Disneyland Paris
 

The deal I've made with the kids is that if my wife and I drag them around Rome and London plus the sites of Paris we will spend some time at Disneyland. We're staying in the city - as such has anyone got any hints on getting out to the park, days to avoid and anything else that I should be aware of. My children (and I) will be eternally gratefull for any help !! Ian

The the RER out to Marne-le-Valle-Chessy. www.ratp.com (click on the British flag for the English version) and you can view the map, get timings, etc.

The RER station is located right next to the entrance to the park.

The park has its own website www.disneylandparis.com

We were just there a few months back. The park is very easy to get to. We were there on a Friday and it wasn't too crowded. It was actually better for our family than the FL or CA versions. It's smaller and a lot more princess focused than the other two-my daughter was in heaven! The only negative was the food inside the park wasn't very good and expensive (no surprise). We ended up eating dinner across the way from the park at Planet Hollywood (which, although not terrible, felt criminal to do while in Paris!), but it was as you say the kid's day so PH it was!

The day I was there, it was amazingly crowded (a Wed in August) - and it was even a rainy day. I hope you'll be there a different time of year.

It is so easy to get there by RER A. A straight shot (my kids loved the double decker train so the day started well) and the station is just opposite the admissions area of the park. If you want to use the restrooms at this particular station, it costs .40€ so have change if you think that might be necessary (or you could wait to go into the park for free.)

Two tips: Do the Fastpass when possible, and do your preferred ride first. The day we were there, we went for a Fastpass for the Buzz Lightyear ride at 12:30 and we were not admitted with it until 6:05 - 6:35. That put the Fastpass out of commission for most of the day (could be because Disney was so crowded and there are not too many rides with this option, or because this ride is new and people in the know go to it first.) Star Tours is another with the Fastpass option, but the line for that one wasn't too bad the day we were there.

Try to see the Lion King Show. You have to get tickets, which are free, a few hours in advance - get on the ticket line early - it gets extremely long. It was a very entertaining show, about 1/2 hour.

I found Disney a bit dirty, without the usual smiles found on all Disney employees in the states. That being said, my kids loved it, and that was the point. I, too, had taken them to few museums and monuments that they would have happily passed on for the previous 2 weeks and that was a day just to make them happy - and it worked! :)

DLParis is a really easy day trip from Paris (easier than Anaheim from LA for sure). As mentioned, the RER drops you right at the entrance.

The park is larger in area but w/ fewer rides/attractions than Anaheim, so w/ just one day you would be able to do everything in both DL and Disney Studio next door. Some things are identical to Anaheim/Orlando - but just enough differences so if your kids have been to those yhey will still find surprises.

I found much of the food better than at the Stateside parks. Ate lunch actually at the Blue Lagoon (overlooking the Pirates just like the Blue Bayou) and it was quite good. Had a Kir Royale and finished up w/ yummy desserts.

As previously noted, the resort is easy to reach on line A of the RER; the trip takes about 45 minutes and places you directly in the middle of the resort. Trains run until around midnight.

There are two theme parks: Disneyland itself (the Magic Kingdom) and Walt Disney Studios. The former is larger and (IMO) more interesting, but the latter has a number of interesting attractions. Avoid the special deals that place you in WDS until 5 PM with an admission to the Magic Kingdom thereafter, as they are designed to help Disney's bottom line, not your enjoyment.

The main Disneyland park requires at least a day and preferably 2 days to see, depending on crowds. In winter the hours are quite restricted. Wednesday is the day with the smallest crowds.

Walt Disney Studios can be seen in less than a day.

Disney Village has many restaurants and shops, including a Planet Hollywood and a Rainforest Café, plus a 50s diner and other places.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show at Disney Village is great entertainment with a cowboy dinner and is very much liked by kids (and many adults).

Within the park, the Blue Lagoon is probably the coolest restaurant. Check in advance to make sure it is open. The park closes a lot of attractions and keeps short hours in the off season.

There's a nice shopping center one stop away from Disneyland, and it has a aquatic museum that is pretty interesting.

I would definitely second the recommendation for the Wild West Show and dinner.

My own addition to the above: the kids will want to take advantage of every minute and won't forgive any delay. So take the RER from Paris no later than 8 a.m. -- the trip takes about 40 minutes. Main Street opens before 9 a.m. as a holding tank, so the turnstiles will be turning well before 9 a.m.

The Park opens at 0900 in <u>July/August</u>.

But if you are going at another time - it doesn't open 'til 1000. No reason to leave Paris at 0800. Also, out of season it isn't nearly as crowded, so you really can arrive at or just before opening time.

And w/ the smaller crowds/shorter lines you really can see everything in both parks in one day. I went in March w/ a total Disney fanatic - and even he was happy leaving by 6:00p.m. There really isn't much yet in the studio park - we only spent about an hour there.

Is it easy to figure out which train and which train station to use? I may hop over there in September for the afternoon.

SeaUrchin - use RER A toward Marne-la-Vallee - Chessy. It's the red line on the 2 maps I have. The metro stop also says &quot;Parcs Disneyland&quot; - it would be hard to have trouble getting there.

Well, I have a thing about getting lost or on the wrong train!! But thanks, I will have a friend with me who, hopefully, isn't train challenged! It might be fun to go over there for an afternoon, I have passes.

We managed to hit the trains the same time as the morning commuters. I have never been in such crushing conditions....I felt so sorry for my kids. At every stop, we'd think that more people couldn't squeeze on the train...WRONG! After a while, however, the commuters reached their stops and the crowds thinned out.

Unlike at DL and WDW, they don't open the ticket booths very early; we were there to buy tickets an hour early and the ticket booths opened about 20 minutes before opening time. (This was in March.)

THe DLP parks are beautiful, by the way.

We got there at 10 a few weeks ago and that was plenty of time for the park. There were still a lot of people on the train, but it was not the crush of the worst of rush hour. The kids had done everything by 7 so we left and had a good dinner in Paris.

Somehow I suspect those kids who were dying to get to Disney hardly noticed that &quot;crush' of commuters!

Unfortunately, they did. We were standing. Imagine being in a train so crowded that if you lifted your feet up you would not fall, pressed against other people so that movement is impossible; then imagine being several feet shorter than everyone else, so that you cannot stick you face out for air; your face is shoved against people's bodies. It was really very unpleasant and I'm kind of surpised the girls could breathe.

Must have been a &quot;social movement&quot; day. In normal conditions, one stands at rush hour without being crushed.

I appreciate the trouble everyone has gone to reply - the kids have won the day and I think it might be at least 2 days in DL. The train thing is a bit of a worry but they had plenty of practice of pushy crowds at Hong Kong Disney last year. Thanks again - Ian

Since you will be traveling TO the &quot;suburbs&quot; in the morning when most commuters are going the other way it might not be so bad.

Might also depend on where you pick up the train as to how full it already is when you get on.

I went to DLParis with my parents and sister in the first year it existed (1993 it was I think and I was 14). All I remember is the Wild West show, so I guess that was the best thing we did :-)