FRANCE
Once upon a time
in Disneyland
was 6 or 7 when I visited Disneyland for the first time. A forever fan of fairytales and Disney movies, that trip felt so magical. When I returned to Paris in 2017, I wanted to relive that experience as an adult.
As you would expect from a Disney adult, I was overwhelmed
We booked our tickets online in advance and it was the best decision ever (€90 for both parks). Of course we couldn’t visit everything but it’s fun. I got on rollercoasters for the first time in my life so that’s a plus. Be alert for various characters showing up at certain locations for a limited time and for a limited number of people. We didn’t stay in Disneyland but took a train from central Paris which was around 40 minutes.
The Magical Shuttle service provides regular connections between Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles De Gaulle airports and the Disney Hotels, the Disney Parks etc, but you can also hop on metro line 1 to get to Disneyland using the metro network. That line crosses Paris from east to west and takes you to Nation station, where you can catch RER line A, which serves Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy, the station near the Disneyland Paris park.
Disneyland includes 2 parks: Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios. The latter, originally, was dedicated to show business, movie themes, production, and behind-the-scenes, but in the 2010s, it entered a new direction of attraction development inspired by iconic Disney stories. Now, since 2024, its under renovations to become Disney Adventure Park.
As you would expect from a Disney adult, I was overwhelmed. I decided to go against my fear of rollercoasters starting with the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and then I got hyped, so I rode Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain too. All your favorite characters come out and you have to be quick if you want to snap a picture with them or get an autograph. The standard is to drop everything and watch the parade when, literally, everyone rides their colorful floats. I visited Le Passage Enchanté d’Aladdin, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth and more, its truly a place where everyone feels happy no matter what age they are.
If you’re visiting make sure you wear comfortable shoes and clothes and be prepared for (very) long queues on every ride and every attraction. The shops are also very crowded, but you can sense why. Finally, the day ended with the incredible show at the iconic Sleeping Beauty’s Castle with scenes from famous movies projected on it and fireworks setting a perfect finale to a magical day.
There is zero chance you will be bored in a place like this, but there’s a big chance you will be exhausted by the end of the day.