Disneyland Paris

Neither of us slept well on Sunday night, Sarah from excitement and me from logistical anxiety! Anyway, I needn’t have worried, all went smoothly and we had the most incredible day.

We caught the train to the park, very easy and we were there by 9.15. I’d arranged an access card for Sarah as she can get very antsy and a tad aggressive in queues, so we ironically stood in the only queue of the day waiting to collect it. But it was worth it as we then didn’t have to queue; the French system is less strict than the one in Orlando, and arguably less fair (in Orlando you have to be interviewed and are given a bespoke assistance package. There is absolutely no queue jumping as you are given a time to ride equal to the current queue time, and you can only ride each ride once a day). In France it’s extremely relaxed - great for us!

We did 15 rides, one very excellent show, the Christmas parade, crepes, hot dogs, chocolate covered fruit kebabs, and then the heavens opened. We were ready to go anyway, just needed to shop - see extras for me looking very bedraggled in the shop waiting for Sarah. Also an obligatory ride photo of course. We’d not been for 6 years and the last time we were here we hadn’t yet been to Orlando, so we didn’t have anything to compare it to. It’s smaller but has more character (well, more fake character), plus the rides are generally better. The weather is a double-edged sword - we’d never have managed 22,000 steps in Florida in the heat, but hats and gloves are usually not required there either.

Sarah adored the day. Watching her face at the show we saw was worth everything. I’m so lucky to have her as my excuse to do this sort of thing.

Any thoughts of waiting until 10pm for the fireworks disappeared with the rain, but I think we were done anyway. Back on the train, pizza delivered to the room, a lovely glass of red and out like a light. Sarahs already planning a return trip when the new Frozen land opens.

Phew!