Many of the traditional rides from the California theme park were recreated (with some French twists) at the park and resort only 32 kilometers (19 miles) outside Paris.

There’s the familiar Pirates of the Caribbean, on which the recent films were based and the love-it-or-hate-it It’s A Small World ride, along with dozens more. The Legend of the Lion King show regularly sells out, so get tickets in advance.

The Star Tours in Discoveryland is both entertaining and educational. Disney can put those together like no one else! There’s also the extremely popular Big Thunder Mountain in Frontierland that just has to be visited twice.

Space Mountain Mission 2 opened in April, 2005 and – as if it were possible – is even better than the original. Several of the rides have been updated since the park’s opening in 1992 and they just get better and better.

The new Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast is launching and, as usual, version two is a shiny improvement over the already great Anaheim offering.

The park even houses restaurants that, in true French style, offer some of the best meals anywhere. The steaks at The Steak House are thick and the wine bottles bottomless. The service is a joyful blend of Gallic pride and American efficiency. The buffet at Chef Mickey’s is plentiful and delicious and the kids will enjoy the Disney characters dancing around.

To round out the trip there are, of course, tons of shops and small exhibits of the sort familiar to Disney fans everywhere. And nearby is the Val d’Europe shopping mall with dozens more.

Part-owned by Disney, there’s a large grocery store/department store (Auchon) ‘at the Val’ and lots of food choices. There’s even a local Sephora for those who want to bring back a bottle of genuine French perfume.

If needed, parents can rent a stroller at the park and there are baby changing facilities. The Baby Care Centre on Main Street, USA provides facilities and supplies.

Hours change depending on the season, with slightly longer hours during the summer. They change from time to time, so check the website at http://www.disneylandparis.com.

Since queues can be long, it’s best to get the 1-Day Passport pass that allows unlimited entrance and exit access to one park for the day. There’s also a 3-Day ‘Hopper’ Passport that allows access to both parks and the days don’t have to be consecutive, but it’s pricey. Of course, the one day isn’t cheap either. Check the website for current prices.

Getting to the park is easy. From Paris take the RER Line A – Marne-la-Vallee/Chessy Station. From the Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports, the VEA shuttle service offers direct rides to the Disneyland Resort Paris hotels every half hour.

Enjoy!

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The Gas Pump

You will probably be surprised at how things magically get more expensive the closer you are to the park. Gas prices will be difficult to manage in Florida. To keep your costs down, you may want to rent a car with very high gas mileage. Also, plan ahead so that you can fill up at the most reasonable pump you can find. Hotels and other accommodations will also be expensive near to Disney World, so don’t set up camp across the street, but also don’t stay so far away that you have a hefty commute every day. Driving too far will mean more money in the gas tank and less time spent in Disney World, where you’ve paid to be.

Hotels

As already mentioned above, the price of hotel rooms can be very high. Shop for hotels before you arrive in Florida to make sure you have a reservation and don’t get stuck in whatever is left. Look for a hotel that is actually a reasonable distance from Disney World. Don’t just trust the advertising. It will be helpful to plug addresses into an online source for driving directions. If you and your family are comfortable with camping, that can be an inexpensive and fun alternative to a hotel. Some campgrounds are even located near orange groves where you can pick your own fruit for a great price.

Food

The most common way to run up a vacation bill from Disney World is with food. It is next to impossible to find reasonably priced food in or near the park. The vendors along walkways and the restaurants nearby can charge very high prices because they are all the food available. The officials at the entrance do not allow you to bring in your own food. The best thing to do is to eat breakfast before you go. That way you won’t be hungry immediately when you get there. Bring water for the whole family to prevent dehydration and unnecessary purchases of less nutritious beverages. Plan on eating a light lunch at the park, but make your big meal a dinner after you have left. Drive a little ways away from Disney World and you will be able to buy much more food for much less money.

Disney World vacations are a lot of fun and they can be priced reasonably. To make sure you get the deal you are expecting on your trip, keep in mind that there are some things that can run your bill up. Pay attention to what you are spending and be choosy about where you take your money. Doing a little research about what to expect to pay will give you a jump start on spending wisely. Shop carefully for gas, lodging and food and you will get a great vacation for a reasonable price.

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When deciding where to travel, theme parks may come to mind.  For the ultimate in theme park travel, consider Disneyland.  A playground for the old and young alike it has activities for all the members of your family.

First thing to do is to plan when to go.  Depending on the time of year that you decide can make a big difference on the activities that are available as well as the crowds.  Winter is the least busy season for the park, but it is also rainy season in California.  This can make it difficult to do activities that are limited by the weather.  It is also the time of year where more attractions will be closed down for repairs.

Since Disneyland is family oriented, you will find that whenever the kids are off from school will be the busiest.  This includes major vacation times as well as three-day weekends.  Of these summer is the busiest.  However, Disneyland keeps the park open longer and the majority of the attractions are available.

If you are looking to avoid the crowds, times when the kids are in school are the best.  Choose spring or fall for the lighter crowds and the higher probability that attractions will be open.

After you decide when to go, you will want to decide how long you want to stay.  If you are planning on seeing all the attractions at Disneyland, then you are going to need several days.  Taking advantage of Fastpass or Ridemax can help minimize waiting in long lines for rides.  Also keep in mind if you want to visit Disney’s other attractions, such as California Adventure.  With a one-day ticket, you can only visit the park listed.  If you decide on a multi-day pass then you can visit both parks in one day or alternate the days of your trip.

Once you get there, it is time to have fun!  There is so much to see and do; you might want to plan your day before you leave your hotel room.  One way to get more in is to consider using FASTPASS.  FASTPASS basically lets you do your waiting in line somewhere else.  When you get to the attraction, you could choose to wait in line.  If you are thinking of doing something else, go the FASTPASS machine.  It will give you a time to come back.  If that is going to work with your schedule, then insert your ticket and get your FASTPASS.  Then you are free to see a show, enjoy another ride, or go and get a bite to eat.  Just make sure that you are back in the FASTPASS line at your assigned time.  Some of the attractions that you can see this way are:  Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Grizzly River Run, California Screamin’ and many more.

Who you have in your group will definitely make a difference in the attractions that you will want to stop at while in Disneyland.  When traveling with children, you may want to consider the themed rides that are slower in pace and smoother.  Some of these are Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo the Flying Elephant; It’s a Small World, King Arthur Carrousel, and Mr. Toad’s wild ride.  Keep in mind that some of these attractions take place in a darkened atmosphere, so sensitive children may get a little nervous.  Do not forget that there will also be Mickey, Minnie, and all of the friends throughout the park, and you child might enjoy getting autographs.

If you have a more adventurous child, these rides are smooth enough but maybe be a little scary for younger children.  They include the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.  Children can ride the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters if accompanied by an adult.

The roller coaster-style rides do have height restrictions for your child’s safety.  The majority of them require your child to be at least 40 inches tall, so you might want to explain this before you go so you do not have anyone severely disappointed.

If you are looking for a place that you can sit down and rest for a little while, there are some options.  You could see one of the shows such as the Enchanted Tiki Room or Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.  A few of the rides last at least 15 minutes as well; including the Haunted Mansion and It’s a Small World.

Regardless of who is in your group, everyone can find something great to do at Disneyland.  It is one of the great places to go for a family vacation.

 

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Walt Disney and his brother Roy Disney founded Disney studios in 1923.  Walt began to realize when traveling with his own children that there was a need for a fun family oriented park with the positive aspects of carnivals but minus the negative.  People who visited his studio wrote letters expressing their enjoyment, and he became committed to creating the park, eventually buying 160 acres of land in Orange County, California.  Needing outside financing Walt created a TV show called Disneyland for the ABC television network, a show which lasted many years and is still in reruns today under the various names it held: Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, Walt Disney’s Wonderful World, and World of Disney.  The show always opened with a scene from Disneyland and the fairy, Tinkerbell, spreading fairy dust.

Opening day in 1955 included Walt’s guests; Ronald Regan, Bob Cummings and Art Linkletter, and a massive crowd, with Disneyland quickly becoming the most popular theme park in the world.  Disneyworld in Florida opened in 1971.  It includes the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as two water parks, six golf courses, a sports complex, an auto race track, over 20 hotels and many other sources of entertaining, shopping and dining suited for the entire family.  Disneyworld in Florida is the world’s largest theme park.

Disney originally envisioned his Florida property to be just a larger Disneyland that could expand without the land limits or the California Park.  He also wanted to include EPCOT, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.  A true man of vision, Disney created the place to be a land of fun for the family, but Disney died in 1966 and wasn’t able to see it completed.  His bother Roy renamed it Walt Disney World in his honor.

When planning a mouse vacation in Florida, try to stay in one of the onsite properties to save time.  They cost about the same as other hotels further away, but can save a tremendous amount of time for the family and are available for all budges.  These include several themed hotels, rental condominiums, cottages and even family friendly camping grounds.  An advantage to being on Disney property is the availability of free transportation to and from each of the theme parks within the complex.  The Walt Disney World resort features four theme parks; Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  Each park has definite must see attractions. 

At the Magic Kingdom a visitor immediately sees a bronze statue of the partners, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.  When entering Main Street a visitor will see a barbershop offering free haircuts, an Emporium with a variety of souvenirs, and Cinderella Castle.  This is followed by Adventureland which includes the Swiss family Treehouse, the Enchanted Tiki Room (a musical show which includes characters from Aladdin and The Lion King, the Jungle Cruse, the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, and the Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride.  Then Frontierland which features Splash Mountain log flue, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Country Bear Jamboree anamatronic show with singing bears.

Always popular Fantasyland features “it’s a small world”, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mickey’s Philhar Magic, Cinderella’s golden Carrousel, and a Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride.  Fantasyland is capped off with tributes to Winnie the Poo, Snow White and the Mad Tea Party from Alice in Wonderland.  This is followed by Mickey’s Toontown Fair, a tribute to the mouse and his friends, and then Tomorrowland.  Tomorrowland includes a simulated racetrack, Space Mountain roller coaster, the Astro Orbiter, the Carousel of Progress which debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin ride, The Timekeeper, and Stitch’s Great Escape. 

When planning a Disney vacation, whether in California or Florida, the whole family will have a good time. And while there, be sure to get some Mickey Mouse ears as the best souvenir of all, from the mouse’s house to your house.

 

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