Where dreams come true
THE older you get the harder it can be to let go, to let your imagination run free. We get so caught up in our everyday lives that precious moments can pass us by so quickly — often without us even noticing. Then, one day, we wake up and it’s too late.
So, when we are fortunate enough to get a chance to step off the hamster wheel every now and again, we get a taste of life as we would love it to be. What’s wrong with letting our dreams become reality for a while?
This is the beauty of Disneyland. It is the place where dreams come true. And as I walked through the gates of the park in Paris recently with my daughter Issey, I was all set to let go. We had been looking forward to our trip for weeks, and as departure day approached we grew giddier with excitement.
Going to Disneyland Paris is an experience never to be forgotten but a weekend visit — which is the most common type of visit there — is also an assault on the senses like you may never have experienced before. There is so much to absorb that if you do not plan your trip in advance there is a danger it will pass you by.
There was no chance of that happening to us, though, because Issey — even though she is not quite seven years old yet — spent a lot of time preparing for the trip and by the time we left she was very definite about what was top of her list of things to do. Between us, we hatched a plan that took in both our needs (I mean I’m just a kid at heart too, right?) and the plan worked well for us.
Which brings me to my first two tips for making the most of the Disney experience: Firstly, if you can get the earlier flight to Paris on a Friday, you will arrive in the park before teatime and after a quick freshening up in your hotel, you can spend a few hours experiencing the park at its quietest and also get your first taste of the shows on offer, including the nightly fireworks display. Secondly, have a plan, know what rides are top of your wishlist and try and get a couple of them done on that first night.
My next tip is to then start early on Saturday. When you stay in one of the hotels on site — we stayed in the Newport Bay Hotel — you get earlier access to the parks, so make the most of it. It’s a good idea, if you can, to get the fast-passes, which have to be pre-booked. Wear comfortable footwear and start at the back of each of your chosen parks and work your way forward. Take breaks, and head back to the hotel to rest when needed. We even went for swims! These are the basic tips that help you make the most of your stay.
It’s impossible in one review to do justice to all that is on offer in the parks — it’s certainly more than your heart’s desire. But it’s amazing with children how simplicity is nearly always best. Meeting Minnie Mouse was a real highlight for Issey, as was the spectacular newly-launched parade of all the best-known Disney characters which takes place every day.
This is a special year for Disneyland Paris as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. In true Disney style they are going full out to celebrate this landmark, so if it’s on your bucket list this is as good a year as any to make the trip. Aside from the new parade, there are a multitude of new shows to enjoy, so even for those who have made the magical journey before, there is a whole new experience to enjoy. Among the new shows are an enhanced Star Tours 3D intergalactic journey, two new spectacular events in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle and the stunning spectacle that is Disney Illuminations, which lights up the sky after sunset with projections, light effects, water jets, special effects and fireworks, and which has been specially created as the larger-than-life showpiece of the resort’s 25th anniversary.
Since it opened, there have been 300 million visits to Disneyland Paris and still they keep coming and coming; in search of more. And it never disappoints.
It is truly a wondrous place, a place where we can park our cynicism with life and where we can all just be children again.
If you don’t believe me about the wonders of Disneyland Paris, here’s what the real expert thought of it all...