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[Honijuno]

Morning guys,

Going on my first trip to DLP on 1st March, we've only got the one full day there and we intending on splitting the day in half at both parks.

Is this a busy time at DLP?
We wanted to try and book Chez Remy but will be wanting to catch the parade and Dreams, how long does it take to get between the two parks? And is there a good time to try and squeeze in Remys?
Is Crush busy ALL day or does it quieten down any?
Any other wee tips or info for a first time visitor much appreciated
Thanks for any help or info

[Slimy yet satisfying]

Forget about Chez Remy...if you have only 1 day eating is not going to be a priority! Take a packed lunch and do as much as you can! Personally if I had all the time in the world I would still give Remy's a miss! Unless you desperately want to sit beside a friend/ partner go for the single riders queues and make use of your fast pass.

[bad-pink-tink]

I agree with Slimy yet satisfying  for only one day, skip a long table service meal and just eat on the go.

Use the fast passes and single rider lines. Also check out the official Disneyland Paris website for the list of closures and refurbs for your day in the parks.

Go to Google Maps and check out the parks. Plan your day so that you are not looping or doubling back. Plan your meals according to your current location, ie if you are in The Studios and want to eat lunch, then eat in The Studios instead of going back over to the main park for something to eat.

[Honijuno]

Thanks guys

[dencarter]

I'd echo the other poster's comments about forgoing the table service meal. Especially at Remy's. It's a lovely restaurant but service can be slow. But that doesn't mean you have to settle for fast food! Disney's quick service restaurants are pretty mediocre. My recommendation would be to try one of the excellent buffets. In Disneyland Parc the food quality and value you get at both Agrabah Café and Plaza Gardens is superb. Although there's a tendency to want to stay a while in all-you-can-eat places to 'get your fill', you really are in control of your time as there's no waiting for food to be served. And there's much more choice than at Remy's.

Seasons of the Force will still be on during your visit, so the 'big' shows you'll not want to miss are Disney Magic on Parade, Galactic Spectacular and Dreams. You won't get show schedules confirmed 'til a few days before your visit, but you can probably anticipate the parade running somewhere between 4 & 5pm, Galactic Spectacular about 7pm and Dreams at 8pm (park closing).

Don't get hung up on waiting on the street for the parades and shows. Some people take a spot an hour beforehand, but it's not necessary unless you want the most perfect view of the parade. I have a few parade viewing tips which I'll pop in a separate post later. For Disney Dreams many people choose to watch from right in front of the castle, but the best view is a little further back, as you won't get the full panorama effect from too close. Towards the end of Main Street (the castle end) is a good spot. The only truly poor viewing spot, however, is behind inconsiderate parents who decide to launch their children onto their shoulders without warning!

As for the rest of your day, because some of the big rides will still be down for refurb (Pirates, Space and Star Tours) you'll not have so many tough choices! My recommendations are different depending on how well you know the other Disney parks around the world. I already knew Magic Kingdom at WDW like the back of my hand before I started frequenting DLP, and I got a huge kick out of simply walking around and noticing the similarities and exquisite differences. If it's your first ever Disney park trip, take your time and don't rush to just do the rides. The magic of the park is in the detail you don't see when you're just on a mission to get stuff done.

Crush's Coaster is always busy and you can't Fastpass it. The easiest way to reduce the wait time is to use Single Rider, or, if you understandably want to ride together you can try to be at Studios' entry gate about 30-45 mins before park opening, get close to the front and literally leg it straight to the ride when they let you in. Because of your time waiting outside the park gate your total wait time for the ride will still be excessive, but you won't waste valuable exploring time as neither park opens before 10am (unless you have Extra Magic Hours). A downside is that this means your first experience of DLP is WDS - Disney's weakest themed park - rather than the Parc - which is wonderful. But it's good for time management. And while you're in WDS first thing you can grab some Fastpasses for Ratatouille. Depending on your return time you can then pop over to the Parc. You can walk between the two parks in minutes.

Two super popular rides you'll probably want to try are Big Thunder Mountain and Peter Pan's Flight. I'd Fastpass these if your schedule allows. Remember you can hold one Fastpass at a time per park. Your next Fastpass becomes available at the beginning of your return time, so it's a good idea to obtain your next Fastpass just before you ride your 'live' one, not after. Saves a few minutes!

Hope that helps!

[dencarter]

Some good parade watching spots:

1: right by the start near the Bella Notte restaurant where you'll see the vehicles as they come out onto the parade route next to It's a Small World. You'll want to be here a good 15 mins before the advertised start time.

2: to the right of the castle stage. There's an area here which the cast members keep clear for access right up to the moment before the parade starts to pass, at which point it's roped. If you're here for that moment you can get a good view without waiting for ages.

3: at the very end, by the Town Sq entry/exit to the Discovery Arcade. This is the last area to be roped off, so if you're in the arcade just before the parade gets to the Town Sq end of Main St you should get a good view as the floats make their last turn around Town Sq into the exit area. The first float reaches this point 10-15 mins after the start.

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[Honijuno]

Thank you so much dencarter for the indepth reply I really appreciate that. One of my bigger worries was how long it would take to get between the parks.
I've been to WDW before so know a bit about the parks but excited to experience DLP I'm deffo try and check out dreams from one of your suggested viewing spots.