I’m so excited to share this post. Writing it has been done on a bit of a high, since we returned! So this is possibly the biggest thing we’ve done this year: Disneyland Paris 25th Anniversary!
This is the second time we’ve been to Disneyland Paris together. We visited two years ago; and we just had to come back; as a lot was closed for refurbishment when we visited last time. Also because it’s the anniversary! How fun is that!
Disneyland Paris 25th Anniversary
I thought I’d do a fairly quick post; I’m well aware of there already being LOADS of Disney bloggers out there; and I’m sure they do a much better job than me! But if you’re looking for the opinions and experiences of a mid-thirties visitor, you’ve found it!
So what follows are a few photos of our visit to Disneyland Paris; what is happening in terms of the 25th Anniversary celebrations and some of the things we got up to.
I thought I ‘d also share some tips along the way; which we’ve learned the couple of times we’ve been over the last two years… We are not travel bloggers; we don’t have a mapped out itinerary and aren’t carrying a ton of stuff with us! We’re a normal couple spending a few days enjoying Disneyland Paris!
Booking our Disnayland Paris 25th Anniversary holiday
We booked everything separately. This is SUCH a money saver and let me tell you; it is very easy for a Disneyland Paris holiday to be incredibly expensive!
Flights – We went with EasyJet, and flew from Bristol; the flight is in the afternoon which means we have the morning to drive up from Cornwall; and we leave the car at Goblin Combe Farm who are AMAZING; and it means you get an easy pick up and drop off in the minibus with them. So highly recommended!
Hotel
We stayed at the affiliate Dream Castle Hotel last time and really liked it. It’s not the cheapest, nor is it the most expensive. While not Disney, it’s got slight theming but is enough of a reprieve after the mania that is Disney!
It’s comfy, the breakfast is good and there’s a free bus to and from the park! There’s also a luggage drop room as well for that last day checkout thing; so you can go to the village or park for a bit and bus back to pick up your cases; and get the bus back to the station! Checking in can be a bit slow, but there are things to do if you’ve got kids with you.
Transfers – We usually get the TGV fast train; it’s a little pricey for a ten minute journey but what you lose on money you make up in time. It’s super quick and easy to get tickets from the station at CDG. We got the Magic Bus back this time… it was awful. Seriously NEVER AGAIN. Lets just say I’d rather not sprint through the airport; because it took over half an hour longer than it said it would.
Disney Packing
Again Disneyland is NOT the cheapest. It’s so tempting to pick up clothes in the village, but if you’re on a bit of a budget; or just don’t want to shop when you’re there; I picked up all sorts of tees at Primark and Sports Direct! Of course they were tons cheaper, and they look fab! So yeah. Primark also do tons of accessories; so it’s a much more affordable way to get some of the Disney goodness before you go!
Visiting Disneyland Paris
My big recommendation is COMFY SHOES! Seriously. You will do a lot of walking. And standing. And more walking. Be comfortable! I picked a pair of plimsolls up and did a bit of DIY magic with a sharpie! Finishing off with some waterproofing spray. They are lightweight to pack and lasted me the whole trip and were super comfy the whole time!
Otherwise I’d say pack layers. You never know what the weather’s going to do, especially if you’re spending all day in the parks!
Bring a good bag. I take a small over shoulder bag that does up completely so I don’t risk losing anything. Though I’d be tempted to bring a small backpack next time. You’d be surprised how often you end up needing to find tickets or fast passes or your purse! …Or camera. Or sunglasses. ALSO I took a portable phone battery charger and it was SO useful. I have an iPhone so enough said really! I’d definitely add that to the essentials list!
In the parks
PLAN! I don’t mean have a full itinerary, I mean there are plenty of tips for those, but we do like to have a wander at random. If there are meet and greets you want to get, or shows you want to see, it is worth noting times though. I set alarms on my phone!
FAST PASSES! Highly recommended especially for the more popular rides, if they do them, grab one, at least then you know you’ll get a go at some point! We’ve been known to beeline for the fastpasses first and then have a wander til the times come up (another lot of alarms on my phone!)
Shows! We saw Mickey and the Magician and it was SO GOOD!!! It’s definitely worth taking the time to find out the times for things like shows and parades if you want to see them, so that you can make the most of your days in the parks! Especially like seasonal stuff, when there are extra entertainment events through the day!
Food & Drink at Disneyland Paris 25th Anniversary
The food and drink is tiered at DLP, quick service, buffet and table service. They are priced accordingly! If you’re on a proper budget there are some more affordable places in the village, although some do adhere to similar park pricing!
We went to Planet Hollywood the night we arrived, and I found a voucher online! So it’s worth checking.
Same with snacks and drinks, you may find things cost less in the village. Though We didn’t think prices were too bad all things considered. If you’re a late eater, you may find eating in the village suits you better, some of the restaurants in the park close before 6pm. The village has some more grown up options and the Rainforest Cafe is awesome!
Our favourite places are the Cowboy Cookout and Fuente Del Oro in Frontierland, and Main Street is also great for grabbing a quick drink and a snack, as there are so many options!
We did find some special treats available marking the 25th Anniversary, but not all that much. There were some souvenir items to buy and take home though. We did find having a good breakfast kept us going, we had a snack around midday and then an early dinner around 4pm, and then got a treat like popcorn or whatever in the evening.
Disneyland Paris 25th Anniversary Visit
Some of our favourite moments from this DLP holiday and our last, were the moments we found a quiet spot to sit and relax. It’s really busy in the parks, and taking the time to just sit and have a drink was something we did every day! It was also in these moments we really paid attention to the little details that go into the parks.
DLP Teacups 2017
There are some amazing little gems hidden around, and it’s worth exploring those too, not just all the character meets and rides! The Swiss Family Treehouse is gorgeous, and the caves in Adventureland are great fun! The Nautilus in Discoveryland, the Curious Labyrinth in Fantasyland and of course the Western walkthrough in Frontierland, all provide great photo opportunities, and a break from the chaos!
Of course we also love the rides, our favourites are:
- Big Thunder Mountain (Frontierland)
- Hyperspace Mountain (Discoveryland)
- Peter Pan’s Flight (Fantasyland)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (Adventureland)
- Crush’s Coaster (Walt Disney Studios Park)
It’s worth paying attention to what gets busy when, you can sort of learn trends if you keep an eye on queue times, and it can make it easier to plan where to be if there are things you REALLY want to do!
Also if you don’t mind going on some rides separately, it’s worth thinking about single rider queuing! For example Ratatouille in the studios.
TOP TIPS
- Comfy shoes and practical clothing
- Plan if you want to do certain things
- Get and use fastpasses
- Check out the dining options to find what suits
- Take time to rest
- Remember the little things
- HAVE FUN!
Take the chance to meet characters you really want to meet, but sometimes the queues get really long, so it does bear thinking about if there are other things you’d rather do, sometimes though, you end up in the right place at the right time! We met Tigger and Eeyore as they were coming out, and actually ended up being the start of the queue!
If you want to meet characters without the hassle of queues, there is always the restaurant meets option, at cafe mickey and plaza gardens but the meals don’t come cheap!
If there’s anything else you want to know, feel free to drop me a comment, or get in touch on social media. I’m not an expert by any means, but I’ve done this a couple of times now and know some good sources for info!
If you enjoyed this post check out my Scrapbook of the whole trip in this post!
Have you been to Disneyland Paris? What are your favourite things to do? Share any tips in the comments!
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