Disneyland Paris Hints and Tips

[aussie shaz]

Hi there. Saw my friend today who is heading off to Disneyland Paris next Friday and Saturday. I asked her if she had looked into anything, and shock horror, she hasn't.
I can't let her loose in any Disneyland without at least a little forethought and a few hints and tips. My Dissing has made my visits to Disneyland California just so much better.

Now, I know Disneyland like the back of my hand, but have no idea about Disneyland Paris. Please send any hints or tips my way. There will be 2 adults and a 7 year old boy.

Do they have to be there early like Disneyland, where should they head first, any rides that are must do's?

Any and all tips will be welcome (Oh, and they leave on Monday!!)

Thanks so much, Sharon

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I would have to stop and think to answer this properly and no time as have to be up super early. Quick thoughts were it wasn't as crazy early in the am with queueing but we did get there early. Tell them not to miss Cinderella's castle - walk through and the dragon underneath. We really liked the Mad Hatter Maze and I think a 7 year old would too. Their son should love the whole Pirate area -as as well as PoC there's a great maze of walkways and bridges and caves to explore in and around Skull Rock. BTMRR is good here as it goes underground to get to the island where it runs. Haunted Mansion is good even though its all in French. The popular rides are the same in popularity as their equivalent in the US so that's a guide. Star Tours is still 2D version. In the Studios which is just across the plaza so easy to jump between, Crush's coaster is not a kiddies coaster but at 7 he might be fine-spins a lot. The Toy Story area here has lots of stuff he'll probably love both in theming and in rides. All I can think of off the top of my head. See my TR in my signature - we did DLP first. Zanzibar a regular poster, also has a TR that includes DLP-hers was in winter, us in early summer-it was still quite cold. They'll have a ball!

 

[aussie shaz]

Thank you so much Wendy. That is the sort of info I'm after.

I think I've read both of your reports, but the Paris bit probably didnt stick as I wasn't planning a trip myself. I go over them again.

 

[zanzibar138]

I think a lot of the stuff in my TR will maybe not apply for a summer visit. The main surprise for me was how crowded it actually was with long waits for a lot of headline attractions (example, BTM had a 65 minute wait).

Crush's Coaster was unlike anything I'd experienced and definitely worth doing if the 7yo is brave enough. It's a nice smooth coaster with no upside down bits or anything, but is in the dark. There were plenty of little kids riding it when I was there. If they do want to ride it, they'll need to race straight there at opening or be prepared to wait upwards of 80 minutes. Also I believe the new Ratatouille ride is open now

With only a couple of days there they probably won't be doing any TS meals. If they do want to though, they should be able to get a reservation once they get there if they are flexible on timing. If they want to do any character meals, they should book that in before they go. CS places were crowded and I was generally unimpressed with the food. I'd recommend eating early as the Europeans generally tend to eat much later.

I agree with Wendy, a lot of the must see attractions at DLP aren't necessarily rides. It is a beautifully done park, and there are lots of great areas to explore. The Alice maze is wonderfully themed and the 7yo would love it! The castle walk-through might be boring for him, but he might like the dragon underneath. This is a very dark, enclosed space though and could be scary for a little kid. The 'caves' area near POTC would be a wonderful place for a little boy to run off some steam, and when we were there, we saw Peter Pan and Wendy playing 'follow the leader'. They yelled out 'bonjour' which was a bit of a novelty and something the 7yo might get a kick out of.

I wouldn't necessarily say you have to be there at rope drop for DLP, but as they only have a couple of days and it will be a weekend, I would definitely aim to get there as early as possible, just to get the most out of their day. If Dreams is still on, it's definitely worth seeing, but will quite late (they have to wait for it to get dark). I would suggest maybe having a short nap in the afternoon if their hotel is convenient enough. Otherwise maybe they could enter a bit later and try to stay until closing.

Hope that helps!

 

[maryr1oz]

All super good posts with great information, and here's a couple of other things to think about passing on...

Get her familiar with the fast pass concept, it works the same as at Disneyland California

If they are wanting a bit of a break from afternoon crowds, it's a nice walk through Downtown Disney and then a loop through several of the Disney hotel grounds

Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney is worth a look for a cheapish quick meal

We found that by entering at gate opening we had the pick of whatever we wanted to do in Disneyland, for at least the first hour or so. But after lunch, the park was always busier, and on the weekend it was just a nightmare. In the Studios park, we always found they opened the gates and the line for Crush before the park advertised opening time, and once we worked that out, we arrived early and rode with only a short wait.

Hope your friends have a great trip!

 

[aussie shaz]

Thanks so much. I emailed her the info last night, but will add a couple of the things you've mentioned today. They left this morning. I'm sure they'll have a great time anyway, but to have some of these hints will just make it all the more special.

 

[DizkneeFreak]

I'm heading to DLP for two nights/three days in mid-August. I will be in London for three weeks on business and decided to take a long weekend to go to DL. I am a bit nervous about it as I will be by myself! This will be my first time in France and I do not know French, so I am very excited but a nervous wreck!