Disney Hotel Santa Fe

This was our first trip to Disneyland Paris. It was during the summer and our children were aged 3 and 5. We booked our trip about a week before visiting after a change of plans on a  European roadtrip serendipitously gave us a few nights spare in France driving near to Paris. Because it was last minute and in summer, the 2* Santa Fe was our only option

I wouldn’t go expecting anything fancy, but it’s a perfectly fine option given you’ll be in the parks all day and our kids loved the fact it’s themed around Radiator Springs from Cars. It’s a good place to stay if you’re on a budget and it’s around a 20 minute scenic walk along the river to the parks or you can jump on the park shuttle bus from reception. Magic Hour is included, which is worth its weight in gold. Another plus is the free parking and WiFi. You get some character meets in the lobby included and there’s a Starbucks, La Cantina Mexican themed buffet restaurant & Rio Grande Bar on site

The rooms are all within different mini desert motel style blocks. We had a double room with two beds and a shower room. We were really worried when after booking we’d read that it doesn’t have air conditioning, just ceiling fans. It wasn’t awful given that it was peak summer when we visited but definitely something to be aware of. You can ask reception for extra fans if needed. Also hey don’t have mini fridges FYI, but you can ask to store any medicine or baby milk in a main fridge in reception if needed

Disney Newport Bay Club

Second time around was a stay over Halloween when our kids were 4 and 6. We booked a lot further in advance and it wasn’t much more expensive to book Disney’s Newport Bay Club. I loved the styling here, it’s a 4* New England style, charming old school resort with subtle nods to nautical Disney throughout with Minnie & Mickey theming. It overlooks the lake and is only a 10 minute walk to the parks with its own security checkpoint before you reach Disney village. So location wise it’s a win

We partly booked it for the indoor & outdoor heated pools here but didn’t end up having time to use them. There’s also a sauna and gym/health club on site but we got more than enough steps pounding the parks that we were too shattered for anything else! 

We had a standard superior room which definitely felt like a step up from Santa Fe decor and size wise, it was a bit of a maze to get there, it’s a huge hotel. You do get aircon as standard here. Again there are no mini fridges in the rooms so you can’t self cater very easily

You can upgrade to Compass Club level if you book the highest category rooms which includes a VIP check in, breakfast and tea. They have an excellent looking seafood international buffet called Cape Cod & a Yacht club à la carte. You’d want to book these in advance

How to pick the right hotel

It all comes down to budget, the time of year and the length that you’re visiting, but off the two hotels we stayed at there’s no question: Newport Bay club wins every time. It’s just that bit more prestigious, 10 minutes closer to the parks and it has a pool on site. In reality there’s not that much difference though in terms of rooms besides the air con. Newport Bay rooms were a little more spacious and more refined with fancier toiletries, but if you’re expecting real luxury then you’d probably be surprised. It’s mainly the overall atmosphere, location and facilities on offer that are an upgrade. You’ve got to remember that you’re most likely there for the parks and will be out for most of the day rather than it being about the hotel. They both offer the same benefits in terms of magic hours and character meets

If you’re stretching the budget just to stay at Newport Bay Club, I’d say save the money and choose Santa Fe instead. You’ll still have an incredible Disney experience. But if there’s only £100-200 between them when you book, Newport Bay is absolutely worth the upgrade

Our favourite rides, shows and experiences by age

The rides are obviously amazing and excellently themed but the real standouts for me were the West End worthy shows that made me have tears in my eyes and the awe inspiring fully immersive parades where you’ll be left with the songs living rent free in your head for days after as a happy reminder

Check the planned closures in advance for your visit as they vary the parade schedules and maintain certain rides throughout the year. Don’t miss the Pixar Together musical show & the Mickey and the Magician show which both feature a lot of different characters

One of the best things about Disneyland Paris is that there really is something for everyone, from toddlers taking their very first rides to adrenaline-seeking teenagers (and adults!). My children aren’t thrill seekers but there are plenty of non-scary rides for small children

Gentle rides – perfect for little ones

• It’s a Small World {our ultimate favourite, a gentle boat ride around the world}
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant 
• Le Carrousel de Lancelot (Carousel)
• Autopia {where children can drive their own mini petrol-powered cars!}
• Cars ROAD TRIP
• Casey Jr. – Le Petit Train du Cirque
• Disneyland Railroad
• Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups
• Le Pays des Contes de Fées (Storybook Land Canal Boats)
• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth (a fun walk-through maze with the Queen of Hearts’ castle at the top for amazing views)
• Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains (Snow White)
• La Tanière du Dragon (walk beneath Sleeping Beauty Castle to meet the dragon!)

Family favourites / medium thrills (many children who aren’t keen on big rollercoasters still absolutely love these!)

• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
• Orbitron
• Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure
• Ratatouille: The Adventure
• Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin
• Cars Quatre Roues Rallye
• Les Voyages de Pinocchio
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop
• Frozen Ever After (opening with World of Frozen)
• Rapunzel Tangled Spin (coming to the new Adventure Way area)

For the daredevils

• Crush’s Coaster
• Avengers Assemble: Flight Force
• Big Thunder Mountain
• Indiana Jones™ and the Temple of Peril
• RC Racer
• Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™

So much to see every day

It’s definitely not just about the rides. There are plenty of playgrounds, character meet-and-greets, incredible stage shows, the daytime parade, Disney Stars on Parade, and the spectacular nighttime castle show

If you want to meet the characters on the virtual queuing systems, be checked into the park they’re in get on the app just before 9.45 and 2pm, go to the Character section (it’s worth setting an alarm!). Keep refreshing and even if it says you’ve missed out, quickly try again and it should work! You then get a time slot. The Spider Man meet and greet was so fun, he gives children a lot of time and teaches them some tricks. You’ll find some characters just popping up around the park at times too where you can just queue up. We were really lucky first time around to catch Mickey just walking around Main Street at the end of magic hour, such a bucket list moment where the kids ran to high five him. I wish we’d got autograph books now for my kids to collect signatures! 

It’s well worth making a list of your favourite rides and having a game plan for magic hour and beyond to minimise your time spent queuing and factor in some shows and parades. We were surprised by how much we could fit in by strategically planning and being in the queue just before magic hour. The two parks are right next to each other so it’s easy to park hop between throughout the day or spend a whole day at each & then choose your favourites for the last day. The new Frozen world has opened this year since our visit which looks epic too

Rebecca’s top £ saving tips

• First up, book and pay in euros if you’re booking on the Disney website. You can save around 10% that way just toggle the £ to € setting and pay with a zero foreign exchange fee card (we use Revolut).
• Sit down restaurants can be pricey both in the parks and in the restaurants just outside in Disney Village so you will save by self catering, luckily the French hyper markets are epic so go and stock up on snacks/drinks before your visit. Auchan is always our favourite. We took in mini croissants, sandwiches, fruit/veggies, crisps, yogurt pouches etc
• A few of the restaurants in the park are all you can eat buffets so although they’re typically €40 or €50 a head, you will get a lot for your money and probably fill you up for 2 meals at least 
• We didn’t find the snacks in the park too bad value wise – the Mickey shaped ice creams & cookies are iconic and there are a few meal deals, our children loved the Mickey shaped pizzas from Bella Notte opposite the Small World ride that come with a drink and a couple of sides including a mini ice cream for about €10
• If you’d rather budget up front you can buy a Disney dining plan on booking and choose how many meals to include which can be really worthwhile but make sure to book restaurants in advance, it’s really hard to get a reservation last minute. Some levels include character dining experiences too to make it extra special

Les Villages Nature Paris

On our second Disneyland Paris trip during October half-term, we spent three nights at Les Villages Nature Paris before checking into Disney – and our children did *not* want to leave. They loved it so much that we all wished we’d booked five nights there before our two nights at Disney

It’s only around a 10-minute drive from Disneyland Paris if you’ve got your own car, or around 25 minutes on the public bus. While it’s close enough to combine the two, I wouldn’t recommend commuting back and forth every day if your priority is making the most of Extra Magic Time. Instead, treat Les Villages Nature as its own holiday before or after Disney

There really is something for all ages here. There’s the incredible Aqua Mundo with indoor and outdoor thermal heated pools, lazy rivers, splash areas and slides for all ages, a mini farm, forest adventure playgrounds, aesthetically pleasing soft play, cycling trails, mini driving schools, a beautiful lake and what might just be the best patisserie around Disney on site. Some activities cost extra – it’s unbelievable all of the different options, we booked the kids off road driving and we had a family chocolate making class activity credit included for booking early. There’s so much included (evening kids story telling sessions and mini discos) that you won’t feel short of things to do. It’s also got a few restaurants that you can eat in or get take out and a really good mini supermarket on site

Prices vary depending on the season and accommodation, but expect to pay around £200-£400 per night for a family lodge. We paid £742 for 3 nights in a 2-bed lodge. Considering everything that’s included, we thought it offered great value for money especially compared to UK Center Parcs in half-term

Meet the mama 

Rebecca is a Mama of 2 and you can be sure that she’ll already be plotting her next adventure. A former honeymoon editor & anonymous boutique hotel reviewer for Mr & Mrs Smith, she and her husband promised they’d never stop travelling when they became parents. Before their daughter was six months old she’d already travelled to Italy, New York and Australia. Since then, seven years on, another baby and countless trips later, travelling with kids has become even more rewarding. They love to balance family-friendly luxury resorts with camping in their custom made trailer on European road trips every summer before escaping somewhere warmer and longer haul over winter. From mountain playgrounds to the best beaches and local workshops, she’s passionate about finding unique places to explore with her little adventurers and is savvy with it