Ah, Paris. A global capital revered for its romantic aura, wondrous architecture, world-class croissants, and, most importantly, Disneyland (I beg you to acknowledge the sarcasm in my voice).
When my roommate Ava and I made the controversial decision to spend our one full day in Paris to visit Disneyland, people either responded with notable disappointment or jealousy. Of course, we totally understood both reactions.
On the one hand, it’s quite embarrassing to spend money on a notoriously “American” place while venturing abroad (especially since the French were understandably bothered by the installment of Disneyland). But, on the other, we are both proud Disney adults who had never been to this park and wanted to compare Disneyland Paris to the resorts back home. The decision was not made lightly, but we ended up having the most memorable eight hours and here are some of the day’s highlights as we made the most out of our passes.
Getting To Disneyland (Paris Style)
First, before even arriving at one of the happiest places on earth, we were amazed by how straightforward and low-cost it was to get to Disneyland Paris. Paris’s Metro extends all the way to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy, a train station that leads you right to the resort’s entrance. Even though the ride from our Airbnb was 70 minutes with two line switches, it only cost 5 Euros per person. Having already spent a pretty penny on the tickets themselves, not adding on another significant cost to our day was very much appreciated. Plus, we got to see a bit of the landscape outside the city as we made our way to Disney.
Speaking of tickets, they obviously weren’t the cheapest things out there –– especially if you buy them a few days before going, like we did. However, if you plan ahead and make the most of your day, the price will definitely be worth it, especially if you’re already a Disney devotee.
The French Gate to Happiness and Warmth
Disneyland Paris is what you imagined it’d be: all of the childish delights with a chic twist. Most of what you hear on the rides is obviously French, and mixed in with the sweet scent of Mickey-shaped donuts is the smell of cigarettes (a big cultural difference to the States).
To set the stage, Disneyland Paris comprises two parks: Disneyland Paris, which holds the famous pink castle, and Walt Disney Studios, where Ava and I started our day and noted the projection of Old Hollywood throughout the park. We entered through “Disney Studio 1,” which was mainly Marvel-themed gift shops and a few food options with old-timey road signs and vintage-inspired neon decorating the walls and ceiling. Since we visited on a day when the real-feel temperature was around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, we often returned to this space to warm up our hands with some hot chocolate.
Riding Our Way Through Walt Disney Studios
Once outside, we had quite a few impressive rides to choose from. We started our day on Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, one of the resort’s “big thrill” rides. For those familiar with the standard rides at Disney World, this ride was once Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster and switched to a Marvel theme. It’s still the same track with lots of upside-down spins, so hold on tight to your over-the-shoulder harness when you go for a ride.
Then, we followed up with the best ride at Disneyland Paris (in our humble opinion): The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Being enthusiasts of the original Tower of Terror in Orlando, this ride was high-priority, and it did not disappoint –– so much so, we did it twice! Of course, this version of Tower of Terror maintains that same beloved sense of eeriness that forces your heartbeat to spike before even stepping on the doomed elevator. And for those who don’t understand much French like me, not entirely understanding the audio of The Twilight Zone storyline makes the ride more chilling. Expect your stomach to drop and a symphony of screams here.
The Magic Kingdom of Paris
After hitting a couple rides in this park, we made our way to Disneyland Paris, the equivalent of Magic Kingdom, and took approximately 100 photos of the pink castle (see below). Similar to its inspo, this park holds the classic Main Street U.S.A. and houses the same cute bakeries and gift shops one would expect. We spent a lot of time in these gift shops to see if there was any French-girl Disney merchandise (and to warm up our freezing hands again).
Here, the top rides for us were Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain and the classic Pirates of the Caribbean. Although the Star Wars theme of Hyperspace Mountain wavers a bit, the fast-paced upward launch that starts off the ride makes up for the lack of décor. A fan favorite, Pirates of the Caribbean earned a special place in our hearts, since the queue was inside. If you’re familiar with the ride, you know that the air inside is quite muggy –– making it a perfect spot to warm up after walking around in some snowfall. It’s the only time I can recall not wanting a rollercoaster line to move quickly. We wanted to take advantage of the balmy ambiance as long as we could.
To Summarize
Do I regret using my one full day in Paris to visit Disneyland? Absolutely not. Do I understand if you rolled your eyes while reading this article? For sure, but Disneyland Paris gave my friend and I a magical day that we’ll always reminisce about. If you have the chance and are a fan of all things Disney, don’t second-guess visiting this enchanting spot!
Photo also by Rachel Mann
