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top tips for Disneyland Paris with a toddler please?

18 replies

jaggythistle · 06/07/2012 12:03

DS is nearly 3 and a big Disney fan, especially Mickey and we're heading to DLP for 3 nights/4 days soon.

would love tips on how to make the best of it for him. if DH and i can take turns on the odd coaster that would be nice, but it's more for DS1 really.

we'll also be carting his baby brother about in a pram, not sure how much that will restrict us so thinking of taking a sling for him some days.

any advice welcome, thanks in advance. :)

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beanandspud · 06/07/2012 20:08

DS is 4.5 and these would be our top tips...

Accept that you can't see and do everything, much more fun to have a smiley toddler and do less than have a tired and grumpy toddler and try to see it all.

We just about managed without a buggy for DS, he is generally a good walker but was still very, very tired at the end of the day. You can hire buggies and most rides have a parking area for them.

Fantasyland in the Disney Park probably has the most attractions for little ones. Be prepared to queue - 45 minutes wait for 2 minutes on the Flying Teacups isn't unusual. Disney Studios still has quite a lot of rides and is more manageable from a walking point of view.

Get a guidebook and read it before you go! We had the Brit Guide (on Amazon) and it was well worth it to try and plan the day. You can pick up a programme at the entrance which gives you an idea of where you can 'meet and greet' the characters but again be prepared to queue.

Depending on where you are staying you could go to the park for a few hours in the morning, come back to the hotel after lunch (we went for a swim and a snooze) and then go back to the park later.

It is worth splashing out on character dining if you can bring yourself to pay the inflated prices. The characters actually come to the tables and it's great for autographs and photos. DS also really enjoyed the Buffalo Bill Wild West show!

jaggythistle · 06/07/2012 21:10

thanks!

if we're struggling hopefully DS1 can get a ride in the pushchair and DS2 can go in the sling for a bit.

I had the idea that we'd take it fairly easy and not try to do too much so I'm glad you said that.

will look into a guide book too.

we're staying at hotel New York so should be able to go back for a bit.

:)

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PoppyWearer · 06/07/2012 21:26

If the Hotel New York gives you 8am entry to the apart, use it! Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo, Carousel (in Fantasyland) and Buzz Laser Blast and Orbitron rides all open at 8am and when we went (recently) the queues before 9am were minimal. With a bit of luck you can ride all of them, some twice, by 10am.

Dumbo and Peter Pan, and Buzz, have the biggest queues.

At 10am the Park opens to all. Head to Alice's Labyrinth first, then the Conte de Fees boat ride and Casey's Circus Train behind it. These should still all be quiet for the next hour or so. And It's a Small World - the queues move quickly.

By 11-ish start thinking about lunch, get in early.

There is a "Coin bebe" (baby centre) in the centre of the park and that is the ONLY place you can warm up bottles and food, in the microwaves, and they have high chairs for feeding if needed. Baby facilities elsewhere are patchy.

Rent a stroller at the entrance, even if your DC1 is a good walker. You'll get to the other end of the park MUCH faster that way. They are also great ways to stake out your pitch for the 7pm parade. Stake your pitch for this about an hour before using the buggies, then take it in turns to take the DCs off to do things whilst the other guards the pitch. Be careful where you stand, the sun could be in your eyes (outside the cars store). At the very end of the parade is a good quiet place and you can escape easily if you want to leave the park straight after.

Agree the Brit Guide is fab.

As for Studios, the Slinky Dog ride is about all they can do in the Toy Story area (no 8am entry here). There is the flying carpet ride but queues are big. The Playhouse Disney show is good - was at 12.15pm when we went (in English, 11.15am show was French the day we went) but you need to arrive earlier for a place.

Studios also only had one baby room with microwave. Oh, and you can't take pushchairs in the baby rooms. Angry

You can buy baby food in the Park and Studios but they only have two varieties. Take your own food, but buy the kind in a bowl not pouches, as they don't supply bowls or anything like that.

They do supply some paper bibs and some high chairs. But these were hit-and-miss.

What else? Rainforest Cafe in the Village is good for kids and a walk by the lake, where your hotel is anyway, and you can hire pedalos and little boats there too.

Mickey/Minnie ears are obligatory Grin

PoppyWearer · 06/07/2012 21:27

apart park

Sorry was trying to type before baby DC2 wakes up. Must be full of typos!

PoppyWearer · 06/07/2012 21:28

End of the parade is outside the hat shop, BTW. They go through the gate there. Parade starts to pass there about 7.10pm.

PoppyWearer · 06/07/2012 21:30

One last one, sorry!

Plan on after lunch to 4pm as down-time/siesta. Then head back to the Park around 4.30pm for play/rides and tea, ready to stake your parade place by 6.

jaggythistle · 06/07/2012 21:36

thanks!

luckily DS2 is only going to be 12 weeks and bf so we have kind of picked a portable age and no food required for him. :)

hadn't thought of getting a stroller for DS1 for speed, will certainly consider that as toddler pace is pretty slow!

I'm pretty sure we do get the 'magic hours' from 8am so will try for an early start...

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beanandspud · 06/07/2012 21:48

Also meant to add that the evening parade is just before closing so 11pm at the moment - we didn't see it as DS just wouldn't have lasted.

There is a little road train that goes around the lake at the back of Disney Village that your DS might like.

If it all gets too much the Disney train takes about 40 mins to do a full circuit of the park and is a good 'rest' for toddlers whilst still being on the train.

Take cereal bars, boxes of raisins, pouches of smoothies etc. - anything that will keep little ones going whilst queueing. There are a couple of shops just inside that station where you can get water and soft drinks or snacks for half the price of inside the park.

Oh, and take waterproofs. It threw it down whilst we were there and it's no fun being soaked.

jaggythistle · 06/07/2012 21:53

yeah, he'd love a train. :)

definitely taking piles of snacks. he's a bit hit or miss on how fussy he is right now, so at least we'll have some stuff he'll eat. he can live on cereal, bread and snacks...

getting a bit excited now. Grin

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AnnaMS · 06/07/2012 22:04

Definitely agree with taking as many snacks and drinks that you can fit in your luggage - as food is v expensive.
We went for 4 days in May and although we explored both parks we spent most time in Fantasyland - Small World was very popular and queues were short. My 2.5 year old still walks round singing the tune now!
I didn't think there were enough playgrounds but we did find a small soft play inside the Toy Story pizza planet which allowed us (adults) to sit down for an hour or so! There is a lot of walking during the day so buggy is essential.
Enjoy it!

beanandspud · 06/07/2012 22:12

Jaggy we had a great time and DS is fast asleep tonight still cuddling his Goofy Grin.

ByTheWay1 · 06/07/2012 22:22

The shows are very good too - but can be dark, so plenty of warning needed for nervous little ones..

The advantage of the very dark ones is you can sit at the back and BF unnoticed!

And don't forget just how much some kids LOVE to greet the characters - we spent most of one trip just meeting Mickey, Alice in Wonderland, Buzz and Captain Hook - as well as the Princesses WITH their princes...... there is a meet and greet near the gate behind Pizzeria Bella Notte - you can sit with a pizza and a coke outside and watch and wait.

When you are on Main Street listen under the windows - you can hear a piano lesson and the dentist - and remember to go under the castle to say hello to the dragon - ahhhh - only if you do not have a nervous child - my eldest turned and ran!!! it is a bit scary.... but upstairs inside the castle they have some armour which snores too - my kids found this hilarious for some reason!

jaggythistle · 07/07/2012 03:57

DS1's bed already looks a bit like a Disney store...

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jaggythistle · 07/07/2012 19:37

oh i meant to ask you helpful people...

can you walk through/into many of the attractions with a pram or will we have to park it a lot?

just wondering because a)it's quite a nice new one and I'm worried about losing it and b) obviously we might be using it to carry a change bag etc which we probably wouldn't want to leave lying about. have read that it's necessary to be careful security wise in some places.

i downloaded the Brit guide to my kindle last night and can maybe plan some stuff to see without taking the pram out one morning or afternoon if necessary. :)

thanks again.

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ByTheWay1 · 08/07/2012 08:48

From what I remember.. you have to park it up all the time - but there is a LOT of ground to cover, the park is huge, so having a pram/buggy is a godsend - not sure I'd take something too new or expensive though....

BerylStreep · 08/07/2012 13:28

We hired a pram from Disney (8.95 euros a day) but people just help themselves to any old pram when they are parked outside the rides, so you can end up losing it. We saw the bloke who nicked our pram, and spoke to security, who really weren't that interested. They just tell you to go back to the rental area and they will give you a new one with no probs. not much help when you are at the other end of the park though. I wouldn't even contemplate trying to cover that much ground without a pram though.

I would suggest bringing a bicycle lock, although we improvised and hung a plastic bag with what looked like a dirty nappy in it, and it did the trick.

Definitely plan to be there by 8am, with a view to leaving by 11.00 for swim / lunch / sleep.

We did the half board package, and went back to the park to eat in the evenings. Ham rolls made from breakfast buffet for lunch.

Use the fast pass machines to allow you to be able to take turns to go on the adult rides. Big Thunder Mountain was good, but it opens at 10.00am, and it is like the start of the London marathon with people running to get in the queue. I saw people getting out of their wheelchairs and sprinting for the queue! Much better idea to go straight to fast pass machine, then go to the Pocahontas play area whilst you are waiting for your slot.

Twisty turny caves in adventureland were a big hit, and thankfully cool as well.

Have fun.

jaggythistle · 08/07/2012 13:41

great thanks! will see if we can find a lock and if not buy one on the way.

a lot of the time one of us will have to wait with DS2 in the buggy anyway, or maybe use the baby swap option?

DS1 gets hungry at about 11 anyway so we might as well find food then.

will make sure we go straight to collect fast pass tickets then. :)

was showing DS1 Dumbo on youtube earlier, there are so many things he won't recognise. he was grinning away watching dumbo fly hehe!

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jaggythistle · 09/07/2012 20:46

cheeky bump for any last minute tips. Grin

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