Life with Mrs C

Welcome to our joint blog post! Gemma and I are so excited to share our Top 10 Things to Do at Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris. With so many magical experiences to choose from, narrowing it down was no easy task! From enchanting shows to underrated details, there’s so much more to explore beyond the rides; which is why we’ve saved our favourite rides for another blog post. Plus, if you’re curious about our top picks at Walt Disney Studios Park, be sure to check out my blog for that list. Together, we’ve crafted a list that captures the magic of Disneyland Park from both of our perspectives. Let’s dive into the magic!

1 – Meet Mickey

How can you possibly visit Disneyland Paris without meeting the main man himself! It would be a crime to not go and say hi to this mouse marvel and thank him for the best trip ever! Don’t forget to grab a selfie with him too! You can meet him in Fantasyland.

2 – See the dragon under the castle 

Now this seems to be something people often overlook, so it’s always one of my top tips! If you go toward the castle but take a left turn towards fantasyland before you get to the castle. You’ll see an entrance way with a little dragon sign on it. Head on in and spot the terrifying dragon. Some say it’s Maleficent in dragon form , but only the bravest people will find out. Perhaps the dragon will be sleeping, make sure to tiptoe through so you don’t wake him up!

3 – Alice’s curious labyrinth 

As an avid Alice in Wonderland fan this is another must do for me. I always tell people not to ignore it just because it isn’t a ride. It’s a fun little walk through attraction with lots of statues and animatronics from the movie. There are lots of little hidden surprises and details that any Wonderland fan will truly appreciate. Also some incredible photo ops! Don’t get lost or you may lose your head!

4 – Watch Disney Stars on Parade

You cannot visit Disneyland Paris without watching the Disney Stars on Parade. It has a whole host of beloved characters on intricate floats gliding past you to some epically catchy music! You will see favourites such as Olaf with Anna and Elsa, the Toy Story crew, Crush the sea turtle and Maleficent in Dragon form just to name a few. It’s an incredibly fun parade and is in fact one of my all time favourite Disney parades to watch.

5 – Watch Mickey and the magician

Potentially one of my favourite shows in any Disney park; Mickey and the Magician is the ultimate must see! It’s the most spellbinding musical show which is cleverly designed so that French and English speaking audience members can enjoy it. Some characters speak only in French and some only in English and it honestly blows my mind how we are all fully able to understand it this way. With different segments showcasing songs from different movies such as Lion King, Frozen and Beauty and the Beast, this show is an absolute triumph. Admittedly though my favourite part is always the scene with Genie, he’s FANTASTIQUE!

6 – See the drone show before the fireworks

As part of the 30th celebrations Disneyland Paris launched a new night time show which plays just prior to the fireworks (around 10 mins before) which pays homage to the old Main Street Electrical Parade which used to run in Walt Disney World. This is a fantastic show, and they really do pick up all the nods to the films and the old parade. When we watched, we watched from the top of Main Street, which actually gave us a brilliant view of the full show in the sky around the castle.

7 – Watch the Million Splashes of Colour parade 

One thing Disneyland Paris does differently is the mini show parades which run around 4 times a day where the parade comes down Main Street the the castle hub and dancers and characters then perform and move around the different podiums. This one is a bop! And it’s a brilliant way of seeing lesser seen characters such as Mirabel, Moana and Stitch.

8 – Try the champagne on Main Street 

One thing they started doing for the 30th anniversary was Champagne on Main Street. The cost is about €20 but you get to keep the glass! Typically you can find the small cart selling this by Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlour so keep your eyes out!

9 – Watch the fireworks – Disney’s Illuminations

Another jewel in any parks crown is the nightly fireworks and projection show! Disney Illuminations initially launched in 2017 for the 25th anniversary and is a show featuring projection mapping onto the park’s castle, fireworks, water fountains, fire, music, lasers, searchlights, and other special effects. This was revamped and relaunched this year and honestly it’s an amazing show and a must see! If you want prime viewing – people were waiting around the front of the castle hub from around 2 hours before the show, but where ever you are you will still have an amazing time!

10 – Explore the shops and arcades down Main Street 

A lesser known spot in Disneyland Paris is the two arcades that run down either side of Main Street with access to shops and cafes it’s a good way to combat European weather in the colder months. Both are themed differently and are just as stunning to walk through as Main Street is to walk down!

As anyone knows Main Street also has some fantastic shops to explore from Emporium on the corner filled with all your Disney merch, to Halligans with art works, ornaments and glassware. There is also Main Street Motors which stocked a range of clothing we hadn’t seen anywhere else in the parks on my recent trip as well – so make sure you check out everything!

We hope you have enjoyed this little trip through the Disneyland Park and it gives you some ideas of what to plan as a must see or do on your own trips! If there is anything you have done and lived, or anything you think we’ve forgotten please drop us a comment we’d love to hear your stories and your favourites.

Join us again in two weeks over on Flights, Bites and Stage Lights for more Disney, chats and fun.

Until next time

Xoxo