Expert’s Disneyland Paris Review
If you’re vacationing with your children or you’re a child at heart yourself, there’s no better place to visit than the Disneyland Paris Parks, located in Marne-la-Vallee, east of the centre of Paris. While its owned and operated by Euro Disney S.C.A of which The Walt Disney Company holds a minority share, you can expect the same quality and absolute fun you get at Disneyland Parks around the world. You’ll join the throngs of tourists and locals who make Disneyland Paris the most visited amusement park in the country of France, and the entire European continent. You and your family will have a blast at the 4,800 acre park, which includes two theme parks, a number of resort hotels, lots of opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment, and even a golf course. If you’ve already visited Disneyland Anaheim in California and Walt Disney World in Florida, a visit to Disney Paris will place you among the tourists who have played at the top three busiest Disney parks in the world. Millions of people have had the vacation of a lifetime here, and you will too once you decide to head there for a fun, magical Disney vacation.
HOTELS
Choosing accommodation for your Disneyland Paris vacation is easy, as there are quite a few hotels near the theme park. You can stay at one of the conveniently located Disney hotels, where you’ll each get a complimentary FastPass that gets you quick entrance at participating attractions inside the theme park, or you can choose one of the budget friendly options not associated with Disneyland Paris. We’ve already reviewed a few of the top Disneyland Paris hotels, so if you’re interested you can check out our article in the Reviews section of our website.
Here we’ll review another hotel you can choose to stay at for your Disneyland Paris vacation. The budget friendly three star hotel Hipark Serris Val-D’Europe, a 210 apartment hotel that’s just 8 minutes away from Disneyland Paris via free shuttle. You can also warm up and get ready for your Disneyland Paris adventures with a 20 minute walk to the adventure park from the hotel. When you stay at this hotel, you can fuel up before you start the day’s adventures in the breakfast room, where you can indulge in the continental style buffet breakfast offered each morning. You may have to convince your kids to wait until you return to the hotel in the evening to jump in the outdoor pool, but there won’t be much of a struggle once you remind them that you’re headed to see Mickey Mouse and their other favorite Disney characters.
If you’re traveling as a couple, you can stay in one of the hotel’s studios with their chic modern decor and comfortable sleeping space for around 118 euros per night, breakfast included. The executive studio is also a great choice at 153 euros per night, inclusive of breakfast. A family of four can comfortably stay in one of the hotel’s suites for 167 euros per night with breakfast, or choose an executive suite with breakfast for a bit more square footage at 205 euros a night. Each of the suites comes with one double bed and a sofa bed, and all the hotel’s guests benefit from free WiFi and access to the Disneyland shuttle.
ITINERARY
Once you have your accommodation organized, its time to plan your itinerary for your visit to the Disneyland Paris Parks. If you’re staying at one of the hotels affiliated with Disneyland Paris, you’ll have your FastPass, which gives you quick access to some of the park’s rides and attractions. Its convenient to know exactly which attractions accept FastPass, so here’s a breakdown of the rides you’ll probably want to visit first.
Your entire family will have a blast on the Big Thunder Mountain rollercoaster ride. This high speed adrenaline inducing attraction is suitable for children 1.02 meters and taller, and there are some bumps along the ride that may slightly frighten the little ones. As the name suggests, some of the ride is contained in cavernous caves with little light, so keep this in mind when choosing rides for your children. Your entire family will be thoroughly entertained by the theme of the ride, the Big Thunder Mountain Legend, which is based on ghostly activity discovered by miners of the mountain and reawakened when work was restarted years after the mines initially closed. You’ll have the ride of your life as your speeding mine cart braves steep hills and dives perilously close to waterfalls in this one of a kind attraction.
Another ride which accepts the FastPass is the exciting Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast: to infinity and beyond, in which your kids, dubbed Junior Space Rangers, will help the brave and mighty Buzz Lightyear protect the earth’s toys from battery plundering by the Evil Emperor Zurg. You and your kids will help Buzz navigate your spaceship through the Gamma Quadrant and protect the ship by firing lasers from the ship’s cannon during the most epic power battle of all time. This attraction is based on the world famous Toy Story film series, made by Disney and Pixar, movies parents have no doubt watched countless times with their little ones. Kids of any height and all ages can help Buzz save the world on this fun adventure ride.
Once you’ve seen all the major attractions in the Disneyland sector, don’t forget that there’s a whole other park for you to explore. The Walt Disney Studios Park takes you behind the scenes of some of the most beloved Disney movies and TV shows of all time. You and your kids will learn all there is to know about the Art of Disney Animation, a trademark of the Walt Disney Studios Park. You’ll be given a step by step history of the famous Walt Disney himself, and see exactly how your favorite magical scenes were made. This fully interactive experience begins with cinema presentations of Disney characters and their development throughout the years, and allows your kids to try their hand at creating animated characters of their own. Its a great way to totally immerse your entire family in the magic of Disney.
Moviegoers will definitely remember the movie Armageddon, with its groundbreaking special effects and totally realistic scary scenes. Armageddon- les Effets Speciaux puts you directly in the middle of the action, as you board the orbiting space station with the crew and experience first hand the effects of a meteorite shower. You’ll definitely want to take in everything that happens around you, so as much as you’ll be tempted to close your eyes, resist with all your might since you may just miss some of the most amazing special effects. You’ll see things blow up in spectacular fashion, collapse into rubble, or get sucked into a black hole on this action packed ride. The entire family is welcome to this once in a lifetime experience, but keep in mind that some kids may not take well to everything bursting into flames around them.
If you’re not afraid of getting splashed, you can take your kids on Ratatouille: The Adventure, an amazing 4D ride that’s brand new at Walt Disney Studios Park. You’ll join the troubl emaking team of Remy and friends, who will take you on a culinary adventure, complete with delicious olfactory stimulation as you’re chased through the famous restaurant featured in the movie. Each of your senses will be thoroughly stimulated on this amazing new ride, and your kids will probably be sad to see the end of this wonderful Disney adventure.
Fans of Disney’s Aladdin will be absolutely delighted by Les Tapis Volants- Flying Carpets Over Agrabah, a Whole New World of Fun. The entire family can experience the thrill of getting around just like Aladdin, on your magic carpet that takes you on a journey through his homeland. Your wish is definitely at Walt Disney Park’s command with this ride, as you’re in complete control using your carpet’s sacred scarab, which allows you to move backwards and forwards, and you can soar as high as you wish or dive as low as you desire. Genie’s lamp is larger than life on this magical ride, and he’ll help you make a movie of your own, since the entire ride is caught on film. You can thank this well-loved Disney character for this exciting adventure ride, as he got carried away and decided to spread the fun with a whole fleet of magic carpets for anyone who wants to go on a ride.
If you’re traveling with older kids, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a must-see and is one of the attractions where you can use your Disney FastPass for easy access. You’ll be taken back in time as you explore the mysterious Hollywood Tower Hotel, a grand building that once played host to Hollywood’s greatest stars until its closure in 1939. Adults and even kids who are a fan of the Twilight Zone will be delighted by this exciting, scary foray into the abandoned rooms, such as the dark library full of mysterious objects. You’ll make your way through a secret passage into the old boiler room, where you’ll strap yourself into the service lift complete with flickering lights for a terrifying journey. The lift remains in complete darkness as you ascend into the horror that awaits you on the floors above, starting with a view of the ghostly guests of the hotel, who are eager for you to join them in their otherworldly pursuits. After the doors close, you’ll be thankful that you’re still securely strapped into your seat, but the scare doesn’t end there. You’ll be absolutely terrified when the lift stops on the 13th floor, but the doors slowly open to reveal a simple reflection of you and your family. Be prepared for the inevitable scare however, when your reflection fades into nothingness, leaving you to wonder whether you’ve truly become one of the damned guests of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. The terror definitely doesn’t end there, in fact its about to get a whole lot scarier as the lift suddenly plummets then rises thirteen floors, its doors randomly opening and closing to reveal the park below you. You’ll definitely be totally thrilled by this amazing ride that leaves you breathless and genuinely terrified that you’ll never escape the Twilight Zone.
FOOD
Of course, Disneyland Paris is about much more than the wonderful attractions and magical rides. There are lots of other activities to keep your family happy and entertained while at Disneyland Paris Parks. Disneyland Paris Park has 29 restaurants to choose from, and Walt Disney Studios Park features 5 restaurants, such as Disney Blockbuster Cafe. Getting a bite to eat during your day at the park is quick and easy with options such as the Cowboy Cookout Barbecue, where you’ll enjoy burgers and chicken dishes and live Country music entertainment. Your kids can dine on delectable French cuisine with beloved disney characters such as Cinderella at Auberge de Cendrillon, or have pizza and dessert with Mickey Mouse at Cafe Mikey. They’ll be delighted to meet some of their favorite characters and have their photographs taken, beloved keepsakes they’ll cherish forever.
If you’re in Paris for one of your little one’s birthdays, it’s a great idea to reserve a table and request at your Disney Hotel restaurant or one of the park’s dine-in restaurants. It’s surely a memorable birthday surprise to celebrate your special day with your favorite Disney characters, and your kids will certainly appreciate the opportunity.
CONCLUSION
Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park both offer entertainment for the whole family, and you can stop and take a photograph with as many Disney characters as you can manage. At night, your kids will be amazed by the spectacular fireworks and laser light show that illuminates Cinderella Castle. There’s no limit to the fun and magic you’ll experience when you visit Disneyland Paris.
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Featured photo by algenta101
