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

[Wrappleschat82]

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.’

We had Great time there but managed to keep costs all very low, stay off site, find out how to keep queuing down
. So we didn't feel ripped off at all.

But for true Magic you need efteling in Holland

I liked it but we went a few years ago and paid about £800 for 2 nights and 2 nights free Inc breakfast at Easter.. Now it seems to cost twice that. And breakfast isn't necessarily included. Plus most of the Disney accommodation is 2 double beds and my teens do not wish to share. They had bunks when we went last time and tgat was much better.

We went the week before Christmas and it was very magical with fake snow etc.

@greeneggshamandchips

Look up the efteling in Holland. It's similar distance from UK as dlp. Cheaper... far superior accomodation range in truly beautiful surroundings, lots of wheelchair adapted option.
It's beautiful park , stunning planting schemes, much more depth and atmosphere then Disney it's gorgeous and park is more spaces out.

Annual passes for Disney and stay off site

All area was built around Disney anyway so even off site hotels are actual very close and have free shuttles.

Totally agree with you. We’ve been to Paris and Florida and didn’t enjoy either and neither did the kids find it manageable. In fact, in the end we didn’t even bother going to the parks and got in the car and actually did something we enjoyed

@Bornfreebutinchains I think it depends on the persons taste neither park is superior to the other. It depends on what 'fairytale' style a person likes. Personally I would find efteling not 'pretty' or 'princessy' enough as even now. I would have felt cheated but I know my best friend would love it as she is all about forest fantasy nature and more rustic. Both parks are very different

We room our autistic DS to Disney when he was 5. It was the Florida Disney. I booked one day ticket only figuring he would hate it. We've booked/paid for SO MANY things he's hated and we've had to come home early. I'm not a big Disney fan anyway so figured we can try and most likely spend a few hours.

He loved it. I cried. I cried big soppy tears. He loved the people in the silly character suits. Maybe because they didn't speak he felt less pressure? I hadn't booked a restaurant or any of the character dinners etc. The restaurant takes reservations for the character dinners months and months in advance. I decided to try and see if we could wait for a table even if it was a long wait. They were fully booked. I explained how we hadn't booked because I thought he'd hate it but how much he was loving it. And the lady had a quick chat to someone in her headset and presto we had a table. No wait. When they did the little parade through the restaurant with the characters he led it holding Tigers hand with a HUGE grin on his face. It was magic for us. So yeah I'm a convert.

They keep all the magic in Florida unfortunately...

Never been to America full stop. But I did DLP once, when my youngest was five and eldest was just turning nine. Also had three step kids there, aged five, eight and ten.

I had never been before. But it WAS magical. I'd never been somewhere like it before. Customer care was fantastic. I'm disabled (not visibly until I begin walking funny) and my mum had just had her second hip replacement, staff were very kind and made sure we didn't all have to stand for too long.

Staff members spoke all manner of different languages so it was lovely getting to know them and teaching them some Welsh to add to their knowledge.

I admit that I thought the main pink castle would be more, do something, etc. But I just loved the whole experience. The hotel (Santa Fe) was done out like Cars the film.

I actually think that going to America for DL would be a waste of travelling so far, when I've never seen America and experienced the culture and such, before. Like when people travel to all inclusive hotel resorts in hot places but they never leave the resort. It's a huge missed opportunity.

This is just something I'm passionate about. I know many people don't feel the same as I do about investigating other cultures and languages, though most of the ones I'm referring to also voted leave, and get angry about 'forriners' taking their jobs.

I feel really guilty that we haven't taken our children once yet, to either of them! But they have never asked to go, never shown much interest in Disney and both hate crowded places and not too fussed about rides, etc. But literally today my 11 year old said he would like to go to Universal Studios, so we might do that next year, but it's literally the first time either of them have mentioned these places. It's a lot of hype, in my opinion, but there is also a lot of pressure to be a good parent and take them.

Don't be so miserable.

@Bornfreebutinchains

Does Eftling have Stitch Live? And a train that takes you right to the parks? And enough attractions to keep you going for 5 days even if Ds is feeling so rough he can't leave his wheelchair for a few of them or just doesnt want to? (Clue All the ride rides require transfer)

Id love to see Eftling if i was nearby (it looks a different kind of magic) but i wouldn't travel especially to it.

I am a lost cause....

Apart from a walk in the woods, the park, or a day at the beach with a picnic, pretty much everything is a commercial venture!

Cinema? Commercial venture
Soft play? Commercial venture
Swimming? Commercial venture
Even the food shopping for the picnic to take to the beach is a commercial venture!

I also find the grown adults getting so into it kind of weird. A friend of mine (mid 20s, no kids) is going to the Florida one this summer and is already "so excited" about meeting Mickey.

We were in Florida in February, no children or grandchildren, and we were amazed at grown adults, mainly women, getting orgasmic about stuff and wearing all the MM gear. We saw one not-at-all-young woman head to toe in MM including her bag, shoes ears etc screaming at a parade.

We saw one not-at-all-young woman head to toe in MM including her bag, shoes ears etc screaming at a parade.

If that was DLP it might have been me. I am head to toe (bag included but not shoes, no mickey Dr Martens) in something Mickey mouse a lot if the time.... oddly though i dont do ears.... next time i am considering it.....

We were at the California one dds 7 and 9 we were queuing to meet some characters the man in front was in his 30s and child free. He was hugging the characters passionately and crying. My dds were abit frightened and said they felt sad for him. When it was their turn they were quite stand offish and didn’t want to get too close much to the amusement of the characters. You can take the girls out of England...

There are plenty of truly incredible sight seeing activities to do for free or for very little money indeed if you go to Paris.

Standing there with machine guns.... That’s just France at the moment I’m afraid after some pretty large-scale terror attacks. You’ll see them anywhere there are large crowds - and sometimes where there aren’t any. I imagine they think somewhere like DLP would make a good target and so protect it accordingly.

Green eggs ,yes pretty much but no stich live.

It's got more to see and more ride's. Lots of wheelchair transfers and again possibly more but would have to check.
No stich live but brilliant live show with dragons and horse rider's. Easier to get around.

Moon of course your absolutely right on magic! Disney does brilliant parades Etc. .but as earlier poster said it's fibre glass pretend in a very obvious theme park set up.

Efteling was originally a wood with some fairy tale tableaux and Pretty gardens.

So the premise is Very different. Wider spaces, more play areas, more do do just relaxing in park... can buy wine without food .... wine, prosecco in parks with food without rides anyone could just walk around and enjoy the gardens and scenery.

More variety and because it's 60 years old has more authentic feeling... real wood fairy tale huts with wood.

It’s a matter of taste, not expense.

Disney sells things. So do organic food shops, Boden, John Lewis and Waitrose (for their members), , the Science Museum, and all other MN poster approved, ‘proper’ traders.

If you don’t fancy it, don’t go.

Anyway I wasn't coming onto say efteling is better . we love both parks.

But I find efteling has more atmosphere, beauty, variety, pleasure.... and is more relaxing...

Whilst Disney is more gaudy, fun... circus like and great shows.

@Bornfreebutinchains

I appreciate your fondness but Eftling just doesn't have the accessibility. You cant ride any of the rides in the wheelchair except the panoramic temple (i actually looked it up) whereas at Disney there is actually a fair smattering including some of our favourites. Its proper break.

I've never understood why you would go to France for an American experience. Visit Paris instead

We lived in Paris with a young child and never went to DLP, and neither have lots of our Paris friends with children -- not from any kind of anti-capitalist/anti-Disney position, I just don't think it's an 'obvious' destination for a lot of Parisians . So it was completely baffling to encounter, when we moved to England, numerous sets of DS's classmates who see Paris as a sideshow, which, if you were feeling cruel to your children, you might enforce a day away from DLP in.

But isn't that always the way, piano? You often don't go to touristy things when you live in a place, especially the tackier and/or more expensive end of them. Not a lot of Londoners go to Madame Tussauds.

I didn't rate DLP at all. Florida however was brilliant. I think the weather and general atmosphere were much much better.