I have written on it in my blog way back and already told you about my escapades with the family here and Florida USA for many years. It is a park to visit with younger kids and good for the whole family. Let me bring some updates to my previous post. Oh yes ,the title of course, says it all, Disneyland Paris is here to stay, in Europe!
Well here it is by popular demand Mickey invasion of France and Europe ! It started very slow, even lack of crowds, bad marketing, many fine tuning ever since including the addition of serving wine inside the park; and now its cruising ,very popular. It used to be called Euro Disney Resort then Disneyland Paris Resort to now Disneyland Paris. It has been a huge success, the most visited theme park in Europe , the largest Disney resort to open outside the Unites Staets , and the only resort outside the USA that is completely owned by the Walt Disney Company!. Uniquely Franco-American cooperation!
I have lived for many years within an hour of World Disney in Orlando ,FL, USA, so many trips there with 3 boys and plenty of family and friends visits, including concerts at night. Coming over to France, it seems not important to go here, tented many times but never did until finally the boys cried out as we got a great deal at work 21€ admission for all the parks for one day with parking included, so there we went… It was only about 1h30 from where we lived.
Disneyland Paris has two parks so far , Disneyland Park, and Walt Disney Studios Park, and nature resorts Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch, and Villages Nature Paris. For shopping and dining out you have Disney Village, an entertainment district containing a variety of restaurants, entertainment venues and shops. And Val d’Europe, a shopping center (mall) with a variety of outlet shops and large department stores.
You have easy connection from Paris many stations of the train RER A line to Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy station located between the theme parks and Disney Village. It also goes to Gare de Lyon. There are TGV connection as well to many cities in France ,including Vannes where I am now. There are services from and to London St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International by Eurostar. There are also Thalys services to both Brussels and Amsterdam. Free shuttle buses provide transport to all Disney hotels and Les Villages Nature® Paris (except Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch) and Associated Hotels.
The town chosen for its main entrance is Chessy. You get here by car on the autoroute A4 exit/sortie 12,1 as we always do. There is , so they tell me a bus service straight from the airports that service Paris such as CDG , Orly,and Beauvais, the service is call VEA, and the webpage in English is here : http://vea-shuttle.co.uk/disney-paris-shuttle-rates.asp
Some tips, it is always better to be there ahead of opening time, even if waiting in line for most shows open 10h but check the season you are coming for the hours as they can change and be there at least 30 min opening time shown, you will be ahead of the crowds. Have planning with your family the rides ,attractions you want to see most, and head for those first upon entering. Hold your lunches late, as when they are eating you are in ::) Bring picnic items , there is a picnic section just before entering the park to your left, or coming out of the RER A turn to your left as if going out of the park and the picnic area will be on your right. Buy the tickets ahead of time, either at the Disney webpage or this site we use in France, in French , at any FNAC store in Paris, more info in English here: FNAC tickets for Disneyland Paris
Marne-la-Vallée Chéssy where the resort was built, it was for many years agricultural and unused lands, near the region of my dear late wife Martine (Seine et Marne dept 77) . It has become just like Orlando, FL did , a humming ground of buildings houses, apartments, stores, shops, malls, growing every month. People ask me when is best times, well difficult question but the Disney folks tells you to plan to stay mid-week Tuesdays to Thursdays during mid-January through mid-March or mid-April through mid-May.
Of course, our favorites were Space Mountain ride, the Star Wars galaxy ride, the IMAX movie cinema, the Rainforest Cafe resto, Planet Hollywood resto, for French Auberge de Cendrillon at Fantasyland. Official Disneyland Paris webpage: Official Disneyland Paris in English
Our lodging was at the old Holiday Inn Disneyland, now call Vienna International Magic Circus Hotel with game rooms, circus decoration, large good resto and the best the indoor heated swimming pool with all facilities and amenities the kids love it. The webpage is here: https://www.viennahouse.com/fr/magic-circus-paris/hotel/vue-densemble.html
For our favorite shopping mall Val d’Europe , and great it is go here, in French more info: https://val-d-europe.klepierre.fr/Shopping . The Sea Life Aquarium next to Val d’Europe actually attach to it is great for the whole family and we had visited. More info here: https://www.visitsealife.com/paris/
There are huge investments coming up with about 2B USD even a Star Wars pavilion. This is a site to keep up with the renovations and improvements in Disneyland Paris: https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-gb/eep
If you are from other than the USA do come here it’s very nice, if you are from the USA do come here its different, less, but French, and you want to brag back home you were here too. Hope you enjoy your family stay at Disneyland Paris (see read is not in Paris but in Chessy, Seine et Marne dept 77 , region of Ïle de France!).
Hope you enjoy the post. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 