Have you ever wanted to spend an entire night in the worlds of Walt Disney Animation Studios movies like “Tangled” or “Beauty and the Beast?” That dream is now a reality at Disneyland Paris, where these royal stories and more have been brought to life in one-of-a-kind Signature Suites at the newly transformed Disneyland Hotel!
We had the chance to catch up with Walt Disney Imagineering for the inside scoop on how the resort’s most immersive suites yet were developed alongside the artists and storytellers on Disney Animation’s Creative Legacy team, with the help of the Walt Disney Animation Research Library.
Set Designer, Sophie Coudré has been at Walt Disney Imagineering since 2018. In fact, you may recognize some of her work on Disney Hotel New York, The Art of Marvel! She’s spent the last few years working on Disneyland Hotel, making sure no detail was left unturned during its transformation — especially the hotel’s Signature Suites.
These immersive suites are themed after the royal Disney Animation stories, “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Tangled” and “Frozen.” Not only are these fan favorite films, they offer the opportunity to explore a variety of cultural backgrounds and architectural elements, shared Sophie.
Choosing which stories to bring to life was just the start of a long and beautiful adventure, beginning with studying the animation, frame by frame, and collaborating with Disney Animation to ensure each suite accurately represented their respective films. Scenes from the films turned into sketches of the spaces, followed by the 3D modeling phase. The creative team worked diligently choosing the correct materials, from medieval France for “Sleeping Beauty” to Scandinavia for “Frozen,” and then it was off to manufacturing.
These aren’t just any suites, they’re the most immersive suites yet at Disneyland Paris where you will even discover a few iconic elements right out of the movies! Here you can find Aurora’s iconic dress, changing from pink to blue, Beast’s enchanted rose, Cinderella’s famous glass slipper, Rapunzel’s glowing Sundrop flower and a stunning stained-glass window reminiscent of a snowflake. You can dive even deeper into the making of Aurora’s dress on Walt Disney Imagineering’s YouTube channel:
Throughout the suites, you’ll also notice beautiful pieces of artwork inspired by beloved characters and treasured moments from the rich history of Disney Animation films. The vast collection at the Walt Disney Animation Research Library provided the foundation for many of these pieces. To bring them to life, Walt Disney Imagineering worked closely with Disney Animation to craft each new piece of artwork in the precise style of the film they represent while capturing the personality and charm of each character in these special moments.
Not only was the collaboration with Disney Animation important to the process, Walt Disney Imagineering also partnered with local artisans. Sophie shared traditional French technique that was woven into the process from working with a sculptor on Cinderella’s shoe and Beast’s rose to the tapestries found in the “Frozen” suite, similar to those you would find in a medieval castle.
When asked what details you can’t miss in the Signature Suites, Sophie was quite insistent on the fact you have to see everything. From details found in the furniture to the tiny friends hidden throughout such as the mice from “Cinderella” and Pascal’s dress. Although she does have a special place in her heart for “Sleeping Beauty,” a film that holds dear memories. Waking up in a bed surrounded by medieval architecture and Aurora’s dress — well, it’s a dream come true.
Disneyland Hotel truly is a one-of-a-kind stay you won’t want to miss! There’s so much to discover from Imagineer’s hidden details to experiences made just for kids. If you’re still not convinced, we have five more reasons you will fall in love with this newly transformed hotel.