Holiday planning in general isn’t the easiest of tasks, and when it comes down to planning an unforgettable experience such as a Disney holiday – the pressure to get it right can become that little bit more overwhelming. Fear not! I am here with a quick guide and some top tips to help you plan your trip to Disneyland Paris with a simple breakdown of the main components that will add to the experience of bringing the magic alive!
Needless to say, Disneyland Paris is the ideal place for everyone no matter the age! Disneyland Paris is made up of the main Disney Park, Disney Village and Walt Disney Studios Park. With over 50 attractions, spectacular shows and parades, cherished Disney Characters and more than 50 restaurants. Step through the gates and begin your once-in-a-lifetime experience to remember happily ever after!
Before planning your trip to Disneyland Paris, ensure you have a specific and flexible budget in mind. This will be most useful when deciding on accommodations, meal plans and having extra money to spend during your stay!
When
The most popular times of year to visit Disneyland Paris:
Disneyland Paris Celebrates Pride (29th June 2024)
Summer at Disneyland Paris
Disney Halloween Festival (1st October – 3rd November 2024)
Disney Enchanted Christmas (9th November 2024 – 6th January 2025)
My first ever visit to a Disneyland Theme Park was in September 2019 during the Lion King & Jungle Festival. We chose an off-peak time in the hope that it would be quieter, which was true; the lines for the rides weren’t overly crowded, yet there were still a number of (school-aged) kids around! Although we knew that the Lion King & Jungle Festival was running for the season (the advertisements heavily persuaded us to visit during this time!), what we didn’t realise until we were there was that the parade had a Bollywood influence to it! Yes, you read that right – Disney met Bollywood! The hum of The Jungle Book Jive musical parade could be heard from miles away. Once in full view, we were transported into a colourful journey through the Indian jungle with Baloo, King Louie and friends as they discovered a larger-than-life animal kingdom!
Transport
First things first, how do you plan to reach Paris? Paris can be reached from the UK via: plane, car, ferry or Eurostar. In my opinion, the quickest and easiest option is to take the Eurostar, which takes you straight to the park gates itself. However, there are currently no direct services from London St. Pancras to Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée Chessy) – you will have to change platforms at Lille Europe. Just something to be mindful of depending on your group size and baggage!
Accommodation
Disneyland Paris is home to 7 Disney Hotels:
Disneyland Hotel - the ultimate 5-star royal residence, inspired by Classic Disney movies
Disney’s New York Hotel - The Art of Marvel
Disney’s Newport Bay Club - 1920s Nautical theme
Disney’s Sequoia Lodge - American National Park theme
Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne - Inspired by Hollywood Westerns
Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe - Inspired by the American Southwest
Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch - located within a natural forest
A stay at any Disney Hotel is inclusive of: extra magic time, Disney-themed fun, meal plans (at an additional charge) and free parking.
Of course, there are alternative nearby options such as the partner hotels which are situated within 10 minutes from the Disney Parks and a free shuttle ride is offered between the parks and accommodations when booked with Disney Park tickets.
The Parks
Discover the magic of Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park with total freedom to move between the 2 parks over 2 or more consecutive days with dated multi-day tickets. You can choose between 2, 3 and 4 day tickets to spend across both parks. Dated multi-date tickets are only available for advance purchase; they cannot be bought at the entrance of the Disney Parks.
Here’s a list of where to find your favourite Disney and Pixar characters to get your very own treasured selfie:
Disneyland Park
Winnie the Pooh Characters - Main Street U.S.A.Captain Hook, Baloo, Chip 'n' Dale and friends - Adventureland
Star Wars™ Characters - DiscoverylandMickey – Fantasyland
Disney Princess Character – Princess Pavilion
Classic Disney Characters – Discoveryland
Characters of Alice in Wonderland - Fantasyland
Miscellaneous Disney Characters – Adventureland
Walt Disney Studios Park
Classic Pixar Characters – Toon Studio
MARVEL Super Heroes – Avengers Campus
It was only during the night illumination show that it hit me; I was in Disneyland, living out a dream that I had ever since I was a little girl, I felt so blessed to be witnessing the magic of Disney with my parents by my side, it truly lived up to its slogan: Where Dreams Come True!
All information is correct as of June 2024
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