey's Magical Christmas Lights" assisted by a child picked from among the guests, he was a shoe-in for directing "Bougillumination" for the 15th anniversary, lighting all fifteen candles on the turrets of Sleeping Beauty Castle by magic.
He naturally presided the 90th anniversary celebrations marking his first appearance in Steamboat Willie, but you will remember that he also enjoyed the place of honour for the "La Fête Magique de Mickey" season, electrifying Disneyland® Paris in 2009, featuring "Place à la fête… avec Mickey et ses amis", a highly interactive show in the company of Donald and Goofy, Tigger, Peter Pan, Baloo and Timon, performed on the imposing 360° stage then built on Central Plaza, enabling the Parade Performers accompanying the Disney Characters to get as close as possible to the audience in all four corners of the square.
CHAPTER 4: HEART ON HIS SLEEVE
But people don’t just adore Mickey for his imagination and many talents. They also love him for his heart of gold. In 1991, even before Euro Disney Resort opened, the "Club Bénévole" was set up for Cast Members wanting to provide a bit of magic and support for sick children. And Mickey was first in line to support their initiative. Today, the work is continued by our Disney VoluntEARS, and Mickey still gives a helping hand, inviting children and their families to Disneyland Paris and visiting Île-de-France hospitals with all his best pals.
For him, nothing’s too good when it comes to helping children, and Disneyland Paris has organised a host of socially responsible initiatives down the years. One of the craziest has to be the tennis court created bang in the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. for an epic set between Gaël Monfils and Mickey on 20 May 1999 to benefit Yannick Noah’s "Fête le Mur" association, which promotes education and social inclusion through sport for young people.
CONCLUSION
And there are so many other memories we could mention – that’s how powerful Mickey’s influence is at Disneyland® Paris. Meeting him for the first time or seeing him regularly – he’s our host, our guide and our friend, and we all have our own Mickey experience, making every visit unique. Disneyland Paris is a magical place, and it’s all thanks to Mickey Mouse. Because, as Walt Disney loved to say, "It all started with a mouse".
Article and photos by Disneyland Paris.
