Cleaning and maintenance employees contracted to work at Disneyland Paris staged a noisy protest on Dec. 13, banging trash bins and leaving litter near park entrances while guests arrived. Videos show security present but no visible police, and protesters say they face "unrealistic goals" imposed by their employer. The demonstration coincides with the park's holiday decorations and follows a previous 2019 protest at a European Disney park. Separately, Disney has confirmed that the new World of Frozen will open at the renamed Disney Adventure World on March 29, 2026, featuring Elsa’s Ice Palace, Arendelle village and a Frozen Ever After boat ride.
Disneyland Paris Left Littered as Cleaning Staff Pound Bins in Protest Over 'Unrealistic' Goals
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Disneyland Paris was left strewn with rubbish on Dec. 13 after a group of cleaning and maintenance employees staged a noisy demonstration to draw attention to working conditions, footage circulating on social media shows.
Videos taken around 11 a.m. outside the park gates show workers banging on trash bins and leaving litter across areas that were otherwise decorated for the holidays with ornaments, bows, wrapped presents and garlands. Security personnel were visible in the footage, but no police officers appeared in the clips.
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Who Protested: According to the fan-run blog Walt Disney World News Today, the demonstrators were employees of a third-party contractor that provides cleaning and maintenance services across Disneyland Paris parks and hotels. Protesters allege the contractor imposes "unrealistic goals" on staff. PEOPLE contacted Disneyland Paris for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Context: The resort, which opened as Euro Disneyland in 1992, has previously seen labor actions at Disney parks in Europe, including a noted protest in 2019. The recent demonstrations attracted attention in part because they occurred while the park was actively welcoming guests during the holiday season.
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Frozen Expansion Unrelated but Timely
Separately, days before the protest footage emerged, Disney Parks Blog confirmed plans for a major new land at the Walt Disney Studios Park — soon to be renamed Disney Adventure World. The World of Frozen is scheduled to open on March 29, 2026.
The upcoming Frozen area will include North Mountain with Elsa’s Ice Palace, a reimagined Arendelle village inspired by Nordic architecture, and new dining and shopping offerings such as the Nordic Crowns Tavern and Arendelle Boutique. Entertainment will feature a show titled "A Celebration in Arendelle," which will include Viking ships, and the Frozen Ever After boat ride that takes guests through Arendelle village and up into the mountain for a musical finale with Anna, Elsa and Olaf.
Disney also announced that Olaf will appear as a free-roaming animatronic, part of what the company described as "a new chapter in Disney character innovation," blending technology and storytelling to bring on-screen characters to life.
While footage of the protest highlights labor tensions affecting the guest experience, the resort continues preparations for major new attractions and the holiday season.
