Visiting Disneyland Paris

(April 2016)

A couple years ago I visited Disneyland Paris for the second time.  The first time I went I was in the 5th grade and Euro Disney, what it was once called, was only 3 months old and brand spanking new with crowds to match.  It was thrilling.

When we went there were a few sections closed in preparation for the 25th anniversary that happened last year.

Next door to Disneyland Paris is Walt Disney Studios Park, which is where the Ratatouille ride is.  We didn't go!!  Didn't properly do my research.  I wanted to ride the ride, as it's 3D with smell-a-vision, or whatever you want to call it, but the lines were long.  In hindsight I found out you can ride Ratatouille as a single rider, and park hopper tickets aren't that much more than a single park pass.  Live learn!

 "Here you leave today and enter worlds of history, discovery and ageless fantasy."

Love it.

Love entering the park to see a great band.  Adds to the magic.

 Main Street U.S.A. is styled more like the Magic Kingdom in Florida.

 My Mom's favorite Disney Character is Tinker Bell. :0)

 The Plaza Inn, Plaza Gardens Restaurant, is a buffet.

 Tomorrowland has a Steampunk vibe in the spirit of Verne and Wells.

 Space Mountain is quite different from its counterparts in other parks.  Inside the enclosed structure there's planets, a couple at least, and there's a loop and a spiral, so a more intense roller-coaster.  My Mom and Patou didn't want to go, so I did single rider.  The line was only a 10 minute wait.

 Next to Space Mountain is Les Mysteres du Nautiles, Jules Verne's ship.  We weren't sure what this was.  Would there be a ride at the end of this long line?  No, it's a walk though to see his ship with a giant squid like creature at the end.

 The clouds move in.

 Inside Sleeping Beauty's castle.

There's a place where you can go see the Dragon, but we couldn't figure out how to get there.

 The Forest of Enchantment, a show I don't think they're doing anymore.

I really enjoyed it.

 Somewhere there's a picture of me in front of this It's a Small World boat when I was a kid, so we wanted to get a picture in this spot.  Pretty special.

 The America section, which is quite large.

 I really like Disneyland Paris's version of It's a Small World.  It's the third version I've been on.  Disney World's was a disappointment.  Disneyland Anaheim, the original, will always be special and sentimental.  This version is almost tied for first place.

 I love this version of Sleeping Beauty's castle.

More like the film.

More enchanting.

Though the castle in California is just special.

Leaving the park where we drove back to Paris in the rain and Google Maps wouldn't connect.  A little scary, honestly.  A good day.  Next time, hopefully there is one, I really want to ride Ratatouille.

Photos by Sarah and Robin Stufflebeam