Marvel in wonder
Neil Gallagher and daughter Amy head to Disneyland Paris
Elsa made it snow!” my delighted daughter Amy shrieked as her favourite princess rode past in the parade. The look of wonder on her face was a joy to behold. We had only been at Disneyland Paris for a couple of hours but the ice queen’s magic had already left its mark on my Frozen-mad four-year-old.
It typifies what makes the theme park so special – moments of unexpected joy can be found for visitors of all ages – whether it’s a chance meeting with Mickey, a gut-shredding ride like Crush’s Coaster, or in this case a bit of Elsa’s snow magic.
Lights fantastic
But enough about Arendelle’s finest for now. We are at the theme park for the end of the 30th-anniversary celebrations and to witness the premiere of the Avengers: Power The Night drone extravaganza.
And it is quite some show. Based at the park’s Avengers Campus, the eight-minute spectacular features Black Panther, Captain America, Doctor Strange and other characters using a combination of 500 drones, lights and fireworks.
The Twilight Zone of Terror at the Walt Disney Studios Park provides the backdrop for the breathtaking show running every evening from now until May 8.
The Disney displays really are something special and you shouldn’t visit the park without witnessing the amazing Disney D-light too.
In this show, the park’s most famous building, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, provides the canvas for a mesmerising mix of music, lights, fountains, fireworks and drones. Both shows are a bit late for little ones but they’re worth it.
Marvellous Avengers
A lot has changed since my last visit nine years ago and a lot of the developments centre around the Marvel franchise.
The Avengers Campus in the Studios Park is a must-see for all Marvel fans – where else can you bump into your favourite superheroes? Make sure you look up as well as many of your favourites can be seen performing rooftop displays.
Understandably the campus has a very different look and feel to the rest of Disneyland with sleek futuristic buildings and a Quinjet on display.
If you are tall enough – Amy wasn’t – you can take the Avengers Assemble: Flight Force rollercoaster but there is also the more family friendly Spider-man W.E.B. Here you can unleash your inner Spider-man – or woman – and sling your own webs to catch the out of control Spider-bots before they run amok in the campus. There is even a scoreboard to compare against the other recruits.
The best way to meet your favourite superhero is at the ‘Training Center’”. A clever virtual queuing system means you can meet Iron Man or Spidey in next to no time.
Even taking a snap with your fave has gone all futuristic. Multiple cameras take a series of pictures in quick succession which are put together to make a 3D image. A marvellous selfie, perhaps?
We stopped for a spot of lunch at the brilliant PYM Kitchen. More laboratory than standard restaurant, chefs use Ant-man and the Wasp’s PYM Particle technology, or so they say, to shrink and grow ingredients. So giant dishes of paella and the tiniest of burgers are on offer.
Don’t worry if some of the portions are small – it’s a buffet so you can go back as many times as you like. Who knows, it may well be the future of nouvelle cuisine.
Hotel for heroes
The other place the Avengers make their presence felt is at the Hotel New York. The Art Deco-inspired mini skyscraper was given a Marvel makeover in 2021 and is now full of pictures and props of the comic-book heroes.
Each room has its own artwork – Black Panther adorned our walls – and there is a Super Hero Station where you have another chance to meet the Avengers.
Sadly, on my own with a fouryear-old, I wasn’t able to enjoy an Old Fashioned in the Skyline bar but I did enjoy the very comfy bed – essential after a day of walking around the parks. And the mirror which turned into a TV, showing Disney favourites, naturally, was rather snazzy.
You can also recharge your batteries in the indoor and outdoor pools and health spa but the Hotel New York – Art of Marvel scores most points for being just a 10-minute walk from the parks.
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The castle provides the canvas for music, drones, fountains and fireworks
Art of queueing
The hotel’s close proximity not only saves your legs, it also helps you
beat the queues. And there will be queues. Disneyland Paris is, of course, extremely popular and that inevitably means you are going to be sharing rides with thousands of others.
But guests staying at the site’s hotels can get into the park an hour before the rest of the public and that is the ideal time to head for the most popular rides. An early breakfast can give you a head start.
The park’s app is a great help too. Its brilliant map tells you how long the wait is for each ride and how long it will take you to walk there – if you don’t get distracted along the way.
Another good time to head for the most popular rides is when the parade is in full swing on Main Street. But DO make time to see it at least once otherwise you might, heaven forbid, miss Elsa.
You can throw money at the problem and buy a queue-busting Disney Premier Access pass. Although with daily prices starting at €90 in low season you have to be a rollercoaster fanatic to get your money’s worth.
Park life
Disneyland Paris is vast and you have to plan. The main park is split into five areas – Main Street (where most of the shops are), Frontierland,
Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland. There is also the separate Walt Disney Studios, home to Pixar and the Avengers.
Check out the map, choose an area and stick to it until you’ve had your fill, otherwise you will waste time tramping between the lands.
Also, book your meals in advance of your arrival and you are guaranteed to eat at your restaurant of choice without having to wait.
Most of the restaurants are buffet style – an ideal way to refuel kids as they don’t have to wait and can see exactly what they are getting. Also take time to visit the indoor shows at the studios. We inevitably saw the delightful Frozen: A Musical Invitation with Let It Go sung in French. Who says Disney isn’t educational?
The mixture of live actors, models and lights provided Amy with an experience she will never forget. I know this as a fact as she hasn’t stopped talking about it.
An hour before we were due to leave we went for one last look at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. As we did so, we stumbled across the Gardens of Wonder – sculptures depicting 30 of Disney’s most popular films. We spent a blissful half-hour wandering about trying to work out all the films and remembering the stories and the characters. It was a simple pleasure after all the high-octane fun but reminded me that with Disney the next slice of unexpected joy is always just around the corner.
‘‘ The mix of live actors and lights gave Amy a holiday she’ll never forget