Life & Style | Travel
Making the magic work
The Disneyland Paris Resort, with exciting rides and interactive shows with Disney characters, is every child's dream come true
- By Amelia Naidoo, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:23 June 26, 2009
Disneyland Paris Resort is “the place where dreams come true''. The theme park is geared towards families and you will find several services and amenities that will make life easier if you take the time to do a little research. A fairytale ending is quite possible!
Geared for kids and tots
As I checked in at the Disneyland Hotel for my solo three-day, two-night stay, it was quite apparent that children take centre stage at the resort.
In the lobby, kids were delighted with balloons handed out by Disney cartoon characters during the meet-and-greet sessions.
Other conveniences — such as baby accessories, cots and bottle warmers — are available on request.
If your kids and tots are raring to get on the rides, a good place to start would be Disneyland Park's Fantasyland — a fairytale kingdom with enough candyfloss to set any little girl's heart aflutter.
Rides such as It's a Small World is a must for younger children, as is Lancelot's Carousel, Mad Hatter's Teacups, Peter Pan's Flight and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Also a big attraction is Sleeping Beauty's Castle, situated at the heart of the Disneyland Park.
In Adventureland, climbing the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse will tire out even the most energetic child. In Frontierland, children can explore the Pocahontas Indian Village while parents catch their breath.
Discoveryland's Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, inspired by Toy Story 2, will have you and the kids launched to “infinity and beyond'' as a new Space Ranger recruit.
Main Street USA has the charm of an old American and comes with horse-drawn trams and a steam train circling Disneyland Park. At the Walt Disney Studios Park, the Flying Carpets over Agrabah allows little ones to take control and pilot a ride.
Mickey's magical party
A year-long celebration, which kicked off in April this year and will run till March next year, features entertainment and shows led by Mickey Mouse and friends at all the parks.
Guests can check out:
- It's Party Time … with Mickey and Friends, which takes place several times a day on the Central Plaza Stage in Main Street, USA, where Mickey, Donald, Pluto, Goofy and friends demonstrate song-and-dance moves.
- It's Dance Time … in Discoveryland, where DJ Stitch mixes hip hop and break beats in a dance show that demonstrates Stitch's turntable prowess and the breathtaking moves of his lightning-footed dancers.
- Minnie's Party Train runs along Main Street, USA, where the “train'' is actually a street party and meet-and-greet, during which Minnie introduces guests to all her best friends.
- Disney's Stars ‘n' Cars show is held every day at Walt Disney Studios Park. Stars from Aladdin to Disney Villains roll up in customised vehicles.
- Playhouse Disney — Live on Stage! brings the Disney Channel hit TV show Playhouse Disney to life. Kids can share the stage with characters such as Handy Manny, Little Einsteins and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Crew.
Thrill seekers paradise
Popular rides at the resort have lines that snake interminably around them. If you don't have the patience to wait more than 45 minutes for a ride, buy a Fastpass ticket that allows you to jump the queue.
But others will also have bought those, so you will have to queue for about 10-15 minutes.
The resort's best ride is the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at the Walt Disney Studios Park. As you board the 13-storey haunted hotel's decrepit freight elevator, you plummet faster than the speed of gravity.
It's a blood-curdling experience that will have you holding on for dear life. I loved the ride so much I rode it five times.
What makes Disneyland Paris Resort's scary rides superiorly frightening is its attention to detail in terms of props, costumes of staff members (or cast members, as they prefer to call themselves) and things such as lighting and paint finishes.
When you enter The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, you see cracked walkways, unread mail that waits at the front desk, a forgotten set of luggage that stands nearby, a dusty glass and a layer of dust and cobwebs in the lobby.
Crush's Rollercoaster — inspired by Finding Nemo — is a family ride at Walt Disney Studios Park.
The ride is unusual in that it doesn't turn you upside down in a forward motion — it twists, turns, drops and spins you using gravity, the weight distribution and number of riders and number of riders to create unexpected twists and turns along the way.
Another attraction is the rollercoaster in the form of a runaway train on Big Thunder Mountain at Frontierland.
Pirates of the Caribbean fans will enjoy exploring the castle and pirate ship on Adventureland, which is set in a lush jungle and waterfalls.
Take a ride through the castle to witness the exploits of the rogues of the high seas. The Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril at Adventureland sets your pulse racing as it takes you through an archaeological site in the jungle.
The Rock ‘n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is an opportunity to “ride the music'' with 120 speakers as you go from 0-100km/h in less than three seconds.
If you're at Discoveryland, Space Mountain takes you on a trip through the galaxy, with several of catapults, loops and twists.
After-action satisfaction
This is your vacation too. So when the Sun sets, leave the kids with the babysitting service and head down to the entertainment district of Disney Village.
If you have the energy for it, you can party at Hurricanes Discotheque, inspired by party nights in Florida's Key West.
Billy Bob's Country Western Saloon and The Sports Bar are also options after a long day of rides.
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show (the kids will enjoy this too) is where you enjoy a feast chow — cornbread, meat skillet and chilli fit for a cowboy — while watching cowboys and Indians perform horseback stunts.
If you choose to watch the action up close, note that you will also be able to smell the horses, which is perhaps not the best option if you're having a meal.
An Imax theatre at Disney Village shows in 2-D and 3-D, and PanoraMagique, the largest tethered balloon in the world, located on Lake Disney, gives romance seekers the chance to float 100 metres above Disneyland Resort Paris for six minutes.
Golf Disneyland is open year-round and seven days a week and golf enthusiasts can enjoy playing a round in tranquillity.
Go there . . . Paris . . . From the UAE
Package includes flight on Emirates and one night free stay in selected Hilton property.
Fare from Dh2,895
Austrian Airlines flies daily via Vienna.
Fare from Dh2,645
Turkish Airlines flies daily via Istanbul.
Fare from Dh2,125
— Information courtesy: The Holiday Lounge by Dnata.
Ph: 04 4380454
Lay of the land
Situated 32 kilometres east of Paris, the massive park spanning 1,943 hectares incorporates Disneyland Park (divided into five themed lands: Main Street USA, Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland), Walt Disney Studios Park, seven Disney-themed hotels with a total capacity of 5,800 rooms, two convention centres, the Disney Village entertainment and retail district and a 27-hole golf course.
The resort is accessible with direct links to Paris via the RER train network and shuttle buses to and from both Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports.
The opening of the Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy TGV station provides direct links to Disneyland Resort Paris from all over France and Europe.
Eurostar's new high-speed link takes just two hours and 50 minutes from London Waterloo and under two hours from Ashford International.
Smooth ride
- Use the babysitting service. It means enjoying a well-earned refreshment or a romantic meal.
- Buy a Fastpass if you hate lines and want to ride big attractions, such as Big Thunder Mountain, Peter Pan's Flight, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Star Tours, Space Mountain: Mission 2 and Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast.
- Arrive early, so you are not queuing too long for rides or having to stand at the back of the crowd during parades.
- Use the Baby Switch service. While one grown-up rides the attraction, the other can wait at the front with the baby.
- Hire a pushchair or a stroller if you have younger children. Walking around the park with a child on your shoulders is exhausting after a couple of hours.
- Study the resort map to pinpoint attractions you want to check out.
- Don't worry if you can't speak English. Almost all staff can speak conversational English and are, in fact, quite happy to use it.
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