Disneyland Paris for adults: I went without kids and it was a perfect weekend
As Disneyland Paris celebrates its 30th anniversary, Adam Bloodworth checked in to get nostalgic for his childhood – and found a wholesome weekend away without too much temptation to drink and be hedonistic, and plenty of fun rides too
THE WEEKEND: I had faded memories of gawping at the Castle and meeting Mickey Mouse in the 1990s. It was back when I was a child and was the target market for Disneyland. Now 33, like many people my age, I’m probably more reliant than I should be on a hedonistic London lifestyle. The appeal of going back to Disneyland Paris was that it would return me to my childhood: could pink castles and the It’s A Small World ride really offer me escapism – and a healthier break – when I push pens instead of prams around for a living?
CAN ADULTS GO WITHOUT KIDS? I don’t have any kids, and when I emailed Disneyland to see if they’d have this newspaper down to visit, they were delighted we’d asked. Promoting adultsonly weekends away is part of their plan to keep the Park fresh as they celebrate their thirtieth year, even if the kids will always be the main focus. The reality is there’s plenty to do here as an adult and it’s thrilling to see the Park afresh from an adult’s perspective.
WHAT’S IT LIKE WITH JUST ADULTS? Wonderfully innocent with a dash of dark humour. Flanked by security guards, Jafar from The Lion King sweeps past us in his cloak. He leans over to greet a young girl in a buggy, using his cane for balance. She presses back into the buggy as if she’s trying to break through the back of it and bellows out the loudest scream. It’s magical seeing how much the kids love it here – but it’s equally thrilling voyeuristically watching the chaos from a distance.
Walking around the districts, you’ll occasionally see scenes like this: famous characters from the Disney films being escorted from afternoon kids’ show to photo opportunity, yada yada, and in the late afternoon they all meet to perform the Parade, where thousands line the streets for a joyous explosion of song and dance. Ride queues can be savage, and some feel their 30 years, but there’s a charm to the older rides which have vintage charm rather than simply feeling out of date – but newer rides like the Ratatouille one and the Space Mountain ride are ferocious fun.
HOW SHOULD I PLAN MY ADULTS-ONLY DAY? It’s worth buying Disney Premier Access to skip the queues. While it doesn’t feel in the spirit of Disneyland to saunter past queuing families, in practice it means you can spend the day doing the rides, then head back to the Newport Bay Hotel for a swim in the plush pool a short walk away on the fringes of Lake Disney, freshen up, then head back into Disneyland for the evening. Best is that it’s pretty much boozeless everywhere, spare for the Ratatouille restaurant and the Walt’s restaurant and a Champagne trolley that meanders through the crowds in time for the 11 o’clock spectacular at night.
I had one glass of wine and one beer all weekend – there’s enough rides and park to see that you don’t end up with loads of time for indulging over drinks so it’s a healthy weekend. But if you do, the escapist Walt’s is decked out like a family home would have been when the park founder was alive – and it is so effectively intimate I instinctively paused as I walked in, feeling like I’d actually trespassed into someone’s living room, full of trinkety photos and fussy furnishings. It does good food too. Staring up at the newly refurbished Castle as a brilliant light show beams film characters onto it, glass of champagne in hand, isn’t too much of a hardship either.
Visit Disneyland Paris yourself
Eurostar goes to Paris return from £78. Paris Metro is around £10 to Disneyland from Gare du Nord. Rooms at the Newport Bay Hotel Disneyland Paris start from £188. Entrance from £50; Disneylandparis.com
Take the Eurostar to Paris after work on Friday and you have ample time to have dinner in the French capital before a late check in at Disneyland on the Friday. We had a great time at Brasserie Bellanger a ten minute walk from Gare du Nord station. Do Disneyland on Saturday and the smaller Walt Disney Studios all day Sunday and be back in London by 10 or 11pm
Read more about train travel through France here and find more from Morning Wire Travel here