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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:
mammmamia · 01/04/2019 09:17

I thought it was a fun day out en route to our campsite in France but not as good as Florida.
Definitely buy Disney costumes and a few bits from Asda before you go so DC can dress up if they want, they will be thrilled and you won’t have to buy stuff from the very expensive park shops.

oh4forkssake · 01/04/2019 09:18

You can gawp at the middle aged couples in micky mouse ears and tackiness of it all, while still appreciating the incredible design, attention to detail and amazing rides.

This completely reflects my experience.

First off OP, take yourself off that FB site. Therein madness lies. I signed up before we went, couldn't understand any of it, and took myself off it again. We went half board, and brought tons of snacks which meant we actually spent almost nothing there. We bought a tacky Christmas bauble and the children got one present each. You don't have to get drawn into the ridiculous spendiness when you're there if you don't want to!

Our children are 4 & 6 so the right kind of age to still find it "magical" and I have to say that despite my best efforts, I found myself enjoying their enjoyment.

Wouldn't go back though.

Sparklingbrook · 01/04/2019 09:19

I went to Disneyland CA in 1991. i have had no desire to return.

All Disneyed out still.

But Disney remains very popular so it must be me.

littledoll33 · 01/04/2019 09:20

Oh we all loved it. Sad

Been twice now.

Greenlegobox · 01/04/2019 09:22

I thought it was good. To a certain extent you make tour own day out so if you go expecting it to be terrible, it will be.

Greenlegobox · 01/04/2019 09:24

And they're pretty much all the same.

GreenEggsHamandChips · 01/04/2019 09:26

@FookMeFookYou
Its on the website. Google any combination of special needs/additional needs/autism/down syndrome/etc information comes up generally in the first hit but also it hit one two and three. If you mention special needs while chatting to the operator booking direct they will mention it and the carers discount (how we first ended up in a disabled access room). I dont know about booking indirect because we've always booked direct since to guarantee the room we need. The support for SN at Disneyland paris is phenomenal and way beyond anywhere else we've been to anywhere else.

Deadringer · 01/04/2019 09:27

My head agrees with you, but my heart doesn't. It is absolutely an over commercialised money making extravaganza, but we had an amazing time each of the 3 times we went there, and my children have wonderful memories of the place.

SherlockSays · 01/04/2019 09:28

Well yes, if that's your outlook then that's all you're going to see.. can't you think about how happy it will make the kids? They don't care about money.

As for the queues, I went to DLP in the middle of July and didn't queue for anything. The queues are nothing compared to Florida.

Cushellekoala · 01/04/2019 09:28

If i had the money to do disney in any form i could think of lots of ways I'd prefer to spend it! I think DH would sooner jump in front of a bus than go to disney!! But lots of people i know go time and again, some even went for their honeymoon (no kids) so maybe I'm missing something. As it isn't within budget its not something we've had to worry about!!

missteddy · 01/04/2019 09:31

We could never afford to go when I was a child so my ex got me tickets for my 27rh birthday (including a romantic stay in Paris)
He then dumped me (after 8 years together) and I took my mum with me instead.
It really was a magical place, my mum smoked at the time and Pinocchios dad 'Gepetto' caught her and shook his head in shame 😂
It is a money making place but if you like Disney or liked it as a child then of course it's magical!

amyboo · 01/04/2019 09:33

I have to say I found it the biggest waste of money we've ever had. Both DH and I vowed we would never set foot there again. The rides are mediocre at best (we live in Belgium and have a theme park 10km away from us that is waaaaaay better), the queues are massive (45 minute queue for a carousel!), the food is so bad an overpriced we ended up eating in McDonalds instead, and the hotels are themed more for adults than kids. Our kids enjoyed it, but it was in no way worth the money we spent on it.

Good lucK!

SherlockSays · 01/04/2019 09:33

Those saying their kids were never interested.. well they wouldn't be if you've never shown an interest or taken them?

I never went as a child but DH did - we go to Florida every other year now both before and after DD.

winbinin · 01/04/2019 09:34

We took DC twice once when they were 2 and 3 and again when they were 14 and 10. It was fabulous both times. We have some wonderful photos and even better memories.

We didn’t get sucked into spending loads on souvenirs and costumes. When they were little they weren’t even aware that that was a concept. When they were older they were fully aware that as a family we weren’t loaded and the visit itself was the treat so although It was pretty expensive it was no more so than the rest of Paris.

And as someone said earlier I found the attention to detail in the parks and the hotels quite beautiful.

BlackCatSleeping · 01/04/2019 09:34

We went to Tokyo Disneyland and were a bit underwhelmed really. Pirates of the Caribbean is so dull and the other rides were just the same as our local theme park but with massive queues. We met a few characters, which was fun, and enjoyed the parade, but we thought it was pretty over-rated really.

HattieRabbit · 01/04/2019 09:35

Did a ‘grown adult’ pay less to go than your children did?

Are they less entitled to have fun?

Do you know what’s going on in their lives?

Do you account for things like non obvious developmental delays 🤔 and MH issues before you go judging everyone? And even if not - why the hell shouldn’t a ‘20 something woman enjoy a holiday she’s forked out for!?!?!

20 something isn’t really that old is it? I have plenty of 20-25 year old friends who adore Disney.

🤔 I also have a lot of ‘20 something’ parents who are quite resentful of the fact they popped out kids and surrendered their freedom younger than they probably should and now say shirty things about how ‘immature’ their peers are for not having put themselves in the same situation.

Children are lovely- but they’re not the centre of the bloody universe and people are entitled to enjoy like (and yes theme parks/Disney/holidays...etc) in the same way without them!

Fed up of reading ‘why are ADULTS so into ...’
‘Why do ADULTS go on holiday in summer?’
‘Why do childless people leave their homes during school holidays?’ 😡🙄😒

How about...why do people have kids and then bitch and winge about the stuff that comes with having kids???

Echobelly · 01/04/2019 09:36

I think @YouBumder has it exactly right about saying it's a fun 'bubble' for a few days.

Rumbletum2 · 01/04/2019 09:37

YABU.

I was like you. Could think of nothing worse. We took the kids to Disneyland Paris and I was dreading it. All the gaudy, dressy-uppy, cynical commercialism. It was something to be endured even though I knew I was going to hate every minute.

Within ten minutes of stepping through the gates, I was turning in a circle on the spot, arms outstretched, beaming beatifically at everyone.

My children watched in horror as I chased floats down the streets, while waving and yelling delightedly “Oh DCs look!! It’s BELLE!!!”

I totally got caught up in the Disney magic and had a wonderful time 😊

belleandsnowwhite · 01/04/2019 09:39

I love the Disney Parks, however, I don't think they are magical, A lot of people on social media and forums go way over top on the "magic".

Ella1980 · 01/04/2019 09:39

I've been twice (my controlling ex saw it as a status symbol, I kid you not!) and both times I really didn't enjoy it. Having said that, I think the kids were too young at the time. Eldest was only about 5. Stupidly expensive.

SileneOliveira · 01/04/2019 09:41

We loved Disney in Florida. Amazing, whatever your age. Customer service was excellent.

However, its a totally different experience in France, in the cold, with "blanc niege" or whatever they call Snow White. Not interested in the Paris Disney at all.

LondonJax · 01/04/2019 09:42

We've been lucky enough to do Disneyland Paris for a three day visit and Disneyworld Florida for two weeks (my sister lived in Florida so we combined it with a visit to her).

Of the two I'd go back to Florida any day (if I could save up). I'm not into the 'mouse ears' etc but I enjoyed the rides - we did fast passes and managed to get all the main ones through that system. The little rides (DS was about 5 at the time) were no queues at all. The parades were brilliant and the Americans who were holiday-ing were great - moving DS into the front row for parades and shows etc., (unlike Paris where every adult seemed to be on a mission to get a Mickey handshake which I find weird).

Apart from the rides the side shows in Epcot were amazing. We watched two young Japanese women doing a huge drum show (I mean the drums were huge - not the show...) They were incredible and the noise was out of this world. Lots of space (which seemed to be missing in Paris). The only issue was food - the queues were crazy and a big lack of areas to sit and eat. We weren't even needing a chair - just a bit of grass to park our bums would be nice! Stage shows were great too.

The transport around was good too - monorail (which was always packed), boat in some cases and walking through to many).

Off subject a bit - we did Lego Land Florida whilst we were there (April a few years ago). No queues - in fact you could go out of the exit and back on again (as we did many, many times....the joy of a five year old...arghh...)

So if we could overcome the madness of the food I'd go back to Florida every time.

trebless · 01/04/2019 09:42

In all honesty....I don't like Disneyland. I've done the Paris one twice with about 14 years between visits and it hadn't changed at all. It needs updating massively imo. There is a new park which is ok. The ratatouille ride was good.

Pizza planet is good. Not that expensive. The parade is worth a watch and defo stay for the fireworks.

The weather is always what makes it or breAks it for me.

The Florida one is much better. Actually universal studios beats them all

Onescaredmuma · 01/04/2019 09:43

We were able to go during term 2 years in a row while our dds were young and they were doing renovations on a hotel so we got it really cheap! It was magical we managed to do things like the Princess dinner as DHs grandma had left him some money I wouldn't swap the memories we have there for anything. Dd2 was only 9 months the first time and watching her going crazy with excitement on the it's a small world ride will stay with me forever. As will Dd1 charming Prince charming into giving her a tour of the castle at the Princess dinner. I just wish I could do the same for my DS but we could never afford it again Sad

GreenEggsHamandChips · 01/04/2019 09:43

^I was turning in a circle on the spot, arms outstretched, beaming beatifically at everyone.

My children watched in horror as I chased floats down the streets, while waving and yelling delightedly “Oh DCs look!! It’s BELLE!!!”^

This is totally me. There is video evidence of me being so happy to be there I'm skipping down main street. Its the suspension of real life for time you are there. You know thats an actor in a costume but while you are there you believe its minnie mouse. Sometimes you need real life to fuck off for a bit