Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris For Disney enthusiasts, and even those who aren’t, this is a fantastic family holiday, offering all the excitement of Disneyworld Florida but on a smaller scale…and the best bit, it’s only an hour’s flight away! Disneyland Paris features two parks, Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. You’ll find the castle and lots of themed ‘lands’ with big rides at Disneyland. Walt Disney Studio’s is where you will find Disney, Pixar and Marvel themed attractions (and my son’s favourite ride Tower of Terror!) The parks are a two-minute walk apart and both are included in your ticket price. How long do I need to visit? Having been fortunate enough to visit twice, I think 2 nights, giving 3 days at the parks is about right. If you haven’t been before or you prefer to take things at a slower pace you might want to add another night depending on how much walking you like to get in each day! Another thing to consider is whether you also want to stay in Paris beforehand and extend your holiday with a twin centre break – it’s an easy and convenient way to visit Paris (see below!). The best way to get there One of the biggest advantages of Disneyland Paris is its convenience as a location, giving you lots of travel options. Fly from Manchester or London in an around an hour with flights throughout the day. You can also get there easily via Eurostar or self- drive if you prefer. Itinerary options There are lots and lots of options here to suit different budgets and holiday preferences. Your primary consideration is whether to stay off-site (the cheaper option) or on-site (giving you a Disney themed stay). Having done both, I would advise staying on-site for the relatively small additional cost. It adds a little magic to your holiday and after a long day in the park it’s great to be close to your hotel! Staying on-site can also work out better value if you add a dining package. If you choose to stay off-site Hotel Dream Castle is my preferred choice. This 4-star hotel, featuring a swimming-pool, is around 15 minutes form the park by shuttle which is free and runs throughout the day to get you to and from the parks. If you choose to stay on-site my favourite is Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne, a toy-story themed hotel which offers fantastic value. Again, you can either use the free shuttle bus or walk to and from the parks in around 10-15 minutes. If you are looking for some luxury, then look no further than the 5-star Disneyland Hotel which is located right at the entrance to the park (the only hotel situated within the parks). This princess themed hotel has just been refurbished and is truly magical. For any Marvel fans The Disney Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel is for you. This is another newly refurbished hotel just a short walk away from the parks with a swimming pool and skyline bar with windows which are designed to make you feel like you are in New York (and is amazing!!) Another option you may want to add, as I did the first time I booked this holiday with my son, is a visit to Paris beforehand. We stayed for an additional night at an airport hotel and spent the day in Paris visiting the main attractions before moving on to the parks the following day. If you are thinking about the budget, I found that taking a later flight and staying overnight at an airport hotel offered the best value, the most time to explore Paris and extended our time away. Getting into and out of Paris from the airport is quick and easy by train and the cost of the hotel can be off-set by cheaper later flights. Combining both with a tailor-made itinerary offered a great mix of experiences to our holiday. Disney Village Don’t forget Disney Village! Attached to both parks with themed restaurants, bars, shops, a huge Disney store and a giant hot air balloon and cinema, it is a great place to hang-out, rest your feet for a while and get ready for the next ride! We enjoyed great food at the Rainforest Café if you are looking for a sit-down meal here. Shows and parades A must-see during your visit! The parades change throughout the year and run during the day. They are a great way to stop for a short while and break up to the rides! My favourites are the Lion King show, Mickey and the Magician and Frozen. Each evening, subject to weather, the Disneyland Park also has a closing firework and drone show which is definitely worth waiting for and a great finish to the day. My favourites and top tips Personally, our favourite rides are Crush’s Coaster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tower of Terror and Spiderman. My son’s favourite part of the park after the rides is definitely the food! Our favourite snacks are Mickey Pizza, Mickey’s pretzel sandwich, Churro’s and hotdogs at Casey’s corner. If you are looking for a sit-down restaurant, character dining at Plaza Gardens is fantastic. The Pym Kitchen also offers a buffet restaurant themed around Antman and the wasp experiments – look out for test-tube style glasses and oversized burgers! One of the most popular restaurants is Chez Remy which is based around the film Ratatouille and overlooks the Ratatouille ride…it offers the most amazing steak! My 3 top Disneyland tips are… 1. Pre-book your restaurants early (I would recommend as soon as booking your holiday) 2. Consider a fast-pass if you want to ride Crush’s Coaster! 3. Download the Disneyland Paris App to manage your booking, see wait times and plan your day effectively (I can also help with this!) And my final helpful hint…did you know that Charles de Gaulle airport is also a layover for indirect flights from the UK to Mauritius? I could tailor-make a twin-centre holiday featuring both these amazing destinations! As ever, if you are looking for a holiday, make you that you book with an expert who will provide the best advice, tailor-make a holiday to suit you and provide outstanding personal service right up to the point that you arrive home…please get in touch I would love to help!