Paris, Thursday, 11 September 2025.
Disneyland Paris announced yesterday (Wednesday) its 2025 holiday season running 8 November to 6 January, introducing Mrs. Claus to the park for the first time and debuting Belle in a winter dress for meet‑and‑greets. For retail and merchandising teams this signals deliberate character‑led IP deployment to drive shoulder‑season visitation and higher per‑capita spend without major capital outlay. Expect new merchandising SKUs (Belle’s cape, themed ornaments, festive plush), tighter guest‑flow around scheduled meet‑and‑greets, and incremental staffing needs for costumed roles and entertainment runs such as the returning “Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade” and seasonal shows. Operational priorities include queuing strategy, app scheduling, inventory allocation across parks and hotels, and price/placement testing to capitalise on emotional purchase triggers tied to first‑time character appearances. Short lead planning for staffing, POS assets and targeted marketing to family segments will be decisive in converting lifted attendance into sustained retail revenue over the winter window and loyalty.