Disneyland @ New Year - Tips/Advice please!

[MummyJules]

Hey there,

I'm taking my little girl to Disneyland Paris for new year celebrations and would love any tips or advice, in particular

• Newport Bay Hotel - We will be staying on the admirals floor. I've heard some bad reviews so I'm a little worried.

• Spending money - How much to take? (it's just me and my dd who is 6)

• What 'extra magic' activities would be good for a six year old (e.g princesses tea, wild west show)

• Where is the best place to sit for the parade and any other activities (new year fireworks etc) ?

• What are the best rides for a 6 yr old?

• What are the best restaurants?

• I'm planning this as a surprise for my daughter but I'm not sure when its the best time to tell her...!

and any other information you think would be helpful, I'd really appreciate it - this will be the first time that I've gone on holiday on my own with my daughter so I'm a little nervous.

Thank you in advance!

Wild west show - amazing especially if your dd loves horses. But ££££ and the food is terrible (actually that comment pretty much goes for disneyland in general).

Parades - get there early - if you are doing night parade and fireworks you need to be up towards the castle cos they are in the sky behind it.

Best rides - the buzz lightyear is great fun and different to the other rollercoaster/story type ones. Pirates of the caribbean is fun. our dds loved the fairytale boat ride - it has a french name, something about fairyland - lots of minature sets from the movies/other fairy stories to see. Small world - tedious in the extreme and the tune reverberates in your head for 3 days afterwards!

Thanks Slouchy

Anymore advice, anyone?

officially you're not allowed to take food and drink in, but we have done several times. It's so expensive, even for a bottle of water.

Wrap up warm - it does get really cold, particularly when it gets dark.

We went when dd1 was 6 and what worked for us was to get into the park early, I think we were allowed in the park before the general public, go on the rides you wanted (Peter Pan and Dumbo in our case!) before the queues, but then went back to the hotel for a rest early afternoon. We then went back into the park and stayed till it closed, the rest just rejuvunated us enough! Oh, and there are pushchairs to hire if she gets too tired - don't think she's too big, there were lots of big kids in them, it's just such a lot of walking!

Have a lovely time!

Wear something bright, so she can spot you in the crowd if she gets distracted. Scarf, hat, coat etc,

The Newport Bay Hotel is nice, take swim costumes as it has a nice pool. I think towels are provided as far as I can remember.

Mine liked most (were about 5 and 7) the Peter Pan Flight ride and Thunder Mountain Railroad. Also liked the Haunted House for some reason, although I think they had their eyes shut, but made me go 3 times!

Small World - as Slouchy says will make you want to throw yourself into the stream. Nice for children, painful for adults.

I think there is a small train/tram that runs between the hotels and the resort. But we walked it quite easily - took about 15 mins with lots of stops looking at the gift shops. Eating on the park was not cheap, but it's not at places like this in the UK either. So expect to spend as you would for a theme park day out in the UK (plus gift shops). Take a credit card!

Get tickets on the fast track (fast pass) system. You'll find you get round more things. They cost nothing. It means if there is a long queue, you just take a ticket, go off and come back at an allocated time and join the Fast Track queue (normally shorter and faster).

Following on from Walty's "wear bright clothes" - write your mobile number inside her shoe - they do have good lost child procedures but if she's got your mobile number handy, it can make it a whole lot easier.

Waltzy not Walty!

• Newport Bay Hotel- We stayed there years ago and it was fine, TBH I think all the hotels are very similar service wise anyway.

• Spending money- MOney for meals will be more than you might need in the summer when you can grab a bagette. Meals can be pricey. Look for the special menus (set menu).

• What 'extra magic' activities- The wild west show is fantasic and a good feed too. The lunch with the characters can be good too, we had it in the place in the western section. Again very good grub and the characters came to every table.

• Where is the best place to sit for the parade- For the parade we positioned ourselves beside the gate the start at, beside Small World. Means once parade is past you can take advatgae of the smaller queues at things like peter pan. We watched the light parade form the main street area and were nearer to the exits ready to leave.

• What are the best rides for a 6 yr old?- Will love Peter pan and the other fairy tale bits, might like the runaway mine train, bit more adventorous. Young enough to still enjoy small world too.

TBH the do it so well the whole atmosphere is what does it for the kids, I would worry about spending to o much time in the new bit. two days if you have that will be fine for seeing all the main park. If quieter 1 day is enough, but don't warry you will be able to amuse yourselves for as long as you are there and still be desperate to come back.

BTW it will be colder than Inverness in a Northwesterly. Wrap up thinking northpole.

Bright matching scarves are a great idea, plus mobile number (that works in france)on a card in pocket or written in jacket. Make sure child knows to approach staff and how to identify and to tell staff about the number.

Make arrangments with other adults re meeting points and times too, so you don't waste ages waiting for each other.