Stunt Show at Disneyland Paris? An Update!

A recap: While I was searching for a graphic for my California Adventure post (3/20/08), I happened upon this interesting piece of concept art for Frontierland at Disneyland Paris. Look at the bottom right of the concept art above. It is labeled "EDL"-EuroDisneyland, not Walt Disney Studios. What's even more interesting is the name this graphic was given "Stunt Building Paris Western". Could it be? How seriously was a stunt show for Frontierland considered? Maybe our fellow Disney fan (and author of a great book, Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality,) Alain Littaye at Disney and More would be happy to fill us in.

Recent Note from Alain (2/15/2009): "Recently , i found on the excellent Mark Taft Insights and Sounds web site this rendering below. It's labelled "EDL - for Euro Disneyland which means that this concept-art was done in the early 90's when the park was still called by this name. And it shows the facade of a stunt show arena envisioned for DLP's Frontierland - a "western" stunt show, of course.

In his article Mark was wondering "How seriously was a stunt show for Frontierland considered?" and hoped that i may have the answer as i am the one who wrote the book about the park.Unfortunately, i just discovered Mark's March 2008 article yesterday (!) and i am a little bit late for the answer! However, i asked Jeff Burke who was Frontierland's show-producer if he ever heard about this project. And here is his answer:"I don't recognize this specific illustration, but there were discussions, after the Park had opened in 1992, to build a stunt show arena where the Chapparal Stage now stands. The discussions of Frontierland's own stunt showplace ended when operations said it would be too much of a repetition of the "Buffalo Bill Wild West Show" in Downtown Disney."

Another former imagineer friend sent to me these additionnal infos: "There were a number of discussions concerning a live western show in Frontierland, including a small rodeo which was not done due to the strict animal protection laws in France. This is why the animals in the original petting zoo were moved behind a fence after opening so that the guests could only pet an animal when it approached the guest on its own.As to the stunt show, this was developed under the Entertainment department on their own rather than Imagineering which was probably why it was not well known. An outside consultant was brought in and I seem to remember a model might also have been done. It was essentially a comic gun fight with exploding buildings and such but, as Jeff said, it was cancelled because of the clash with the Buffalo Bill show.After that, the Chaparral stage came into existence to house any number of live entertainment shows."So, there we have the answer about this mysterious rendering. The park DID envisioned a stunt show in Frontierland, but they finally cancelled it because of the Disney Village dinner show - translate: if we have a stunt show in Frontierland, people won't come - and pay - for the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.Although i must admit there is a kind of logic in their decision, i think it's a pity that a "western" stunt show don't exist in Frontierland instead of the Chapparal Stage. A western stunt show is a classic in theme parks - think about the Universal's Wild Wild West stunt show - and it would have give more life in the back of Frontierland..."

Thanks, Alain!