My comparison - Disneyland Paris vs. WDW

[JenSop]

Hey everyone! I'm abroad at the moment, and took a side trip for a few days to Paris - and did a day trip to Disneyland Paris.

I wrote a blog post about my experience there as a WDW veteran - kind of comparing the two parks. Thought I'd share some of that here!

First impression? These parks were so small! (Especially Disney Studios.) Everything was done on a much tinier scale. Main Street was really short - maybe by half the length of the Magic Kingdom’s equivalent. (But they played the same music through the air as WDW’s Main Street!) The various lands inside each park were also much smaller.

Other initial impressions? (my summary...)
-Disney is Disney - the park was exceptionally clean everywhere, and the employees were very friendly - even the French ones!
-Many similar rides to WDW. But some were the same in name only. (Can we say Space Mountain??? Holy cow! NOT the same!)
-Less details in comparison to WDW. As a result, it just wasn’t as magical. Don’t get me wrong, there were still some lovely wonderful touches, but not to the degree of what WDW has to offer.
-Not really many places to sit down and relax or people watch. Seriously, no benches?
-You enter Disney Studios through a big warehouse sized building with lots of stores and counter service dining - I thought it was a clever idea.
-Hardly any dining options. Dining is HUGE in WDW, whereas here it seemed to be a bit of an after thought. The counter service selection was woefully lacking - not many restaurants, and no food variety. It was more like amusement park food, sadly. (Whereas in WDW, you never have to eat a single bite of "amusement park food" ever if you don't want to.)
-Umm.... do Europeans not hold their arms up EVER on roller coasters? They all sat so seriously in their seats, holding tightly to the bars.

Now for some more in-depth info....

The castle here is Sleeping Beauty Castle. (WDW has Cinderella Castle.) This particular castle was (shocker!) much smaller, BUT I did like the set up inside. You could go upstairs and look around - inside AND on the balcony overlooking Fantasyland. There were two shops inside - one had various hand crafted souvenirs (kind of like the old, long-gone shop in Cinderella Castle at WDW), while the other was a Christmas store. And under the castle? Even cooler. There are tunnels that lead to the dragon’s lair, where you will find the dragon resting in its dark cave. THAT to me is what I call a “Disney detail” - something really special and thoughtfully executed. I loved that!



***

Since I only had a day, my goal was to try out new-to-me attractions that don’t exist in WDW and also ride some of my favorites from WDW to see if they were the same.

My first destination was the Indiana Jones ride - it was a roller coaster that is very similar to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and it does not exist in WDW. There were lots of short drops, with turns and twists, and one very tight loop. It was fun!


***
Since I was in Adventureland now already, I decided to head on over to Pirates! (I even rode this one twice to better scrutinize the detail, get out of the rain, and just enjoy too!) In WDW, Pirates of the Caribbean is just about my all time favorite ride. I’ll ride it over and over again. This particular Pirates had a similar set up to the queue - a long dark tunnel with little tableaus set along the way. The queue music was also the same. Only this one was kind of on the warm side temperature-wise. (The one in WDW is always nice and cool.) And there was only one route to take as opposed to two. The actual ride here is a bit longer I think than the one in WDW, and the scenes are in a different order than WDW’s Pirates. You start out by gliding past a real restaurant - the Blue Lagoon restaurant. It sort of reminded me of the San Angel Inn in Epcot - you’re dining by the river’s edge seeing the boats go by. But this one was really done up all the way - like being in a jungle somewhere. It was SO cool! I would totally eat there if I go back! (It is a sit down restaurant, and my current funds would not allow such an extra expense.)

You don’t start out with the “Dead Men Tell No Tales...” section - that comes at the end here. And the guys in the burning jail trying to get the keys from the dog? It’s near the beginning. You do get to see some of the famous tableaus so iconic to this ride, but Jack Sparrow has NOT been incorporated into them like in WDW. You still have the wench auction with the men gawking the redhead... and you have the burning village as well. (Although it’s slightly different.) You also don’t have the song playing quite as much as the version in WDW. I love that song! I wanted to hear it more!


***

Next, let’s talk Space Mountain. Holy mother of God! This is not the WDW Space Mountain! This Space Mountain was a serious intense coaster with loops and corkscrews and all kinds of craziness! It starts off with a full speed blast up into the ride - similar to how Rockin’ Roller Coaster shoots you out. I DID like it, but my head got hit quite a bit in the headrest, leaving me with a bit of a headache. It was truly dark inside and you couldn’t see ANY thing except some planets and stars flying around. Just be warned - this ride is crazy intense! Not for the faint of heart.


***

After that, I decided to head to Frontierland. When you enter, the whole area looks like the fort at WDW’s Tom Sawyer’s Island. My first stop was a ghost ride...

Here, it’s not called Haunted Mansion - it’s called Phantom Manor. It has a southern kind of theme going on. (With hints of old west in certain parts.) So in the stretching room at the beginning, the paintings are of various Southern Belles. The overall storyline of the ride is also different and the ride is shorter. Also - no Ghost Host! :-( I love the Ghost Host in Haunted Mansion. There ARE a few nods to the original ride - a few similar tableaus, plus the Grim Grinning Ghost singers make a cameo appearance. And overall, the imagery in this ride is a bit scarier. I would think that some kids could get seriously scared.


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Next up, the Voyage of Pinocchio. This ride was similar to ones like Snow White or Mr. Toad. Simple dark ride past scenes from the movie. Fun for kids of all ages.



***

I DID really like Disneyland Paris' version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It’s on an island, so on your way there and back, you go through a dark high speed tunnel - very fun. Otherwise, the ride is very similar to the one at WDW. Although the voice-over announcing “The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” is different - slightly more reserved I would say. Why didn’t they just use the original one?



***

Disneyland Paris also has the Swiss Family Treehouse, but like so many other things, it’s a bit smaller. But they DO have the Swisskapolka music playing from the organ, which is one of the Disney songs that just immediately makes me smile from ear to ear and dance around. Love it! I did also like that under the tree, there were tunnels you could explore - sort of like the ones on Tom Sawyer Island back in Florida.



***

I also rode Snow White, which was cool, since the WDW version closed a bit ago to make way for the Princess meet and greet. Essentially, this ride was the same as the original, with only the most minor differences.


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Peter Pan’s Flight was also really close to the original, and just like the one in WDW, it had one of the longest lines. (Seriously, why?) I got a Fast Pass for it.

(And here the FP return windows are only a half hour.)

***

Over in Disney Studios, I went immediately to Rockin’ Roller Coaster. It has similar elements, but the big differences were such: longer blast off to the roller coaster (which was awesome), NO Steven Tyler countdown, and no super loud Aerosmith music playing in your ears the whole time. It’s supposed to be loud, and it wasn’t even Aerosmith playing. So that was a bit of a let down. But it’s still a great coaster! I also snapped some pics of the rock memorabilia from the queue.



***

Then, next up was Tower of Terror. I LOVE this ride at WDW. The one here was really similar, with just a FEW minor changes near the drop. But the little movie is even almost entirely the same - only it’s been overdubbed in French. The hotel part when you enter the building is also a bit different - the decoration scheme is not the same, and this one was smaller.


***

I didn’t stay much in Disney Studios, and lingered on the Disneyland side much more. The parks are right next to each other, which made walking between the two very simple and easy. And outside - between the two parks where the extra shops and restaurants are - there is a World of Disney store which I decided to check out. But it’s SO tiny compared to the one at Downtown Disney in WDW! I also learned the hard way that even snacks were in shorter variety and harder to come by. I waited in line to treat myself to some popcorn, only to find out that the popcorn was flavored with coconut. Ummm... no thanks. You could not get fresh salty popcorn anywhere. And my salt fix was not serious enough to warrant getting a bag of chips - especially ones labeled as Cheeseburger flavored. Ew.



***

Overall, I had a great day at Disneyland Paris and would totally go again. Even though it lacked some of the special details of WDW, it was still a Disney park and was above and beyond any other kind of normal amusement park. But when it comes down to it, nothing beats Walt Disney World in Florida for the ultimate magical experience in my book!

 

[tinks_1989]

Surprisingly DLP magic kingdom is actually bugger then WDW magic kingdom I was surprised too. It feels more compact.

I love the setting of the castle at DLP how it's on a hill. The castle itself is a lot smaller which is a shame I love dining in the castle at WDW it's special.

I don't like Disney studios I think it's looks like a factory and very un Disney to me.

I love phantom manor the back ground story is really interesting you should read it. The ride makes a lot more sense once you have. Big thunder mountain and space mountain are much better.

 

[Danauk]

Thanks for an interesting read, great post.

I agree with many things you have posted. I actually don't think you can truly compare WDW to DLP. WDW is so large in comparison with more parks, water parks and so many more hotels. I actually compare the Disneyland Park more to the original Disneyland park in Anaheim. Did you ride BTMRR? Of the 3 that I have ridden the Paris one is my favourite, a separate island in the middle of the lake makes the whole ride a lot better IMHO. I love the setting of the Blue lagoon, even better than Blue Bayou in Disneyland (which does better food though!) I do wish they had an equivalent in WDW.

As for Space Mountain, by far my favourite of the 3 (although not a great coaster, but I am a huge coaster fan!) I do not ride the one at WDW, I find it too boring. The one at Disneyland is fun though.

I'm glad you had fun at DLP. I am looking forward to my several trips there this year. But am also really looking forward to my return to WDW!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

A nice read.

It is difficult to compare, however it's also the natural thing to do.

I will always prefer the Florida parks, purely because there is so much more to do than just WDW over a longer stay, but DLRP is great for a 4 or 5 day break.
You have the Florida climate, more parks, better restaurants, wonderful beaches, but at DLRP you have a historic city moments away.

What lets Disneyland Paris down for me is the Studios and the Village.
They don't compliment the main park enough.

The latter in particular just lacks any theming or nice landscaping, the restaurants are over-priced and the shopping dull, even the new World Of Disney store whilst looking great is nothing like as big on the inside as I thought it would be.
That said, if you can stay at the fab Disneyland Hotel which we have been fortunate to do, it's great having the main park minutes from your room and the experience of staying there is equal to anything we have done in Florida.

We visit DLRP as we cannot at the moment face long travel with our disabled son who has been ill on our last 2 flights there, in that respect we are grateful he can get his Disney fix elsewhere, until we feel we can face the journey back to the US.

The main thing is both resorts can sit alongside each other, I like both of them for different reasons.

 

[Bram D]

Interesting read, especially from a WDW veteran for once

I just returned from WDW myself and have been a 13+ years passholder for Paris. And of all the Magic Kingdoms I've been to (except the Asian parks) I find Paris the largest and most fresh out of the 3, but like you said, nowhere near the detail of the American parks. The lack of dining and the Studios are a big problem in Paris but we have been reassured by the French CEO they are working on it. With a Ratatouille ride + restaurant coming to our Studios we hope it will take a turn for the better.

The biggest problem with Paris for me personally is that we have alot of open space not being used in the same way it's US variants do. And with the low temperatures we get, the park sometimes feels empty and lacking some of that Disney magic you experience in the American parks. Entertainment is also lacking since a number of years (no more nighttime parade or shows during the day). Our fireworks + fountain show in front of the castle (Disney Dreams!) is unique and one of a kind though.

 

[markpsych]

Thanks for sharing. I''ve never been to WDW, but it was an interesting read

-Not really many places to sit down and relax or people watch. Seriously, no benches?

I believe this is a recent phenomenon....after visiting for years we noticed a lack of benches last Christmas, and assumed they must have all been sent for refurb. Very odd

-Hardly any dining options.

Too true Although I think there are enough options....it's just that half of them are usually closed, and the food is generally pretty shabby.

Over in Disney Studios, I went immediately to Rockin’ Roller Coaster. It has similar elements, but the big differences were such: longer blast off to the roller coaster (which was awesome), NO Steven Tyler countdown, and no super loud Aerosmith music playing in your ears the whole time. It’s supposed to be loud, and it wasn’t even Aerosmith playing.

It's supposed to have a count down, and it is supposed to have super loud Aerosmith playing....it just never works, and this has been the situation for years

 

[LunaMini]

It's supposed to have a count down, and it is supposed to have super loud Aerosmith playing....it just never works, and this has been the situation for years

I'm pretty sure it was working when I was there last year...

When I went in 2006, my friend and I tried to sing along as loud as we could all the way round!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[A Small World]

Thanks for sharing.

As others have said I think its very difficult to compare as they are very different parks but its hard not to.
We had done a few trips to WDW before going to DLP and just couldnt see how Europe could do Disney properly. On my first trip which was part of a longer holiday in France I found myself comparing and saying to myself that it wouldnt be like that in WDW etc but I came to love the park for what it was and even stayed an extra night on that same trip so we could stay in the park longer.
As you can see by my signature I did loads more trips there in the next few years.

Ive since visited DL California 3 times and think it compares better to that park than WDW.
DLP likes DL gets a lot of day visitors (unlike WDW) which I think reflects in the dining choices. Ive never had a bad meal at DLP but there are less places to choose from - however if you think about dining choices at WDW a lot of the table service places arent in Magic Kingdom are they?
If you look round food at DLP is very varied. The menu at Auberge is often described as not to peoples tastes - its far from theme park food. Walts offers really good food and so does Blue Lagoon (I actually prefer Blue Lagoon to Blue Bayou in DL). Agrabah offers totally different things in its buffet - they are all within the main park. I think the main problem is that they arent all open or if they are they close early.
As for counter service restaurants it is hit and miss which are open but there is a lot of variety.

WDW definitely offers more in the way of entertainment and obviously has 4 parks and the water parks but I would disagree about the lack of theming at DLP. There are hidden Mickeys, hidden secrets (the sounds from the windows above main street for example). Also the whole of Frontierland forms a story and is connected which is why Phantom Manor is different.

Have you been to DL? If you think the castle at DLP is small I dont know what youd think of the one at DL - its tiny but thats the way its meant to be.

Dont get me wrong Im not saying DLP is perfect - its not but there are things I prefer about that park, things I prefer about DL and things I prefer about WDW.

 

[tennisfan]

It's supposed to have a count down, and it is supposed to have super loud Aerosmith playing....it just never works, and this has been the situation for years

It does and it has the countdown, its just hit and miss. I think the problem is with some of the coasters themselves. As we went on it in November had music & countdown, went round again and got one without.

 

[Disneyfanswicklow]

It does and it has the countdown, its just hit and miss. I think the problem is with some of the coasters themselves. As we went on it in November had music & countdown, went round again and got one without.

Have to agree it us very hit and miss like you say even between rides on same day.....it is a totally different experience to ride with everything working as it should!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

WDW definitely offers more in the way of entertainment and obviously has 4 parks and the water parks but I would disagree about the lack of theming at DLP. There are hidden Mickeys, hidden secrets (the sounds from the windows above main street for example). Also the whole of Frontierland forms a story and is connected which is why Phantom Manor is different.

.

My general comments about the theming pretty much refer to the Studios and the Village.
I just think once you get past the Front Lot part of the DS it's pretty dull, just lots of buildings and not much else. I am not saying the attractions are not good, I just don't think it's pleasant on the eye.
The Village is a massive missed opportunity, location wise it should be great but apart from the lake area there is no nice landscaping and seating areas, the shop fronts are all a bit drab.
Back in compare mode you look at the individual stores at Downtown Disney and they are attractive, shrubs and plants everywhere, plenty of nice seating areas and even though you may not want to buy anything, there is some appeal at going inside. I just don't get that from anywhere at the Village.
If you look at La Vallee Village and the stores there, it's pleasant just to walk around because the surroundings are so nice.

 

[A Small World]

My general comments about the theming pretty much refer to the Studios and the Village.
I just think once you get past the Front Lot part of the DS it's pretty dull, just lots of buildings and not much else. I am not saying the attractions are not good, I just don't think it's pleasant on the eye.
The Village is a massive missed opportunity, location wise it should be great but apart from the lake area there is no nice landscaping and seating areas, the shop fronts are all a bit drab.
Back in compare mode you look at the individual stores at Downtown Disney and they are attractive, shrubs and plants everywhere, plenty of nice seating areas and even though you may not want to buy anything, there is some appeal at going inside. I just don't get that from anywhere at the Village.
If you look at La Vallee Village and the stores there, it's pleasant just to walk around because the surroundings are so nice.

I totally agree with your comments about the studios - I have never really been a fan and could quite happily do a trip to DLP without going into that park.
I know you arent a fan of Disney Village and in some ways I agree with you although it is very similar to downtown disney at DL except there isnt the lake there. Its a few years since I was in DLP and even longer since my last visit to WDW but I do remember liking the downtown area there especially the older original part. I remember them opening the extra area and thinking that lacked in atmosphere but Im not sure what its like now.
Unfortunately some of the more unique shops at DLP have closed and on my last visit every shop seemed to have the same things in.

My comment at lack of theming was really a reply to the OP who said about there being less detail at DLP than WDW which is what I disagree with as I think DLP does the theming and detail really well in the main park - its just as shame about the studios (although I see what they were aiming at with the warehouse look.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I totally agree with your comments about the studios - I have never really been a fan and could quite happily do a trip to DLP without going into that park.
I know you arent a fan of Disney Village and in some ways I agree with you although it is very similar to downtown disney at DL except there isnt the lake there. Its a few years since I was in DLP and even longer since my last visit to WDW but I do remember liking the downtown area there especially the older original part. I remember them opening the extra area and thinking that lacked in atmosphere but Im not sure what its like now.
Unfortunately some of the more unique shops at DLP have closed and on my last visit every shop seemed to have the same things in.

My comment at lack of theming was really a reply to the OP who said about there being less detail at DLP than WDW which is what I disagree with as I think DLP does the theming and detail really well in the main park - its just as shame about the studios (although I see what they were aiming at with the warehouse look.

My dislike about the Village is actually more frustration, and in a way as a relative DLP novice it's not meant as some over the top criticism.
I just think where it is, right between the hotels and theme parks it should be brilliant I just don't think it is.

To be honest whilst I really like Downtown Disney, last time we were there it was 90 degrees and my son hated it, wouldn't go in any shops and made it hard for us to do so also - so I guess he has his opinion.

I think what they did at the shopping outlet La Vallee Village is excellent, and there is character about it that Disney could learn from.

I think the theming is excellent at the Disneyland Park, and having been fortunate to stay at the Disneyland Hotel (doing so again in June), that combination is great and in particular suits my son's needs, he loves it there.

To be honest we all have different opinions, I really value DLP as it gives my son some enjoyment without the stress and fatigue of long haul flights, any issues I have with the Studios and Village are nothing like as important as him having a good time.

 

[A Small World]

To be honest we all have different opinions, I really value DLP as it gives my son some enjoyment without the stress and fatigue of long haul flights, any issues I have with the Studios and Village are nothing like as important as him having a good time.

Yes I totally agree - there are times when we really need a like button on here

I think all the parks have their good points and Im sure we all really appreciate each one for what it offers

 

[MedicGoofy]

Thanks for your great report on DLP. I am thinking of going next year, Sept '14 for a couple of days prior to my DCL TA cruise.

I am wondering, how many days do you feel you need to have, or should have to make it worth it? Is 1 day enough? I want to see and enjoy the park, but don't want to spend a ton of time there.

as well, for those who have been several times, how busy do the parks get? Is it comparable to WDW? Or is it a bit slower? Do the rides have long long waits?

Thanks for any info you can give a newbie trying to plan a trip

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Thanks for your great report on DLP. I am thinking of going next year, Sept '14 for a couple of days prior to my DCL TA cruise.

I am wondering, how many days do you feel you need to have, or should have to make it worth it? Is 1 day enough? I want to see and enjoy the park, but don't want to spend a ton of time there.

as well, for those who have been several times, how busy do the parks get? Is it comparable to WDW? Or is it a bit slower? Do the rides have long long waits?

Thanks for any info you can give a newbie trying to plan a trip

Most people go for between 3-5 days visiting the parks on several occasions. You won't see both parks if you just go for 1 day, though assuming the Disneyland Park is your first choice there is no reason why you cannot see a lot of what the park has to offer.

September isn't a bad time to go, assuming the schools have returned which most will have by then, weather should be still on the warm side.
Crowds outside school holidays are not that bad at all, but avoid weekends if you can when it can be mega busy.

I think the DLP parks tend to be busier in the morning than the WDW one's partly because they open an hour later giving people more time to arrive.

 

[JennCa]

Are there any other amusement type parks you have tried or heard about in France or Ialy besides Disney that are worth checking out?

We are planning to check out Gardaland in Italy, but not sure of any others.

Jenn

 

[markpsych]

Are there any other amusement type parks you have tried or heard about in France or Ialy besides Disney that are worth checking out?

We are planning to check out Gardaland in Italy, but not sure of any others.

Jenn

Parc Asterix, just down the road from DLP: http://www.parcasterix.fr/en

Haven't been myself, but I'm told it's very good.

 

[glenpreece]

Hey everyone! I'm abroad at the moment, and took a side trip for a few days to Paris - and did a day trip to Disneyland Paris.

I wrote a blog post about my experience there as a WDW veteran - kind of comparing the two parks. Thought I'd share some of that here!

First impression? These parks were so small! (Especially Disney Studios.) Everything was done on a much tinier scale. Main Street was really short - maybe by half the length of the Magic Kingdom’s equivalent. (But they played the same music through the air as WDW’s Main Street!) The various lands inside each park were also much smaller.

Other initial impressions? (my summary...)
-Disney is Disney - the park was exceptionally clean everywhere, and the employees were very friendly - even the French ones!
-Many similar rides to WDW. But some were the same in name only. (Can we say Space Mountain??? Holy cow! NOT the same!)
-Less details in comparison to WDW. As a result, it just wasn’t as magical. Don’t get me wrong, there were still some lovely wonderful touches, but not to the degree of what WDW has to offer.
-Not really many places to sit down and relax or people watch. Seriously, no benches?
-You enter Disney Studios through a big warehouse sized building with lots of stores and counter service dining - I thought it was a clever idea.
-Hardly any dining options. Dining is HUGE in WDW, whereas here it seemed to be a bit of an after thought. The counter service selection was woefully lacking - not many restaurants, and no food variety. It was more like amusement park food, sadly. (Whereas in WDW, you never have to eat a single bite of "amusement park food" ever if you don't want to.)
-Umm.... do Europeans not hold their arms up EVER on roller coasters? They all sat so seriously in their seats, holding tightly to the bars.

Now for some more in-depth info....

The castle here is Sleeping Beauty Castle. (WDW has Cinderella Castle.) This particular castle was (shocker!) much smaller, BUT I did like the set up inside. You could go upstairs and look around - inside AND on the balcony overlooking Fantasyland. There were two shops inside - one had various hand crafted souvenirs (kind of like the old, long-gone shop in Cinderella Castle at WDW), while the other was a Christmas store. And under the castle? Even cooler. There are tunnels that lead to the dragon’s lair, where you will find the dragon resting in its dark cave. THAT to me is what I call a “Disney detail” - something really special and thoughtfully executed. I loved that!



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Since I only had a day, my goal was to try out new-to-me attractions that don’t exist in WDW and also ride some of my favorites from WDW to see if they were the same.

My first destination was the Indiana Jones ride - it was a roller coaster that is very similar to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and it does not exist in WDW. There were lots of short drops, with turns and twists, and one very tight loop. It was fun!


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Since I was in Adventureland now already, I decided to head on over to Pirates! (I even rode this one twice to better scrutinize the detail, get out of the rain, and just enjoy too!) In WDW, Pirates of the Caribbean is just about my all time favorite ride. I’ll ride it over and over again. This particular Pirates had a similar set up to the queue - a long dark tunnel with little tableaus set along the way. The queue music was also the same. Only this one was kind of on the warm side temperature-wise. (The one in WDW is always nice and cool.) And there was only one route to take as opposed to two. The actual ride here is a bit longer I think than the one in WDW, and the scenes are in a different order than WDW’s Pirates. You start out by gliding past a real restaurant - the Blue Lagoon restaurant. It sort of reminded me of the San Angel Inn in Epcot - you’re dining by the river’s edge seeing the boats go by. But this one was really done up all the way - like being in a jungle somewhere. It was SO cool! I would totally eat there if I go back! (It is a sit down restaurant, and my current funds would not allow such an extra expense.)

You don’t start out with the “Dead Men Tell No Tales...” section - that comes at the end here. And the guys in the burning jail trying to get the keys from the dog? It’s near the beginning. You do get to see some of the famous tableaus so iconic to this ride, but Jack Sparrow has NOT been incorporated into them like in WDW. You still have the wench auction with the men gawking the redhead... and you have the burning village as well. (Although it’s slightly different.) You also don’t have the song playing quite as much as the version in WDW. I love that song! I wanted to hear it more!


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Next, let’s talk Space Mountain. Holy mother of God! This is not the WDW Space Mountain! This Space Mountain was a serious intense coaster with loops and corkscrews and all kinds of craziness! It starts off with a full speed blast up into the ride - similar to how Rockin’ Roller Coaster shoots you out. I DID like it, but my head got hit quite a bit in the headrest, leaving me with a bit of a headache. It was truly dark inside and you couldn’t see ANY thing except some planets and stars flying around. Just be warned - this ride is crazy intense! Not for the faint of heart.


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After that, I decided to head to Frontierland. When you enter, the whole area looks like the fort at WDW’s Tom Sawyer’s Island. My first stop was a ghost ride...

Here, it’s not called Haunted Mansion - it’s called Phantom Manor. It has a southern kind of theme going on. (With hints of old west in certain parts.) So in the stretching room at the beginning, the paintings are of various Southern Belles. The overall storyline of the ride is also different and the ride is shorter. Also - no Ghost Host! :-( I love the Ghost Host in Haunted Mansion. There ARE a few nods to the original ride - a few similar tableaus, plus the Grim Grinning Ghost singers make a cameo appearance. And overall, the imagery in this ride is a bit scarier. I would think that some kids could get seriously scared.


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Next up, the Voyage of Pinocchio. This ride was similar to ones like Snow White or Mr. Toad. Simple dark ride past scenes from the movie. Fun for kids of all ages.



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I DID really like Disneyland Paris' version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It’s on an island, so on your way there and back, you go through a dark high speed tunnel - very fun. Otherwise, the ride is very similar to the one at WDW. Although the voice-over announcing “The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” is different - slightly more reserved I would say. Why didn’t they just use the original one?



***

Disneyland Paris also has the Swiss Family Treehouse, but like so many other things, it’s a bit smaller. But they DO have the Swisskapolka music playing from the organ, which is one of the Disney songs that just immediately makes me smile from ear to ear and dance around. Love it! I did also like that under the tree, there were tunnels you could explore - sort of like the ones on Tom Sawyer Island back in Florida.



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I also rode Snow White, which was cool, since the WDW version closed a bit ago to make way for the Princess meet and greet. Essentially, this ride was the same as the original, with only the most minor differences.


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Peter Pan’s Flight was also really close to the original, and just like the one in WDW, it had one of the longest lines. (Seriously, why?) I got a Fast Pass for it.

(And here the FP return windows are only a half hour.)

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Over in Disney Studios, I went immediately to Rockin’ Roller Coaster. It has similar elements, but the big differences were such: longer blast off to the roller coaster (which was awesome), NO Steven Tyler countdown, and no super loud Aerosmith music playing in your ears the whole time. It’s supposed to be loud, and it wasn’t even Aerosmith playing. So that was a bit of a let down. But it’s still a great coaster! I also snapped some pics of the rock memorabilia from the queue.



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Then, next up was Tower of Terror. I LOVE this ride at WDW. The one here was really similar, with just a FEW minor changes near the drop. But the little movie is even almost entirely the same - only it’s been overdubbed in French. The hotel part when you enter the building is also a bit different - the decoration scheme is not the same, and this one was smaller.


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I didn’t stay much in Disney Studios, and lingered on the Disneyland side much more. The parks are right next to each other, which made walking between the two very simple and easy. And outside - between the two parks where the extra shops and restaurants are - there is a World of Disney store which I decided to check out. But it’s SO tiny compared to the one at Downtown Disney in WDW! I also learned the hard way that even snacks were in shorter variety and harder to come by. I waited in line to treat myself to some popcorn, only to find out that the popcorn was flavored with coconut. Ummm... no thanks. You could not get fresh salty popcorn anywhere. And my salt fix was not serious enough to warrant getting a bag of chips - especially ones labeled as Cheeseburger flavored. Ew.



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Overall, I had a great day at Disneyland Paris and would totally go again. Even though it lacked some of the special details of WDW, it was still a Disney park and was above and beyond any other kind of normal amusement park. But when it comes down to it, nothing beats Walt Disney World in Florida for the ultimate magical experience in my book!

Hmm I thought there was more detail at DLP over MK. DL in Calif is the one that's a joke tiny squished in together. I'd love to visit TDL one day

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Thanks for the report - . Each Disney park is unique and has its' own character while at the same time shares the same Disney DNA - that is what I like about being able to visit Disney parks the world over. I think I may put them all on my list of things to do!

I shared your thoughts about Space Mountain that is for sure - I am sure coaster junkies LOVE that ride but it is not at all like the WDW variety! Definitely not for the faint of heart! I too also really love BTMRR at DLRP - just really well done.

Visiting WDW often is great and I am thankful for the opportunity but I find I do miss DLRP and will be planning future trips whenever I find myself across the pond. I also thought DLRP had a lot of great imagineering/detail- even with the New Fantasyland I find myself thinking WDW needs to take some imagineering ideas from DLRP. Oh how I wish WDW had a show like Dreams! Oh please, please, please!

On the other hand I do appreciate the larger scope of WDW, AK, Epcot, water parks - all the various resort hotels, themes and restaurants.

Glad to hear your thoughts and many happy Disney trips in the future wherever they may be.