As any of my readers will know, Disneyland Paris is one of my favourite places in the world. Due to a long held admiration for it, as well as various trips there, I have built up quite a bit of knowledge about the place. It was only until my most recent trip that I decided to start up this blog. I'm so glad I did because I have truly enjoyed writing every post on here and it's very rewarding to know that a lot of my readers enjoy the posts. Recently, I asked some of my readers through social media if they had any questions for me to answer. I had a great response, and a big thank you to everyone that asked me the questions. As promised, here are my answers for all of your questions!
How many times have you visited Disneyland Paris?
To be honest, I couldn't tell you the exact amount of times. I know I first went when I was very young, too young to remember in fact. I would probably say I've been over 10 times.
How many times do you visit in a year?
Only once. Believe me, if I could afford it, I would go at least 3 times a year!
Which is your favourite park at Disneyland Paris and favourite ride within that park?
That's an easy one. It has to be the Disneyland Park for me. Don't get me wrong, I do love Walt Disney Studios as I'm a massive film fan, but I just think Disneyland Park is so much better for many reasons. I'd say Disneyland Park tops it for me because it has much better theming than Walt Disney Studios, and there are better attractions in the park. My favourite ride in the Disneyland Park is easily Pirates of the Caribbean. I've always loved Pirates. In my eyes, it's the ultimate Disney ride in the Disneyland Park, it is though, not my favourite overall attraction, which I will talk about in another question.
What is your favourite attraction within both parks?
As I mentioned above, my favourite attraction in the Disneyland Park is without a doubt Pirates of the Caribbean. Like I said, it's just the essential Disney experience for me. I love everything about it. The queue, the ride, the music, everything! Walt Disney Studios, is actually home to my favourite overall attraction. Being a massive film fan, it's quite fitting that my favourite attraction is none other than Cinemagique. Aside from rides, Disney is well known for putting on fantastic shows, and Cinemagique is one of them, and I've never seen anything better! I could go on for ages about why I love this attraction, so I'll leave that for another post!
What is your favourite thing about Disney Village?
Wow, what a question! Where do I even begin? Without my love for Disney Village, this blog would simply not exist! For many different reasons, Disney Village has always been one of my favourite things about the Disneyland Paris resort. I just love how it's an entertainment complex all dedicated to Disney, yet it's not in your face so to speak. I have many favourite things about Disney Village, but it would probably be the fact that it is home to my favourite restaurant, Planet Hollywood.
What would you say to someone who is visiting the parks for the first time? What tips would you give them?
My biggest tip is a simple one, just relax! I know it can be quite daunting for a first time visitor with so much to take in, but I believe that you will benefit so much more if you relax. Try not to rush to see everything. Maybe a bit of simple planning could help. For example, plan in the morning what attractions you most want to experience and try to head to them first. A lot of people tend to go for a couple of days or 5 days. If you're there for a couple of days, you simply won't have enough time to experience everything, so just make sure you head to what you want experience the most first. If you're experiencing a 5 day trip, then you'll definitely be able to experience everything you want, unless there's any ride closures of course! My other big tip is three words, 'Extra Magic Hours!' If you are staying onsite at one of Disney's many wonderful hotels, then you get the privilege of using the Extra Magic Hours. These allow guests to enter the parks a couple of hours before normal opening time. All you have to do is show your 'Disney Hotel Easy Pass' at the park entrance then you're on your way! Extra Magic Hours are so beneficial because you can beat the crowds on some rides and have the chance of meeting lots of the main Disney characters before the big crowds roll in. The only downside is the fact that only some lands in the park are open for the earlier hours.
Do you have any traditions when you visit Disneyland Paris?
I wouldn't say I had any traditions in particular, but there are always certain things that I always like to do. One of my favourite things I always do is walk around Disney Village before heading back to the hotel. I know I see the same things every night, but I still love walking around all the shops and just taking in all the atmosphere! Another thing I've enjoyed doing on the past couple of trips is leaving one evening to walk around all the hotels and look inside the gift shops and just experience the different atmospheres at each hotel. I mean think about it, where else in the world can you experience the Wild West, the hustle and bustle of New York, the beautiful American pine forests, and the American yacht clubs. There's just nothing quite like the Disney hotels in Paris. I would definitely say the hotels in Paris are better than the Disney hotels in Walt Disney World in Florida!
What is your best experience with the characters?
To be honest, it was only this year that we went out of our way to look for the characters and meet them. I would probably say my favourite experience was meeting Eeyore and Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh because Eeyore is my favourite Disney cartoon character, couldn't resist hugging him could I! Rabbit was also great because he put my trilby hat on one of his ears when I was posing for a photo. My other favourite experience was when I met Peter Pan and Smee. Being a facial character, I had a funny chat with Peter Pan, who kept mocking Smee. It was quite a laugh!
Do you like any theme parks from your own country or other countries, or is it just Disney?
As much as I love the Disney parks, they're definitely not the only ones I like. Being from the UK, we have quite a few of our own theme parks. I've been to Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, and Chessington World of Adventures. While none of these compare to the magic of Disney, I was really impressed by Chessington World of Adventures on my recent visit earlier this year. Another theme park I like is PortAventura in Salou, Spain. I've visited this one twice and I think it has some brilliant theming, but then again, it was made by the Universal company, so you would expect some pretty nice touches! When it comes to Disney parks, I've been very lucky to have visited Walt Disney World in Florida on nearly 10 occasions. Florida really is the home of the theme park. Disney aside, I absolutely love the Universal Studios Resort. As I have mentioned, I'm a massive film fan, so Universal Studios is of great appeal to me. My favourite Disney park in Florida is definitely Hollywood Studios, although you can't beat the Magic Kingdom.
How many attractions are there at Disneyland Paris?
Well in simple terms, quite a few! It depends on what you count as attractions. I would personally include rides, shows, and things to explore in that list, so I count a grand total of 35. Walt Disney Studios has far less attractions and I count 17 in the park. In all fairness Walt Disney Studios is a lot smaller than it's sister park.
What is the most recent attraction?
The most recent attraction is Ratatouille: L'Aventure Totalement Toquee de Remy, or in English, Ratatouille: Remy's Totally Zany Adventure, although I prefer to just call it Ratatouille! This one officially opened on the 10th July 2014. There haven't been any recent announcements for any new attractions in the pipeline, however, 2016 will see a lot of rides receiving some major refurbishments.
When is the highest attendance at the parks?
It tends to vary, but the busiest periods for the park are definitely the summer holidays, so between July and early September. The Christmas season (November 7th to January 7th) is also another popular time for visitors, especially Christmas week. I have to admit, I would love to spend Christmas Day and Boxing Day at Disneyland Paris!
Do Disneyland Paris put on any special seasonal events and how long do they last for?
They certainly do. The first big seasonal event each year is the Swing into Spring season, lasting from March 1st to May 31st. Swing into Spring typically celebrates the Easter holidays, and you will normally have the chance to have meet and greets with character such as Thumper from Bambi. Halloween season is the next big one. The Halloween Festival lasts from the 1st October to 1st November. I was out there for the start of the Halloween season this year. There is of course a Christmas season. Disney's Enchanted Christmas lasts from November 7th to January 7th. Let me tell you, you haven't experienced Disneyland Paris until you've witnessed it in all it's Christmas season glory! There are also other special events such as St Patrick's Day, Disney's Halloween Party, and New Year's Eve.
Where are the most popular destinations for food at Disneyland Paris?
A majority of these are in Disney Village. However, in the Disneyand Park, the most popular places to eat are Walt's restaurant, and the brilliant buffet Plaza Gardens. In Walt Disney Studios, a lot of people eat at the new Bistro Chez Remy which is situated right next to the Ratatouille ride. You even exit the ride right next to the restaurant. Being the mecca that it is, Disney Village has it's fair share of restaurants, and with so many, you'll find this is the place most people tend to head to for food. Being a worldwide restaurant chain, Planet Hollywood is very popular with visitors. Rainforest Cafe is also another popular choice. The most popular though is Cafe Mickey, where guests can dine with some of the Disney characters, providing a very memorable experience. Another popular place for guests, Brits in particular, is Earl of Sandwich. Like the name suggests, this place specialises in sandwiches, all of which are toasted and made to order. I've quite honestly never had a toasted sandwich as nice as the ones there, okay, maybe in America, home of the toasted sandwich!
What is your favourite restaurant at Disneyland Paris?
Planet Hollywood, no contest! This has always been a favourite of mine ever since I can remember. I've been dining at various Planet Hollywoods around the world for years. The restaurants in Disney Village and Downtown Disney in Florida are definitely my two favourites. It's just the ultimate place to dine if you're a film buff. The food is great too in my opinion. I could spend hours walking around the restaurant looking at all the film memorabilia dotted around the walls of the building.
What are the best dishes that you have tried?
Well my favourite dish I've eaten can be found at Planet Hollywood, and that is the Chicken Penne Broccoli. I ask for it without the broccoli, but the pasta has an amazing creamy sauce and the chicken just adds to it's amazing flavour. It's so nice I have it every single time! I've also enjoyed some lovely burgers at the Rainforest Cafe and Annette's Diner. One of my favourite places to eat though was definitely La Cantina buffet at the Hotel Santa Fe. The food there was just amazing, and such a great choice too!
Have you ever eaten any Mickey Mouse shaped food?
I have, but not in Disneyland Paris. On a Florida holiday I once eat some Mickey Mouse shaped waffles for breakfast, oh my they were delicious!
What is your favourite shop at Disneyland Paris?
Now that is a hard question to answer! I have many favourite shops at Disneyland Paris. My favourite three would be the World of Disney store, The Disney Gallery, and Planet Hollywood Boutique, all inside Disney Village. World of Disney is quite a recent addition to Disneyland Paris, but it's certainly a good one! It's probably the best Disney shop you'll see in your life, other than maybe one of the ones in America. There are just so many amazing things to buy in there that you could easily spend thousands in there! The Disney Gallery is another of my favourite shops because it has some of the best Cast Members you'll find. The staff in there are so attentive and friendly, you won't find better service anywhere else. Oh, and the artwork is out of this world! I could clear my bank account in that shop! I also love the Planet Hollywood Boutique because I love their brand of clothing as well as merchandise. Got to buy a Planet Hollywood cocktail glass!
Once again, thank you to everyone that asked me the questions. I hope you all enjoyed reading the answers. If you ever have any other questions then please don't hesitate to ask me, I'm always happy to help!
A special thanks to Bobbi Christina O'Reilly, Daniel Graham, Jack Rodgers, and Chantelle Woodruff!
Keep sharing the Disney Village love!
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