Should I go to Disneyland Paris as soon as it reopens?

After these months of closure, the desire to return to Disneyland Paris is stronger than ever, especially just a few days before the reopening … But here, faced with health measures, possible fears or constraints, should we return as soon as the reopening? Our editors are wondering.

Two editors, two opinions: Make your choice!

Yes, I’m looking forward to it! by Sara

I was so happy to receive the message that I almost had a stroke: we know the date! On July 15, Disneyland Paris will reopen the doors of its parks, and its hotels will gradually wake up from their slumber, just like Sleeping Beauty did. And now that we know a little more about the many measures to be applied, a question arises: should we resist, or give in to temptation?

For me, the answer is very simple: yes, yes and yes again!

Most of the attractions are open and only the capacity has been modified to respect the rules of distance and hygiene. As always, some attractions are being renovated and rehabilitated, but this is no different than usual. Fast Pass and Single Rider lanes are not available at this time, but do we really need them when the number of visitors is so limited? Even though the attractions have different capacities, I don’t think there will be huge lines. Of course, there will be, as always, peak hours. But we can use the app to see the attendance. So, no problem for me.

Less time in the park?

Yes, in fact, we should be able to stay longer in the park in summer. But after all, we manage to do the whole park with these same hours in winter. And on the bright side, it gives us time to explore Disney Village, grab a burger at Anette’s or head to Billy Bob’s for a few drinks.

No show?

As the park reopens, the shows and The Lion King and Rhythms of the Earth are still not available, but they will be back this summer and we will be able to enjoy them again soon. So if you really want to see these shows, just wait a little bit longer.

No meet&greet with the characters?

Character encounters (as we know them) don’t happen. But there are Magic Shots (some of you already know them) where you can hold Tinkerbell in the palm of your hand, or help Stitch when he’s acting crazy… And you can meet characters, it’s just a little different than what we knew. The characters will be visible in the park and we will have the opportunity to take selfies with them. We’ll see what Disneyland has planned for that. Finally, there are new sets and photo ideas. Meet Mickey will be open as usual, but we won’t be able to get close to the characters. There will be new character appearances, so there will be lots of new things to discover. That’s great! We get to see something new and new pictures that will be different than usual. I’m really looking forward to it.

No parade, no Disney Illuminations?

For many of us, Illuminations is the highlight of the evening and this show will not be offered at the reopening. I don’t miss it that much, because I’ve been able to see Illuminations many times before. I hope the park closes with something better than the general announcement that was released the last few days before closing. We need something better to end the day with! A little magic, please!

There won’t be a parade either, and that’s what hurts my heart the most, especially for the Lion King Festival parade which is great! Maybe we’ll get some surprises, because the Lion King and Jungle Festival is supposed to come back this summer. So it’s possible that we’ll get the show in a whole new form and in a new location?

Wear a mask all day?

I am over 11 years old, so I have to wear a mask all day in the park. To make it comfortable, I’ll bring very light models so I can breathe properly. Also, we can take a little break without mask while eating. So you can already imagine that my next stay is going to cost me a lot of money, because I will spend my time eating .
But let’s stay positive! This gives us the opportunity to find brand new ideas and ways to take pictures, and to show an emotion even while wearing a mask, to have your picture taken from the back, etc.
We’ll have to get really creative! But back let’s go back to the food subject…

No more buffet?

I usually love to test out restaurants, eat at one and then look for another restaurant with different menus, although I usually prefer buffets, because I can sample all the delights and plunder the dessert buffet until I explode. This offering is no longer available in this form at this time, but Disneyland is trying to create alternatives and is offering table service with all the options available. This is a whole new dining experience, and a reason for me to eat at more restaurants . I’m also curious about the take-out menus, which are supposed to encourage us to picnic outside. First, I wonder where we’ll have room to picnic, because without extra seating, we won’t have much choice, and second, I want to see what the menus will look like, obviously.

The stores?

I see a huge advantage for shopping. On the last day before Disneyland Paris closed, we already had a glimpse of what it might look like. Because of the restriction on the number of people who could enter, the experience was a bit like a private shopping trip. No need to fight your way through the customers, you had space and could unleash your shopping desire in peace. Critics will point out that you have to wait in line to get into a store. But as usual, it’s up to you! If the line in front of the store is too long, come back a little later.

Disneyland Paris has already announced that they will release some magical new products, and I really want to find out. We don’t know what, when, or where, so we’ll have to keep our eyes open!

And we can’t forget one essential factor: the many Disneyland cast members who are always there for us. They dance with us, they do lightsaber fights with us, and they create the atmosphere. What would the Tower of Terror be without the “hotel staff”, who even sing us a last song sometimes, before we fall into the depths of the tower, or in Big Thunder Mountain, what would the craziest ride in the west on a ghost train without a happy “yiiiiiiiha” from the cast members! They make all the difference.

And another thing is that each of us is unique. Guests who plan to wear outfits to a Disneybound full of great details, kids who leave millions of soap bubbles in their path, or who simply make faces with us in the lines. Because it’s all Disney and it’s what creates that uniqueness, which we can hardly describe, but which we love so much.

Ultimately, everyone has their own list of pros and cons, and everyone will make the choice to come to Disneyland Paris under these conditions, or not. For me, visiting the park this year is a very special experience, and I can’t wait to see how well (or poorly) we manage to incorporate these measures into our daily lives! Either way, we’re here for you, and to make the magic shine!

No, I won’t take the risk! by Catherine

Go to Disneyland Paris now? NO

William Shakespeare said “to be or not to be, that is the question? “My answer to him is “not to go to Disneyland Paris now, that is my decision”.

I’m an inveterate Disney fan, if not an addict. And yet, I won’t be there when it reopens or in the days that follow. So why, you may ask?

What are my reasons? Why this turn of events? I spent nights questioning myself, trying to be as clear-sighted as possible. I read and reread the health conditions for reopening, the services offered at Disney,… I analyzed the health problems. The cutter fell: NO NO NO

My observations

• First of all, you will have to go through a reservation system that will sometimes make your hair stand: waiting, disrupted service, cuts, mistakes in the dates, and so on
• Once you have made your reservation, you will have to consider the new safety standards

Which are :

• Wearing a mask is mandatory for all visitors over 11 years of age during the entire time you are in the park, except during your meal.
• Distance of 1 meter between each person
• Hand sanitization before and after each attraction
• Distancing configuration in each vehicle or boat
• Single Rider lanes and Fastpass service unavailable
• There will be separate entrance and exit lanes in restaurants and stores
• Plexiglass screens will be placed in front of the reception and checkout areas
• Cast members will be present to monitor compliance with security rules

All this will be done to reassure us but you will nevertheless have to bring a survival kit because even if there will be nearly 2 000 terminals of hydroalcoholic gel I am not sure that at the end of the day these will still be filled…

Moreover you will have to take several masks to hold the day if you want that this one remains in conformity, and if you multiply the whole for each member of your family that will make you a small pack and buy them on the place a small fortune.

You will say to me that all this is rather beneficial for your health and your safety but do not forget that this place is above all a place made, created, for children and imagine… In real time we wait on average between 1 hour and 2 hours between each attraction and even if there will be less visitors, I suppose that the queues will be even longer.

So have a lot of patience because I’m not sure your young children can understand why:

1. you will not allow them to get too close to other people
2. that touching anything and everything will be a possible source of contamination
3. that it would be safer for them to stay by your side instead of running around as they dream of doing
4. that if they fall, drag themselves on the ground, touch or accidentally run into unknown people, you will draw your disinfectants faster than Lucky Luke with his revolver

STRESS, STRESS, STRESS!

I am done or almost done with the contamination phase, disinfection though :

• in Luxembourg, on this day of July 5, 2020, new infections have been detected
• In Spain, Catalonia reconfine about 200 000 people
• In Portugal, Lisbon region confinement for 700 000 people
• In Germany reconfinement of 600 000 people in 2 cantons
• In Great Britain in Leicester, tightening of the confinement, closing of stores
• In Italy near Naples, 700 people confined

And you think I’m exaggerating? Don’t come and tell me afterwards that everything is under control!

Let’s move on to why we want to go to Disneyland Paris: we need the dream, but will we get it ????????

Will be temporarily unavailable:

• children’s play areas
• traditional meetings with Disneyland Paris characters
• make-up and makeover experiences
• close interactions and hugs with Disney characters are temporarily suspended
• certain experiences, shows or events will be modified according to the evolution of health measures and recommendations of public authorities, including Disney stars on Parade and Disney illuminations

So here again IMAGINE :

NO, my sweetheart, you can’t give a kiss to your princesses/ your heroes

NO you can’t play there

NO there is no parade

NO no illumination

YES you have to wait

YES you have to stay calm

And you are hungry? Well, you wait in line

You wanted to eat with the princesses? Well, I’m sorry it’s sold out… It was already difficult to book a restaurant, but now that the number of places has decreased, I’ll let you think about it…

The word of the end… well if I can express myself thus. Everything could go well but it will be without the incivility, the selfishness, the casualness, the naivety, the unconsciousness of some people. We are not master of the situation, nor of the people and especially less of this virus.

YES, we will have to learn to live with it but I say LEARN and my question is: ARE WE READY?

There is a quote that says that the flapping of a butterfly’s wings can cause a typhoon on the other side of the world. This is called the “butterfly effect”: small causes, big consequences…