Disney Convert Or Still Disney Grumpy? The Magic of Disney part 1 

I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago saying that Disney was not my ideal holiday and that I preferred to go on a beach all inclusive holiday instead. In the post I asked the question if I was Grumpy about going to Disneyland Paris.

Well I have been on my holiday to Disneyland Paris so the question is have I been converted?

Do I understand the magic of Disney?

OMG! Do I ever! I really get it now!

I can totally see why millions of people say Disney is their happy place and why you can get the Disney blues on returning home!

On arriving in Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris I have to admit I was beginning to get a little bit excited! After all this was my summer holiday!

We had a transfer from the airport which I must admit was excellent and they were there waiting for us.

We decided to stay the night before at a hotel off site called the Kyriad hotel. The reason being was so that we could go to our hotel, which was the Disneyland hotel, a day early to check-in and not waste anytime of our first day at the Disneyland park. All we needed to do was drop our bags off and enjoy our first day fully. I would highly recommend doing this so you don’t waste a moment.

We left our bags at the Kyriad hotel then caught the free shuttle over to Disneyland.

On arriving outside I was gobsmacked just by the entrance to the parks! It was vast. We found our way to the Disneyland hotel which is at the main entrance to the park. Upon entering I think I reverted back to my childhood. It was everything and more that I thought it would be. All the cast members(staff) were very obliging and couldn’t do enough for you.

The advantage of staying at the Disneyland Hotel is that you are right in the park and you also have early magic hours tickets which is great for going into the parks before the gates open to the public. We also had a fast pass ticket once a day to use on the rides which meant we could skip the queues and just go straight on.

Day 1

We met goofy in the hotel in the morning and the girls loved having a hug and having their first autograph for their autograph book. We then had lunch with the characters at the Inventions restaurant in the Disney Hotel.

Watching Mickey Mouse and friends come to your table for a hug, a photo and signing of your book was pure magic and as I watched the girls get so excited, if I’m honest I was getting excited too!

It’s a very surreal experience. It’s pure escapism. My grumpy look was definitely becoming a distant memory, as I embroiled myself in the Disney magic!

Before dinner we went back to our hotel and collected our room keys. We were told in the morning that our luggage would be in the room. I sort of doubted it, but when we arrived at our room all our luggage was there.

The hotel room in the Disney Hotel was spectacular, and I mean spectacular! It had a terrace overlooking a beautiful garden and it was what I can only call pure, unadulterated luxury.

That evening we had booked to see Buffalo Bills Wild West show which also included our evening meal. We arrived early and collected our cowboy hats and then were shown to our seats. What surprised me was the size of the auditorium. It was huge and we were served drinks instantly. Then there was a big fanfare to announce the arrival of Buffalo Bill on a white stallion.

The show was about two hours long and it was a feast of cowboys and Indians riding horses and doing tricks. It was brilliant entertainment and totally non-stop and we had great food served throughout the show.

We went into the park afterwards to try a few rides and have a little wander, but we decided to have an early night to prepare for a busy day, with the intention of staying up to watch the Disney Illuminations at 11pm the next day.

Day one was over, but I was truly in the spirit of Disney and the magic of Disney was now in my veins. It took actually less than an hour of day one and I was a Disney convert. Just meeting Goofy and having my picture taken and I was sold!

Day 2 

The weather was predicted as being very unsettled with rain showers, so we decided to go over to the studios to meet a few characters that the girls were desperate to meet.

First up was Spiderman . We only had to wait about 20 minutes which was great. R loved this as she is a huge superhero fan and Spiderman was very interactive with the girls. We then moved on to meet my hero, Buzz lightyear. I loved Toy Story when it was first realeased and it has always been my favourite Disney film.

Next up was my wife’s favourite of all time and I think everybody’s else at the park that day, Belle from Beauty and the Beast. It was a two hour wait, but it was worth it to see the smile on my wife’s face! For a moment I think she actually believed it was true and Belle was a real person haha!

We wandered around the studios for a bit and went on a few rides and then made our way back to the park before heading back to the hotel for a rest to prepare for the evening.

Our plan after dinner which was at plaza gardens, which I have to admit was one of favourite restaurants, our intention then was to keep the girls awake until 11pm to see the Disney illuminations.

We went on a few rides and just kept them going, heading down to the front of the Disney castle at about 10.15pm already there was a large crowd forming, but we found a good spot and got ready for Disney illuminations.

The countdown from 15 minutes makes  the whole experience worthwhile, then dead on 11pm the Disney castle changes and becomes what I can only describe as a huge TV screen with Mickey orchestrating the whole show.

This was my moment of our entire holiday! Yes, I had seen this on Television, but nothing and I mean nothing could have prepared me for the incredible, totally awesome scene that had me saying WOW constantly and gave me goosebumps on my arms, watching the classic Disney films being played out on the castle and coloured waterfalls, adding fireworks into the mix and amazingly the trees changed coloured as well.

You really need to be there to fully appreciate the spectacular show that is going on in front of your eyes. If I wasn’t a 100% Disney convert before I certainly was now! The show lasts around 30 minutes and finished with a truly amazing finale.

That was the most special way to finish our second day at Disney it had the WOW factor.

Part of two of our Disney holiday will cover the last days of our trip, I actually didn’t think anything would live up to the lluminations of day two, but we were in for many more special moments. Memories to cherish forever.