Disneyland Paris at Christmas

Christmas at Disneyland Paris is serious business. So serious that it starts warming up its engines as early as November by putting up the first decorations and putting on the first shows, and by December the itinerary is mind-blowing, magical and heart-warming in equal proportions.

Disneyland Paris is considered one of the biggest attractions on the continent. Beyond the fun rides and attractions, everything about this place is designed to make you fall in love with the enchantment and want to come back again and again. Needless to say, it's the perfect place if you're travelling to Paris with kids.

Every year on New Year's Eve, Disneyland Paris organises an exceptional party with lots of activities, parades, shows and lots of fireworks! The programme of the New Year's Eve celebrations starts around 7pm, but my recommendation is to arrive at the park around 5pm to enjoy the beginning of the party.

A DJ entertains the evening and various characters from the Magic World of Disney put on shows. In addition, Disney Park restaurants offer special menus for New Year's Eve.

The demand for this party is high, so I advise you to book your Disneyland day ticket early in order not to run out of your Disneyland Paris tickets.

Throughout the festive season Disneyland Paris is enveloped in the magic of Christmas.

A 24-metre-tall twinkling tree stands to welcome you right in Town Square, the main hall is filled with Christmas lights to guide you on your way to Sleeping Beauty's Château and several times a day it will snow on Main Street USA.

This is just the main area of Disneyland Park, but as you go deeper into the park you will notice that Christmas details and decorations are everywhere you look, like on the roofs of the shops and on the characters' clothing. That's why this is one of the best times to go to Disneyland and the best time to book your multi-day ticket to Disneyland.

From early in the morning your favourite Disney characters are strolling around the park and you can take pictures with them. The funniest part? They're all dressed in their 100% Christmas-themed finery. Even Jack Skeleton from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" shows off his trademark Santa suit with fake beard.

But the most iconic Christmas character at Disneyland is undoubtedly Father Christmas, who you can meet every day in the "Meet Mickey Mouse" house until, of course, Christmas Eve.

Meeting Santa is one of the best things to do at Disneyland at Christmas, so don't leave without having your picture taken with his fabulous sleigh parked at the entrance gate.

Whether it's table service or takeaway, Disneyland Park's restaurants and food stalls are joining in the festive atmosphere by preparing special menus.

From delicious hot drinks and seasonal dishes to gingerbread biscuits, Christmas-coloured burgers and Christmas-themed desserts, every detail has been thought of to contribute to the visual experience.

For fast food

• Café de la Brousse
• Cookie Kitchen
• Cool Post
• Cowboy Cookout Barbecue

For free buffet

• Restaurant Agrabah Café
• Plaza Gardens Restaurant

Restaurants

• Bistrot Chez Rémy
• Captain Jack's
• Restaurant des Pirates
• Silver Spur Steakhouse.

Called the Royal Sparkling Winter Waltz, this is possibly the shortest show at Disneyland Paris but one that I would still recommend. It lasts 15 minutes and takes place in the open-air Plaza located right next to Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The stage is beautifully decorated with colourful Christmas trees and the princesses accompanied by their princes dance a romantic waltz.

This is the best opportunity to see the princesses up close and the show is usually repeated 2-3 times a day, depending on the seasonal itinerary. It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with Disney Park schedules, arrive early and get a good spot for the shows.

Here you can enjoy a Christmas concert featuring Mickey Mouse and his friends performing with a live big band. Originally located in the Videopolis Theatre, the famous show moved to the Animagique Theater in Walt Disney Studios Park a few years ago.

Mickey Mouse 's fabulous drumming and the "French touch" in the show's choreography are a real treat.

Some of the songs in the repertoire include live versions of White Christmas, Father Christmas is Coming to Town, Here Comes Father Christmas, A Holly Jolly Christmas and Frosty The Snowman.

The mythical attraction It's a small world is an obligatory stop on a Disneyland tour. It is considered one of the best attractions of Disneyland Paris and it is located in Fantasyland.

The ride consists of a leisurely boat ride along a waterway featuring more than 300 animatronic puppets whose traditional costumes represent cultures from around the world.

At Christmas time Disney reinvents this attraction to include beautiful Christmas decorations and new colours. So, if you've seen it in the past, it's time to go back and book your multi-day Disneyland ticket.

When you book your day ticket to Disneyland at Christmas, plan your route to eat at Café Hyperion and enjoy your lunch in conjunction with a caroling show.

Particularly delightful is the screen above the stage which displays, throughout the show, the lyrics of the songs allowing the audience to sing along with the performers and Disney characters.

This carol show is usually performed 4 times a day, twice in the morning and twice in the evening. If you don't want to eat in the cafe, you can enjoy the carolers standing in front of the stage in a designated area.

During the winter season, La Place de Rémy hosts every year L'Hiver Gourmand, a Christmas gourmet food market that honours Parisian gastronomy.

I recommend a stroll around the Place de Rémy at dusk, when the Christmas decorations turn on all their fabulous lights. The décor here is different from the rest of the park as it evokes a neater but equally vibrant French style.

The food stalls are arranged in small, elegant red chalets. Gingerbread, old-fashioned hot chocolate cider, mulled wine, Disney-branded sparkling champagne, sweet pancakes, French-style crepes, nut soup? You'll lack the stomach to try things!

Disneyland' s festively decorated shops and boutiques are the perfect place to find your Christmas gift list. My favourite part of visiting Disneyland is that the souvenirs you find in the shops are really durable so you not only get something nice but also a gift that will last for a long time.

At Disneyland you will find two shops with Christmas decoration themes: the Boutique du Château and Merlin l'Enchanteur - the Christmas balls with Mickey Mouse ears are really cute!

Among the highlights of any visit to Disneyland is the parade of floats. During the Christmas holidays this event is renamed Mickey and his Sparkling Christmas Parade and the star characters of Disney World ride on five large, beautifully decorated floats. The parade is not to be missed:

• Mickey's float with his friends.
• The Disney Princess float.
• The Tinker Bell float.
• Santa's float in his sleigh.

The Christmas parade takes place twice during the winter season, my favourite is definitely the daytime version where the floats are spectacularly illuminated.

Another iconic moment at Disneyland Paris at Christmas time is the Christmas tree lighting party. The spectacle has become a tradition and one of the most eagerly awaited events for fans who come every year for the holidays.

At 24 metres high, the tree is located in Town Square throughout the holidays, and there is plenty of room for the large crowds that attend the ceremony.

Mickey, Minnie, Father Christmas and other characters will sing carols under the night sky and finish the show by bringing the giant Christmas tree to life.

The show that closes a magical day at Disney is known as Disney Illuminations. It lasts approximately 20 minutes and takes place every day outside Sleeping Beauty Castle.

On the façade of the castle you will see all sorts of stories circulating from The Little Mermaid to Frozen to Finding Nemo and even Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean. The stories are brought to life through a play of light and sound, with water jets and amazing pyrotechnic effects.

At Christmas, beautiful messages of peace and love can be seen at the end of the show, so once the fireworks are over, wait a few more minutes for the surprise.

After your day at Disneyland, take a moment to stroll through Disney Village.

It is a square full of boutiques and restaurants located just outside Disneyland where you will also find spectacular Christmas decorations.

Winter time is the best time to enjoy the Village because the parks close a little earlier during this season.

During the Christmas holidays, the number of tourists at Disneyland Paris remains high despite the winter cold.

However, by following these tips for visiting Disneyland you will be able to plan your holidays and avoid excessive crowds as much as possible. During the month of December, the influx of visitors is as follows:

• The first two weeks of the month, before December 20th, are the least crowded and you will be able to enjoy the full itinerary of Christmas shows. The only exception during this period are the weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) when the number of visitors increases considerably.
• From around the 20th of December until the New Year, the flow of people is overwhelming, every day of the week.

In conclusion, if you want to book your one-day ticket to Disneyland in December and you have flexibility in your schedule, choose the first fortnight of the month and try to go between Monday and Thursday.