Disneyland Paris is gearing up for one of the most dramatic changes in its history as it prepares to retire a beloved theme park and replace it with something far more expansive and immersive. The park at the centre of this transformation is Walt Disney Studios Park, which first welcomed guests in 2002. After nearly 24 years, the park is scheduled to close permanently on 29th March 2026 and reopen the same day under a completely new identity: Disney Adventure World.
This isn’t a simple rebranding. Disney Adventure World will be a fundamentally reimagined park, almost doubling in size and anchored by several richly themed “lands” designed to deepen guest immersion in Disney storytelling. Visitors can expect World of Frozen as the showpiece, complemented by Worlds of Pixar, Marvel Avengers Campus, and more areas — with a Lion King-themed land already under construction for future opening.
Before the park opens its gates to the general public, Disneyland Paris has announced exclusive preview dates for Annual Passholders. Gold Pass members will be the first to step into the new world on 15th March, followed by additional preview days on 18th, 23rd, 24th and 25th March 2026, open to all tiers of passholders. These previews serve not just as special early access, but as real-world operational tests, letting Cast Members fine-tune the guest experience ahead of the public launch.
The World of Frozen land has been crafted with astonishing attention to detail. It brings the kingdom of Arendelle to life with architectural nods to Nordic village aesthetics, recreations of the Ice Palace and mountain vistas, and the new Frozen Ever After attraction. This ride combines advanced Audio-Animatronic figures and immersive projection technology to carry guests through familiar scenes from the franchise, culminating in a finale at Arendelle Bay with a snowfall-inspired fireworks display.
Character engagement is also elevated. In addition to opportunities to meet Anna and Elsa inside a regal castle setting, there will be a 15-minute live show, “A Celebration in Arendelle,” featuring music by the award-winning Frozen composers and performances on Viking longships. One of the most intriguing technological advances is a life-sized Olaf capable of interacting with guests in real time — a leap forward in robotic character design for Disney parks.
Elsewhere in Disney Adventure World, the transformation extends to the park’s central lake, Adventure Bay. This 7.5-acre body of water will be the focal point for “Disney Cascade of Lights,” a nighttime spectacular using choreographed water fountains, projections, drones and orchestral music to create a dazzling show.
Disney has invested roughly €2 billion in this overhaul, reframing the park’s identity away from its original “behind-the-scenes filmmaking” theme toward something with broader emotional resonance and stronger narrative clarity for European guests. That shift is reflected in the detailed environments, storytelling attractions and new dining and entertainment experiences that make up Disney Adventure World’s vision.
For fans who have watched walls rise and cranes move for years, the countdown to 29th March 2026 marks both a farewell to Walt Disney Studios Park and the beginning of a bold new chapter as Disney Adventure World.