Going to Disneyland Paris this w/e - tell us what to do!

[MaryBS]

Kids are aged 10 (DD) and 8 (DS). DS has Asperger's, which hopefully won't be too much of a problem, except he scares easily, so won't like things that other children his age would, so no scary rollercoaster type rides (we're not making an issue of his disability, so won't be asking for queue passes - he doesn't get DLA or anything)

Please give us your best hints and tips on what to do/where to go AND when to do them. Are there some rides we should do first for example? We have 250 euros worth of vouchers to spend in resort, which will help with cost of meals etc. We get there Friday evening and leave Sunday afternoon.

Search for disneyland paris threads cos there is someone on here who produced a very good guide to the resort, but my memory fails me....

Or someone will be along in a minute who has a better memory than me!

Enjoy - we had a wonderful time last year

Thanks, I found the dibb website, and there's a fair bit on there, but TOO much, IYSWIM. A beginners guide sounds good.

Am under the weather, so not up to too much trawling on here, or anywhere else for that matter!

wish we were off to disneyland!!!
Have a greattime

Are you staying in a Disney Hotel? If so, I would try to book as early a breakfast as you can so that you can take advantage of the two hours (8 -10) when the park isn't open to the public. We went over half term and past 11.00am the queues were just too much for us. Try to get a breakfast in the park too - we had one for 8.45 which I thought was too late, but we got the shuttle from the hotel for when then park opened at 8.00, managed to go on 3 good rides, then have breakfast!! You have to ask if you can book one of these breakfasts when you check in.

I'd certainly use some of your vouchers in Cafe Mickey if you can - it's pricey for not so good food, but the opportunity to meet the characters is great! I think the kids meals were 15 euros for main, drink and pudding and the adult one was 30 (we only had a main!) We ate in our hotel (Cheyenne) one night and I was very pleased with it - a fantastic all you want buffet.

Now what else!! Buzz Lightyear ride was the highlight for my two DSes as was Thunder mountain but that might be a bit much for your DS. Kids liked the Peter Pan ride where you "fly" over London and Neverland and the infamous It's a Small World which you will sing forever!

We had a fab time and I think it will be better for you as out of school hols.

Yes, we're staying in a Disney hotel - and thats useful re: getting in the park early, thats the sort of info I'd missed! We're staying in the Newport Bay club. We won it as one of the 250 holidays Ford gave away on their website, so there'll be a whole bunch other winners there too.

They're doing a reserved area for all winners between 7:15 and 8am, for breakfast...

You will have a great time, my DS's are also worried about scary rides, but do Peter Pan, Its a Small World and those types of rides. The Buzz LIghtyear ride has big queus so go to that first, and Iits a Small World queue is never that bad as it moves fast. The parade is brilliant, we found that at the end of Main Street near the entrance to the Park was a good place to watch it. The Studios are also worth going to, and there are some really good shows, one called the Animatronic or something like that. The Stunt show was also good, but had some fire effects in it so it may not be suitable for you.

Cafe Mickey is really good. The characters are used to dealing with all sorts of children, and they just waved at my really shy DS to include him and had photos with my other DS.

my dd then 5, spent about 3 days on the captain Hook ship!! no princesses for her!

You HAVE to go on the cheesey It's small world ride, it's the Disney law!!

Make sure you make good use of Fast Pass. Rides like Buzz and Peter Pan are the best ones to use FP on.

Fast Pass - how does that work? Sorry, I know I could look it up... (am not well, thats my excuse)

I appreciate all the advice thanks, just bumping this for the evening crowd...

Fast Pass

Some rides have fastpass systems, such as Buzz and Peter Pan. Not all rides have it.

There are FP stations near to that ride.

Go to one of the electronic stations and put in all of your family's Disney entry tickets, one after another.

The FP will then give you a ticket each. It tells you what time to come back (you get a one hour slot) to the ride.

You then join the FP quue which gets you into the ride much more quickly than the standard queue.

The FP ticket will also tell you at what time you can go and get another FP ticket - normally not lung before the FP ticket you hold runs out, but it varies.

Above all rides it tells you the estimated wait time for that ride, the FP wait time and also near the FP stations what time slot is currently being allocated.

There is a central info board with all this data on to in the middle of the park.

When you go through the main gates there are some shops and on the left in a little dead end alcove bit is a house which is Mikey Mouse's house. He will be there at 10:15 for photos. The queue gets really big so if your kids want to meet him it might be worth going straight there one day.

The Peter Pan ride is very popular so head there early and get a Fast Pass ticket. Then while waiting for the Fast Pass slot go and get on a ride with a shorter queue or one of the walk through things like The Treehouse. Pirates of The Carribean is a log flume type ride, quite a bit of it in the dark. I didn't realise that and thought it would be a gentle thing like Peter Pan. it wasn't too scary, but your DS might not like it. The 7 dwarves ride is similar to Peter Pan but not as good.

The Haunted House I didn't think was worth the queue and the one thing I was disappointed with. The big paddle steamer was good. Its A SMall World was very good.

The little train that goes round the perimeter and stops off at the different areas was enjoyable. DD's favourite ride was Big Thunder Mountain (she's 8), but it is fast in places.

When we went you couldn't get Fast Pass tickets for two rides at a time.

The FP tickets just mean you don't need to stand in the queue.

We stayed in teh nerwport bay. Breakfasts are great - make sure you eat well. The fruit salad and juices were heaven as neither fruit nor veg passed our lips out in Disney Land.

Go to the parade on the first evening. On the second evening, if there's any ride you really enjpyed or was too busy, rush back during parade time because the rides are really quiet then.

We raced around and went on Pirates of teh carribean and on Small World twice (its cheesiness made us hoot with laughter).

I'd put your vouchers towards meals in the hotel. I liked the newport's buffet - lots of veg on offer and good children's choices too if yours are fussy.

MaryMother 0 it depends on the length of time you have to wait for uour allocated slot. If the FP you have has a vrery lengthy wait you can sometimes get a "next available FP" time for before your other one is due, At both Disneyland Paris and DisneyWorld we have had occassions where we have held two FP tickets at the same time.

Lots of children I know have found the Snow White ride scray - so beware of that.

Also - under the castle is Sleeping Beauty;s dragon. It is dark with two dragons (I think) breathing fire.

Is the Lion King show still there - this is def worth it.

Are you doing both parks? The studios park closes at 6pm. After that you can go into the DLP park on the same ticket.

We could get more than one FP.

Agree, the dragon under teh castle is excellent.

There is no dragon under the castle at Magic Kingdom in Florida. I was disappointed at that.

This is brilliant help, thanks. Especially on what the rides are like, and how the FP works.

Not sure that DS would like the dragon, he doesn't like the one at Legoland. Think we'll be giving the pirates of the carribean a miss too - doesn't like rides in the dark OR getting wet!

We'll do both parks if we get time, I expect.

Will have to check out to see if the Lion King show is still running...

Go and watch the stunt show (in the Movie park) if you can - really good fun.
We could only FP one ride at a time, but it depends on your ticket.
Don't bother with Autoville (I think it is called), queue for an age and as boring as hell....

This is great advice, we are off there at the beginning of December for 4 nights. DD's know nothing of it yet, I can hardly contain myself!

I know what you mean

There is a pirate themed adventure playground type thing, with caves to explore - that is a godsend when you get tired of going from ride to ride and all the queuing - not as passive for the kids as going on the rides iykwim.

This website looks useful!