The magic of Disney. It’s truly unique, there is nothing like it and only one way to really experience it: visiting the Disney parks around the world. Disneyland Paris is a great theme park for all the fans, like me! But it can get busy and not knowing how to tackle it can ruin the magic of the day. No way, I say! Want to know my advice and honest review of the rides at the Disneyland park? Let’s get started with part 1!
Let’s make this a two-piece article as this one needs an intro before I dive into my review of the park and attractions. I want to share a bit of my history with Disney first. Warning: the word ‘magic’ will be used excessively in this article! No shame!
Disney is all about magic, escaping our day-to-day lives and experiencing a world where anything and everything you can imagine is possible. If you can dream it, you can do it! Disney is where it all began for me, still today Disney is the reason I never want to stop looking for amazing places around world that give me a magical feeling and help me forget my worries. It’s why I have such a passion for travelling and theme parks.
I have been fascinated by Disney for as long as I can remember. Back at my grandma’s house we had many Disney VHS tapes and watching Disney movies was one of my favorite ways to pass time. Playing them over and over, loving all of it, from the commercials to the Disney intro’s and the actual movies. Especially the commercials of EuroDisney(back then) had me glued to the screen. To me it was magic in its purest form. Here is the add I am talking about:
That was the moment! Back then and there, that little blond girl knew that Disney was magic, she was going to love it forever and visit all the places in the world where she could experience it. Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris have been checked off, but one day I will visit all of them and more than once please!
Of course, my first visit was Disneyland Paris, not so long ago actually since my parents never took me as a kid. I needed to wait until I was old enough and had the money, transportation and some great company to get me there. Now as always, despite my love for Disney, I will remain critical. Disney is one of the biggest corporations in the world today and has evolved a lot since Walt Disney himself was running it. Which means as any big company, there are great things, but unfortunately reality is not all so magical and we need to be honest about that.
Disneyland Paris is one of the least lucrative parks for Disney. Why? I believe there are many reasons for this that will become apparent in my review, but an obvious one is climate. In general, theme parks just don’t work as wel in Europa as they do in the US. Especially Western Europe has inconstant weather. If the sun is shining and it’s hot, we all know it’s an exception, right? And then we all flock to the theme parks. The US doesn’t have this problem, there is more consistent good weather, so more visitors throughout the year.
Transportation and staying at Disneyland Paris
Let’s dive into it now! What’s the cheapest and best way to get to there? Train is expensive, going by car is your best option. I have gone several times for one day, but the parking is extremely expensive. 25 euro to park your car! Shame on you Disney… My advice? Keep your eyes open for good deals via the official website, they do come often! A deal is always more interesting as your parking, park tickets and nights are included and the Disney experience in the hotels gives your visit something extra. I believe you have to pay extra for the breakfast now. Unfortunately I saw this coming… Remember what I said about it being the least lucrative park? The disappointing thing is they try to pump money out of everything instead of focusing on expanding and improving the park and letting this generate more income. I believe they should have a look at the business model of Europa park or Efteling. I get that costs go up, but as visitors we expect something in return and unfortunately Disneyland Paris falls short here. I see other parks make it happen, so the question is where does it go wrong? I know it can’t be easy but it’s not my job, but I sincerely hope it’s someone’s over there at Disney!
Whether you are coming from the hotels through the Village or from the parking lot there is Disney music playing, the decor is magical, kids are excited and you can see your favorite characters everywhere. In front you see the Walt Disney Studios and if you turn right you make your way to the Disneyland Park and see the entrance, the beautiful Disneyland Hotel, which I stayed in already (so proud!), but that’s for another post! That view just never gets old… The pink color, the Victorian style, the lights in the evening, the Mickey clock in the middle. Welcome to the magic of Disney!
Main Street
First thing you walk through is Main Street. Actually it’s one of my favorite parts in both Disney World and Disneyland Paris. Everything I love about the hotel, it’s the same atmosphere here in the Main Street. I will discuss later on that the park has some fun rides, but the wait times for most of the rides can go up quite high. Which is why roaming around the park, especially Main Street, checking out the great merchandise and taking in the Disney atmosphere is actually one of my favorite things to do at Disneyland Paris. Make sure to take some time to visit all the stores, I especially love the Emporium. Take in all the details, Main Street is beautiful.
At the end we see the castle shining in its pink color, specifically chosen to stand out in bad weather conditions. I haven’t seen all the castles in the world yet, but both Orlando and Paris are beautiful. I just let the pictures speak for themselves, I always need to take one, even though I have so many. Just can’t help it!
Frontierland
Time for some rides! I always enter Frontierland first. As a person who is into the US, Western, Country, native American vibes, it comes to no surprise that this is my favorite area next to Main Street. I will focus on rides and tackle restaurants, hotels and shows in other posts. There is too much to tell! Phantom Manor looks amazing from outside and they are now busy with refurbishments, so I am very curious! I don’t like anything too scary, but Phantom Manor feels more like a cosy ride to me and I just love the theming. The waiting line, the 2 pre-shows, the storyline, it’s got the whole package! Nothing not to love and seems like it will only get better. A big plus, this ride never has a long wait! Big Thunder Mountain is a mine train and one of the best rides in the park. They just finished renovating the ride and the decor is an obvious improvement. You get a fun experience: amazing views of the area such as Phantom Manor and Thunder Mesa Riverboat, great dark ride parts and a fun acceleration at the end. The waiting line is almost always long, so a fast pass is a must! Often I enter Frontierland, take a fast pass for Big Thunder Mountain and head over to rides that have a low wait time nearby like: Phantom Manor, Indiana Jones, visiting the castle, Aladdin walk-through…
Adventureland
I follow my way to Adventureland. Great theming, especially for kids who are into adventure and pirate ships, but not my personal favorite. I check out the walk-through of Aladdin, just because it’s one of my favorite Disney movies. I wish they would make an actual ride out of this! My favorite attraction is Pirates of the Caribbean. If you love the movies, this is the ride on which they are based. A fun dark ride through pirate life with a cosy restaurant that offers a unique view of the ride.
Pirates should not have a long waiting line, max 20. minutes. Sometimes I make my way to Fantasyland and get a fast pass for Peter Pan as this one always has a long waiting time. And after I jump into Pirates waiting for my time slot. Another attraction to pass time is Indiana Jones, normally a low waiting time, which is great as it’s not worth a long wait. I need to be honest, this coaster is a bit of a nightmare. It’s a slow and rough ride and there is nothing exciting about it. A new track is necessary, maybe a wild mouse would match the theme or just put a show in its place.
Still need more time to pass? You can explore the area or visit the Robinson treehouse. It’s fun to walk through and offers some nice views of the area.
Fantasyland
Up next is Fantasyland. Peter Pan and It’s a Small World are the best rides here. I did It’s a Small World in Disney World and against all oddss I believe the one in Paris is more beautiful. The song sticks in your head, but if you’re a fan you don’t mind! The attraction is nicely maintained, bright colors, I have seen some new scenes come in over the years. So good job on this ride! I love the end part with all the sparkles, lights and the bright purple colors. It’s beautiful and the wait time is always low! Peter Pan (this one is more beautiful in WDW) is one of the most popular rides next to Big Thunder Mountain. As I said, a fast pass is necessary. If this one has 40 minutes, you can consider it low, so go for it if a fast pass is no longer an option. The capacity is a nightmare and I have seen some crazy lines here over the years. It’s a very short ride, and I swear if there is a long line, they make the ride go even faster! I can get really frustrated by this… So why is it worth it? You sit in these cute little boats that are flying through the magical story of Peter Pan. The scenes are beautiful, it’s a shame that is goes way too quick. Finally there are some other small rides in Fantasyland where the same rule applies for all: They are not worth a long wait, but fun to do if the waiting line is low. Storybook is a boat ride hidden at the end of park where you pass all miniature versions of your favorite Disney stories. Next to It’s A Small World you can find Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. It has a fun lay-out and if you have never done it before or a fan of the movie, you will like it. Finally behind the castle, you have 2 dark rides: Pinokkio and Snow White. Both are, just like Peter Pan, short rides that take you through the story. It’s fun to be nostalgic about these Disney classics, but the rides are really dark and I would not be surprised if kids have nighmares after this. So be carefull with the little ones!
I depends on my day when I go into the castle. You can enter whenever you want and it’s always worth a visit as it offers the best views of the entire Disneyland Park. Take out that camera!
Discovery land
Finally, we have made it to our final part, Discovery land! Favorites? Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast and Space Mountain (I feel like I need to say this… Peer pressure is real guys). I am a sucker for interactive darkrides like Buzz Lightyear. I am an insane competitive person, so these rides get me excited! Unfortunately, also here the waiting line can go up and often there are no more fast passes available, so if possible get one! If it’s 40 minutes, that means low and you go go go! The waiting line can feel long but it’s such fun that to me it’s worth it but it also depends on your company. Shoot away and kick the ass of your neightbor! A must-do in Disneyland Paris is Space Mountain. Not to be a negative nancy, but I am not a fan. Still today it’s a painful experience, I can feel sick afterwards and have a headache for the entire day (Note: I am used to intense rides). I don’t understand people can even go twice, not for me! The advantages are a low wait most of the time, they renovated it multiple times over the years (now with a Star Wars theme) and put some new carts on the track. Now I know these carts, Efteling uses them on the Python. These are carts are put on old rough tracks to make the ride more bearable for the riders and help you to avoid getting your head smacked from left to right. I don’t like this way of “solving problems” though, the carts are uncomfortable and you are not handling the basis of the problem, which is that your track is worn out. If a track is old, please replace it, we pay enough money. Don’t get me wrong, I do see why people love Space Mountain and I see its potential. It’s a great ride, it looks amazing from outside, the launch, the track lay-out, the theming, it’s all great. It’s a golden oldie, which is why I would invest in replacing the tracks so that it can be a smooth and pleasant ride once more that people can enjoy. Efteling has improved the tracks of Python, it did not take too long and the ride experience has improved immensely! So if anyone from Disney reads this, please consider doing the same for Space Mountain! The ride and the riders deserve it! It’s a classic that we want to keep, but now the ride is rough and these uncomfortable carts are not helping. Handle it and handle it well so that the tracks can last another 10 years. Other fun rides here? Personally not for me. I did Star Tours once, maybe a must for Star Wars fans, but if you are like me and get ill from simulation rides (yes here I am a wimp), I don’t recommend it. Autopia is for kids, I went on it once, had some fun but the cars broke down a lot and because it is so popular amongst the kids, there is often a long wait, so not worth it.
The park has some kids rides like Orbitron, Dumbo the flying elephant, the carrousel, the teacups, Casey Jr The Little Train… I can have fun on anything, but these are real specific kids rides, so I don’t go on them. I think they are great for the littles ones to experience their first rides!
I know what you guys must think, this isn’t the most positive review ever, and yes you are correct. I love Disney and I want to love everything about their parks! Don’t get me wrong I do, I go to Disney every year, so it doesn’t stop me from going and it shouldn’t stop you either. The Disney atmosphere is unique and you can’t get it anywhere else. But there are many parks like Efteling and Europa park who are doing a better job on many aspects. Disneyland Paris has capacity issues, the rides are short and the wait times are long. Innovation is also issue, they do refurbish rides, but not always in the most impressive way and there are many rides that are still waiting for their turn (ex. Space Mountain and Indiana Jones). There hasn’t been a new ride in the park for over 20 years. If I am not mistaken by some research, Space Mountain opened in 1995 and was the last ride to be build at the park. If you ask high prices for basically everything, we as visitors expect well maintained attractions and new rides. Like I said this is where Disneyland Paris doesn’t deliver as they should according to me.
I keep referring to the other parks, because somehow they manage it. Both Europa park and Efteling do not only keep their current rides, attractions and shows in excellent condition, there is something new in those parks almost every year. Prices go up, but remain reasonable.
I will write another article on the hotels, shows, parades, food, The Village and the Walt Disney Studios. There are still so many great and amazing things about Disney that I want to share with you, but like I promised. I stay critical, no matter how much I love Disney.
the travelcoaster 