In what was either a cartoonish mistake or a dastardly plot to save the European Union money, MEPs on October 16 were sent to Disneyland instead of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Politicians took to X to express their bemusement after their EU-chartered train – which they had told would bring them to the France-based parliament – brought them to a very different kind of, ahem, Goofy destination.
“Following a routing error in Paris Charles de Gaulle, [SNCF] sent to [Disney] the train which was to bring the European parliamentarians from Brussels to Strasbourg,” an aide wrote online.
MEPs swiftly confirmed their presence on the train to the Magic Kingdom, which so far has not been a target for EU enlargement.
“Never a dull moment in a Strasbourg week,” Green MEP Sarah Matthew wrote online, while Renew MEP Samira Rafaela confirmed she was also in “team Disneyland”.
Marne-La-Vallée is now officially the European Parliament's 4th place of work.
Deal with it. pic.twitter.com/8grWyv4e5U
— mepassistant (@mepassistants) October 16, 2023
Officials were quick to speculate on the purpose of the trip, with one netizen suggesting the redirection was an impromptu celebration of pro-EU forces in Poland’s recent general elections.
Others proposed that Disneyland had become yet another seat of the European Parliament on top of Brussels and Strasbourg.
Such a move would likely upset those on the French Right, who are likely to demand that Parc Astérix be selected instead.
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Questions have also arisen regarding the value to the EU taxpayer of sending MEPs to Disneyland.
Some have suggested the bloc could save millions if MEPs were too occupied with getting selfies with feminist icon Minnie Mouse to pass huge spending packages.
Regular trips to Disneyland would also likely work out cheaper for the EU. The park is closer to Brussels by train than MEPs’ usual Strasbourg venue.
When the special train Brussels-Strasbourg takes the wrong turn and goes towards Disneyland Paris. #truestory pic.twitter.com/nAGkIkj8Jc
— DG MEME 🇪🇺 (@meme_ec) October 16, 2023
Such a cost-savings ploy appears to have failed, with “The Happiest Place in the World” said to have not admitted any arriving Eurocrats into the park.
The train was quickly sent back on its no-so-merry way to its listed destination of Strasbourg.
Unable to gain access to Mickey Mouse’s media empire, Eurocrats will now have to make do with their version of OLAF – the anti-corruption body, not the fun-loving snowman – and the unofficial “Mickey Mouse” bar in the Brussels Parliament.
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— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 16, 2023
