To say I’m a Disney fanatic would be an understatement. Everything about it makes me feel warm and happy inside! Up until last year, I had only ever visited Disney World Orlando in the hot summer months. Then, thanks to HBD, I went to Disneyland Paris… at Christmas!
What can I say! The parades, the food, the decorations, the overall spirit of Disneyland was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. Me and my colleague, Emily, wrapped ourselves up and enjoyed Christmas treats between rides, we watched the parade at every chance we got, and our smiles never left our faces.
Where to eat
The Cable Car Bake Shop on Mainstreet is the first place in the park that you can get your hands on one of the Christmas Tree Gingerbreads. You can eat in, or order from their window! I can’t quite explain the excellence of these festive treats, so please for your own good, try one! Oh, and don’t forget a cheeky star donut…just delicious.
Annette’s Diner! This classic, 50’s style diner will not disappoint. It’s classic selection of burgers, hot dogs and malt milkshakes will sure enough be perfect for all ages, as well as picky eaters. The lively atmosphere and fast service is wonderful, as well as their incredibly reasonable prices.
Character Breakfast! It is so worth booking a place in The Plaza Gardens to have a Christmas character breakfast. It’s a buffet style breakfast with an insane amount of options (we of course tried everything). The characters visit every single table and stop for a cuddle and a snap to begin your Disney filled day. Honestly, its an unmissable experience!
Advice
I think a lot of people worry about having enough time to see and do everything in Disney, but in all honesty, we fit everything in (as well as multiple rides on Space Mountain) over the space of two days. While our days were pretty long, we landed on one morning and flew home the next evening. We stopped and watched the parade multiple times, shopped plenty, enjoyed our thrills on many rides, and saw the firework display. However, if you are visiting with young children, or would rather your break take a slower, more relaxed pace, I would suggest spanning your visit over 2 nights. It’s also a really good idea to have a starting point and make your way around the park in almost a one-way system. That way, you don’t miss anything and it tends to be a more efficient way of getting on all of the rides! Don’t forget to book your fast passes! Also, I would definitely suggest downloading the DLP app, it keeps you posted with wait times and fast pass spaces.
We stayed at Sequoia Lodge for our visit. I would always recommend this hotel for a budget friendly, easy access stay. The hotel was a two-minute walk around the lake to get to the parks and restaurants, and it had such a cosy, home-like vibe. The bar had a huge fire right in the centre, with gorgeous sparkling Christmas trees in every corner.
After a long, magical day we sat down with a glass of wine and cosied up alongside the log fire, and it felt more like Christmas to me than it ever had before. I would 10000% recommend visiting Disneyland Paris at Christmas!
All my love, Eleanor x
