IT WAS snowing as we emerged from the railway station at Marne la Vallee for our visit to Disneyland Paris, but Tigger and Eeyore had braved the falling flakes to meet the latest Eurostar arrivals.
My four-year-old daughter, a big Mickey Mouse fan and no shrinking violet, promptly started her three-day love affair with all of the Disney characters by cuddling each one before I managed to haul her away.
Mission number one after the 3hr journey from Waterloo was to get rid of our luggage. Clients who book packages through operators can check in their luggage at Waterloo and it will be whisked away to the on-site hotel in Disneyland Paris.
As our Eurostar tickets and accommodation were booked separately, we had to hop on one of the shuttle buses that run regularly from the station to the hotels.
I had picked the Wild West-themed Sequoia Lodge and just had time to take in the room – good size and two double beds to suit families – before being dragged to the park, which was about 10 mins’ walk from the hotel.
My daughter spent a wonderful, queueless Friday afternoon racing from one ride to another with mum in tow.
Day two, Saturday, was a bit of a shock. The park was heaving with people by 9.30am and the shortest wait soon grew to at least 40mins. Be prepared to wait a little bit longer to get on the big rides like Space Mountain and Honey I Shrunk the Audience, Disneyland Paris’ newest attraction.
We waited in line for several rides, but by Saturday afternoon, my daughter had had enough and spent time just looking for the smallest queue, although there were hardly any. We even had to line up for lunch.
Although we ventured out for Pirates of the Caribbean and a maze-type adventure which I never quite understood, we stayed most of the time in Fantasyland, which is packed with good rides for youngsters.
The Pinocchio ride was my daughter’s favourite one, along with the Alice in Wonderland maze, the Casey Junior train, and the electric parade which actually made her stand still for 15mins. Entertainment continues into the evening for kids and adults alike. One of the favourites is Buffalo Bill’s Wild West dinner show.
In winter, there was only a once-a-week direct service to and from the park. During the summer season, which starts at the end of March and runs until late September, there is a daily service in each direction.
The train leaves Waterloo at 9.23am, which means an early start, but that does give a full afternoon in the park. The return service leaves Marne la Vallee at 7.30pm, to arrive in London at 9.30pm.