Christmas at Disneyland Paris

All my life I’ve wanted to spend my birthday at a Disney Park… partly because my birthday is 12 days before Christmas so it would be a fairytale winter wonderland. Well, finally at 27 that wish came true with 3 of my best friends.

Luckily my birthday falls just because the school holidays, so we had a good deal that included a Texas Room in Hotel Cheyenne, direct return from London to Disneyland on the Eurostar and 3 day park hopper tickets via Magic Breaks. The direct train takes about 3 hours and gets you in Disney for about 2pm local time. By the time we met Laura, checked in and back in the park it was dark on the first day, so we headed straight for the Walt Disney Studios Park and our favourite ride, Tower of Terror. The parks are magical at night at the best of times, but the addition of even more lights and decorations for Christmas really get you feelin’ festive.

Walt Disney Studios shuts at 6pm at Christmas so we spend the last couple of hours in the main Disneyland Park, making a be-line straight for Space Mountain: Mission 2 (shout out for being the best version of Space Mountain at any Disney Park).

God knows how but we stroll right in front of the Castle from Adventureland and get the best view I’ve ever had for the firework show.

Disney Dreams at Christmas is more Christmas song orientated than a show full of all your favourite Disney songs (with the exception of a Frozen medley, of course… in both English and French). As always it’s a show of lasers, fireworks and incredible projections featuring classic scenes like Bambi on ice and festive twists like Toy Story characters dancing the Nutcracker.

Laura and Grace made sure we were up early on my birthday as they surprised me with a character breakfast at Cafe Mickey in Downtown Disney. It was such a cute, fun start to the day and I’m really glad we were lucky enough to be in there whilst Mickey himself was around. It was an all you can eat buffet breakfast, whilst a random selection of characters come over to your table, it’s nice to not have to wait around queuing to meet them, especially if you have kids (I think we were the only ones in there that didn’t have children haha).

I literally have no words for how buzzin’ I was to be walking down Main Street USA to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle on my birthday with my best friends.

The sleeping Maleficent Dragon under the castle.

I love that the Haunted Mansion takes on different architecture at each park, Disneyland Paris’ Phantom Manor has one of the more spookier exteriors. Despite not being Nightmare Before Christmas themed like some parks, we did spot Jack Skellington outside in his Sandy Claws outfit.

We missed the Princess’ Royal Welcome due to being stuck on Space Mountain for 30 minutes… but the lovely cast member gave me a fastpass, voucher for two Disney Pins of my choice and a balloon as it was my birthday haha.

Mid afternoon we stumbled across the Christmas Parade along Main Street with all the classic Disney favourites and Santa in his sleigh as the procession finale. Oh and of course… it fake snowed.

As darkness falls, the parks begin to glitter.

Last time I came to Disneyland Paris was 2011 for the parks 20th Anniversary, well the Disney Magic on Parade was exactly the same, floats, music and all, as it was then except with the addition of Anna & Elsa. I did prefer seeing it in the dark winter late afternoon though and seeing all the floats lit up.

BEST BIRTHDAY EVER.

“I hope we don’t lose sight of one thing… that it all started with a mouse”

For the last day it was just me and Grace left to explore so we headed for Hollywood Studios to ride our favourites in their one last time before spending the rest of our day in Disneyland.

Magical blue skies for our final day (one day I hope to be rich enough to in the stunning Disneyland Hotel at the Park entrance).

You can’t turn down a photo with Marie when she has an adorable tartan bow for the festive season.

~~(Nobody needs to know that we ran to catch a glimpse of Anna and Elsa…)~~

The Princess Royal Welcome was a cute show in the grounds of the castle featuring all the Royal couples ballroom dancing. There’s not always an opportunity to see them all at once, especially with their partners, so definitely worth checking out.