Disney At Christmas

The first time we went to Disneyland Paris as a family was in a January. Daddy and I had been together one January (I suppose technically that was our first trip as a family but you know what I mean!) and knew that compared to what the internet said it was like in the Summer that it wasn't that busy and we thought that for our first trip abroad with a child we should go off season. That trip was magical. Top Ender was enthralled with Disneyland so much that we arranged another trip the following year because we had to go back to relive memories and to make more magical new ones. Plus Winter in Paris is rather like Winter in London, a bit wet, a bit cold but you don't really notice as you're in DISNEYLAND!

Top Ender the first time she met Mickey

We wanted to go back with Big Boy, but money was tight and it wasn't until this Summer that we managed to get back to Disneyland Paris. It wasn't that busy (despite what the internet says) and we managed to get on every ride we wanted, see the shows and meet a few characters too. We had an absolute blast.

Family Fun At Disneyland Paris

Again we were really hit with the Disney bug and we wanted to go back. Daddy and I were plotting ways for us to return in the Summer of 2013, finding some long lost rich distant relatives to bump off, selling an organ or two... you know the usual late night things Daddy and I talk about.

It was when Disney gave us a call and asked if we'd like to go over to Disneyland Paris to see the Wreck It Ralph film and to be there for the launch of their 20th Christmas season that we started getting really excited. Who wouldn't A want to go and see what was tipped to be the best Disney film since the last Disney film (we're big Disney freaks okay? I've even seen some films that Disney employees were surprised I could quote and I'm pretty sure that we own everything in the world ever filmed by them...) and B Who wouldn't want to see Disney all dressed up for Christmas?! I would have moved heaven and earth, sold both my children and called myself Bob to be there. Luckily all we had to do was tell School and work and pack.

We travelled over by the Tunnel again, I think it's amazing that you can drive on a train in the UK and drive off in France. Daddy drove to Disneyland Paris, where it had been arranged that we would stay in *THE Disney Hotel* you know the big pink one at the front of the park?! WOW.

The view of the park from The Disneyland Hotel

Okay let me tell you a little about the hotel. To first get you in the right frame of mine imagine growing up rich and being treated to the beautiful luxury that rich people get everyday.

Now, think of yourself pulling up in your car to the entrance of the hotel, where doormen tip their hats to you, where a man will go and park your car for you, where a trolley for your bags in magically produced out of thin air.

Imagine the door being held open for you, whilst a gentleman wishes you a good day...

Okay, now imagine a sweeping foyer with Christmas Swags decorating the landing balcony's that over look into foyer. Now imagine a tree that is so tall you can't quite make out the top, covered in baubles and candy canes and lollipops. Now imagine a Gingerbread house, in a winter wonderland with a toy train running round in circles around the house and a candy cane forest. 

That's what you see just as you walk into the hotel. You aren't even properly in the door yet and it's amazing.

One of the Disneyland Paris Christmas Trees

We got to our room, met up with the rest of our group and were told we could go out into the park for the rest of the day. Big Boy and Top Ender were amazed. They had been here just a few short weeks before, but now the park looked so different and it was a whole lot more impressive than the pictures they had seen on the Disneyland Paris Facebook page or videos on the youtube channel!

Now it was Christmas in Disneyland. Where it Snows (Bubbles) on Main Street, where you can here Christmas Carols playing, where everyone looks like they have just walked off a film set for a Disney Holiday special and of course there are Mickey themed decorations just about everywhere you look.

Christmas Decorations on Main Street

One of the perks of staying in the Disneyland Hotel is that you get a Fast Pass that allows you to cut out most of the queuing on the rides with a Fast Past queue. Think of it as a VIP Perk. We did queue for a lot of other rides that we love, just like when we came in the Summer, and to be honest there wasn't that much of a queue for a lot of the rides. The brilliant thing about Disney too, is that they make their queueing for the rides interesting. There are things to look at, you can sometimes see part of the ride and of course the cast members help the queue to move along quite quickly.

Big Boy meeting Mickey and Minnie

I can't explain how magical Disneyland is, I can't explain how much more magical it seems at Christmas. I hope that the photographs I've included in this post (and you can see more over on our Facebook page) help you to see that it is a stunning place and that if you can you should get booking a trip to Disneyland Paris for Christmas or any time really!

Our trip was paid for by Disney, but when we went in the Summer we paid for ourselves and totally would go at Christmas again once we've saved up enough money!

Have you added A Mother's Ramblings to your RSS Reader? Make sure you never miss a brilliant lunch or a fantastic family moment.  

Also don't forget to follow my Weight Loss and Fitness Journey at Pippa World too!