I last visited around 7 years ago so this trip was planned with my friend who hasn't been since she was young, and nothing beats seeing the face of someone when they see the castle for the first time!
Day 1
We started the trip on a cold Friday, arriving at the Hotel Cheyenne. I've stayed in this hotel before and had good experience's from it, but it's basically a budget Disney hotel within walking distance to the parks (around 20 mins), and with a Western/cowboy theme.
The room consisted of a double bed with bunk beds, obviously being aimed at kids. The theming of the room was nice but it is the outdoor theming that makes this hotel! As you walk through the surroundings you really feel like you are in a western village! It really is perfect for kids and not badly priced either.
We hit the Disneyland Park straight away. Thankfully it was empty and we waited no more than 5-10 minutes for any ride. We literally went on everything and pretty much covered all the rides in one afternoon. Our favourite rides were Space Mountain: Mission 2 and Buzz lightyear!
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| Buzz Lightyears Lazer blast |
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| Fantasyland |
One disappointment was that Big Thunder Mountain and It's A Small World were closed! Two of the classic disney rides and we couldn't ride them but if you go, make sure you pay these a visit.
For dinner, we exited the park and wandered into the Disney Village, which is full of restaurants and shops just outside of the parks. We went to Annette's Diner, an American themed restaurant that do the best burgers ever! Thoroughly recommended and very yummy!
We also headed to the Sport's Bar for cocktails which are a little pricey but hey, it's Disney!
Day 2
We were up early for our second day and after filling our bellies with french croissants from the hotels complementary breakfast.
We ventured into the Walt Disney Studio's Park for our second day. Our first ride; Rock N Rollercoaster! This is a high speed roller coaster that rides to the sounds of Aerosmith and really is so much fun! We enjoyed this so much that we ended up going on it three times!
Another favourite of mine is Tower of Terror, but this is not for the faint hearted! Other rides we tried were Crush's Coaster, which was an unexpected surprise that we actually really enjoyed.
The new Ratatouille ride is definitely worth going on as it uses really clever cutting edge technology that makes you feel like a rat.
One thing I preferred from this park was the theming. Just wandering around makes you feel like you are in movie sets and it really is from the clever work of Disney Imagineers. If you have time, have a look at all the little details of this park.
For dinner we went to the Rainforest Cafe , also in the Disney Village, which is pretty much the same as the others located around the world. We treated ourselves to some yummy cocktails before heading to the Disneyland Park to catch the Disney Dreams fireworks and to also get a look at the Christmas lights all lit up. It added the perfect festive touch to the holidays!
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| Disney Dreams |
Day 3
Today was spent watching the shows and parades. One we enjoyed the most was the Frozen Sing-a-long which is perfect for kids (and adults) that are obsessed with the film.
We caught the Christmas Parade which features an appearance from Santa himself and we also watched Micky and Minnie turning on the Christmas Lights. The addition of fake snow makes its really Christmassy and is the perfect touch!
There is also a night time parade which is great to watch when it's dark and gives you the opportunity to see more of your favourite characters, but it was a little cold waiting for them to arrive.
Our evening meal was in the one and only Cafe Mickey, which is a character dining restaurant where Mickey and his friends come round to you table and gives you the opportunity to take pictures. It's a little pricey and the food isn't great, but you are paying for the experience which you can't get elsewhere.
Day 4
Our last day was spent shopping in the Disney Village and have a last minute wander in the parks. Our hotel let us leave luggage in storage so if you have a later train you can still enjoy your last day in the parks before heading back.
If you think this is Walt Disney World, it's not. It's smaller and different in it's own unique way. One disappointment for me was the lack of magic the staff had. WDW really has the best people working there and they make the experience ten times better!
Disneyland Paris is great for a little holiday or detour from Paris and for getting a disney fix. When it gets it right, it's an amazing place and you are guaranteed to feel like a kid again, but if I had to choose, a trip to WDW would always come in first place. Don't let that put you off as a kid will always feel special no matter which Disney park they visit, and there is nothing better than seeing their face light up at the sight of the castle!
If you think this is Walt Disney World, it's not. It's smaller and different in it's own unique way. One disappointment for me was the lack of magic the staff had. WDW really has the best people working there and they make the experience ten times better!
Disneyland Paris is great for a little holiday or detour from Paris and for getting a disney fix. When it gets it right, it's an amazing place and you are guaranteed to feel like a kid again, but if I had to choose, a trip to WDW would always come in first place. Don't let that put you off as a kid will always feel special no matter which Disney park they visit, and there is nothing better than seeing their face light up at the sight of the castle!
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