Hello Mickey!
It was a challenge keeping our magical Disneyland Paris break a secret from my children, but it was well worth it to see the look of excitement in their faces when I finally revealed my surprise to them just 48 hours before we travelled. My girls have always looked in awe at my Disney themed children packs that I enjoy creating for my customers' children and they were super excited to finally receive them for themselves.
With our cases packed we were ready to start our journey. My girls were equipped with colouring packs, sweets, a plush Mickey and Minnie, the only thing to add was a smile across all of our faces as we travelled from our home town of Peterborough by train to London St Pancras to board the Eurostar to Disneyland Paris. As you can imagine there were lots of excited happy children waiting to travel to Disney and it was lovely to see all their faces light up as we heard Mickey Mouse announce over the loud speaker of the Eurostar lounge that it was time to board and take out seats!
If you want to experience the Disneyland Magic for yourself, Paris is just a few hours away from the UK, perfect for a short break. With a wide choice of travel options available you can choose the Eurostar service, flights into Paris, or maybe you prefer to drive in your own car on the Eurotunnel or over sea by ferry. Eurostar seemed the easiest way to travel with children in tow as it meant less waiting around and we knew we would arrive just a few minutes walk from our Disney Hotel and parks.
For the ultimate Disney experience stay on-site at one of the seven themed Disneyland Paris Resort hotels. Benefit by being closer to the parks (between 10 and 20 minutes’ walk) plus you will enjoy the Disney ‘Magic Hours’ giving you extra time in the parks exclusive to Disney hotel guests. Maybe you will prefer Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch where you’ll stay in a log cabin for a wilderness experience but be aware your own car is essential for the 15 minute drive to the parks. There are also partner hotels which are all recommended by Disney, still within easy reach of the magic on a free 10 minute shuttle service.
We decided on Disney's New York hotel for the location, just a five minute walk to the Disney Village where you'll find loads of restaurants, shops and entertainment plus a further five minutes to the two Disney parks themselves. Disney's New York has a swimming pool and this would be a great facility for many couples or families but we just didn't have time to use it in our three night break as we didn't want to forsake our time in the parks to swim. The bedrooms were nice and big for our family of four, and the beds were like heaven after long days of walking around the park.
It's impossible to create the feeling of actually being there, hearing the music and the emotions that you feel when you actually walk in and see the Disney castle for the first time or watch the amazing parades and the fireworks over the castle.
Here is a little information about the parks:
Explore 5 incredible lands with attractions, shows and colourful street parades. Test your nerves plunging 13 unlucky floors in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. I can't tell you what the Twilight Zone is like myself as I was too nervous to go on, however my 6 year old daughter who is a thrill seeker loved it over and over again!
If you are staying in a Disney hotel I'd advise using your magic hours to take advantage of shorter queues for rides and to beat the crowds and long waits for the character "meet and greets". Better still book a Disney character breakfast for the best character interaction and to personally meet some of your favourite characters. My favourite memory is still the enchanting firework and animation display against the back drop of the Sleeping Beauty Castle whilst singing along to my favourite Disney songs.
In the Disney Studios Park you will be amazed with stunts, stage shows, and live entertainment to excite all ages. Shrink in size to sit in Andy from Toy Story’s RC Racer (not a ride for the faint hearted) for the thrill of the half pipe! Feast your senses on the 4D Ratatouille experience, excellent for all ages. Learn how the Disney magic is made in the Art of Animation, here you can have your very own drawing experience. Drawing is my eldest daughter's passion, so having the experience of a Disney animator helping her create a unique moving animation to bring home was out of this world for her.
When the park gates close, the fun doesn’t have to end, as you can discover more fun at Disney’s Village with live music, a 15 screen cinema and IMAX theatre. More entertainment can be found in the games centre, shopping, and of course plenty of dining is available in the Village just like it is in the parks.
My top tips:
• Download the Disneyland App to your mobile device • Pre-book your restaurants (if you book with me I will do this for you) • Pre-book your Half Board or Full Board vouchers as it can be expensive to eat in the parks • Pre-book special experiences like a Character Breakfast or Disney Princess Lunch - it is so much easier to meet the characters this way • Visit the rides during parade times to cut down on queue times and use the fast pass facility • Take your water bottles with you to fill up at the many water stations around the park.
To find out more about this exciting destination or to combine it with a trip to France for further exploration, just contact me to you book your perfect itinerary. All you need to do after this amazing trip is to start saving as you'll want to return to the magic soon.