Disneyland Paris
We love Disneyland. We loved Disneyworld! And with Disneyland Paris just hours away we knew we would be soaking up all the magic we could…contemplating annual passes as I type this.
When I saw that Disneyland Paris was hosting after-hours events for Halloween, I knew we had to go. We have done after-hours events at both Disneyland and Disneyworld and I love how special they are, and that the park feels far less crowded that regular days.
Disneyland Paris is all the same, and all different at the same time. The castle is unique and I loved being able to go into the Dragon’s cave below and see the dragon in his lair. I loved that you could walk through the castle above and feel more connected to Sleeping Beauty’s story. I LOVED that the Haunted Mansion had it’s own unique story and elements unlike anywhere else, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean, and Big Thunder Mountain (our all-time favorite ride).
Mainstreet was so spooky at the end of the night. My pictures don’t do it justice. There was so much fog and creepy sounds and lighting, and there were cast members dressed as spirits wandering around like they were confused and lost.
There were a few things that were different enough to remind us we were in fact in Europe. The thick cigarette smoke everywhere made it feel less magical for sure and the after-hours event here was packed! And it was mostly adults and some of the costumes were more gory and adult than what we are used to. We really didn’t see many other children at this event. Our kids still loved it, but we all noted the different vibe. The light show on the castle was even far scarier than I think you’d ever see at Disneyland or World in the States. Also, we were warmly reminded that there is no A/C really in Europe. It was in the mid 70s with high humidity here and when we walked into the Disney store it smacked with sticky body oder which made it hard to want to wander through and see all the things. The layout is also different…and the same. It was just familiar enough for us to get lost and end up walking a lot more than we needed to.
Overall we really cannot wait to go back because we feel like we understand the lay of the land better and what to expect. I am set on only going when there are no school holidays and during the middle of the week to avoid crowds for sure. I just really enjoy it more when wait times are low and we can breathe a bit more while watching the parades and shows.
