Disneyland Paris at Christmas

Christmas at Disneyland Paris is serious business. So serious that it begins to warm up its engines since November by putting up the first decorations and exhibiting the first shows, and by December the itinerary is mind-blowing, magical and moving in equal proportions.

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

Every year on New Year's Eve, Disneyland Paris organizes an exceptional party with lots of activities, parades, shows and lots of fireworks! The program of the New Year's Eve celebrations starts around 7:00 pm, but my recommendation is to arrive at the park around 5:00 pm to enjoy the beginning of the party.

A DJ entertains the evening and several characters from the Magic World of Disney offer 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 in advance so you don't run out of your Disneyland Paris tickets.

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

A 24-meter-tall twinkling tree is placed to welcome you right in Town Square, the main hall is filled with Christmas lights that will 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 your tour you will realize that Christmas details and decorations will be everywhere you look, like on the roofs of the stores and on the characters' clothes. That is 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 favorite Disney characters are walking 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 "Nightmare Before Christmas" shows off his trademark Santa suit with a fake beard.

But, without a doubt, the most iconic Christmas character at Disneyland is Santa Claus, who you can meet every day at 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 take-out, Disneyland Park's restaurants and food stands join in the festive atmosphere by preparing special menus.

From delicious hot beverages and seasonal dishes to gingerbread cookies, burgers in holiday colors and Christmas-themed decorated 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

• Agrabah Café Restaurant
• 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 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 colorful 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 or 3 times a day, depending on the season's itinerary. It is a good idea to familiarize 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 marvel.

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

The mythical attraction It's a small world is a must on a tour of Disneyland. 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 on a water channel through which more than 300 animatronic dolls whose traditional costumes represent cultures from around the world are displayed.

At Disney Christmas time, this attraction is reinvented to include beautiful Christmas decorations and new colors. So, if you have seen it in the past, it is time to repeat and book your multi-day ticket to Disneyland.

When booking your day ticket to Disneyland for 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 that displays, throughout the show, the lyrics of the songs allowing the audience to sing along with the Disney performers and characters.

This caroling 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 an area set aside for this purpose.

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

I recommend a stroll through the Place de Rémy at dusk, where the Christmas decor turns on all its fabulous lights. The decoration of this space 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 stores and boutiques are the perfect place to find your Christmas gift list. My favorite part of visiting Disneyland is that the souvenirs you find in their stores are really durable so, not only do you get something nice but also a gift that will keep for a long time.

In Disneyland you will find two stores with Christmas decoration themes: the Boutique du Château and Merlin l'Enchanteur. The Christmas balls with Mickey Mouse ears are really nice!

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 stellar characters from the world of Disney ride on five large, beautifully decorated floats. Not to be missed in the parade:

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

The Christmas parade is held twice during the winter season, my favorite is undoubtedly the daytime version where the floats exhibit spectacular lighting.

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

With its 24 meters high, the tree is located in the Town Square during all the holidays, in this place there is enough space to gather the large audience attending the ceremony.

Mickey, Minnie, Santa Claus 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 everything from The Little Mermaid to Frozen to Finding Nemo and even Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean circulate. The stories come to life through a play of lights and sounds, with water jets and amazing pyrotechnic effects.

At Christmas time, 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 and 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 to visit Disneyland you will be able to plan your vacations 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 20, 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.
• Approximately from December 20 until New Year's Day, 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 two weeks of the month and try to go between Monday and Thursday.