I hadn’t planned on visiting Disneyland Paris this year, but a spontaneous browse on Groupon changed my mind. I stumbled upon a day trip deal to Disneyland Paris for £189 (if I recall correctly), and then remembered I had a discount code, bringing the cost down to £129.
Upon reading the fine print, I discovered that children aged two and under go free. With my daughter Naya turning 3 this month and being a massive Disney princess fan, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to book the trip. I had fond memories of a coach trip to Disneyland with my mom, sister, and other family members, making this special Disney trip even more enticing as it offered exclusive access to the park for Halloween.
Now, let’s delve into the journey details. Booking through Groupon, everything was inclusive in the price, with no hidden charges (always a good practice to check the small print with Groupon). The company we chose, Coach Innovations, was fantastic, earning a solid 10/10 from me. They ensured I had all the necessary information before the trip, and their team was exceptionally friendly and helpful. The email I received a few days before our departure outlined the trip details.
They were slightly delayed, around 30 minutes late picking us up from our departure point due to traffic. However, receiving notification about the delay was appreciated. Surprisingly, it didn’t significantly impact our day!
I must admit, the exact timings are a bit hazy as I was extremely tired (we left the house around 4:30 am). Nevertheless, we safely reached Dover and smoothly boarded the ferry, which little miss absolutely loved. Having primarily experienced air travel, this ferry ride was a delightful change for her. Considering a cruise for next year 😀.
Oh, and a big thank you to the play area! Although the journey was only 1 hour and 30 minutes, having something to keep her occupied while I charged her tablet was a great relief.
We disembarked at Calais and started our journey towards Disneyland. I must admit, anxiety kicked in as I pondered how my toddler would handle the extended coach ride. Would tantrums ensue? How would fellow passengers react? Anxiety alert 🚨.
To my surprise, she was remarkably well-behaved, with just a few occasional moans and groans. I attribute part of this success to, of course, plenty of snacks and these incredibly cool headphones from Snuggly Rascals.
Given her unicorn obsession, she was thrilled to wear it! Unlike regular headphones in the past that she often took off, she didn’t want to part with these ones 😀. Made from a comfortable and warm fleece material, they proved to be a hit. Additionally, the limited volume feature was reassuring, eliminating concerns about her accidentally turning it up too high and risking hearing damage.
Now, onto Disneyland Paris…
Upon arrival, I got little miss into her Halloween costume. The excitement was palpable, and I must admit, I was equally thrilled 😀.
Observing the lengthy queues for the rides, I thought to myself, “Umm, HELL NO.” While I could have purchased fast passes, I deemed it a waste of money. Opting to avoid hour-long lines, I decided to grab something to eat.
As expected in most theme parks, the food was outrageously overpriced and not particularly impressive. Unfortunately, there were no other warm food alternatives, so we had to make do! When in doubt, stick to chips. If a theme park can’t get chips right, it might need shutting down LOL!
Our ride count capped at 4, and honestly, I’m perfectly fine with that. The overall atmosphere and vibe were enough to make our day special! The “It’s a Small World” ride was enchanting, and we savored every second of it!
The Pirates of the Caribbean ride was truly awesome, with characters that appeared incredibly lifelike! We also hopped on the Peter Pan boat ride, which was pretty cool, and enjoyed a train ride as well.
As mentioned earlier, the fantastic atmosphere at Disneyland made the experience delightful, so having only been on 4 rides wasn’t disappointing at all. Given the bustling crowd, it felt like quite an achievement.
A highlight of our day was meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse!
We caught a fabulous parade featuring some of the coolest Disney Villains! Dancing to amazing songs with the planet’s greatest DJ – Goofy 😀. Little miss even had her face painted for free, a delightful surprise since I had forgotten ours at home!
In terms of tips, I don’t have much to share other than, don’t plan the day! Despite everyone advising me to meticulously plan the day, I prefer going with the flow at theme parks. Planning seems futile as things constantly change – ride closures, weather shifts, and toddler moods, to name a few. My philosophy is to just go, walk, explore, and have FUN.
Disneyland Paris was absolutely fabulous, and we’re eagerly looking forward to returning next year!
