Disney chose France for its European theme park location primarily due to its strategic accessibility across the continent, providing easy reach for a massive potential audience.
While Disney initially considered locations closer to the warmer climate of the Mediterranean Sea, aiming to replicate the weather conditions of their parks in Florida and California, Paris ultimately emerged as the favored site.
According to information from Abbey Travel, Paris was chosen because:
- It is estimated to be less than a four-hour drive away for approximately 70 million people.
- It is within a two-hour flight radius of an additional 300 million people.
This extensive reach by both road and air made the Paris region an ideal hub to attract visitors from a vast area of Europe, outweighing the initial preference for a warmer climate. The decision prioritized market accessibility and population density over weather considerations.
