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Traveling is different with kids, there are different considerations and abilities than there would be otherwise. Luckily our daughter has always been a great traveler and never fusses or complains about road trips, long layovers, or days spent walking around. While in Paris she patiently went around with us to see all the things and places that we wanted to see and even managed to feign interest in things that she had no idea about. We felt than that it was only right to have a day in Paris geared towards her and so changed our plans, foregoing a visit to Versailles and instead going to see the other royal palace at Disneyland Paris.

Theme parks are not everyone’s cup of tea, especially when traveling. We got some eye rolls from family members when they found out where we were going. Having been to Disneyland in California a number of times and spending most weekends at Disneyworld in Florida when we lived there, I was interested to see the differences at this park in Paris. A day at Disneyland Paris is a third of the cost of Disneyworld and half the cost of Disneyland California. That was the first difference was how inexpensive it was to spend a day at the park here. Not to mention the beautiful entrance with its pale pink chateau and water fountains.

Disneyland Paris is celebrating its 30th anniversary. It was not really welcomed by the people of France when it was proposed, there were great protests about it and the Disney CEO was actually booed off the stage. But construction continued and the park opened its doors of September 1992. Since then it has become a favorite of theme parks in Europe. The 30th anniversary celebrations will continue to September 2023 where guests can enjoy the colorful attire of the characters and the special treats around the park.

Our first area was the whimsical Fantasyland where bean stocks grow out of buildings and carousel horses are bedecked in fancy attire. You have to hand it to Disney and the complete dedication to creating lands that take you away from reality and have you stepping into a story. It is easy to feel immersed in the imagination and the magic.

This Disney park features The Curious Labyrinth of Alice where visitors go through walled green passageways, meeting characters like the hookah smoking caterpillar, the Cheshire cat, and the servant playing cards along the way. The path ends at the castle of the Queen of Hearts where you can walk up through the castle and look out over the park from the top tower.

Also in Fantasyland is the It’s a Small World ride. This ride more than anything else in Disney is always the hotly contested ride of love it or hate it. Some people think it’s the worst while others think a day at Disney is incomplete without it. I’m not usually a fan of this ride, but I will say that this one seemed much better than at other parks. It was more inclusive of cultures and people and seemed brighter and visually pleasing.

Adventureland was fantastic. With a giant pirate ship to run around on, swinging bridges that lead to caves and paths through the rocks, a walk up through the treehouse of Swiss Family Robinson, and ending with a ride through Pirates of the Caribbean. My favorite part was listening to the swarthy sea song of ‘yo ho ho and bottle of rum’ sung in French.

We moved into Frontierland for a ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This ride is always a favorite for me since it was modeled after southern Utah and northern Arizona with the red rock formations and the old mining towns. We haven’t been to Disneyland since a girl was tall enough to ride, so it was fun to go with her on this thrill ride and hear her screams of excitement.

A trip around the park aboard the steamship Molly Brown will bring back all the Americana images. The steamship and the Main Street area are reminiscent of Walt Disney’s childhood in Missouri. And a spooky visit by some hitchhiking ghosts at the Phantom Manor is always fun. Sadly, the Phantom Manor was closed for maintenance while we were there.

Discoveryland takes visitors to the futuristic idea of time and space and it is here that they can become a Jedi and touch the stars. The outside of Hyperspace Mountain greets guests with the giant telescope shooting visitors into the fast spins of the dark ride. Walt Disney wanted a space themed ride from the beginning. With the expansion of Stars Wars into the Disney company, Space Mountain was rethemed to fit with the franchise.

And at the center of it all stands Sleeping Beauty Castle. Of all the differences between Disney parks, this is the greatest of them all because the castle welcomes visitors to come inside and really see the castle. Not only is the castle beautifully designed on the outside but the inside is just as lovely and interesting.

Visitors can go up the stairs past the tree like pillars to the second floor where there are huge stained glass panels telling the story of Sleeping Beauty. Across from the stained glass are wall size tapestries with other parts of the story and a spinning wheel standing ominously in the corner. Then you can walk out on the balcony and look out over the rest of the park.

After walking around upstairs in the castle, then it is time to head to the dungeon where you are met with the large angry dragon with glowing eyes and hot breath. This animatronic dragon in the cave below the castle is unique to any other park and it really brings the fairy tale to life.

The day was winding down so we rode the last few rides and got one last treat for the road. Our last views of the castle were from Fantasyland and then one more with the setting sun as we walked down Main Street. It had been a day of fun and magic and memories. There was a lot about this park that I enjoyed more than other Disney parks and the ways that they had made it their own.

Though Disneyland Paris was not originally part of our plan, I was glad that we came and made some new Disney memories. Because we went so often when we lived in Florida it became part of our family and getting back into that spirit after so many years was really special. But more than anything, it was a lesson in traveling with kids that sometimes you have to put the big important places on the list for next time and instead allow kids a piece of childhood before you blink and the moment is gone.

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For some other of our favorite Disney experiences, check out these:

Festival of the Holidays at Epcot- Florida

Star Wars Land at Hollywood Studios- Florida

Nightmare Before Christmas at the Haunted Mansion- California

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Thanks for joining me on this visit to Disneyland Paris. May you remember those moments of pirates, fairy tales, and dragons as you grow up.