Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think there’s nothing ‘magical’ about Disneyland Paris?

193 replies

Wrappleschat82 · 01/04/2019 08:14

And it’s all just one big money making extravaganza. I guess if you can throw enough money at it then maybe the ‘magic’ comes more easily.
We are meant to be going in a few weeks and I’m hoping for a bout of norovirus instead! I was really excited when we booked it a year ago but gradually I’ve started to feel similar towards it as I do now to Christmas: one big money making load of crap.
I’m on the fb Disneyland Paris site and it’s full of adults crying over meeting a French woman in a mouse costume. Trip advisor speaks the truth - that it’s too busy, there’s no customer care, the only places you don’t have to queue for hours are the shops (cunning) and that generally it couldn’t be less magical.

I do wish I could stop seeing everything through the lens of ‘just trying to make money’ because now I’ve started it applies to a lot of things that are billed as ‘special.’ Dh was talking about taking the children to some Easter hunt thing with loads of Easter decorations in the gardens. It looks really impressive online. Then I just think ‘money making scheme.’

OP posts:
speakout · 01/04/2019 08:43

Never tempted.

Thankfully my kids were never interested either.

Troels · 01/04/2019 08:44

We've only been to DL California a couple of times and really enjoyed it. It wasn't in the summer holidays time though. So it makes a difference.
There were lines but not as long. The boys biggest memory was the Pitartes of the Caribbean ride breaking down while we were on it, they spent over half an hour listening to Yo Ho Ho Ho the pirates life for me, it was hysterical and we've been laughing about it ever since.

Inliverpool1 · 01/04/2019 08:44

I’ve been twice and wouldn’t go again tbh nothing compared with Florida

Troels · 01/04/2019 08:46

Pitartes? PIRATES.

malificent7 · 01/04/2019 08:46

I enjoyed it....it was a great couple of days out.

DishingOutDone · 01/04/2019 08:46

I don't like Disney, can usually just about tolerate it, and I loved DLP it was a novelty! Kids were 4 and 6, but we did go outside of school holidays when my kids got an extra few days in September one year.

It was a lot nicer than Florida, where we went for just one day thank god - that was rubbish, almost exactly the same thing but much dirtier.

babysharkah · 01/04/2019 08:46

We went in October half term it was as rammed, to be expected, but things kept breaking down. We never made it on to crush's coaster due to breakdown. The food in the hotel was good but Chez Remy and ADC were absolutely shocking for the £££££££.

The kids faces in ADC made it worth it but I won't be going back.

redwoodmazza · 01/04/2019 08:48

You definitely need to get Fast Passes or VIP Passes or whatever they are these days [haven't been for years]. No fun queueing all day.

We really liked it. I wouldn't say it was 'magical' though....
And you can never get the tune 'It's a small, small world...' out of your head!!!

We know a guy in his 70's who goes to Disney in the US with his wife and adult children [no grandkids] EVERY December.

I think you need the right mindset.

ArfArfBarf · 01/04/2019 08:50

It is very nicely themed and if you go at a quiet time I can imagine it must be really special. But we went at the end of the summer (first off-peak days) and it was HORRIBLE.

Queues for the toilets and food were ridiculous (30mins+). All rides with queues 1hr+. Fast pass times were all after 9pm within a couple of hours of opening. And it was absolutely heaving with people.

FookMeFookYou · 01/04/2019 08:54

Disneyland Paris will forever be tainted for me - we went for a long weekend with our son (6 or 7 at the time) and experienced a very rude and aggressive staff member who caused a very public scene by accusing me of not parenting my child properly. Our son has additional needs and had waited in a queue for over 45 mins to meet a character and he just couldn't hold it together anymore. He touched something he shouldn't have done, was swiftly put right by us and the judgemental twat still felt the need to make unwarranted comments. Cue immediate complaint to her supervisor and a long formalised letter once we got home reminding them that not all disabilities are visible!! This all happened on Day 2 and for the rest of the trip I was angry that she had spoilt what was much needed family time for us.

The magical part was my sons face when he met 'chewbacca' and marched along with the stormtroopers. Bless him

Besides that it was just another theme park but then we don't buy in to the whole American/Disney/Happy happy joy joy aspect.

GreenEggsHamandChips · 01/04/2019 08:57

@FookMeFookYou

Why were you queuing if your child has additional needs? Should have been on a orange or geeen pass. They are there to avoid exactly what you describing happening. I cast member would not have expected a child with significant needs in the main queue

JacquesHammer · 01/04/2019 08:59

Trip advisor speaks the truth - that it’s too busy, there’s no customer care, the only places you don’t have to queue for hours are the shops (cunning) and that generally it couldn’t be less magical

Check the dates. It’s not rocket science that if you go on a weekend/school holiday it will be busy.

We’ve always been in term time, never had to queue for anything, the shops all have little pocket money selections (unlike some British attractions that shall remain nameless Grin)

gotmychocolateimgood · 01/04/2019 08:59

I'm not tempted tbh. Used to think I'd like it but I've gone off the idea. We love peppa pig world (paultons Park) and legoland. Have annual passes to both. But anything on a bigger scale would be too exhausting. My kids aren't massively into Disney characters - there's so much other stuff to watch now compared to when I was little. DH would hate the queues too. I do know people who are obsessed with Disney and it makes them happy so fair enough.

TVHubbyClaire · 01/04/2019 08:59

DS (14) loves it and I am taking him back this year. California is obviously better for many reasons but the cost of getting there and everything else is prohibitive and its easy to go for 7 days from UK to Paris.

I have been a few times in summer months between 2012 -2016 and have hardly ever queued for an hour and always found fast passes useful.

Food is not great. This year I have booked a Disney hotel with Plus meal plan so at least it wont feel painfully expensive every time we eat and our hotel has a breakfast buffet which should be good and keep us going. A couple of the high end restaurants are nice but expensive (Walts and Inventions come to mind)

Next year i hope to take him on a cruise to see some sights but for this year I'm happy to go back to DLP for our first overseas holiday just the 2 of us and he is delighted.

Hopefully it will work out Hmm

SoftBlocks · 01/04/2019 09:00

I think cynical teens are the best company.

This.

gotmychocolateimgood · 01/04/2019 09:03

Most people can only go at weekends and school holidays though--that's why it's quiet during the week. Teachers never get to go anywhere when it's quiet.

FookMeFookYou · 01/04/2019 09:04

@GreenEggsHamandChips we didn't know about the passes at the time that we went. There was nothing on the booking and no mention of it at the resort. Agreed our experience may have been a lot better had we known about this.

But regardless his behaviour was not to the extreme that the staff member purported. She was just a jerk

whitesoxx · 01/04/2019 09:05

@DishingOutDone what a bizarre thing to say. WDW isn't exactly the same nor is it dirtier. DLP is just a tiny version.

You haven't done WDW if you were there only for one day Hmm the place is 40 square miles with 8+ parks. Not possible to see in a day

NewAccount270219 · 01/04/2019 09:05

Dh was talking about taking the children to some Easter hunt thing with loads of Easter decorations in the gardens. It looks really impressive online. Then I just think ‘money making scheme.’

But what do you want - absolutely all services that are aimed at children/parents to be volunteer run and not for profit? Other things that are 'money making schemes':

The cinema
All restaurants
Softplay
Farms with petting zoos
Most classes for children (dance, music, gym, etc)
Any form of childcare that isn't a state primary school

If you want no one to make money off your children then you need to buy them nothing, care for them entirely alone, take them to almost no leisure activities. You'll be able to take them to the odd church youth group/beavers and rainbows/under 10s football club but you'll need to give up a lot of your time since that's how things with no profit possibility work.

You seem to think you've done something really clever by noticing that commercial businesses aim to maximise profit. This is one of the most universal truths in the world, not some special insight you have gained.

EveLevine · 01/04/2019 09:06

We went in March last year for Season of the Force. Expected my DS to hate it due to ASD, but we all loved it.

DS had a green pass so we didn’t have to queue for anything, and it made him feel really special being able to “take us” onto rides with his special pass.

We stayed in Compass Club, so had extra fast passes we were able to use for rides he didn’t want to go on.

We also took our own snacks/drinks, but this was more to ensure DS would eat them rather than save money! We ate in McDonalds a lot and that’s cheap - they also serve alcohol which helps!

pumpkinpie01 · 01/04/2019 09:07

I found the parade and the laser show pretty amazing but I was very underwhelmed by everything else, I really thought it would be more amazing than it was. Of course I pretended to my daughter that I thought it was absolutely fantastic though.

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 01/04/2019 09:08

Wow, we went twice when my son was small and it was fab! With a bit of planning and careful use of fast passes we only had to queue for a couple of things. Its a very fond memory for all of us, yes its expensive but I thought worth it.

Original poster
Wrappleschat82 · 01/04/2019 09:09

No it isn’t that I feel I’ve got ‘special insignt’ - I don’t know. I can’t explain it. I’ve always known they are money making venture it just didn’t bother me before because we enjoyed it anyway. I think that’s the difference.
Now I don’t enjoy anything I feel differently about the fact everything is just a way to get money.

OP posts:
GreenEggsHamandChips · 01/04/2019 09:11

I do wish I could stop seeing everything through the lens of ‘just trying to make money’ because now I’ve started it applies to a lot of things

Actually i think this can be particularly hard. If you only look at this in those terms DLP really isnt for you.

For me i used to enjoy a walk through our local park or forest for free. I cant do that very easily now because very few of the renovated park facilities are actually accessible for DS (less than there was) and the forest is completely inaccessible for wheelchairs except for a 5 min patch. Theres a national forest association site that is better footpath and play equipment wise, but a very large hills make it knackering.

The money that goes into DLP means flat well maintained paths. Well comprehensively designed site that means the movement of people is well managed and its easier to get through in a wheelchair. More expensive restaurants mean food actually comes to is and were not trying to manage our food and DS and we all sit down and eat together.

Its very rare anything cheap actually works for us and even rarer that it works well. If you can get the magic from the cheap things in life you should definitely enjoy

Nousernameforme · 01/04/2019 09:15

I get you. I have always wanted to take mine to Disney but then i saw some photos from a friends trip, it was like the scales fell from my eyes. Its just a load of themed fibreglass buildings and models chuck in some rides and people dressed up.

I was really disappointed but also glad i'd never bothered saving up for it