When guests leave Disneyland Paris and the lights of their favorite attractions begin to dim, a completely different kind of energy takes hold at the resort.
Tonight, we’re taking you behind the scenes of a nighttime project with the Horticulture team. Combining expertise, knowledge sharing and teamwork, meet the people who – under cover of darkness – create the magical landscapes that will delight guests at sunrise.
Normally, these Cast Members follow carefully planned schedules. From 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., they work in throughout the park’s lands, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., they continue maintaining the landscaping at the hotels. Their responsibilities include topiary pruning, hedge trimming, lawn mowing, and caring for rhododendrons and tropical plants.
For example, some Cast Members may tend to the exotic vegetation in Adventureland and the arid landscapes of Frontierland before moving on to the outdoor areas of Disney Hotel Santa Fe and Disney Hotel Cheyenne. Others care for the colorful gardens of Fantasyland before heading over to the seaside-inspired setting of Disney Newport Bay Club.
It is 10 p.m. While the day is winding down for some, it is just beginning for the Cast Members on the Horticulture team. Tonight, a special assignment awaits them – the refresh of the landscaping at Central Plaza, the central area facing Sleeping Beauty Castle. This major operation takes place several times a year, depending on the season and the park’s schedule, and requires additional staff to support the effort.
The night begins with a traditional briefing. Team leaders review all the tasks that must be completed before dawn, providing advice and technical support. Knowledge is shared as the more experienced Cast Members pass along their insights and advice to newer team members about the unique aspects of the project ahead.
Once assignments have been distributed, everyone reviews the evening’s landscape plans. Then it’s time to recharge with a meal and prepare the equipment.
Within the team, a variety of backgrounds and experiences enriches the group. There is Matthieu, who has held a permanent position for four years and knows every aspect of the job inside and out, and Quentin, a former work-study student who successfully transitioned to a permanent role less than a year ago.
Alongside them are new team members finding their footing. Doriane chose the gardens of Disneyland Paris as the setting for a career change, while Baptiste and Fanny are completing BTS degrees in Landscape Architecture through work-study programs.
Despite their different backgrounds, a strong spirit of mutual support unites the team. Knowledge is shared freely, creating opportunities for learning between experienced professionals and work-study students alike.
It is midnight, and Disneyland Park is completely empty. The Horticulture team has been given the green light to take to the stage. The scene is remarkable: tractors, lorries and trailers making their way up Main Street, U.S.A. arriving at the foot of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Equipment is unloaded in a carefully coordinated sequence – spotlights to illuminate the darkness, leaf blowers, rakes and rotary tillers.
The Horticulture team is not alone in making the Park their workplace for the night. Maintenance and Housekeeping teams are also hard at work, contributing to the bustling activity that unfolds after hours.
The flowers, prepared in advance by the Floral Design team, arrive in precisely the quantities needed and are ready to be installed. In fact, nearly 90% of suppliers are French, reflecting a strong commitment to supporting the local economy while ensuring the freshness of the plants.
Matthieu and Quentin, along with work-study students Fanny and Baptiste, begin their work. Before new flowers can be planted, the existing ones must be removed. The leftover material will be recycled into compost or ramial chipped wood. That evening, they are responsible for refreshing an area known as ‘the three drops,’ a group of three flowerbeds surrounding the information screens at the top of Main Street, U.S.A. The team then prepares the soil by turning it over with a rotary tiller.
Although the overall design is planned in advance by the Floral Design team, the gardeners always have input. If a particular flower variety proves unsuitable for the topography or exposure of a flowerbed, discussions take place and, whenever possible, the Floral Design team adjusts the design based on the gardeners’ recommendations, while remaining fully aligned with the guidelines established by Walt Disney Imagineering Paris. This is a perfect example of collective strength built on everyone’s expertise and experience.
That collaborative spirit extends beyond departmental boundaries. In the middle of the night, a question arises over whether an automatic sprinkler system is working properly. Without hesitation, the Irrigation team steps in to check the systems and carry out a test in close collaboration with the gardeners.
By 7 a.m., the day is beginning to break. With the planting complete, Central Plaza has taken on a vibrant new look, ready to welcome the summer season. But the work isn’t finished yet – the team thoroughly cleans the area to remove all traces of their work, so that when the park opens, guests will feel as though these thousands of flowers have appeared as if by magic.
Proud of a job well done, the Cast Members hand over to their daytime colleagues.
Fun facts
Nearly 90% of our plants are grown in France, and all our plant suppliers are French! Some plants come directly from our own production facilities, whilst others are sourced through purchasing and resale arrangements, primarily for varieties that are extremely difficult to grow in France, such as Dipladenia and certain Mediterranean plants. Only the flower bulbs are sourced from a Dutch supplier.
The Horticulture teams practice sustainable watering methods. Thanks to an innovative sensor system, plants are watered according to their actual needs, helping prevent unnecessary water consumption. In addition, the irrigation system is connected to the wastewater treatment plant, which supplies recycled water for irrigation. The teams are committed to continuous improvement, including selecting plant varieties that require less water and are more resilient to climate change.
Would you like to find out more about the environment and Disneyland Paris? Discover our environment booklet