Town Square

Just as it is in the other Disneyland-style parks, Town Square is the municipal center of the town of Main Street, U.S.A. It's on the Town Square that one finds the railroad station, hotel, government offices, community services and some of the town's largest retailers. At the heart of Town Square in Disneyland Paris, however, is something not found in any other park: a bandstand.

A bandstand had originally been included in Disneyland's Town Square, but Walt Disney had it relocated before opening, as he felt it blocked the view of the castle. Here in Paris, where the castle and the rest of Main Street are scaled up considerably from their California counterparts, that was far less of a concern. The bandstand is a beautiful Victoria gazebo, offering both a great photo spot and a shady place for some afternoon entertainment.

In the southwest corner of Town Square is the entrance to the Arboretum. An arboretum is a place where a variety of trees are grown for scientific and educational purposes. Of course, here the entrance is a facade, offering a gathering place for guests. The trees beyond the "entrance" are actually those planted to help shield the views of other areas of the park.

Adjacent to the Arboretum is City Hall, a handsome building in deep shades of red, white and blue. Inside, City Hall features incredibly ornate carved moldings, a gorgeous "gas" chandelier, an original detailed map of the park and aerial photos of Disneyland Paris under construction.

For those who spend more time here than it takes just to get a question answered, there are many other things to discover. In one corner is an image of the document signed by Disney's Michael Eisner and French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac back in 1987, confirming the agreement for the creation of Disneyland Resort Paris. You'll also see pictures from the ceremony.

Elsewhere, you'll find a plaque from Tokyo Disneyland, congratulating the Euro Disneyland cast on their 1992 grand opening, as well as actual medal awarded to Walt Disney in 1935 when he was knighted in the French Legion of Honor.

City Hall also includes a pair of private rooms, where guests with more complex questions may be assisted in comfort. Each of these is decorated in a unique style. The first features prints of some of the concept art created for the park's Frontierland, Phantom Manor and Pirates of the Caribbean.

The second is a tribute to Walt himself, with photos of him at Disneyland, a portrait of Walt and Lillian on holiday and even a shot of the Main Street in Walt Disney's boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri.