With a heavy workload pushing through EU laws, members of the European parliament know a thing or two about amendments. But an unscheduled Mickey Mouse experience on their way to Strasbourg on Monday morning was something of a first, reports The Guardian.
A French train carrying hundreds of MEPs and their teams from Brussels ended up by accident at Marne-la-Vallée, the stop for Disneyland Paris.
Instead of the rolling hills that usually greet them as they head to the Alsatian city, MEPs were caught between the Art of Marvel and Main Street USA, with Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain and Peter Pan’s Flight in the near distance.
Emmanuel Foulon, who works with the parliament’s press team, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “‘When magic comes to life’ – will Disney’s slogan soon be that of the European Parliament?”
Passengers on the train, told that the diversion was due to an “error in the route”, were quick to see the funny side, prompting Disneyland to trend briefly on social media in the Belgian capital.
The location of the parliament in Strasbourg is a regular source of tension for MEPs as there is no direct train from Brussels, forcing travellers to change either in Paris or at a station near the Disneyland complex.