Mistake’s to Avoid at Disneyland Paris

There are a plethora of mistakes one can make when visiting Disneyland Paris. Which could result in a less than optimal visit. While any trip to Disneyland Paris carries a certain degree of fun, there are several mistakes one can easily avoid to make the best out of a day in the parks. 

Simple things like installing the Disneyland Paris app to check wait times and making restaurant reservations or not checking if your favorite attraction is under refurbishment beforehand can seriously impact your visit. We have compiled our must do, or better yet, must avoid mistakes when visiting Disneyland Paris. 

Not Making the Most of Those Delicious Buffets 

Everyone loves to visit all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. At Disneyland Paris, you usually pay a fixed price and it’s not exactly cheap. So be smart and try to get the best bang for your buck (or should we say Euro). 

Avoiding stuffy simple food like pastas, bread and bread heavy dishes like burgers or pizza can go a long way. These “bready” dishes will fill you up quickly, resulting in you paying big bucks for quick service meal portions. Keep an eye out for other delights that are worth your money like seafood or a good steak. 

Another way to get the most out of a Disneyland Paris buffet meal is to take multiple small portions. This enables you to try several dishes and see what you like best.

Getting Mickey Waffles at the Cool Post in Adventureland 

This story is a saga and if you want all the juicy details check out our podcast episode on Mistakes to Avoid at Disneyland Paris here:

Also available on all major podcast platforms. 

Let’s just say there where 15 people in line in front of us and we waited 50 minutes. Trying to get the waffles ate up an immense amount of precious park time. That could have otherwise been used to watch shows or experience attractions. We did give the Cool Post another chance a few weeks later. Sometimes it’s just a bad day. To our surprise a single Cast Member was running the entire Cool Post. Even more astonishing was that the line now moved quickly! Our first thought was “Great, someone in operations noticed and gave these poor Cast Members the training they need to become waffle iron masters.” Nope! As it turned out all of the waffles the Cast Member was serving were pre-prepared and the Cast Member just reheated them in the waffle iron.

It goes without saying that they are not as tasty as the freshly prepared waffles. Quality wise, the waffles reminded us of the Disneyland Paris crepes, which are also reheated. If you want a freshly made waffle at Disneyland Park, head on over to the Rocket Cafe in Discoveryland (located in between Star Tours and Space Mountain). When its open, they serve up delicious freshly made Darth Vader and Storm Trooper waffles. Since the Rocket Cafe is a bit hidden the line is usually shorter as well.

Buying Pre-Filled Popcorn Buckets & Drinks From Kiosks & Carts (Annual Passholder Mistake)

Our next mistake only applies to is annual pass holders. Do not to buy pre-filled popcorn buckets or bottled sodas from the kiosks or carts. The aforementioned items can also be purchased from several shops in the parks. Many shops have a small food selection or a fridge with sodas near the cashier. Like La Confiserie des Trois Fées (The Confectionery of the Three Fairies) in Disneyland Park or the Walt Disney Studios Store in Walt Disney Studios Park. Shops offer Annual Passholders a discount of up to 20% (Infinity Pass). Kiosks and food carts don’t (usually) offer any Annual Passholder discounts. The exception to the rule are the L’Hiver Gourmand chalets, La Place de Rémy, Walt Disney Studios Park, since these are operated by external vendors. 

Expecting to See Adventureland From the Disneyland Railroad

This was something we noticed on our trip to Disneyland Paris with a few family members who were first timers. The Disneyland Railroad is a fabulous way to get an overview of Disneyland Park. It’s still a must do attraction for anyone visiting the parks for the first time. We make a habit of riding it at least once per visit. It’s such a relaxing panoramic experience, offering some of the best views of Frontierland. That statement can not be applied to Adventureland. Even through though the announcer states: „Folks see that ancient temple in the distance, that means we’ve entered Adventureland the worlds most mysterious region.“, we’re sitting there like what temple!?! All passengers see is a bunch of greenery and a small campsite.

Which is beautiful, but how about a good view of the extraordinary “La Cabane des Robinson” or the aforementioned temple. Your best bet of getting a mini peek at it is by riding backwards and sitting right by the opening/door side. It’s the only part of the grand circle tour that doesn’t quite do the land justice. Although that trip through “Pirates of the Caribbean” with the Disneyland Railroad does make up for it a bit.

Forgetting to use Your On-Property Disney Hotel Perks

A major perk for those planning on booking an official Disneyland Paris hotel is that you can make restaurant reservations up to 12 months in advance. Regular park goers can reserve tables up to 2 months in advance. This perk can only be used if you have access to the official Disneyland Paris hotel and/or vacation package booking number. Some 3rd party booking websites do not provide you with a Disney booking number, one big benefit of booking through Disney’s call center or official website is that you definitely get access to that information.

To make restaurant reservations 12 month’s in advance, login to the Disneyland Paris app with your free Disney account. Add your booking number in the account area under my bookings. If you are booking over the phone be sure to ask for you booking number in case the email gets lost. If you are staying at Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel you can also book your hotel guest exclusive visit to the Superhero Station. 

Buying Merchandise That Isn’t Dishwasher/Microwave Safe

The 30th Anniversary mug is a prime example, it’s everything most folks want from a Disney mug. It’s kitschy, fun and unique looking. We picked up two at Flora’s Boutique and they never fail to put a smile on my husband’s face. The big drawback is that you can’t put them in the microwave or dishwasher. This is definitely a major first world problem but we have a dishwasher and we want to use it. When I’m standing in front of the kitchen cabinet, trying to decide what mug to serve my husbands morning coffee in. My eyes always drift to the 30th Anniversary mugs first. Then I envision a future where I have to wash them by hand and laziness overwhelms me. So I reach for the much less fun but more practical gray Mickey Mouse mug.

We made the mistake of not checking wether or not the mugs are dishwasher safe before purchasing. It’s not a huge deal for us, since we have other Disneyland Paris mugs. However, if this is someone who only visits every few years or once in a lifetime, it’s frustrating to have a souvenir mug that you can’t use like you would expect in the 21st century. You can easily tell which Disneyland Paris dishes and goodies are dishwasher safe by keeping an eye out for the helpfull dishwasher pictogram. Which is usually on the bottom or backside of a product.

Gaumomt Cinema in Disney Village

Be aware that movies are usually shown in French only – dubbed – and without subtitles. If you don’t have great French language skills, be sure to check the program for films presented in English. Gaumont doesn’t show many films in their original version. Usually it’s only blockbusters on busy days and with French subtitles.

Lake Side Room’s at Disney Sequoia Lodge 

We mentioned this in our review of Disney Sequoia Lodge, lake side rooms do not necessarily mean lake view rooms. It’s something to keep in mind when shelling out the extra bucks for a lakeside room. This is really about expectation management. Even though Disneyland Paris does not call them lake view rooms it still implies that a lake plays a relevant role in your rooms ambience. Disney first put us in room 4179, which is directly in front of a green courtyard and faces another Sequoia Lodge building directly across from it. These rooms often offer views of greenery and your neighbors, when you may have been expecting to look out at that glorious lake Disney.

If we would have wanted to see the lake from that room. We would have to stick your head out of the window and crane our necks to the right. At first we thought there had a been a mistake so we called the reception and asked if we had, perhaps, accidentally been placed in a non standard room. As it turns out, lake side means you are not necessarily looking or even facing the lake directly. Only that the side of the building you have been placed on is more or less on the side of the lake. The helpful Cast Member on the phone managed to switch us to room 4235 which has a glorious view of the lake.

A good rule of thumb is the higher up = better view. Those beautiful pines have grown a-lot over past 30 years. Obstructing many of the lake views rooms on the lower floors previously had. This is not really an issue for Disney Newport Bayclub or Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel since they don’t feature large trees in between the hotels and the lake. 

Forgetting the Security Checkpoints

Similar to an airport, to enter Disneyland Paris, one has to pass through a security checkpoint. Each checkpoint has a metal detector and an X-ray scanner for bags as well as the regular detection dog. Be sure to remove any object that could be used as a weapon, like Swiss Army Knive’s, nail cutters or pepper spray, and leave them in your car or hotel. The scanners will find prohibited items and security may confiscate and dispose of the objects. Alternatively there are locker’s available for rent at the Marne-la-Vallée Chessy RER/train station. Please note that you also need to pass through the security checkpoint to enter Disney Village.

Using the “Slow” Queue in Pirates of the Caribbean 

Once you get close to the boarding area in Pirates of the Caribbean, the queue splits up into two lines. The right side was a tad shorter on our last visit, so we ended up taking it. Big mistake, it was a busy day and the Magic All (disability access line) was packed. Every third boat was loaded with park goers from Magic All instead of the regular stand by queue. Resulting in a considerably longer wait on our part. We saw folks who were way behind us in the main queue walk past us (on the left) and board a boat. While we still had more than 50% of the right hand queue ahead of us. This wont make a big difference when the attraction/park is not packed. However if you are visiting during peak hours, using the left hand side once the queue splits will save you a considerable amount of time. 

Be sure to check out the AirMagique podcast for even more great Disneyland Paris tips. 

Are you planning a trip to Disneyland Paris? Let us know in the comments below. 

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