The European Tour

PROLOGUE

During his fantastic European Tour in 1994, in which he visited no less than 11 countries in 7 hectic weeks, Barks also found time to visit Europe's Disneyland. It is situated right outside Paris, and Barks stayed at the luxurious Disneyland Hotel's finest room, the Pinocchio Suite, for 4 nights from Thursday 7th to Monday 11th of July. The time was spent touring the park and chosen sites in and near the capital.

JULY 7, 1994

A long-time fan of Barks, the French author Didier Ghez, later described Barks' first day at EuroDisney (excerpt, see more HERE):
Selected journalists were allowed to meet Mr. Barks during the afternoon in the Pinocchio suite, one of the most luxurious of the Disneyland Hotels. The morning had been dedicated to press pictures featuring the Good Artist with Donald and Daisy. Strangely enough Scrooge McDuck wasn't part of the ceremonies. The rumour is that Scrooge has never really been welcomed at Euro Disneyland, since his presence in the park is a symbol some people dislike.
Most journalists who met Carl Barks on that sunny day came out of the suite amazed at the kindness, good health and high spirits of this old genius of a gentle man. During the discussion I enjoyed that afternoon, Carl Barks admitted with a mischievous smile that while he found Euro Disneyland Paris a beautiful and extremely detailed park, there weren't enough Ducks in the shops. 'Mickey is everywhere', he said, 'but where are Magica de Spell, Gyro, or Uncle Scrooge?'

JULY 10, 1994

The extras warming up...

Just ducky...

Barks was appointed Grand Marshal of the Day conducting a parade to commemorate Donald Duck's 60th birthday. Initially, he was supposed to lead a team of real live ducks down the Main Street, but the event was cancelled in the last moment. In a letter from May to his daughter Dorothy he wrote about the upcoming event:
... Will be Grand Marshall of a parade in Euro Disney in which 120 real white ducks march with Donald's float quacking 'Happy Birthday to You'. A Disney rep from Paris was just here and assured me that the ducks really quack the words...
There can be little doubt that Barks drew a sigh of relief when he heard about the cancellation of the somewhat strange event! The official explanation was that the heat wave that day would have burned the ducks' feet...

Instead Barks was driven around with Donald in an authentic 1918 fire engine from which they could wave to the thousands of spectators. At the end of the European tour Barks was asked what he considered to be the highlights of the tour and he answered: ... There were a great many, but riding in the Grand Parade at Euro Disneyland Paris in the fire engine with Donald comes to mind...