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AP/Press Association Images

Now even Disney has had to get a bailout...

Euro Disney’s shareholders have approved a €1 billion recapitalisation.

SHAREHOLDERS OF EURO Disney, which operates Disneyland Paris, have approved a recapitalisation plan to raise €1 billion to revive the struggling theme park burdened by huge debt and fewer visitors.

At a general assembly meeting in Paris, the stakeholders present voted in favour of a series of measures including €420 million of fresh funds from the US parent group, The Walt Disney Company.

The plan also calls for an increase in capital which will be open to shareholders and the conversion of some €600 million of debt into equity.

The moves will leave the US Disney group holding at least a 70% stake in EuroDisney, with Saudi Prince Al-Walid remaining the second biggest shareholder.

Last year Euro Disney’s total revenues were down two percent compared with 2013 at €1.3 billion, resulting in an overall net loss of €114 million.

That net loss was €35 million worse than the previous year as visitor numbers to the Disney-themed park continued a roller-coaster ride.

A total of 14.2 million people went through the turnstiles at the park in 2014, compared with 14.9 million in 2013 and 16.0 million the year before.

The recapitalisation plan was announced in October.

Improve its financial position

Company president Tom Wolber had said the billion-euro proposal “backed by the Walt Disney Company, is designed to improve our financial position and enable us to continue investing in the guest experience.”

Euro Disney has always struggled to turn a profit — its last was in 2008.

And the park boasting Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain is also weighed down by a debt mountain of some 1.7 billion euros.

- © AFP, 2014

Read: Watch a man challenge a Disney villain to a push-up contest…and lose spectacularly>

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    Mute Damo™
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:40 PM

    With the hippin and a hoppin and a bippin and a boppin

    133
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:36 PM

    And she wud put in in ‘da bowel’ and she be mixin and da cookin and da zubidedoobopp!!

    32
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    Mute Aidan Rafter
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    Feb 28th 2015, 3:00 AM

    Don’t know what the Jazz, is all about!

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    Mute Liam Ó Séaghdha
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    Feb 27th 2015, 9:59 PM

    Saville, Glitter, Crosy, who’s next? The royal family?

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:21 PM

    Um – pay attention…

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    Mute Alan Moore
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:34 PM

    Saville and Glitter are not the same as Cosby. Cosby’s accusers are adults, looking for money, and mostly messed up. Cosby just pissed someone off that was powerful.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:39 PM

    Your disgusting to say that.

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    Mute Patrick Devereau
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:15 PM

    Your, you are, you’re.. Their, they’re, there goes…

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    Mute David Heenan
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:17 PM

    Cliff Richard

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    Mute Seán O'Ceallaghan
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:44 PM

    I wish if anything it was a criminal trial where claiming money wasn’t a factor.

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    Mute Sean Spillane
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:36 PM

    Methinks he protests too much.

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Feb 28th 2015, 1:27 AM

    What do you expect him to do? What would you do?

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    Mute Gordon Gekko
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    Feb 28th 2015, 1:32 AM

    Gold diggers

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    Mute johngahan
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    Feb 28th 2015, 2:45 AM

    As Gerry Adams will tell you: if you ain’t got proof, go f**k yourself, even the most logical of circumstantial evidence in copious amounts is irrelevant – you are pure white innocent as the driven snow until anyone can prove otherwise in a court of law.

    Go Bill! Go O.J!

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    Mute Brian Gormley
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    Feb 28th 2015, 10:25 AM

    johngahan, I didn’t realize bill cosby and oj simpson were White as Snow

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    Mute trickytrixster
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:03 PM

    Bippity bop bzzzzzzz

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    Mute Stephen O'Sullivan
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    Feb 28th 2015, 9:17 AM

    The reason they have gone the defamation route is not only because of money, but partly because the statute has passed for criminal charges in many if the states.

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    Mute Davy Boy
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:04 PM

    They already their

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    Mute Anne O'Hara
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:14 PM

    Oh sweet jeebus! Ever heard of syntax?!?

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    Mute Con Manne
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    Feb 28th 2015, 4:22 PM

    Is that like a government charge for using prostitutes?

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