On Thursday 25th of January, Disneyland Paris reopened the doors of its landmark hotel following a complete transformation. The royally reimagined Disneyland Hotel invites all guests – especially children – to experience an immersive journey into royal Disney stories. At the reopening, a special 5-year-old Make-A-Wish child, Marie, made history as the first-ever person to step foot inside the hotel. Make-A-Wish France and Disneyland Paris granted Marie her Disney wish to become a princess and issued her a royal invitation as the guest of honour.
On the opening day, Marie was greeted with her own welcome party, with Mickey Mouse and a host of cast members filling the lobby and lining the grand lobby staircase in celebration of Marie, their first-ever guest.
Marie enjoyed many of the enchanting experiences offered to guests at Disneyland Hotel. She was firstly shown to her room for the evening, the Disneyland Hotel Royal Suite, where she was transported to Queen Elsa’s Ice Palace atop the North Mountain from “Frozen.” Marie was then treated to her very own princess makeover, before a special visit from Queen Elsa. As she explored the hotel, Marie also bumped into other Princesses such as Snow White and Aurora.
Marie’s day continued with a visit to Sleeping Beauty Castle where she stepped up to the royal balcony and enjoyed a unique and exceptional view of the park. After her castle experience, Marie enjoyed many Disneyland Park attractions along with watching the incredible ‘Disney Stars on Parade’.
Marie’s mother, Aurore, said: “There is no word to describe the experience we had and the emotions we felt. This stay was beyond our wildest dreams. All the moments of escapism we experienced are just unforgettable.”
For more than 40 years, Disney and Make-A-Wish have granted wishes like Marie’s for children living with serious illnesses. More than 150,000 children have had their wishes granted worldwide, creating moments that matter.