One Day Trip to DLP in April

Communicora

Communicora

Premium Member
Original Poster
My sister and I will be visiting Disneyland Paris for one day during the first week of April. Hurrah! It has been just over two years since I have been to any Disney park, so I am ridiculously excited. We are arriving the night before and staying at the Newport Bay Club so we can take advantage of the extra two hours in the morning. Unless people here suggest there is something at Studios that is a do not miss, we are likely not going to park hop so that we can just focus on the main park.

I am typically a touring plans follower/modifier and find myself a bit at a loss about how to maximize our day, while still leaving time to just relax and enjoy the park. Does anyone have any pointers for the park or the hotel?

I know this is such a newbie general question and I appreciate any advice or resources you could direct me to.
 
EPCOTCenterLover

EPCOTCenterLover

Well-Known Member
IMHO, use your enhanced hours wisely. Go right to BTMRR as it has some long lines all day long. Then Peter Pan. Then Space Mountain. After that, lines are spread out pretty evenly I think.
 
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JillC LI

JillC LI

Well-Known Member
You might be disappointed to miss Ratatouille and Crush. Ratatouille was our family's favorite attraction at DLP. We park-hopped when we had only one day at DLP in the summer of 2015, and I don't regret it one bit. We were still able to hit all the highlights of the main park after spending part of the morning at the Studios.
 
Swissmiss

Swissmiss

Premium Member
Unless things have changed since January, BTMRR is not open during EMH. Provided you are going on a weekday, you should have fairly light crowds because in many places Spring Break will start the next week. And I agree, it would be a shame to miss Ratatouille. If you can't get a fastpass for Ratatouille, do the single rider line - the ride vehicles are set up as two rows of three, so there often two empty seats in each, because a party of four gets broken up as two and two (leaving an empty seat in each row). My daughter and I have used the single rider line several times and we've almost always ended up in the same vehicle, one behind the other. Have fun!
 
Communicora

Communicora

Premium Member
Original Poster
Thank you for your advice. Yes, we are going on a weekday. So your suggestion would be to buy the parkhopper and head straight over to Ratatouille?
 
Swissmiss

Swissmiss

Premium Member
I've never really found the single rider line to be too long, so if you can't get over right away for a fast pass (or to ride it first thing), you'd maybe only wait around 20 minutes for single rider (because again, nearly every car has at least one if not two single rider spots). Definitely try to get a fast pass for BTMRR because those lines do get very long (even the line to get a fast pass can be long!). The tough call will be Crush - no fast pass and VERY long lines. It's more or less the limit for me on thrill rides so I can easily talk myself out of waiting.

Don't forget to visit the dragon under the castle.

The Newport Is my favorite of the DLP hotels; stayed there for the first time during the inaugural DLP half marathon weekend and will be staying there again for the half marathon this year.
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
Space Mountain will still be closed.

WDSP does have a do-not-miss new ride in Rat. Also some fine other rides. Meanwhile much of Discoveryland and Pirates are behind scrims. A hopper might be good.
 
Communicora

Communicora

Premium Member
Original Poster
Ok, you all have me sold. We will go for the parkhopper. I knew about the closures, and am disappointed about Pirates and Space, but that just means I will have to go back one day. And, the shiny new anniversary hooplas will be fun.

And thank you for the confirmation that Newport Bay is nice. Our first choice was Sequoia, but that was booked!
 
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Swissmiss

Swissmiss

Premium Member
I did (do) like the Sequoia but the Newport is a bit brighter and has been renovated very recently. And provided you can go out the back and turn right to get to the parks, it's slightly closer than the Sequoia. We weren't able to when we stayed there because that part of the walkway was closed off for the running events but I believe under normal circumstances it's open.
 
Den Carter

Den Carter

Well-Known Member
If you get a hopper, I recommend spending the first hour and a half in Disneyland Parc and tick off Pan and whatever else you can, then you don't have to worry about them later on. Then get to the gates of WDSP around 09:30 or 09:45, and as soon as they open the gates leg it as fast as you can to the queue for Crush, which is the busiest ride that cannot be Fastpassed. Just follow the crowds as pretty much everyone who waits outside the park gates before opening is doing the same as you! Then as soon as you come off Crush, turn left and pick up a Fastpass for later in the day for Ratatouille.

For the rest of your day I recommend making the most of Fastpass. You can hold one Fastpass per park, and the Fastpass ticket has the time you can retrieve a new one from that specific park on it, so if you're super organised you can ask Siri or Cortana or whatever to remind you to pick up a new Fastpass!

The beauty of park hopping between the parks at DLP (and DL) as opposed to WDW is the walk from gate to gate is two minutes.

That said, for the most part I don't recommend rushing. Disneyland Parc is truly beautiful, so take your time to enjoy the detail.

I also recommend planning and booking your dining, but not until the parade and show schedule has been published because you won't want to miss Stars on Parade or Illuminations. The schedule is released on this website every Friday: http://download.disneylandparis.com/Disneyland-Paris_Shows-and-Parades.pdf
 
Communicora

Communicora

Premium Member
Original Poster
Thanks again for the advice. I am back from my trip and will write up a little trip report for my short visit when I recover from my jet lag. It's especially brutal this time. I am blaming the grey days we are having at home and the plague I picked up on the flight over.
 
Songbird76

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Swissmiss said:
I've never really found the single rider line to be too long, so if you can't get over right away for a fast pass (or to ride it first thing), you'd maybe only wait around 20 minutes for single rider (because again, nearly every car has at least one if not two single rider spots). Definitely try to get a fast pass for BTMRR because those lines do get very long (even the line to get a fast pass can be long!). The tough call will be Crush - no fast pass and VERY long lines. It's more or less the limit for me on thrill rides so I can easily talk myself out of waiting.

Don't forget to visit the dragon under the castle.

The Newport Is my favorite of the DLP hotels; stayed there for the first time during the inaugural DLP half marathon weekend and will be staying there again for the half marathon this year.
Click to expand...
What type of Attraction is Crush? And Ratatouille?
 

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