Disneyland Paris opened its gates to more than 500 emergency responders and their families for a day at Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World, a thank-you to the crews who fought this summer’s wildfires in the Fontainebleau Forest. The resort announced the visit on November 9.
Disneyland Paris worked with the Seine-et-Marne Prefecture to invite the teams, along with their families, for a special day in the parks. The guests spent it on the attractions and at the shows and parades. The resort’s own fire department was part of that effort. In July, it sent a fire engine and six cast members to Fontainebleau to work alongside the crews on the ground.
The Fires They Fought
The fires broke out on July 12, in the middle of a heatwave, in the Fontainebleau Forest about 37 miles southeast of Paris. Two fires were soon burning at once, and hundreds of firefighters worked them for days.
Together they burned more than 4,900 acres and forced about 1,000 residents from their homes. The fires were declared contained on the evening of July 14, but crews stayed on the scene long after that to keep them from flaring back up.
What Disneyland Paris Said
Christophe Murphy, president of Disneyland Paris, welcomed some of the responders and their families himself. “Honoured to have personally welcomed some of these emergency responders with their families to Disneyland Paris and express our gratitude,” he said. “Thank you for everything you do to protect others!”
The resort’s photo from the visit shows firefighters in their red jackets gathered with families beside a Christmas tree, with the parks already dressed for the holidays.
Not The First Thank-You
The town of Fontainebleau held its own tribute in September, with a parade of fire trucks and emergency vehicles down Rue Grande as residents lined the street to cheer the crews who saved their forest.
Disney has done this before on the other side of the world, too. In May 2025, Disneyland in California held a Heroes Salute Cavalcade down Main Street, U.S.A., for the firefighters, police and other first responders who fought the January wildfires in Los Angeles County. Their families rode along with Disney characters, Disneyland’s own firefighters joined the procession, and eligible first responders were offered a complimentary Heroes Ticket to the parks.
For the crews who spent July fighting fire in a heatwave, this was a day in the parks with their families, and a thank-you from a neighbor that had sent its own firefighters to help.
For all the Disney news without the clickbait make sure to follow our accounts! Facebook | Twitter | Threads | Instagram | TikTok
