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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Disneyland Paris tips

9 replies

klov · 13/09/2014 21:55

We are off to Disneyland paris at the weekend, with a 2.5 yr old and a 6 yr old - both girls. Does anyone have any tips or recommendations? We are not staying in the park, and are only going for the day. We have booked cafe mickey for supper. Any other advice?

OP posts:
Coffeeinapapercup · 18/09/2014 17:36

Get there so you are in the park for opening. Make use of the fast pass system (free but tickets can run out quite early, they can also not). Have a look at the map off the website ahead of time so you know where you are heading for and if possible grab a parade and show schedule of the website. Also have a think whether you want to Just do the main park or the main park and the studios.

At a similar age my twos must sees were:
Café Mickey (So many fantastic pictures)
Main Park: All the shows and parardes, Thunder mountain ( not at two but at 5 my roller-coaster nuts were into it), Buzz Lightyear, Le Pays des Contes de Fées (out the back of fantasyland, usually closed but absolutely gorgeous very underrated little ride when open) Dumbos & Autopia Why oh why?!?!? small world and carousal.
Studios: Animagique, Stitch Live (We LOVE this) and the stunt show (we hide before the burning man stunt, Just after the hero falls/skids off his motorbike)

If your six year old isn't too into rollercoasters I would suggest the following to start: head straight for fantasy land and Peter Pans flight grab a fast pass, do fantasyland (inc Peter Pan at your fast pass time). Then head for Discoveryland and do it the same way, grab a fast pass for Buzz Lightyear intergalactic spin and do the rest. After this you'll probably be working round the afternoon parade schedule and you'll have seen enough to be able to say we're having an awesome day anything else is a bonus.

If you want to check out the studios park it can work quite well to do this after the afternoon parade (check the times for Animagique and the stunt show) as there are more sit and look shows for tired legs. Otherwise if you stay in the main park I would fast pass big thunder mountain (If your 6 year old fancies it), do Pirates of the Caribbean (a little on the scary side for your 2 year old), (miss phantom manor, which I love but scares the kids rigid) and anything else that was a favourite the first time round. If it's all getting a little overwhelming I would head to one of the walk-arounds Like Alice in wonderlands Labyrinth ( I disproportionately love this)(Fantasyland), or going up inside sleeping beauty's castle (this is a lovely last activity as you get to say bye to the park).

In general the fast food pizza joints are nicer than the other fast food joints. Colonel Hathis in Adventure Land has never let me down (always had lunch there before I went for the full board lunch plan last time) no wait before 12 a short wait after. At a fast food level the food is universally rubbish in the studios park, for one day I would say don't eat there!

I would avoid the meet and greets unless you are dead keen, the queues are excruciatingly long and utterly unavoidable whatever time you get there. Characters do a lot of walkabouts in the studios park, they have improved the mobbing of the Characters by the French guests who don't know how to queue but sometimes you do have to be a little pushy. Characters also sometimes appear in the uncover walkways either side of mainstreet in the main park.

Best souvenirs are always an autograph and their character friendly big thick pens (as soon as you hit the parks, in fact arrive early and grab one before you get in and bump into a character unexpectedly). Gives the kids a way of interacting with the characters, especially if they are a little timid and mine have really treasured them. Write your child's name clearly in the front of the book, I have once had a character write a personal message after checking out the name in the front. If you want a specific characters attention carrying a toy often works.

Coffeeinapapercup · 18/09/2014 17:52

Sorry what a long post: If you only take one thing from it, make it get an autograph book and pen.

llynnnn · 27/09/2014 07:35

Klov, did you have a good time? We are going in October with similar ages dc. Can't wait!

Coffeeinapapercup, thank you for the extremely helpful post, ill definitely be using a lot of your advice Grin

BettyMoody · 27/09/2014 07:36

Twice on school trips. Food is appalling. The BBQ place is ok ish. I've never seen big thick autograph pens!
I know a nice tree you can snooze under in hot July sun. ;)

llynnnn · 27/09/2014 21:18

Oh no Betty! Any ideas where to snooze in cold wet October Wink

Coffeeinapapercup · 28/09/2014 15:22

Time to snooze!?!?!? Too much to do!!!! Grin (psss... although if you are really desperate there's always videopolis)

The appalling food really is totally dependent on where you eat. I haven't had a bad meal in the main park since toad hall many years ago. But I stick to colonel haithis and plaza gardens.

How long you going for llynnn?

BettyMoody · 28/09/2014 16:06

We are going again this year. I do thunder mountain thing and then hang out. I am BORED of it

llynnnn · 28/09/2014 19:01

We are going for 4 nights. We have a standard half board meal plan included and have already booked plaza gardens, restaurant des stars, Annette's, and one other buffet type but can't remember it's name... Hope they are good choices? We are also found buffalo bills show and cafe Mickey too Smile we really aren't fussy about food...sandwich/pizza/chips all week will do us. Dd's are so excited already! Grin

CaisleanDraiochta · 28/09/2014 22:35

I've just got back from DLP last week. I have eaten at quite a lot of the different restaurants there over the years, but the buffets are definitely my favourites. decent food, with plenty of choice for everyone (plus unlimited desserts Wink ) and no slow service.

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