Only one day, first time visit!

[Carolinagal]

Hello all!

My 14 year old daughter and I have an opportunity to visit family staying in Paris during the first week in June, and would love to spend a day at Disneyland Paris. (actually, would love to spend a week, but budget considerations and family obligations will only allow just a day!).

May I ask your advice to help plan a day? I am seasoned traveler to WDW, and have visited many times with plenty of planning time. This trip is coming up so quickly that I will not be able to do my usual studying, so I am hoping for recommendations for "must-do" attractions and restaurants.

We will be traveling with my 70 year old parents, so "commando" style is not an option. We will be arriving 30 minutes before park opening, driving a private car, and plan to stay the entire day. While I would love to hop betwen parks, I think we will probably just visit the Disneyland Park on this visit. My daughter and I will ride as many rides as we can, but would like to plan nice meals for the parents, too.

So, how would you plan this visit?

(Thank you in advance for your help and advice!)

 

[marcus.ka]

I would do it this way:

Be there at 9:30 and then have a look at Mainstreet. And at 10am you are for rope drop at Frontierland (this is on a different spot than in WDW!) and then do the following attractions:
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Phantom Manor
- POTC

All three are different and better than in WDW.
You should be able to do these 3 rides with only 5-10 minutes waiting time. Having done that it should be 11:30 and the park will become more packed.
Then it is up to you; I would suggest Peter Pan but this one is closed in June. I would then go to Discoveryland and do Buzz (also better than in WDW) followed by Space Mountain (again better and totally different than in WDW).

Don't forget to see that parade which should be around 4pm. And for Lunch I would go to Walt's. This is my favourite restaurant in the DL park. (It is worth to ask for a table with view to Mainstreet)

Do you visit on a weekday or on weekend?

 

[A Small World]

Yes I would suggest Walts for lunch as well.

Have your parents been to WDW as well? Are they Disney fans? They will probably want to watch the parade and will probably enjoy Small World, Pirates and Buzz - my Mum did. She was also happy to sit with a coffee and people watch while we rode BTM

 

[Carolinagal]

Thank you both for your replies - this is exactly what I was hoping to see.

We will be going on either a Tuesday or Thursday (I am assuming that is a "less busy" time of the week?). My parents have been to WDW a couple of times, and while they enjoy thr kingdom of Mouse, don't have quite the same appreciation my daughter and I do!

For Walt's, do you suggest I call for dining reservations, or should I make the request that morning at the park?

Also, in June is it worth it to have the extra FastPass tickets I see for sale on Ebay?

Thank you again!

 

[marcus.ka]

If you go during the week in June you won't need the Fast Passes from Ebay as you can get enough Fast Passes in the park for free.
I would book a table in the morning this should be enough.

 

[Lisa_C]

Just a quick note about Space Mountain - it's TOTALLY different to WDW. It's an indoor loop coaster that is very jerky and loops the loop. NOTHING like the one in the Magic Kingdom. Your parents might find this a little hard on the ol' ticker!! ~ You and your daughter should love it though

 

[Trena]

This is great info! I am going for one day on June 19 (wish I could stay a week) I have been to WDW many times. Its great to know that the rides are different. Should be fun to compare them to the FL rides.

 

[cap'njack.]

I'd also like to throw in a visit to the Dragon's Lair underneath the Castle and also a walk round Alice Labrynth as these are DLRP exclusive's too. Also if time allows a quick exploration of Adventure Island in Adventureland