What not to miss at Disneyland Paris in its 30th-anniversary year
A view of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle from Main Street, Disneyland Paris.
While the familiar faces of Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy will don showy, sparkly new celebratory outfits for the park’s 30th-birthday festivities, and new themed treats will appear in the restaurants and cafes, the biggest news at Disneyland Paris for 2022 is the launch of the Avengers Campus, which opened in July. Part of Walt Disney Studios Park, this entirely new area offers two experiences for Marvel fans: Avengers Assemble: Flight Force (a thrill ride for those over 4ft tall) and Spider-Man WEB Adventures, a fast-paced family mission for all heights.
You can even immerse fully in the Marvel world by checking into the new on-site, Manhattan-style Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, which has the world’s largest collection of original Marvel artworks; indoor, outdoor and kids’ pools; and a Hero Training Zone outdoor gym.
Other on-site hotels include the flagship, Victorian-style Disneyland Hotel (currently being renovated), and the cowboy/frontier-town-themed Disney Hotel Cheyenne — where the decor is inspired by Woody from Toy Story — which offers pony rides at an extra charge. The Disney Davy Crockett Ranch is also popular thanks to its woodland cabins, while Les Villages Nature Paris (a joint venture with Center Parcs) has stylish apartments and nature activities.
Disneyland has long been the most-visited attraction in France, trumping even the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Its secret is its vast array of rides and attractions for all ages and tastes, from Princess-loving toddlers to thrill-seeking teens. Among its best-loved rides are Pirates of the Caribbean, an exhilarating dark log-flume; the creepy Tower of Terror broken-elevator simulator; Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast; the pulse-racing Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain; the Big Thunder Mountain rollercoaster ride through a deserted Wild West mining town; and Ratatouille: The Adventure, a 4D experience in Chef Gusteau’s clattering kitchen.
One of the other major attractions of this hugely popular park is that it’s so easy to get to. Eurostar runs direct services from London St Pancras to Disneyland Paris, with trains taking less than three hours. If you’re thinking further ahead, however, note that the direct service won’t run from early June 2023 until the end of the year and may not return after that, so you’ll need to connect via Lille or Paris.
Published in the November 2022 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)
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