Possible news article:
Catastrophic mix-up as train full of politicians diverts to theme park
In an embarrassing incident that has left both European Union officials and Disneyland executives red-faced, a high-speed train carrying a delegation of European Parliament members from Strasbourg to Brussels took a wrong turn and ended up in the famous amusement park instead. The incident occurred on Monday evening, and led to an hours-long saga that involved confused officials, bewildered tourists, and angry politicians.
According to witnesses, the train, which was operated by French national railway company SNCF, approached a junction near Marne-la-Vallée, where the Euro Disney complex is located, just before 8pm. However, due to a signal failure and a navigation error, the train’s driver misread the signs and diverted the train towards the theme park, instead of continuing towards the Belgian border.
Initially, the passengers on board, who included MEPs, assistants, and journalists, thought it was a funny joke. “We saw Mickey Mouse waving at us and we all laughed,” recalled Donna Sceptique, a British MEP, “but then the train slowed down and we realized we were actually entering the park. We were like, ‘Is this a new ride or what?'”
As the train rolled past the Sleeping Beauty castle and through the Main Street, USA, section of the park, many of the passengers started to panic, especially as they saw the crowd of people waiting for the nightly fireworks display. “We thought, ‘This can’t be right, we have a European Council meeting to attend,'” said Janusz Wójtowicz, a Polish MEP, “but then we heard a voice announcing that the train was going to stop and we would have to wait until the park closed.”
At that point, chaos ensued. The passengers tried to get off the train, only to find themselves trapped between the carriages by security gates and barriers. The SNCF staff, who were already flustered by the unexpected turn of events, struggled to communicate with the Disneyland staff, who were equally surprised to see a train parked on their tracks. Meanwhile, outside the train, hundreds of visitors took photos and videos of the scene, shouting excitedly and pointing at the bewildered lawmakers.
“It was a nightmare,” said Anne-Gaëlle Baudouin-Clerc, a French MEP who was on the train with her assistant, “we were stuck in a half-empty train surrounded by screaming kids and drunk adults, and we had no idea when we could leave.” After several tense hours, during which the passengers were given free snacks and drinks by the park staff, the train was eventually allowed to leave and continue its journey towards Brussels.
The incident has sparked outrage and disbelief among EU officials, many of whom have criticized the SNCF and called for an inquiry. “This is a clear breach of protocol and security,” said Jörgen Squeamish, a Swedish MEP, “we cannot allow our elected representatives to be exposed to such risks and disruptions.” Others have seen the episode as a metaphor for the EU’s current state of affairs. “This is what happens when you have no direction, no plan, and no control,” said Nigel Bargain, a British MEP, “you end up in world of fantasy and make-believe.”
For its part, Disneyland has issued a statement apologizing for any inconvenience caused and offering the MEPs a VIP tour of the park next time they’re in the area. “We understand that our park may not be the most suitable destination for politicians, but we hope they enjoyed the ride,” the statement read. The SNCF has also expressed regret and promised to review its procedures to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
As of Tuesday morning, the train carrying the European Parliament members is reported to have arrived in Brussels, though several passengers are said to be still suffering from motion sickness and PTSD.
