First of all a big thank you to all the contributors on this board who have helped me so much with planning our Disneyland Paris extension to our Paris / Belfast European trip. We are doing this after the Paris part of our trip and before the Belfast part of our trip. Our travel is for two adults (me and my 27 year old son). Our significant others are staying home for this one. DS and I are both HUGE Disney fans. I've been to WDW around 36 times or so and DS has about 15 trips there under his belt. We also did a trip to Disneyland CA about eight years ago. This will be our first (and for me) probably my only trip to Disneyland Paris.
I'm going to apologize too in advance for how long this post is. Please skip reading if it is too long. But if you don't mind taking a peek at our park plans, I'd sure appreciate your input and suggestions. I'm a huge fan of the Unofficial Guide (touringplans.com) product / advice and have been using them since the late 80s to plan Disney park days. DS is a huge fan too, and we work together on touring plans. It works well for us - doesn't keep us from "smelling the roses" as we are flexible in taking things off to do other stuff - have no problem enjoying the moment, taking our time, etc. The unofficial guide people don't do plans for Disneyland Paris, so first time in decades I don't have their great tools to assist with planning.
DS and I have been looking at maps, looking at youtube videos, etc. to come up with our own plan. I've also gotten great advice on this forum about many of the rides and some differences (viva la difference) between the Paris park attractions and the WDW park attractions that I've used for this plan draft. Anyway, with that input here is draft one of our two and 1/2 days late Sept. midweek this year. I hear parks usually close about 8:30 p.m. or so in that timeframe. I also get the impression that the Studios probably won't have a night time show when we visit?? Although for the 30th celebration it sounds like they have one now. We also FYI will be onsite at the Sequoia Lodge and will take advantage of rope drop on two days.
½ day on arrival – Tuesday Sept. 26
2 p.m. Arrive Sequoia Lodge around then and drop off luggage (We are taking a G-7 taxi from Paris (We will have been in Paris for four nights before the three night Disneyland stay).
3 p.m. Eat at Earl of Sandwich at Disney Village
4:30 p.m. arrive at Disneyland Park
(If we missed Phantom Manor and/or Pirates hit those now)
Else
Full day 2 (Thurs. Sept. 28) – Rope drop Disneyland park (breakfast at McDonald’s on way over from Sequoia Lodge) -- – We will be at the park at 8 for 8:30 a.m. rope drop?? Or should we get there earlier??
On Friday we have a flight to Belfast at 11 a.m. so are not able to take advantage of the fourth day that is part of our package.
Let me know if you have any suggestions for us. We mostly want to experience things that are unique and different compared to WDW. We also want to have reasonably relaxed touring days, not be overly rushed (sometimes less is more). A 16-hour park day is not all that unusual for us at WDW though. Although not compared to my parents or my brother, most people consider me and DS to be Disney diehards. Maybe that’s why our significant others are staying home lol. We don’t in any way, shape, or form feel the need to see and do everything, but do want to take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience some of the unique / cool things about the Paris parks.
Thank you!
I'm going to apologize too in advance for how long this post is. Please skip reading if it is too long. But if you don't mind taking a peek at our park plans, I'd sure appreciate your input and suggestions. I'm a huge fan of the Unofficial Guide (touringplans.com) product / advice and have been using them since the late 80s to plan Disney park days. DS is a huge fan too, and we work together on touring plans. It works well for us - doesn't keep us from "smelling the roses" as we are flexible in taking things off to do other stuff - have no problem enjoying the moment, taking our time, etc. The unofficial guide people don't do plans for Disneyland Paris, so first time in decades I don't have their great tools to assist with planning.
DS and I have been looking at maps, looking at youtube videos, etc. to come up with our own plan. I've also gotten great advice on this forum about many of the rides and some differences (viva la difference) between the Paris park attractions and the WDW park attractions that I've used for this plan draft. Anyway, with that input here is draft one of our two and 1/2 days late Sept. midweek this year. I hear parks usually close about 8:30 p.m. or so in that timeframe. I also get the impression that the Studios probably won't have a night time show when we visit?? Although for the 30th celebration it sounds like they have one now. We also FYI will be onsite at the Sequoia Lodge and will take advantage of rope drop on two days.
½ day on arrival – Tuesday Sept. 26
2 p.m. Arrive Sequoia Lodge around then and drop off luggage (We are taking a G-7 taxi from Paris (We will have been in Paris for four nights before the three night Disneyland stay).
3 p.m. Eat at Earl of Sandwich at Disney Village
4:30 p.m. arrive at Disneyland Park
- Hit Phantom Manor
- Do Aladdin walk thru
- Do Pirates
- check out castle and dragon
- stay for night time castle projection / fireworks – whatever they have
- unpack.
- Crush – DS only (I will skip to avoid motion sickness)
- Tower of Terror – my favorite ride
- Ratatouille – (DS has done this at Epcot. He says it's a lot like the Penguin ride at SeaWorld that I like, so I think I should be OK motion sickness wise??) – single rider line if that is available and looking shorter
- Spiderman – DS only (single rider line if available) – (I will skip to avoid motion sickness and ride from what I have looked at doesn't appeal to me)
- Flight Force – DS only (single rider line if available) – heard this is Rock in Roller Coaster – I’d do it for Aerosmith tunes, but being reimagined and since it’s kind of jerky for me now, I’ll skip.
- Mickey and the Magician show
(If we missed Phantom Manor and/or Pirates hit those now)
Else
- Indiana Jones coaster
- Adventure Isle – sounds like Tom Sawyer’s Island?? (We just did some March 1971 to March 2021 -- 50 years later photos on Tom Sawyer's Island at WDW so are curious as to what this one looks like).
Full day 2 (Thurs. Sept. 28) – Rope drop Disneyland park (breakfast at McDonald’s on way over from Sequoia Lodge) -- – We will be at the park at 8 for 8:30 a.m. rope drop?? Or should we get there earlier??
- Big Thunder
- Hyperspace Mountain – might be a little rough for me, but I have to do it. I have no issue with Space Mountain at WDW. Do you think I could have motion sickness issues on this? Really twisty rides and simulators are what give me issues. (love fast, upside down is OK, love drops)
- That submarine ride
- Lion King show (My all-time favorite show at WDW)
- It’s a Small World
- Storybook water ride (DS and I both just loved that at Disneyland, CA)
- Pinocchio
- Eat at Au Chalet de la marionette that’s right by Pinocchio
- Mickey’s Philharmagic
- Castle and Dragon again
- Parade
- Wander Mainstreet shops
- Dinner Annette’s Diner in Disney Village (if time). Shopping in Disney Village if time.
- Back to Disneyland for nighttime show stuff by castle.
On Friday we have a flight to Belfast at 11 a.m. so are not able to take advantage of the fourth day that is part of our package.
Let me know if you have any suggestions for us. We mostly want to experience things that are unique and different compared to WDW. We also want to have reasonably relaxed touring days, not be overly rushed (sometimes less is more). A 16-hour park day is not all that unusual for us at WDW though. Although not compared to my parents or my brother, most people consider me and DS to be Disney diehards. Maybe that’s why our significant others are staying home lol. We don’t in any way, shape, or form feel the need to see and do everything, but do want to take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience some of the unique / cool things about the Paris parks.
Thank you!