Disneyland Paris, the 'selfie' is the new hug in children's paradise

Theme parks

With the new Christmas parade, the park recovers the parades of its characters, suspended by the pandemic

Recommendations and tips for traveling to the park according to the age of your children

Antonia Justice

Barcelona

As the saying goes, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This is what Disneyland Paris has done given the impossibility for its visitors to take the traditional photos of hugs and hugs with its characters: become the paradise of selfies where the trending topic now is to get the most original photo with Mickey, Spiderman or Olaf. Posturing in front of the camera is the new embrace and there is no adult or child who does not succumb to it. With hashtags like #selfiedisney, the theme park has turned an inconvenience stemming from new post-pandemic safety regulations into fashion.

The selfie in front of the camera is the new hug and there is no adult or child who does not succumb to posture

The Selfie Spots are one of the main and successful inventions that Disneyland Paris has established in the park so that the little ones (and not so little ones) can take their souvenir photos with the most emblematic characters. They are points distributed throughout the park with certain times, but that does not mean that Mickey and his friends appear by surprise in the two Disney parks to the delight of the staff.

Mickey's New Parade

Since the park reopened after the pandemic, the parades have been barely testimonial to avoid large crowds on the main avenue of the park. But this Christmas things will change and one of the main novelties will be the return of the Christmas parade starting this coming Saturday, November 13, until January 9.

The Mickey's Dazzling Christmas Parade, as it is called, is a new show in which around 200 people, including musicians, choreographers, designers, stylists or technicians, have been working in secret since 2017.

There will be five giant floats with Christmas decorations, and one dedicated exclusively to Disney princesses

It is made up of five giant floats in which Mickey and his friends appear, the Disney princesses and Santa Claus (well, the latter will only appear until the night of the 25th), accompanied by the fairy Tinkerbell. Each of the floats will have its own tree and represent an idyllic Christmas scene with the traditional decoration of this time of year and will be accompanied by different artists who will wear spectacular costumes specially designed for the occasion.

The parade that visitors will see during the day will be different from the one at night, where hundreds of thousands of lights will take center stage and give the parade a new meaning. “We always loved Christmas, but now we are more excited than ever to present this new project, this new show, because the truth is that it is a show, with a version for the day and another for the night, in which incredible things will happen”, explains Emmanuel Lenormand, director of shows at Disneyland Paris

Parent Guide

With children from 0 to 6 years

Disneyland Paris has designed a very practical guide for parents traveling with young children, so they can get straight to the point and enjoy both parks to the fullest. Thus, for example, they point out the attractions suitable for ages between 0 and 6 years, starting with Casey Jr.-The little train of the Circus and the Pays des Contes de Fées, a quiet boat ride to contemplate some of the Disney's most famous scenes in miniature. Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Lancelot's Carousel, Alice's labyrinth, Aladin's flying tapestries or Slink Dog Zigzag Spin, are other proposals. The guide also includes restaurants with meals adapted to the little ones, baby care centers, stroller rentals, among others.

Marvel Hotel, superhero break

The Manhattan skyline, in the mythical city of New York, welcomes the traveler. It could not be otherwise. This vertical megalopolis has been and is the setting par excellence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so when Disneyland Paris set out to incorporate superheroes into its hotel complexes, they only had to turn their eyes towards the tops of the skyscrapers and let themselves be carried away by the magic of this fetish city.

The only Marvel hotel in the world is inspired by New York and each floor is dedicated to a character

To the delight of fans of The Avengers, The Justice League, The Incredible Hulk or Spider-Man, the result is an authentic immersion in the comic book universe in a four-star hotel version, where everything is taken care of down to the last detail. The entire Disney New York-The Art of Marvel hotel is an unexpected exhibit. From the decoration of its 561 rooms, where paintings of superheroes watch over the sleep of its inhabitants -the colors of the carpets and bedspreads are in keeping with the colors of the character, and even the cushions show off small replicas of a New York at night- to the Manhattan restaurant , where a lamp of 255 Murano glass and 100 kilos simulates the kingdom of Asgard of the god of thunder Thor. Each floor is dedicated to a character.

What it is about is that “from the moment you enter the hotel you feel the Marvel world and in its fetish city: New York, surrounding you with the Marvel comic and cinematographic universe, with all the most iconic characters from both worlds”, tells the Spanish comic illustrator Carlos Gómez, member of Marvel Style Guide and the team of artists that has shaped the hotel. The spectacular windows of the lobby drawn as a black and white comic or the metal columns with The Avengers are his favorite corner. Also the Iron Man armors and the Captain America shields that are exhibited at the entrance like works of art. "Maybe he would have put Spider-Man on the roof of the lobby, watching for something to happen," he adds knowingly.

The kids would definitely vote for the mini club, where learning the art of drawing comics is a piece of cake. Or the pool, half indoor, half outdoor, which immerses us in the New York Subway, with stops on Wall Street or Spring Street. And parents maybe for the Skyline bar, where you can relax one night with the time-lapse of the Manhattan skyline in the background after a long and exciting day at Disneyland Paris.

A park for every age

What is the recommended age to take children to Disney? This is one of the most frequent questions that parents ask themselves when considering a trip to the park, especially when they have small children and when in doubt as to whether they will remember when they are older. But honestly, there is no single answer. And whoever say the opposite, lies. It all depends on our pockets and if it is going to be a unique experience in life. Because at each age the park is lived in a different way. For example, the Disney characters, especially Mickey and Minie and the princesses, cause fascination among the little ones, let's say from 3 to 8-9 years old. But there comes a time when the attractions come to the fore and walking around the park dressed as a princess, superheroines or superheroes is no longer an option. Until adulthood arrives and the least we do to camouflage ourselves in the park is put on some mouse ears or a Ratatuille chef's hat. So don't get frustrated when your tween goes to Disney and passes on princesses and mice; sure you will have a great time with the strong attractions. And on the contrary. There are parents who spend the day running after Michey or Snow White hunting for selfies and autographs.

The Lion King roars again

Another of those who have returned is the Lion King and his entourage made up of Simba, Nala, Rafiki, Mufasa, Scar, Timon and Pumbaa, among others. The Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands show, on stage at the Frontierland Theater from the end of October, is another novelty this Christmas at the park. The uniqueness of this musical is the audio system it offers, a 360-degree surround that puts the viewer at the center of the scene and is equivalent to three times the audio system of Imax theaters.

The show features nine melodies from this Disney classic, featuring giant drums on different levels and African instruments such as djembes, tamas, kalimbas, kora, congas and bongos.

The light returns to Sleeping Beauty's castle

Another of the visual pleasures that the park gives us this Christmas is the return of the Disney Illuminations show, which returns on December 21. A show that, like the parades, had been dropped from the schedule due to covid protocols, to avoid crowding at a single point. But the relaxation of the restrictions has allowed the park to recover part of its magic thanks to this state-of-the-art show that incorporates sounds, lights, projections, water games and impressive pyrotechnic effects. Every night through January 9, against the backdrop of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Mickey takes guests on an action-packed adventure that follows in the footsteps of Disney storybook heroes.