Yes, the company which brought us Audio-Animatronics and countless other innovations is clearly having a few issues with this project.

From an advertisement billboard to a larger advertisement billboard, to the current refurbishment tarpaulin, it feels like this will never end. The last official line said the refurbishment had already begun and would be finished by December. It never began.

We now appear to know for sure that the front of Disney Studio 1 won’t see the light of day again this decade. If you should happen to write or email asking what on earth has been going on, the new standard reply seems to be more about buying time than giving dates and details, as the previous response.

Here it is:

Thank you for your email concerning Disneyland® Paris.

To begin with, I would like to thank you for your loyalty in Disneyland Paris. Indeed, it is truly heartening to learn that you have visited the Resort on so many occasions.

Further to your query, I regret to inform you that due to unforeseen technical difficulties with the refurbishment work taking place on Studio 1, the work has been exceptionally delayed. Therefore, we are unable to confirm when the scaffolding will be removed.

Now 15 months and counting since the refurbishment scaffolding was put in place and 4 months since we were told the refurbishment had just begun, this appears to be a pretty exceptional delay. The shell of a building was probably built in less time back in 2000/2001.

What can you say? Well, you can email… and please do.

And if anyone happens to actually know what these “technical difficulties” are, get in touch. The magicforum members have been coming up with a few good possibilities, let’s see what you make of these…

• They lost the ladder so that they can climb onto the scaffolding to start work. Any donations of a ladder greatly received by Disney.

• The contractors are scared of the dark, so couldn’t go under the fake Studio 1 frontage.

• The contractors don’t have hopper tickets and are stuck in Disneyland Park trying to dig a tunnel into the Studios.

• The weather is not good enough – they are waiting for snow.

• They ordered orange and green paint, but red and white came, so they painted the Character Express horrible colours instead.

• Someone stole their hardhats and replaced them with Mickey ears.

• They are on strike – holding out for Castle Club rooms rather than the Empire State Club.

• They are stuck on Wilderness Island without a canoe.

• The materials are coming via Royal Mail.

• They are waiting for the railroad train to stop at Adventureland.

Or maybe…

• They decided to have a quick ride on Crush’s Coaster before starting last year and still haven’t reached the loading dock.

Feel free to add your own suggestion below, we’ve plenty of time…