Until 1992, the Walt Disney Company had experienced of nothing but success in the theme California, in d in Anaheim opene After All cr park, "It's a Small World spiced with 1955. Its theme song, America to promoted "an idealized vision of calculated reassuring of exotic cultures all promote heartwarming feelings about living together as n one happy family. There were dark tunnels and bumpy a rides to scare the children a little but none of the terrors The Disney of the real world from characters that everyone knew the cartoons and comic books were on hand to shepherd the guests and to direct them to the Mickey Mouse watches and Little Mermaid records 44 The Anaheim park was an instant success. In the 1970s, the triumph was repeated in Florida, and in 1983, Dis ney proved the Japanese also have an affinity for Mickey Mouse with the successful opening of Tokyo Disneyland. Having wooed the Japanese, Disney executives in 1986 turned their attention to France and, more specifically, to Paris, the self-proclaimed capital of European high culture and style. "Why did they pick France?" many asked. When word first got out that Disney wanted to build another international theme park, officials from more than 200 cations all over the world descended on Disney with pleas and cash inducements to work the Disney magic in their hometowns. But Paris was chosen because of demo- graphics and subsidies. About 17 million Europeans live less than a two-hour drive from Paris. Another 310 mil lion can fly there in the same time or less. Also, the