Today marks the release of Euro Disney L’Album Officiel, the very first vinyl record made for Disneyland Paris. Composed of two parts – “Hier” and “Aujourd’hui” – guests can discover musical favorites from the past and present. Below is an interview with Régis Alart, Collectibles Product Manager in the Merchandise Product Division of Disneyland Paris.
Today, “Euro Disney L’Album Officiel” was released as the very first vinyl record made for Disneyland Paris, part of the merchandising product range for our 30th Anniversary Grand Finale.
Composed of two parts – “Hier” and “Aujourd’hui” – guests can discover musical favorites from the past and present.
We spoke with Régis Alart, Collectibles Product Manager in the Merchandise Product Division of Disneyland Paris, about this exciting new product for guests of all ages.
How did the idea of a Disneyland Paris vinyl come about?
In recent years, the vinyl record has made a comeback. When Euro Disney opened its doors in 1992, it had become an obsolete product, completely replaced by the CD. The idea was to imagine what the cover of an official Euro Disney album would have looked like if we had released one at the time. Reusing the graphic codes from that time was a fun project, with artists who are passionate about the history of our resort.
How was the collaboration with Walt Disney Records?
The Disney Music Group gave us a lot of freedom in the creation of the record. It was an opportunity for me to collaborate directly with the Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment teams for the research of masters and the choice of tracks. Disney Music Group brought its expertise for the management of the rights and the production of the disc.
How did you choose the different tracks?
We wanted to highlight the history of Disneyland Park and its attractions, as well as the music created for the 30th Anniversary – for example, how could we not include our celebratory anthem, Un Monde qui s’Illumine, and the essential Ready for the Ride? Early in the project, Tom Fitzgerald from Walt Disney Imagineering suggested splitting the album into two parts, with Side 1 “Yesterday” and Side 2 “Today”. The first side allows us to find some music from our past, such as Space Mountain – De la Terre à la Lune or Le Visionarium – Un Voyage à Travers le Temps, which had never been released before. The other side reflects the evolution of Disneyland Park, with some changes for our attractions such as Phantom Manor, Pirates of the Caribbeanand Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.
An anecdote about the development of this vinyl?
Being involved in the creation of an album was a very interesting experience. I loved the whole period of researching musicwhich was a very collaborative step with the Walt Disney Imagineering teams based in Glendale. However, making choices is always difficult, especially when we are limited to 25 minutes per side with a 33 rpm vinyl record. We are fortunate to have some incredible music, and I hope that we will soon have the opportunity to dive back into it on a future project. Why not have an album for an attraction like Phantom Manor, for example… What do you think?
The vinyl record is priced at 25€ and available at Walt Disney Studios Store, The Storybook Store, Harrington’s Fine China & Porcelains, and The Disney Gallery.
