A Love Letter to Disneyland Paris

After much saving, I travelled to Disneyland Paris in June with two of my three kids (the other one was there too but on a school trip and because I’m such a cringeworthy parent… we went there at the same time). While we were there I wrote a quick throwaway post on my Facebook blog Pearls of Kiddom, fessing up about how wrong I’d been to be sceptical in the past about all things Disney.

It was an ‘open letter’ of apology, if you like. I had always thought Disney would be super tacky, too girly, a bit fake. I had no interest in Disney princesses (or princes for that matter). I’m not a fan of rides or rollercoasters and I absolutely hate queuing… especially the particular torture that is queuing with kids.

My post was a throwing-of-my-hands in the air, admitting that I’d not only gotten the place all wrong, but had in fact been totally swept up in its magic. I was already thinking about when we could go back.

I posted it and forgot about it.

When my phone started blowing up a couple of hours later I was a bit confused. Surely all these thousands of likes, shares and comments couldn’t have been about little old us in little old EuroDisney?

On that point, I’ll admit that of the hundreds of comments a very small percentage were from people who I’m guessing were the Disney hardcore. And boyyyy were they cross at me for misnaming their beloved Disneyland Paris. I read through their furious rebukes wide-eyed and then laughed… I had been there for a week and genuinely thought it was called EuroDisney. I was suitable chastised and simultaneously amused that anybody could be that bothered, quite frankly.

Anyway, back to the matter in hand. How did I, a mum of three football loving boys with an aversion to Disney princesses and a hatred of fairground rides, end up falling in love with Disneyland Paris? The answer is; how could I not? How could anyone not?

I could wax lyrical for hours about the genius of the place so I do hope you’re sitting comfortably…

Oh D.P (that’s what we’ve started to call it in our house because we’re just too cool to full-title it every time. We’re on casual nickname terms you see)... Where do I start with you? Well, at the very beginning.

We emerged from La Gare alongside swarms of other tourists, sweaty and dishevelled from the punishing almost 30 degree heat. The station is grey concrete block, uninspiring and vast. But there you were to greet us D.P.

From the second we saw your ‘Welcome’ sign brandished by Mickey Mouse himself, we knew things were about to get better.

Heading through the ornate barriers into the Disney Village, I was struck by the feeling that I wasn’t watching a Disney film… we were in one. Everything was so pristine, so clean, so perfect. It felt like a place where you couldn’t possibly be in a bad mood, no matter how hard you tried.

And D.P that’s the thing isn’t it? Your beauty somehow inspires all of those too hot, dishevelled tourists to just instantly become nicer human beings! Everybody smiles at each other. Complete strangers approach with beaming smiles and say “Would you like me to get a photo of you all?” Nobody jostles in the queue or complains or pushes in. Your magic makes us all lovers instead of fighters.

Walking down Main Street as we first entered the parks, my seven year old squeezed my hand, looked up at me and said “I feel like I’m in the best dream I’ve ever had Mam, and I want to try and remember all of it.” Talk about that for a line from a Disney film eh!? I got goosebumps many times on our trip, but that moment gave me the biggest.

D.P you are absolute complete and utter sensory overload aren’t you? I felt like I had to just absorb the bits I could, not try and get overwhelmed by the sheer attention to detail you contain. The colours, the music, the atmosphere… you provide escapism of the highest order. As I described it in my Facebook post Disney, you are a holiday from the mind; because there’s no way I could hang onto stress, worry, anxiety when you were there just being all enthralling and captivating and fun with a capital F.

Although you didn’t convert me into becoming an adrenaline-fuelled rollercoaster lover (the Cars themed teacups ride gave me enough nausea to last the day thank you very much), that didn’t matter. Because there’s something for everyone isn’t there? I spent a full jam-packed day across the two parks and didn’t endure a single death drop.

I’m a bit embarassed to confess D.P that I’d worried you’d be a bit tacky, a bit tired and rundown. I hang my head in shame. You were clean as a whistle and fresh as a daisy. No peeling paint or sticky handrails in sight. And also; you were way less spendy than I’d thought you would be! Your glorious crepes, nutella waffles and ice creams were actually more reasonably priced and far tastier than the ones we bought the next day wandering along the Champs Elysees.

The ‘parade’ which I’d assumed would be cheesier than fromage on toast was actually completely joyous. Looking at the faces of my own children, and then around at the faces of all the other children, well I’m not ashamed to admit I got a bit teary.

The other thing I need to congratulate you on D.P, was the whole efficient slickness of the whole experience. And by that I mean the whole thing, from the arrival at the ‘Disney Hotel’, we stayed at the Explorers but there were about ten within the complex I think. There wasn’t the slightest hint of fatigue or ennui from a single member of staff from the hotel, to the shuttle bus, to park security, to shop/restaurant staff within the parks. Everyone just seemed to kind of love their job and want to make our day great, in whatever way they could. Where did you find these employees D.P? Do you have a little happy factory churning them out? Or are they in fact just normal people who have absorbed a huge extra helping of ‘the Disney effect’ by being there every day?

Whatever it is you’re doing, can you just please keep doing it? Don’t go changing. I want to come back to you with all three kids. And next time I’m going on a rollercoaster*.

*potentially