Samantha Barks, who portrays Elsa in Frozen The Musical, took a festive visit over to Disneyland Paris with her co-star, Emily Lane, who plays Anna. The pair experienced Disneyland Paris attractions, explored Sleeping Beauty Castle and enjoyed “Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade”. They also met up with some familiar friends, including Olaf!
Olaf, Elsa, Anna and many other Frozen favourites can be found at Frozen: A Musical Invitation, in Walt Disney Studios Park. During her visit, Samantha enjoyed meeting Mickey Mouse, riding Crush’s Coaster and seeing snow fall on Main Street U.S.A. The West End star said: “It’s been an absolute joy to be here at this time of year – Disneyland Paris is so enchanting at Christmas, the décor, parades and atmosphere. The snow on Main Street U.S.A. was so magical – I think maybe Elsa might have had something to do with that…”
Samantha Barks shared that this was her first ever visit to Disneyland Paris. Frozen the Musical’s Elsa and Anna smiled from ear to ear when they got the chance to experience attractions such as Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and Crush’s Coaster.
Speaking about their favourite attractions, Emily Lane said: “Crush’s Coaster was our absolute favourite – combining both a rollercoaster with unexpected spins and dives, and the utter magic of Finding Nemo. And it wouldn’t have been a trip to Disneyland without meeting Mickey Mouse; and of course an old friend of ours, Olaf the Snowman.”
Emily recalled visiting Disneyland Paris with her family when she was a child. When speaking about it, she said she was delighted to be back to experience the magic once again with her co-star Samantha. “I was very young when I last visited Disneyland Paris and it’s been magical to rediscover it all over again as an adult.”
Samantha Barks also shared the duo were super excited about the re-opening of Disneyland Hotel. “Christmas at Disneyland Paris is an utter delight – everything I dreamed. We can’t wait to come again for the re-opening of the Disneyland Hotel and experience the new Frozen themed rooms.”
The pair even paid a visit to a Disneyland Paris Ambassador to get everyone in the festive spirit. To bring to life the Disneyland Paris magic, the company counts on the commitment and expertise of more than 16,000 Cast Members from 124 different nationalities, speaking 20 languages and filling in 500 job classifications.
The holiday season at Disneyland Paris began on Saturday, 12th November with Disney Enchanted Christmas lasting until 8th January 2023. This year, the Magic of Christmas is even more festive as part of the Resort’s 30th Anniversary celebrations. Whether they’ve come to spend magical moments with family, an unforgettable getaway with friends, or even a romantic weekend, Disneyland Paris is the ultimate destination to experience the holidays for guests of all ages.
Fun Facts About Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade
• Each float is more than 6 meters high and weighs between 12 and 15 tonnes.
• Performers who participate in the Parade have spent a total of more than 5,500 hours in rehearsals.
• 380 costumes, 3,000 costume pieces, 700 pairs of shoes and 90 hair accessories have been designed for this Parade.
• Around 8 km of fabric have been used, embroidered, and embellished especially for this project on which 200 people have worked for two years.
Christmas Decorations at Disneyland Paris in a Nutshell
• 15,000 Christmas ball ornaments
• 78 Christmas trees
• A majestic 25-meter-high Christmas tree (weighing 25 tonnes), decorated with more than 1,000 ornaments
• More than 37,000 flowers planted over 4 days by Horticulture teams
• Fun fact: 100% of the lights used across the resort for the Christmas season at Disneyland Paris are LED lights
• Around 8 km of fabric have been used, embroidered, and embellished especially for this project on which 200 people have worked for two years.
