Travel Tuesday: Disneyland Paris Review

Gabrielle Hammond

Hey y'all! It's Travel Tuesday time after a week away (I thought you might be getting sick of me so thought a week’s break might be good!). But I am back and we are talking all things Disneyland Paris and my experience of a one-day trip last April (aka the best day of my life).

Overview

I love Disney. Always have and always will. For me it goes further than just some cartoon characters on a screen. It's magic, it’s love and the storytelling speaks to me more than anything else. That's just the films - going into Disneyland blind I was expecting pretty much the same. But oh boy, how I was wrong. It's magical beyond words; it's beautiful and mesmerising, adventures and surprises behind every corner. You can truly escape from life for however long you are there. A true happy place.

Our time in Disneyland

We stayed in Paris and experienced other things as well as Disney, hence why it was a one-day thing. We didn't want to put all our eggs in one basket, so we decided to instead do it this way and only pay for park tickets instead of the costs of a hotel as well. However, in the future, when we go back, we will definitely be doing it as a complete Disney trip - hotels, character meals, the lot!

Theming

There's no confusion to anyone... it's complete Disney. Every corner a different reference to a different Disney film reveals itself (whether that be Disney itself, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel or the likes of Indiana Jones or Pirates of the Caribbean). It's picturesque. Main Street USA is stunning; especially drawing nearer night. Each ride is themed impeccably to its nature, and each restaurant the same.

Attractions

We enjoyed an array of attractions, and Disney offers rides, shows, parades, meet and greets and of course, the infamous firework display. A caveat though is that as we only had one day there, we only could experience a select few. I cannot judge on thrill rides (we simply did not have time) or shows (again a time restraint) or even the firework display as we needed to get back to our hotel (a 30–45-minute journey away). But these are all on offer and from all my in-depth research with YouTube videos etc, I can assure you are amazing! We went on the classics such as Peter Pans flight, It's a Small World (a must) and the carousel - to name a few. Peter Pan's flight is a standout though; incredible theming - a beautifully enchanting ride. Buzz Lightyears Laser Blast ride is also interactive and fun, offering a chance to shoot at targets, encompassed in a Toy Story theme. That's enough about the rides - they are amazing and what drives people to the parks, of course, but for me, Disney is much more than this. My favourite attraction though, is the parades. So much fun and just happiness in a nutshell... you can't help but enjoy yourself! See all your favourite characters (an array of different ones) in a truly spectacular way.

And lastly, we experienced meet and greets. These were great - I bought an autograph book which serves as a lasting memory of the characters we met. We met so many characters up close and personal such as Queen of Hearts, White Rabbit, Pinocchio, Winnie the Pooh and Daisy/Donald Duck. I would highly recommend this, and it is no added cost.

Busyness

We went in April last year in school holidays, so we were expecting it to be busy. But surprisingly, it was not as busy as we thought. You see these stories and videos showing heaps of crowds but it's not like this everywhere. Obviously in places like the castle, it’s going to be busy, but there are always areas for respite. Don't let this stop you!

Food

We didn’t experience much food as we didn't stay for dinner, so no sit-down meal. We had a lovely lunch, albeit expensive (but that’s Disney) at Market House Deli in Main Street where we had a Mickey sandwich - yummy and filling, I definitely recommend! Drink is a killer - it is really expensive, so I highly recommend bringing your own water bottle which you can fill up around the park.

Merchandise/Pin Trading

Now the best bit! Merchandise is like no other - they have to get money out of you in the best way possible... everyone loves a fridge magnet, or the famous ears or even a keyring. I am a sucker for merch at the best of times so Disney merch is on a whole other level. I collect Disney pins, plush (of certain characters) and ears, so the array and abundance of shops in Disney were amazing to fulfil my needs. I picked up some great pins as well as exclusive ones. Pins are expensive ranging between £8-£20 each but they are highly collectible and valuable. The best thing of all is the chance to pin trade in shops or cast members. Bring any pins you don't love and trade them for ones you do! No cost and such a fun experience to do.

Overall, Disney is amazing. I am biased - I love Disney, but I truly believe even if you aren't a Disney lover you will be by the end of your time at Disneyland.