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Dutchman Michael Dean Dolk (42) is creatively responsible for the future expansions of Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris. The park will be expanded in the coming years with several new areas, including the frozen section. In a podcast episode, designer Den Dolek raises the angle of the veil.
The Dutch drawing talent joined the podcast D-Tales, for an interview that lasted more than 140 minutes. Dean Dolk, who has also worked at Efteling and Europa-Park in the past, has left friends and family behind more than ten years to start a new life in the United States. He explains exactly how he ended up at The Walt Disney Company and what Disney projects he has been involved in so far.
The designer also tells more about the design process: who decides which attractions and theme worlds will be built? How much freedom do Disney imaginations have and how do they work? And what’s it like to deal with Disney greats like Tony Baxter and the late Marty Sklar?
natural views
Den Dulk has specialized in developing frozen attractions in recent years. After a boat ride at American Disney park Epcot (2015), Frozen’s part of his hand will open next year at Hong Kong Disneyland. Something similar would follow later at Disneyland Paris. It’s not always about copying and pasting, Den Dalek emphasizes, because the surrounding landscape must always be considered.
In Paris take care of him ‘Some unique aspects’. The Frozen expansion there is part of a large-scale master plan in which entire Park Studios must eventually be given a new design and look. “The idea is that you can see the park in different steps in making a movie, as you walk in that park”Dean Dolk said. “Think about the origin of the movie, the movie release in the theater. And then I got into the world of the movie itself.”
haunted house
The Dutchman further reveals that the attraction will not contain any references to the 2019 Frozen II sequel, as preparations for the project were already in an advanced stage when the movie came out. Finally, he expresses himself on fan criticism and ambitions. Den Dulk points out that he loves to design a haunted house. He closely follows the evolution of Danse Macabre’s ghost attraction at Efteling, he says.
