We were lucky enough to be invited to a press trip at Disneyland Paris earlier this year. We had a great time and picked up some tips along the way like navigating the park anti-clockwise or from back to front. This means that you’re usually heading away from the crowds. If you fancy a trip to Disneyland Paris read to the bottom of this post to find out how you can win a trip to Disneyland Paris with P&O ferries!

If you win, this is what you’ll need to take!

1. A variety of clothes

It’s France, the weather is changeable so pack accordingly. We were there in spring so jeans, linen trousers and cardigans were the order of the day.

2. Comfortable trainers

Don’t make the same mistake I did and take brand new trainers for yourselves and the kids. Well worn trainers that you know are comfortable is best, there’s a lot of walking to be done!

3. Plasters

See point 2! If you really want to wear new trainers or sandals take plasters. Even if you don’t take new footwear take plasters just in case. Did I mention you do a lot of walking?

4. Plenty of euros

France is expensive anyway, so when you add on the fact you’re inside a Disney theme park things can get very expensive. Expect to pay 5 euros for popcorn and 10-12 euros for a cheeseburger meal. Back at the bar I have no idea how much beer was but cocktails were 10 euros. Pack plenty of euros and if you’re on a budget plan in advance what you will and won’t spend money on. Disneyland Paris is more expensive than Disneyworld Florida but obviously it costs more to get to Florida so it’s swings and roundabouts.

5. An extra bag

If you usually buy stuff when you’re on holiday then you’ll definitely buy stuff in Disneyland Paris. As you can imagine it’s Disney merchandise heaven, so if the kids have pocket money to burn then you’ll want to take a spare bag inside your main bag so that you don’t have to fork out for additional luggage on top.

6. A camera

I used a combination of my iPhone and a flip digital video camera to capture everything I wanted. I find the smaller the device the better but I guess you need to be prepared to compromise on the quality of the shot. Plenty of people take professional cameras in but I couldn’t be bothered with lugging the equipment around, but that’s just me.

7. A swimsuit

We stayed in one the Disneyland Paris hotels and there was a fab outdoor swimming pool. We spent a lovely relaxing afternoon there and I was really glad to have packed our swimsuits.

8. Acitivity book & pens

A parent’s staple when travelling, although iPhones, iPads, Leapsters and Nintendo DS’s also come in handy. Not just for use in the airport/train station I find they’re useful to have for winding down in the hotel room too.

9. Snack bars

The food at the airport was really bad, in fact at times I had to double check the signs to make sure we were definitely in France. I struggled to find food that Erin would eat and I paid nearly 20 euros for a sandwich crisps and coffee. Pack snack bars or anything that you can carry easily that keeps.

P&O Ferries is running a competition to win a family break to Disneyland Paris and giving away free tickets with ferry bookings too. For more info, see the P&O Ferries facebook page

We travelled to Paris by plane but you can find ferries to France here.

Sponsored post

Erin, Alice and The Mad Hatter

So after a lovely day on Friday, we were up early and ready to go on Saturday. Well not quite, you see I thought my iPhone would automatically update the time difference but it didn’t and so we found ourselves being chased by Liz Jarvis to breakfast which ended up being a rather rushed affair.

Erin waiting for the show to start

Onwards and upwards, we made our way to our own Magical Moment experience where Erin got to meet Alice and the Mad Hatter. This was a definite highlight of the trip and we even managed to spot a few celebs; Sophie Ellis Bextor and her mum Janet (she was on Blue Peter dontcha know) and Jenny Powell who was with her children. The Mad Hatter was great and Erin spent a good few minutes with them and got some cracking photos taken. Other Magical Moments include meeting Rapunzel from Tangled and Green Army Men Meet & Play!

Mummy waiting for the show to start

A spin on the Teacups and a trip up to Swiss Family Robinson’s Treehouse rounded off a nice morning.

We stopped on the way back to the hotel for a bit of lunch and then spent an hour at the hotel pool. Erin had a great time with Susanna’s daughter who she now looks upon as some sort of long lost sister, bless.

Surprise guests at Agrabah Cafe

An hour of chillaxing and it was time to get changed for the evening’s activities. We were lucky enough to have VIP areas for Disney’s Once Upon a Dream Parade and Mickey’s Magical Celebration Show.

After the shows we did Peter Pan’s Flight and Pirates of The Carribean before heading for some dinner at Agrabah Cafe.

More surprise guests!

Afterwards we pretty much had the run of Fantasyland, so we dashed from It’s a Small World to Dumbo. Some of us *cough* ‘dashed’ more than others. One Liz Jarvis dashed so much she fell over wrapping herself round a lamp post and breaking her wand and very nearly her nose in the process, tsk. I ended up riding with Susanna as our girls abandoned us to ride together!

One tired but happy little girl

Arrgh, this video makes me want to go to Disneyworld again!

Are you thinking of going to DisneyWorld this year? I’ve been lucky enough to go there a couple of times in the last two years, once on an amazing blogger trip and once with my family. Here are some posts that may help you with planning and deciding what to do and where to go!

Our photoblog of Animal Kingdom, one of my favourite parks!

Disney Moments – Wishes Firework Display at The Magic Kingdom, where a certain unnamed blogger suddenly burst into tears, overcome with emotion!

Disney video and review of The Magic Kingdom – total street party atmosphere during the main street entertainment.

Fancy a little luxury? Photoblog of the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Review of one of Disney’s waterparks Typhoon Lagoon

and here’s a tips list that I created especially for parents heading to DisneyWorld – 26 Disney Tips for Parents

Sponsored Post

by BigDaddy

After being sent the Blu-Ray of Up by Disney I could not get it in the player fast enough. I had already seen it in the cinema in 3D so I was eager to see how Blu-ray would match up. I was also very excited because Up is my 2nd favourite Disney/Pixar movie (after Monsters Inc)

At first glance, Up is the least conventional animated movie in recent memory. The hero is not a fish, monster, toy or superhero. He is a grumpy old man named Carl Fredricksen a helium balloon salesman, a widow who lives alone in the house he once shared with his wife which is now under threat from an office block development. See, not exactly classic Disney so far! In a brilliantly subtle opening sequence, we see a young Carl meet his best friend and future wife Ellie due to their shared interest in adventure and love of famous explorer Charles Muntz. We take an uplifting, yet ultimately sad and at times traumatic trip through their life together, dealing with hopes & dreams (they want to travel to Paradise Falls, South America) life (building their home) and death (Ellie?s miscarriage & death in later life). Still not getting that Disney vibe? All of this is packed into the first 7 minutes of the movie with such craft and skill you will be almost emotionally drained. I am not afraid to admit I was choking back the tears. Even the back-story of Russell (Carl?s young wilderness explorer companion on his adventure) is filled with sadness. His dad isn?t around much and Russell really lacks a father figure, someone to be proud of him.

I think this is what makes Up such an interesting movie, it has very ‘grown up’ themes and while it has lots of action and imagination (not to mention top drawer animation and talking dogs) to keep the kids happy I think it?s a very different movie to watch for us adults. It really makes you think about what you are seeing and how it makes you feel. It also gives you great hope.

Ultimately, after the adventure is over, the talking dogs are forgotten and the flying balloon house is a distant memory I will remember one thing about Up. This is a movie with lots of heart and it made my spirit soar.

I used to love treasure hunts when I was younger so I’m really excited about this. Huggies have teamed up with Disney and are holding an online treasure hunt that will see participants solve riddles, discover the hunny pots to win. The hunny pots will be found on fourteen sites – four of the top parenting websites, and ten parenting blogs.

The treasure hunt begins TODAY and there’ll be one riddle per day for fourteen days.

The top prize is a weekend in Disneyland Paris!

Join the hunt here.

Good Luck!

Last week Kerry from Think Parents (who by the way is about to set off on a six month trip across America, me jealous?) organised it for us to go and see a pre-showing of
Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure. We managed to get to a special showing which included a fairy breakfast. I asked for an invite for Erin’s friend too, so to say they were excited was an understatement!

The morning began with choosing a fairy outfit to wear, followed by the making of wands. The breakfast was hosted by a full-size fairy who clearly runs a successful business fulfilling every little girls dream of being made over into a fairy (I wonder how much one of her parties cost?). Breakfast was mini bacon and sausage butties with fruit, coffee and fresh juice. Afterwards the girls had fairy make up applied by the big fairy and then we had a game of pass the parcel followed by a bit of dancing. Finally fairy dust was handed out and wishes were made, rounding off a magical morning.

We then went straight in to see Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure which I believe is the follow up to Tinkerbell and includes the successful Disney ‘Fairies’. The film was wholesome and good Disney value as you’d expect. Although I was impressed with headstrong Tinkerbell, she’s no shrinking violet. The moral was friendship and everyone lives happily ever after which is the norm these days, not like Bambi and Watership Down, that was our rite of passage, being completely horrified at the poor orphaned rabbits and deer, I digress… A great morning that will live long in the memory of our little fairies.

Okay listen up people, you’ve got to go and see Up when it comes out, 3D or otherwise you won’t be disappointed. As far as these modern animated films go this is by far the best storyline I’ve seen so far, the 3D may add another dimension, literally, however this film stands up well enough without gimmicks.

In the first ten minutes, friendship, marriage, miscarriage and death had all been covered in a short montage, be ready for some difficult questions, much of it went over Erin’s head at three, older children will take in a lot more.

The story follows a septuagenerian named Mr Frederickson who loses his wife and soulmate and ultimately faces losing his home, this is where the film really gets going and the more fantastical part of the plot kicks in which takes Mr Frederickson and various sidekicks on an adventure of a lifetime. The plot turns serious again when you realise that the whole adventure has been an outlet for Mr Frederickson’s grief which eventually forces him to move on with his life.

Take your tissues, I never thought a ‘cartoon’ could be so moving, I was stunned to find out that even my husband had had to choke back a tear. The issues were covered beautifully without being too heavy for younger viewers whilst providing some ‘meat’ for parents.

I’d go as far as to say this is the best film I’ve seen this year and, for me, ranks beside The Dark Knight and Little Miss Sunshine, high praise indeed, but well deserved.

It’s Day two, 5.43 am and I’m wide awake. I’ve ditched the ‘making a good impression’ clothes in favour of my usual hoody and trainers. I guess this is a good time to mention that the Hilton was a bit lacking, their rooms aren’t as modern as the online photos would suggest and the food was overpriced and below par. As compensation (for Disney) I helped myself to the lovely Crabtree & Evelyn products. Thanks Hilton

We arrived at the correct terminal after just about going the wrong way (totally my fault) and met up with the other three bloggers, Are we nearly there yet mummy?, Family Affairs and Dulwich Divorcee.

We do the self-check in bit, not too keen on that, scared I’m gonna do something wrong, but must have done something right, I’ve been upgraded! Hot towels and proper cutlery here I come.

We’ve also been given access to the V lounge which is priced at ?17 for adults and ?10 for children. I was expecting it to be really busy but it was actually very peaceful. Let’s get to the nitty gritty though, is it worth your hard earned cash?

What You Get For Your Money

Hot filled rolls (served for you)
Innocent smoothies
Tea & Coffee
Pastries & Muffins
Fresh Fruit
Soft Drinks

My Personal Opinion

I don’t have loads of money so I expect value, in my opinion the V lounge delivers that value. The whole area was very clean, including the toilets. Staff were polite and helpful. The equipment was all in good working order. The food was fresh, tasty and plentiful.

I tried to book the V lounge for my own trip to Disneyworld in June but there isn’t a lounge in Manchester, and I think that’s the best feedback I can give you, I was prepared to cough up the ?45 to use it again. I’m actually a little disappointed, come on Virgin another lounge in Manchester please.