We have just returned from a magical trip to Disneyland Paris. Exhausted, with sore feet but fabulous memories that even my 2 year old keeps chatting about.
This was our first time to Disneyland Paris and with a 2 year old born just before Covid , this was his first trip out of the UK, so we felt a little out of practice after a lot of travelling with our first child from when he was little.
I thought I’d share our top ten things to take with you – they are all aimed at maximising your time in the parks!
1. Download the Disney app: it’s a map, it’s how you book (nearly everything), store your tickets and also provides updates information on rides closures and the wait times. The wait times are pretty accurate so they give you a good idea of what you are letting yourself in for.
2. Think about how your kids are going to get around Disney: My boys are 4 and 2 and so we took the double pram. My 4year old doesn’t always like being in there but it was an absolute must. We walked 20-25k steps a day while we were there which is a lot for a little person. So even if your child hasn’t been in a pram for a while, think about it – you can also hire trailers and strollers from the hotels. I saw some parents with older children who has collapsible trailers which were great for being on the move and having a nap.
3. Comfy shoes and backpack: Take shoes that you are happy to be walking in for ten hours a day and stood up in. We had trainers and walking boots and my feet were still tired and achey even with this comfort! You can take backpacks on all the rides and if you can’t take them on they have accessible and safe storage options. It’s essential for all the bits and bobs I’m suggesting to take. Just make sure it’s a comfortable back pack!
4. Take a raincoat or some kind of jacket: we had light showers on one day, so don’t get caught out. We had raincoats for the boys and not for us, so we ended up in the delightful ponchos which were 13euros each! I also found layers helpful for the kids as the park did get cold later on at night.
5. Take snacks: And lots of them especially if are staying in the park. There are no supermarkets on site (or any that we could find) and so food options are limited. It’s also really expensive. We took some reuseable pouches that we filled up with fruit from our hotel buffet. Our boys are fruit fiends and I couldn’t find anywhere on site to just buy fruit so this was an easy option. It was also good to have snacks for queueing.
6. Take a water bottle: We took water bottles that we filled up throughout the day. Again, options for drinks are limited and expensive so having water in your backpack is an easy option for keeping on the go.
7. Take an activity for queuing: don’t underestimate how long you might be stood in a queue. We took our erasable doodle books and some stickers which kept the boys entertained while we were waiting for parades and rides.
8. Take a snooze shade for naps on the go/plan your day around some kind of down time: With my youngest still napping this meant we could have naps on the go and while he was sleeping we took advantage and took our eldest on a couple of rides that my youngest was too little for. If daytime naps are no longer required, I would think about planning some kind of downtime in your day, for example, if you are staying on site head back to the hotel and enjoy some time in the pool or see a show. Something that doesn’t need a lot of queuing or standing!
9. Depending on how far on you are in potty training, think about taking a potty. There are toilets but they are spotted around the park, so not always immediately available. My eldest was fine but I did think if he was any younger we would need to have taken it with us.
10. Buy costumes in advance if your child has a favourite character: we packed our Spider-Man outfits. They do obviously sell costumes but they are sold at a premium so we would suggest bringing with you. Lots of children were wearing costumes or Disney outfits so I feel like it’s one of those things that kids will want to get involved in if they aren’t already.
Next blog will be covering making the most of the park and your trip – including some suggested interniaries.
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