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[donnadaydream]

Hi
Ages ago when we started looking into a visit I posted here about whether it was worth doing both parks in one day and was generally advised it was too much. However when it came to buying the tickets there was a special offer and both parks cost the same as just 1 so I obviously went for it. At the time I am sure I saw itineraries etc (but I think the site has changed!) but now I can't seem to find them! Any idea where I can find one? We are travelling to France in 2 weeks (very excited!) and will be in Paris for 1 day Wed 20th and DLP Thurs 21st (beside myself with giddiness!!!) Any advice greatly appreciated too. We will be taking our 11 year old son and 13 year old nephew :-)

[Vikkilou]

If u search disneyland paris shows & parades it should bring up the page on disneyland site.  The programme is redone weekly & usually out every Monday.   Am going august & have been looking at it for the past couple of weeks & nothing has majorly changed so far.  Park opening times r up til mid august so check those you may find studios is open til 9pm which may allow u some much needed extra time. 

[norhel]

Here is the link for the shows and parades:
http://download.disneylandparis.com/Disneyland-Paris_Shows-and-Parades.pdf

[dlpowl]

Hi there,

I've been trying to think of some tips to try and help you get the most out of your day and I've come up with a few that might help.

Plan what you want to do the most and stick to it.  You're not going to get everything done so have a look on the website and YouTube, at all the different rides and attractions and decide what you want to do.  Look online for a park map and then plan your route around the parks according to what attractions you want to hit.  It is so easy to waste time at DLP, crossing the parks from one side to the other, that before you know it, you've wasted an hour walking around and not done anything.   Believe me, the time goes so quickly when you're there, so I would make a plan and stick to it.  Use the fastpass system too, if it applies to things you want to go on, but again, don't waste loads of time walking all around for fast passes and then hanging around until your time slot.  We used to waste so much time doing this when it would've been quicker to just queue and get the ride done so we could move on.

Take snacks in with you if you can so you're not having to waste time in the restaurants and go for a quick lunch such as a burger in cafe Hyperion, as you can also watch the Jedi Academy whilst eating if you time your visit right.

To get a good spot for the parade you usually need to get in position about 30 minutes before but unless you've got small children with you or desperately want a kerbside spot, I wouldn't bother wasting time doing this.  Just head towards the parade route at the starting time and you'll be able to watch it.  You might not be near the front but the floats are very high and you can easily see them from further back.  There are some characters who walk the parade so in theory, if you're further back you may miss them but it's all about how important the parade is to you.  The 30 mins before parade, and during parade, is a great time to go on the rides because they're much less busy. 

If you want to meet characters, and can stay after the parks have closed, Cafe Mickey is great and will save you loads of time queuing in the parks.  It's not cheap and you need to make a reservation before you go, but if characters are your thing then eating at cafe Mickey is a quick and easy way of meeting them without using up your time in the parks.

Ratatouille and Crush's coaster are renowned for their horrendously long queues.  Ratatouille has a fastpass system but you'll need to get there when the park opens to make sure you get one as they go very quickly. 

Be careful of the shops!  They are so beautiful that it's easy to get drawn in and before you know it, you've spent 30 minutes looking at soft toys and wasted valuable ride time.  The shops in Disney village stay open long after the parks close so you can still get some retail therapy in.

I hope you have a wonderful day and get to go back again very soon!

[samuelvictor]

Great tips from DLPOwl - I agree with everything said, especially about avoiding the shops in the parks - the ones in Disney Village are great and you can do those once the parks are closed, or even the day before/next day without paying entrance as you are in the Paris area for two days

Definitely have a list of your personal "must dos" and prioritise doing these in the order that they are most important to you. However, do remember to keep an eye out for the "x minutes" signs when you are walking past otehr attractions - I've lost count of the amount of times we've walked past places like Phantom Manor, Star Tours, Pirates and other awesome attractions and noticed "5 minutes" waiting times, and literally just walked oun to them on the way to another ride/show

One thing to consider is how important the parade is to you. If you want to get a good view you should really get there at least 45 minutes early... however if you aren't too fussed about the parade, its a great time to get a lot of rides in whilst there are no queues because everyone has flocked to watch it Personally I enjoy the parade, but we only ever watch it once, and then on the other days make good use of the other attractions for a 90 minutes or so without it being busy...

I'd also go so far as to suggest that in order to fit in as much as possible, you don't really "need" to eat whilst in the parks. Have a massive breakfast, then have an evening meal once the parks are closed. You can always carry snacks and drinks with you. Stopping for a meal whilst there will take at least an hour out your day considering queues, waiting etc. Of course, if one of your "must dos" is to experience a particular restaurant, for example, character dining at Auberge, then ignore that advice