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Original poster

Taken DC 2 + 4 to Disneyland Paris and they’re being nightmares

258 replies

Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 19:11

Probably should have NC but sod it.

For Christmas we booked for DH, me, and DC 2 + 4 to go to Disneyland Paris. We don’t have stacks of spare cash and really prioritised this as they’re both in love with all things Disney. They’ve been talking about it all of Jan.

It’s been a bit of a disaster of a trip…

Arrived on the ferry lunchtime Monday, the kids were so good and loved the ferry. A smooth drive to an Airbnb near the park. Due to a few logistical issues with getting into the Airbnb they were late to bed (by an hour, adjusting for the time changes) but god. They were up for a further 2 hours, awful but put it down to holiday and over excitement.

Today, wake up, super excited for Disney. We get to the park and within 10m 2yo has a meltdown. Not unusual, I’ve had some concerns about ND but he was inconsolable. Then 4yo has one too. Very unusual for her. Screaming, crying, corpsing “I want to go home I don’t want to be here”. No amount of lovely chatting about Disney castle and meeting Mickey and Minnie could help. So we admitted defeat after all of 30m and went back to the Airbnb, have been here all day bar a quick trip to the supermarket for dinner (had planned to eat at the park).

They’re now “in bed” (8pm here) with a view to them sleeping nicely ready for an attempt to go back to the park tomorrow but up and down and shouting. They have their moments (which 4yo and 2yo don’t, potential ND issues aside) but I feel so defeated that we didn’t even manage to do anything, we literally walked two screaming kids up to the castle and back again. No rides, shows or even a meet with characters.

For the record I’m not a Disney adult, far from it. Frankly if they told me they wanted to go do a cultural city break I’d be delighted. I’m just gutted we’ve spent the best part of £1k (when costs are very tight) on something I know they’d love but tantrums and screaming have me on the RER in tears. DH and I being snappy with each other (albeit with appropriate apologies when it’s calmer) because we’re just so deflated and yelled out by the two kids.

4yo was apologetic about tantrum and appears to be trying to be better. 2yo doesn’t have a huge amount of language but accepts he needed to be kinder today.

Am I over optimistic? I’ve never bought into instagram parenting and accept there may be lows but god, I’d like to be one of the parents we saw today with kids of the same age who weren’t screaming so hard they had to leave.

Hiding in the Airbnb bedroom drinking a glass of wine while DH tries to settle them…

OP posts:
Sherararara · 04/02/2025 20:14

bottlemom · 04/02/2025 19:19

2 & 4 are too young for Disney IMO. It's expensive, they won't remember or appreciate any of it and it's right in the thick of toddler years. I'd lower your expectations of them and hope for a better day tomorrow

Yup

LadyLapsang · 04/02/2025 20:14

I took DC at age 3 in the summertime - I won the trip, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it. Most expensive hotel - so close to the attractions, all restaurants included, breakfast with the characters, evening shows and a chocolate on his pillow at bedtime. He loved it, but I was careful to pace things and he was already used to eating out in restaurants and long plane journeys with me, so knew he had to behave.

Allswellthatendswelll · 04/02/2025 20:15

Two year olds are notoriously unreliable, especially on holiday. I would divide and rule if needed as hopefully the four year old is at more of an age when they can enjoy it.

Tantrums don't necessarily mean ND although obviously we don't know the wider context here.

Didimum · 04/02/2025 20:15

Try not to dwell on the disappointment, OP. It’s done now and that’s life with kids for you. You never can tell when they are going to play up. Even my two almost 7yr olds can’t be consistently relied upon to not be in ‘one of those moods’. I think 2 and 4 is too little for Disney personally and the pressure on you for them to have ‘the best time’ is too much – there’s not too much of that at Butlins.

Lovelyview · 04/02/2025 20:16

Op. No holiday with your kids is ever going to be pure fun. Our dd gets in a massive grump at least once every holiday we've been on and she's now 22. Most of the time she's lovely and lots of fun but honestly, with a 2 and a 4 year old if you have a couple of hours of the entire holiday when they're both happy then you've won. Hope tomorrow's better.

Renovationhell · 04/02/2025 20:17

This happened to me too when I had the bright idea to take my 1 and 2 year olds (plus older DC) on holiday. It was awful, stressful, expensive and I got almost no sleep.

I won’t take them again until they are much older, it was a huge waste of money and I don’t fancy wasting it again!

myotherusernamesarebetter · 04/02/2025 20:17

Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 19:15

You and me both, teaches me for trying to do something for them…

Show quote history

Fucking hell, they’re only tiny. You are thinking about this in a very unhelpful way.

Original poster
Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:20

Allswellthatendswelll · 04/02/2025 20:15

Two year olds are notoriously unreliable, especially on holiday. I would divide and rule if needed as hopefully the four year old is at more of an age when they can enjoy it.

Tantrums don't necessarily mean ND although obviously we don't know the wider context here.

Thanks, agree and I’m realising we may have made a misstep here.

re the ND, nursery have him on a support plan with the SENCO due to disregulation (which expresses itself through overfriendliness (badgering other kids) or aggressiveness (unkind hands)) but didn’t want to throw too much detail into the OP.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:21

myotherusernamesarebetter · 04/02/2025 20:17

Fucking hell, they’re only tiny. You are thinking about this in a very unhelpful way.

Show quote history

Sorry, addressed this above - I was being twatty due to a long day. Shouldn’t have posted this and absolutely haven’t have communicated this frustration to the kids.

OP posts:
Ppzd · 04/02/2025 20:21

I'd never take a 2 and 4 yo to Disney, mental! I'd wait until the youngest of is 5 or 6, as younger than that they really have no impulse or emotion control and it's way too much to ask of them. Disney is a lot of walking and a lot of queuing, so even if you make it further than 10min in, they will still struggle at some points during the day.

Original poster
Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:22

Renovationhell · 04/02/2025 20:17

This happened to me too when I had the bright idea to take my 1 and 2 year olds (plus older DC) on holiday. It was awful, stressful, expensive and I got almost no sleep.

I won’t take them again until they are much older, it was a huge waste of money and I don’t fancy wasting it again!

This makes me feel so much better, thank you, I feel like a proper idiot so glad I’m not the only one who was optimistic in this way!

OP posts:
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 20:23

Sorry that it went all wrong like that.

Maybe they were just so happy that they kind of lost the plot?

This happened to me on holiday in Paris once too. I was really excited about going to an area of the city that had loads of lovely fabric shops. I was with DH when we were first dating and he was on board with it so that was really nice too.

When we got there, I was so happy to see the shops that I got terrible indigestion and had to go to MacDonalds for a cup of tea. The trip to the fabric shops just was a total washout after that because I'd go too excited and ruined it for myself. I was 28 years old.

I think sometimes the dream holiday is just very overwhelming. Maybe you could go to a nice park instead, and keep things low key?

MajorCarolDanvers · 04/02/2025 20:23

They are too young.

go back in 5 years and you will have a much better experience

Original poster
Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:23

Didimum · 04/02/2025 20:15

Try not to dwell on the disappointment, OP. It’s done now and that’s life with kids for you. You never can tell when they are going to play up. Even my two almost 7yr olds can’t be consistently relied upon to not be in ‘one of those moods’. I think 2 and 4 is too little for Disney personally and the pressure on you for them to have ‘the best time’ is too much – there’s not too much of that at Butlins.

Thanks - yeah I think my ‘kids don’t need to change us’ barometer went a bit loopy around Xmas!

OP posts:
Pickled21 · 04/02/2025 20:23

There are some great Facebook groups that have loads of advice, even where to go so your kids could have relaxed a bit.

Once they are asleep I'd take the time to plan for tomorrow. So what do you think they would most like to do? Rides, meet and greets, watch the parades, see the shows? I'd work out a plan and then have plenty of rest breaks, going at the kids pace. Take plenty of snacks so the kids can have them in the queue. We went when my youngest was 2, older kids were 6 and 7 and really did divide and conquer. I made sure we had plenty of rest breaks for icecream and my youngest often went to sleep when we went to see a show.

Hope you have a better day tomorrow.

Original poster
Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:26

Pickled21 · 04/02/2025 20:23

There are some great Facebook groups that have loads of advice, even where to go so your kids could have relaxed a bit.

Once they are asleep I'd take the time to plan for tomorrow. So what do you think they would most like to do? Rides, meet and greets, watch the parades, see the shows? I'd work out a plan and then have plenty of rest breaks, going at the kids pace. Take plenty of snacks so the kids can have them in the queue. We went when my youngest was 2, older kids were 6 and 7 and really did divide and conquer. I made sure we had plenty of rest breaks for icecream and my youngest often went to sleep when we went to see a show.

Hope you have a better day tomorrow.

Oh if anything I’ve over planned. I have a list with all the preschool friendly indoors activities and distance etc…

Thank you though, I just want them to have and find a balance between pushing out of our comfort zones and giving them what they want (which is sitting in the Airbnb watching a film!)

OP posts:
Original poster
Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:26

MajorCarolDanvers · 04/02/2025 20:23

They are too young.

go back in 5 years and you will have a much better experience

Thank you, I hope so…

OP posts:
Original poster
Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:27

Ppzd · 04/02/2025 20:21

I'd never take a 2 and 4 yo to Disney, mental! I'd wait until the youngest of is 5 or 6, as younger than that they really have no impulse or emotion control and it's way too much to ask of them. Disney is a lot of walking and a lot of queuing, so even if you make it further than 10min in, they will still struggle at some points during the day.

Ah thanks - they were both in buggies - I tried to plan but it all went a bit awry!

OP posts:
Truth25 · 04/02/2025 20:30

bottlemom · 04/02/2025 19:19

2 & 4 are too young for Disney IMO. It's expensive, they won't remember or appreciate any of it and it's right in the thick of toddler years. I'd lower your expectations of them and hope for a better day tomorrow

This , I wouldn't even bother doing this with a 4yo and think madness with a 2yo. Far too overwhelming and too much going on.

Nottodaythankyou123 · 04/02/2025 20:31

You’re not unreasonable to be upset but I think had slightly unreasonable expectations from 2 such young children.

We’ve only been away twice with ours but both times expectations are low. Often they just can’t cope with that level of excitement and being out of routine, and it manifests in tantrums because they just don’t have adequate skills to channel those emotions properly. Not to mention Disney is quite overwhelming anyway 😅

Hopefully after a good night sleep and a reset of your expectations you’ll have a better day tomorrow.

LushLemonTart · 04/02/2025 20:31

Aww I hope tomorrow goes well. We took dss to Disney world florida at a similar age. They were ok apart from ds2 wanting to go on the Mexican boat ride over and over 🙈 Ds2 vaguely remembers it amazingly. He was a nightmare at 3 but luckily didn't last long...and we weren't in Disney.

You've had some fab tips. I definitely agree with play park first.

Ap42 · 04/02/2025 20:31

I have similar dreadful memories of disneyland Paris, with my then 3 and 5 year old. Unbeknown to be at the time my son was on the spectrum, he spent most of his time trying to hide in his sisters pushchair and when he wasn't doing that he was having meltdown after meltdown. I feel your pain. Definitely hire pushchairs for both children, and take the pressure off yourself. Try and find joy in the small things... my Son was most impressed with the double decker trains, and remembers that over the hype of Disney. I hope it improves.

Ppzd · 04/02/2025 20:34

Cheepcheepcheep · 04/02/2025 20:27

Ah thanks - they were both in buggies - I tried to plan but it all went a bit awry!

Show quote history

Sorry, I realise my tone was quite judgmental. I have young kids too and made similar mistakes with holidays/activities. I find that specially when you spent time/effort/money, it's even more crushing and defeating. But it's not your fault. You haven't misplanned or anything, kids are so unpredictable! They also can't see the woods for the tree, they don't understand delayed gratification. We think "Long journey there, with the ferry and all that, but then we can enjoy the park" while after the ferry, their nervous system is already on overdrive and there's nothing left in the tank for the park, if that makes sense.

Cakeandusername · 04/02/2025 20:34

They are young, tired, out of routine and it is overwhelming. I wouldn’t have left there’s quiet areas in park or Disney village. McDonalds if they want something familiar. Lots of little ones don’t like characters up close. Try again and don’t stress about what you’ll get done.

Thelaundryfairyhasbeenassassinated · 04/02/2025 20:34

They are very little. You are placing a lot of expectations on them. Just becaus they love Disney toys and films doesn't mean they can cope with the intensity of DLP.

One lesson I learned from my first child (big age gap) Do not do anything which can cause you to have resentment if it doesn't go according to the image in your head. Which it likely won't! Good or bad.

You have mentioned the money a few times. Clearly money you now wish you hadn't spent. You expected your children to be thrilled and enjoy themselves and for you to get a buzz from making them happy. I can totally relate to going to a lot of effort to give our children great experiences but sometimes they don't like them or can't cope with them.