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

Disneyland Paris with kids

14 replies

Mommabear20 · 17/11/2020 07:35

Hey! So as a child I've been multiple times and DH and I have been 5 together (he never went as a kid), but we've never been with kids, hoping to take our DD when she turns 4.

Does anyone have any advice on travel, things to take, do and general advice to disneying with little kids?

OP posts:
Breastfeedingworries · 17/11/2020 07:41

Marking my place but my dd is only 2 Blush so won’t be taking her for quite a few years!

Mommabear20 · 17/11/2020 07:45

Haha mine is less than 1 😂 this momma just likes to be overly organised

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/11/2020 07:48

We went hen DDs were 5&7. (And considering next year when they are 8&9)

  • if you go in June, don't expect to see fireworks. They are fast asleep by 7.30!
  • go for a meal plan with breakfast plus dinner. Book dinner early (4/5). Take filling snacks they can eat in the queues. No need to spend loads on lunch.
  • Disney hotels for Magic Hour.
  • don't take them on the big rides too young.(DH frightened the pants of DD2 and now she won't go near rollercoasters).
WicketWoo · 17/11/2020 07:49

Getting to Disneyland Paris on Eurostar is great with kids - much easier than flying. I'd say that staying on site makes for a more relaxed time too, especially with little ones, as you can walk back to the hotel for a nap and then go back out for dinner/fireworks.

There isn't much shade in the height of summer - so I'd avoid with a very little one - or take a shade with a buggy.

Be prepared to want to switch up to Florida after a trip or two though...

lowbudgetnigella · 17/11/2020 07:54

We went for 1 less night to stay at the hotel right by the entrance, in park for magic hour, back out for character breakfast in again after for potter. Littler ones are not bothered about ticking every box, had 1 afternoon in pool at hotel set them up well for later night. Book all evening meals, the Mickey Mouse place was by far the best. Also we said they could choose one lovely present at the end so each gift shop we passed wasn't full of them nattering but thinking about their choices then really exciting to go get what they picked.
I also took fancy dress from home and Disney t shirts to wear

Hazelnutlatteplease · 17/11/2020 07:57

The best advice depends on budget. Whether you want to stay on or off site etc

General advice, take decent shoes! Take a decent Windproof/waterproof coat or Pac a mac september through to may. And thermals in winter. Check the weather before you go and dress accordingly. We love winter at DLP, be aware summer can get very very hot.

If you are staying on site have a lanyard with a passholder for a person and use if to hold passes. this is really handy because you can use it for everything, room key, meal plan vouchers etc. Also at check in you can link a credit card a hotel charge which can save you transaction fees and mean you can leave your regular cards in the safe. The ones you can get on site are truly beautiful but getting them beforehand is cheaper.

00100001 · 17/11/2020 08:03

Take a buggy, they'll get exhausted.

Have stuff for them to do in the queues, as that's potentially where they'll spend most of their time.

Go for more short days than one or two long days.

Mommabear20 · 17/11/2020 08:15

Amazing advice! Thanks guys!

We're definitely going to be staying on site (Cheyenne or Santa Fe) and going end of November.

OP posts:
Fairybatman · 17/11/2020 08:26

We’ve been twice once at Christmas and once in August. Due to go again in 3 weeks but that’s clearly not happening.

Stay on site if you can afford it, or look at nearby hotels with shuttle services if not.

Staying on site means you can do early magic hours first and then have breakfast later. We give DS a banana first thing, do an hour and then have breakfast a little later, this lasts through lunch with just a snack and then dinner.

Expect to walk about 10km a day so wear comfy shoes and clothes and take a pushchair if your DC don’t like walking much. There are buggy parks everywhere so you can leave it for a while, but it will be useful late in the day, also good for storing the snack bag. We have also let DS fall asleep in the pram and then sit in the sun with drinks quite late. Blush

Lots of layers in winter, and lots of sunscreen in summer. Take caps or sun-hats as there isn’t much shade.

We take a bag with snacks and drinks and a water bottle per person as you can fill them up in the park. If you are flying it’s worth a trip to the supermarket at Marne la Vallée to stock up on your first evening.

Book your meals before you go or you won’t have a lot of choice, download the Lineberty app for characters in the studios. We’ve never needed lunch as we have breakfast late and dinner early.

If you are staying on site, plan to walk back to the hotel at night. It’s a nice short walk and let’s DC calm down a little before bed.

We take Disney t-shirts and fancy dress with us as they are expensive over there, and as per PP let DS choose one gift on the last day so that we don’t get nagging all week. If you buy anything e.g. Christmas gifts the shops will send it back to your room but it can take a day so don’t leave that kind of shopping to the last day. Also shops don’t all sell the same things so if you see something you definitely want buy it and send it back to the hotel or you’ll end up trekking back to the original shop.

Oreservoir · 17/11/2020 08:28

I took my dgs in July this year. Because of covid rules it was only 20% capacity so little queuing which was great. You can pay extra for a fast pass to avoid long queues if you want.
At lunch time I suggest you encourage dc to sit for at least an hour. It's very tiring walking from theme to theme all day.
Also look on line and try and work out which rides and themes your dc will like best before you go and do those first.
We actually stayed in the town which is a 2 minute train ride away.

Stopthebloodynotifications · 17/11/2020 08:33

We have stayed at The Explorers which is in the free shuttle route. Great room (L shaped so the bunk bed was round the corner for a bit of privacy, great pool and soft play area, great pizza. We have been twice, once in May and last year just before Christmas which was magical and I thoroughly recommend it. You get two parades (one Christmas themed) and one superstars. And fake snow! Loved it. The fireworks are earlier so that’s better for little kids. Wait until your kids are at least 4 and can walk for 10 hours without crying Wink

Disneyland Paris with kids
Disneyland Paris with kids
Disneyland Paris with kids
Hazelnutlatteplease · 17/11/2020 09:37

Cheyenne is a slightly easier nicer walk. If you are off peak try at get one day of the weekend in as sometimes theres the odd show that doesn't show midweek, (although thats less true these days). On peak go mid week. As a general rule EMH and mornings for rides afternoon for shows and parades. Although youll probably know this as you're already veterans! I suspect the next paragraph you'll already know.

Get out during magic hours most days to avoid the queues, Although you'll probably need at least one lie in especially if you do make it late enough for dreams. Ideally you want several days (ideal imo is 4nights 5 days). First EMH in fantasyland, hit dumbos then Peter pan then the rest fantasyland. Next time buzz light years intergalactic spin, the cars one, obitron, star tours (Not space mountain). Next EMH studios park for Ratatouille and Frozen then rest of the studios park. This will probably be the day you'll do dreams if you do it. If you have another EMH hit Thunder mountain otherwise fast pass this on an afternoon youve done the main park.

2 wishes and a prayer was something we did a lot of when the kids were little. At breakfast often with a park map everyone, including adults, would say one thing that would make the best day, one thing that would make an excellent day and one thing that would make a good day. This Might be limited to fit in with overall plan eg to fantasyland, studios park, main park etc. This helped some children understand balance their own needs with others, and helped them deal with disappointment if something was unexpectedly closed or the plan changed. "oh well we didn't get to do..... But we still got you excellent day choice". In fact we did this a lot generally and still do but with more grown up language. It also gave a framework for discussions at the end of the day when we would review/chat over dinner what we have done.

I kinda disagree with saying you can't get a souvenir until the last day. Whilst many things you can get in multiple locations, sometimes you spot something unique or something a child wants to wear during the holiday. When they were younger that budget was for example £10 each day or save it for the final day. But there was some flexibility if for example they wanted a hoodie they could wear during the holiday. Don't buy fragile souvenirs on the last day as the send to the hotel shopping service wont get it back to the hotel in time and you will probably break the glasses in the bottom of the pushchair on the Eurostar Grin

Watch Disney films beforehand especially Ratatouille, lilo and stitch and Peter Pan. Don't miss stitch live.

Yy to cafe mickey and buffalo bills wild west. If you do both, you may find its more cost effective to upgrade to sequioa.

Really can't emphasis enough windproof!!! Especially in November. If they are mainly buggy bound all in ones may be better to stop that little gap around their back as they are in and out of rides. (At that age I would have one more comfortable in an all-in-one and one in fleece trousers).

Refillable water bottles and squishy mini juice. Even if its cold and they turn off some of the fountains; theres one as you exit star tours half way up the exit corridor (before you hand back the glasses you may have to look left) and one in hakuna matata. All the sit down and buffet restaurants will bring you a jug of tap water for free if you ask.

We found the sit downs and buffets much nicer and worth the extra cost compared eating at the fast food joints in and out of the park. Just being able to sit down and decompress and not having to divide and battle a queue for seats. The kids preferred the buffets as no waiting for food and they could eat all the desserts, I preferred sit down as the food came to me and was much less frenetic. The full board plus really is fantastic value for money if you do this. basically nobody eats or expected to eat anything outside meal times. I didnt have to carry snacks or pay for any other food or drink.

TheRubyRedshoes · 24/11/2020 22:25

Magic plus annual pass, glide past the queuing Hotel guests at magic hour, you get your pen special entrances (never busy or queue).look at hotel eylesse, free shuttle to park opposite hotel doors, extremely nice food, hotel, fridge, kettle in room. Huge shopping complex opposite hotel with hemmes, primark and massive supermarket. Also close to bolongeri and its also opp the trains, one stop to Disney.

You need a few visits to get the most out of it and not be rushed.

TheRubyRedshoes · 24/11/2020 22:29
  • we went about 6 times in one year including Xmas and never had a problem eating at the counter queue places. Ate for about 45 euros and some of it was really nice. We had breakfast at hotel, took a baggettee in and snacks and one meal in the park a day. % off with magic plus. Re buffet be very careful, as if covid wasn't enough to put people off.. Every winter it seems Disney is hit by norivus.
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