Disney Village from the air. Quite a sight and even better at night!
As anyone reading this will know, I'm quite a big fan of Disney Village at Disneyland Paris. Most fans of Disneyland Paris would most likely say their favourite part about the whole Paris complex is the parks themselves, and although I love the parks, I've always had extra special love for Disney Village. I'm one of them lucky people to have seen Disney Village go through all the various changes it has faced since opening in 1992 and it has always held a special place in my heart. When visiting in recent years, I have had a couple of traditions that I like to keep going when visiting Disney Village. This article is about those traditions and some of my favourite things to do while in Disney Village.
Early Morning Walk
Guests staying at any Disneyland Paris hotel, other than the Disneyland Hotel, have the daily routine of walking from their hotels, through Disney Village, then into the parks. I absolutely love this morning stroll from whichever hotel I am staying at. It's great because you get to walk past the beautiful Lake Disney then into Disney Village, which looks quite different early in the morning. I'm quite an early riser so normally get to the parks in time for Extra Magic Hours. Walking through Disney Village at this time will allow you to appreciate some of the beauty behind the architecture of the place. Of course there is a better atmosphere with the crowds later in the day but there is something quite relaxing about walking through Disney Village early in the morning, with hardly anyone in sight. It also gives me a perfect opportunity (or rather, excuse!) to take more photos of Disney Village! You could of course get a shuttle bus to the parks from the hotels but I could never miss out a walk through my beloved Disney Village!
Early morning in Disney Village and not a soul in sight!
Lunch at Earl of Sandwich
As I always stock myself up with food during breakfast, I always opt for a smaller lunch option, and Earl of Sandwich provides the best option in my opinion. The hype about this place is so justly deserved. I hadn't visited Earl of Sandwich until my trip in 2014 and I was very pleasantly surprised. After reading all the fantastic reviews beforehand I thought to myself 'Yeah right, it's only a sandwich bar!' Oh how wrong I was! The sandwiches at Earl of Sandwich are simply out of this world! I've never eaten a better toasted sandwich than the ones served here. It's safe to say that Earl of Sandwich is now the place to be for lunchtime at Disneyland Paris when I visit. I don't think any eatery in Disney Village has generated as much buzz as quickly as Earl of Sandwich has done. I recommend the 'La Frenchy' sandwich, you won't be disappointed!
Earl of Sandwich, a firm favourite of mine.
A Drink At Starbucks
I know some people may have been disappointed that a brand like Starbucks had been added to Disney Village but I was quite happy to be honest, they do serve rather good coffee after all! For years, Disney Village had been crying out for somewhere you could sit and relax with a hot drink. While yes, you could do this at some of the other establishments, a proper coffee house was needed, and Disney delivered! While I like a Costa coffee when back home in England, I do like a Starbucks on holiday, especially when in Florida. At least once on every trip to Disneyland Paris in the last 5 years or so, I have always stopped at Starbucks for a drink. My favourite time to visit Starbucks is in the afternoon once I've done my fair share of rides for the day. As I mentioned, I'm an early riser, so after being in the parks for quite a long time, it's nice to come back into Disney Village and relax in Starbucks with a nice coffee, normally a latte in my case, or even a hot chocolate if it's Winter time! It's also a nice place to sit down and have a chat with my fiancee, away from all the noise of the parks. Starbucks is also a nice place to visit during the evenings, especially after I'm tired out from as much shopping as I can take for one day! I've also visited Starbucks during the mornings in the past, before visiting the parks. As Disney don't mind you bringing in hot drinks from Starbucks, it's quite lovely to walk down Main Street USA with a nice Starbucks latte in hand!
The perfect place for a hot beverage!
A Meal at Planet Hollywood
As you may have read in some of my other blogs (like this one: http://disneyvillagefans.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/disneyland-paris-october-2015-trip_17.html) then you would know that Planet Hollywood is my favourite restaurant in all of Disneyland Paris. It simply wouldn't be a trip to Disneyland Paris without me stopping at Planet Hollywood at least once! I would probably say that the Planet Hollywood chain is my favourite restaurant chain as I love visiting the restaurant in London as well as the one at Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) in Florida. It's mixture of film props and American cuisine is a sure fire winner with me, as well as my fiancee and rest of the family. When visiting Disneyland Paris, it's become a tradition of eating my first and last meal of the trip at Planet Hollywood. I've always been a big supporter of the restaurant and will always give it the praise I think it deserves. I've honestly never had a bad meal at Planet Hollywood and have always had fantastic service as you would expect at any Disney property. Don't forget to check out the merchandise store 'Boutique Planet Hollywood' for all your Planet Hollywood clothing and other fun products, including some rather funky sunglasses, which my fiancee Laura brought a pair of!
Laura and her funky Planet Hollywood sunglasses!
Planet Hollywood looks stunning in the evening!
The Sports Bar
Another favourite establishment of mine at Disney Village, the Sports Bar has been a regular visit in recent years. This is my favourite place in all of Disneyland Paris to grab a drink, whether it be a soft or alcoholic beverage. I love the theming at the Sports Bar, including the multiple screens showing different sports, as well as sports memorabilia adorning the walls. I also love the outside seating terrace, which features a large screen, normally showing football or rugby. Being a football fan, I have casually walked past the bar before trying to catch up with some results from England. A first for me at the Sports Bar last year, I actually sat down and watched a Liverpool match, along with a couple of other fans, who I thought were French but turned out to be English when I heard them walking off and talking with a Scouse accent! The atmosphere at the Sports Bar is always very good, and never comes across as being rowdy or aggressive but just full of people sitting down and relaxing with a drink in hand while watching some sport on the telly, what could be better! This is the perfect place to end up after a long day at the parks when all you want to do is just sit down and have a drink. The Cast Members working at the Sports Bar are also really exceptional, not surprising as they're all so brilliant at Disneyland Paris.
Relaxing with a beer while watching the Liverpool match at the Sports Bar!
The Sports Bar before opening hours.
An Evening Stroll
Last but not least, I'd like to finish with my absolute favourite thing to do at Disney Village. I must say, with all these favourite things, I feel like I'm talking a bit like Sophie from the hotel rooms video '10 Thins to Know Before You Go'! Anyway, my favourite thing to do at Disney Village is a really simple one. To me, there is nothing better than taking an evening stroll through Disney Village then walking around Lake Disney. Disney Village is a wonderful sight during the evening, as is Lake Disney with the lights from the surrounding hotels reflecting onto it. One thing I do like to do on an evening stroll is to visit all the Disney hotels surrounding the lake, not forgetting Hotel Cheyenne and Hotel Santa Fe just up from the lake. I find it lovely to soak in the atmosphere of each hotel, including a walk around the lobbies as well as visiting each unique gift shop. It's such a lovely experience to do during the evening, and also a nice break away from the hustle and bustle of the parks. I'm hoping to do the same on my next trip but to also visit a different hotel bar for a drink each night.
Newport Bay Club Hotel in the early evening.
Well that's all of my favourite things to do and traditions that I like to keep going in Disney Village. I hope you have enjoyed the article and may even consider doing some of the things I have discussed, that is if you haven't already. Like I said, I had a bit of a hotel room video guide vibe to this blog, so maybe next time I will have to write my own version of Sophie's '10 Things to Know Before You Go', I'm sure you know which video I'm referring to, if you're not, then here's a link for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJSx9R13g3U
Once again, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
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