Thursday 28 September 2017

My Top Ten Tips for visiting Disneyland Paris - Walt Disney Studios Park

We recently visited Disneyland Paris - Walt Disney Studios Park and had a truly magical time. I therefore wanted to share my tips for planning a visit.

1) Check Ticket Prices - Disneyland Paris day tickets come in four different price categories which are Mini, Magic, Super Magic and Super Magic Plus. The price for each category varies depending on the date you are wanting to visit. The mini tickets are the cheapest and are generally for off-peak weekdays. However we visited on Friday 1st September 2017 which was still our school holiday period and managed to purchase a mini ticket for this date, which was only £32 each. The Magic tickets are usually for weekends and school holiday periods, with Super Magic covering special event periods such as Halloween or Christmas.


2) Prepare for all weathers - The weather at Disneyland Paris is much like the UK, in that it can be very unpredictable. During our day visit we experienced glorious sunshine, chilly winds and heavy rain, which was topped off with a thunderstorm. We wore light trousers, short sleeved tops and waterproof coats which covered us for all the weather conditions we experienced. You don't want to be queuing outside in the pouring rain without a jacket.


3) Check the show times - The shows at Walt Disney Studios Park are quite frankly amazing! I would definitely say that they are a must-see for anyone considering a visit. There are quite a few different shows available which are all on at different times. In addition to this, some of the shows have both English and French versions, so it's a good idea to check the timings when you arrive to help you plan your day and make sure you don't miss out.


4) Arrive early - We arrived for opening time, which meant that we were able to walk straight on to our favourite ride the Hollywood Hotel - Tower of Terror. Queues obviously increase quite quickly as the park gets busier, so if you have a ride that you definitely want to try, my suggestion would be to arrive early and go to your chosen ride first, to make sure there is no disappointment.

5) Take advantage of Fastpass - Fastpass is a fantastic facility that provides you with a half hour time slot to return to a ride with a minimal queue. You simply scan your entry ticket at one of the turnstiles by the ride and it will print you a ticket with your allocated return time. In Walt Disney Studios Park, you can use this facility at the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™, Les Tapis Volants - Flying Carpets over Agrabah® and The Rock n Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith.

6) Keep hydrated - All the walking, excitement, queuing and of course the weather can make you feel very thirsty. We took water bottles with us, but also made use of the water fountains that are located around the park. We came across a few of these, which also helped to save a few euros instead of needing to buy expensive refreshments.

7) Look for dining deals - Some of the restaurants are cheaper than others and we found the best dining deals to be in Disney Village. Most of the menus are available online, so you can view these beforehand and check the prices to find the restaurant which suits both your taste and budget best. If you would rather dine in the Walt Disney Studios Park, then there is also a great selection of choice available, with varying types of cuisine. If you are staying in one of the on-site hotels, then you may also be able to take advantage of the meal plans on offer which give good value for money.

8) Check ride restrictions - Check for any height or age restrictions on rides before you arrive. It can be very disappointing for a child to be so excited about a particular ride, to then find out that they are too short or too young. If you check this beforehand, then you can let your children know which rides they are big enough for, or simply know which areas to avoid so that certain rides don't get spotted by your little ones.


9) Practice your French language skills - Try and use simple words in the native language when visiting. Words such as Bonjour or Merci are very easy to learn and just as easy to use. My children love to have the opportunity to learn new words or phrases in different languages, so it is great to put them in to practice when we have the chance.

10) Set a realistic budget - Your visit to Disneyland Paris can be as low cost or expensive as you want it to be once in the park, so set a realistic budget for you and stick to it. The shops are full of beautiful merchandise and I could have easily spent a small fortune, but I gave each of the children 20 euros so that they had enough to buy one large thing each or two small things (their decision). I knew there would be temptation so we took only our cash budget to the park with us and left my card locked in the car, so that we didn't end up splashing out on any excessive purchases.


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