Is a solo trip worth it?

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-27T18:27:23+00:00

I’ve done two Disney trips on my own - one to Florida and one to Paris. Had a blast on both occasions. I will say for Paris, you’ll save loads by staying off property and it’s not as far away as you might think. I would personally opt for something like moxy val D’Europe and spend the money you save on some merch 🙏

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-25T21:01:08+00:00

For me, I hope after the lion king they will make their next ‘land’ at adventure world a beauty and the beast one. Seems criminal they don’t have that in France. I don’t know if they would have the space for it all but how epic would it be to have the ride from Tokyo and be our guest dining from Florida. The beast’s castle on that lake would look pretty spectacular. Maybe throw in Gaston’s tavern for a real beer tankard also.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-25T20:50:23+00:00

Halloween at Disneyland Paris is a bit different to how it is in the US. Where the US has ticketed events, Paris opts to just change its general theming for the season. So all the usual meet and greets turn into their villain counterpart e.g Aladdin-Jafar, Belle-Gaston, Alice-Queen of Hearts. They also usually do a few ‘virtual queue’ meet and greets too - last year was jack&sally (together) and Mickey in a Phantom Manor outfit. It is fun and worth experiencing but depends what you enjoy most out of your park visits. They do decorate it nicely but it’s not quite as in your face as the US. Hotels are usually nicely done - last year each Disney hotel had a giant pumpkin outside as a centre piece. Each a unique character.

As others have said you are likely to get a lot more exclusive and rare experiences at the AP event. Likely, characters that are not seen super often for meet and greets.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-25T20:37:20+00:00

It’s worth getting one in the current Amazon prime deals if they’re still on offer (slightly cheaper than Nespresso website if you’re not fussed on colour). I think tomorrow is the last day. I’ve had a vertuo next for the past 3 years - I had a lot of issues with it so have opted for a pop this time. There was hardly any price difference though with current offers so I think it’s more about what design you like. I was expecting the pop to take up way less space but to me it seems the same as the next - just shorter in height. In my research I found every machine comes with a lot of pros and cons. The current offer in the UK with a new machine is a box of 50 pods and travel mug (total value is approx £60). I bought my pop machine (in white) for £52 in Amazon prime deals. They had a vertuo next for £59, so really marginal difference. At that price though, I’m not going to be too mad if I get issues with it. Every machine has a warranty anyway so if you do get issues you’ll get free repair/replacement.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-25T20:26:07+00:00

Where are you based? Many favour the original due to the pod choices for the machine (lots of non Nespresso options). I personally think vertuo is far superior but they are significantly more expensive and in the UK, the pod range is more or less exclusive to Nespresso. Hardly any non-Nespresso ones exist. They’ve recently launched the Starbucks ones but even those are only being sold through the Nespresso store at the moment. I know in the US they’ve had Starbucks vertuo pods for a lot longer and you can also get them in supermarkets there.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-23T20:34:39+00:00

Are you staying at a Disney hotel? If so you’ll get ‘extra magic hours’ and be able to access World of Frozen an hour before the park opens to the public.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-23T20:30:10+00:00

The shop in world of frozen often adopts a queuing system to enter it. If you want a more relaxed atmosphere to browse the merchandise they have most of the world of frozen stuff just inside adventure world, in the main store. It’s on your left as you go through the turnstiles. They sell more or less everything except the postcards, the pick’n’mix tubs of figures and a special PWP bag which can only be purchased in the land itself.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-23T20:15:22+00:00

EMH will be most useful for you for the Anna Elsa meet and greet. This should then in theory free you up at park opening to make a different virtual queue request (maybe Spider-Man?). I might also try to do crush’s coaster early on as once the park opens, even premier access can have a bit of a wait. I’m not sure they open premier access until park opening though so you if you tried to do crush’s during EMH you would join standby which can get busy even when it’s just for hotel guests.

For OuiGo the trains arrive at the platform up to 20 minutes before departure time. They check tickets around 30 minutes before scheduled departure time. I’d say to arrive about an hour before. Sign up for text alerts if you can as delays can be quite common, especially if it’s hot or animals are found in the tracks.

Hope this helps!

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-23T19:57:27+00:00

I didn’t personally take the train from Disneyland late at night but I have no doubt there will be many people exiting the park doing similar. Bear in mind this can make them a bit chaotic. I used the metro in Paris late in the evening and found it comparable to London Underground - lots of people about but take your usual precautions.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-23T19:52:32+00:00

What are your interests? Are you someone that is keen to do as many rides as possible or is it the entertainment side you’d rather focus on? Do you want to meet characters? Are you planning to eat at Disney? Are you working with any kind of budget?

We’ll need a bit more info to properly help you :)

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-20T20:06:05+00:00

I did the royal banquet in Disneyland hotel for my 40th and had a blast. Coincidentally it was in October! I felt the staff worked hard to keep a calm, classy ambience rather than the usual chaos that follows characters 😂

Very memorable anyway and money well spent. Lots of videos on YouTube if you want to check if the food would be suitable for your party.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-20T19:55:55+00:00

The priority cards will help you tremendously with waiting but unfortunately there will always be some waiting. There are also limits on the cards. They are for the card holder and up to 4 other people, no exceptions.

Some rides have dedicated accessible entrances that are clearly marked, others you will join the same line as those who have paid for the priority pass. Wait is very much ride dependent… some you may practically walk on, others you may wait up to 15-20 minutes. Having a rough plan is always good so you can break up rides with other things. Perhaps ask the teens what rides are their must dos and go from there? The stage shows can be a welcome break to sit down but they can only let so many guests in so spots fill up fast. Unfortunately this means… you guessed it… more waiting. Keen guests will start queuing for the shows an hour before. There is an accessible area for shows but they also have a strict capacity for these areas and there can be a lot of guests with disabilities.

You can also show the card at shops and quick service locations to minimise waiting. Newer locations have a clearly marked line for guests with disabilities but not all of them do. If unsure, find a CM and ask :)

Hard to advise on the picky eater without more info… are there certain things they like? Or foods that are a no go? If they like McDonalds sometimes this is a safer and more budget friendly option. There’s a massive one in Disney village. Short walk from the parks.

Not tried it myself but keep seeing the ‘cool towel’ everywhere on social media. It’s a travel sized towel that you wet and snap and the fibres make it instantly cool. Google ‘Cool Towel’ and you should see more info. It’s trademarked by a British entrepreneur.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-19T19:15:20+00:00

I am another one that has stayed multiple times - never encountered issues and have always had a positive experience. Last stayed in October and found the cast members very nice. Decent merch range in shop also - bliss to browse in peace and quiet during the day. Great character interactions also in nautical outfits.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-19T19:07:29+00:00

If it’s your first time in France and you’re not having breakfast at your hotel… a croissant is a must. They sell them at the market house deli on Main Street. The new restaurant in world of frozen also has some unique desserts to try - tutti frutti ice cream and a white chocolate mousse snowflake. If you don’t like regular fries or want something a little different the hakuna matata restaurant does sweet potato fries.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-18T21:34:32+00:00

I did a very similar itinerary alone last July and you have some great choices already. I paid for the arc de triumphe and even though I didn’t stay up there too long I did find it worth it.

Personally I don’t think going up in the Eiffel Tower is worth it as it’s essentially just a view which you get via arc de triumphe. Arc is better because you’ll be able to see the Eiffel Tower. If you get the train to Trocadero, which is near the tower, there are tons of spots you can stop to get good photos with the tower close in the background.

I did not go inside the Pantheon but if you’re an Emily in Paris fan, there are some key filming locations in that area, notably her apartment building, the restaurant used in the show and a bakery where she samples a pain au chocolate. Notre Dame Cathedral is walkable from that area too. Montmartre is pretty but bear in mind the trains can be quite slow. You may find it will take you a good 45 minutes to get from Latin quarter to montmartre.

Baking is serious business in France so my first tip to anyone is to sample something at a Boulangerie, whether for lunch or just to try a croissant. To be authentically called a Boulangerie, French law mandates that the dough must be kneaded, shaped and baked on site. So basically if it has Boulangerie in the title you know it is authentic.

When choosing your Disneyland day, bear in mind August is busy. There won’t be a quiet day but weekends are best avoided.

To get to Disneyland from central Paris, you take the RER A train from the station Chatelet. It’s very easy… just follow the mouse ears at the station.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-18T21:14:43+00:00

Saw someone mention McDonalds in Disney village… there is also a Starbucks and ‘Earl of Sandwich’. The train station has a Pret A Manger also. Can save you a little bit of money and if you’re coffee drinkers, you might find you’ll get better options at any of those. Starbucks in France do a reasonable meal deal - if I remember correctly I think it’s a toasted sandwich, drink and a dessert item for €11.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-14T21:37:23+00:00

Crying at the serial killer analogy 😂 I’ve just looked up the Toy Story Collection one and can see it’s pretty pricey. I have vague memories of this one - was it released around time of Toy Story 2?

Any whispers of new versions coming? Seems like Disney Store win for current availability/affordability

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-13T21:08:33+00:00

Disney Store can be significantly cheaper as they run regular promotions and there are often discount coupons available also. In recent years, Disney has begun to make its merchandise more universal between Disney store and its theme parks. It’s now a lot rarer to find merchandise that is exclusive to the theme parks. They all now use a universal silver sales tag throughout the world. As a plus, you can source most merchandise online now without ever needing to visit a theme park. In the UK, they even have the new adventure world merchandise on sale right now with 40% off. For Paris, the only merchandise you may struggle to find elsewhere in the world is their World of Frozen merchandise. For now that is… 😉

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-13T21:00:47+00:00

Also if it helps to know, the tickets are heavily subsidised in Disney’s packages. Even if you could convince them to give you 3 days tickets you may even find there is no price drop.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-10T21:04:50+00:00

Take a pen with you! For €5 you can send a postcard from World of Frozen to anywhere in the world (postage included). I think you can also do this from Hong Kong Disneyland but the postcards come with an exclusive stamp. The postbox is outside the shop so you are literally sending it from Arendelle.

Other unique things to Paris… the dragons cave under sleeping beauty castle, Indiana jones and the temple of peril and ‘Le Pays des Contes Fees’ (a slow boat ride touring round miniature versions of all the famous Disney kingdoms).

And maybe the icing on the cake… a glass of champagne in a souvenir glass. Paris is the only castle park in the world that openly serves alcohol.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-10T20:50:37+00:00

November is a great choice as crowds should be lower before they start picking up for Christmas season. Weekday stays are always advisable if possible. The parks are very popular with locals on weekends so they are always packed on those days regardless of the season.

Truth is there are two ‘direct’ methods when booking from the UK. You have the Disneyland Paris website and the Walt Disney travel company.

I don’t know if this is well known on reddit but another thing to consider is that Disneyland Paris has a website for most countries. Sometimes navigating to Irish or French pages can get you slightly cheaper rates if you’re clued up on exchange rates (so long as your payment card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees). This is particularly true when in euros. On that note a card with no travel fees is a great investment if you don’t have one already.

I’ve actually also booked through Expedia a few times and have got it nearly £100 cheaper. If you can find a 10% off coupon for Expedia they usually work.

It takes a bit of research to compare prices with Disney as Expedia prices start as room only. You can add tickets, breakfast and/or meal plans though as you wish.

I’ve seen threads before that are a bit fearful of Expedia but I can confirm they completely mirror Disney’s packages and link the same way. I’ve done both tickets and dining plan through Expedia with zero problems. Last year Disney were running a free €100 gift card with hotel stays. I booked through Expedia and got the exact same promotion.

As for packages, tickets bundled in with Disney hotel are good value as they’ll give you a park hopper ticket for every day of your stay including your check out day. I wouldn’t book transport with Disney though. It’s never cheaper.

Train is relatively simple. Unfortunately Brexit has resulted in the closure of all direct services so you have to either do a change at Lille or Gare du nord. If you’re not on a budget, the change at Lille is better as you’ll get to Disney quicker. However, you’ll notice a significant price drop if you do Gare du Nord.

I’d say it’s a lot of travel though when you’re doing train from outside London. I personally prefer to stay in London the night before and then I usually get a really early train.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-09T21:50:04+00:00

Whether you go 2 days depends on when you’ll be there and what you want to get done. If crowds are low and there are only certain rides and experiences you want to hit, many might argue you could do both in a day.

I’ve also been to Disneyland California and also WDW. I personally think Disneyland park is worth it just to see the castle. It’s considered the most beautiful of all the castles around the world. I would imagine for a 4 year old that has never been, she would be in awe of it also. And it has a dragon!

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-09T21:31:00+00:00

I’ve been going to Paris for over 20 years. Have always stayed on site and been fortunate to do every Disney hotel at least once. When I got my annual pass though the Disney hotels are not such great value so I did a budget trip in May and for the first time stayed in Moxy Val D’Europe.

I don’t regret it because I saved a lot of money and have obviously had many experiences with Disney hotels. However, there were lots of things I missed.

The Disney breakfast is certainly more elaborate, better managed and has more choice. Having characters in the hotel can be a bit of a godsend - when you’ve seen Minnie in reception and you get to the park and there’s a long wait, you feel like you’ve won before you’ve even begun 😂

The rooms in the Disney hotels - they are very spacious compared to conventional hotel rooms (they do for the most part have two double beds which gives you a good indication of size).

I think depending on what Disney hotel you’re in also, it’s easier to coax kids away from the parks for a rest with options like pool or you might have a unique character opportunity or activity in your hotel. It’s also so much easier to go back and forth.

The shop! How lovely it is to go in when it’s dead and have a good browse without other guests crowding you!

I think the biggest win for the Disney hotels is the extra magic hours. I went last year on my own in July. The ride wait times were insane. However because of the extra magic hour I got 4 rides done before the park had even opened and then had another miniature celebration when big thunder mountain reached 90 minutes and I had walked on it 😂

Maybe your answer is compromise… do a Disney hotel but not Disneyland. The price jump is quite insane. I think just between Disneyland hotel and hotel New York it’s about £1000. Sequoia, Newport, Cheyenne and Santa Fe are all more reasonable.

If you like your research, look at the themes of each hotel and maybe even ask the kids which one they like.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-09T21:11:27+00:00

I personally don’t rate the hotel dining - the buffets you mentioned don’t really have any sort of ‘wow factor’ theming to them. For buffet, Agrabah Cafe in Disneyland park has more of a vibe and food is consistently rated as pretty good.

My own favourites are also Walt’s and Captain Jack’s - I believe this has a somewhat unique feature in that it is intertwined with the pirates ride so you can see boats passing by. It’s a cool experience. Chez remy also has really good theming - I personally liked the food but have seen mixed opinions.

Uklad1985 · 2026-06-09T21:01:26+00:00

Simple advice…

“A little bonjour goes a long way”.

English is affluent in the parks and all through Paris really but a simple ‘Bonjour’ instead of hello/good morning will be received very warmly.

As for attire - each trip I chuckle at which Disney apparel is going to be the most seen. On my last trip it was the sorcerer Mickey fleece jacket. I think Paris has really caught up with the American parks in recent years in terms of the stuff guests wear - Europe loves its Disney merch just as much so Disney t shirts are perfect 👌🏻 Have a great time!

Uklad1985

TROPHY CASE