For Willow’s sixth birthday we decided to celebrate in our favourite way with a whirlwind weekend at Disneyland Paris. We somehow managed to keep it secret until two days before we travelled. She finished school on the Friday and instead of going home we set off on the six hour drive from Northumberland down to Folkestone. After a night at a hotel nearby we were up bright and early for the Eurotunnel. Willow was thrilled to be going under the sea even if it was not quite the glass tunnel of fish she had imagined.

Once in France we drove for around three hours and arrived at Disney’s Newport Bay Club late morning. We had upgraded to Compass Club which gave us a calmer check in and access to a private lounge for breakfast and afternoon snacks. Our room was not ready straight away so we left our things in the car and went straight into the parks to start the birthday adventure.

We headed into Adventure World and straight to the new Frozen area. It was a hot day so we started with ice cream then did lots of family rides including Slinky Dog and the new Rapunzel ride. I managed to grab an Anna and Elsa meet and greet slot using the virtual queue on the app. It is such a good system because you can go off and enjoy other rides instead of standing in line for hours.

That evening we kept our dinner reservation at Downtown Restaurant in Disney’s Hotel New York The Art of Marvel even though we were tired. I am so glad we did because it was the best food of the weekend and felt like a real treat for Willow’s birthday.

The next morning we used Extra Magic Hours which are available when you stay at a Disney hotel. Breakfast in the Compass Club lounge felt really special and set us up for a full day in Disneyland Park. It rained but that actually seemed to keep the crowds down. We ticked off the classics such as It’s a Small World and the teacups and I managed to secure a Princess Pavilion slot via the app so Willow could meet a princess without a huge queue.

At lunchtime we went to the Royal Banquet in the Disneyland Hotel. It is a character buffet so Willow met Mickey Minnie Goofy and Pluto. It is definitely a pricey option but for a birthday treat and the chance to meet so many characters up close it felt worth it. After lunch we headed back to Newport Bay for some time in the pool. The hotel has both indoor and outdoor pools and luckily the sun decided to appear. Later we enjoyed afternoon tea in the Compass Club lounge with cakes sandwiches and plenty of soft drinks. There was far more choice than I expected and it really added to the value of the upgrade.

For our last evening we returned to Adventure World and timed the Frozen ride for later in the day when the queue dropped to around thirty minutes. It worked perfectly. We thought about doing Ratatouille which was down to twenty minutes but chose the Spider Man ride instead as it showed only ten minutes.

The next morning after one last relaxed breakfast we began the drive back to Northumberland. It was a whirlwind weekend over a bank holiday but we never felt like we had missed out. Driving gave us the freedom to take as much luggage and as many snacks as we wanted and there was one extra special bonus. Willow finally got to bring home a Disney balloon something she has asked for on every trip and we have always had to say no to before. This time we could say yes and that balloon is still floating around at home as a reminder of an unforgettable birthday.