OK so as an Aussie who doesn't keep up with the news very well anyway-what Prince? why would he pay for costuming? and generally what a waste to create costumes and then put them in mothballs for ever. The Aristocrats was my first Disney movie and I was given the record of the songs when I was a child for Xmas (still own it), now of course I own the DVD. Would love to see the characters and yes DLP is made for them! O'Malley my first love-forget the fact he was a cat...
It was Saudi Prince Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud the 10th-richest man in the world. He currently holds a 10% stake in Euro Disney SCA, the company that runs DLP. They always put on a few special events for him when he attends the park with his family.
The Prince is credited together with former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Sanford Litvack in saving Euro Disney from closure in 1994. The Prince and Litvack made a deal with the Walt Disney Company and it's creditors to rescue the park from the banks who were about to force Euro Disney into bankruptcy. TWDC agreed to buy a 51% stake and the creditors agreed to buy a stake in the new company. A US$1.1 billion share issue was released and shares were offered to existing shareholders at below-market rates and the Prince agreed to buy any shares that were not sold to the existing shareholders.
His investment allowed Space Mountain to be built which cost US$100 million which in turn increased park attendance by 21% and hotel occupancy to 68.5%. Putting the park into recovery and it's first ever quarterly profit in 1995. If it was not for the Prince and Sanford Litvack, Euro Disney would have closed in 1994.
The Prince also came to the rescue in 2003 when the resort again faced bankruptcy after Walt Disney Studios opened which coincided with a drop in tourism and an overall slowdown in the global economy. So it's not surprising they make a bit of a fuss when he visits the park to check upon his investment.
Ah ha - thank you Jonjo for the enlightenment. All makes sense now (but still think now the character costumes are made-lets keep them!!). All of us oldies who are Dis fans can come and wallow in the Aristocrats-Ratatouille gets featured after all!