To say no to Disneyland?

[agas]

DH really wants to book Disneyland Paris for October. We'd be driving there and back but I just think it's silly. Both children are under 5 so it's not like they'd really really enjoy it and only watch the Pixar movies at the moment but anyway, more importantly, AIBU to say no? I just think it's silly, it might get cancelled, we might catch COVID-19, the hotels are very limited and the experience is limited in general. We have had a really tough year, I've lost a parent amongst other things. I think that we should wait until next year but he's really pushing the idea.

They probably won't be tall enough for some of the rides

I have a very petite daughter and this was the case for her, while her brother (4 years older) got to go on everything he wished to.

I might wait for spring...and get travel insurance!!

Perhaps you might make this a Christmas present? A lovely box containing a stuffed Mickey Mouse with a small calendar and the dates of the trip circled, so he can count down?

There’s tons for under 5’s to do but who knows what will be up and running by October. It’s full price and yet it’s opening up without parades, without shows, without the character meets and lots of restrictions on things. I wouldn’t let the under 5’s issue put you off but I would be put off by the covid restrictions considering how expensive it is

Wait. We went 7 years ago and it was by far the best experience ever. we still talk about it. Go in May. May is the best time.

He, like all of us, are just trying to look forward to something.

The drive is easy if you live quite close to channel tunnel.

We've booked for Disney for December (booked it last December). We're staying a Disneyland hotel and really hope things are back to normal. If I knew what I know now I wouldn't risk it for October or December. No character meets, limited or no shows (they're fab!) and limited space in restaurants.

So many of DC's friends have gone. I loathe Mickey Mouse and can think of nothing worse than queuing for ages to get onto a load of rides I don't want to go on, and seeing a load of dressed up people prancing about.
If DC wants to go, then it'll have to be when they're old enough to take themselves as I can think of many, far better ways to spend that amount of money!

We are South East and found it a really easy drive with a then 4yo DS. We left 4am ish so he snoozed on the way to the tunnel, enjoyed the novelty of the crossing and then watched his tablet, played a few games and we arrived before lunch straight into Disney hotel car park and in the park 30 minutes later.

I would wait until next year though personally!

Disneyland Paris is crap and a total rip off

Can I ask what ages were the best for those who have taken children and enjoyed it?

Think it's mostly down to the fact he and his siblings went at least once a year (but often twice)since being a baby until he was 18. That and it's something to look forward to.

We don't live near the tunnel but we'd drive close, stay a night in a hotel and then leave early so they'd sleep some of it. Spoken to him and he still really wants to go but I did point out that we'll be paying full for half of the experience.

We’re currently booked to go October half term, if I’m able to I will be going. I need something to look forward to.

We have driven to DLP with kids that young; once, at 2 and 5 and again at 5 and 8. Both times we went via Eurotunnel and the drive was a breeze. In fact it was a much better drive than driveing down to Exmouth and Cornwall. We are in the South East.

There is plenty for younger kids at DLP and I actually think it’s a great age for the kids to experience it. My two loved it at that age and still do.

If you can afford it, why not. If you can't, save it for next year where it might be better.

We took our DC when they were 3 - 4 because we lived in LA and it was easy to go for the day, and DH got cheap tickets through work. They didn't remember much about it at all although it was fun to go.

We took our DC when they were 9 or 10 and they could go on all the rides and enjoyed it a lot and remembered everything. We took them to Universal when they were 7 and they had a great time then as well.

@chubbyhotchoc

Christmas is the time to go. Beautiful. It's mostly just cold and wet otherwise. We took a 4 and 5 year old and they were slightly hard work. Anything younger is prob a waste of money and effort tbh

we went when ours were 4 and a half and 8 - old enough to enough it and remember it, young enough to be caught up in the magic of it all.

TBH before we went I was a bit "meh" about the whole business, thinking it would be overpriced, overly commercialised and naff. It is all of those things, but I nonetheless I developed a raging case of Stockholm Syndrome and bloody loved it.

wouldn't go with social distancing though. the parades, character meals and meet and greets were my DC's favourite bits.

sorry, no intention to quote chubbyhotchoc and I have no idea how that happened!

Ours were 7 and 4 when they went and they both absolutely loved it, so much so we booked Florida not long after thinking we'd need to wait till they were older. 7 year old loved all the bigger rides, 4 year old loved the magic and plenty of rides for him to enjoy. It's long days, we managed early magic hours up to fireworks with 30,000 steps a day, my two are quite hardy! For me I wouldnt want to go when they're in pushchairs.

We've just booked Efteling for next year, cheaper than Disney, nicer accommodation and just less corporate. Wouldn't book anything for this year too much risk of cancellation

I took my ds for the start of xmas season when he was 3 and he absolutely loved it and now 5 he still talks a lot about our holiday there. We also went to the sealife centre at marne la vallee and he was engrossed by all the animals there especially the penguins. We sat for nearly an hour just watching them swim about and they chased him back and forth too i got brilliant videos of it

Efteling is lovely for that age.

Why would you drive with 2 under 5s?!

Why not, it's done all the time! When we lived in Germany we regularly drove back to the UK and vv with two under 5's, I did it on my own a couple of times. People make travelling with children yet another hard thing to do!
Looking at the Disney sites it looks as though it will be a fairly poor experience when they reopen so I wouldn't go, it'll be manic in 2021 though!

If you're going to go then go at the start of December when Christmas is on.

YANBU. I took my DD aged 7 and I think it was the perfect age. She had watched almost all the films, loved the characters and had favourites.

They are definitely not too young - lots of rides for that age group etc. We’ve been taking our daughters since they were 8 and 1.

And October is a beautiful time of year in Paris especially with DLPs Halloween season.

However I wouldn’t book to go this year - we have booked for next year but this year will be a nightmare. DLP will be very scaled back, things won’t be the same and you won’t get the proper experience.

Definitely book for next year.

My two were about 4 & 6 when we went and they were too young. We only went for one day as we happened to be in France at the time. Their happiest memory was getting back to the caravan and swimming in the river. Their memories of Disney were long queues, overheating (it was summer) and being very underwhelmed.

I wouldn’t chance it this year, it gets very busy and it’s impossible to distance from anyone.
We’ve been going every year since mine were 4 and 1 and had a great time, they’re never too young (or too old) and October was our favourite time to visit out of them all. (Mild weather and halloween theme)

Our dd has been to various Disney parks (Paris and Hong Kong) since she was 9 months and apart from the first time (which was fun for us) she has loved them. I have some great photos of her at 21 months on it’s a small world and she loved it.

We are actually looking at going in October to Paris, we were thinking that the park would be quieter....