Hiiii everyone.
Lets rewind back to that ridiculously dramatic day on March 8th 2020, when I met the new love of my life and naturally one of the very first things I thought of when I set eyes on my Teddy Bear darling was…..
WELL WHEN THE HELL CAN I TAKE HIM TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!
As you can see I absolutely have all of my important life preferences in order.
And then ya knowwwww…
We all got locked up. Cute.
No holidays in sight. Sureee.
Disney didn’t exist. BEYOND BITCHY.
So. AS SOON as my little bear turned two and life was slowlyyyyyyyy showing signs of normality, there was absolutely no question of where we were going to celebrate his birthday. The land of happiness, and magic and perfection.
Teddy Bears first ever holiday, and our first ever time experiencing what it is like to be away with a cute/cheeky/feral toddler.
I literally cannot begin to tell you how many questions you guys have asked about this trip wanting to know ALL of the inside scoop. And now I am going to give you the lowdown on EVERYTHING you need to know about.
Rides.
Restaurants.
Shows.
Parades.
Hotels.
And most importantly. Where the hell you can find THOSE Mickey Waffles!!!
And oooooops I know. I knowwwwww…
I totally promised you that I would be uploading this blog the second I got home in March 2022…
but heyyyy… its only a year and a half late…. no biggie… Teds is nearly a teenager but WE MOVEEEEE!!!!!!!
SO HERE IT IS.
My guide to spending a weekend in the most magical place in the world.
DISNEY LAND PARIS!!!!!!!
(Never been so excited to write a blog post I can’t lie).
TRAVEL. How did we get to Disney Land Paris?
This was SERIOUSLY easy. We rocked up to St Pancrus station for around 7am. Had a quick lil argument over how many pastries from Pret we could get away with bringing on the train. Chased Teds around the waiting room for a lil bit and then before you know it we was waving goodbye to London.
Two and a bit hours later we were literally dropped off in the heart of the Disney Village and our holibobs had begun. It was easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Howeverrrrrrrr since then I’ve heard yucky rumours about how this year, Disney have stopped doing the direct service from London (which is ridiculous in my opinion) so I think you now either have to go to Paris Central and switch trains, or go to Lille and switch trains. Equally you can fly there but I think that might be more faff than its worth as the train really was quick and comfy.
HOTEL. Where did we stay in Disney Land Paris?
Wow wow wow. Well we were lucky enough to experience the brand new Marvel Hotel in the Disney Village, and it delivered everything and more.
The hotel itself is absolute LUXURY. Walking into an opulent lobby with incredible marvel artwork everywhere you turn your jaw literally drops to the floor in amazement.
The bedroom is huge, clean and modern. We got two large and ridics comfy double beds- a bubble bath, and views overlooking the stunning Disney Village lake. When Teds saw the view and the hot water balloon for the first time he literally screamed in excitement.
And you all know me, I’m the princess of bouuuujeeeeee – so if the thought of staying in a Marvel hotel might not sound that thrilling or cute to some of you- I promise you this hotel is genuinely pure class. There is a gorgeous cocktail bar serving marvel themed drinks, two incredible and beautiful restaurants, a large swimming pool (we didn’t get time to use) and the best bit of all- the super hero station where you get to meet some iconic characters from the films.
One minute your devouring Mickey waffles under a chandelier in the Manhattan Restaurant and the next- your high fiveing Spider Man in his bedroom- Disney is just the BEST.
I know lots of people disagree with me and go to Disney Paris with the vibe that the room/hotel is just a dumping ground and a place to sleep- so to go with the cheapest option. But I always always look at the hotel as a MAJOR if not- most important part of a holiday whether you are sleeping for one night or ten nights so would always rather pay a bit more just to ensure you get that real holiday VIP treatment. And honestly every second of our time spent in the hotel felt pure luxury. I want to take Teddy back again SO BADLY especially now he is a bit older and would understand the characters so much more.
So the all important question of…. How much did we pay?
Welllllll I don’t quite know how we managed this, but we were lucky enough to get a SENSATIONAL deal and stayed for two nights, and three days including park tickets for £800.
I KNOW W.T.F.
My only advice on getting the best deal is to state the obvious- if you can book off peak and on a week day it will save you hundreds of pounds. We went on a Monday- Wednesday and at the end of March.
But The Marvel Hotel isn’t the only hotel in the Disney Village. Next year the hottest ticket in town aka the iconic five star DISNEYLAND HOTEL reopens. (Even though it will probably be a million pounds a night to stay there but ohhhhh a girl can dream right???)
Across the lake is also the stunning four star Newport Bay Club, which is nautical themed. It also looks really special and is on the boujjjier price racket range.
On a slightly cheaper scale is the three star Bambi themed Sequoia Lodge, which honestly looks really cosy and sweet. And then I think the two more basic two star accommodations are the Cheynne Lodge and Sante Fe Hotel. (Toy Story and Cars theme- a vibe!)
And the bestest part of staying in any Disney Hotel is getting a whole extra hour of ‘DISNEY MAGIC’ which means you are allowed into the park an hour earlier than everyone else.
You literally feel like real life royalty skipping past that gate whilst everyone else in the distance is queuing up.
SEE YA HUNS, IM OFF TO THE TOWER OF TERROR!!!
And this brings me swiftly onto my next Disney chapter.. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT.
The reason we are all here- noooooo not the Mickey Waffles you silly billies- THE RIDES!!!
DISNEYLAND PARIS RIDES, SHOWS AND PARADES WITH A TODDLER.
The magical world of Disney Paris is split into two wonderful parks. The Magic Kingdom– which is, well- quite simply- magical. Walking into Main Street for the first time is something you will never ever forget.
And Paris’s version of Hollywood Studios- Walt Disney Studios. Controversially the Studios miiiiight be my favourite park- but more on that later.
But what truly shocked me the most about Disney when we travelled with Teds- was that having literally just turned two, and was probably only about 80cm (cute), we still genuinely managed to go on 90 percent of the rides. Well I mean, some wasn’t by choice. We did let out a little giggle when Pirates of The Caribbean turned into a log flume in the dark and oooooosie- surpriseeeee Teds- welcome to Disney.
I’ve created a cute lil scare meter for you and divided the rides into their theme park so you can see what rides are where. And if your brave enough to try them.
MAGIC KINGDOM
Teds top rides
Buzz Lightyear– hours of fun. My hubby is a cheat. Don’t @ me.
Autopia– Legoland who? This is the real deal.
Pirates of the Caribbean– Its fully in the dark and has some drops but oh myyy this ride is SO so fun.
Dumbo– do it in the night for extra magic.
Haunted Mansion- can’t lie- not scary at all!
Peter Pan– really cute but bit confused why this has the biggest queue in Disney??
Teacups- my idea of hell- but apparently Teds idea of pure heaven.
Casey Jnr Train- Thunder Mountain for 2 year olds.
Storybook land canal boat- a dreamy ten mins of relaxing your feet whilst you bob around a river boat that breaks down every 2.1 seconds.
Rides to Avoid
Snow White– Is this meant to be cute? Cos its everything BUT that.
Pinnochio– basically the same as the above- but double the hell.
Yet to ride
It’s A Small World– was under renovation when we went.
Thunder Mountain– Teds needed to be 1 meter. Which he now is. So brb just booking Disney P.
Nap time Fun
Space Mountain- strictly adults only.
Indiana Jones- see above.
Shows and Parades
Disney Parade– On every day at 5.30pm- giant floats and characters galore!
Disney Dreams- was a special parade for the 30th anniversary which has now sadly finished. Its probably one of the most magical parades I’ve evert watched in my life- so I am desperate to see what they have up their sleeves to replace it.
Lion King Musical– this show was INSANE. 30 mins of magic. Top Tip- watch this on day three when your feet have nothing left to give.
Fireworks- at park closing– the best half an hour of your life. Screw any bedtime routine and ENJOY EVERY MINUTE!!!
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS
Teds top rides
Cars Rally Racer- Insane ride- but don’t have any food at least an hour before- your welcome.
Cars Road Tip– top tip- if you haven’t seen what happens in this ride- then seriously leave it as a surprise because it is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
Toy Story Parachute Drop– I did have a slight ‘wtf am I doing bringing my 2 year old on this???’- as we were 100 ft up in the air- but it was a bit too little too late vibes- so YOLO.
Slinky Dog Spin- see above about food. vom.
Ratatouie 3D- Two year old Teds went on a 100ft drop ride with zero f’s but this cute little mouse in 3D was enough to make him cry from start to finish. So please I paid premiere access.
Magic Carpet ride- the basic bitch version of Dumbo.
Yet to ride
Spider Man Web Adventure– Opened last year in Avengers Campus and oh myyyyy we have to go back for this and this alone.
Tower of Terror- needed to be 1 meter. Genuine question- would you judge me if I attempted to bring Teds on this next time?
Nap time Fun
Nemo Crushes Coaster- my favourite ride in the whole of Disney P.
Avengers Assemble Flight Force– the Marvel version of Rock n Rolla Coaster. Only opened last year and looks insane.
Shows and Parades
Disney Junior Dream Factory– This show was gorgeous- and had bubbles galore. Teds was obsessed.
Since we have visited there are meant to be two new incredible shows I am desperate to see; Mickey and the Magician, and Together: Pixar. They also have an Avengers Drone Show at park closing- INSANE.
RESTAURANTS AT DISNEYLAND PARIS.
Cor Blimey- all of this chat about loops and drops is making me starvin marvin.
Well lucky we are in Disney P- the land of delicious grub.
LOL- just joking.
Cos cmon lets not lie- for anyone that has experienced eating in this park before you will know its a HELL of a time.
(Ya know things are extra bad when you tell people your best meal you had on your holiday was Mcdonalds).
Hehehehe wish I was joking. Sob.
But look, maybe I’m being a teeny bit judgey and an extra bit bitchy, because I don’t think I planned the dining as well as I could have done.
When we went back in early 2022 the world had only just opened up, and lots of the fancy Disney restaurants were still shut. Character Dining didn’t even exist- I KNOW. IT’S TOO PAINFUL TO TALK ABOUT.
So all I can do is tell you where I did go- and whether you should put your on wish list or quite simply- avoid at all costs.
BREAKFAST
We had our breakfast in the Marvel Hotel both mornings, and I simply cannot complain. Mickey cakes, some coco pops, and a pile of pancakes- what more could a girl want???
LUNCH
Day one– Mcdonalds in the Disney Village- as stated above, our best hot meal meal of the trip. Wish this was a joke.
Day two– Bella Notte Magic Kingdom- fast food- Mickey shaped pizza and pasta.- Ya know what- this was okay too if you need a break from chips and nuggets!!!
Day three– Annettes Diner Disney Village- oh my days this was worse than school dinners.
DINNER
Day one– wanted to go Rainforest Cafe. Rocked up at 7pm to a 2 hour queue. Goodbye. Then went to try Vapianos- another hour queue with VILE RUDE STAFF. So we then had to beg our way into the Plaza Gardens (with no character dining) and eventually got a table after a lot of agg. Moral of the story- BOOK YOUR DINNERS BEFORE YOU GO.
Day two– Tried the Rainforest Cafe again, but this time at 5pm with a 45 min queue. The food was horredous. Teds had the time of his life.
WHERE IS ON MY DISNEY DINING WISH LIST?
So overall- not the most successful meal times. And for someone who is a major little piglet (me), this was quite hard to stomach- excuse the pun.
Next time I would absolutely book the Disney Dining Package and book more of the Disney themed restaurants like the new Spider Man buffet, the Rattauoie restaurant- and do character dining! I think this way you get more for your money and the experiences are a lot more warm, cosy and filled with Disney magic.
Summersholiyay Disney Land Paris Secret Top Tips.
Before I love and leave you, I wanted to quickly give you lot- my fave people- my Disney DOs and DONTS.
DO
Magic Hour- If you are lucky enough to stay in a Disney Hotel make the most of every second of your extra magic hour and get in the queue of the most popular rides
Shows- Save the shows for day two/three when your tootsies are scarily sore. (did someone say 20/30k steps a day).
All the single ladies riders- Parents- make the most of nap time- and go on Nemo/Space Mountain/Tower of Terror using the single rider line.
App– Download the Disney Paris app to keep up to date with all the ride times. This was a total game saver for us.
Drink breaks– Bring some water bottles from home. We once had to queue for 40 mins to buy two bottles of water.
Character Dining– Now that character dining is back- make sure you book early in advance and to ensure your little one is hugged by Mickey Mouse over brekki- I’m so beyond desperate to experience this.
DON’T
Restaurant bookings– Don’t leave restaurants to chance like us, especially in the evenings!
Shows– Don’t miss the shows or parades. They are seriously out of this world.
Weather- Don’t Underestimate the weather– layers layers layers. We went for three days in march- Day one was a heatwave. Day two was cloudy and cold. Day three was a monsoon.
Fireworks– Don’t stand in the mosh pit for fireworks. Night one we made that mistake and it was pretty stressful and chloustrophobic. Night two we stood right of the back of Main Street by the Bakery’s. We gobbled up Mickey biscuits and hot chocolate and avoided the mosh pit at all costs. It was perfection.
So there we have it my darlings, my Disney Paris roundup.
And for any of you that may be visiting soon, I truly hope this post helps you- or gets you excited.
It was one of the best three days of my life, and I could cry with happiness at my memories.
And just like that major hun Snow White once said…“I’m wishing… I’m wishing……” to be back in the one and only Disney Land Paris”.
Because writing about this mini break has brought back ALL of the magic and quite simply, I think it would be rude if I didn’t rebook it.
And if you are doubting whether to wait a few years before you book it… trust me… just BOOK THE TICKETS. Because just like that other major hun Donald Duck once said, “Happiness is the richest thing we will ever own”.
And quite frankly I am obsessed at that.
Because lets face it, Disney is ALWAYS a good idea.
As always, thank you SO much for reading my blogs. I quite simply adore you all!!!
Sammy xxxxxxxx
If you enjoyed this post you can read my other holiday reviews here:
A magical stay at The One & Only Royal Mirage!
A weekend at The W Hotel Barcelona.
