or Surviving Disney with a Terrible Two
A few Saturday's ago, we threw a party for Sebastien's class to celebrate his second birthday
. All in all, it was a great day and much fun was had by all, including the mother's. At some point during the festivities, I was talking with one of the other mom's and she asked me if I thought that Disneyland was worth it for the 2 and 3 year old crowd. I can't tell you how often I hear this question...or the statement that Disneyland is not for young kids. I can see how people might think this but after having taken my kids (age 2 and 4) to DLRP roughly 12 times this year, I can tell you that it is "doable" with a 2 year old. In fact, not only can you do it, you can also have a great time in the process. But it takes a certain amount of "knowing the ropes" and planning...as well as an adjustment in expectations on the part of the parents. So, I thought I might share some of my hard earned knowledge so that others might take the plunge. In an effort to organize my scattered thought processes, I will address these issues with the typical who, what, when, where and how framework....albeit not in that order
. ( Sorry, I just realized how lawyerly that sounded...old habits and all ). At the very end of this, I will include some general insiders survival tips.
1) Who should go to Disneyland? By this I mean, what age of children should you take to Disneyland?
My take on this is that if they are old enough to be portable, they are old enough to go to Disney. We took Lucas to Disneyland in California at 18 months and he had a blast in the "Bugs Life" section in the Disney "California Adventure" park. We then went back to Disney in California when Lucas was 3 and Sebastien was 3 months....and we drove from San Jose to Anaheim (with me stopping to nurse every couple of hours). Once again, we had a great time. Not perfect, but great. Since moving to Paris, we have taken both kids to Disney roughly once or twice a month. I say all this to reassure you that you can do this. It is actually easier to take them when they are under 2 than when they are 2 or 3
. But even during the reign of the terrible two, it still makes a lot of sense to go. I will get into the why part later.
I will add one caveat here. It is important to try to maintain at least a one to one ratio of adults to kids. If not, they can get away from you and get lost really quick. This may happen anyway (see the blog I did on Disneyland Paris Security) but it is much less likely to happen the greater the ratio of adults to kids. Also, it just makes for a more pleasant experience.
2) When should I go to Disneyland (Paris)?
What I have seen written in several prominent travel sites is you should try to visit "on weekdays outside public holidays and school vacations" and "when the weather is good".....yeah, right. That approach would pretty much preclude you from ever going because the non rainy times are also the school holiday times. So you have to be more practical in your approach
. What I tell people is "good weather, holiday / weekend, un-crowded....pick 2". If you prioritize based on this, then you can prepare better. For example, if good weather and going on a weekend are really important to you then craft a strategy to deal with the crowds (i.e. Fast Pass system, going later in the day or going on rides during parades). If it is more important to you to go on a weekend and to have less crowds then pick a day where the weather forecast is more questionable. In Paris, the weather changes quickly, and I have had great success going to Disney on days that started out a bit rainy but ended up beautiful and sunny. If you can stand a little rain in the beginning, the payoff can be great. If you want good weather and less crowds then you should go on a weekday that is not during the holiday season. I have found that October, in particular, is really nice during the week. Plus, they have their Halloween decorations up. So, you get the drift.
3) How should I go? In this category I am including a lot of logistical things such as transportation, dining, and scheduling
.
Transportation
In the driving vs. public transport option, I side heavily with public transport and, sadly, not for any particularly noble reason. It is mainly that I think it is more convenient. We go to both Disney and Parc Asterix , so I have experienced quite a bit of both options, as you can get to Disney via the RER while you have to drive to Parc Asterix. It is almost always less stressful to take the RER. Why? First, it is likely that driving would actually take you longer than taking the RER. Second, your kids will have to be strapped into their car seats for the whole journey. While there are some obvious benefits to this, it can also leave you with very cranky crying children. Third, the train provides eye candy for your children both inside and outside. They can stare at the scenery (some of the way) or they can stare at other passengers. They can also play more easily with each other. I have found that if you get on one of the double decker trains you can use your stroller to "block off" four seats so that your kids have trouble escaping your little family area, yet they still feel like they have some freedom to move
. Another benefit of having them more accessible is that if you need to change a diaper, you just change them at your seat, as opposed to having to pull over or go to a rest stop if you are driving. Fourth, it is a great excuse NOT to buy bulky things. "If you buy it, you have to carry it home" has more significance if they are going on a train and then a bus than if they just have to take it to the car. Fifth, in the car you might have the late nap issue. You know, when they nap for an hour between 6 and 7 and then refuse to go to sleep...yeah that issue. It is less likely to happen in the train. Sixth, it is nice not to have to worry about gas...yes, I am that lazy.
Food
OK. You MUST plan this out. I have experienced the "let's just find a restaurant when we get there" approach and it doesn't work. Without fail you will end up eating crappy food after waiting in a line for far too long, which makes everyone cranky
...particularly Mom. You basically have three choices: bring your own food, eat junk food from the stands or make a reservation at a restaurant . Any of these options works out fairly well. We have had great success with ordering pizza the night before we go and then taking the rest with us to the park the next morning. I think, theoretically, you are not supposed to do this, but no one seems to care (you must appreciate the French attitude of indifference on this one). We have also "enjoyed" some of the hot dogs that we have gotten at the stands in Walt Disney Studios. On this side of DLRP, it is easy to get a quick meal at these stands and even to find a place to sit down and eat it. However, this is not so true on the Disneyland Park side, so beware! The restaurant option is the most expensive, so I have the general rule that if I am going to pay a fortune for marginal food then I expect to get a character experience with it. Therefore, we eat at the Lucky Nugget, Mickey's Cafe or, the Auberge de Cendrillion (be forewarned that this last one is actually great French food
....but super expensive).
To Nap or not to Nap
If your child still needs naps, you would be well advised to plan this into your schedule for the day. You basically will need to break your day up into pre and post nap activities. This is why I love the annual pass, as I don't feel bad about going for just half a day. This means that I can wait until after Seb naps to head to the park. This works well during the summer but not as well during winter when the park closes at 7 pm. The other option is to plan a way to get your child's nap in while you are at the park. For us, that has meant either putting Seb in the Ergo on Julien's back (where he falls asleep due to the heat and rocking) or putting him in his stroller and just walking around for a bit until he goes to sleep. We don't always succeed in getting the nap in, but I can tell you that if we don't we pay the price. Seb is miserable and he is quite generous about sharing his mood with all those around him
.
All that being said, I think it is important not to be held captive by your child's nap time. The majority of the time we manage to get Seb to sleep while we are walking around. It is only about 1 time in 4 that we aren't able to achieve this, and it usually comes from bad planning. For example, last time we forgot to change his diaper before we put him into the stroller to sleep. Thus he was uncomfortable and we had to then take him out and change it. So by that time we had lost the window of opportunity for napping. This is why you really must think ahead and be a bit OCD about planning your trip.
4) If I take the plunge and decide to take my 2 or 3 year old, where exactly should I take him?
Ah, here's the rub. You see, the "where" part will make or break your trip. Before I tell you what I consider the best places to take your most willful offspring, let me lay out the worst possible scenario
...which is, by the way, what most people do. The worst thing to do is to take your 2 year old to Disneyland Paris, to the Magic Kingdom side, in the middle of summer, on the weekend. And then drag him or her around the whole park so that you can "do everything". At the end of this, everyone WILL want to kill everyone else in the family...and you will have to make a hasty retreat to avoid upsetting Chip and Dale with the ensuing demonstration of your domestic bliss. So what, exactly, is wrong with this scenario? Let me detail it for you.
As I have already addressed the "when" issue, I will go straight to what is wrong with the "where"? First, the Magic Kingdom side of Disneyland is HUGE for a toddler. Hell, it is 140 acres, which is HUGE for an adult. There are 5 different themed areas here. Some are toddler friendly, some are not. And if you don't have a "game plan" you will end up running around like a crazy person, or waiting in ungodly lines. In some ways, having a toddler actually makes it easier in that it automatically limits your choices
....but you HAVE to do your homework and determine what you want to do before you go (see "what" below). The other issue with the Disneyland Park side of DLRP is the layout. The only entrance to the park is a gigantic bottleneck called "Main Street USA". As such, it severely restricts the flow of traffic in and out of the park. At peak entrance and exits times, it is so difficult to get in or out that they should have one of those signs that reads "persons who are pregnant or have a weak heart, high blood pressure or a short fuse should not enter". On top of this, Main Street is also one looming attractive nuisance, as it is lined with stores all displaying Disney merchandise that your child will believe that she simply must have...and right now. So when you add that to the bottleneck design, it is a recipe for the theme park equivalent of road rage. I hate to admit it but there have been times that I have used the stroller as a weapon to get through the crowd (sorry Seb). One small tip is that there are "side streets" on either side of Mainstreet USA. If you are trying to get in and out without the "buy it for me" tantrums or without succumbing to the desire to disembowel other guests, then USE THESE.
However, there is an alternative to the Magic Kingdom
. The Walt Disney Studios side of DLRP is a mere 50 acres. While it does have a bit of a bottleneck at the entrance, it very short. It is also inside and a bit dark, so it is easier to steer your children away from the buying opportunities. Once you get past this, the layout is fairly open. It is also always less crowded. This may be because people, erroneously, believe that it is for older kids. This is actively untrue. In fact, the ratio of toddler friendly activities to acres is much higher here (see below). An added bonus is that some of these activities are shows which require limited to no wait time. You gotta love that. It is also easier to get food from the carts, as well as being easier to have a character encounter.
All this being said, if I have limited time, I almost always go to Walt Disney Studios first. Then I go to the Disneyland Park side at the end of the day to see the parade, and to ride some of the toddler rides when the lines have thinned
. Last week we actually got to go on the Peter Pan ride with less than 10 minutes wait...unbelievable!
5) What exactly should I do while I am there? I will split this by parks and I will include the rides, and the activities.
Walt Disney Studios:
As I mentioned above, I am a big fan of the Walt Disney Studios side of the park. I think it is generally more toddler friendly as well as being less vulnerable to changes in weather. This is due to the fact that there are many "indoor" shows that get you out of inclement weather. While my sister and her husband were here, we went to Walt Disney Studios on one of those "questionable" weather days. In rained...it even hailed, but we managed to stay out of the weather by escaping to shows or ( in the case of me and Lucas) to covered lines. After about an hour of rotten weather, it cleared up and was a glorious day....and almost no one was there!
The Rides for the 3 and under crowd
.
a) Slinky Dog Zig Zag Spin: This is part of the new Toy Story Playland area. It is basically one of those spinning circular rides that is a bit similar to the "Himalaya". It is set up to look like Slinky Dog is chasing his tail round and round a giant dog food bowl. There is no height restriction on this ride and Seb loved it. So much so that we always have to go more than once...if the line permits. That being said, the line for this one can be long if you got during busy times.
b) Toy Soldier Parachute Drop: this one has a height requirement but it is only 81 cm. To be honest, I haven't taken Seb on this but I did take my 4 year old....who loved it. I could have taken Seb but it seemed a bit intense, even for my little adrenaline junkie.
c) Flying Carpets over Agra bah: Think Dumbo but with carpets instead. It is a great ride for the younger ones
. There is no height restriction. Plus, the lines are usually short. "Plus plus", there is even a Fast Pass for this. A Fastpass allows you to "reserve" a time to ride the ride. You simply go to the machine that is in the Fastpass area and swipe your tickets (this is why it is important to keep that ticket!). It will give you a small ticket which has a 20 to 30 minute block of time in which you can return to ride the ride and "jump" the line. This is an incredibly important process to understand if you want to have a happier time at Disney...anywhere you go.
d) Cars Quatre Roues Rallye: I saved Seb's favorite for last. This ride is based on the movie "Cars" and it features small cars all spinning in circles and seeming to miss each other by mere inches. It is a little like a smaller, cars version of a "scrambler". Seb calls this "ri ride". He adores it. He protests vigorously when we have to leave it after the second or third go :). Lines on this one are usually reasonable except for peak periods
. For more squeamish kids, it might not work, but if your kid likes a bit of thrill, this one is great.
The Shows for the 3 and Under crowd.
This is where I think the Walt Disney Studios shines. The shows all have show times, they are in various languages, the waiting area is out of the elements and the shows are generally loved by the kids!
a) Playhouse Disney Live on Stage: If you are familiar with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, then you get the basic premise. This is a stage performance with puppets. The area is set up with a stage and then lots of floor space for the kids to sit on. It is interactive and provides tactile as well as visual stimulus (bubbles come down on the audience at some point, and foil leaves at another). It lasts 20 to 30 minutes, although to be honest I haven't clocked it. Seb has so much fun here that we have been multiple times...in several languages
. It was surprising to me, but he doesn't seem to care what language Mickey is speaking. As an adult, it gives you an interesting opportunity to view different cultures and their reactions to the show. The English speaking audience is very different from the French s peaking audience who are very different from the Spanish speaking audience. So, it is quite fun for all. Lucas also likes it, but with less of the unabashed abandon with which Seb loves it.
b) Stich Live!: This is another character interactive show. However, Stitch is on a video and directly interacts with audience members through questions and answers. Every time I have seen this, it has been quite clever and both Seb and Lucas were completely engaged. However, my sister saw it the other day with Seb and said that the "cast member" who was interacting with Stitch was less than enthusiastic. Hmmmm, someone forgot his morning coffee??!? But still, fun for the little ones
... if a bit edgy. It can also be a bit hard to keep the young ones from rushing the stage, as it were.
c) Animagique: This is more like your typical stage production than Stitch or Playhouse Disney. But that doesn't make it any less appealing for the terrible two group. I think this is partially because it is a black light show, which ends up being very visually appealing. The story line is basically that Donald steals Mickey's key to the Disney Movie Vault and then gets to see several characters from several movies in their natural habitat. There is lots of singing and the production is great. It is fairly long, but it engages both my kids for the length of it...even after going several times.
d) CineMagique; WARNING WARNING WARNING: I am including this because you DO NOT want to take your young ones, despite the fact that there is no age restriction. It shows lots of clips from lots of different movies, including very scary ones
. It included the pea soup scene from the Exorcist...need I say more?
Activities
a) Disney's Stars and Cars: This is the parade on the Walt Disney Studios side. Basically, it is characters being driven through the main thoroughfare in various interesting cars. What makes this different is that it features characters that you don't see on the Disneyland side, including Mulan, Mushu, Lilo, Stitch, Remy and the villains Gaston, and the Evil Queen from Snow White. It isn't terribly long but it is good fun and easy to see.
b) Character Encounters: There are three places to meet with the characters at WDS. One in the courtyard before the shops, one next to Animagique and one near Crush's coaster. The lines tend to be shorter here so you can more easily meet the characters. We have also seen a few just wandering around, including Jafar.
All in all, you can spend a full day at this park alone
. But it is also good for a half a day before you head to Disneyland Park....if you are brave enough.
Disneyland Park:
As I mentioned before, this is a HUGE park, and you WILL NOT get through all if it in a day or even a week...so don't torture yourself trying. I will highlight the best activities for the toddler contingent, as some of them are scattered in odd places.
The Rides for the Under 3's
Fantasyland:
Fantasyland as a whole has no height restrictions, so one would be inclined to believe that all the rides are good for the little ones. This would be inaccurate. I will list the rides that I think are toddler friendly first and then the ones that I think are less so.
The good...
a) Peter Pan's Flight: This ride offers a Fastpass, and you will need it
. The lines for this ride are usually 45 minutes at a minimum. The only times I have seen it less than that is near closing time, when we have been able to get on in less than 15. I think this is because it is a ride aimed at younger audiences who are going home to bed. While this is one of the older rides but still manages to be very magical in that it seems like you are flying over London and Never Never land. It is not particularly scary and more time is spent on the heroes than the villains
b) Le Carousel de Lancelot: It's a carousel, and a pretty good one. But there are tons all over Paris. It is good for the littlest one's though, so keep that in mind.
c) Dumbo the Flying Elephant: This one is such a historic Disney ride that you really have to go on it once. In truth it is almost the same as Aladdin's carpets and the line is usually obscenely long... with no Fastpass, But it is worth doing once. I would try it at the end of the day once again
. You may luck out.
d) "It's a Small World": This is 10 to 15 minutes of bliss if you are tired. It is a boat ride through a serious of dolls representing different countries and all singing "it's a small world". My kids both love it and have continued to love it. I love it because it is 15 minutes of calm. The downside is that your children WILL learn the words and they WILL sing it...incessantly.
e) Le Pays des Contes de Fees: Tucked away in a little space behind, and to the left, of "It's a small world", this is a gem that is great for 2 to 3 year olds. It is basically a boat ride that takes you through miniatures of several Disney stories. It is actually quite cute and has lights and music as you pass each area. Also, because it is tucked away in a corner, the lines tend to be much shorter. Great for a tired toddler.
f) Casey Jr: In the same area as Le Pay des Contes de Fees, this is a little train that is actually quite thrilling for the toddler group
. It is set up like a circus train and is quite fast with a few sharp angles. It seemed a bit more like a cross between a train and a tiny roller coaster. Seb loved it, even when he was tired. It, too, has short lines because of where it is located.
g) Alice's Curious Labyrinth: It's a labyrinth, and it has all the pro's and cons of the same. On a sunny, warm day it is fun to chase your kids around assuming there aren't too many people there. Otherwise it could turn into "where my kids at?" very quickly.
The not so good....
a) Mad Hatter's Teacups: This actually seems to be a bit boring for the younger crowd. They are too short to see around them very well, so they don't get the "high" of the spinning part of it. Plus, it is fairly hard to spin and doesn't go that fast. There are also usually fairly long lines. I'd say that a 3 year old will probably like it, but not so much for the 2's
.
The bad...
a) Blanche Neige et les Sept Nain: This is the Snow White ride. In theory, there is no height or age restriction. In truth , it is dark, and scary with more than fifty percent of the ride being taken up with images of the witch. I find it creepy. Sebastien usually looks a bit shocked when we come out at the end, which is why I have stopped taking him on it. The lines are shorter than Peter Pan....but there is a reason.
b) Pinocchio: This falls into the same creepy category as Snow White. Dark. Scary. With a giant whale that jumps out at you with teeth bared. Who thought this was good for little kids?? Obviously someone who didn't have to deal with the nightmares afterward.
Discoveryland:
This used to be called Futureland in the old Disneyland of California. But I guess they discovered how quick future becomes past
. So here it is called Discoveryland. There are limited options here for toddlers. Once again I will go from the best to the worst of the things that your toddler could conceivably go on.
The good....
a) Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast: I was surprised that Sebastien liked this ride. I was also a bit surprised that there were not age or height restrictions. To me it seems way too loud, too noisy and too bright. However, Seb loves it, as does Lucas. It is a "car" type ride where you shoot "lasers" at Emperor Zurg and his minions. You get points for every time you hit a target. It's fun but I am very disturbed by the fact that my 4 year old always gets better scores than me. Actually, Seb got a better score than me once. I don't want to ponder that one too long. At any rate, another pro of this is that it has a Fastpass. Use it!
a) Orbitron: Think Dumbo but with spaceships and planets
. Seb loved this, as he has a thing for spaceships. The problem is that the line tends to be awful, as it is one of the few rides in Discoveryland that is accessible to toddlers. This is another ride to go on at the end of the day.
The bad...
a) Les Mysteres du Nautilus: I only put this in the bad category because the thing is NEVER open. I have yet to go to Disney when I have seen it open, so I have no idea what it is. Perhaps they should get rid of it and put in something that works.
b) Autopia: This is cars that you drive on tracks. There is a height restriction of 81 cm but that is not what makes it bad. This one has some of the worst lines I have seen, short of Crush's coaster. As the payoff for Crush's Coaster is so great, I am willing to wait in the God awful line with Lucas (who waits patiently for 90 minutes to get on this thing). I am not, however, willing to wait in a line that long for a ride that is, quite frankly, largely outdated
.
c) Captain EO: I know it's not politically correct, as he's dead and all, but .....Eeeeeewwwwww.
Adventureland:
This land has now been made more famous by "Pirates of the Caribbean". In fact, you can find character encounters with Captain Jack at certain spots in Adventureland. That being said, this area has few attractions for toddlers and the ones it has are spread out.
The good....
a) Pirates beach: while not a ride, this is a great spot for toddlers. It is a pirate inspired play area with lots of fun slides and such. And it is split into two sides, one for toddlers and one for older kids. As a parent, you can easily watch both at the same time. The only down side is that there are no gates at the entrance so you will occasionally have to tackle you toddler as he makes a run for it. Still, it is a great place to them to run off energy while you are waiting for your Fastpass to Buzz Lightyear.
b) Pirates of the Caribbean: This is a boat ride with no height restrictions. It could be scary for some toddlers as there are guns and pirates chasing people. Mine had no problem with this. I guess this depends on the kid. The lines do tend to be long, but not as long as you might think. Why? Because it is tucked away at the very back of Disneyland. This means it is also a royal pain to get there. However, once you make it in, it is another longish ride. It is a bit like "it's a small world"....but where the dolls kill each other. Hmmmm, I wonder why Seb isn't scared.
the bad...
a) La Cabane des Robinson: Treehouse. Toddler. These are two terms that should be mutually exclusive.
b) Adventure Isle: Dark caves. Dimly lit staircases. See above.
Frontierland:
Frontierland, as a whole, does not lend itself to the toddler crowd, with one caveat....Holiday Season. During Halloween, Frontierland becomes Halloweenland. During Christmas, it seems that Santa's post office is located here. So, during these seasons, it is worth taking a quick tour through. Plus, there are character encounters in Woody's Roundup Village, where there tend to be fewer people. We saw Mickey in his Halloween best here. As for rides, there are really none that I would recommend. While Big Thunder Mountain and Phantom Manor are favorites of Lucas, Seb is too short for the first and too young for the second. There is a fun play area called Pocahontas Indian Village which the boys love, but it is a bit far away from everything to be really practical, unless you are already there.
Main Street USA
I would say avoid it like the plague...but you can't. There are also some cool things that happen here. For example, the parades go down Main Street and the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony (complete with man made snow) take place here. In addition, it is a great place to buy things, if you are so inclined.
6) Why should I go to Disneyland with my toddler? Yes, the final and over arching question.
For me, I can answer this with one word....sleep. It is impossible for an adult to wear a toddler out. They just have more energy than we do, full stop. However, you can let the Magic of Disney do it for you. Somehow, after a day at Disneyland, both my kids come home excited and happy. Admittedly, they tend to be a bit harder to put down at night after this. But when I do, they sleep.
Is there any other reason to go other than the selfish parental desire for a full 8 hours of sleep? Yes. When you go to Disney with your toddler, you can have moments where you see it all through their eyes...and sometimes you can even remember how you felt when you were that young. It is almost like the way you remember a scent that you haven't smelled in a long time. It is a deep kind of déjà vu When I see Sebastien frantically clapping his hands during Playhouse Disney, the look of awe on his face is something that I will remember and cherish as he gets older and more jaded. Mickey is a rock star to Sebastien. And to get a hug or kiss from Mickey would be the same as Johnny Depp coming up and giving you a hug. Disney deals in dreams, and they do it well. To be able to believe in a dream may not be limited to childhood but it is certainly easier then. But when I see my kids so happy and engaged in something that they consider magic, it reminds me (the adult) that there really is magic everywhere, if you just look around for it.
And now, on the more practical side,
General Tips for Surviving Disney with a Toddler
1) Magic Hours: This doesn't apply unless you are staying in a hotel or are a Dream Pass Holder. But if you are, you are able to get into the park 2 hours before it opens. This sounds a bit more fabulous than it is because only Fantasyland and Discoveryland that are open, and not all the rides in those. But it is the opportunity to ride Peter Pan and Buzz Lightyear before the crowds. This is obviously more worth it in the summer when the days are longer and the crowds larger.
2) Get Fastpasses: I mentioned this before, but this really is the way to go. Find a ride that has a Fastpass, and then ride other rides until you Fastpass comes up. Be aware, however, that you cannot have more than one Fastpass per ticket at any given time. Thus, you can't go get Fastpasses for Buzz, and Peter Pan at the same time.
3) Baby Switch: This is a great offering from Disney. It is designed, basically, so that younger children don't have to wait in awful lines. How it works is that one parent waits in line (either with an older sibling or by themselves). Just before you get on the ride you ask for a baby switch. They will then give you a little piece of paper which will allow your spouse to skip the line and ride. We use this on Crush's Coaster all the time. That way both parents get the chance to ride, and Lucas is able to ride twice. He often says "Thanks Seb" after this ride is over.
4) Don't underestimate a parade: It seems a bit counter intuitive, but if you need a break, a parade often offers it to you. It is 30 minutes during which your children will sit glued to one spot....just like TV but without the parental guilt. One thing is that you must get a good spot before the parade begins or you will be forced to hold your darling, squirmy toddler on your shoulders...which becomes painful after a while.
5) For Iphone Users: There is an Disneyland Paris application that just came out. It gives you show times from wherever you are and wait times when you are in the park. Originally, I was really excited about this app. However, the glamor did fade over time. The problem is that it promises to give you the wait times for the shows, but only when you are inside the park. And even when you are there, it only works about half of the time. I could forgive this if it wasn't an official Disney app. Another downside that exists, and will always exist, in an "official" Disney app is that the content is scrubbed so clean that it is of little value. This is one of the reasons I write about this stuff. There is one other , unofficial, Disney app that gives you wait times based on input from park goers. It has been surprisingly good, not perfect, but good. But, once again, it only gives you the wait times.
6) Strikes: This is Paris. There are strikes...often. However, this is one time where it can work to your advantage. It seems that whenever there is a strike, everyone is too paranoid to get on the train to go to Disney. Both times I have been during strikes, it has been EMPTY. It's great. And the RER A is usually fairly resistant to problems from the strikes. Try it next time.
So there you have it, as much of my painfully earned knowledge as I could squeeze out of what brain I have left. Now, go forth bravely into that sea of humanity that is Disneyland Resort Paris.. Don't forget the diapers!
If you found this useful, check out my app for Iphone / Ipad called "An Unofficial Guide to Disneyland Paris". http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/unofficial-guide-to-disneyland/id521482686?mt=8
Disneyland Paris: Best rides for toddlers
Monday, September 27, 2010
Paris, Ile-de-France, France
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Comments

2025-02-10
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Mali
2011-08-02
thanks so much for this voerview - well written , great tips, funny :-) we are going in two weeks for the first time to EuroDisney with a two year old and a six year old - i am dreading the lines and the crowds but your overview calmed me down a bit --- here we gooooooo
selenapan9
2011-08-04
Thanks! It can be wonderful even on crowded days if you manage your expectations and go against the flow of people traffic. Also, if you have an Iphone there are two Disneyland Paris apps you should download. The first one is from Disneyland Paris itself. The pros of this is that once you are inside the park you can find out where things are, check the schedule for parades and shows and, in theory, check the wait times on each ride. The cons are that you can't check showtimes or wait times outside the park, and that even in the park it is often hard to get a signal to check the wait time. That is why I downloaded the "other" Disneyland Paris app, called "DLP Waits". It is just the wait times and you can check it before you get into the park. That is the big pro. The cons are that this is all it has and that, as functions by having people who are there input wait times, it is not always letter perfect...but often close enough. With both of these going, you can kind of get an idea of where to go first. Be brave, stay strong, and bring rain gear. When it rains everyone clears out, and you can have a lovely time!
Laurene
2011-09-01
Thank you so much for this......so glad i stumbled across your post! Planning a visit from scotland late November with 2 and 4yr old and was starting to have 2nd thoughts! Mostly other people putting me off!
selenapan9
2011-09-02
Congratulations on taking the plunge! If you can stand a liitle rain (which I am sure you can) November is a great time. Fewer crowds and the Christmas decorations are up! Santa also hangs out in Frontierland where you can post a letter to him and he will send you a postcard back. For a shorter line for this can be found at Walt Disney Studios near Mickey Mouse clubhouse live on stage.
Enjoy!
Yanna
2011-10-21
Loved your post! A very good insight of something that I find very anxious to experience with my 10, 7 & 2 year old (esp with the 2 yr old being a boy!).. Adding further to my fear is bringing them this coming winter in Mid December! Have you been there when it snows? Would appreciate some advice as I come from a country with only a single season :)
selenapan9
2011-10-22
Hi,
Thanks! On your timing, mid December is less of a problem from the weather perspective than from the crowd perspective. The kids get out of school here December 18th. From that point on, every day will be fairly crowded. However, if you are here on a weekday before those dates, TAKE ADVANTAGE of those days. The park could be fairly empty.
In terms of weather, we have been during the snow, rain, hail, sun..you name it. If the weather is bad, the Walt Disney Studios side is a better bet, as they have great shows and most of the lines for rides are covered. It is also smaller, so you don't have to be in the weather as much going from ride to ride. However, I don't think mid December you are likely to get snow or really nasty weather. It happens, but its rare. Of course, bring warm clothing, and changes of clothing with you if you have small ones.
December also has the Christmas activities, so everyday it "snows" on Main Street U.S.A. This snow is fake and not cold though :). It's a nice time to visit.
Good luck and feel free to ask any additional questions
Yanna
2011-10-23
Thank you for your prompt reply & insight.. You've been a great help to a friend across the world (it'll take us 13 hours to get there!). I'm in luck as I will be in Paris on 13 Dec and in Disney from 16 to 18 Dec before leaving for London! With the info you gave me, I hope the weather is kind & we'll have a "non-crowded" park to enjoy!
And knowing that we'll experience "snow", even though if it's fake, excites my children (and I) as we are Asians with just rain & shine all year round..
You're doing a great deed of putting moms at ease with your well written posts/blogs. Keep it up & may God bless you for your efforts :)
Katerina Hendry
2011-11-29
Thanx for lovely article, We are going to Disneyland second time now....I have take my 4 y.o. daughter this April for her birthday, but we spent there only 2 days, so this time we are going for 6 days including my mum, mym 4 y.o. and my 1 year old daughters. We are going there for New Year, just worry how i going to cope with them, especially in cold weather condition. Planning to buy annual pass.