With 6 trips to Disneyland Paris under our belts in the last couple
of years, it’s fair to say that I’ve done my fair share of research in
to all of the best bits and hidden delights the park has to offer so
today I thought It was high time to share that knowledge with you guys!
Now
obviously with something like this, personal taste plays a huge part
and there may well be things on this list that you think are a waste of
time but I would recommend that everybody at least gives them a go once
because these are some of the things that make our Disney trips that bit
more special.
So without further ado, my Ultimate List Of MUST DO’s At Disneyland Paris!



1) See The Dragon Under The Castle
This
might seem like an obvious one but I was aghast to learn that my own
sister, who has been to Disneyland Paris with her children several
times, didn’t even know that there was a giant animatronic dragon under
the castle until she saw my videos!

I think there’s something really magical about going on a little adventure to explore the castle (you can go upstairs and see the snoring knights, and see the spinning wheel too!) and then heading underneath it to discover the dragon!

It’s
one of those little touches of Disney magic that really adds to the
experience for me and really makes children believe that they’re
immersed in a fairy tale world – but do be warned, it is a
bit scary for little ones!
You
enter the Dragons Lair (Or Taniere Du Dragon as the sign reads!) via
the walkways to the left of the castle, and it’s a bit dark as you walk
in – inside you’ll find the dragon sleeping, but every few minutes she
wakes up, moves her head, swishes her tail around and lets out a big roar – it
never fails to make my children jump and want to run away but we still
make sure we pay her a visit every time!


2) Dont Miss The Shows
Even
if you’re not usually a fan of theatre, even if you think your little
ones won’t want to sit through it – the shows at Disney are really
something extra special and are well worth a watch!
Mickey
& The Magician in particular is absolutely magical, don’t let the
fact that its largely in French put you off – it really doesn’t matter!

I thought we’d all be bored stupid at the Marvel show as none of us like Marvel at all but it blew our socks off, it was bloomin brilliant! Watch them ALL!

 
3) See Illuminations At Least Once
Every
evening at park closing time, the castle plays host to an incredible
show of animation, fireworks and water works which is unlike anything
else on Earth.
The
crowds for this are massive and you do have to wait an hour or so
before hand to get a decent spot, but it’s something you really
shouldn’t miss – we make sure we watch it at least once each trip and I know some people who watch it every single day of their holiday, it’s a
breathtaking end to a Disney day!


4) Watch The Parades
This
seems so obvious to me, but I was absolutely mind blown during my last
trip when a lady walked up to me as I was waiting for the parade to
start to ask me what everyone was waiting for – when I told her it was
the parade, she said “Oh. And are the parades worth watching?”
OH
MY GOD YES, NOBODY SHOULD MISS THEM
is the short answer! Again, the
crowds can be big and you need to get there early to get a good spot but
it is so so worth it – every parade I’ve seen at Disneyland Paris has been
amazing!

They do the main parade at 5ish every day (check the programmes for times) but during special seasons such as Halloween, Christmas, or the Princess & Pirate Festival they also do extra mini seasonal parades too which are also BRILLIANT and shouldn’t be missed! The Halloween parade is my fave thing EVER at Disney!

The parades are also the only place to see some of the characters who don’t have scheduled meets in the park, such as Anna and Elsa.


5) Ride Down Main Street In A Vehicle
This
is one that we didn’t do ourselves for our first few visits. It didn’t
look that appealing to me – I quite like the stroll down Main Street and
the vehicles didn’t strike me as anything special, but my eldest son is
obsessed with all things Police related so when he spotted an old
fashioned police car he just had to have a ride in it.
Once
we’d ridden in it, we realised that actually – it does feel quite
special to be chauffeur driven down Main Street toward the beautiful
Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, and now we make sure we have a ride in one
every time! 

6) Ride Star Tours More Than Once
Star
Tours is a favourite ride of ours, and after going on it back-to-back a
few times we realised that there are three different “Journeys” to take
on the ride – so we always make sure to ride it a few times to get to
experience them all. They’re all brilliant fun!
7) Go To The Secret Spot!
The “Secret Spot” is possibly the worst kept secret in the world as I think everybody knows about it by now.
It’s
a walkway that the cast use to get to the castle stage for their
performances, and if you go and stand there just before a show then you
get to see them all as they make their way there – usually if your
little one is dressed up as a particular character then that person will
come and give a quick hello (Not always guaranteed so best not to make
any promises!).
You
can find the secret spot by walking through the courtyard next to
Auberge De Cendrillon restaurant in Fantasyland, past Cinderella’s Carriage to the
gates at the back.
You
also get to see the Princesses inside the restaurant leave for their
breaks too, and they usually say a quick hello – not quite the same as a meet
and greet as it’s a very quick wave and then they’re gone but it’s a nice way for little fans to spot the Princesses without
having to queue for ages!

8)Visit the Christmas Shop In The Castle
The
Christmas Shop is located inside Sleeping Beauty’s Castle on the right
hand side as you enter from Main Street, it’s Christmas themed all year
round and if you’re a fan of all things festive – it’s a must see!
They
sell the most stunning Disney Christmas decorations ever, and the whole
shop is decorated for Christmas all year round – it is gorgeous!
9) Have a look around the Disneyland Hotel 
You
don’t have to be a guest of the Disneyland Hotel to go inside, anyone
is welcome to go in – you can book in for dinner at one of the
restaurants inside (Inventions Character Buffet is fantastic!), pop in
and have a drink in the bar, browse the shop inside, book in for a
Princess makeover in the boutique or just go in and have a nosey around –
it’s stunning inside and well worth a look for a quick sit down in
gorgeous surroundings!
 (And
just FYI, They also have the nicest loos – sod the ones in the park on
your way out at closing time, nip in to the Disneyland hotel and have a wee in style!)
10) Spot the Evil Queen in Fantasyland
My
boys loved this when we found it. If you have a look in the windows
above the Snow White ride, you’ll notice that every few moments – the
Evil Queen opens the curtains and pops her head out!
It’s just an animatronic, but it’s another one of those little things to spot that add to the magic!

11) Eat lunch In Front Of The Castle
This
was something we only did for the first time on our last visit as we
usually eat inside the restaurants, but last time we decided to get some
takeaway hot dogs from Casey’s Corner and sit on a bench to the side of
the castle to eat them – and it was lovely!
Lunch with a view doesn’t get better, trust me!

So
those are my top Must Do’s at Disneyland Paris – do you have any
favourite things to do and see when you visit? I’d love to hear them so
pop me a comment and let me know!

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