At Disneyland Paris, savoir-faire and craftmanship is an integral part of bringing our experiences to life – nearly 400 suppliers contributed to make Disney Adventure World a reality. Majestically crowning the entrance of The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge, the striking marquise of the door helps set the tone of the experience, a combination of technical expertise and elegance crafted in the Schaffner workshops.
Founded in the early 19th century, this family-owned business based in Alsace, France has passed down its expertise through seven generations, driven by a passion for shaping metal through fire and forge. It is the meeting of this traditional craftsmanship with the creativity of Walt Disney Imagineering Paris that brought the marquise to life.
For Schaffner, the project combined aesthetic ambition with significant technical complexity. As Vincent Schaffner explains: “With no directly comparable references, our teams carried out an in-depth technical study. The 3D modelling of such a complex geometric design was a real design challenge—especially given that the precision expected for a structure of this scale remains within millimeters.”
This challenge required specialized skills and a high level of precision throughout manufacturing and installation. “The project involved several hundred hours of work, with highly qualified craftspeople, including a Best Craftsman of France winner,” Vincent notes. “Manufacturing required traditional ironwork skills combined with more innovative techniques including laser welding to meet the quality and finesse requirements of the piece.”
Choosing stainless steel for an artistic ironwork application increased the complexity of execution, requiring unwavering rigor throughout the process. Installation on site also represented a major milestone, managed by Schaffner’s teams through to the finalization of the structure.
Indeed, this close collaboration with Imagineers until the final touches on site was key to see the project come to life. As Project Manager at Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, Mathieu Roze, said: “Seeing the marquise installed at the entrance of The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge brought its craftsmanship and attention to detail to life. It reflects a strong collaboration and enduring savoir-faire.”
Beyond the technical achievement, the project carried strong meaning for Schaffner: “Working on such a distinctive piece, in such a demanding environment, was a stimulating experience. Being able to contribute, in our own way, to a human adventure as strong as the one carried by Disney Adventure World was greatly appreciated.”