If it is your first trip to Disneyland Paris, then there is so much waiting for you! Especially if you plan to spend your first few hours of Disneyland in Paris, it will be a fascinating experience. Firstly, Paris is a dream destination, and Disneyland is a magical addition on top of that. There are some very unique things that you must do when you are at Disneyland Paris. In this article, we are trying to list down everything so that you don’t have to spend extra time on that planning.
Table of Contents
Tips to help you enjoy your Hours of Disneyland in the best ways
Here is what you must keep in mind when you are planning your special hours of Disneyland. Some tips will help you save money and also make the most of your holiday.
Go for off-site hotels
Purchasing Disneyland tickets will already cost you a bomb, and there is no point in spending unnecessarily during the trip too. Especially if it is your first trip, chalking out a budget is mandatory. Moreover, you may not have a clear idea about things at the theme park and finally end up spending a lot more when there is no budget.
To make the most of your hours of Disneyland, please choose off-site accommodation. Several hotels have direct collaboration with Disneyland Paris. Therefore, traveling from these hotels to the park and back will be easy too. For example, hotels such as BB, Vienna House Dream Castle, Kyriad, and more arrange for buses for their Disney guests. As a result, you can save quite an amount along with a lot of effort when you choose to avail of their commute options.
Again, if you choose to halt at the Val de Europe, there are excellent hotels. Moreover, the distance between this area and the theme park is considerably less, and you will quickly get a shuttle if you don’t want to walk much.
There is no problem if you don’t speak French
One thing that may come to your mind before heading out for the vacation is the language constraint. While spending a few hours of Disneyland at the California or Florida locations is easier considering that you can speak in English, the same may not be Paris’s case. However, there is no need to worry because you can still speak in English when in Paris.
The cast members at Disneyland Paris are pretty impressive, if not fluent with English. Moreover, the signages that you will come across in the park are mostly in English. Besides, if you want to go for the Disney shows, check out the English show timings. You can do that easily using the guide maps or the official app too.
Again, there are bilingual shows too that come across very well to all viewers. For example, Mickey and the Magician is one of the bestselling shows of Disneyland Paris. In it, Mickey speaks French while all the other characters speak English. Altogether, it is a delightful show, and no one finds it hard to understand the story.
Download The Lineberty and the Disneyland Paris Apps
Very similar to the other Disneyland Parks, the one in Paris has an official app too. So, whenever you purchase Disneyland tickets for Paris, it is preferable to download the official app too. It will inform you about the hours of Disneyland and give you a host of other information. For example, ride information, park maps, showtimes, restrictions, and information about attractions under maintenance, are some of the details.
The Liberty application will help you find a position in the virtual queue for entry to Studios Park. This is when you are planning to meet your favorite characters. So, it is best to secure a position early and avoid the crowd because character meets are among the most favorite activities for all guests. The Disneyland normal hours for meet and greet on the official app is around 9:45 am. So, you can log in to your account around this time and check out the list of characters to choose whom to meet with. Once you are done selecting your favorite character, it is time you grab a spot in the virtual queue for yourself and eight other people.
Similarly, the other people in your party can also choose other characters and book spots for you. Finally, you must be ready to enter whenever the app notifies you. However, it would be best to remember that logging in at 9:45 am is a must because spots fill up very fast. Also, you can secure spots only if you are already inside the park.
Fastpasses to maximize your hours of Disneyland
Using Fastpasses is an excellent option during your Disneyland hours today. However, you must know that Disneyland Paris follows the paper FastPass system. It means that you have to be physically present in the venue to obtain your pass. Besides, the time you are eligible to receive your next FastPass will be visible on the one you get first.
It would be best if you tried to keep all of these passes to maximize your hours of Disneyland. If you are unaware of what a FastPass is- These are passed that will allow you to come back to avail yourself any rides without standing in a queue every time. However, the passes are valid only within a particular timeframe mentioned on the pass itself. Of course, you must get some of these to make the most of your time in Disneyland Paris.
Explore every part of the Sleeping Beauty Castle
One of the most popular attractions in Disneyland Paris is the Sleeping beauty Castle. However, a lot of people end up exploring only the ground floor of this castle. The tip here is that you must not miss out on this castle’s main attraction, which is upstairs. Yes, they have a beautiful gallery featuring stain-glass windows upstairs.
Everything out here depicts the real story of Sleeping Beauty. Besides, there are unique elements in this castle that you will not find in any other. Plus, there is a balcony at the backside overlooking the Fantasyland, Carousel, and the Sword in the Stone attractions. Another spoiler here is when we reveal what is there beneath the castle.
A lot of people don’t know this, but there is a dragon beneath the castle, so don’t forget to explore that part too! Now, if you are waiting to get some awesome pictures at this location, there is again a tip for you. Move towards the left of the castle till you spot a small patio. If you pose for pictures from here, you can get the whole castle in the picture background. Moreover, there will no other person unconsciously photo-bombing your picture.
The Princess Pavilion becomes the star of the show often.
After the pandemic, there is a change of scenes, and the first question will be, when will Disneyland open? The opening and closing timings of most of the parks across all locations have been continuously changing. Besides the timing, rules and permission policies are also changing. For example, before, the Princess Pavilion was open for everyone who came for character meet and greets sessions. However, you can only meet the Disney princesses in the Pavilion now.
If you want to meet some other characters, a booking for character dining is a must. You can book the same at the Auberge de Cendrillon. These are busy attractions, and you must be able to choose hours when you can avoid the rush. The best idea to visit the Princess Pavilion first thing in the morning. Otherwise, you can come here during the Parade timing because the crowd rush is low.
There are two Princesses available for a meet and greet who switch shifts during the middle of the day. So, if you don’t get a pre-booking and wait in the queue, there are high chances that there will be a different princess by the time you reach the spot.
Boardwalk Candy Palace cookies and Victoria’s Mickey Waffles
Everything must be Disney-themed when you are at the parks, and snacks are not exceptions at all. So, you can straightaway go to the Candy Palace at the Boardwalk and try out their special Mickey cookies. On the one hand, you get to stick with the theme, and on the other, the Nutella filling is so out of the world!
Well, the taste is better than what you can imagine, and you must reach there early because the cookies are most likely to sell out by afternoon every day. There is a particular version of Mickey cookies that you may get here as well. These are made of white chocolate and have a caramel filling that is mind-blowing!
If you are not a cookies fan, there is still a way of getting your hands on some of the best Disney snacks. In this case, we are recommending Victoria’s, which is at the end of Main Street. Here, you will get a choice among four delicious waffle toppings that can be savory or sweet. Grab a table while choosing one of the best toppings because this place is also most likely to fill very fast. Along with the delicious waffles, try the special Victoria’s milkshake too.
Grab a disability pass, if there is someone in the group who needs it
A disability pass can be convenient for someone to make the most out of their Disneyland Paris trip. For more information regarding a disability pass, it is best to get in touch with the park officials. So, the basic pattern is that there are two different colors of disability passes-green and orange. Now, who is eligible for which type depends on the authorities’ special criteria, of course.
Make the most of your magic time if you are eligible for the same.
You are automatically entitled to some benefits if you are an annual pass holder or staying at one of the Disney Resorts. One of the major perks is the eligibility to enjoy Magic hours. This is like permission to enter the destination before the Disneyland normal hours. On some days, you may get the offer from Disney Studios Park, and on other days, it can be from Disneyland Park only. However, you are lucky if you receive Magic Hour passes from both places on a day.
Being eligible for Magic hours does not merely mean early entry. It also means that you can avoid long waiting hours to aim for peaceful character meet sessions. Besides, you may meet a few characters who are not usually available during the rest of the day.
Meeting with the Minnie Mouse during this hour is a good idea because it gets very crowded once the general entry starts. If you are going to the Disney Studio Park, then you should enjoy a Crush Coaster ride. It is worth the choice because you cannot cash a FastPass for this attraction. Again, the ratatouille is a great option to enjoy during the Magic Hours.
Single Rider Queues
There are quite a few single rider queues that you can advantage of in Disneyland Paris. Two of the major attractions that fall under this category are the Ratatouille and the Crush’s Coaster. Both of these are in the Studios Park in Paris. Especially if you are a solo traveler or don’t mind splitting from a group to explore things on your own, the Single Rider Line is a great idea.
Carry a water bottle
Packaged drinking water at the Paris parks can be way too expensive. So, you should carry your bottle. Besides, you can take advantage of the free iced water from the restaurants and the water fountains. Especially if you are visiting Disneyland Paris during summer, hydration is essential.
Final thoughts
Finally, after you have gone through all the points mentioned above, you are entirely ready to explore. It is time to head out to Paris and meet with your favorite Disney characters.
